Well hello again!

Greetings my gorgeous ones.

I find I have had an 18 month hiatus from the good ol’ blog, even though I really didn’t mean to.

So fingers crossed I can start a new streak with this one.

The problem when you’ve had such a long break is there is so much to catch up on. But I think we’ll just try to jump on in and summarise the most important changes.

The things that come to mind, are our kids’ study activities.

Last year Miles managed to complete a Diploma in Engineering at our local Tech Collage. So he now has a qualification under his belt. But he enjoyed himself so much and had so many questions they couldn’t or wouldn’t answer, he has now taken himself off to Uni to do a double degree Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and Physics. Which means he no longer lives at home, and he has to do his own cooking and cleaning! He is mostly loving his new life.

This year Aiden has chosen to follow in Miles’ footsteps and is currently studying at our Tech College for a Cert 3 in Laboratory Skills. He has had some difficulties with being around others due to his OCD, but has persevered and passed all his subjects last semester. So now he only has Chemistry to go!

We are so pleased with our homeschooled boys. They are both resourceful and brave, and still love learning. They are finding a lot of their fellow students are more jaded, which we put down to homeschooling.

So never let people tell you you won’t get into University if you have to remove yourself from the school system for whatever reason. We are evidence that it is possible, even if you have to find creative ways to get there. 

This is how my gorgeous boys look now, and for those who have followed for a long time, we were at our property Heartwoods.

I will leave it there for now and let these couple of lines start me off again.

And ‘til next time,

Keep on creating!

Love,

Jazzy Jack

Saying Goodbye to Leeway

Greetings my friends!

Well, this week saw the end of an era in our household. We said goodbye to our beach cabin “Leeway” which we have owned for four wonderful years.

This was sad and also perfect timing.

So this last week saw us popping down to the beach for one last goodbye to all our favourite haunts and emptying out the cabin. (Not that we can’t visit the haunts again one day.)

Since then I have been trying to find space in our already small apartment for all the duplicate pantry and toiletry items brought back. I’ve become a ninja squirreller!

Every time I empty out a bag or box onto the kitchen counter I despair of ever finding homes for them all. And when the bench is cleared I do a happy dance and feel like a superhero!

Such are the joys of my life right now. I have to find joy this way as my September Space month has been somewhat invaded by this slightly unexpected early selling of our cabin. Seems there is more of a demand than we realised for portable cabins.

We are really happy she is going to Mogo not far away to a family that was burnt out in the fires. How cool is that? And Mogo is a super sweet little town. 

Looking back we have been reflecting on all we have achieved since owning Leeway. The reason for buying her was to give Aiden a place to feel safe (due to his OCD) and to be able to explore the world. It required superhuman courage for him to do the car journey at first. But each successful trip built on the one before, and now he and Miles are doing their own road trip together in their own car and loving it!

Here is a link to a YouTube video I made when we first bought Leeway. To give you an idea of how we felt about it!

https://youtu.be/XKqbG-RmB1c

I was moved to write a poem about the beach on the last day, but surprisingly it was about a first.

climbing the sand dune to the sea

on the first day of holidays

is a magical moment

that first glimpse

that breath catch moment

on reaching the top

and spying the blue

stretched out

like a glistening tablecloth

before me

24/9/20

And here is the last glimpse through the fence.

May she have many more happy years with her new family.

Stay tuned for more adventures focussing on Heartwoods our bush getaway which was burnt out in the fires. We have plans...

Til next time,

Keep on creating!

Love,

Jazzy Jack

A fleeting visit

Hello folks!
I wonder if you remember me? 

I just stopped by quickly to let you see a video I made. It once again features the magical Moruya River and my gorgeous family.
We are all well. 
Miles is 17 and now drives. He has officially graduated from homeschooling, although we still go about life the same. He is actively looking for work and handing out resumes. Very interested in some form of mechanical engineering at this stage for a career.

Aiden is 14 and looooves bikes. Motorcycles I should say. He is counting the days until he can get his learners licence. (16 and 9 months)
Every day he has a new bike he would like to buy and the strategy to go about it.
He is now swimming once a week in swimming lessons, takes the dog for regular long walks, rides his ebike around town and is generally a much fitter and much happier human.

