Amelia Jyotsna T.

Hello everyone,

I live in Memphis, TN. I saw this yahoogroups and wanted to jump on
here and see if anyone is from Memphis.

My family consist of: Myself (Amelia), my son Ravi age 12, my
daughter Priya age 8 and my daughter Lakshmi age 8. We are
embarking on our second year of unschooling this year. I started out
unschooling my son back in 1996 when I arrived home with him from
India (he's adopted). I knew when I put those soft organic cloth
diapers on him, that the status quo way of doing things was not
going to work for me or him.

When he was around 4 years old, I got involved in the local
unschooling group, but that quickly went by the wayside.
Unfortunately, I didn't have much in common with the currators of
the group. It was hard to not have community support, but I kept
doing my thing. I seperated from my husband in early 2002, and by
the summer of 2003, I was enrolled in massage therapy school. I
made the decision to send my son to school. Fortunately, it didn't
work out. I say fortunately because I am glad he didn't become one
of those children who just quietly slipped through the cracks. I
listened to his needs and in time realized if I didn't take a break
from school, I'd lose my son to the proverbial cracks in the public
school system. With the help of my sister, we managed to keep him
in constant care between us, while I finished up massage therapy
school. It was not easy, it was in fact, the most difficult thing I
have done. Not the coursework, but the lose of family time, and the
inability to focus on my childs homeschooling and my schooling at
the same time. I finished as fast as I could. Meanwhile, I never
sent him back to school after Christmas. My sister kept him busy,
deschooled him for 3 weeks, then I was finished with the main part
of my school. The rest of came in bits and chunks, when my parents
cared for the kids while I did massages.

I felt the overwhelming pressure to send all three kids to school in
2005, when I was going through the divorce. Lets just say it didn't
go well. My kids began to tell me how much they wanted to be at
home, to unschool, to read all day if they wanted, and to make some
decisions, if not all decisions in their education. I didn't have
faith it would happen, but I spent the summer planning what we would
do, how we would do it, and the kids even wrote stories about it. I
was so touched that I began to look for ways (as a single mother
with very little income) to help their wishes come true. I was
going against everything everyone in my family believed in.
Everyone thought I should be in a job, getting health benefits, with
the children in school. When time to enroll the children in school
came, I just couldn't do it. I called the school to see if I could
enroll them after school started. I learned I had so many days
before I would get contacted by the school for the children's
truancy.

It was the hardest month of my life, because I felt like I literally
needed to jump out and just do it. I did. My kids were so happy!

We have again reached out to the local unschoolers group, and the
support is minimal. I do have a couple of new friends, who are
involved in the group. I am ready to find more support, whether
local or via internet.

I have so many questions, and would love to know about other
single/divorced mothers who are doing this. I may have legal issues
in the future regarding unschooling, as the children's dad is no
longer in agreement with homeschooling. He said he wanted the
children to go to public school again, but after my son being choked
(around the neck) by another student when they last attended, I do
not plan to place them in school period.

So, if you have any ideas for me, or just a nod of support, please
share it.

If you live in Memphis, I am organizing an Unschooling Art Exhibit
just for the kids, at the end of August.

Thanks for reading this!
Amelia

Kimberlee

I expect you will learn from this group, but I came across a yahoo
support group that may be just what you are looking for
crazylifeunschoolers. You may want to join them. The description
follows:

Description:
Unschooling and gentle parenting are challenging. Working toward these
goals in an "alternative" family environment can be overwhelming at
times. This is a support/idea group for those striving to radically
unschool and parent respectfully within a less traditional family:
singles, grandparents, foster families, adopted, divorced, nannies,
more than two parents, one or more kids in school, etc., with a common
theme being the need to rely on other, more conventionally minded
adults and the impact that has on our lives and relationships.

Best of Luck :),

Kimberlee

On 25-Jul-08, at 1:43 AM, Amelia Jyotsna T. wrote:

> Hello everyone,
>
> I live in Memphis, TN. I saw this yahoogroups and wanted to jump on
> here and see if anyone is from Memphis.
>
> My family consist of: Myself (Amelia), my son Ravi age 12, my
> daughter Priya age 8 and my daughter Lakshmi age 8. We are
> embarking on our second year of unschooling this year. I started out
> unschooling my son back in 1996 when I arrived home with him from
> India (he's adopted). I knew when I put those soft organic cloth
> diapers on him, that the status quo way of doing things was not
> going to work for me or him.
>
> When he was around 4 years old, I got involved in the local
> unschooling group, but that quickly went by the wayside.
> Unfortunately, I didn't have much in common with the currators of
> the group. It was hard to not have community support, but I kept
> doing my thing. I seperated from my husband in early 2002, and by
> the summer of 2003, I was enrolled in massage therapy school. I
> made the decision to send my son to school. Fortunately, it didn't
> work out. I say fortunately because I am glad he didn't become one
> of those children who just quietly slipped through the cracks. I
> listened to his needs and in time realized if I didn't take a break
> from school, I'd lose my son to the proverbial cracks in the public
> school system. With the help of my sister, we managed to keep him
> in constant care between us, while I finished up massage therapy
> school. It was not easy, it was in fact, the most difficult thing I
> have done. Not the coursework, but the lose of family time, and the
> inability to focus on my childs homeschooling and my schooling at
> the same time. I finished as fast as I could. Meanwhile, I never
> sent him back to school after Christmas. My sister kept him busy,
> deschooled him for 3 weeks, then I was finished with the main part
> of my school. The rest of came in bits and chunks, when my parents
> cared for the kids while I did massages.
>
> I felt the overwhelming pressure to send all three kids to school in
> 2005, when I was going through the divorce. Lets just say it didn't
> go well. My kids began to tell me how much they wanted to be at
> home, to unschool, to read all day if they wanted, and to make some
> decisions, if not all decisions in their education. I didn't have
> faith it would happen, but I spent the summer planning what we would
> do, how we would do it, and the kids even wrote stories about it. I
> was so touched that I began to look for ways (as a single mother
> with very little income) to help their wishes come true. I was
> going against everything everyone in my family believed in.
> Everyone thought I should be in a job, getting health benefits, with
> the children in school. When time to enroll the children in school
> came, I just couldn't do it. I called the school to see if I could
> enroll them after school started. I learned I had so many days
> before I would get contacted by the school for the children's
> truancy.
>
> It was the hardest month of my life, because I felt like I literally
> needed to jump out and just do it. I did. My kids were so happy!
>
> We have again reached out to the local unschoolers group, and the
> support is minimal. I do have a couple of new friends, who are
> involved in the group. I am ready to find more support, whether
> local or via internet.
>
> I have so many questions, and would love to know about other
> single/divorced mothers who are doing this. I may have legal issues
> in the future regarding unschooling, as the children's dad is no
> longer in agreement with homeschooling. He said he wanted the
> children to go to public school again, but after my son being choked
> (around the neck) by another student when they last attended, I do
> not plan to place them in school period.
>
> So, if you have any ideas for me, or just a nod of support, please
> share it.
>
> If you live in Memphis, I am organizing an Unschooling Art Exhibit
> just for the kids, at the end of August.
>
> Thanks for reading this!
> Amelia
>
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

