Unschooling - Part Two...Monkey Platters!

My latest obsession has become unschooling.  Since my back went out on Monday I have had a ton of time to read to my heart's content about unschooling and I am having a blast.  Its funny because I am exhibiting the very process of unschooling as I READ about unschooling.  Meaning, I have found a topic that I am excited about and want to know more about and I can't stop reading and researching about.  :)  That's what happens to our kids.  They latch onto something they are interested in and do everything in their power to find out more about it, with me as their support.  That is when the learning happens!

People who are looking for information about Ecuador may be disappointed in my posts this week because there won't be much to tell.  We have reached our 11 month here.  One more month and it will be a year.  Incredible!  Time has flown, and now we are into the nitty gritty of just living and learning.  Or learning while living.  I'm sure we will have a lot more to say about our adventures, so keep tuning in, but you may want to tune out on this one.  Unless you are interested in unschooling in Ecuador, that is.  :)

This week as you know from my last post I have become interested in the food paradigm that goes along with unschooling.  Last week I took the kids shopping, gave them $15 each and waited to see what happened.  Finn bought bananas, strawberries, yogurt, hershey bars, a bottle of Fanta, a small bag of chocolates and slinkies.  Tali bought a cucumber, a loaf of bread, ham, hershey bars and a small bag of chocolate.  Pretty balanced I would say.  How proud they were going up to the counter and paying for their very own food!

Unschooling also explores refraining on putting limits on when and what children eat.  Unschooling parents believe that given the choice children are pretty smart and will choose what their bodies need.  I have read excerpt after excerpt of parents finding this to be true. They also believe that many of the eating disorders and obesity in our society today is because of the rules, regulations and guilt trips associated with food.  When children have access to as much candy (or any other food for that matter) as they want, whenever they want, it is found by unschooling parents that children balance themselves and eventually eat less candy than children who have limitations.  The children end up feeling that since it is always there, there is no need to gorge themselves.   I am interested in seeing where this takes us.

One idea that has taken off in the unschooling world is the idea of "monkey platters".  This is a plate or bowls containing "healthy" and "not-so-healthy" foods offered to children with love.  Whatever is in the house.  I decided to make my first monkey platter tonight.  It included a big bowl of popcorn, ham slices, banana chunks, strawberries, cucumber slices, pumpkin seeds and cheese cubes.  I called to the kids that I had made them a monkey platter.  They came running and were so excited to see it.  They asked me why I made it for them and I said because I love them.  They thanked me over and over.  It was pretty funny.  We don't have a lot of junk food in the house since I haven't gone shopping since I decided to do this.  Next time there will be more of that. 

Here is a link to Sandra Dodd's website about food:

http://sandradodd.com/food

Here is the page about Monkey Platters:

http://sandradodd.com/eating/monkeyplatter

Here are my kids rejoicing and snacking on my first platter:

 What I am most surprised about is how quickly my attitudes towards food for myself are changing.  It is like a fresh breath of air is blowing through our house and sweeping out all of the worries and anxieties.  That has got to be a good thing.  :)