saka30080

Sunday night my mother-in-law called again. And once again she asked
me about my son's "lessons" The last time she called she asked me if
he could spell his name yet (he's almost 4), he can but that's not
the point. This time she asked me what he was learning. I told her
he was playing games on the computer and going to take horse training
soon. She asked me if he was doing any school lessons on the
computer. I told her he'd learned his alphabet using the computer
(he did partially) Then she asked me if any of his friends were going
to public school soon. I was happy to tell her he has a friend being
unschooled, she made a hrumpf sound and ignored the unschooling
part. I'm not sure she knows what unschooling is. I was a little
irritated by then and moved off the topic. I don't want to be
grilled on lessons and what he's learning for the next decade. I've
been forthright with her in the past and it's a very unsatifying
experience. She's passive-aggressive and tends to smile and keep on
doing whatever she's doing. A hard type for me to deal with. I know
she cares about her grandson's future and the questions come from a
place of concern. But she's not going to be the only family member
to question me. I don't want to have to justify our choice
constantly. How have some of you dealt with this sort of thing?

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/26/02 3:32:44 AM, savagewilson@... writes:

<< But she's not going to be the only family member
to question me. I don't want to have to justify our choice
constantly. How have some of you dealt with this sort of thing?
>>

Send her reading assignments. Lend her books on homeschooling or
unschooling. Send her essays or news articles, by real mail or e-mail
depending on her connectedness.

Then if she starts you can say "Did you read the book yet?"

If she says "no," you can indicate sweetly or not so sweetly that she needs
to study up on it some before you can really discuss it with her.

Another things you might do (I do occasionally) is send glowing letters about
cool stuff the kid(s) learned and did.

Sandra

Dotchi Baker

I lent a book out to a friend who constantly questioned my "credentials" to teach my son. I think the book was "Dumbing Us Down". It is the only book I actually own that would vaguely relate to the subject. She stopped questioning me after that. Now she only asks "How's homeschooling going?" or "Did you start schooling for the boys yet?" Then I explained that we homeschool year round b/c we unschool. I even offered to print off something for her to read about unschooling. She declined and took my word for it. But she doesn't nag like before.

As for my family members... A few of my siblings (17 of them) voiced their concerns and I was happy to respond to them. They don't meddle as much as the moms do.

Mom Carol in MT thinks it's cool. But she's more like I am. Actually, that side of the family thinks it's wonderful.

But Mom Deb asked questions and asked when I was sending him back to school and why was I doing this and on and on... I finally just told her that if she refused to read up on it, then the it was off topic and I'd gladly hang up on her if she asked again. Although I ticked her off, she she hasn't asked again... she also hasn't read anything on homeschooling, unschooling, etc.

Mom Carol in TX wasn't happy about it at first. She questioned me and really voiced her discontent with it. She would say things like "Well, we'll see how you're doing when they test him." Well, I can get around the tests, which didn't make her happy. She asked if I was going to homeschool them forever... I said "Gosh NO! Once their 18, they are free to do as they wish." :) And she continued with the socialization thing, implying that I kept them locked in the house day in and day out... "It's nice you guys are going to the fireworks with friends, those kids need to get out and be around people." I told her we do that PLENTY! In fact, that is everyones big concern but some won't listen. I emailed her website after website about homeschooling and how healthy it is (I try to stay positive). She harped and moaned and complained... Then my sister got hooked on drugs, lost custody of her kids, dropped off the face of the planet only to reappear in the county jail for assault on an officer, hit and run, drugs in possession, warrants out for her (one is for felony assault on an elderly), and failure to appear in court. Suddenly my choice to be a parent full time didn't look so bad. She hasn't said word one, in negativity, to me since.

I am SO glad I live WAY over here and they are all WAY of there... (other sides of the country)

I guess teh best way to deal with negateers is to educate them. If they refuse then it is a mute subject.

Dotchi
*********
Freedom of religion means freedom for all religions.


