It's a wide sky life

Most unschooling conferences have something called "funshops." These are hour-long sessions dedicated to something that the funshop host is passionate about or just enjoys. The past two years at LIFE is Good, I've hosted drum circle funshops, despite my lack of experience, because I just love drumming. Other past funshops have included things ranging from varieties of crafts, to skateboarding, to World of Warcraft, to American Girl dolls, to dance, to I don't know what all.

So, earlier this week we got together up on Vancouver Island with a bunch of other unschooling families, and Craig noted how an unschooler's life is one big funshop. It is so true, and it represents one of my very favorite things about hanging out with these people. Every time we get together with unschoolers, I get to try something I've never tried before. Sometimes it's something really cool, like archery (thanks, Kyrie!), and sometimes it's something little, like coffee made from fresh-roasted beans (thanks, Shannon!).

Enhancing the funshop lifestyle is countless little moments of connection and sharing and joy. Here is something I wrote for Ren's recent Facebook meme:

List some things you did this week:
--I learned to shoot a bow and arrow and actually hit the target. I played Mario Kart. I hunted orks along the Galloping Goose trail with a bunch of unschoolers. I sat on the bluff talking to Effie, got sawed in two by Fergus, read books with Meah, played guitar with MJ, watched Chloe and Qacei jump on the trampoline, listened to Conor making the younger gamers laugh, and climbed a mountain with Benja. I saw dolphins and seals from a ferry (which is different from seeing faeries from a dolphin, but still pretty magical). I made love with my husband. I read a book. I ate Thai food. I got a hug from a friend in a vulnerable moment. I held a newborn. I got my feet *very* dirty. I procrastinated. I slept.

And what's cool, what makes this life is so amazing, is that I could write a similar list just about every week, even (especially!) when it's just the four of us tucked up at home.

And what's REALLY cool is that I am waxing rhapsodic after a week that has definitely had its ups and downs. An unschooling life is not a perfect life. We are not immune to stress, screwups, frustrations, meltdowns, mishaps, misunderstandings, arguments, or just plain fights. We experience tragedies and we have troubles.

But what we have to fall back on in our tough times is this funshop life. It's good.

Credit for the title of this blog post goes to Amy Steinberg. Happy birthday, Amy!