Of November and nanotechnology, ballet slippers and bunkai

It's out of the frying pan and into the fire here at our house. We knew that taking a vacation right before the holidays would make November just zoom on by, but a confluence of activities is really accelerating the pace. Today the kids are rehearsing with their Lego First League robotics team, and then Diva goes straight to a rehearsal for the ballet performance of Chronicles of Narnia that she'll be in. Sometime today, we need to practice our kata and bunkai for our karate class, and play the violin. Oh yeah, and eat, sleep, have some fun.

When you unschool, your kids' learning happens in so many different places (the term "homeschool" is really a misnomer, because home is only part of the picture). Trying to facilitate all of their interests while keeping a healthy mix of activity, down-time, one-on-one time with the kids, playdates with friends, and family time is a real balancing act some times. The next few weeks will be one of those times, with our karate belt tests, Lego robotics competition (over a hundred miles away), and three productions of the ballet (with accompanying dress rehearsals) all occurring over the span of two hectic weekends. And then Blam! we're launched into the Christmas holidays.

And now, I'm off to re-write the narrator's part in the kids' play about medical applications of nanotechnology. Ah, the things I'm called on to do as an unschooling mom! Sometimes I think I learn more than the kids.