Unschooling in action

Nate isn't a huge fan of writing, and he isn't a fluent reader yet. He finds it really hard. I have gone through stages of pushing him (hoping that he would get past some barrier and suddenly get it) and completely ignoring it (hoping it would just happen one day like in all of the unschooling stories I have read). Now I'm just following his lead with a few well-placed nudges.

He loves cooking, so I picked up a few children's cookbooks last time I was at the library by myself (ahhh luxury...). He delved right in, and because it's a topic he's interested in, he's actually putting forth the effort to read the recipes that accompany the tastiest looking foods.

This morning he picked three recipes he wanted to make, like, right then. I told him that we didn't have all of the ingredients and we would have to go to the store to pick them up. Right. Focus on. He got a piece of paper and started making a shopping list. Reading the recipes, working out what we already have and in what quantities, and writing down what we need to buy. Total focus. No frustration. No boredom.

"Aha" moment.