Showing progress

This morning, Owen started again with the, "you are not respecting me because you won't buy me..." Rather than lament, again, that he needs to stop the self-righteous rhetoric, I got a great idea. Owen needs to see things on paper. So, I decided to take all the ideas that he has twisted the wrong way and help him work them out. I made a list of all the ideas we had changed yesterday and added the current idea to the list. He loved it. Then he asked me to put an 'O' after every idea that he thought he understood. I explained that was comparing and 'testing'. He didn't understand. I explained that implied we had tested him and he had learned that lesson. Then I would have to test everyone else in the house. Hopefully, he will slowly get the idea.

Here's the list so far:
thoughts we changed:

1. Too many video games will make your eyes square (Owen's friend told him this and really upset him)... changed to:
Video games are not good or bad, they just are
2. Taking something because we want it (You're not respecting me if you don't buy me...)... changed to:
We respect each other's belongings.
3. Do I get points for this? Can you pay me to do a chore?... changed to:
We don't need rewards or points
4. I want to stop playing/watching because I'm bored... changed to:
We each limit our own video/tv time because there is so much we want to do
5. I'm bored, let's go to the park ... changed to:
We can do something new!
6. I don't want to eat a meal, because veggies are yucky... changed to:
Food is not good or bad, it just is.
7. I don't want to talk about it... changed to:
We can solve any problem with creativity and patience
8. I don't feel like doing that commitment today... changed to:
When we pick something, we stick with it. (scouts, basketball, soccer, art class)

I realize the last one is not truly unschooling. The kids have a hard time discerning between not wanting to do an activity and not wanting to transition. I think if we practice thought #8 as it is written, they will see, through their actions, that they like the activity, just not the transition. Right now, the painful transition is carrying over to the activity and making it sour. I must say, our house is so much happier and peaceful already and it has not even been 24 hours. :-)