When Excitement for Learning Appears to Disappear

It’s very exciting watching a child who is gripped by a passion. But what about those times when interest in learning seems to disappear? I like to get up early. I leave my bed while everyone else is sleeping, feel…

Basking in the Reflected Glory

Not so long ago,  early one morning, I put on my coat – there was a bitter wind blowing – and set out on a solo adventure with my camera and a travel mug of coffee. Thirty or so minutes…

Who Would We Be Without Unschooling?

Unschooling changes parents as well as kids. We learn, face life’s challenges with courage, soak up the joys, do things we never expected. We grow and become different people from those we were when we first set out on our…

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An Adventure Hiding in Every Moment

Every Wednesday afternoon I drive into town to deliver Imogen to her place of work. She spends two hours, house cleaning.  And I wait. For two hours. Filling in hours? I’ve done a lot of that over the years. Waiting while my children have piano lessons, clarinet lessons, singing lessons, swimming lessons, musicianship lessons, while they work, have music exams, dental check-ups, busk for pocket money… At first, there was a lot of groaning and sighing and watch-watching while I…

Brothers But Different

My two young adult sons are very different. Callum is outgoing, noisy, charming… and a singer. Duncan is quieter, likes his own company, is unusually hard working…  and he definitely isn’t a singer. A few years ago, Felicity and Imogen wanted to have singing lessons and we heard that Louisa was looking for a couple of students. Louisa was a 90-year-old teacher who’d retired and then discovered she was bored. She missed her students and decided she’d like to give…

Crushed by a Label

When I was a child I loved to sing. I was so excited when our school music teacher announced that we would be performing Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore. I knew that I’d have no chance at being given one of the main roles, however, I was quite content to be part of the chorus and so took my place as a sailor. I learnt all the words and loved all the rehearsals. Then one day, the singing teacher came…

A Passion for Writing

I love writing. It’s one of my passions. And all of my children love writing too. They observe me sitting at the computer with my head down, in a world of my own, tapping away. Then: “Hey! I’ve finished. Read this and let me know what you think.” I step back and the girls crowd in, eager to share what I have created. I watch their faces. “What do you think? Is it OK?” I ask anxiously. “I like how…

Warming My Homeschooling Heart

A couple of weeks ago, our family attended a party, one of those wonderful affairs with all aged children and adults milling around, chatting and eating, laughing and playing. At one point in the evening, Charlotte found herself next to one of the homeschooling fathers who very kindly engaged her in conversation. Homeschooling Father: “What subject do you like best in school work and what is your least favourite.” Charlotte: “I love creative writing best. And…. well, I don’t think there’s…

Sophie’s Unschooling Holiday

On the official last day of the school term: Sophie: No more learning for two weeks! Imogen: No more learning? We learn all the time, not just in term time. Charlotte: What are you planning to do for the next two weeks? Sit in a box? That’s the only way you’ll avoid leaning anything. Imogen: And even then you’ll learn something. You’ll learn it’s very boring sitting in a cardboard box! I’m glad to report Sophie decided not to sit…

Speed Angel Joy

I am sitting by the lake watching four girls scooting along the path. They are the Speed Angel Sisters and they are fast! Every now and then the girls veer off onto the grass and come to a sudden halt: a pedestrian is approaching. Now the speedway is clear again, and strong legs start pushing, wheels are revolving, hair flies back and sounds of laughter drift towards me. Four tired girls drag themselves back to the picnic table. They…

Unschooling: The Little Way

I would like to tell you a story of Suzie Andres and St Therese and homeschooling. But first I must start with a tale of grief. Grief? Yes, it was through grief I first met St Therese and her Little Way. Thomas died as a baby and I grieved for a long time. But one day the pain lifted slightly and I felt pure joy and was glad to be suffering for God. Love overflowed my heart and I suddenly…
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My Unschooling Books

Parents and Kids

The Ladies Fixing the World

Unschooling: How Do We Know They’re Learning?

There are loads of unschooling questions we could ask about learning: How do we know unschooling kids are learning? Should they be learning particular things? Is there knowledge that all kids need? Are our unschooled kids learning enough? Can they get behind? Should we just trust our kids are learning? But what if we have doubts? Or what if we…

How Unschoolers Can Deal with Questions and Sceptics

My mother-in-law visited us for the birth of our son, Thomas. After he died and we’d buried him in his tiny white casket, Andy’s mother asked me if we wanted more children. As I replied, “Oh, yes!”, my mother-in-law’s face dropped into a disapproving frown. “She thinks we already have enough kids,” I thought as my defence hackles rose. But…

Christian unschooling

Christian Unschooling: Are Desires Important?

Do you have great desires? Are there things you want to do with your life? Maybe you know in a vague kind of way that you need to do something, but you don’t know what you should do. Or perhaps your desires don’t feel important. When I was a child, I had desires, but they came to nothing. Other people…

The ‘Risky’ Business of Trusting Children

Trusting children to make their own choices sounds risky enough when it applies only to education, but what if you extend this trust to other areas of life? Will children decide they don’t want to go to Mass or eat healthy food? Perhaps they will want to watch inappropriate movies or play computer games all day. Some parents decide they…
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