Unschool Basics: What is Unschooling?

What is unschooling? Is it a method of homeschooling, or is it more than that? Could it be a way of life? I share my ideas about what unschooling is and add links to other people’s articles on this topic.…

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It’s Not a Periscope 4: Morning Tea and Library Books

Every day at 10 am we drop everything and have morning tea. But we don’t always drink tea. Sometimes we have coffee or hot chocolate or even a cold drink. Confusing? If you have a morning tea custom, you’ll understand! Today I’m inviting you to visit me for morning tea. You don’t need to bring anything to eat. Sophie has made some of her special sugar-free chocolate cakes. Will I make tea or coffee? Will it be real coffee or…

Choosing Not to Worry About What Other People Might Think

When you’re looking for photos of yourself to post on your blog or Facebook page, do you ever reject any? And if you do, what don’t you like about them? I often reject photos that show too many of my wrinkles. “That one makes me look old,” I say.  I also don’t like photos of myself with uncomfortable smiles. They make me look old too. Yes, I’m very picky when it comes to photos. I’m concerned about my image. I…

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 how do you feel about running up a steep hill? Will you dash across a playing field with me? Sound a bit energetic? We’ll be able to catch our breaths when I stop to chat. I want to tell you…

Beautiful Faces

Last night, I ordered our groceries online for the third week in a row. I shouted, “What do we need?” My daughter Imogen looked in the pantry and fridge and told me what things were running low. Then I clicked a whole lot of stuff into my cart. I chose a delivery time. Shopping done. Easy. This morning, I didn’t have to drive into town to buy our weekly groceries. So I said, “Gemma-Rose, would you like to walk to…

It’s Not a Periscope 2: Pictures

Did you watch my first it’s-not-a-periscope? It only took ten minutes to make it. I spoke. My daughter Sophie recorded. We did it all in one take. “That was easy,” I said when we’d finished “I could make loads of these videos. All I need is a few spare minutes. I could talk about all kinds of things.” So a few days later, I shouted, “Hey, Sophie! How about we record another it’s-not-a-periscope? We’ve just got enough time before we have our…

Tired and Difficult Days

Today I’m tired. “Have you got anything you really need to do?” asks my daughter Imogen. “I haven’t yet recorded my podcast,” I reply. “I should do that today.” “Well, you do that first, and then you must rest. We’ll look after you.” I’m very fortunate. When I’m tired, I have older children who are prepared to look after me. But it wasn’t always this way. I can remember when a tired day was also a very difficult day. In…

It’s Not a Periscope: Introduction

I’ve been thinking about periscopes. It seems to be the latest thing. Loads of people are making them. They head over to Twitter and announce they’ll be speaking live at a certain hour. Hopefully, a few viewers tune in at the right time. The presenter starts chatting and sharing. I’ve tuned into a periscope once or twice. I’ve watched and I’ve wondered whether I should periscope too. But there’s a big reason why doing this is difficult: I don’t have…

Trust, Respect, and Love Unconditionally

Yesterday, I wrote a blog post called A Few Raw Thoughts on a Crumpled Piece of Paper. In this post, I explored some thoughts about unconditional love, respect, and trust. This morning, I told my daughter Sophie what I’d been writing about, and she started sharing her own thoughts on this subject. I found these thoughts very interesting. I scribbled them down on a scrap of paper as Sophie was speaking, Then I said, “Can I interview you for a…
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My Unschooling Books

Parents and Kids

Unschool Love Stories

About a month ago, I wrote the following story for my unschooling community: This morning, I didn’t want to go for a run. It…

Following My Mothering Instincts

Some years ago I came across a talk on discipline by a well-known speaker, an experienced family man, an ‘expert’ perhaps. The talk went…

Kids, Needs, and Church

Should unschooled kids be forced to go to church? I wonder if this is the wrong question to ask when our kids protest about coming…

The Ladies Fixing the World

Resources for Unschoolers

Strolling towards the shopping centre, I spy an older man with three hand-reared brightly coloured parrots. A few wide-eyed kids are gathered around him, and as I watch, he transfers a parrot to one of their shoulders, where it bounces lightly upon its feet, nuzzling a little ear. The child grins, hardly daring to move. The children have questions which…

Is It Working? Wrestling with Doubt in Unschooling

A grey day arrives that completely blots out the memory of all the preceding good days. We feel overwhelmed, tired, worried and lost. We wonder why we ever decided to unschool. A puddle of doubt about unschooling forms around us. What do we do? Cecilie, Sandra and I are discussing unschooling doubts and sharing our experiences in episode 10 of…

How Unschooling Doesn’t Guarantee a Fairytale Life

Yesterday evening, like all Sunday evenings, my kids who live locally came to dinner. Six of us gathered around our dining room table, savouring a meal cooked by my husband while enjoying the usual end-of-the-week lively catch-up conversation. There was a time when we dreamed that all our children would buy houses on the same street as our family home.…

Christian unschooling

Can Christians Unschool?

Can Christians unschool? We’re Christian unschoolers. Maybe you’re Christian unschoolers too? There are lots of us living this way of life. But are we doing the right thing? Or are we side-stepping our responsibilities when we choose to unschool? Are we choosing the easy, lazy path? I often hear of parents who are struggling with homeschooling. Their kids aren’t doing…

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…
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