Ren

"Well they are still posting in the thread, and saying that they are so
worried about college and that my son isnt going to be able to go cause he
wont know how to do anything beyond middleschool work. I guess I am just
very hurt because they have always been my "Friends" we were all pg
together
and we tell each other everything....but never again."

Well, if it helps, you could post this link for the close minded Moms:
http://www.dreamsbbs.com/nikleba/unschool.html

Laurie was raised with unschooling philosophies from birth (radcially) and this link takes you to information about the book her Mom wrote and her college experiences (she won all sorts of awards and got straight A's).
There are lots of other stories out there, but maybe just start with that one.....should shut them up for a while.

Ren



"I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn."
Albert Einstein

Naykki2

>The only really positive thing I can suggest to this poster is to find more
time and space *after hours* to recharge her batteries.

This works well if there is an "after hours" and if the father is home to
help. This just struck me today because dh is out of town again (he's been
out of town about half the time this last year), and I have a 5 yo who is up
at 7, and a 15 yo who's up until 12:30 or 1 am - and he's the most talkative
then. So, if I didn't find time during the day to recharge (and
occasionally nap), I'd be exhausted and cranky by the time the oldest one is
ready to talk. No way!

><<The constant pestering me to do things for them and to assist them in
their learning efforts can drive me BATTY. >> That just reads wrong to me.
Sounds like more than just mommy burn out.

I think it might just be burn out and nothing further - because I used to
feel that way when my older ones were younger. I've always been a very
focused person - I could study for hours without a break, or practice flute,
or program (depending on what I was doing in life <grin>), and doing things
in little chunks of time following someone else's schedule was *very*
difficult for me to get used to. I obviously did, at some point <grin>
because it doesn't bother me anymore - in fact, I look on it as a privilege
or a blessing. This may have to do with the fact that my oldest turns 16 in
a few weeks so I realize, very concretely, that I only get this for a few
more years with him.

Laura