Critics, Unschooling, and Independent Learners
A New Podcast Series Do you listen to my podcasts? I’ll still be making new episodes while I’m working on my book. These episodes will be shorter than my usual ones. Each one will be based on a blog post from my archive. Today, I published the first episode in this new series: Critics, Unschooling, and Independent Learners. If you’d…
It Begins with a Question
Gemma-Rose and I gaze upon the flowers. They’re pretty, bright, colourful, showy. A gorgeous backdrop for a photo. We raise our cameras. Cameras down. We look around. There’s a Chinese gentleman. He’s standing in a garden bed erecting a parasol. We ask a question: Why? The man smiles. His eyes sparkle. Words tumble from his mouth: I’m sheltering the peonies –…
Perfect
I raise my camera to my eye and frame my daughter Sophie within the viewfinder. She grins before raising her own camera. I almost protest and say, “Hey, I look terrible! Don’t take any photos of me!” But I don’t. A mother and a daughter out on a picnic, enjoying each other’s company. Joy rises up within me. It chases…
Why it’s Dangerous to Insist Our Kids Have the Same Opinions as Us
Why do many teenagers act differently in front of their parents and their friends? Do they adopt the cool behaviour of their friends, which might involve doing and saying things parents don’t agree with because they don’t have the confidence to be themselves? Maybe most teenagers don’t even know who they are. Could parents prevent their children from discovering who…
An Interview with a Teenage Radical Unschooler
Last week, in episode 109 of my unschooling podcast, I was chatting about radical unschooling. This week, I’m interviewing Sophie (16) who is a radical unschooler. If you’re unsure about this way of life, perhaps our conversation will reassure you that radical unschoolers aren’t wild and irresponsible! This is a very lively interview. I hope you enjoy it! In this episode,…
Why You Should Consider Radical Unschooling
This week, in episode 109 of my unschooling podcast, I’m discussing radical unschooling. Do you unschool but don’t like the sound of radically unschooling? Maybe you’re convinced you’ll never do it? If so, I hope to change your mind! I’m pondering lots of questions including: How did we end up becoming radical unschoolers (when I said we’d never do this)? Are radical unschooling parents irresponsible?…
How Kids (and Adults) Learn
In this week’s podcast, episode 108, I’m telling some stories and chatting about how kids and adults learn: What is the best motivation for learning? Why do we persist using teaching methods that we know aren’t working? Why do we waste our time? Would more people unschool if there was no such thing as homeschool registration? What bad habits have adults learnt…
Is Unschooling for Everyone?
A note before you listen to this week’s episode: Episode 107 is only a conversation starter. I’m sure my thoughts are incomplete. Sometimes we have to work at jobs that we’d rather not do because we have families to support. My husband Andy was in this situation for many years so I understand how it might not seem possible to resign from such…
Changes
This week, in episode 106 of my podcast, I’m talking about changes both in my online and offline lives. I’m sharing: Some further thoughts on kids, screen time and Internet usage The future of my unschooling blog and podcast A few resources More about learning from life Some family news including the fur coat story Show Notes Blog Post Is…
Is it Really Okay to Give Unschooling Kids Unlimited Access to Screens and the Internet?
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.…
Why Some Kids Are Willing to Help with the Chores
I said that I have to be a good example if I want my children to help me get the house organised each morning… I have to jump out of bed and go out there and dive into the chores. I have to be willing…
Why Parents Should Help with the Family Chores
When I was at school, my friend Beatrix never had to do any chores. She didn’t have to wash dishes, clean bathrooms, or sweep floors. I wonder if she had to clean her bedroom. Beatrix’s mother said that once she was grown up and had…
The Fear of Failing
Last Wednesday morning, just after sunrise, we headed into the bush to record another music video for Imogen. “What song are you singing today,…
Forcing a Child to Do What He is Afraid to Do
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.…
Giving Up My Perfect Start-of-the-Year Plans
On the other side of the world from us, homeschoolers are ‘going back to school’. Catalogues have been browsed, curricula, resources and books have…
Unschooling Charlotte Mason
Charlotte Mason often entices families away from unschooling. Maybe that’s because of three words often associated with this method of homeschooling: beauty, truth and…
Did I Doubt? I’m Not Telling!
A few weeks ago, I had a photography adventure in the bush with my girls. We had a wonderful afternoon strolling along the bush track with…
Encouragement, Example and the Fun of Sharing Passions
It’s the first of November. Today we’re celebrating All Saints Day. Today we’re also starting our NaNoWriMo novels. There is a sense of anticipation…
Sitting Quietly: Unschool Bits and Pieces
Kids Sitting Quietly in Church The other day, I was asked: How do you get young, unschooled children to sit quietly, without disturbing anyone,…
What Do Unschoolers Do All Day?
Years ago, when we first started homeschooling, I used to wonder, “What do unschoolers do all day?” Even though I’d read a few books,…
Chatting with My Unschooled Author Daughter
It’s been a while, but I’m back with a new podcast episode! My author daughter Imogen is back too. In episode 205 of my…
Unschool Writing: What About Grammar and Punctuation?
How do unschoolers learn to write? This was one of the questions we were asked when we spoke at the recent Canberra unschooling 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…