If You Think Computer Games Are a Waste of Time…
Does your child like to play computer games? Maybe you wish he’d do something else because you think he’s wasting his time, doing nothing much at all. If you do, I have a story for you! The other day, my girls were playing computer games at the Coolmath Games website. “What game are you playing?” I asked. “Run!” said Gemma-Rose.…
Is it Necessary We Agree with Each Other’s Ideas?
A reader once linked one of my posts to her blog and added the words: “I don’t agree with all her ideas, but I like this one.” Someone liked my post! I smiled. But a small part of me thought, “What’s wrong with some of my other ideas?” I wanted the reader to agree with everything I have to say.…
Do My Unschoolers Mind Being Different?
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.…
The Tricky Business Of Recommending Resources
Many years ago, my first child Felicity lent one of her books to a friend. It was promptly returned with the message, “My mother doesn’t want me to read it. It’s not suitable.” Not suitable? What was wrong with it? I suddenly doubted my ability to judge books. At the same time, I felt judged. What did Felicity’s friend’s mother…
How to Live Radically
Radical unschooling children don’t necessarily brush their teeth, or shower and if they want to exist on an exclusive diet of coca cola and donuts, well, that’s up to them. Or so the stories go. And for some people that might not sound a very attractive way of life at all. But what if we forget about teeth and showers…
When Our Help and Strewing Are Rejected
My daughter Charlotte used to be openly enthusiastic about everything. Every evening she’d be eager to tell me about all the things she’d discovered that day. She’d listen to my ideas and ask for resources. Then things changed. During the last year or so of Charlotte’s official homeschooling years, she stopped turning to me for suggestions. If we did get…
Liking, Tweeting, Pinning, Aching…
Years ago, when I first started blogging, I wanted to be popular. I looked at all the big bloggers with envious eyes, and dreamed of a day when I’d have just as many followers as they did. After a while my dream changed which is just as well because those followers didn’t materalise. Why do we want lots of followers?…
Time to Unschool (Part 2)
Perhaps you’re thinking about unschooling. You could be wondering: Should we give it a go? Is unschooling right for our family? Yes? No? Maybe something is attracting you to unschooling? Do you imagine children following their own interests, being passionate about what they’re doing, getting a good education? Or is it something else? Could it be love? I hope so.…
How Registered Homeschoolers Can Unschool
If our children are obliged to learn what’s in the school syllabus in order to have their homeschool registration applications approved, surely they can’t unschool? How can they follow their interests and still fulfil the registration requirements? My children are registered homeschoolers. They are also unschoolers. I manage to keep the education authorities happy (in a state where the regulations…
The Most Powerful Motivator of All
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.…
Unschooling Teenagers: What They Think and What They Do
Have you ever wondered what unschooling teenagers are like? What kind of people are they? What do they think? What do they do? Have you ever googled the words ‘unschooling teenager’ to find out more? If you have done a search using those words, you might…
Maths, Chores, and Thanking Our Kids
For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been living a quiet life. We haven’t done anything exciting. No music video shoots. No picnics by the lake. We haven’t even been running. The reason? We’ve all been unwell. It can be frustrating having to slow down,…
How Curious Unschooled Kids Learn
The big question is this: will I be awake at 1 am tomorrow (AEST)? Will I join the first live session of my Homeschooling…
Getting Older, Unschooling, and Moving On
My unschooling blog has a limited life. One day, in the not too distant future, I will no longer have anything to write about.…
Aiming for Love, Not Perfection
I had a vision… By the age of 18 all my children were going to be perfectly brought up and perfectly educated. I wanted…
Are You a Curious Unschooler? [Podcast]
I recorded a new podcast episode! That might surprise you because it’s been quite a while since my last episode. I’ve become a bit…
Sophie’s Basket
Or Imogen and Charlotte’s book recommendations for their younger sisters We are sitting around the table munching our lunch and chatting. Sophie tells…
Homeschooling Heidi
“Can we have another chapter of Heidi, please Mum?” begs Sophie. It’s the third time I’ve been asked that question today. “If you make me a…
Would You Like the Key to the Secret Unschooling Garden?
The other day, I stumbled across a ‘hilarious’ radical unschooling collection on someone’s blog, and there was the graphic for my post When Rules…
How to Start a Great Art Conversation
On Monday, I plug my mic into my computer, open Audacity, hit ‘record’, and start to talk. For 40 minutes, I discuss a current…
Younger Unschoolers: Spur-of-the-Moment Adventures
One of the best learning days that I can remember happened many years ago when my eldest child was about six or seven. I…
Sharing Our Values and Beliefs With Our Unschooled Children
We all have our beliefs. Even if we don’t have a religious faith, we still believe in something. We all have values which shape…
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…