J. Stauffer

<<We live as close to unschooling as I know how to do right now>>

And that's OK. But sometimes we can't find what we are looking for unless
some one tells us where we have missed the trail, where we went from "warm"
to "cold".

5 years ago, I took my oldest out of first grade and started reading the
internet trying to find out anything about homeschooling. I went to the AOL
homeschooling boards and ran into Sandra. I'm sure she doesn't remember but
I most certainly do. I have rarely been that angry with another adult. And
I have said it many times on various boards that I owe Sandra a lot. She
saved my kids from many years of meanness because she called them like she
saw them.

I am a "nice" mom, the one who listens to her kids, who plays with her kids,
who tries not to overly coerse her kids. But I wasn't unschooling, I wasn't
trusting. I see it now because I have moved to that level of comfort that I
know the kids are doing great in their own unique ways and I don't have to
measure them against themselves, other kids or society's standards. I just
love them and am awestruck by them. But I didn't see it then. I was just
angry and defensive. It took awhile.

I know it feels personal now. Just breathe easy. Take it in and let it
ferment and distill in your heart and life. Just like wine, you will see
the sediment start to sink to the bottom of your existence and you can just
bottle up the good stuff.

Julie S.