rachel_foodie

This is too funny. I get some of you guys telling me I am not an
unschooler because of some stuff that my husband wants our son to do,
right, so you guys call me a relaxed homeschooler (even though I have
two kids who are totally unschooled at the moment...and we live our
lives like unschoolers...whatever goes) THEN, I get this from another
group of unschoolers with disabled kids:

"I've been at this for well over a decade. Please don't call yourself
an
unschooler if you just sit and let your kid play video games. It
gives the
rest of us a bad name. Part of being a successful unschooler is to
have at
your child's disposal MANY, MANY things that he can do.....not just
technology related....and not *just* what he wants to stim on.
Sitting and
playing video games is "NOTschooling"....please do not label it as
unschooling....because it is not, no matter how much you want to
rationalize
or justify it."

And this is because I am seen by the above mom as so unschooly as to
be a NOTschooler. That's a new one. Is there any possibility that
we could just be who we are (maybe even who we think we are...ever
heard of: act as if?) and then we could get past the part of how
authentic one is and just help each other?????

I am laughing my butt off at how funny all of this is!

Rachel

Wife2Vegman

--- rachel_foodie <rachel_foodie@...> wrote:
>
> And this is because I am seen by the above mom as so
> unschooly as to
> be a NOTschooler. That's a new one. Is there any
> possibility that
> we could just be who we are (maybe even who we think
> we are...ever
> heard of: act as if?) and then we could get past the
> part of how
> authentic one is and just help each other?????
>
>


You have stumbled on the difference between this list
and others, Rachel. I made the same discovery after
being here for a while. This list is a discussion
list, not a "support" list.

As the list guidelines say:

2. Expect your beliefs to be challenged. Welcome this
as an opportunity to critically examine your own
ideas.

3. When differences of opinion arise, stick to
discussing ideas, not the person with whom you are
disagreeing.

4. If you have a belief or practice that you don't
want held up to public examination, don't post it to
the list.


I've known you (cyberly, anyway) off and on for years,
and I know you really fit the bill of a radical
unschooler, in spite of your husband's efforts to
"school" your Andrew.

I know how you have tried for all of Ben's 7 years to
help him, and have poured your heart and soul into
helping him. I watched you struggle through all the
diet stuff. I am glad you have found a way to help
him.

I am glad you found a way to let Ben blossom where he
is safe and loved.

Keep reading here. These wonderful people have really
helped me to see my kids individually as they are, and
I can look at *my* Andrew and think, "You are Andrew.
You are unique and special and I thank God for you
just the way you are" instead of seeing labels rolling
across his forehead like on a LCD screen
...CAPD...LD...Special Ed.... He's just Andrew now,
and that is cool.

Soon Ben will just be Ben. Print out Anne O.'s
article and just let it be a balm to your heart, and
think of ways to celebrate his Ben-ness.

No one here is going to question your love and
devotion to your kids, but they will question your
choices if you post them here. It isn't personal, but
that's what the list is for, to examine, pull apart,
re-define, clarify, and hopefully to help us grow.



=====
--Susan in VA
WifetoVegman

What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for children's growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the schools, but that it isn't a school at all. John Holt

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rachel_foodie

SUSAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG! How cool it is to figure out it is you! How are you? I have
missed you. The vegman thing kept nawing at me, but I wasn't making
the connection.

Much love to you and yours. I know this isn't a support group. I
love that it is a discussion group. Yeah, people can get a little
harsh. The other group I mentioned is a support group and this woman
just blasted me and the posts I was sending weren't to her or about
her.

Rach

remember LYLAS?