----- Original Message -----
From: SandraDodd@...
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, August 26, 2002 6:51 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Dealing with questioning grandparents




<< How have some of you dealt with this sort of thing? >>

Send her reading assignments. Lend her books on homeschooling or
unschooling. Send her essays or news articles, by real mail or e-mail
depending on her connectedness.

Then if she starts you can say "Did you read the book yet?"

If she says "no," you can indicate sweetly or not so sweetly that she needs
to study up on it some before you can really discuss it with her.

Another things you might do (I do occasionally) is send glowing letters about
cool stuff the kid(s) learned and did.


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

Kelli Traaseth

This is so unreal that you wrote this, I almost wrote the exact thing last night(Sunday night) but I didn't, pooped out and went to bed. I feel like dealing with my own mother is the hardest part of dealing with questioning people. I sent her Sandra's Jan-Feb 1998 interview in Home Ed Mag. this morning. But it is a mute point if they refuse to read anything. Keep your helpful thoughts coming, Sandra, we all need it. Thanks, Kelli T. Oh, also, I am reading Awakening your Child's Natural Genius, Thomas Armstrong, Wow!! Does it have some insightful words, I wonder sometimes if we blame schools for our unhappiness when it is actually dysfunction in our lives? Just a thought.....what do you guys think?
saka30080 wrote:Sunday night my mother-in-law called again. And once again she asked
me about my son's "lessons" The last time she called she asked me if
he could spell his name yet (he's almost 4), he can but that's not
the point. This time she asked me what he was learning. I told her
he was playing games on the computer and going to take horse training
soon. She asked me if he was doing any school lessons on the
computer. I told her he'd learned his alphabet using the computer
(he did partially) Then she asked me if any of his friends were going
to public school soon. I was happy to tell her he has a friend being
unschooled, she made a hrumpf sound and ignored the unschooling
part. I'm not sure she knows what unschooling is. I was a little
irritated by then and moved off the topic. I don't want to be
grilled on lessons and what he's learning for the next decade. I've
been forthright with her in the past and it's a very unsatifying
experience. She's passive-aggressive and tends to smile and keep on
doing whatever she's doing. A hard type for me to deal with. I know
she cares about her grandson's future and the questions come from a
place of concern. But she's not going to be the only family member
to question me. I don't want to have to justify our choice
constantly. How have some of you dealt with this sort of thing?


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

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/26/02 6:43:07 AM, kellitraas@... writes:

<< I sent her Sandra's Jan-Feb 1998 interview in Home Ed Mag. this morning.
But it is a mute point if they refuse to read anything. >>

I hope she'll read it, or read SOMETHING that will give you common ground.
I wouldn't hesitate to tell ANYONE that if they were unwilling to learn on
their own about something that they had NO business discussing natural
learning with those who could and would learn.

Sandra

saka30080

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm willing to try this but I see it
working better with my mother than with my mother-in-law. My husband
told me he doesn't remember her ever reading (on her own or to him).
She came here from Jamaica and trusted wholely in the school system.
He says she basically looked at the report card and that was it. My
mother likes the idea of homeschooling (I haven't mentioned
unschooling) but has questioned me about socialization. Which is
funny because when I was a kid we were discouraged from associating
with the "worldly" children in the schools because we were Jehovah's
Witnesses (or rather my parents were, I was never a Jehovah's Witness
in my mind). Thanks again.

Cherry in GA


--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., SandraDodd@a... wrote:
>
> In a message dated 8/26/02 3:32:44 AM, savagewilson@s... writes:
>
> << But she's not going to be the only family member
> to question me. I don't want to have to justify our choice
> constantly. How have some of you dealt with this sort of thing?
> >>
>
> Send her reading assignments. Lend her books on homeschooling or
> unschooling. Send her essays or news articles, by real mail or e-
mail
> depending on her connectedness.
>
> Then if she starts you can say "Did you read the book yet?"
>
> If she says "no," you can indicate sweetly or not so sweetly that
she needs
> to study up on it some before you can really discuss it with her.
>
> Another things you might do (I do occasionally) is send glowing
letters about
> cool stuff the kid(s) learned and did.
>
> Sandra

saka30080

> I lent a book out to a friend who constantly questioned
my "credentials" to teach my son. I think the book was "Dumbing Us
Down". It is the only book I actually own that would vaguely relate
to the subject.<

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm going to get that book. I'd
like to read it and I think my mother would read it also.

