cartoontv5

Hi.Kelly, I didnt intend to upset you if thats what I did.Well if you
want books and article names- good luck-I have read different things
on various web pages through the years and I didnt keep records of
who said what(sorry).I will tell you that I am sincere.I do think
there are a lot of children(like you said) who would love an
unschooling life but I think some children do prefer more structure.I
was pretty much unschooled(when not in school) because I was alone to
do what I please.I would have loved some one to tell me its time to
come in or you need to clean your room ect(I know you think I am
crazy)but a lot of time my mother was not as strict as other parents
and it made me feel as though she didnt care as much as she could-but
thats just me:)
As you said you like lists so I will try-
Cons-no structure,no help.No money for the music lesson or space camp
the child wants.Not being able to run to the library when one wants
to learn about something(several babies).Being scared your kid will
grow up and wont know what state he lives in or just basic things-
cause all he ever wanted to do was watch spongebob and play in the
hot tub:)Lack of ideas (and money)for fun projects.Lack of fieldtrips
which is very important in unschooling,being afraid your child wont
know enough to even pass the GED exam and get a good job-to name a
few.But this is just me,I am sure they dont apply to a lot of people.
Pros-Fun,freedom,not having to listen to what others say about what
your child should be doing,learning, or playing.Not being tied down
with a curriculum.Lack of work for the parent as far as preparing a
lesson everyday goes and freedom to just live and be happy - to name
a few:)
I hope you dont get to upset from this-I really want to do this but
there are those few nagging doubts that keep me up and wont let me
rest.
Jeanne

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/1/2005 4:16:04 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
LJeanne28@... writes:

Hi.Kelly, I didnt intend to upset you if thats what I did.<<<<

You didn't upset me. I do this daily! <g>

>>>>Well if you
want books and article names- good luck-I have read different things
on various web pages through the years and I didnt keep records of
who said what(sorry)<<<<<

You've been reading sites that are anti-unschooling-----and from what you
write below, you've received all your unschooling information from people who
have no idea what it is.


>>>>>>I will tell you that I am sincere.I do think
there are a lot of children(like you said) who would love an
unschooling life but I think some children do prefer more structure.<<<<<

Many adults crave structure. And so they should be in prison? or the
military? There's a way to provide structure without running the child's life for
him.

>>>>I was pretty much unschooled(when not in school) because I was alone to
do what I please.I would have loved some one to tell me its time to
come in or you need to clean your room ect(I know you think I am
crazy)but a lot of time my mother was not as strict as other parents
and it made me feel as though she didnt care as much as she could-but
thats just me:)<<<<

You weren't unschooled in any way, shape, or form. You were neglected. And
you may have bought into the societal "if you love them, you MUST have
limits/structure/discipline."


>>>>>As you said you like lists so I will try-
Cons-no structure,no help<<<<

No help? Have you been reading ANTI-unschooling sites ONLY?


.>>>>>No money for the music lesson or space camp
the child wants.<<<<<

And school or school-at-home would fix these situations.....how?

No money is no money. Unschooling has nothing to do with that.


>>>>>>Not being able to run to the library when one wants
to learn about something(several babies).<<<<

Bookmobile. Friends. The INTERNET. You're here now, learning about
unschooling. No library in sight! It's the best library EVER!

>>>>>>Being scared your kid will
grow up and wont know what state he lives in or just basic things-
cause all he ever wanted to do was watch spongebob and play in the
hot tub:)<<<<<<


And he wouldn't know the name of his state.....why? My eight year old knows
when we cross state lines because we honk our horn as we cross the line.
Basic things----like how to change the tv channels and wash his face? What's a
"basic thing" to you? His name? Address? Phone number? How to read? write? jump
rope?


>>>>Lack of ideas (and money)for fun projects.<<<<

Money doesn't necessarily equal fun.

And THIS bunch is a wealth of ideas! <g>


>>>>>>Lack of fieldtrips which is very important in unschooling,<<<<<

Huh? Our local group scheduled a "field trip" to Bi-Lo a few years ago----we
go there 4-5 times/week! What kind of field trip was THAT? Yes, going and
doing IS important in unschooling. But it's called just going somewhere!
There's PLENTY of free stuff out there!


>>>>>>>being afraid your child wont
know enough to even pass the GED exam and get a good job-to name a
few.<<<<<

And if he were to go to school or school-at-home, this is a gimme?
Guaranteed? Really?

Can you define success for us----in *your* mind?

You have a GED, right? And you're still so unsure about learning..... Better
to have a good grasp of what learning *really IS than a piece of paper. And
many unschoolers go to college without a GED.


