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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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The Day My Teen Built His Own Computer
If you’re not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you’re determined to learn, no one can stop you. -Unknown It happened. The Amazon cart filled with computer parts for well over a month was finally emptied. On his 15th birthday, the money he saved from summer jobs combined with monetary birthday gifts from family and friends was enough to fulfill the goal he set months ago. What? An actual, working computer? But how? These were absolutely my questions too. When he first started talking about the idea I remember thinking, “Yea. Ok.” Then I drifted off wondering many things…Am I going to need to hire someone? Am…
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Living Without School in Pictures
[av_one_half first min_height=” vertical_alignment=’av-align-top’ space=” margin=’0px’ margin_sync=’true’ padding=’0px’ padding_sync=’true’ border=’12’ border_color=’#efefef’ radius=’0px’ radius_sync=’true’ background_color=” src=” attachment=” attachment_size=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_display=”] [av_image src=’http://letemgobarefoot.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Tryon-Trip-232.jpg’ attachment=’4215′ attachment_size=’full’ align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’][/av_image] [/av_one_half] [av_one_half min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_display=”] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] What does it mean to “live and learn”? Exactly what it sounds like. Live your life by following things that interest you, that intrigue you, that puzzle you. Ask questions, try things out, explore, observe, examine, challenge yourself. Meet people, go to different places, read, watch, write. Get sick, get…
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The Case for Living the Self-Directed Life
Summer is probably the most dreamed about, written about, and longed for season in America. For most of America’s children and young adults, summertime means freedom. The school year schedule fades away and the longer, warmer days are replaced with uninterrupted sleep, exploration, visiting with family and friends, vacationing, and learning new information simply because of a desire and curiosity to know, not in order to pass a test or check a box. The alarm bells cease and desist. Stress subsides and growing minds are happily given more time to wander and wonder. There seems to be a universal respect of the unscheduled, free flowing days of summer and a…
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You Might Be Ego-schooling If…
Once upon a time, when our family first made the decision to forego the traditional schooling options, I dreamed of being a fabulous teacher to my kids. We would come together every morning, still dressed in our pajamas, sipping cocoa or nibbling on the morning breakfast I lovingly made while their sleepy bodies were still in bed, and we would read stories together, work equations, draw, or do science projects. I would have amazing lessons devised and they’d gleefully thumb through the pages of their ‘work packets’. On our best days they’d ask for more. I considered how our space should be arranged, I made a list of materials we needed,…