>Then my sister got hooked on drugs, lost custody of her kids,
dropped off the face of the planet only to reappear in the county
jail for assault on an officer, hit and run, drugs in possession,
warrants out for her (one is for felony assault on an elderly), and
failure to appear in court. Suddenly my choice to be a parent full
time didn't look so bad. She hasn't said word one, in negativity, to
me since.<

It's funny how much better you look when your siblings get in
trouble :)

> I am SO glad I live WAY over here and they are all WAY of there...
(other sides of the country)<

Fortunately there are 5 states between us and the inlaws. I don't
have to deal with it everyday.

>
> I guess teh best way to deal with negateers is to educate them. If
they refuse then it is a mute subject.<

True

Cherry in GA

saka30080

I'm going to get this books too (along with Dumbing Us Down). I
think of school the same way I think on the rap subject. It's a
sympton of larger issues in the country, the world and in life. My
own experience at school was definately exasperated by dysfunction at
home. Everything is connected. The dysfunction of individuals can't
be separated from the whole system. Blaming school is superficial.
I know my parents own ignorance of certain things played a bigger
role in my life than ignorant or well-meaning teachers ever did (I
barely remember
their faces) I unschool because I believe change begins at home and
I'll be responsible if I don't do what I know is best for my child.

Cherry in GA

-- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., Kelli Traaseth <kellitraas@y...>
wrote:
>
> This is so unreal that you wrote this, I almost wrote the exact
thing last night(Sunday night) but I didn't, pooped out and went to
bed. I feel like dealing with my own mother is the hardest part of
dealing with questioning people. I sent her Sandra's Jan-Feb 1998
interview in Home Ed Mag. this morning. But it is a mute point if
they refuse to read anything. Keep your helpful thoughts coming,
Sandra, we all need it. Thanks, Kelli T. Oh, also, I am reading
Awakening your Child's Natural Genius, Thomas Armstrong, Wow!! Does
it have some insightful words, I wonder sometimes if we blame
schools for our unhappiness when it is actually dysfunction in our
lives? Just a thought.....what do you guys think?

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/26/02 8:20:56 AM, savagewilson@... writes:

<< I'm willing to try this but I see it
working better with my mother than with my mother-in-law. My husband
told me he doesn't remember her ever reading (on her own or to him).
She came here from Jamaica and trusted wholely in the school system.
He says she basically looked at the report card and that was it. >>

There are tapes for sale, from the HSC conference a week ago!

Sandra

Pam Hartley

----------
>From: [email protected]
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Digest Number 2288
>Date: Mon, Aug 26, 2002, 6:28 AM
>

> I was a little
> irritated by then and moved off the topic. I don't want to be
> grilled on lessons and what he's learning for the next decade. I've
> been forthright with her in the past and it's a very unsatifying
> experience. She's passive-aggressive and tends to smile and keep on
> doing whatever she's doing. A hard type for me to deal with. I know
> she cares about her grandson's future and the questions come from a
> place of concern. But she's not going to be the only family member
> to question me. I don't want to have to justify our choice
> constantly. How have some of you dealt with this sort of thing?


Take a page from her book and refuse to engage what you don't want to. :)

Her: "Is Bartholomew doing his school lessons today?"
You: "Oh, I think he's learning lots! How's your gout?"

Just deflect, change the subject, and move on. If you think she's at all
educable on the subject, give her a few non-hair-raising homeschooling books
for Christmas ("I thought since you were so interested, you'd love to read
these!") or her birthday.