>>>>>>Pros-Fun,freedom,not having to listen to what others say about what
your child should be doing,learning, or playing.<<<<<<

Well, you're bound to be disappointed with THIS! <bwg> MANY people will
have LOTS to say about what he's doing! LOL It's up to you to tune it out!


>>>>>>Not being tied down
with a curriculum.Lack of work for the parent as far as preparing a
lesson everyday goes and freedom to just live and be happy - to name
a few:)<<<<<<

Lack of work as a parent----with regards to a curriculum, yes. But you'll
have MUCH more work making a learning-rich environment for your child. It's
intense----and relaxed. It's simple, but it's hard. It's NOTHING you can imagine
at this time.


>>>>>I hope you dont get to upset from this-I really want to do this but
there are those few nagging doubts that keep me up and wont let me
rest.<<<<<

_www.SandraDodd.com_ (http://www.SandraDodd.com) Go read, read, read.

_www.unschooling.com/messages_ (http://www.unschooling.com/messages) Read
archives, NOT what was just posted yesterday. Pick out threads under topics
you're interested in. Read the GOOD stuff.

I have to wonder why in the world you're so interested in unschooling when
you think so negatively about it.

~Kelly







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

averyschmidt

> As you said you like lists so I will try-
> Cons-no structure,no help.No money for the music lesson or space
camp
> the child wants.

How would a homeschooling lifestyle result in more money for lessons
and such than an unschooling lifestyle?

> Not being able to run to the library when one wants
> to learn about something(several babies).

Seems to me the babies will be there unschooling or not. :0)

> ing scared your kid will
> grow up and wont know what state he lives in or just basic things-
> cause all he ever wanted to do was watch spongebob and play in the
> hot tub:)

You're right about that... the being scared part I mean.
This list is a great place for calming those irrational fears.

Lack of fieldtrips
> which is very important in unschooling

Personally, I don't really love the term "field trip." In our
family we do a lot of interesting things and go to a lot of
interesting places just as a part of life. Having such experiences
beyond the walls of our home is important IMO whether unschooling or
not. I don't see how that's a "con" for unschooling.

Patti

TreeGoddess

[Cons-no structure,no help.]

If a child wants structure . . . give them structure. Uninvited
"arbitrary" structure is the no-no here. Does that make more sense?

[No money for the music lesson or space camp the child wants.]

Does your local school district fund trips to space camp?!? Wow! ;)
Children to attend Space Camp raise their money the same way whether
they attend school, are school-at-homed or unschooled. Donations, bake
sales, auction fundraisers, scholarships, etc. If there's a will
there's (usually) a way. :)

[Not being able to run to the library when one wants to learn about
something(several babies).]

That's just "life"; not unschooling. You'd still have a baby on your
hip while running errands even if the other children were in school.
See if your local library is linked up online so that you can browse
their catalog and the libraries that they're hooked up with. Then you
can place your "order" for books that you want to check out and they'll
be waiting at the desk for you.

[Being scared your kid will grow up and wont know what state he lives
in or just basic things-cause all he ever wanted to do was watch
spongebob
and play in the hot tub]

Why would your child not know what state you live in??? Go check out
this collection of fallacies related to this kind of "if I let him, he
would never ...." thinking. Changing your mindset can change
everything. :)
http://sandradodd.com/strew/ifilet

[Lack of ideas (and money)for fun projects.]

Lots of ideas here and on other lists and web sites. Money sure can
help, but it doesn't cost you anything to tour a bakery, visit a park,
go for a walk in the woods, go pet puppies at a pet shop, and stuff
like that (other than gas for the car or bus fare).

[Lack of fieldtrips which is very important in unschooling]

We, personally, don't care much for big 'organized' field trips. Too
many people, too much hurry-hurry-hurry to try and see it all in 2
hours. We much prefer to go on our own and follow our own interests --
invite along a friend or another laid back family if you prefer.

[being afraid your child wont know enough to even pass the GED exam
and get a good job-to name a few.]

That's not likely to be an issue (GED). What is a "good job" anyway?
Do you mean one that pays the bills, but that you loathe? Or a job
that's OK, but is uninspiring and mindnumbingly dull. Or a job that
you absolutely love, but might need to live frugally and not have all
the latest gadgets and trendy fashions? How do you define success?
Better yet, how does child(ren) define it?

Just some things to think about. :)

-Tracy-

"Every moment spent in unhappiness is a moment of
happiness lost." -- Leo Buscaglia