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In a message dated 8/18/02 11:19:22 PM, zandaniel@... writes:

<< Some of the things talked about like; allowing the child to decide
what he/she watches on TV and for how long, what to eat and when,
when to go to bed, whether to brush teeth etc are, I thought,
parenting choices. Even children who go to school have these issues.
So if these are part of unschooling how do they learn self-
discipline, self-control and good life habits? Do you just use
natural consequences for everything? >>

Unschooling is a parenting choice.
Unschooling is making natural learning a priority. It can't be done just
"during school hours," it ends up changing the fabric of everyday life every
day.

I don't "use" natural consequences, nor do I use "unnatural" consequences.

It is a natural consequence than when a kid does something that really scares
or bothers me that I discuss it with them. I don't hide in the next room,
peeking around the corner, waiting for some natural reaction to their action
to teach them in my absence. Other humans are part of their natural-learning
life, and the responses of other people are part of their "consequences."

Now if that seems like time-outs and spanking and grounding and yelling and
such could be also seen as natural (in certain families) consequences, the
factor to examine is what is each family's priority?

<<How does religion work with unschooling?>>

Different ways.

<<Do people who are devout
believers 'teach' their children their 'beliefs'?>>

If they're not living their beliefs day by day they're pretty crummy examples
of those beliefs.

<<If a child asks about God do they get the parents 'beliefs' as truth?>>

Isn't that true of any question to any parents?

<<Ors what you
choose to believe" or something like that?>>

That's what I believe. But if I still believed, as I did years ago (before I
had children) that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life, and there was
that narrow gate or the wide highway to eternal damnation, then that would BE
the only truth for me, and telling my children that the choice was theirs
would be inviting them to eternal torment.

But I don't beleive that anymore. When my kids asked who the first person on
earth was, I told them some believe... and told Adam and Eve. And I said
others believe... and told evolution. And I said there are other beliefs
too, but that those two were most prevalant hereabout.

Sandra

zandaniel

Hi Sandra
I gotcha points. Thanks
Joz
PS Good to have ya back. Do so enjoy your view on stuff :)

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., SandraDodd@a... wrote:
>
> In a message dated 8/18/02 11:19:22 PM, zandaniel@h... writes:
>
> << Some of the things talked about like; allowing the child to
decide
> what he/she watches on TV and for how long, what to eat and when,
> when to go to bed, whether to brush teeth etc are, I thought,
> parenting choices. Even children who go to school have these
issues.
> So if these are part of unschooling how do they learn self-
> discipline, self-control and good life habits? Do you just use
> natural consequences for everything? >>
>
> Unschooling is a parenting choice.
> Unschooling is making natural learning a priority. It can't be
done just
> "during school hours," it ends up changing the fabric of everyday
life every
> day.
>
> I don't "use" natural consequences, nor do I use "unnatural"
consequences.
>
> It is a natural consequence than when a kid does something that
really scares
> or bothers me that I discuss it with them. I don't hide in the
next room,
> peeking around the corner, waiting for some natural reaction to
their action
> to teach them in my absence. Other humans are part of their
natural-learning
> life, and the responses of other people are part of
their "consequences."
>
> Now if that seems like time-outs and spanking and grounding and
yelling and
> such could be also seen as natural (in certain families)
consequences, the
> factor to examine is what is each family's priority?
>
> <<How does religion work with unschooling?>>
>
> Different ways.
>
> <<Do people who are devout
> believers 'teach' their children their 'beliefs'?>>
>
> If they're not living their beliefs day by day they're pretty
crummy examples
> of those beliefs.
>
> <<If a child asks about God do they get the parents 'beliefs' as
truth?>>
>
> Isn't that true of any question to any parents?
>
> <<Ors what you
> choose to believe" or something like that?>>
>
> That's what I believe. But if I still believed, as I did years ago
(before I
> had children) that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life, and
there was
> that narrow gate or the wide highway to eternal damnation, then
that would BE
> the only truth for me, and telling my children that the choice was
theirs
> would be inviting them to eternal torment.
>
> But I don't beleive that anymore. When my kids asked who the first
person on
> earth was, I told them some believe... and told Adam and Eve. And
I said
> others believe... and told evolution. And I said there are other
beliefs
> too, but that those two were most prevalant hereabout.
>
> Sandra