Whatever you do, don't get into a wrestling match. Don't justify. Don't get
defensive. If it gets bad, say, "Oops! Bartholomew wants me to help him
build a space shuttle, gotta go!" (This is not a lie: I'll bet your almost-4
year old does want you to help him build a space shuttle <g>.)

I used to try to explain homeschooling and unschooling to people who just
wanted to argue. You realize the futility fast. Be kind because she probably
has honest concerns, but don't beat your head against that particular brick
wall.

Best of luck,

Pam

Leslie Avery

I read that book and the other one he wrote The Myth
of ADD. I think our dysfunction often times does
begin at home, even before we are out of the womb. I
don't like to generalize that all schools are bad, but
my experience with my children is that the whole idea
of the way schools are set up reinforce that
dysfunction. I have to say that 50% of my unschooling
day is spent trying to undo all of the damage done to
them by me when I was in the "the more control you
have over the child the better parent you are" mode.
And coupled with that my three older children are also
deschooling from their experiences, so they have a
double whammy. My younger son who has never been in
school is probably more ahead. Does any of this make
any sense. I love Thomas Armstrongs books and his
perspective.

Leslie
--- Kelli Traaseth <kellitraas@...> wrote:
>
> This is so unreal that you wrote this, I almost
> wrote the exact thing last night(Sunday night) but
> I didn't, pooped out and went to bed. I feel like
> dealing with my own mother is the hardest part of
> dealing with questioning people. I sent her Sandra's
> Jan-Feb 1998 interview in Home Ed Mag. this
> morning. But it is a mute point if they refuse to
> read anything. Keep your helpful thoughts coming,
> Sandra, we all need it. Thanks, Kelli T. Oh,
> also, I am reading Awakening your Child's Natural
> Genius, Thomas Armstrong, Wow!! Does it have some
> insightful words, I wonder sometimes if we blame
> schools for our unhappiness when it is actually
> dysfunction in our lives? Just a thought.....what
> do you guys think?
> saka30080 wrote:Sunday night my mother-in-law
> called again. And once again she asked
> me about my son's "lessons" The last time she
> called she asked me if
> he could spell his name yet (he's almost 4), he can
> but that's not
> the point. This time she asked me what he was
> learning. I told her
> he was playing games on the computer and going to
> take horse training
> soon. She asked me if he was doing any school
> lessons on the
> computer. I told her he'd learned his alphabet
> using the computer
> (he did partially) Then she asked me if any of his
> friends were going
> to public school soon. I was happy to tell her he
> has a friend being
> unschooled, she made a hrumpf sound and ignored the
> unschooling
> part. I'm not sure she knows what unschooling is.
> I was a little
> irritated by then and moved off the topic. I don't
> want to be
> grilled on lessons and what he's learning for the
> next decade. I've
> been forthright with her in the past and it's a very
> unsatifying
> experience. She's passive-aggressive and tends to
> smile and keep on
> doing whatever she's doing. A hard type for me to
> deal with. I know
> she cares about her grandson's future and the
> questions come from a
> place of concern. But she's not going to be the
> only family member
> to question me. I don't want to have to justify our
> choice
> constantly. How have some of you dealt with this
> sort of thing?
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups SponsorADVERTISEMENT
>
> ~~~~ Don't forget! If you change topics, change the
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> If you have questions, concerns or problems with
> this list, please email the moderator, Joyce
> Fetteroll (fetteroll@...), or the list
> owner, Helen Hegener
> (HEM-Editor@...).
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> following link or address an email to:
> [email protected]
>
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> http://www.unschooling.com
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>
>
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> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>


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Leslie Avery

Does anyone have any statistics or any information on
the schools in Europe in relation to discipline
problems. My public schooling sister says the reason
why our schools are in so much trouble is because
there is no discipline in the schools or the home.
She states that in Europe (she was a world traveler)
the schools are very disciplined and there is no
violence also the murder rate is much lower there
consequently we need to be more disciplined.


