Making an Aussie Bush Christmas Tree

A few days ago, we were planning my daughter Imogen’s latest music video. “I’m singing a Christmas carol. Where do you think we should film the video?” “We could put up our Christmas tree early and film it inside.” “I…

Is Unconditional Love at the Heart of Unschooling?

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 is different. Kids have their unique needs based…

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…

Discouraged

I’m feeling discouraged. I wonder: why am I doing this? Why am I blogging and podcasting? I know the answer: I want to spread the word about unschooling. I want to pass on what I’ve learnt. Tell others about the…

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A Jane Austen Education

I was on my way to bed when I noticed the older girls’ bedroom light was still on. As I stood outside the door I could hear Imogen’s voice. It sounded like she was reading out loud. Pushing open the door, I saw both girls sprawled on their beds. Charlotte was listening enthralled as Imogen read from the book Pride and Prejudice. Both sisters were obviously having a wonderful time so I crept away and left them to it. This…

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…

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 Is Carried by Conversations

Dinner tables, car rides, bedtime chats, and café corners are the real places where unschooling lives and grows. Conversations—often unscheduled, informal, and unplanned—can become the central structure of a learning life. Gathering at the Dinner Table In our house, we never met for breakfast or lunch. Those were meals where people ate what, where and when they liked. But we…

Learning to Read and Trusting Unschooling

It is absolutely essential that we are curious people who are excited about the possibilities in life. The atmosphere in our homes gets picked up by our kids so they think it’s normal to learn, to be curious, to follow thoughts and ideas and try things out… I was battling with my kids for a while. They kept saying, ‘Why…

Unschooling: Trust, Autonomy, and The Realities of Learning

The Ladies are Fixing the World again! Cecilie, Sandra and I are discussing the words ‘self-regulation’ and ‘limits’. When we say, “I’ve let go of control, and now I’m waiting for my child to learn how to regulate his time playing video games (for example),” do we have expectations about what that regulation should look like? Do we want…

Christian unschooling

Is Trying to Impress Others a Waste of Time?

Strolling between the gum trees on a winter’s morning with Nora and Quinn, my fingers painful with the cold, I meet Matilda. I smile and stop. So do my dogs. They thrust their grinning heads into the undergrowth, happy to sniff up all the smells of the bush while I exchange a few words with my next-door neighbour. We talk…

The Discomfort of Letting Go and Allowing Our Kids (and Ourselves) to Grow

We organise life so we’re not challenged too much. We don’t want to stray outside our comfort zone because that could be painful. We say no instead of yes to our kids, not wanting them to go to parties at night, ride their bikes on the road, run through the bush alone, or learn to drive. We don’t want thoughts…
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