Succulent Living

Today I watched this awesome Youtube video and it really highlighted my theme in life right now .. its all about SUCCULENT LIVING!  

SARK highlights how succulent living is about nourishing yourself from the INSIDE so that you can give LIFE and FULFILMENT to the outer life.  Its about being WILD and FREE.

SARK writes love letters to herself.. and from this she grows, thrives and GIVES... She dares to dream and be outrageous.

How am I living a Succulent life?

This week I made a HUGE decision for our family (with Hubby's blessing of course);  In 2014 I have decided to Home Educate my children - removing them from mainstream schooling.

Many people ask me WHY would I pull my kids out of mainstream schools?; lose my freedom and so called RISK my children's ability to socialise and fit into the world.

Its becoming clear to me how many of the people asking don't seem to live from a sense of freedom or self security but are controlled and stuck in a conformity to what they perceive is the "norm" of societies expectation.

Funny thing is most people who know me know I'm pretty much an alternative lifestyle person.  Rarely normal and rarely mainstream.  Very little in my life has been normal since I can remember .  My life has been built for purpose.. The Sarah WAY not the nice polite society way.

So... WHY am I pulling my children out of mainstream school and home educating?

Because I want them to live a SUCCULENT LIFE! Organic Free Ranging!

You can read a thousand papers on the pro's and cons of school based education and home based education and tell me your opinion but actually I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK!.. the way we choose to raise our kids does not have to be confined to a political powered mob rules one size fits all regime of education.  This does not prepare us for "the world"  the only thing that prepares us for the world is exposure to many things, gentle guidance to how things work, sometimes confronting outrageous things too.  its about learning LOTS of information,  practising techniques of communication and basically BEING LOVED, APPRECIATED, RESPECTED and Courageous!

Modern educations methods are based on industrial revolution based methods where childcare needed to be done outside the home.. in a school so parents could work; people had the money to educate their children and many were not able to educate their child them self due to their own lack of resources.  

Schooling became the Battery Farm of Education.  Unless you can afford to find one that's alternative and fits you, you are stuck with sending them to the Battery Farms run by the Government or like me found an awesome Catholic education institute who have the community side of life I desired for my kids but lack resources for supplying them with individual attention for their personal needs.

My children are unique individuals and are a blessing and responsibility that I don't take lightly.  We are in a position where I can be their education provider using the resources widely available.  I wont be doing this alone and have employed a crack team of curriculum providers who will help.  BUT the difference is they wont be bogged down in the petty boredom of an invisible life they have been living AT A SCHOOL.    

Oh and also....I am COMPLETELY CAPABLE OF DOING THIS!

I will be raising FREE RANGE children;  Not ones stuck in a battery farm...They will be OUT IN THE WORLD, learning about communication through every day activities like Grocery Shopping, going to the pool whenever we feel like it, going to the library, travelling to see family interstate during TERM TIME.. , visiting other home ed families, going to church run activities and numerous other activities that we decide to be involved with - they will also be learning to cook, clean and LIVE every day not just stuck cramming those life lessons into the few pre/post school hours that at this point has been when they are most tired and cranky and unwilling. 

My kids will still be learning their educational lessons of Maths, English, Science, History etc but at THEIR level and THEIR pace.

Yes I am sure plenty of criticism is yet to come my way.. the nay-sayers and pooh-poohers will continue to scoff at my ability and alternative decisions but ya know what.. THEY ARE MY KIDS, THIS IS MY FAMILY and its my choice!.  

Education for us will be Organic and tailored to fit the individual 

My children won't miss out on anything because their life will be full every day.. and I get to watch it first hand and be involved.  

And don't spout that single word at me - SOCIALISATION... what does that even mean?.. seriously.. do you think just because a kid is in school they WANT to play with 100 other kids their own age.  Do MY CHILDREN even do this now.  Actually NO THEY DON'T.. at present my two kids in the small blocks of free time they get at school play with maybe one or two children - whom they have outside school relationships with also!   

Free Range schooling means during the day my boys will have each other.. learning to look out for one anothers needs is far more life sustaining than fly by night friendships that they have no control over.  Making a million friends in a school does not give you a guaranteed life time of not being lonely.  My boys are more the type that are lonely in a crowd than secure!

You see.. this is NOT about ME.. its about them and its about US... if you know me then you will know I don't see this as a LOSS to my child free time.. its a GAIN to my day.. I don't have to be alone doing it, and nor do they.. and we can be Free Ranging together!

PS:  This is NOT saying Battery Education is WRONG or that those who choose it for their kids are WRONG.. its just not RIGHT for US!