Leslie
>
>


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes
http://finance.yahoo.com

Tia Leschke

>This is so unreal that you wrote this, I almost wrote the exact thing
>last night(Sunday night) but I didn't, pooped out and went to bed. I
>feel like dealing with my own mother is the hardest part of dealing with
>questioning people. I sent her Sandra's Jan-Feb 1998 interview in Home Ed
>Mag. this morning. But it is a mute point if they refuse to read anything.

But if she refuses to read what you send her, you can tell her you won't
discuss it again until she does.

>Keep your helpful thoughts coming, Sandra, we all need it. Thanks, Kelli
>T. Oh, also, I am reading Awakening your Child's Natural Genius, Thomas
>Armstrong, Wow!! Does it have some insightful words, I wonder sometimes
>if we blame schools for our unhappiness when it is actually dysfunction in
>our lives? Just a thought.....what do you guys think?

I think for me it was a combo. I apparently had a distinct personality
change at age 2 or so. After that I cried very easily over anything. (No,
I've never been able to remember anything traumatic that took place then,
and neither could my mother.) I think that encouraged my sister (4 1/2
years older) to start teasing me unmercifully. She knew she could always
get a reaction from me. When I started school, I continued in the same
vein, crying easily over little things. The kids figured out really
quickly that they could make me cry. That continued on all the way through
elementary school. So my fragile personality from my home life made me an
easy mark which made me even more fragile emotionally. So what caused
what? <g>
Tia
>

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
*********************************************
Tia Leschke
leschke@...
On Vancouver Island

LadyWolf/Xena/MsT

Ha! Maybe they just wreak havoc AFTER they get out of school. London has one of the highest crime rates in the world, if not THE highest of all western civilization. Germany has extremely high drug abuse problems. Discipline problem? I think not. :-) I do believe it is a lack of teaching respect for one another and respect for the environment.

Ms T


Does anyone have any statistics or any information on
the schools in Europe in relation to discipline
problems. My public schooling sister says the reason
why our schools are in so much trouble is because
there is no discipline in the schools or the home.
She states that in Europe (she was a world traveler)
the schools are very disciplined and there is no
violence also the murder rate is much lower there
consequently we need to be more disciplined.


Leslie
>



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

Fetteroll

on 8/26/02 1:35 PM, Leslie Avery at ljbakavery@... wrote:

> Does anyone have any statistics or any information on
> the schools in Europe in relation to discipline
> problems. My public schooling sister says the reason
> why our schools are in so much trouble is because
> there is no discipline in the schools or the home.
> She states that in Europe (she was a world traveler)
> the schools are very disciplined and there is no
> violence also the murder rate is much lower there
> consequently we need to be more disciplined.


Here's a symposium held last year: World Conference: Violence in Schools and
Public Policy

http://www.obsviolence.pratique.fr/program/6march.html

Lots of people from all over the world studying and talking about the
problem. I doubt they'd be studying it and holding conferences on something
unique to the US ;-) Looks like only 4 speakers maybe from the US amongst
many many speakers. Not at all heavily weighted towards the US.

I got that by typing in "france school discipline problems" into Google.
(France just to be more specific than Europe.)

Joyce

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/26/02 2:30:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
ladywolf55@... writes:


> Ha! Maybe they just wreak havoc AFTER they get out of school. London has
> one of the highest crime rates in the world, if not THE highest of all
> western civilization. Germany has extremely high drug abuse problems.
> Discipline problem? I think not. :-) I do believe it is a lack of
> teaching respect for one another and respect for the environment.
>
> Ms T
>

Very interesting point. I lived in Germany as a child, and remember much
respect being taught along with discipline. It's sad to hear that they seem
to be headed in the same direction as us. I guess we really are becoming a
global society. What you say about respect being an important part of a good
upbringing, makes sense. I frequently meet people who are very foggy about
their moral values. This is why I really liked Bob's post where he said:

"I'm not confusing anything. All of us have compelling reasons to ignore the
oughts and shoulds in life; and to want to silence others at times. We also
often have the freedom to do as much. But should we? "

Should we use our overwhelming democratic votes or majority position (or
freedom) to get what we want and control others and ignore what we know is
wrong or right?

