Dealing with Our Fears and Other People's Critical Comments
The other day my daughter Sophie received an email. She read part of it out to me and then said, “What do you think?”
“She hasn’t expressed herself very well,” I remarked. “I don’t suppose she meant to sound so abrupt.”
“How do I reply?”
We discussed a few ideas and I finished with these words: “Whatever we write, perhaps the most important thing is to be kind.”
Sophie giggled. “Have courage and be kind.”
“Yes, like Cinderella,” I agreed.
Cinderella’s mother had the right idea. We should do everything with kindness.
Unfortunately, not everyone places much importance in kindness. Many people say or write things that hurt others deeply. And I wonder why they do this. Is it just a matter of not thinking before speaking? Or could they lack proper communication skills and not know the best way to say things? Or maybe they just don’t care how their words affect other people .
Sometimes it can seem risky to voice an opinion (especially in public). What if someone disagrees with us? What if they react in a hurtful way? How do we respond to unkindness? Often it can seem easier to keep our thoughts to ourselves.
Unschoolers probably get more than their fair share of critical comments. Many people don’t understand our way of life and aren’t hesitant about telling us what they think. How do we deal with that?
And when people are telling us we’re wrong about unschooling, are we tempted to question it too? While we’re listening to someone’s objections, do those fears which we’ve been trying very hard to squash gain new life?
In this week’s podcast, I talk about dealing with our fears and other people’s critical comments.
I also ask:
Are communication skills important? How can we pass on good skills to our kids?
Is it really possible for unschooled children to direct their own learning?
Do a parent’s words and fears affect a child?
How can we encourage a child to write? Would free-writing help a reluctant writer?
Can a visit to the doctor be recorded as real life maths?
Show Notes
Writing
Unschooling video
A Talk About Unschooling, Reasons Why I Love Being a Life Learner (Unschooler) by Skylar the gymnast
My latest unschooling videos
Are My Kids Glad I Made the Initial Decision to Homeschool Them?
Self-Directed Learning: An Unschooling Interview
Blog Post
When Worry Gets in the Way of Love
My Podcasts
Ep 58: Responding to Unschooling and Other Critics
Ep 36: Encouraging Kids to Write (and the Youngest Child in the Family)
Other Podcast
Your Morning Basket
YMB 14 Add Freewriting Fun: A Conversation with Julie Bogart
Podcast Music
Images: Gemma-Rose is writing her Camp NaNoWriMo novel.
You can find more episodes of my Stories of an Unschooling Family podcast on
and here on my blog.
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Please feel welcome to comment on this week’s podcast. And if you’d like to share my link, please do! Let’s spread the word about unschooling!