Jac & Liz Grimes

>I guess this brings me to the point of asking if there are other
>unschoolers out there that had kids in ps? I'm the only one in my support
>group out here and there is not a lot they seem to be able to tell me in
>overcoming these challenges. I want to get rid of the I want to get 'done'
>syndrome as well as that rotten schedule - uck! She is a great kid but
>does want to be told what to learn and how to learn it. She has only been
>out of ps 1 year so perhaps I'm expecting a bit too much just yet. Hmmmmm,
>so much to unravel. :o)


Yes, my 14.5 daughter was in public school until 5th grade and for 9 weeks
of 8th grade. She is also one that wants me to tell her what to do so that
she can fuss about having to get anything done. She is now in 9th grade and
and ever wants to do anything other than watch tv or chat on the computer or
listen to music. She does volunteer for about 4 hours per week, because I
insist that she get out of the house and do something constructive. When I
have asked her what she wants to do with her time and energy, I get "hang
with my friends and talk on the phone & chat on the computer." She says
that she wants to take advantage of the dual enrollment program at the local
community college when she is 16 but will not do any of the preliminary work
of seeing what the requirements are. She wants to work parttime for money
but will not put in applications, and on the one that I carried her to put
in she won't call back to follow up.

WE are in our third year of homeschooling (the first year was more
structured-not quite school at home). Last year we were much more relaxed
and this year even more so. She has basically deschooled since December 98
when she left public school the last time. She doesn't want to get involved
with any of the homeschool groups in the area. Her friends are those from
church and people that she meets thru them. Even though I give her
assignments,because she says that she wants me to so that she knows what she
needs to get done, she can't wait for 3:00 when "school is out". It will
take her more than a week to complete the 2 1/2 days of work I give to her.
Sometimes I feel as if she has dropped out of school legally under the guise
of homeschooling.

My other older teens were never quite this way. They seemed to go after
things and were more involved with life. They had outside interests (not
always good wholesome ones but outside interest none the less!!) They were
public schooled.

I am lucky that the 4 yo hasn't taken after her. He is very interested in
doing all sorts of neat things. He is constantly busy and self motivated.
If I get too involved in his "work", he quits and looses interest. He told
his best little friend the other day "I'm lucky. I have more teachers than
you. I have my music teacher (he takes a Kindermusic class), my Sunday
School teacher and my mom teacher. You only have your pre-school teacher."

I don't have any answers. But, you aren't alone. Good luck

Peace,
Liz

Becky

Hi Liz I had to write to you on the subject of your 14 yr old. I also have a 14
yr old that went to ps through the 6th grade or almost all of it. I brought her
home and unschooled her for awhile the decided to homeschool I just about turned
my home into a mini school but then the next yr we loosened up and did unit
studies but this yr she wanted to try a more structured curric. ok fine 9th
grade age we will try. well it is not working to well I have tried to deschool
my children but it is like they were really brain washed or something. Now they
don't want anything to do with learning anything even if they don't now they are
they fight it. I have not really asked them to do anything special for me but
all 3 of my children hate to read and never do it on their own. even the
directions for their palystation games. they won't pick up a pencil or anything.
If I even ask them to write a letter to Grandma they just throw a fit. I am
wondering if they will ever be deschooled? I am going to the library in Friday
and they are fussing that they don't want to go. My children spend their time
playing palystation or n64 or listening to music or watching TV. I just wish
they would do more reading. My dh and I both read quite a bit and all of them
were read to when they were little but now it is no way.-- I feel like I am
rambling I really just wanted to say I know how you are feeling Liz with a 14 yr
old that has been in Public school.
Becky L
May God Bless you All!!!
Please check out my web page
http://www.ilovejesus.com/school/longones
ICQ# 26503752
aol im - longones5
yahoo - longones5

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/8/99 9:53:33 PM EST, JGrimes@... writes:

