Dads and Unschooling

Bits and Links for Unschooling Dads

Cartalk's Thomas L. Magliozzi and" The New Theory of Learning"

http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/ATC/Education/r-rlast15.html
It's one of the "Car Talk" radio guys discussing what he calls a "new theory of learning" or "backwards learning." Sounds a lot like unschooling.

For Dads by Dads at National Home Education Network's site.
Not all unschooling, but much of it is.

Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy, on Living by Principles instead of by rules. Don't think Ben might be some wimpy dad who can't stand rules; he's a Lieutenant Colonel in the South Carolina Air National Guard, and went to the Citadel, and grew up as rulebound as anyone could. He has experience in the matter of living by rules.

Lyle Perry

Lyle is a dad who wrote a lot for a while and then went to live in Utah and have fun with his family. Some of his writings are here: Lyle

John Holt

John Holt's writing is the basis of unschooling, along with the findings of other school reformers from the 1960's. You can read his own words and not need it filtered through a bunch of moms. (He wasn't a dad, but he was a guy.)

Bob Collier

Parental Intelligence site. Quote from his intro:

Hi, this is Bob Collier inviting you to 'explore the psychology of happy and successful parenting', connect with bright minds, discover new ideas and sail outside the mainstream for a while without running aground.
All that and more.
In this month's issue of the Parental Intelligence Newsletter there are links to 37 articles and 17 notices and items of news. As always, I trust you will find in my latest collection of parenting, education and personal development ideas and information from around the internet something that will make a positive difference to your life - and, through you, to the lives of your children.

Leaning on a Truck

"Women talk face to face, they say, but men lean side by side on a truck. Another version of leaning on a truck is fishing: facing the same way, doing the same thing. Traditionally these days parents and children move in different spheres and do different things, but unschooling families mix ages and activities...." Doing Two Things at Once or, Leaning on a Truck and other parallel play

Discussion Lists for Dads

These groups aren't very active, but they probably wouldn't mind having new members stir it up!

Unschooling Dads
This group is for dads who are unschooling and for dads who have doubts, questions, fears about it.

Secret Society of Unschooling Dads
"This group is for Unschooling Dads, Granddads, and Dads-to-be who have attended one of the past three Live and Learn Conferences OR who have spouses who attended one of these conferences. Other unschooling fathers (et al.) can also join the group through invitation. Our intention is to keep a running dialog and passion for unschooling our children between conferences."

Scott Noelle

Enjoy parenting

Scott is a counselor, but has lots of freely-available things on his site. (And if you think you want a counselor, there y'go! Bypass all female knowledge of your quest for assistance.) From Scott's intro:

The greatest gift you can give your children is to enjoy parenting them!
That's the conclusion I've come to after years of studying the best available information on alternative, holistic, and natural parenting — applying it with my own family, and coaching like-minded parents.
Are you saying it doesn't matter how I parent, so long as I enjoy it???
I'm saying that enjoying IS how you parent when your parenting is most successful.
Practices that are in harmony with our deeper nature do make a huge difference. I'm a big fan of The Continuum Concept, attachment parenting, and similar approaches. But think about the last time you had an exceptionally "good parenting day"... Weren't you enjoying yourself?

Gifts for Guys to Buy

Gifts for Guys to Buy is a short bit on playthings and gifts from hardware, sporting goods and auto parts stores. Some men don't do Toys 'R Us but some kids prefer REAL stuff anyway!