Drawing, Geometry and a Happy Girl
Sophie is happy. She grins from ear to ear. “I’m off to do some maths, Mum!” What a change from a couple of weeks ago. Not long ago, she was battling her way through an online maths course. But no…
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 unschooling topic. Along the way, I share some family news. Before I know it, I have…
An Answer to the Chores Problem
We’d all like our children to be considerate, hard working and happy to help others. We’d especially like them to be willing to help out with the chores. Maybe we also hope they’ll be generous, to go beyond what they…
What a Day Without Rules Looks Like
My children said, “Sleep in tomorrow, Mum. You’re overtired. You haven’t had much sleep in the last 48 hours.” So I slept in. When I got up, the kitchen was deserted. Everyone had had breakfast, washed the dishes, cleaned up,…
Letting Go of Our Own Ideas About Our Kids’ Education
Many years ago, I set out on a big search for the perfect method of homeschooling. I was looking for something that would ensure that my kids learnt all the essentials of a good education. (These basics varied depending on…
Preparing Our Kids for an Unknown Future: Can We Do It?
The other day I bumped into Jane Fonda after not having seen her for many years. There she was in my Facebook feed, 70-something-years old and still looking rather good. Jane and I are old friends though, of course, she’s not aware of this. She doesn’t know she spent many a sweaty hour with me, years ago, as I worked my leotard-clad body hard. I’d stretch and bounce and breathe fast, as I listened carefully to her aerobic instructions. “Make…
When Excitement for Learning Appears to Disappear
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Creativity: Why Classical Music Isn’t Enough
I had an idea: “Hey, Imogen, would you like to record a podcast with me? We could discuss all those wild unschooling thoughts that keep bubbling up inside of us.” My 20-year-old daughter nodded, and asked, “What shall we talk about for our first episode?” “How about creativity?” “Sure!” So I made a list of questions we could explore. We set up our microphone. I pressed the ‘record’ button, and Imogen said, “You’re listening to the Wild Inside podcast!” Amongst…
What I Think Unschooling is All About: the Podcast
I’ve been having trouble finding the right words to express the ideas swirling around inside my head. But instead of worrying about it, I’ve been heading out the door to run along the sandstone tracks that weave their way through our local bush. I’ve also been reading my library books, and knitting some of Gemma-Rose’s hooded cape. I’ve even watched a movie with my girls. Yes, I’ve been doing some different things instead of thinking about words, even though I…
Misconceptions: Unschooling Children are Self-Centred and Inconsiderate
Imagine giving children the freedom to choose. What if they are allowed to follow their own interests, and do whatever they like? What if there are no rules? Perhaps this sounds like a recipe for disaster. Will it produce self-centred and inconsiderate children? A lot of people believe it will. And maybe they’re right. We’ve all heard of children who run wild as soon as they realise they no longer have to answer to anyone. If we say to our…
Misconceptions: Unschooling Children Will Choose Not to Do Difficult Things
I often run down the main fire trail that winds its way through our local bush. The track descends gently at first, but then drops away so steeply I have to take care not to lose my footing. After I have descended 57 metres from my starting elevation, I turn around, ready to make the return journey. It doesn’t take long for the muscles in my legs to start burning as I climb back up the rock-strewn sandstone track. When…
Misconceptions: Unschooling Parents are Lazy
I republished this post after reverting it to draft. I have doubts I expressed my thoughts properly. My intention was to encourage parents, who are thinking about unschooling, not to be put off by claims it’s a lazy way of life. I fear I was defensive rather than encouraging. Even if the post isn’t well worded, you might like to read the interesting comments! Unschooling parents are too lazy to plan their children’s education. They just let their kids do whatever…
Dreams, Talents, Working and Unworking
In a few months’ time, my daughter Imogen will finish her university degree. She’s started thinking about what she would like to do next. “I have three lofty dreams,” she says. One of them involves a piano, a microphone and a box of make-up. Can you guess what she wants to do? In this week’s podcast, I talk to Imogen about her dreams for the future. We discuss the following questions: What are Imogen’s dreams, and is it possible for…
Old and New Stories, a Book Club and Other Unschooling Things
A few weeks ago, I received a letter from Fr James Tierney who is the author of the Bush Boys children’s books. Fr and…
Does Love Keep You Awake While Others Sleep?
Lying in bed, trying to conquer insomnia, I noticed bright intermittent flashes of light illuminating the night sky. I slid from under the quilt,…
Unschooling: Impressing Other People
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Unschooling: Trusting the Process and Letting Go of Control
“I kind of love my title for this podcast. It’s very ambitious. Let’s fix it all!” And so begins another Ladies Fixing the World conversation in which Cecilie Conrad, Sandra Dodd and I dive deep into unschooling, sharing our thoughts and experiences. In S2E4, we discuss Unschooling: Trusting the Process and Letting Go. Want to know more…
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…
How Unschoolers Can Deal with Questions and Sceptics
My mother-in-law visited us for the birth of our son, Thomas. After he died and we’d buried him in his tiny white casket, Andy’s mother asked me if we wanted more children. As I replied, “Oh, yes!”, my mother-in-law’s face dropped into a disapproving frown. “She thinks we already have enough kids,” I thought as my defence hackles rose. But…
Respecting Kids and Christmas Presents
Does having a simple Christmas sound good? It does to me. This year, like last year and the one before, I wanted to announce that I’m not buying a lot of Christmas presents. I thought about saying that I’m not buying any at all. I didn’t want to think and think until the perfect gift ideas came to mind. I…
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…