Assalaamu Alaikum

We unschool, if they want to call it that. I call it life learning sometimes.
Beside I can't afford all the programs like Saxon etc., with all the kids. I
have to go CHEAP!!!!. 

We believe in unschooling. it took a while for my dh, but after he read all  the paperwork that I gave him and som books he has embraced it as well.  Realizing that there are many ways that kids learn.
I have bought most of the stuff from schoolastic (books are really cheap) and they do have cd-rom programs that I had gotten free with the puter and when I find great deals on software, and also when they are clearing them ( like $30 software for less then $10 or something like that). Only really good software( the Journey of the Zoombinis) that was recommended I have gotten the $20-$30 but have never spent over that, and that isn't often.  I just have buckled down and bought LEGO island from scholastic for $19.96. They love going through the scholastic order forms. I have all grade levels since I have a span of children. When the boxes come, they light up. The love going through the boxes. They have such a good time.

The italic handwriting program( by Portland University) books are under $5 books, so that good.  We watch vidoes and I have the TLC, HGTV ( for our crafts and sewing) and the history channel.

A typical day........
They wake up on their own (listening to their bodies), they pray and give
thanks to Allah for waking them up and letting them see another day.
They then get their breakfasts( they can cook waffles,pancakes, etc. on their own) . They normally take a vote if enough of them are up or if it's only the little ones they will have cereal and toast w/fruit. 
Then it is time to do chores and they may play or play with the baby. They help take care of the baby throughout the day changing diapers, etc.  They do some reading sometimr during the day. There is no certain time for that.   I often find them in their rooms reading are working on a project. The watch certain programs on Tv and they do go in the computer. Sometimes the 10 year old make pick up a continuing education workbooks for Adults ( Steck-Vaughn) has those and may do a few pages. Which she complains now that the adult english book is easy and if they have a higher level (she is on level A). They days go as they see fit. The 2 older ones switch off on making dinner. They just ask what we are having and they usually fix it. My son has been cooking since he was 9 (he's 15 now). They go to bed when they are tired,
except for the younger ones. Teens have different clocks going through puberty and often are not sleepy at 9 or 10 pm. My son goes to bed alot later then I do, and sometimes don't finally get up until 11:00 am sometimes later. it depends on what time he goes to bed (he has been known to go at 2:00am if he is working on something pretty important or there is something that he has to watch or do).
My oldest daughter use to sleep alot when she was going through the early stages of puberty,and would sometimes go to bed at 8:00 or 9:00 pm. and would not get up until 9:00 am or later. I still don't see her until after 9:00am unless she hears that the baby is up. She still takes naps sometimes. They go through alot going through puberty, and I have learn alot about the changes and give them space when they need it.
Most of the time they play do the the baby and the 2 yr old. You can learn alot through play.  The 2 yr old loves the jump start kindergarten cd-rom program and geosafari.

In the spring and summer we usual plant a garden, so we are out doing that but only when dh is home cause the neighbors won't harrass us when he is home. My son has been wanting a basketball goal for years, but would be able to play  with it cause the neighborhood kid would harrass them ,try to tear it down, and he would only be able to use it when dh was home. I had bought them a trampoline for the back yard and we had to tie it up because they would jump over the fence while we were gone ( these are the kids of the parents that I told you all about that have lied and cause all kinds of problems and made
false allegations to the police and courts and even tried to get me in trouble for homechooling and a muslim officer told him that it was none of his business and that it was perfectly legal,she is no longer there, and we have  shared similar stories about this particular suburb.

Occassionally we may go on a trip with dh. He is working on the train, but we go sometimes so that they can get out. The love the train ride.

Below, is what someone said about unschooling on a different homeschooling
list., that kind of fits us too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We don't use curriculums.  We are totally unschoolers.  We go with what is interesting to the children, and tailer the education they get to their
personalities.  That means for us that one kid, who HATES writing, but likes the process of creating stories either types, or dictates into a tape
recorder, or plays "secretary" and has one of the older kids or mom take
dictation.  We provide TONS of different materials to encourage them in
reading, writing, art, science, mathematics, etc. but we don't schedule our school time, nor do we force anything.  My kids are thriving with this method.  They LOVE to learn new things and are miles ahead in some "subjects".  When the kids LIKE what they are learning, they actually retain it.
 

As Salaamu Alaikum,
Aziza