You can attend a thousand Zen classes at a University and still not understand it because it is something that is internal. You can have a bunch of nice meditation products and still be angry. You can make a big deal out of living simply and still miss all the beauty around you. It's not about the accoutrements but the "seeing with new eyes." Sorta like unschooling. You can read all the books, you can talk to unschoolers, attend a conference and join some lists. But until you GET IT at the internal level, until there is trust and a willingness to extend that trust to your children, unschooling is just a nice idea or philosophy to discuss...nothing more. For those that decide to learn to trust themselves and their children, they soon find their lives a bubbly, interesting swirl of natural learning. Ren People Magazine article May 22, 2006

     Ren Allen

On Being a Peaceful Parent

Mindful Parenting, by Ren Allen and Sandra Dodd

Ren on Mom's Interests Enriching Kids' Lives      

Parenting Peacefully (response, down in there somewhere)

Shared Experiences are Important
This has to do with TV, partly, and with relationships with our children, mostly.

Ren's shocking contributions to a TV debate in 2001

Unschooling with the Muse Live Free Learn Free article, March/April 2006

Scooping up Life
January-February 2004 Home Education Magazine article

Unschooling and the Art of Running
March-April 2003 Home Education Magazine article

Ren's Site and Blog

Ren's own website: Learning in Freedom
            and her blog

Discussion List

UnschoolingBasics
A list designed for those new to the philosophy of unschooling. Ask questions, and find out how unschooling works in real families. Listowners: Ren Allen and Kelly Lovejoy

Photos

Flickr site and blog page with photos of Ren and her family.

Sounds—Ren on CD

"Unschooling a Tribe" - Ren Allen $10
How do age differences among children play into unschooling? How do parents effectively meet the needs of several ages in one family? We'll explore the unique challenge that face larger families and different ways unschooling parents have met these challenges.

"Mindful Parenting" - Ren Allen with Sandra Dodd $10
How does parenting style and choice affect unschooling? Why does mindful parenting play such an important role in the way unschooling develops?

As a child I was taught that fashion and all it entails was "wordly" and that Barbie stuff promoted low self esteem. Baloney! What promoted low self esteem was being told my interests weren't worthy. Ren Allen, on parents discouraging children's interests