[email protected]

I've never posted here before but I have been lurking for a very long time.
A little intro first --- I have one dd who is 7 and she's never been to school. I started out in Kinder with doing the whole school-at-home thing and it just didn't work. I came across unschooling and poured myself into books and forums, ect. We've been unschooling ever since and every day I feel more and more comfortable with our decision. She's so bright and so smart and is just wonderful to be around, but that's besides the point... LOL

I know absolutely nobody else who unschools. Everyone in our homeschool group uses curriculum and mimics school at home and that is what most conversations revolve around. It frustrates me when I hear the other mothers talk about how much of a hard time they are having with their 1st grader or 3rd grader when it comes to "school". I just want to tell them to back off and leave their poor kids alone, but of course I bite my tongue and say nothing.
I am starting to feel very very alone. I hate that I have no one else around who is as passionate about unschooling as I am. My dh is wonderful support but I guess it's not the same as having a friend with other kids who do the same thing as we do.
Anyone else in the same boat? How do you deal with feeling so alone?

Kelly Lovejoy

Where are you? I bet we know someone near you.





?~Kelly

Kelly Lovejoy
"There is no single effort more radical in its potential for saving the world than a transformation of the way we raise our children." Marianne Williamson




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

BRIAN POLIKOWSKY

I have been there, especially after attending an Unschooling Conference. But now I feel I have friends everywhere!!!!!!!! I keep in touch on Facebook, I go to Sandra Dodd chats when I can.
I own an unschooling group in my State and we even had a state wide get together this past February for two days at a water park. THere were a total of 61 people that came!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its wonderful to know that even thou there is only one local family that radical unschools in my town but there are others around not too far.
Keep in my some of my favorite people are from 3.5 hours away to a whole ocean!!!!!!!!
Join Facebook and Look up Alexandra Polikowsky. Send em a note and a friend request. I will hook you up with unschoolers.
Another thing that helped me was accept that most of the  local homeschoolers I know are NOT radical unschoolers. THat way I accept them for who they are instead of wishing they were someone else.


Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/

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plaidpanties666

--- In [email protected], "bmspear@..." <bmspear@...> wrote:
>> Anyone else in the same boat? How do you deal with feeling so alone?

Sometimes its easier to hang out with childless adults than other families, or families with teens instead of little kids. My kids both enjoy older company, so hanging around school kids often doesn't work out for them anyway.

My unschooling friends are all online. Are you on facebook? Its really nice to be able to see some daily messages about people being happy with their kids. Its cheering. And its a good way to find out who's artsy and who's silly and who's a great cook... things you don't really learn from these terribly serious posts on the discussion lists!

I try to get out to one or two unschooling gatherings every year. This year I feel like I've had "extra" bc we were able to stop over at unschoolers' homes on the way to and from visiting family, as well. Its nice to get to see unschoolers in their "natural habitats" too.

---Meredith (Mo 8, Ray 16)

DJ250

Where do you live?



~Melissa, in MD :-)



-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
bmspear@...
Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 4:08 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Feeling very alone





I've never posted here before but I have been lurking for a very long time.
A little intro first --- I have one dd who is 7 and she's never been to
school. I started out in Kinder with doing the whole school-at-home thing
and it just didn't work. I came across unschooling and poured myself into
books and forums, ect. We've been unschooling ever since and every day I
feel more and more comfortable with our decision. She's so bright and so
smart and is just wonderful to be around, but that's besides the point...
LOL

I know absolutely nobody else who unschools. Everyone in our homeschool
group uses curriculum and mimics school at home and that is what most
conversations revolve around. It frustrates me when I hear the other mothers
talk about how much of a hard time they are having with their 1st grader or
3rd grader when it comes to "school". I just want to tell them to back off
and leave their poor kids alone, but of course I bite my tongue and say
nothing.
I am starting to feel very very alone. I hate that I have no one else around
who is as passionate about unschooling as I am. My dh is wonderful support
but I guess it's not the same as having a friend with other kids who do the
same thing as we do.
Anyone else in the same boat? How do you deal with feeling so alone?



