Darlene Navarre

Dear Sandra and all the always learning kids-at-heart,

I just needed to share with someone how totally excited I am to have
found another pot of Gold in my life.

I am getting ahead of myself and I have not properly introduced me. My
name is Darlene Navarre, 33 (until Oct 21) I am totally (most of the
time) happily married to Blake, 45 and we have 5 children (first 3 from
previous marriage): Danyell, 17 Marc, 14 Breeana 10, Mitchel 5 and
Carter 3. For the time we live in Las Vegas, NV.

I started home school (the yucky blucky way) or what I like to call the
not-learning way 9 years ago. I was a control freak and my children
were rebelling.

I knew instinctively that this way of teaching did NOT feel right or
logical and I am a very logical simplistic thinker. Yet what to do? Then
3 years ago I got the "Unschooling Handbook" read 2 chapters and I was
hooked. My husband was not. We fought and fought for now 3 years over
"schooling". My son that is 14 opted to go to high school and my 10 year
daughter wanted to go to elementary. I believe it was do to the fact
that they were confused and felt in the middle of a battle. (I don't
blame them).

In March Mitchel, turned 5 and my husband convinced me to put him in a
charter home program through the district. I hated it right away and
Mitchel felt forced to do something he already knew. Mitchel is very very
bright person, he loves to draw and play with numbers in his head ,
tell made-up stories, make books with drawings and story line etc.... I
knew I had to be aggressive or else he could lose his creativity, just as
my 3 older ones seem to have. I read the whole unschooling handbook,
pleaded with my husband and unenrolled M from charter program.The more I read about unschooling, the more I learn, the more I talk about life
learning, the more my husband does well with it. (finally)

He should already know what a free thinker I am and if only I (who
missed so much school and eventually dropped out pregnant at 16) would have
been given this freedom to learn I could have accomplished so much
more. (no regrets just lessons)

You know its amazing that people make a BIG issue out of just everyday
stuff. I had my last baby at home just husband, kids and I, why go to a
hospital? I still (and will remain until their ready to stop) breast
feed my 5 and 3 year old and would not dream of it any other, why does
anyone want to get up and make a bottle or all the other complicated
stuff involved with bottle? Sleeping arrangements are sleep with mom and
dad until your ready (I would be happy if they slept with me until they
left the house), why spend the time or money on extra rooms and cribs?
I feed 2 little ones (by their up bring and choice) only raw fruits and
veggies, why heat up a house or use the electricity when you don't need
to?

My new discovery or pot of logical gold: Do we force a child to walk
and talk or run? Is that not learning? Why I did not see the common and
logical sense of children learning on their own long ago? I could just
kick myself but all I can do now is give them ALL the knowledge I have
acquired and ask the older 3 to forgive me and hope that they learn from
mom's mistakes.

I Love myself more for learning the lessons once again. The ones that I
knew so long ago when I begged my mom to let me stay at home and just
let me choose how, why and the wheres of learning.

Thank you all of your time and care,
Peace and Love,
Darlene



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> Do we force a child to walk
> and talk or run?
>

We couldn't even if we tried.
We can't even TEACH them to walk and talk and run.

They learn it themselves.

Ta Daaaaa!!!

-=-I Love myself more for learning the lessons once again.-=-

What a schoolish phrase you've chosen. <g>
Not lessons.

VERY exciting post, though and thank you for sharing it!

Sandra


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