Mirika Sumers

I know someone who spends the day in charge of four kids ages, 6, 5, 4,
and 3. This person seems to spend the majority of the day in a
different room than the kids with the door closed. The other day when I
was there one of the kids was in the corner. When he was let out of
the corner he was told "when someone tells you to do something you
don't tell them you don't have to listen to them you do what you're
told." Turns out the 4 year old told the 5 year old not to run in the
house. This is a house rule. I'd love to hear what you all think about
all the above if you have time. Thanks!

Ginger and Jeff Sabo

Yikes! On so many levels, yikes.
--
In peace and love,
Ginger
Annie(18), Kai(9) and Kade(6)

http://twofreeboysplus3.blogspot.com/

LOVE has impact.

"It's not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize,
accept and celebrate those differences." - Audre Lorde

http://www.savetherain.org/

favorite song...http://www.manitobamusic.com/play.php?vc=9
or is it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akevZTqMe-U


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Meredith

--- In [email protected], "Mirika Sumers"
<mirika@...> wrote:
>
> I know someone who spends the day in charge of four kids ages, 6,
5, 4,
> and 3. This person seems to spend the majority of the day in a
> different room than the kids with the door closed.

Its not exactly an unschooling situation, so I'm not really sure
what kind of feedback you're looking for. I don't leave my 14yo and
6yo together without some kind of support except on rare occasions
when I want to run to the store *and* the kids are amenable.

>Turns out the 4 year old told the 5 year old not to run in the
> house. This is a house rule.

We don't have "house rules" per se, so there's not much to say. Its
the sort of situation that sets up power dynamics - kids vs kids and
kids vs adults. Radical unschooling is about moving away from those
kinds of dynamics.

---Meredith (Mo 6, Ray 14)

ruthhmhaas

This mother is in trouble. When we are unable to have compassion and
understanding for others, it is very likely that we didn't receive
compassion and understanding when we were young. And, then, we are
unable to trust and develop anger and external ways of distancing.

It takes a lot to undo what I'm sure has been traumatic for this
mother, and she needs help. It may be difficult for her to see this
because often our defenses and walls are so strong to in order to
strongly protect deep pain hidden from ourselves that it might be a
struggle for her to see it.

Just give her space and that will allow her the room to at least in
small ways just be herself. That is the start and often the opening to
a new way through.

Yours, Ruth