It’s Not a Periscope 3: A Bush Walk
A sunny almost-winter afternoon. I’m taking Nora the dog for a walk. We’re heading down to the bush at the end of our road. Would you like to come too? I have to warn you: I’m a fast walker. And…
Resisting the Temptation to Interfere
Or trusting children to learn in their own time I have been rather busy recently, my eyes glued to the computer screen, my mind miles away. “Please can we use the scrapbooking paper, Mum?” “Yes, you may.” “Please can I…
Heavy Metal Music and Keeping Kids Safe
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Changing People’s Minds about Unschooling
Sometimes when I’m hopping around the unschooling blogosphere I stumble across places where I don’t feel I belong. As I read the posts, I can feel the high emotions: “No one can tell us what to do with our own…
My Book ‘Curious Unschoolers’ is Now Available!
My book Curious Unschoolers is now available for purchase. I’ve been wanting to say those words for a very long time. Yes, it has taken me years to write and publish this book! You might know that I received a…
My Number One Unschooling Fan
I’m my kids’ number one fan. I cheer my children on from the sidelines, encouraging them to develop their talents and become the people they are meant to be. I tell them I’m proud of them. I share in the joy of their achievements. Now some people might not approve of all this cheering. Maybe they worry that with all this positive attention, a child might start to think she’s someone special, someone better than everyone else. However, my daughter…
Confident to Be Me
8Love and acceptance are so very important. They give our kids the confidence to go out into the world and be themselves. This post was written by my daughter Imogen. It’s easy to recognize the Elvis Gang when we’re on the move. There’s us four (at-home) girls and Mum, tunic dresses fluttering over denim leggings, striking a ridiculous pose for a photo by a classical statue in a garden, striding through the Australian bush, or maybe just taking an epic…
What Do Children Need to Learn?
Here’s another younger unschooler story. My daughter Gemma-Rose was 8 when I wrote this post. Being the youngest child in the family, Gemma-Rose often slipped under my radar as far as teaching her the essential skills of life goes. But did that matter? Regardless of me, did she learn what she needs to know? A couple of weeks ago, Gemma-Rose thrust her feet towards me and said, “Please can you lace up my shoes for me, Mum?” I was busy…
Challenging Parents to Get Involved with Kids’ Passions
A while ago, Sophie challenged me to do a 100 squat challenge. And recently, I challenged Sophie. “I have a new idea,” I told my teenage daughter. Sophie waited patiently while I explained. (She’s used to me and my ideas.) “How about you become a regular contributor to my blog? I’d love you to make some unschooling videos for me. Do you think you could do that?” “I could give it a go.” I liked Sophie’s answer. I smiled and got…
Connecting Unschooling and Ageing
I’m lying on my bed thinking about ageing when my daughter Sophie appears. “I thought I’d come and have a chat with you before I go to bed,” she says as she curls up alongside me. “I’ve been mulling over an idea for a podcast,” I say. “Can I tell you about it?” Sophie nods so I continue: “I’m going to talk about ageing. It seems like an appropriate topic because my birthday isn’t far away.” I tell Sophie how…
How to Get Our Children to Trust Us
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Does Unschooling Work?
Does unschooling work? I guess the answer to that question depends on what we mean by the word ‘work’. Where do we hope unschooling will lead? When parents are investigating unschooling, they probably want to know if unschooling works. This is sensible. We can’t set out on along a pathway, especially an alternative one if we haven’t got any idea of what’s ahead. So what questions will a parent ask? What will reassure them that unschooling is the right thing to…
Do Our Kids Know Themselves Better Than We Know Them?
As parents, we might think we know what’s best for our kids. We’re the adults. We’re older. We have experience. But my daughter Sophie disagrees. She says, “I think sometimes parents forget that a child knows herself better than the parent does.” Children know what’s important to them. They know what they need. A couple of years ago, when she was 14, I made an interview video with Sophie. We chatted about how important it is to listen to kids.…
Do You Need a Happy List?
I’m at a cafe with my pretend friend Amina, who places her mug of coffee on the table between us, sighs and says, “Unschooling…
Unschooling Siblings and Other Stories
I started writing this blog post last Friday. This is all I managed to write before I was interrupted: I didn’t make a podcast…
Unschooling: Dishes
This evening, after dinner, I didn’t want to help with the dishes. I just wanted to relax on the sofa and leave everyone else…
Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Curiosity, Flexibility, and Trust
I’m a Lady Fixing the World! Cecilie Conrad kindly invited me to join her and Sandra Dodd for Season 2 of her podcastThe Ladies Fixing the World. We recorded our first unschooling conversation together in November 2024 before life got extra-busy with Christmas, and it has just gone live! The audio version. Here’s the audio version: You can also listen…
Unschooling: Coping With the Unexpected
I used to think I could control my life. To achieve a perfect life, all I had to do was organise everything well, including my kids. What is a perfect life? My perfect life vision included a graduated row of good-looking and well-behaved children. I wanted people to admire my family and home, saying, “Sue is such a good mother!…
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.…
Pondering Trust
I never wanted to be in a position where I had to trust God. I preferred to rely on my own resources. I wanted to be totally in control of my own life. That seemed easier to do because trusting is so very difficult. Or so it can seem. Then one day, at a time when I was feeling rather…
Shall We Talk About Christian Unschooling?
I often get to the point where I feel I haven’t got anything more to say about unschooling. I wonder: is it time to move on? At the beginning of last year, I reached such a point. However, instead of thinking about moving away from unschooling, I proposed the idea of exploring unschooling from a different angle. Should we discuss…