No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.421 / Virus Database: 270.14.5/2419 - Release Date: 10/07/09
05:18:00




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

AllisonR

I, too, am feeling isolated. We live in a rural, conservative Christian area in California's Central Valley. I have many school-at-home acquaintances, but only one other family who unschools. I am so blessed to have her, but would love a larger community.
I 'friended' Alexandra Polikowsky...online support seems the way to go. We are out there. Anyone else near Merced?

[email protected]

We live in the very southern part of Texas down by South Padre Island/Brownsville. I've created a Yahoo group (in hopes that someone like me is searching!) as well as posted on our city forum. When you search for unschooling and our city my post is one of the first things that come up on Google. Not sure what else to do besides that.
The closest unschooling group that I have been able to find is in San Antonio, TX, which is about 4 hours north from us. I joined the Yahoo group for them because we do go to San Antonio quite a bit so I thought it'd be great to meet up with them at some point but our trips have not worked out the same time as their get-togethers.

One thing that we have NOT done is to go to an unschooling conference - which I am sooo wanting to do!!

Thanks to all of you for your support and posts!




--- In [email protected], "DJ250" <dj250@...> wrote:
>
> Where do you live?
>
>
>
> ~Melissa, in MD :-)
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
> bmspear@...
> Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 4:08 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Feeling very alone
>
>
>
>
>
> I've never posted here before but I have been lurking for a very long time.
> A little intro first --- I have one dd who is 7 and she's never been to
> school. I started out in Kinder with doing the whole school-at-home thing
> and it just didn't work. I came across unschooling and poured myself into
> books and forums, ect. We've been unschooling ever since and every day I
> feel more and more comfortable with our decision. She's so bright and so
> smart and is just wonderful to be around, but that's besides the point...
> LOL
>
> I know absolutely nobody else who unschools. Everyone in our homeschool
> group uses curriculum and mimics school at home and that is what most
> conversations revolve around. It frustrates me when I hear the other mothers
> talk about how much of a hard time they are having with their 1st grader or
> 3rd grader when it comes to "school". I just want to tell them to back off
> and leave their poor kids alone, but of course I bite my tongue and say
> nothing.
> I am starting to feel very very alone. I hate that I have no one else around
> who is as passionate about unschooling as I am. My dh is wonderful support
> but I guess it's not the same as having a friend with other kids who do the
> same thing as we do.
> Anyone else in the same boat? How do you deal with feeling so alone?
>
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 8.5.421 / Virus Database: 270.14.5/2419 - Release Date: 10/07/09
> 05:18:00
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Bekki Kirby

I'm part of that San Antonio group! I'm sure it doesn't help much, but it's
a great group. I hope you can make it to a park day soon. The park might
be flooded this next Tuesday, if this rain keeps up...

Bekki


--
The true test of intelligence is not how much we know how to do, but how we
behave when we don't know what to do.
-John Holt

Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your
temper or your self-confidence.
-Robert Frost

Mother of four angels, two pirates, and one TBD
Kayla (10)
Hunter (b. 8/9/03, d. 8/22/03)
Jo (misc 1/15/04)
Jared (4)
Camelia (b. 12/16/07, d. 12/10/07)
Hope/Chance (misc 11/25/08)
Capt. Jack probably arriving 12/09


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

[email protected]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Valley-Homeschoolers/

A meeting place for Rio Grande Valley (TX) homeschoolers, unschoolers and others involved in alternatives to public education. If you home school (homeschool) in Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen, Edinburg, Mission or Rio Grande City (or any point in between), join us in helping each other!

Group Information
* Members: 172
* Category: Texas
* Founded: Aug 11, 2002
* Language: English

This group says it is for unschoolers in your area. With 172 members I'm sure there are as few unschool families in there.

:D Mutual respect,
Misty

[email protected]

Misty - Thanks for finding that for me! I will have to post a message and cross my fingers..... :)