<< I am lucky that the 4 yo hasn't taken after her. He is very interested in
doing all sorts of neat things. He is constantly busy and self motivat >>
Liz,
You know, just now, reading your post, it struck me ( and, ok, I know I am
not the sharpest knife in the drawer!) that, if each child has a learning
style of their own, then each child might do best with different styles of
hsing. My oldest needs the structure of things, my youngest doesn't. My
oldest is not creative in the least, he is struggeling to learn to read and
put into his own words what he read. Now, he can read it and tell you every
word, word for word, but not translate it to his own words. The youngest is
just the opposite, very creative, and can tell you a million stories, based
on one paragraph. So, while I need to be relaxed with them both, I can not
completely let go, at least at this point, with the oldest. Maybe my goal
for this year for him should be for him to just free write stuff and
interpret everything in his own words. Hmmmm, something for me to evaluate
here!
Teresa

Joel Hawthorne

I wonder if the difficulty some folks have with their kids "deschooling" may be
related to matters of religious belief. Now I have some trepidation in bringing
this up and I want to do it in a diplomatic and respectful way.

It crosses my mind that there are many religious faiths in which submission to
authority is a basic tenet of faith. I have wondered whether unschooling is
compatible with a faith which requires belief and reliance on a greater authority.
It may be a difficult task to encourage freedom of thought and choice on the one
hand and "unquestioning" obedience on the other.

Again I believe absolutely in the right of people to follow their conscience and
hearts in matters of faith and to share those with their children. I am genuinely
interested in the possible conflict posed by some religious points of view and many
of the concepts I associate with unschooling.

I am sure some people don't see it as a conflict and I would be interested in
hearing from them.

Does anyone know what I mean?

Becky wrote:

> From: Becky <longones@...>
>
> Hi Liz I had to write to you on the subject of your 14 yr old. I also have a 14
> yr old that went to ps <snip> I am
> wondering if they will ever be deschooled? <snip> I feel like I am
> rambling I really just wanted to say I know how you are feeling Liz with a 14 yr
> old that has been in Public school.
> Becky L

nervously and with
best wishes
Joel

All children behave as well as they are treated. The Natural Child
Project http://naturalchild.com/home/

Work together to reinvent justice using methods that are fair; which conserve,
restore and even create harmony, equity and good will in society i.e. restorative
justice.
We are the prisoners of the prisoners we have taken - J. Clegg
http://www.cerj.org

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/8/99 10:42:08 PM EST, jhawthorne@... writes:

<< I am sure some people don't see it as a conflict and I would be interested
in
hearing from them. >>

I do not have a conflict with our religious beliefs and unschooling. Now, I
am relatively new to the unschooling thing, but I feel it is the same as
teaching our children respect for other people, or to follow the law. My
children are taught to follow the bible AND that God has given them a great
mind which they should use to fulfill the purpose God has planned for them.
This purpose is not laid out by myself or any other, it is theirs to discover
on their own. As long as they love God and accept that all are created in
God's image, thus making them deserving of love also, I have no problem
letting go and letting them flourish. I trust this is not much different than
most, non-Christian parents hope. (The god may be different but the idea is
probably similar.)
I too am interested in hearing from others on this point.
Blessings to all, Lori in TX

B & T Simpson

-----Original Message-----
From: rick and deborah farrington <honeybee@...>
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Date: Wednesday, September 08, 1999 11:51 PM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Tying up loose ends


>From: rick and deborah farrington <honeybee@...>
>
>i have a 13yo and a 14 yo and they just read all the time, im thinking of
having a
>no novels week!! >>>>

Oh My!! I can't even immagine wanting to discourage reading! I am trying
with all of my might to encourage as much reading as I can around here,
public school kind of killed the joy of it for my children, by insisting
that they read only what the teacher thought was appropriate grade level! we
are working on getting the love of reading back, but it has been a long
haul, I don't think I would discourage it , maybe leave out some other
really interesting things to read that maybe they would pick up!
and for the moms with the teens that are only wanting to chat and talk on
the phone and watch tv, I may be different than most of you unschooling, I
don't know, I do not push them or even nudge them to do anything, but I am
willing to say that only educational tv is allowed in our house, and I have
said as long as you are doing something to expand your brain I will leave
you alone! and that does come in many forms, tv being one of them if it is
something they can learn something from!
just my .02 here
Tanya
>
>>

