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<< I've never written my dd's or ds's real names on the Internet
anywhere -- maybe someone can persuade me this is a foolish precaution even
for a
worrywart like me? >>

I think you should do what seems comfortable and wise for you yourself.

There has been some side discussion lately about whether we should maybe have
had a policy added that told people not to reveal personal information about
their children. (That's a bad paraphrase, but I don't want to quote.)

It came up because I told my suspicions about Kirby's experiences.

My kids' lives have been lived in an unschooling spotlight. They know. We
discuss it. They know they're "poster children." If they weren't there would
be people who might have wanted to unschool but couldn't grasp how it might
work, and so just bought a curriculum and then after a while put their kids back
in school. Not just my kids, but other people's kids. Julian getting a
B+. Roya and Roxana Sorooshian taking college courses. Lots of parents tell
lots of stories.

I don't think a rule or policy or even a reminder is appropriate. Each
person who writes and hits "send" has made a decision. We can't legislate common
sense. If one person thinks I'm telling too much about my kids and that it
will come back to bite me in the butt, I just know that it's a person who
doesn't know me and my kids. If my stories are making any individuals
uncomfortable, should I stop telling them or shouldn't that person stop reading them?

Home Education Magazine is full of parents telling real stories about their
real children. It's the only way others can see it. We don't have test scores
and statistics. We don't have scientific proofs. We have evidence, but it's
not anonymous, "objective" evidence. It's real life real people.

We don't have to agree on the level of sharing we do. I'm going to continue
to do my level. Some lurk only, and they can continue to do their level.
Some are vague and that's fine too.

My only objection is when someone comes to the list and seems to be here with
a purpose or agenda other than sharing their personal knowledge of
unschooling. Then I want them to show their hand (not necessarily with full names of
children! just to tell us enough about their own experience so that we can
decide whether to listen to their opinions or to run them off, and sometimes just
asking makes thems skulk on away).

I wouldn't go to La Leche League without a nursing baby or without a
pregnancy. I wouldn't go to Parents Without Partners while I was married. I don't
think people should be on unschooling lists without involvement or serious
interest in unschooling.

It doesn't happen often, but it happened lately.

Sandra