I am not a religious person, but I do think that in a more innocent time when
people believed in an all knowing and judgmental God, that belief may have
given them pause to ask themselves: "Should we?"

I read a very good book about pre W.W.II Germany called "Stones From the
River," about such a time.

Sherry



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

zenmomma *

>>Sunday night my mother-in-law called again. And once again she asked me
>>about my son's "lessons" >>

You may want to point her towards books by Raymond and Dorothy Moore.
They're not unschoolers, but big advocates of delayed academics. They make a
very convincing argument as to the damage that can be done with pushing
academics on young children. I realizes this is not entirely the approach
you are taking, but it might be a way to ease her worries while you continue
to unschool. And it might get her off your back.

Life is good.
~Mary

_________________________________________________________________
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/26/02 7:20:23 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
savagewilson@... writes:
> My
> mother likes the idea of homeschooling (I haven't mentioned
> unschooling) but has questioned me about socialization. Which is
> funny because when I was a kid we were discouraged from associating
> with the "worldly" children in the schools because we were Jehovah's
> Witnesses (or rather my parents were, I was never a Jehovah's Witness
> in my mind). Thanks again.


Me too Cherry...
Tanya
mom to Andrew Jordan 4/1/00 and Eli Hunter 10/29/01
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him to find it within
himself
--Galileo


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

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/26/02 8:06:45 PM, FoxgloveStudio@... writes:

<< in a more innocent time when
people believed in an all knowing and judgmental God, that belief may have
given them pause to ask themselves: "Should we?" >>

Even then they were often afraid of excommunication or shunning--afraid of
the reactions of the other humans around them.

I have been neutral about God and religion in my kids' lives, and they never
fail to pause and ask themselves "should we?" But I do know religious people
who don't have that "pause feature."

Maybe even morality is a genetically-encoded thing, or a personal
"intelligence."

Sandra

Tia Leschke

>
>Very interesting point. I lived in Germany as a child, and remember much
>respect being taught along with discipline.

I'm curious just how they taught respect. I doubt they did it by treating
the kids with respect, which I think is the only way to teach *real*
respect. In other words, I think what usually passes for respect is
obedience and politeness rather than true respect. At least my experiences
with the German half of my family would lead me to believe that it was the
former.

>"I'm not confusing anything. All of us have compelling reasons to ignore the
>oughts and shoulds in life; and to want to silence others at times. We also
>often have the freedom to do as much. But should we? "

I personally have worked hard to get rid of most of the oughts and shoulds
in my life. So many of them are just other people's ideas of what I should
do and aren't necessarily the right thing to do. It isn't always easy to
listen to that inner voice and follow it, but that's what I try to do.


>Should we use our overwhelming democratic votes or majority position (or
>freedom) to get what we want and control others and ignore what we know is
>wrong or right?

I don't think I've *ever* been in the majority. I can count on the fingers
of one hand, for instance, the number of times the person I voted for
actually won. %^ (

Majority rule without minority rights scares the hell out of me. I heard a
news story about an Islamic rally in (I think) London. The spokesperson
said that they were fighting for Britain and eventually the whole world to
come under Sharia. Yikes! And it doesn't scare me because they're
Muslim. The thought of *any* religion's laws governing me scares me.


>I am not a religious person, but I do think that in a more innocent time when
>people believed in an all knowing and judgmental God, that belief may have
>given them pause to ask themselves: "Should we?"

People who *didn't believe in an all-knowing and judgemental God have also
asked themselves, "Should we?"


>I read a very good book about pre W.W.II Germany called "Stones From the
>River," about such a time.