>>Tanya M Simpson
Be sure to check out my online mall at
http://www.blmall.com
please enter d81371220 in the space
provided for code number
get paid $1 and hour for surfing the net!!
http://www.sendmoreinfo.com/id/38458
get paid to read email: http://www.sendmoreinfo.com/id/38458

>> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>>
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>> For full story and to submit yours, go to
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>> http://www.unschooling.com
>
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The O'Donnells

At 10:52 PM 9/8/99 -0400, you wrote:
She is also one that wants me to tell her what to do so that
>she can fuss about having to get anything done. She is now in 9th grade and
>and ever wants to do anything other than watch tv or chat on the computer or
>listen to music. She does volunteer for about 4 hours per week, because I
>insist that she get out of the house and do something constructive. When I
>have asked her what she wants to do with her time and energy, I get "hang
>with my friends and talk on the phone & chat on the computer." She says
>that she wants to take advantage of the dual enrollment program at the local
>community college when she is 16 but will not do any of the preliminary work
>of seeing what the requirements are. She wants to work parttime for money
>but will not put in applications, and on the one that I carried her to put
>in she won't call back to follow up.

Even though I give her
>assignments,because she says that she wants me to so that she knows what she
>needs to get done, she can't wait for 3:00 when "school is out". It will
>take her more than a week to complete the 2 1/2 days of work I give to her.
>Sometimes I feel as if she has dropped out of school legally under the guise
>of homeschooling.


My daughter not being as old would easily have fallen into this kind of
thing if I didn't demand she "do" something. I know that goes against
every grain in the fiber of the hard core unschooler and I've heard the let
them get bored speeches. But as a parent I can't allow my child to dwadle
away her time without purpose. That is one reason I do direct somewhat but
leave wide wide ranges for choices to be made in every subject. I haven't
read the responses to this post yet but will be eagerly awaiting answers on
this one too.


In His Service,

Laraine
praxis@...

The O'Donnells

At 08:46 PM 9/8/99 -0700, you wrote:
>From: Joel Hawthorne <jhawthorne@...>
>
>I wonder if the difficulty some folks have with their kids "deschooling"
may be
>related to matters of religious belief.

>It crosses my mind that there are many religious faiths in which
submission to
>authority is a basic tenet of faith. I have wondered whether unschooling is
>compatible with a faith which requires belief and reliance on a greater
authority.
>It may be a difficult task to encourage freedom of thought and choice on
the one
>hand and "unquestioning" obedience on the other.

I am genuinely
>interested in the possible conflict posed by some religious points of view
and many
>of the concepts I associate with unschooling.
>
>I am sure some people don't see it as a conflict and I would be interested in
>hearing from them.
>
>Does anyone know what I mean?


Oh yea! I've even been told you can't be a Christian and Unschool. A
friend from the past recently wrote me that she was terrified of
unschooling both academically and spiritually. She never responded to my
attempts to show her that unschooling is simply a method and does not need
to cross purposes with the authority you speak of above.

The conflict is certainly there with people of authoritarian natures. I
grew up under a very authoritarian heavy hand and know what the thinking
is. But growing up that way I guess I see the down side and don't want my
kids to be 'broken' like that. I encourage them to question - even
spiritual authority (except God's of course) - and it does bring it's
challenges. We just went through a discussion on this recently in our
family. Then I reminded my dh that we had done all we could to teach our
kids to look for options when confronted with a roadblock. So when there
was something they want and we said no, they would try a dozen different
ways to get us to change our minds - questioning why or why not, etc. We
had to laugh, we would rather put up with what authoritarians view as
argumentativeness and bucking authority and have kids that can think for
themselves and find other options when life gives them a roadblock. Yes,
it is certainly in conflict with some people's spiritual lives. But I
believe that it would do many people a lot of good to learn to question the
authority of those in charge at churches. But that is another story for
another day :o)


In His Service,

Laraine
praxis@...

