Unschooling: Doing What Is Right
Tough or Unconditional Love? Parent or Friend?
Should we be firm with our kids, demanding they obey us, even if this causes conflict and unhappiness? Perhaps it’s our duty to remember who’s the parent and who’s the child and not be tempted to act as friends to our children. Is the tough love parenting method the most effective way to ensure our kids become responsible and good people?Or should we love our kids unconditionally and connect closely with them? Does love and strong bonds result in secure and confident kids who want to do what is right without coercion? Can we be friends with our children as well as their parents?
Preventing Childhood Trauma with Unconditional Love
Childhood trauma can follow us into adulthood, affecting what we do, how we feel about ourselves and how we relate to others. We can trace many of our adult problems back to something that happened as we were growing up. If we understand this, we’ll protect our kids, the best we can, from anything that might affect them adversely. But what about the trauma that's disguised as ‘good’ parenting techniques? Can we unintentionally harm our kids by doing what we think is right?
Could Unschooling Be Exactly What Teens Need to Do?
When unschooling children reach the teenage years, is it time for them to stop following their interests and do some serious structured work instead? If they continue to unschool, will they fail to gain enough knowledge to get into university? Do they need to learn how to write essays, complete assignments, meet deadlines and deal with exams? Do parents need to tighten the rules for teens? Perhaps they should restrict their teenagers’ freedom to keep them safe because their worlds are getting bigger and there are a lot of dangers out there. Or is leaving unschooling behind the wrong thing to do? Could unschooling be exactly what teens need to do, (even if they haven’t unschooled before)?
Unschoolers, Chores and Rosters
Should We Push Kids to Use Their Talents, Aim High and Impress?
Video Games, Control, Mental Health and Freedom
Are kids more likely to suffer mental health problems if they experience excessive control?Could video games provide a safe space for kids to retreat when life becomes too difficult?If we insist that kids leave their games and they get upset, could it be the real world that we’re forcing them to return to that’s the problem and not the video games?And if kids do have genuine trouble handling games and protest loudly when we take them away, how will they learn to deal with their feelings if they’re not allowed to play?
Is Unconditional Love at the Heart of Unschooling?
Why Are We Willing to Endure the Pain of Parenthood?
Unschool: Hair Dye Criticism
Sometimes I’m surprised by the critical comments that fall from lips. Why do people think they have the right to say things that might hurt our kids? Do they believe their opinions are important and we need to hear them? Or are they just thoughtless and don’t realise the effect of their words?
Unschool: Favourite Kids
Unschool: Clothes, Connections and Reflections of Love
She twirls, spinning, her new dress lifting. She’s grinning, and I instantly forget the pain: I dislike sewing. Years later, all grown up, with eyes glowing, she recalls that dress and everything I sewed or chose for her. And I know that clothes are not frivolous but connections and reflections of my mother’s love.
Unschool: Babies and Perfect Love
Questioning the Wisdom of Unconditional Love
My New Book: The Unschool Challenge
Why We Should Praise Our Kids
Parenting Without Fear