Reschooling Posts // March 19-25, 2023
What Has Caused the Long Decline in Kids’ Mental Health?
March 25, 2023 from Freedom to Learn
I begin with two well-established facts: 1. Over the past four or five decades there has been a gradual, but overall huge decline in the freedom of children and even teens to play, roam, and engage in any activities away from direct adult oversight and control. Long gone are the days when 5-year-olds walked by themselves or with friends to kindergarten, or kids of all ages could be seen playing in parks or vacant lots with no adults around, or 12-year-olds had paper routes or other responsible jobs they managed themselves.
Creating Guiding Principles for Consent-Based, Self-Directed Learning Communities
March 25, 2023 from Sophie Christophy
Because these kinds of communities are relationship centred, and are values rather than rules based, it’s really important as a founder or person who has responsibility for culture creation, to have a really sound set of Guiding Principles. Here is a five step guide to creating these principles:
You are the right parent for your child.
March 24, 2023 from Radical Mothering
Some days (like yesterday) I wake up already tired. All I want to do is sit with a hot drink and a snack and read my book. I want to curl up in my bed and nap, or listen to a podcast while manically stabbing wool (iykyk). All the admin sits ignored on my desk and I say no a lot more than I need to.
How Do I Get My Husband More Involved In Home Education?
March 25, 2023 from Stark Raving Dad
A reader from Instagram asks: how do I get my husband more involved?! Sigh. I’m sighing about this question for two reasons. Firstly, because it frustrates me that most dads – and, I really do mean most dads – still seem so reluctant to open their eyes to different life options for their children. But I’m also sighing because I get it. Most dads – and again, I mean most – just want the best thing for their child. They want them to get the best education, and the best social experiences, and the best opportunities, and the best possible career…they really do mean well.
Questioning the Wisdom of Unconditional Love
March 25, 2023 from Stories of an Unschooling Family
Do you ever have doubts about your parenting? Do you ever wonder if your ideas are wrong? The other day, I wrote something about unconditional love, and later, rereading my words, I began to doubt what I’d said. While sharing my thoughts in blog posts and Instagram captions, perhaps I’m passing on false ideas and leading people astray.
1.38 partnership + teens with Erin Jantz
March 24, 2022 from The Unschool Files
episode 38 of the podcast is all about teens! Meghan chats with Erin Jantz, a Southern California mama of 4 young people ages 9-18. this conversation covers connection, partnership, and the nuance of life without schooling as our young people emerge toward adulthood!
42. Unschooling & Deschooling: From Theory to Practice
March 24, 2023 from Radical Learning Talks
Unschooling can sound really wonderful, and in theory so many of us are totally on board with the concept. But then we start practicing it with our kids, and suddenly it no longer feels that amazing. Doubts and fears pop up and we wobble and wonder if this is really for us. Maybe it doesn't work? Should we just throw in the towel, or are there other options?
When Kids’ Independence Goes Down, Their Mental Health Issues Go Up: Journal of Pediatrics
March 23, 2023 from Free Range Kids
An article about to be published in the the Journal of Pediatrics is titled, “Decline in Independent Activity as a Cause of Decline in Children’s Mental Wellbeing: Summary of the Evidence.” If that sounds like what we’ve been saying here forever — it is. But AT LAST is it being said in a PRESTIGIOUS JOURNAL read by thousands of pediatricians.
Is Your Child Ahead Or Behind?
March 23, 2023 from Stark Raving Dad
We put way too much emphasis on a child’s progress. On whether they’re behind or ahead. On things they need to get better at. On their grades, and how they’re measuring up against the standards that have been set for them. As parents this emphasis is made very clear very early. We're congratulated when our child is progressing according to the plan, and almost scolded when they’re not. Then we go home and either celebrate or lie awake worrying.
Ep 9. Literacy & Liberation (and consent!) with Nikolai Pizarro
March 22, 2023 from Consent-Based Everything
Fran chats to Nikolai about centering literacy in our homes and taking back the tools to support our children with learning to read and write. We talk about perceptions around literacy in both unschooling and schooling spaces, and Nikolai speaks to literacy as a tool for liberation. We also talk about the importance of relationship and trust, of non-coercion, and of decentering school as a movement for all families (unschooled, homeschooled and schooled!).
Celebrating Your Child’s Neurodiversity
March 22, 2023 from Raising Lifelong Learners
Homeschooling neurodiverse children comes with its share of challenges, and also benefits. If we’re going to help our children to recognize their unique strengths while also supporting their special needs, we’re going to have to embrace their neurodiversity and celebrate it!
Episode 24: Don't Believe These Unschooling Myths
March 22, 2023 from Stark Raving Dad
In this episode, I spend some time examining three common perceptions that are unique to unschooling: That unschooling is 'unparenting', That unschooling will create lazy children And that unschooling means you have no rules or structure whatsoever. It’s a super interesting discussion that leads us through areas like life rhythms, autonomy and motivation, and regardless of whether you’re unschooling or not I think you’ll find this episode really useful!
Free To Learn and PLAY with Dr. Peter Gray
March 21, 2023 from Honey! I’m Homeschooling the Kids
Peter Gray is an American psychologist, author and research professor. He has conducted and published research in neuroendocrinology, developmental psychology, anthropology, and education. His research focuses on the role of play in human evolution and how children educate themselves, through play and exploration, when they are free to do so. He has expanded on these ideas in his book, Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life (Basic Books).
Introducing… Crew
March 20, 2023 from Sophie Christophy
Crew is a monthly meeting space for change making activists working on the issue of institutionally and relationally embedded childism and adult supremacy, and it’s associated problems. It is a networking and organising space, for problem sharing, strategic thinking, and creative planning. It is also a solidarity space, where we can share our stresses and disappointments, ways of coping with the challenges of doing this work, and seek support and reenergising.
Show Me The Evidence
March 20, 2023 from Think Again
A belief in the importance of rewards and punishments runs through the way that we manage children in our society. We see child-rearing as a sort of extended training programme - reward what you want to see, punish what you don't, and at the end, you'll have a fully functioning adult.
An Unschooling Writer Mom Plays with ChatGPT & Wrestles with its Implications
March 20, 2023 from Let ‘em Go Barefoot
ChatGPT was launched in November of 2022. I made an account in January 2023 with the intention of giving it a try, but every time I typed in a prompt, I got an error message. I figured it was user error since I was having one of those, “I have no idea what I’m even looking at” moments. So, I logged out. (I did eventually learn it was a high traffic on the site issue.)
Words Packed with Unschool Maths
March 20, 2023 from Stories of an Unschooling Family
‘Today will be 17 degrees cooler than yesterday: 20 degrees.’ This morning, I wrote those words in an email to a friend. And then I added this: ‘That sentence reminds me of unschool maths.’ Oh yes, those ten words are packed with maths! Numbers: 17 and 20 Temperature: degrees C Comparison: cooler than Time: today and yesterday
Your Teen Needs to Be Nurtured
March 19, 2023 from Happiness is Here
We are firmly into the teenager stage now. The time everyone warned us about. Teenagers are difficult, teenagers hate their parents, teenagers don’t listen, teenagers don’t want to spend any time with you, teenagers can’t be trusted. Wow, teenagers really get a bad rap don’t they? And then we accuse them of having a bad attitude? Talk about strange.
