Work and Radical unschooling
Heather Bruga
Hi everyone,
My husband and I are feeling challenged right now, we just
moved and our Company is going to a new level which is good. However it needs
much more of my time at the moment. I
would love to here about how others work and unschool. We(husband and myself)
feel completely overwhelmed and guilty that I’m not able to do more with my
daughter. The other thing is we don’t know anyone and with the time I’m putting
into the business we aren’t meeting people like I would like.(Sky seems to be
fine with it). Sky spends most of her days on Minecraft, watching TV, and
sometimes drawing and watching Youtube.
I really want to stay on the path of unschooling does anyone have any
good ideas on managing work and unschooling? Btw we have no family here and at
the moment on a strict budget to get to the next level with our business. We
joined a local unschool group, so far we haven’t been able to attend any of the
activities for one reason or another. I was considering putting her in some Y
camps this summer to help out with the time I need to get work done and give
her some other things to do. She seems really interested in the lego build camp
and others. I was hoping we could meet some people in our new town that way as well. I think I
might be getting caught up in what my idea of a radical unschooling family
looks like or what I want it to look like. We are still very new at this and
would love any thoughts.
Sandra Dodd
-=-I really want to stay on the path of unschooling does anyone have any good ideas on managing work and unschooling?-=-
You didn't say how old she is.
If you're really busy and you need babysitting, school might not be the worst thing, for a while. When she's older and can do more things without you, unschooling would still be an option.
Being in school because the parents think it's necessary isn't the same as being in school with parents who know learning happens in Minecraft and Youtube, drawing and playing.
Summer camps might be a way to find friends and have fun. It also might be a way for you and her to gauge whether school might be a fun option for a while.
http://sandradodd.com/schoolchoice (old page, but valid ideas still)
Sandra
You didn't say how old she is.
If you're really busy and you need babysitting, school might not be the worst thing, for a while. When she's older and can do more things without you, unschooling would still be an option.
Being in school because the parents think it's necessary isn't the same as being in school with parents who know learning happens in Minecraft and Youtube, drawing and playing.
Summer camps might be a way to find friends and have fun. It also might be a way for you and her to gauge whether school might be a fun option for a while.
http://sandradodd.com/schoolchoice (old page, but valid ideas still)
Sandra
freedomlearning@...
Thank you Sandra. It helped to read your attachment and post. The situation is temporary and I want to get through this with Sky who is only six still feeling valued and connected to us. I'm feeling scattered and overwhelmed with the challenge, however I think we can get through this without sending her to school hopefully. Unless that's what she wants. I have 1 child in high school by his choice and 1 that left high school by her choice. I need to keep reading and pull out your book again.:) love that book! You were at a library near us and we had to miss both dates. I was pretty bummed about that, would be lovely to meet you in person.
Heather
Heather
Sandra Dodd
That was some other Sandra Dodd, at libraries in California. :-)
-=-I want to get through this with Sky who is only six still feeling valued and connected to us. -=-
This might seem a departure, but it's evidence of a choice, which must be evidence of thought. Your e-mail address is "freedomlearning."
It's possible that you've come to believe and communicate that school is not freedom, or that the only way to value a child is to homeschool. You might be in a trap of your own making.
A philosophical stance can harm a family, and a child.
Sandra
-=-I want to get through this with Sky who is only six still feeling valued and connected to us. -=-
This might seem a departure, but it's evidence of a choice, which must be evidence of thought. Your e-mail address is "freedomlearning."
It's possible that you've come to believe and communicate that school is not freedom, or that the only way to value a child is to homeschool. You might be in a trap of your own making.
A philosophical stance can harm a family, and a child.
Sandra
K Pennell
Are your work hours flexible? Could you work different hours to take Sky to some of the activities the unschooling group is doing? If you do have the freedom to play around with your schedules at all, that could be helpful.
I don't run my own business, but I do work. So does my husband. When my son was little, my husband worked second shift or overnight. I worked early. My son and I stayed up really late while Dad was working, so the two of them would sleep in late in the morning. This also meant half my work day was done before they got out of bed. By the time I got home, they had woken up and relaxed (coffee for hubby), and were ready to go out or do fun family things.
From: "Heather Bruga freedomlearning@... [AlwaysLearning]" <[email protected]>
To: Always Learning <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, May 29, 2015 7:22 PM
Subject: [AlwaysLearning] Work and Radical unschooling
Hi everyone,
My husband and I are feeling challenged right now, we just
moved and our Company is going to a new level which is good. However it needs
much more of my time at the moment. I
would love to here about how others work and unschool. We(husband and myself)
feel completely overwhelmed and guilty that I’m not able to do more with my
daughter. The other thing is we don’t know anyone and with the time I’m putting
into the business we aren’t meeting people like I would like.(Sky seems to be
fine with it). Sky spends most of her days on Minecraft, watching TV, and
sometimes drawing and watching Youtube.
I really want to stay on the path of unschooling does anyone have any
good ideas on managing work and unschooling? Btw we have no family here and at
the moment on a strict budget to get to the next level with our business. We
joined a local unschool group, so far we haven’t been able to attend any of the
activities for one reason or another. I was considering putting her in some Y
camps this summer to help out with the time I need to get work done and give
her some other things to do. She seems really interested in the lego build camp
and others. I was hoping we could meet some people in our new town that way as well. I think I
might be getting caught up in what my idea of a radical unschooling family
looks like or what I want it to look like. We are still very new at this and
would love any thoughts.
Heather
Yes I do believe this to be true. I have thought about that. Yesterday I had a little chuckle at my "freedomlearning" email actually. I was thinking of the journey and when I picked it. I was just starting out and had no idea that there was even such a thing as unschooling or radical unschool at that. I still have much to learn on this journey. That is why you're post yesterday was so helpful.
I operated the same as your sister when my older ones were in school however there was a huge missing piece. I did not give them the choice to be homeschooled. For many reasons at the time I didn't think I could do that or even where to start hence the email name many years later . School did feel like prison to me and the kids. I still don't want to have Sky in school if we don't have too but it stings a little less now. Knowing more now.
Heather Bruga
Mama to Sky (6)
Brodie (15)
Jordan (18)