I am busy decluttering our house and sorting things through because we are moving soon to our new apartment. We have bought a two bedroom apartment which we have crazily decided to try out for a year. It will be a drastic change and downsize, but we are keen for the challenge. It is in the town centre overlooking a lake, on the twelfth floor. So slightly different to our groundlevel four bedroom two bathroom house in suburbia!
At the same time we have been renovating one of our bathrooms due to a hole which developed in the floor. So life has seemed full of flux and messiness for about a year now. I am looking forward to the move perhaps around Christmas or early next year, so we can get back a little stability and tidiness.

So to give ourselves a break we took off for ten days to our beloved coastal hideaway.
Here is the video we took the time before.
I hope you enjoy another glimpse into our lives and our country.

Love,

Jazzy Jack

Building and testing a raft

Dear friends
Here is a video I put together of our family adventures with Miles' raft building. 
He has had so much fun thinking of new ideas and testing them out. 
This is unschooling at it's finest!
Enjoy a relaxing view.

Til next time,

Keep on creating!

Love,

Jazzy Jack 

Why not have another video!

Greetings my beauties!
Here is another video to catch up with what we've been doing.
Thanks so much to all who wrote such lovely comments answering my questionnaire before the break.
I feel the need to change things up a little and trying to see what people respond to.
However for now all I have the energy for is doing videos and Instagram posts. Yes, I'm back on Instagram, trying it out again. Maybe it will stick, who knows. Or maybe I just need a change.

I've been exploring a lot of topics like flow, and autism and giftedness to see if I can get rid of my constant headaches and body tension. Yesterday I just stayed in bed apart from exercising, and cutting Miles' hair. It seemed to help and although seems obvious, is never that obvious to me! I always feel the need to do something to fix my tension. Crazy I know!

Anyway, here is the video, and I'll talk to you soon hopefully.

Til next time,

keep on creating!

Love,

Jazzy Jack 

It's been a minute

Greetings gorgeous friends!

Life has taken me away to thrash me around a bit. We have had too much fun since the beginning of the year, with birthdays and travel and performance.
I am only now (maybe) groping my way through.
I can't really decide where to start, but here is my latest video to update you a bit.
Love you!
Jazzy Jack

Photographing Hall Cemetery

Greetings one and all.

The other day Aiden and I took a small photography trip to Hall Cemetery. A little cemetery for the historic village that is located one suburb away from our house.

It was a beautiful sunny Winter's day to explore the gravestones.

I was pleasantly surprised to see all the natural designs. So I've taken a few photos to share here.

They have a rare orchid that grows here amongst other rare grassland plants, and they've even gone to the lengths of asking people who have reserved plots where the orchids have taken up residence, to volunteer to move. Tricky. I don't think they are asking the current occupants of graves to get up and move!

Aiden went around straightening up the fallen vases and putting things to rights.

Afterwards we took a trip to the end of the road and had a picnic in the turnoff where gravel is dumped. Such a gorgeous view over the mountains.

Also on this road is an amazing monastery with silver roofs. The Free Serbian Orthodox Monastery.

Stunning! It seems very glamorous to be sitting there all alone amongst farmland.

Speaking of glamorous...my fashion model son.

Til next time,

keep on creating!

Love

Jazzy Jack

PS Just as walking is controlled falling,

living is controlled dying.

What do you think of that?

Creativity, Unschooling and a Poem

Greetings friends!

 

Recently I made a YouTube video about our trip up the Moruya River on our tinnie

(small fishing boat). Here it is:

 

 

Although this was not a perfect video by any means, I released it anyway, as a snapshot in time. Showing our fun on the day, and my beginner skills with the camera.(Videoing from a moving boat requires rather a lot of skill!)

My theory is that we need to recognise and relish in our beginner mind.

 

I have too strong a tendency to judge myself and my work, and sometimes that is appropriate.

However over time I've found it is more useful for skill development, to allow the mistakes to occur, and sometimes in public! To make room for more understanding and ability.