The O'Donnells

At 02:01 AM 9/11/99 -0700, you wrote:
>From: rick and deborah farrington <honeybee@...>
>
>as a christian i believe we should question authority because we can be
sheep lead
>astray. we need to know why we believe what we believe, somethings must be
taken on
>faith but most things of god can be explained. i have no problem w/ my
kids questioning
>my decisions for them. if i say no to a request they are welcome to ask
why. we should
>know why we do the things we do.
>
>
Thanks Joel, you said what I was trying to say in half the time and space!
:o)


In His Service,

Laraine
praxis@...

rick and deborah farrington

i have a 13yo and a 14 yo and they just read all the time, im thinking of having a
no novels week!! ds doesnt do much writing and they both are burnt out on math we
ahve always hs'd but not always unschool. this summer i explained unschool and at
first they were sceptical, i actually talked them into it! so now im waiting....
sometimes patiently sometimes impatiently! it must be a teen thing! who knows!
Deborah in idaho

Becky wrote:

> From: Becky <longones@...>
>
> Hi Liz I had to write to you on the subject of your 14 yr old. I also have a 14
> yr old that went to ps through the 6th grade or almost all of it. I brought her
> home and unschooled her for awhile the decided to homeschool I just about turned
> my home into a mini school but then the next yr we loosened up and did unit
> studies but this yr she wanted to try a more structured curric. ok fine 9th
> grade age we will try. well it is not working to well I have tried to deschool
> my children but it is like they were really brain washed or something. Now they
> don't want anything to do with learning anything even if they don't now they are
> they fight it. I have not really asked them to do anything special for me but
> all 3 of my children hate to read and never do it on their own. even the
> directions for their palystation games. they won't pick up a pencil or anything.
> If I even ask them to write a letter to Grandma they just throw a fit. I am
> wondering if they will ever be deschooled? I am going to the library in Friday
> and they are fussing that they don't want to go. My children spend their time
> playing palystation or n64 or listening to music or watching TV. I just wish
> they would do more reading. My dh and I both read quite a bit and all of them
> were read to when they were little but now it is no way.-- I feel like I am
> rambling I really just wanted to say I know how you are feeling Liz with a 14 yr
> old that has been in Public school.
> Becky L
> May God Bless you All!!!
> Please check out my web page
> http://www.ilovejesus.com/school/longones
> ICQ# 26503752
> aol im - longones5
> yahoo - longones5
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> Congratulations to MSers_Online. Our latest ONElist of the Week.
> For full story and to submit yours, go to
> <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/ootw25 ">Click Here</a>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Check it out!
> http://www.unschooling.com

rick and deborah farrington

as a christian i believe we should question authority because we can be sheep lead
astray. we need to know why we believe what we believe, somethings must be taken on
faith but most things of god can be explained. i have no problem w/ my kids questioning
my decisions for them. if i say no to a request they are welcome to ask why. we should
know why we do the things we do.


Joel Hawthorne wrote:

> From: Joel Hawthorne <jhawthorne@...>
>
> I wonder if the difficulty some folks have with their kids "deschooling" may be
> related to matters of religious belief. Now I have some trepidation in bringing
> this up and I want to do it in a diplomatic and respectful way.
>
> It crosses my mind that there are many religious faiths in which submission to
> authority is a basic tenet of faith. I have wondered whether unschooling is
> compatible with a faith which requires belief and reliance on a greater authority.
> It may be a difficult task to encourage freedom of thought and choice on the one
> hand and "unquestioning" obedience on the other.
>
> Again I believe absolutely in the right of people to follow their conscience and
> hearts in matters of faith and to share those with their children. I am genuinely
> interested in the possible conflict posed by some religious points of view and many
> of the concepts I associate with unschooling.
>
> I am sure some people don't see it as a conflict and I would be interested in
> hearing from them.
>
> Does anyone know what I mean?
>
> Becky wrote:
>
> > From: Becky <longones@...>
> >
> > Hi Liz I had to write to you on the subject of your 14 yr old. I also have a 14
> > yr old that went to ps <snip> I am
> > wondering if they will ever be deschooled? <snip> I feel like I am
> > rambling I really just wanted to say I know how you are feeling Liz with a 14 yr
> > old that has been in Public school.
> > Becky L
>
> nervously and with
> best wishes
> Joel
>
> All children behave as well as they are treated. The Natural Child
> Project http://naturalchild.com/home/
>
> Work together to reinvent justice using methods that are fair; which conserve,
> restore and even create harmony, equity and good will in society i.e. restorative
> justice.
> We are the prisoners of the prisoners we have taken - J. Clegg
> http://www.cerj.org
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> Show your ONElist SPIRIT!
> <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/tshirt2 ">Click Here</a>
> With a new ONElist SHIRT available through our website.
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Check it out!
> http://www.unschooling.com

