Melissa

I tried to respond, and don't think i did a good job. Anyone else care to add on? I mean "I
tried to unschool for a WEEK and it didn't work?"
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-hyl4g088bqoucMCa.Bn_Rchv?p=576#comments
quote

I read your blog with great interest, and I always carry with me some of the things you say
throughout my day/week/life. As you know we do not unschool, although I try to give my
children as much control over their lives as I feel is appropriate. I have done unschooling
"experiments" before... and maybe I didn't do it for long enough to see it "work," but my
kids consistently made the choices that I expected they would... they watched tv and
played computer games nonstop... and did almost nothing else. They ate junk food
nonstop. I knew there would be a period of excitement and overindulgence, but after a
week I was feeling very uncomfortable with the whole thing, and was very glad to get back
to a more balanced approach. Honestly- I think my kids were glad to have some structure
and guidance again, too. Please don't take this as an argument or criticism- I just wanted
to share my own experience with you. You have such a wonderful family, and clearly what
you do is working for you- it just didn't work for us. Also, I do not feel that children are
inherently lazy, necessarily (some are- just as some adults are- everone is different) but I
know that in my home there are "chores" that simply must be done- and because there are
five people living here, it takes five (well, ok, 4- baby doesn't count yet, LOL) people to do
what is necessary. It would be nice if I could just let them choose what chores they wanted
to do and when... but 1-they aren't necessarily aware of what "needs" to be done, and 2-
certain things are not "fun," - in fact they are a real drag, like picking up dog poop- yet
need to be done regularly. I feel this builds strength of character, which, "no"- isn't
something children are necessarily born with, but something they build in themselves,
sometimes with the help of an adult an some good old hard work.
Anyway- I'm totally rambling. I'm really not "disagreeing" with you, although I know it
sounds like it... I just think each child is unique, each family is unique, and balance and
guidance are good things. Just because I provide my children with boundaries and chores
does not mean that I am an authoritarian dictator. I feel that sometimes people who think
they are openminded really aren't... even if they are doing something "new" and
"progressive," there is still a sense that they are "right" and others are "wrong."

Joanne

Hey Melissa,

I saw you quoted my blog post about Jacqueline. Thanks, I'm glad you
enjoyed it.

I think you did a terrific job replying to her and I also saw that
she was open to your reply and responded back. :-) I think the fact
that she was able to bring her concerns to you and your blog says a
lot about you. Keep it up!

~ Joanne ~
Mom to Jacqueline (8), Shawna (11) & Cimion (14)
http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/







--- In [email protected], "Melissa" <autismhelp@...>
wrote:
>
> I tried to respond, and don't think i did a good job. Anyone else
care to add on? I mean "I
> tried to unschool for a WEEK and it didn't work?"
> http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-hyl4g088bqoucMCa.Bn_Rchv?
p=576#comments
> quote
>
> I read your blog with great interest, and I always carry with me
some of the things you say
> throughout my day/week/life. As you know we do not unschool,
although I try to give my
> children as much control over their lives as I feel is
appropriate. I have done unschooling
> "experiments" before... and maybe I didn't do it for long enough
to see it "work," but my
> kids consistently made the choices that I expected they would...
they watched tv and
> played computer games nonstop... and did almost nothing else. They
ate junk food
> nonstop. I knew there would be a period of excitement and
overindulgence, but after a
> week I was feeling very uncomfortable with the whole thing, and
was very glad to get back
> to a more balanced approach. Honestly- I think my kids were glad
to have some structure
> and guidance again, too. Please don't take this as an argument or
criticism- I just wanted
> to share my own experience with you. You have such a wonderful
family, and clearly what
> you do is working for you- it just didn't work for us. Also, I do
not feel that children are
> inherently lazy, necessarily (some are- just as some adults are-
everone is different) but I
> know that in my home there are "chores" that simply must be done-
and because there are
> five people living here, it takes five (well, ok, 4- baby doesn't
count yet, LOL) people to do
> what is necessary. It would be nice if I could just let them
choose what chores they wanted
> to do and when... but 1-they aren't necessarily aware of
what "needs" to be done, and 2-
> certain things are not "fun," - in fact they are a real drag, like
picking up dog poop- yet
> need to be done regularly. I feel this builds strength of
character, which, "no"- isn't
> something children are necessarily born with, but something they
build in themselves,
> sometimes with the help of an adult an some good old hard work.
> Anyway- I'm totally rambling. I'm really not "disagreeing" with
you, although I know it
> sounds like it... I just think each child is unique, each family
is unique, and balance and
> guidance are good things. Just because I provide my children with
boundaries and chores
> does not mean that I am an authoritarian dictator. I feel that
sometimes people who think
> they are openminded really aren't... even if they are doing
something "new" and
> "progressive," there is still a sense that they are "right" and
others are "wrong."
>