 

Creative pursuits are rife with difficulties in this area, because we can so easily judge our poor attempts at painting or playing an instrument etc., and give up. How sad that is, if it is due to criticism, as opposed to a lack of desire.
 

 'feel the beauty

of the origin of an idea.'

 

If we truly want to continue studying and growing in that area, we need to allow the mistakes, and the beginner mind to have its moment.

This can be challenging to our egos, especially when you are a person who usually performs at a high standard.

But there is a place there in the vulnerability and humbleness that can be a highly creative space.

We can allow more room for our ideas to flourish and our new thought patterns to develop, if we hold off on the judgement for a while.

 

Of course there is always a time to sit and reflect if we want to allow others to see this work.

But in this instance, after editing this video three times, and cutting it back by half (!), I decided to let you see the wobbles and wind gusts. To let you hear my silly singing, and include my son's beginner guitar playing, because we celebrate the attempt at creativity as much as the finished product.

I released this work so you can feel encouraged at my beginnings, and maybe have a go yourself.

 

We need to rejoice in our vulnerable starting points, and feel the beauty of the origin of an idea.  

 

 

 

I think this mindset is why I love Unschooling so much. It is a space where we allow beginnings and endings. It is a place to explore our interests and desires. It makes room

for imperfections and creativity, and gives time to expand into ourselves.

 

I am finding as a parent who is Unschooling my mind is becoming more relaxed about "the way things should be". It is an expansion where we need to gently guide, be aware, but leave our hands off until absolutely needed or wanted. I am more able to trust that things will work out in time if we let them. My need for control of every little educational moment is releasing and I'm gaining such wonder of the naturally perfect learning my kids are creating in and around themselves.

 

We are creative people underneath, and if we can silence or ignore our critic long enough and open up to love and trust and play, we can find wells of new ideas just waiting to rise.

 

So do yourself a favour, and give it a go.

 

 

 

Open your hearts

to your simplicity

your beginnings

your humbleness

Celebrate the imperfect

the feebleness

the wobbly lines

the hesitancies

Smile anew

at the sweet joys

of vulnerability

of trembling tries

Let yourself laugh

at your playful

and inconsistent

ability

 

(I hope you like my playful creative examples above)

 

Til next time,

keep on creating!

 

Love,

Jazzy Jack

Unexpected Unschooling Lessons

Greetings everyone!

I have been musing on Unschooling and how it leads you in directions you least expect.
Having Unschooled for a year and a bit now, I feel able to reminisce a little, and see how the land lies.

One of the principles of Unschooling is to allow your children to find their own place, their own passions and interests. These bubble up out of their own person, without any input from parents.
Sometimes they can seem quite surprising and out of left field. But because they have set their own course, your kids pursue them with an intensity and determination that is remarkable...or at least my kids do.

My 15 year old Miles (yes, he has turned 15) has a passion for history, namely the early 20th century, during the World Wars. He loves story telling, the physics of engines, strategy and the psychology of teamwork. This is why he is attracted to this time in history although he is sensitive to the suffering during wartime and has explored numerous stories of people caught up in warfare. As you can imagine we have had many discussions about this!
His interest has lead to him making replica guns out of wood. We must have at least 30 by now! He has an amazing ability to eyeball the different shapes he is interpreting. With great pride in his reproductions he loves to use them in his re-enactments.
Yes, he also is interested in re-enacting battles...what 15 year old boy wouldn't be!
To this end, he has purchased an ever increasing amount of replica and original clothing and gear from World War 2.

One of the lessons we have all learned as a family came about as he did one of his re-enactments too close to a school yard as it was getting out. One of the parents took exception to this child (who looks like a man) and called the cops on him. Wow! that was a lesson learned the hard way...see this post.

Through all of this we have found a maturity and sensibility in our son that has made us so proud.

Photo by Aiden

My 12 year old Aiden has also been through an interesting 18 months of Unschooling. He was the reason we started homeschooling in the first place...see this post, due to the onset of an extreme anxiety disorder. So how has being at home affected him?