rick and deborah farrington

yeah my kids watch pbs alot, and i shouldnt complainabout the reading, but when
i see them constantly with a book it get s old. but they get tired of me being
on this puter all the time! they do read magazines that are educational and dd
read the first line over my shoulder when i said i would have a no novels week
she said she'd get out of that groove soon.

B & T Simpson wrote:

> From: "B & T Simpson" <michigan@...>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rick and deborah farrington <honeybee@...>
> To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
> Date: Wednesday, September 08, 1999 11:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Tying up loose ends
>
> >From: rick and deborah farrington <honeybee@...>
> >
> >i have a 13yo and a 14 yo and they just read all the time, im thinking of
> having a
> >no novels week!! >>>>
>
> Oh My!! I can't even immagine wanting to discourage reading! I am trying
> with all of my might to encourage as much reading as I can around here,
> public school kind of killed the joy of it for my children, by insisting
> that they read only what the teacher thought was appropriate grade level! we
> are working on getting the love of reading back, but it has been a long
> haul, I don't think I would discourage it , maybe leave out some other
> really interesting things to read that maybe they would pick up!
> and for the moms with the teens that are only wanting to chat and talk on
> the phone and watch tv, I may be different than most of you unschooling, I
> don't know, I do not push them or even nudge them to do anything, but I am
> willing to say that only educational tv is allowed in our house, and I have
> said as long as you are doing something to expand your brain I will leave
> you alone! and that does come in many forms, tv being one of them if it is
> something they can learn something from!
> just my .02 here
> Tanya
> >
> >>
>
> >>Tanya M Simpson
> Be sure to check out my online mall at
> http://www.blmall.com
> please enter d81371220 in the space
> provided for code number
> get paid $1 and hour for surfing the net!!
> http://www.sendmoreinfo.com/id/38458
> get paid to read email: http://www.sendmoreinfo.com/id/38458
>
> >> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
> >>
> >> Congratulations to MSers_Online. Our latest ONElist of the Week.
> >> For full story and to submit yours, go to
> >> <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/ootw25 ">Click Here</a>
> >>
> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> Check it out!
> >> http://www.unschooling.com
> >
> >
> >--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
> >
> >ONElist: your connection to people who share your interests.
> >
> >------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> >http://www.unschooling.com
> >
> >
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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[email protected]

Don't be nervous, Joel. I think you posed some great questions and the whole
post was very diplomatic!

You wrote:
<< I wonder if the difficulty some folks have with their kids "deschooling"
may be
related to matters of religious belief. Now I have some trepidation in
bringing
this up and I want to do it in a diplomatic and respectful way.
It crosses my mind that there are many religious faiths in which submission
to
authority is a basic tenet of faith. I have wondered whether unschooling is
compatible with a faith which requires belief and reliance on a greater
authority.
It may be a difficult task to encourage freedom of thought and choice on the
one
hand and "unquestioning" obedience on the other.>>

I have wondered the same, but from the perspective of being involved in a
religion that is very much this way. In fact, my dh and I have spent the
last 5 years indoctrinating ourselves and our children in this "unquestioning
obedience," and now we are trying to struggle out from underneath what we see
as the debris.

I have fought and fought with myself over this...Do I have to abandon my
religion, my faith or Do I have to abandon my strongly held values of
non-coercion and a child-centered style of educating?

It is very, very difficult indeed, I think, to come to a feeling of peace
about it all.