Joanne

Just wanted you to know I replied to her response. :-)

~ Joanne ~
Mom to Jacqueline (8), Shawna (11) & Cimion (14)
http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/



--- In [email protected], "Joanne"
<billyandjoanne@...> wrote:
>
> Hey Melissa,
>
> I saw you quoted my blog post about Jacqueline. Thanks, I'm glad
you
> enjoyed it.
>
> I think you did a terrific job replying to her and I also saw that
> she was open to your reply and responded back. :-) I think the
fact
> that she was able to bring her concerns to you and your blog says
a
> lot about you. Keep it up!
>
> ~ Joanne ~
> Mom to Jacqueline (8), Shawna (11) & Cimion (14)
> http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In [email protected], "Melissa" <autismhelp@>
> wrote:
> >
> > I tried to respond, and don't think i did a good job. Anyone
else
> care to add on? I mean "I
> > tried to unschool for a WEEK and it didn't work?"
> > http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-hyl4g088bqoucMCa.Bn_Rchv?
> p=576#comments
> > quote
> >
> > I read your blog with great interest, and I always carry with me
> some of the things you say
> > throughout my day/week/life. As you know we do not unschool,
> although I try to give my
> > children as much control over their lives as I feel is
> appropriate. I have done unschooling
> > "experiments" before... and maybe I didn't do it for long enough
> to see it "work," but my
> > kids consistently made the choices that I expected they would...
> they watched tv and
> > played computer games nonstop... and did almost nothing else.
They
> ate junk food
> > nonstop. I knew there would be a period of excitement and
> overindulgence, but after a
> > week I was feeling very uncomfortable with the whole thing, and
> was very glad to get back
> > to a more balanced approach. Honestly- I think my kids were glad
> to have some structure
> > and guidance again, too. Please don't take this as an argument
or
> criticism- I just wanted
> > to share my own experience with you. You have such a wonderful
> family, and clearly what
> > you do is working for you- it just didn't work for us. Also, I
do
> not feel that children are
> > inherently lazy, necessarily (some are- just as some adults are-
> everone is different) but I
> > know that in my home there are "chores" that simply must be done-

> and because there are
> > five people living here, it takes five (well, ok, 4- baby
doesn't
> count yet, LOL) people to do
> > what is necessary. It would be nice if I could just let them
> choose what chores they wanted
> > to do and when... but 1-they aren't necessarily aware of
> what "needs" to be done, and 2-
> > certain things are not "fun," - in fact they are a real drag,
like
> picking up dog poop- yet
> > need to be done regularly. I feel this builds strength of
> character, which, "no"- isn't
> > something children are necessarily born with, but something they
> build in themselves,
> > sometimes with the help of an adult an some good old hard work.
> > Anyway- I'm totally rambling. I'm really not "disagreeing" with
> you, although I know it
> > sounds like it... I just think each child is unique, each family
> is unique, and balance and
> > guidance are good things. Just because I provide my children
with
> boundaries and chores
> > does not mean that I am an authoritarian dictator. I feel that
> sometimes people who think
> > they are openminded really aren't... even if they are doing
> something "new" and
> > "progressive," there is still a sense that they are "right" and
> others are "wrong."
> >
>