The Victors

Tyra,



I still sometimes struggle with the same issues you are facing, and I felt
Kelly whip my hands with the ruler as well! :-) I am a true type A person,
always with a list, structure, schedule, etc. I had to truly sit down and
think�.do I want to teach my children, or do I want to watch them learn? I
decided I love being their mom, and I did not want to be their teacher. I
wanted to be the mom that took them to the museum and pointed out the facts
and articles. I wanted to be the one to record Emergency Vets for my 10
year old who has her heart set on being a Vet. I also record Planet Earth
so when she is interested, she can learn about the earth, and several other
�educational� shows. She lets me know when she wants to watch one. (We
have a DVR and she will scroll through and see what all is recorded) She
talked with our Vet and the Vet said to make sure she took all the math
classes she could, so she picked out some math CD�s (half price) at Staples
and she will occasionally ask to work on it.

For my 6 year old; she watches Noggin all day with her 2 year old sister.
And has a Lepster L-max that she will not put down. We finally had to get
re-chargeable batteries for it she uses it so much. My mom gave me a lot
of grief about leaving the TV on all day, until she realized my 18 month
year old could count to 10 without missing a number! They love Noggin and
can even speak some Spanish they have learned from Dora and Diego. I have
flash cards with colors and a shape on them that I leave in my 2 year old�s
reach. About twice a week, she will bring them to me and tell me she wants
to do rectangles. I never make her do anything.

My 6 year old can only read a few words, and writes her numbers and letters
backwards. So what? So did my 10 year old, who did not learn how to read
until the end of 1st grade. When I pulled her from public school, she was
in the �gifted� class due to her test results, and made straight A�s and the
occasional B. All her friends were dreading going to school, their moms
where having to buy the �in� clothes (can we say $$$$?) and what are my kids
doing the first day of school? They are going to Jumpzone (a local indoor
play ground filled with inflatable slides) after my oldest daughter does her
volunteer work at our church to socialize with several other homeschooled
kids.



I wish you the best of luck; I read every book I could get my hands on, and
every article on the web I had time for.



What a wonderful feeling it is!

Melissa V











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Wed Aug 8, 2007 3:23 pm (PST)

You know, sometimes we know and believe but we forget. I think that is what
has happened to me. As I have pondered responses that I have received from
my different groups, I think to myself that I need to get a bit more
simplicity in my life. I decided to homeschool him the first year that we
started this learning at home thing. It was after the utter failure of my
schoolish approach. But my life was way more simple and so I could see that
he was learning.

I still stand true that I do reside in insecurity. What I gained for your
words, Kelly, is to not scapegoat an take responsibility for what is really
going on. The truth is that I fear that I will fail at unschooling. I am
also clear that I fear having fingers point at me saying that I failed in
some way. All of this coupled with my busy-ness makes me want to do more
structured things so that I can have a peace of mind that we are at least
doing something.

So now I am off to ponder and determine how to integrate more simplicity so
that I CAN see that my children are learning.

Peace and thanks again
Tyra




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Tyra Olufemi

Melissa,

Thanks so much for your encouraging words. It is hearing about other
unschoolers that helps me to continue to move more deeply into and
maintain my trust in unschooling. What you are getting out of
unschooling accurately reflects what I have gotten from and seek to
get from it.

I truly appreciate you taking the time to write to me because it has
made a difference for me.

much peace and love
Tyra