logistics and livelihoods
nina
Hi all,
I am mother of an 8 months old, feeling our lives slide quite naturally
into unschooling in terms of my and my partner's desires and
convictions, but I'm unsure about the logistics of survival in the world
as is. At the moment we are small scale self-employed, mainly working
from home, with very little income and dependent on state support.
Unschooling seems possible right now because our work commitments are so
minor, but given the political situation here in the UK and elsewhere,
state support is not something we can nor necessarily want to count on
forever.
I am not implying that unschooling is only possible with lots of money
or other safety nets, but I'd love to hear from long term unschoolers
how you have generally made ends meet. Surely not all unschooling
families have had wads of cash in the bank?! Have some of you changed
the way you make a living to enable unschooling? What has worked for you
and what has been difficult?
Any comments and experience greatly appreciated.
x nina
I am mother of an 8 months old, feeling our lives slide quite naturally
into unschooling in terms of my and my partner's desires and
convictions, but I'm unsure about the logistics of survival in the world
as is. At the moment we are small scale self-employed, mainly working
from home, with very little income and dependent on state support.
Unschooling seems possible right now because our work commitments are so
minor, but given the political situation here in the UK and elsewhere,
state support is not something we can nor necessarily want to count on
forever.
I am not implying that unschooling is only possible with lots of money
or other safety nets, but I'd love to hear from long term unschoolers
how you have generally made ends meet. Surely not all unschooling
families have had wads of cash in the bank?! Have some of you changed
the way you make a living to enable unschooling? What has worked for you
and what has been difficult?
Any comments and experience greatly appreciated.
x nina
plaidpanties666
nina <nina@...> wrote:
The biggest keys to unschooling with a lower income are flexibility and creativity. You've already found one way to work from home and there may be others for you or your partner. It's also helpful to look for jobs with something other than "bankers hours". That could be anything from a job where you work 24hr shifts to something that lets you work nights or work one week a month or six weeks of intensive work to support you for the next six months. It's all a matter of what's going to "work" for your family... and what's available of course.
It also helps to keep in mind that often there's not One solution but a set of options from which to create solutions in the moment - that's true in almost all aspects of unschooling actually. As your kids get older, their needs will change and your options will change, so what "works" now won't necessarily work in three years - but in three years your kids will be three years older and new options will have developed.
---Meredith
> At the moment we are small scale self-employed, mainly workingI'm guessing that by "we" you mean you have a husband or partner? It's not necessary for Both parents to be home to unschool successfully - and most families can't afford that. It's pretty common for one parent to work full time and not uncommon for the other to work at least part-time as well. There are even single parents who manage to unschool successfully!
> from home, with very little income and dependent on state support.
> Unschooling seems possible right now because our work commitments are so
> minor
The biggest keys to unschooling with a lower income are flexibility and creativity. You've already found one way to work from home and there may be others for you or your partner. It's also helpful to look for jobs with something other than "bankers hours". That could be anything from a job where you work 24hr shifts to something that lets you work nights or work one week a month or six weeks of intensive work to support you for the next six months. It's all a matter of what's going to "work" for your family... and what's available of course.
It also helps to keep in mind that often there's not One solution but a set of options from which to create solutions in the moment - that's true in almost all aspects of unschooling actually. As your kids get older, their needs will change and your options will change, so what "works" now won't necessarily work in three years - but in three years your kids will be three years older and new options will have developed.
---Meredith
Birchwood Academy
My husband and I both are self-employed, and both work part time, and both unschool. When my daughter was nine months I began working again, two mornings a week. We would refer to the hand-off as "the baby toss" as I came home from working and my husband rushed out the door. As she got older and weaned and able to be away from one of us for longer, we switched to alternate days working, my husband Mon-Wed-Fri, myself Tues-Thurs. For my daughter, her world has been mommy day-daddy day-mommy day-daddy day-mommy day for as long as she can remember. She will be 13 next month. About a two years ago we switched and now I work about 3 days and my husband 2 days. As our daughter has gotten older, she does not need as much hands-on attention, so my husband usually fits in some work at home when it is daddy-day. Also, we both tend to do email and other work-related tasks when we are waiting for her during classes, rehearsals, performances and such. Since my husband and I have different interests, we have usually done different activities with her on our days. I tend to book more scheduled activities, my husband likes more free form days so each of us (along with our daughter's strong input!) decides how we spend our days together.
We both know we could be making more money if we worked more, but we also know that these years are precious and we are committed to a family-centric, time-rich life. When we are clear about what is most important to us, we get creative and life aligns and it is easier to say no to that which does not support us. Somehow, it has always worked out, sometimes with more money flowing through, sometimes with less. Regularly my husband and I will say to each other "we are wealthy beyond measure."
Blessings,
~ Colleen
We both know we could be making more money if we worked more, but we also know that these years are precious and we are committed to a family-centric, time-rich life. When we are clear about what is most important to us, we get creative and life aligns and it is easier to say no to that which does not support us. Somehow, it has always worked out, sometimes with more money flowing through, sometimes with less. Regularly my husband and I will say to each other "we are wealthy beyond measure."
