Our Unschooling Morning Routine
Just before Christmas, Karen asked me if I could write about our typical unschooling days. I spoke about this topic in a podcast a few months ago, so I thought I’d share some of what I said in a short…
Putting Our Kids Ahead of the Opinions of Other People
Have you ever put other people ahead of your kids? I have. And I wonder: how could I have done that when my kids mean so much to me? It doesn’t make sense, does it? Years ago, there were many…
Examining An Unschooling Life
I drop a peppermint teabag into my favourite glass mug, add boiling water, and carry it to the living room. Opening the blinds so I can see the sun as soon as it rises, I settle on the sofa with…
Unschooling: No Hippie Way of Life Needed…
… unless you want one of course. When our first child was 6 years old we headed off to our very first homeschooling camp. At that time, we thought we were unschooling. Then we met our fellow campers who also…
Imogen Talks about Unschooling and University
Today I made my first ‘talkie’ video. We’d been discussing ideas for the last couple of weeks, and just needed a free moment to actually start filming. “Why don’t you interview me this afternoon?” suggested my daughter Imogen. “I’ve got…
Another Way of Looking at Our Unschooled Kids’ Learning
I didn’t publish a podcast episode last week. That might not surprise you because recently, I’ve become an unreliable podcaster. But maybe you will be surprised when I tell you that I did make an episode. This morning, I dashed into my closet recording studio and recorded episode 155. I edited it and then checked it by listening to it while walking the dogs. And then I uploaded it. It’s now available online! So I’m feeling good. I’ve caught up.…
Another Way of Looking at Our Kids’ Learning
While I was eating my lunch today, I thought about all the things my daughter Gemma-Rose did this morning. I mentally translated all her learning experiences into schooly language. I knew I could write lots of impressive notes that would convince an education authority that Gemma-Rose is learning everything that they think is essential for a good education. And then I thought about how Gemma-Rose’s learning experiences aren’t just about history and English and creative arts. She is learning far…
Becoming Brave and Gritty
This morning, I posted the following words on Instagram: Hello! It’s Monday morning here in Australia. I am thinking about the day ahead. Should I start it with a run? The only problem is the temperature. It’s below freezing. Should I be brave and gritty and head out for a run even though I know I’m going to feel cold and uncomfortable? At the time of writing, I was sitting in my toasty warm bed drinking a cup of tea.…
How Will We Know if We’ve Been Successful in Raising and Educating Our Kids?
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Reject What Doesn’t Feel Right and Just Love
If it doesn’t feel right, we shouldn’t do it. For example: I used to battle with my kids as I tried to get them to do what I thought was important. Yes, they protested, but I had to persist. I had to teach my children the right lessons. Life is tough. We have to do things we don’t want to do, don’t we? So I pushed my kids to do their ‘schoolwork’ and other things that I thought were good…
More Unschool Writing Ideas and Resources
Back in February, my author daughter Imogen joined me on my podcast to talk about unschooling and writing. In episode 148, Our Writing Unrules for Unschoolers, we explored the question: Can unschoolers gain the writing skills they need without any formal instruction? We shared our own stories, experiences, and thoughts as well as our writing unrules. (You can also find these in my unschooling book Curious Unschoolers.) Imogen and I are passionate writers just like the other members of our…
How Light Can Turn into Deep and Serious
I love Sunday mornings. We usually go to 7.30 am Mass and then when we get home, we have a leisurely breakfast in the family room. While we’re eating toast and Nutella and porridge and syrup, we talk. “What’s the latest royal news, Dad?” someone always asks. Andy grabs his phone and does some googling, and then he entertains us with the latest royal gossip. The goings-on in the royal family is our fun topic. “It looks like Meghan Markle…
Opening Myself Up to Criticism
I’m It’s inevitable: someone is going to criticise my unschooling books. No one has yet, but someone will. How do I know this? Well, even though we would like to think everyone agrees with our ideas and likes our work, that’s just not true. It’s impossible to please everyone in this world. A week or so ago, I finished listening to the audio version of Trent Dalton’s, Boy Swallows Universe. Maybe my family was glad when I came to the…
Writing, Explosions, and Unsuitable Horror Stories
After a 4-month break, my daughter Imogen and I are back. We made a new podcast episode! This week, we’re chatting about: Finishing novels…
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…
How to Have Demanding Children Who Rule the House
Things people sometimes say… “You’re not feeding that baby again, are you?” “If you feed your baby to sleep, she’ll never learn to go…
The Role of Repetition in Learning, Unschooling, and Shaping Identity
What if kids want to watch the same movies, read the same stories, or play the same games again and again? Should we try to move them on to other activities? Or is there value in repetition? Does repetition have an important role in our lives?…
Unschooling Isn’t Freedom Gone Wild: Why Choices Matter More Than Ideals
My husband Andy returned to work today after two weeks at home. Holiday time is over. We’ve now moved into term time. A whole term of possibility days stretches before me. I’m free to do whatever I like with my time while Andy is at school. My eyes light up with delight. But then I remember there are many…
Unschooling and Connections: How Learning Is All About Creating a Web of Understanding
When I finished my university degree, I threw all my botany and biochemistry lecture notes and books into the garbage bin with relief. And I said, “No one will ever make me learn anything ever again!” I have a science degree, which was presented to me while I was wearing a fancy gown with a mortar board on my head.…
Christian Unschooling: Letting God into Our Kids’ Lives
I used to tick off my spiritual boxes religiously every day. I said a lot of prayers and read my Bible. And I got extra ticks whenever I was able to get to daily Mass, so I made the effort to get there as often as life allowed. It wasn’t easy doing all that, but I did it. I had…
Christian Unschooling: Do Kids Need Silence and Space to Hear God?
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.…