If You're Thinking about Unschooling...

It seems to me that very few of us like venturing out into the relatively unknown, especially if it means we are heading off alone. Even when we can see things need to change, we make excuses why we shouldn’t try something different. We persist day after day, knowing in our hearts that all the work we are doing is futile, but still we lack the courage to leave behind what is safe and familiar.

 And I wonder why this is.

 Could it be an overwhelming feeling of responsibility? If we choose to do something different to the crowd, we might fail and then everyone could criticise us. More importantly, we might fail our children.

 Whereas if we stick with the crowd and nothing works out, who will blame us? This is the way everyone does it. This is the way it has always been done. Why should we think we know better than the majority? We have tried our best, sometimes under very trying circumstances. Is it really our fault if we fail?

 But what if we take our courage in our hands, and do what weknow in our hearts is right, despite the possibility of criticism, despite everyone else’s opinions, despite our own fears?

 I think that for most of us deciding to homeschool, rather than send our children to school requires this sort of courage. But sometimes we get to the next stage...

 What if our method of homeschooling isn’t working for our children? We've chopped and changed and tried all the mainstream methods, and still haven't found what's right. What about unschooling? What if we throw away all those conventional ideas about education?  What if we decide to trust instead of fear?

 This is my story. It might not be yours. But if you are searching and wondering…

 What did I find when I stepped away from the crowd and other people's expectations?

 I found out that unschooling is a way of life, not merely a method of education. It's not about cramming knowledge into children, but about encouraging them to be the people they are meant to be. I discovered a new relationship with my children, a feeling of peace...There isn't enough room here to tell you all I discovered...

 Why not try unschooling yourself? If your present method of homeschooling doesn't feel right, what have you got to lose? All it takes is the courage to let go.