But, frankly, it is coming to me from a place that others might not consider
relevant, but I happen to...the very teachings of Jesus Christ. I am making
a comprehensive self-study of those Biblical documents, trying to rely on my
own interpretations rather than those of experts.

And I'm finding that the values I hold about raising children in a gentle
manner, letting them lead and trying to help them develop their own unique
talents is very much what the lessons of Jesus are all about.

Now, I didn't write this to preach. I mainly just wanted to affirm your
idea that there is a conflict here.

I would also like to hear the way other people have handled what I too think
is a conflict and like you said, hear from people who might not think it is a
conflict and why they don't think so.

I have come to the conclusion that I can't abandon my faith. I might at
some time abandon my "organized religion"... that lies in the future and I
cannot comprehend that right now.
I have also come to the conclusion that I can't abandon my educational and
child-raising values. They are too dearly who I am and who I believe I was
meant to be.

So, right now, I choose to live with the dichotomy.

And I continue to journey on...

Carol from WI

Amy Aybar

<And I'm finding that the values I hold about raising children in a gentle
manner, letting them lead and trying to help them develop their own unique
talents is very much what the lessons of Jesus are all about.>

Very definitely. Jesus was definitely an unschooler! He taught while
walking along the road, lots of story-telling and answering questions as
they came. He didn't ask the leading questions, people did and he answered
them.

Amy
Mom to Carlos (6) and Sasha (4)

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/11/99 12:06:59 PM EST, Burkfamily@... writes:

<< I have come to the conclusion that I can't abandon my faith. I might at
some time abandon my "organized religion"... that lies in the future and I
cannot comprehend that right now. >>

Oh, I didn't relize we were speaking specifically of organized religion! To
me organized religion and public school go hand in hand! As far as a personal
relationship with God, biblical-based, spiritual type-Christianity goes, I
think there are no conflicts with unschooling. Once you get into a doctrine
that attempts to take control and create a lot of extra rules instead of
offering worship and fellowship; therein lies the discrepency. And there you
have my humble opinion, Lori in TX

faith buckley

RRAINENJ@... wrote:

> From: RRAINENJ@...
>
> In a message dated 9/11/99 12:06:59 PM EST, Burkfamily@... writes:
>
> << I have come to the conclusion that I can't abandon my faith. I might at
> some time abandon my "organized religion"... that lies in the future and I
> cannot comprehend that right now. >>
>
> Oh, I didn't relize we were speaking specifically of organized religion! To
> me organized religion and public school go hand in hand! As far as a personal
> relationship with God, biblical-based, spiritual type-Christianity goes, I
> think there are no conflicts with unschooling. Once you get into a doctrine
> that attempts to take control and create a lot of extra rules instead of
> offering worship and fellowship; therein lies the discrepency. And there you
> have my humble opinion, Lori in TX
>

I second that humble opinion! Well said!

A King's Kid, Faith

>
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D. J. Brewer

Regarding unschooling and unorganized religion

Those are both OK

I personally prefer disorganized religion. It suits my mentality rather
well.

DJ of Texas

[email protected]

Lori wrote:

<< Oh, I didn't relize we were speaking specifically of organized religion!
To
me organized religion and public school go hand in hand! As far as a
personal
relationship with God, biblical-based, spiritual type-Christianity goes, I
think there are no conflicts with unschooling. Once you get into a doctrine
that attempts to take control and create a lot of extra rules instead of
offering worship and fellowship; therein lies the discrepency. And there you
have my humble opinion, Lori in TX
>>

I wasn't necessarily speaking about organized religion in my first comments
about the teachings of Jesus. I was just commenting that for me this
realization had not come to that point yet, but that sometime it may. I'm
starting to agree with you, but it doesn't come overnight...just as my
decision to unschool didn't. Thanks for your humble opinion.
Carol in WI

rick and deborah farrington

thankyou susan! nobody seems to understand about the reading thing! im glad my
kids love to read and i must have done something right to help them love it so
much. but all day everyday gets old and i too am the kind of reader you mention
yourself to be but i have let up alot too. but your ideas on hands on stuff is
good and gave me some ideas thanks. and thank you for your story again it was
comforting to me. Deborah