Can you tell us more about that book?
Tia

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
*********************************************
Tia Leschke
leschke@...
On Vancouver Island

[email protected]

Dotchi, (and all on this board, of course) you made some really good points
in your post. My m-i-l was concerned about the socialization issue too. My
daughter is 9 y/o and has been in catholic and public school and an in-home
day care. She also has many friends around our neighborhood and around the
homes of my family and friends. I just started homeschooling her 2 days ago.
I am letting her do her own thing (as well as some-UGH- worksheets, for
hubby's sake). My m-i-l thinks she should go to the ps here in town. My
daughter learns more by just being home and doing what she's interested in.
Our schools here have at least 25 different cultures in which the kids only
speak their language. How would my dd learn or socialize in that situation?
I love learning along with her. I'll tell you, I went to catholic school for
12 years. I learned that religion had to do with every subject. (if you
don't do your homework, God will punish you!). I learned that I could buy a
fake id that I could buy alcohol with (those computer students were smart).
I learned that drugs could be bought in the parking lot (dad, I need more
lunch money for an xtra milk today). I learned that if you told the nun that
you were going to become a nun, she would believe you were an angel (while
the whole class laughed!) I learned these and so many other things in
school. No wonder I'd rather have my child at home with me where I can keep
her safe and answer her questions about the dangers of drugs and other
things. I had to learn the hard way & I hope she never does.
OK. This post is now open to all criticisms! LOL!
Have a great day all!
Collette


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

Tia Leschke

>Dotchi, (and all on this board, of course) you made some really good points
>in your post. My m-i-l was concerned about the socialization issue too.

A friend wrote a good article about socialization a few years ago. It's at
http://members.shaw.ca/sandykeane/writings.html
Tia

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
*********************************************
Tia Leschke
leschke@...
On Vancouver Island

Gerard Westenberg

<I went to catholic school for
12 years. learned that religion had to do with every subject. (if you don't do your homework, God will punish you!). >

This is really timely for me. We've always homeschooled, sometimes unschooled, now only unschooling. :-) We are Catholic. We go to the Latrin Mass.. I've just been slammed by some email friends about being a Catholic and an unschooler - they don't see the two as compatable. Worse than that - they say I'm leading myself and my kids into heresy...So, it really helps me to see that Catholic education, in schools or in school at home, is not all its cracked up to be...Leonie W.


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

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/29/02 1:56:36 AM, westen@... writes:

<< This is really timely for me. We've always homeschooled, sometimes
unschooled, now only unschooling. :-) We are Catholic. We go to the Latrin
Mass.. I've just been slammed by some email friends about being a Catholic
and an unschooler - they don't see the two as compatable. Worse than that -
they say I'm leading myself and my kids into heresy...So, it really helps me
to see that Catholic education, in schools or in school at home, is not all
its cracked up to be...Leonie W. >>

Maybe them to send you some of their old Seton materials so you can look at
them, and that will appease them.

Sandra

kayb85

How do we get these? Did I miss a post with that info?
Sheila

> There are tapes for sale, from the HSC conference a week ago!
>
> Sandra

Joseph Fuerst

Leonie,

I'm Catholic, and we unschool. I have probably some similar struggles as
you, though I have been called a heretic by some ;-)
Feel free to contact me off-list if you want to discuss anything about
that further....just try tp be patient with me.....I can only glimpse e-mail
these days, and it may take me a few days to reply.

Susan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gerard Westenberg" <westen@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 12:25 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Dealing with questioning grandparents


> <I went to catholic school for
> 12 years. learned that religion had to do with every subject. (if you
don't do your homework, God will punish you!). >
>
> This is really timely for me. We've always homeschooled, sometimes
unschooled, now only unschooling. :-) We are Catholic. We go to the Latrin
Mass.. I've just been slammed by some email friends about being a Catholic
and an unschooler - they don't see the two as compatable. Worse than that -
they say I'm leading myself and my kids into heresy...So, it really helps me
to see that Catholic education, in schools or in school at home, is not all
its cracked up to be...Leonie W.
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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