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>>If, due to financial or medical necessity, you became less available to
your unschooled children, what would you do?<<
I posted this message about unschooling through crisis after crisis, almost a
week ago. This is the first chance I've had more than five minutes to sit
back at the computer to read and respond. I've been working long hours and
going for medical tests and counseling, looking for an affordable place to rent
that also allows pets, and trying to sell our belongings to come up with enough
money to do so. The life of a single mom. Against my advice, my son went to
stay with his disabled dad for a few weeks. I worry about his safety there.
My daughter has been home alone, packing boxes, marking the want ads and
searching online for rentals. With the time approaching, we have still found
nothing. Perhaps REALLY Carschooling?

When analyzing our situation, I do not leave my kids out of the process to
finding our next step. Neither of them really wants to attend a school. At
least not any of the schools we have visited. In our search for a new place to
live, we are taking schools, especially Sudbury types, into consideration. They
have come up with very divergent, and not very immediate, solutions. My son
wants to get the best computer imaginable so that he can practice the most
complicated games, enter tournaments, and learn how to design and maintain games
and websites. Then he will support us with his brilliance:-) That is pretty
much his answer to everything. We just have to get a really good computer.
My daughter wants to move to a cabin in the forest where she can live as a
recluse, and rescue animals. Of course, it must have cable or satellite TV, so she
can watch her favorite anime shows, of which she does beautiful drawings. She
wants to be a veterinarian and film maker, if anything. I just want to age
gracefully/heathfully while helping their dreams come true.

I realize that my problems are all ordinary occurrences for many people, and
that my kids are naturally learning some of life's harsh realities. We are
living out the consequences of the plans and choices we made or didn't make, and
of the responses we took to these various situations (earthquake, fire,
burglary, two auto accidents, terminal illnesses, death, bankruptcy, divorce). I
assumed that each crisis would be over soon. Instead, one crisis has followed
another, the years have flown by, and now, due to diminishing health, time,
energy and finances, we have become increasingly isolated. At last, I am
willing to admit that I am less available to my children than I ever intended to be.
I would like to guide my children safely, but my confidence is shaken. I
believe that love, listening, and sharing will cushion our journey. None of these
challenges really have anything to do with unschooling I guess, but as an
unschooling parent, I just feel as though I might be missing some key element, or
source of support, that other veterans of the attachment parenting,
unschooling lifestyle are aware of.
Thanks for listening,
Bird