Blessings,
~ Colleen
jo70mo
Hi Nina - again! (small world!!)
I think most of the home educators in our area have one partner who works full time and 1 who is mainly at home. Not all are unschoolers but most are not "school at home" either.
My DH works full time s a teacher and I have been the at home parent. Last year I also started working a 10 hour a week job that is based at home and very flexible (supporting a local charity).I do most of my work when Ben is at home although we do have a close friend who helps out if I need to go to a meeting during school hours. The kids adore her and choose to spend time there regularly even if I don't have a meeting ~(though usually I go too!)
It works well for us although our aim is for Ben to work part time eventually and for me to work slightly more than I do now. There are families around that work from home and run their own businesses and probably other creative combinations too.
We don't have money in the bank in terms of savings.
Hope that helps.
Jo
I think most of the home educators in our area have one partner who works full time and 1 who is mainly at home. Not all are unschoolers but most are not "school at home" either.
My DH works full time s a teacher and I have been the at home parent. Last year I also started working a 10 hour a week job that is based at home and very flexible (supporting a local charity).I do most of my work when Ben is at home although we do have a close friend who helps out if I need to go to a meeting during school hours. The kids adore her and choose to spend time there regularly even if I don't have a meeting ~(though usually I go too!)
It works well for us although our aim is for Ben to work part time eventually and for me to work slightly more than I do now. There are families around that work from home and run their own businesses and probably other creative combinations too.
We don't have money in the bank in terms of savings.
Hope that helps.
Jo
jodie aldridge
Hello. As one of those single unschooling mamas with my son (age 5) our family budget is tight.
My son loves doing housework and cats amongst many other things.
So we thought toghther and looked for a little job. We now clean our neighbours house once a week for a couple of hours and look after their cats whenever they are away.
The cleaning work we share, the money we share and together decide on what to spend it on- wether its a take out, a trip out , a camping weekend or to save for a few weeks for something more expensive.etc etc
We are also thinking of posting some cards in our local area offering our cat feeding services.
We both enjoy it and although its not a lot of money- its a weight lifted to know we can afford some of those things that we don't often crave but sometimes do! ;-)
Just a thought
Best wishes
Jodie x
My son loves doing housework and cats amongst many other things.
So we thought toghther and looked for a little job. We now clean our neighbours house once a week for a couple of hours and look after their cats whenever they are away.
The cleaning work we share, the money we share and together decide on what to spend it on- wether its a take out, a trip out , a camping weekend or to save for a few weeks for something more expensive.etc etc
We are also thinking of posting some cards in our local area offering our cat feeding services.
We both enjoy it and although its not a lot of money- its a weight lifted to know we can afford some of those things that we don't often crave but sometimes do! ;-)
Just a thought
Best wishes
Jodie x
On Sun, 18 Sep 2011 03:49 PDT jo70mo wrote:
>Hi Nina - again! (small world!!)
>I think most of the home educators in our area have one partner who works full time and 1 who is mainly at home. Not all are unschoolers but most are not "school at home" either.
>My DH works full time s a teacher and I have been the at home parent. Last year I also started working a 10 hour a week job that is based at home and very flexible (supporting a local charity).I do most of my work when Ben is at home although we do have a close friend who helps out if I need to go to a meeting during school hours. The kids adore her and choose to spend time there regularly even if I don't have a meeting ~(though usually I go too!)
>It works well for us although our aim is for Ben to work part time eventually and for me to work slightly more than I do now. There are families around that work from home and run their own businesses and probably other creative combinations too.
>We don't have money in the bank in terms of savings.
>Hope that helps.
>Jo
nina
Thank you all who replied to me on and off list about this... gives me
hope that with determination and creativity it can be possible... Thanks
in particular Michelle for pointing out that the decision that daycare
was not an option full stop made all the difference - I think that will
hold for us too.. sometimes things just work themselves out when you
make the 'right' decisions, life just flows freely then... I'm hoping it
will..
hope that with determination and creativity it can be possible... Thanks
in particular Michelle for pointing out that the decision that daycare
was not an option full stop made all the difference - I think that will
hold for us too.. sometimes things just work themselves out when you
make the 'right' decisions, life just flows freely then... I'm hoping it
will..
On 18/09/11 11:49, jo70mo wrote:
> Hi Nina - again! (small world!!)
> I think most of the home educators in our area have one partner who works full time and 1 who is mainly at home. Not all are unschoolers but most are not "school at home" either.
> My DH works full time s a teacher and I have been the at home parent. Last year I also started working a 10 hour a week job that is based at home and very flexible (supporting a local charity).I do most of my work when Ben is at home although we do have a close friend who helps out if I need to go to a meeting during school hours. The kids adore her and choose to spend time there regularly even if I don't have a meeting ~(though usually I go too!)
> It works well for us although our aim is for Ben to work part time eventually and for me to work slightly more than I do now. There are families around that work from home and run their own businesses and probably other creative combinations too.
> We don't have money in the bank in terms of savings.
> Hope that helps.
> Jo
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