k

Hi. I have a great friend who lives about an hour from you in Jackson and
is very involved in the art community there. She is not an unschooler but
homeschooled her youngest two who were going to drop out if she didn't
homeschool them because they hated the cultural differences in school,
coming from Jersey to TN (bible belt etc). She is culturally very aware
and eclectic. Her kids are all grown, but she is very much involved with
sharing art with anyone, and curates an art program/ contest for high school
kids every year. I forget the name of it. And since she so socialable she
might know people for you and your kids to hang out with close to your
area.

~Katherine





On 7/25/08, Amelia Jyotsna T. <indiamommy@...> wrote:
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> I live in Memphis, TN. I saw this yahoogroups and wanted to jump on
> here and see if anyone is from Memphis.
>
> My family consist of: Myself (Amelia), my son Ravi age 12, my
> daughter Priya age 8 and my daughter Lakshmi age 8. We are
> embarking on our second year of unschooling this year. I started out
> unschooling my son back in 1996 when I arrived home with him from
> India (he's adopted). I knew when I put those soft organic cloth
> diapers on him, that the status quo way of doing things was not
> going to work for me or him.
>
> When he was around 4 years old, I got involved in the local
> unschooling group, but that quickly went by the wayside.
> Unfortunately, I didn't have much in common with the currators of
> the group. It was hard to not have community support, but I kept
> doing my thing. I seperated from my husband in early 2002, and by
> the summer of 2003, I was enrolled in massage therapy school. I
> made the decision to send my son to school. Fortunately, it didn't
> work out. I say fortunately because I am glad he didn't become one
> of those children who just quietly slipped through the cracks. I
> listened to his needs and in time realized if I didn't take a break
> from school, I'd lose my son to the proverbial cracks in the public
> school system. With the help of my sister, we managed to keep him
> in constant care between us, while I finished up massage therapy
> school. It was not easy, it was in fact, the most difficult thing I
> have done. Not the coursework, but the lose of family time, and the
> inability to focus on my childs homeschooling and my schooling at
> the same time. I finished as fast as I could. Meanwhile, I never
> sent him back to school after Christmas. My sister kept him busy,
> deschooled him for 3 weeks, then I was finished with the main part
> of my school. The rest of came in bits and chunks, when my parents
> cared for the kids while I did massages.
>
> I felt the overwhelming pressure to send all three kids to school in
> 2005, when I was going through the divorce. Lets just say it didn't
> go well. My kids began to tell me how much they wanted to be at
> home, to unschool, to read all day if they wanted, and to make some
> decisions, if not all decisions in their education. I didn't have
> faith it would happen, but I spent the summer planning what we would
> do, how we would do it, and the kids even wrote stories about it. I
> was so touched that I began to look for ways (as a single mother
> with very little income) to help their wishes come true. I was
> going against everything everyone in my family believed in.
> Everyone thought I should be in a job, getting health benefits, with
> the children in school. When time to enroll the children in school
> came, I just couldn't do it. I called the school to see if I could
> enroll them after school started. I learned I had so many days
> before I would get contacted by the school for the children's
> truancy.
>
> It was the hardest month of my life, because I felt like I literally
> needed to jump out and just do it. I did. My kids were so happy!
>
> We have again reached out to the local unschoolers group, and the
> support is minimal. I do have a couple of new friends, who are
> involved in the group. I am ready to find more support, whether
> local or via internet.
>
> I have so many questions, and would love to know about other
> single/divorced mothers who are doing this. I may have legal issues
> in the future regarding unschooling, as the children's dad is no
> longer in agreement with homeschooling. He said he wanted the
> children to go to public school again, but after my son being choked
> (around the neck) by another student when they last attended, I do
> not plan to place them in school period.
>
> So, if you have any ideas for me, or just a nod of support, please
> share it.
>
> If you live in Memphis, I am organizing an Unschooling Art Exhibit
> just for the kids, at the end of August.
>
> Thanks for reading this!
> Amelia
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Amelia Jyotsna T.

Hi Katherine,

Yes, I'd love to hear about anything she knows. Thanks!
Amelia

Amelia Jyotsna T.

Thank you Kimberlee, I'll check it out.
Amelia


> I expect you will learn from this group, but I came across a yahoo
> support group that may be just what you are looking for
> crazylifeunschoolers. You may want to join them. The description
> follows: