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
Driving home from the hospital, after sharing my dad’s last hours of life, I saw the sun rising over the cow paddocks, where trees stood knee-deep in mist, silhouetted black against the
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
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
How do parents encourage kids to help with the chores? Is the example of parents important? Do parents have to be willing to do everything they want their kids to do? Do
Do you ever wonder if you should push your kids? Make them do hard things even if they complain. Drill them. Give them a rigorous education. I’ve heard of kids who, after
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
Recently, while travelling to town with two of my daughters, we talked about unschooling and how it’s impossible to say to another family, “Unschool in the same way as us.” Each family
While walking around our local lake, I met a woman with two chihuahuas. They were the same colour and size. The only difference was that one looked like he’d put on his
I write a message beginning with the words, “Hey, my favourite second son!” And Callum replies, “Hey, my favourite mother!” It’s our joke. A bit of fun. But it’s also true: Callum
I'm an Australian unschooling author, blogger and podcaster. I've been blogging here since 2011 and have loads of stories about all aspects of unschooling to share with you.