I won't lie, it has been a rocky 18 months at times as the road to health is not a straight one. I often had times of second guessing our decision when he would revert to spending days and days and days in bed. But we have recently returned from a month at the beach (yay flexible learning and travel times!)and he really is starting to make some inroads into his fears.

For example, he has had a fear of driving with others in the car, and sitting in the back. One day he declared he was deliberately sitting in the back of the car on the way to the beach (four minutes away) to try and desensitise to one of his fears. Leading to him sitting in the back of the car with the whole family as we drove to the beach another day. And then finally driving home the 2 1/2 hour drive with his brother in the back!

Many days I have to bite my tongue at the slowness of our progress, and many days I don't!
But it feels a little like coaxing a wild animal from its cave. Gently does it, no sudden moves or you'll startle it.

But if I can be patient and trust my son wants to get better, and knows his own body and brain, we see results.
We are seeing some weight improvement too as he is eating better. The ribs are disappearing!
Of course his weight gain hasn't been helped by the fact that he is a manic mover when he feels well.
But slowly he is gaining flesh and muscle...and height! Very satisfying for all.



He has springs on his feet!

My son is a VERY deep thinker...can't think where that comes from ;-) This of course fuels his anxious thoughts, so we are attempting to use meditations, stories, crafts, humour, yoga and cuddles to distract his brain from descending into the abyss at times. We need to find healthy ways for him to use his obviously bright mind. This is what Unschooling is so brilliant at, so we continue following his shine.

Some of the ways he shines are with photography, gaming, drawing, playing guitar and of course moving! When he is alight he just blinds you with his brilliance. We are very proud of our courageous boy.

So what can I conclude in this very brief sum up? We are finding the lifestyle of Unschooling fantastic! It is so nice to be flexible with sleep time and eating times, and it is lovely to have time to travel during school hours/days. The time we have spent close together listening to each other and adapting to each other's needs has brought a closeness to our relationship which is impossible to beat.

I would love to do more outings than we do as Aiden still struggles to leave the house at times, and we still don't know many homeschoolers as the kids are not really feeling the need. We did try our local group, and have been on some outings with them, so that may come in the future as Aiden improves. I must admit to some loneliness for adult company at times due to this, but I make do.

The benefits definitely outweigh the difficulties, as I see my sons blossoming in their interests and learning to love the world again.  And surprisingly they have picked up all sorts of knowledge in their gaming, Youtube and movie world which makes them very interesting conversationalists as well.
What more could I ask from a schooling method/lifestyle?

When I look back 18 months I see a family in pain and so puzzled for a way ahead. Now I feel the pleasure of our 18 month adventure, the pleasure of all those aha moments, those jokes shared, the movies watched and the days spent together on the beach. We turn to Aiden and thank him for deciding to homeschool. It started us on the best ride of our lives!

I hope you enjoyed reading a little more about Unschooling. If you would like more resources please see my friend Sue's website Stories of an Unschooling Family. It is packed with information.
Also Pam Laricchia from Living Joyfully has books and interviews and stories as well.

Til next time, keep on creating!

Love,

Jazzy Jack

 

PS I have the permission of my kids to post this :-)

Kids' Achievements - One Year Unschooling

Greetings everyone.

It's the last day of the school year here in Australia. Of course that doesn't affect us as we learn all the time! We joke to the kids that they have to stop learning things now. Just try it. It's not easy.

But one of the down sides of unschooling we've discovered, is that at this time of year they have no award ceremonies or reports from teachers to tell family and friends how amazing they are!

So I'm writing this bragging post to mark this graduation moment of one year unschooling.

Firstly Mr Actor - Aiden

His year has comprised many ups and downs in his physical health, but at this point of the year we can say he is having more ups than downs. Yay!

His biggest challenge and what we have focussed on mostly has been learning to come back into the world after his OCD had sidelined him. Here I would like to chronicle some of his achievements in this area. And although they may seem basic to some, they constituted much talking to himself and conquering of panic attacks etc. I am so proud.

