Thanks for the question scrappydappydoo -it was something that puzzled me, when we first started home educating.
I have three young people who have all been 'unschooled' through their teens.
Their education is entirely interest led-and they are in charge of it.
This means when they choose to do something, they are interested enough to invest whatever is necessary to do it.
They are out and about living life all of the time.
They are out shopping. travelling, talking to people. They met the plumber when he came and the electrician etc etc. As teens if they decided that their bedrooms needed decorating, they measured the walls, worked out how much paint/paper was needed, budgeted for it, chose it bought it, and then did the decorating. They were not in a classroom answering questions on paper about how much paint would be needed if a room was a x b x c measurements. They are already living life.
When the eldest chose to go to FE college post 16, we didn't nag him to do any of it. He got himself up and organised for the day, entirely by himself. Washed and prepared his clothes. Did his assignements/homework etc. Revised studied for exams. If he hadn't of done any of it, we wouldn't have said anything. He was there entirely of his own free choice-and having decided he wanted to do that why wouldn't he have done it properly?
Ditto getting a job. For a while he had his own little business designing 'mobile phone wall paper'-every time someone downloaded one, he got paid. That was okay apparently-but taught him that he wanted a job with real people, not in front of a PC on his own all day. So he got himself a job with lots of contact with people, he is working right now at a garage around the corner,-and on an early shift got himself up and organised to start a shift at 6am. He wanted the money-he chose the job, why wouldn't he have got there on time?
If he wants a job that starts later, is better paid etc, then it is up to him to get qualified for it/find one. To that end he is off to Uni next year, but until then he will be working round the corner and saving money so he will finish uni with less debt.
Our eldest daughter has had a variety of life experiences.
She has already worked part time in a small family run retail outfit-and managed it alone whist she was there. She has worked with a new Mobile Internet company and developed WAP mobile internet sites for some well known names. She has also helped run workshops for women who were victims of domestic violence. She co-chaired the launch of a new charity for Dyslexics-with a well known expert on the subject from America. But her favourite real life experience was when she spent two long summers sailing round the British Isles, with a family with young children. She helped crew the boat, navigate and helped look after the children.
All of this was before she was 18. She works for a well known national organisation now. Does shift work-and gets up at 6am when required, just like everyone else. When she wants another job, she'll find one. Until then she is happy living away from home, budgeting and managing well-and having a ball.
You see put simply, unschooling is LIVING life-not preparing for it, it's just that unschoolers get their education along the way.
Does that make it any clearer or have I just confused the issue more?