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Top posts of 2019
2019 has been a big year for the Let ’em go Barefoot community! The number of supporters has continued to rise and the amount of overall engagement on Facebook and Instagram has stopped me in my tracks quite a few times. What has excited me the most is the noticeable shift in perspectives. The things that stir me and inspire me to write are typically not topics for the masses, but this appears to be changing. More people are seeking information about educational choices. More people are seeking articles and research that speak to the critical importance of the early years of a human’s life. More people seem to understand…
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3 Regrets of an Unschooling Mom
We have been homeschooling for 12 years, unschooling for close to 11. My kids have been unschooling since birth, though. I am the one who needed to catch up to what they instinctively knew to be true, which is: Learning happens ALL THE TIME even without adult involvement, control or meddling. Below are three things I sort of/kind of regret. I say sort of/kind of because I believe all our experiences teach us something. Even the failures–especially the failures. So, do I REALLY regret the following? Not necessarily. I mostly mourn the time I lost worrying and comparing. The upside, however, is by sharing my experiences in those early days…
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Does the Truth Really Hurt?
Dear Children, Speak your truth. Say it boldly. Say it with your eyes, your demeanor, and your inside voice, if necessary, but say it. Do not shrink or dull yourself because someone else feels uncomfortable in your light. That is on them. Either they need to put on sunglasses or find another spot to inhabit. This world is full of half-truths and placating relationships, neither support the optimal development of those involved. While I encourage you to interact with others using your best judgment, which includes knowing when to talk and when to listen, when to step up and when to back down, whatever you choose, do so with your…
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Signs. Signs. Everywhere Are Signs.
I woke up before 5:30 this morning to check my daughter’s blood sugar. Well, I set my alarm to wake up but seems I have some kind of superpower and can wake up within minutes of my actual alarm going off. What kind of witchcraft is that? I spoke softly to her, letting her know it was time to check her blood sugar, gently grabbed a hand while she stayed in complete sleep mode then pricked her finger. She was in range, but on the lower end. It’s possible she may still descend so I reset my alarm for 7:00. I got back in bed and since I was feeling…
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Are You a Conscious Educator?
I have been in the classrooms of our public and private schools. I have been on the administrative side. I have seen amazing people work magic with “difficult” kids, I have seen teachers who love their job and joyfully show up each day to be in the midst of the children they serve. I have also seen the dark side of the classroom: the shaming talk, the disappointing glares, the frustrated tones and the cold attitudes. And it is not pretty. It has been said that “teaching is the hardest job in the world”. Usually at a rally to roaring cheers, but also in a coffee shop or around a conference…