Some of these steps have included:

Climbing the rock face across some slippery gravel and dealing with heights

Riding in the boat (this is still a work in progress)

Eating in a café (we celebrate the weight gain that has come with his health)

And covering himself with cicada shells whilst there (okay that bit surprisingly was fun for him

- despite the Mr Actor face)

Playing on a children's playground

 And climbing across a stream on a slippery log

(when there was a perfectly good bridge!)

Next we have Mr Artist - Miles
He at 14 has really started to hit his stride. Independence is busting out all over the place.
Miles has LOVED homeschooling this year, and the worst thing you can say to him is that he would have to go to school again. He is revelling in the relaxed pace, the late nights, doing his own thing, and studying his own passions. One of those has been to build an Anderson Shelter at Heartwoods. So earlier in the year he measured out and started digging. It was slightly delayed due to rain issues, but he kept it up digging solidly and not accepting help, until he finished the digging portion this last visit! I'm so proud. Now is the building part...

Miles also enjoyed climbing the rocks, although not sure it was such a stretch for his long legs.

And learning to drive our boat solo

accompanied occasionally by a surprise passenger Winter. A sea hound...or as a passing boater said - shark bait.

The final achievement Miles has unlocked in this last year has been to drive a car solo. We have been teaching them on our property, and he finally was able to help out when we needed to deliver our old Elsie to rest at Heartwoods. Bushy and he were alone, and so they each drove a car. It saved Bushy having to run up and down driving both up the hill. If you watch the video you will notice he is very slow. He discovered as he left the shot that he still had the handbrake on!

So, I've compiled this little pile of photos to help the kids mark a passage of time and some of their accomplishments. It'll be nice to look back on, and fun to share with all of you!

Thanks for reading and being interested.

And happy graduation kids! It's been a mad, scary, fun, calm, exhilarating, panicky, confusing, learning, proud, loving year. Bring on the next one!

Lots of love,

Jazzy Jack and The Bracks

South Head and Tin Whistle

Hello folks!

We've had all sorts of video loading dramas this week and I accidentally deleted an old post, so the current video is short to test the new system.
I'm enjoying making them but feeling quite frustrated at our low quality equipment. When we bought our camera it was for still photography, and does that well. The main issues we have, as you no doubt are aware, are stability and mic noise ones. We don't have any slots for an external mic so are restricted to the windy on board mic.
I have visions of beautifully edited and shot, glamorous, easy to watch movies of our gorgeous lives. What we get is a lot more earthy and gritty! Maybe that is more real anyway.
When I had uploading problems I thought that was the end of my youtubing, but now we have found a way I have to decide whether I want to invest in some better equipment. My track record with new enthusiams is pretty short. Have I passed that deadline? Is this one a keeper? Hmmm.
I do enjoy the thought that the kids can watch this all back in the future. And they will. They love watching old videos and laughing at themselves. They sit there in hysterics. It's so fun to watch them watching!

This week I've also returned from a time at our lovely "Leeway" BY MYSELF! A whole weekend!

I can't remember a time when I was away by myself like that. I think the last time was when I was single! It was a lovely time of relaxing and listening to the rain, because of course it was wet until the morning I left (you can see me just before I left taking time on a rock at the beach playing my tin whistle in the video).  
Also spending some time reflecting on where I would like to spend my energy next year and working out a self care plan to ensure I can manage homeschooling long term.

When I returned I was sucked into a Facebook post...as you do...which caused me to finally have a go at nailing down my Myers Briggs Type. This has always frustrated me as I really hate doing these tests. I did this one and came up with INFP/borderline INFJ. With some more reading and doing a different test, I decided INFJ fits me best. So now I'm having fun viewing my life and decision making through this lens.

Selfie balanced on rocks at a windy Tuross Heads.

Love the angle!

Having to remove myself from the clamour of my life to have enough head space to work out what I'm thinking and feeling, for example, is classic. This is supposed to be the rarest type with only one percent of the population INFJ. However I seem to be tripping over them everywhere on the internet. I think the internet and personality typing are their/our natural home ;-)

Anyway, that has been my world for this week.

Til next time,

Keep on creating!

Love,

Jazzy Jack  

PS Here is the accidentally deleted video for posterity!