"Joseph A. & Susan D. Fuerst" wrote:

> From: "Joseph A. & Susan D. Fuerst" <fuerst@...>
>
> I know this is a delayed reply for everyone --- apologies --- (I'm still
> wading thru old posts from our 10 days out of town).
> The posts on considering a no novel week are just to good not to add my
> little story...
> About two months ago, I informed my dh that I would not be reading any
> books for awhile (a month was my goal). As we are constant readers, he
> thought I must be kidding (I wasn't). I read a lot of non-fiction and some
> fiction. Anyway, I have truly felt information overload on my mind. I was
> always "book smart" (i.e., in advanced classes, good memory, good test
> taker), but find that I can neglect hands-on learning, crafting. For
> example, I could read all about sewing a Hallowen costume, but to actually
> do it, I need to work with the materials, go to the store, etc. Anyway, I
> am the kind that neglects the housework for a good book....and this seemed a
> constant state. I also have a tendency to *gorge* myself on books by
> reading fast, not savoring a book.
> So....I decided to give my mind a break from books to allow myself to
> think in other ways and/or use the knowledge I've read (I still allowed
> e-mail reading - except on vacation!)
> Anyway, I've found it to have been a good experience...and I'm trying
> to figure a way to gently re-introduce some time for reading....to have it a
> balanced part of my days.
> Susan
> (Still kind of lurking since post vacation)
> -
>
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >From: rick and deborah farrington <honeybee@...>
> >To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
> >Date: Wednesday, September 08, 1999 11:51 PM
> >Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Tying up loose ends
> >
> >
> >>From: rick and deborah farrington <honeybee@...>
> >>
> >>i have a 13yo and a 14 yo and they just read all the time, im thinking of
> >having a
> >>no novels week!! >>>>
> >
> >Oh My!! I can't even immagine wanting to discourage reading! I am trying
> >with all of my might to encourage as much reading as I can around here,
> >public school kind of killed the joy of it for my children, by insisting
>
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Joseph A. & Susan D. Fuerst

I know this is a delayed reply for everyone --- apologies --- (I'm still
wading thru old posts from our 10 days out of town).
The posts on considering a no novel week are just to good not to add my
little story...
About two months ago, I informed my dh that I would not be reading any
books for awhile (a month was my goal). As we are constant readers, he
thought I must be kidding (I wasn't). I read a lot of non-fiction and some
fiction. Anyway, I have truly felt information overload on my mind. I was
always "book smart" (i.e., in advanced classes, good memory, good test
taker), but find that I can neglect hands-on learning, crafting. For
example, I could read all about sewing a Hallowen costume, but to actually
do it, I need to work with the materials, go to the store, etc. Anyway, I
am the kind that neglects the housework for a good book....and this seemed a
constant state. I also have a tendency to *gorge* myself on books by
reading fast, not savoring a book.
So....I decided to give my mind a break from books to allow myself to
think in other ways and/or use the knowledge I've read (I still allowed
e-mail reading - except on vacation!)
Anyway, I've found it to have been a good experience...and I'm trying
to figure a way to gently re-introduce some time for reading....to have it a
balanced part of my days.
Susan
(Still kind of lurking since post vacation)
-

>>-----Original Message-----
>From: rick and deborah farrington <honeybee@...>
>To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
>Date: Wednesday, September 08, 1999 11:51 PM
>Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Tying up loose ends
>
>
>>From: rick and deborah farrington <honeybee@...>
>>
>>i have a 13yo and a 14 yo and they just read all the time, im thinking of
>having a
>>no novels week!! >>>>
>
>Oh My!! I can't even immagine wanting to discourage reading! I am trying
>with all of my might to encourage as much reading as I can around here,
>public school kind of killed the joy of it for my children, by insisting

Joseph A. & Susan D. Fuerst

you're welcome!
aaaah.....just when I needed a little apppreciation ;o)
Susan in KY
(NOT the one getting the digest and having download time frustration!)
-----Original Message-----



>From: rick and deborah farrington <honeybee@...>
>
>thankyou susan! nobody seems to understand about the reading thing! im glad
my
>kids love to read