School can break family bonds

Unschooling Information
Beginning Unschooling
Inspiring Quotations (here)
Posted - Apr 21 2005 : 00:05:54

"One of the first effects of school is to break the bond between parents and children, when the children are five or younger. It breaks bonds between siblings, and replaces them with prejudices about age and grade, with rules against playing with kids of other ages, and with social pressure to be hateful and secretive."

......... Sandra Dodd

gipetto

Posted - May 10 2005 : 09:15:17

Not that Sandra needs validation but it is SO TRUE I inserted my childrens names and I see one having it put onto them and my other child is putting it onto others. It is repulsive.

NJ-Jamie

Posted - May 10 2005 : 10:56:28
YES! YES! YES!!!! My family (my parents, my brother, and I) is finally struggling with trying to put ourselves back together, and I'm about to turn 30. For a long time now I have seen the cause of the huge rift between my brother and me and my father and me as an effect of our school experience.

domesticactivist

Posted - May 11 2005 : 09:59:09
I remember the looks, posture and attitude I'd get from teachers and other kids in first and second grade when I'd say "My mom taught me this," or "My dad says I can do it this way" (about math or whatever). NOT supportive, not warm.

And I learned from others' reactions (and my own exhaustion) that I did NOT have to play with my sister anymore now that I was "a first grader" and she was not anybody (being not in school). When my mom tried to shame and persuade and convince me to play with her, I was supicious of my mom, because I had learned at school that she didn't know so much.

It doesn't affect everyone the same way, and some might (theoretically at least) get a teacher and a bunch of schoolmates who LOVE the idea of family and are supportive of everyone's relationships with parents and siblings.

Sandra Dodd

School (a little, not much)

Building an Unschooling Nest

Being Partners