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I am having a really hard time getting my husband on board with the idea of
unschooling. I am doing the "homeschooling" so he really doesn't know we
have dropped it. He ask my so everyday what work he has to do. I just tell him
he knows what to do. I hate leaving him out but when I mentioned
unschooling he threw a tissy fit. How will they learn things and know they like it if
you don't introduce it. Help I have tried reading him things from the group
and unschooling websites but his school brain just doesn't get it. My so is
so happy and we have a good time together, but on the weekends when dh is
home I have been noticing more stress in the family..... help please.

Heidi


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Danielle Conger

===How will they learn things and know they like it if
you don't introduce it. Help I have tried reading him things from the group
and unschooling websites but his school brain just doesn't get it. My so is
so happy and we have a good time together, but on the weekends when dh is
home I have been noticing more stress in the family..... help please.

Heidi
=====

I bet there's more stress in the family... because it's splitting in two different directions--that's so hard for you, and I'm sorry that's happening.

If you can get dh to read anything, try to get him to read a John Holt book, _Learning All the Time_, or at least just one chapter from something more distilled like _Instead of Education_. Others may have better recommendations than that.

Yes, here and at Sandra's site, there are lots of real person testimonials, lots of experience and wisdom, but with some folks that's just not going to carry the same kind of weight as a solid book, written by an expert. If Holt can open dh's mind and help him see *how much* kids learn, then maybe dh will be open to finding out from real unschoolers whether or not those ideas work.

<>--Danielle

http://www.danielleconger.com/Homeschool/Welcomehome.html

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Heidi,
My son is 10 now and I started homeschooling when he was 5. I truly
believe in Unschooling and your story sounds very familiar to mine. I played the
school game at home because my husband didn't want to homeschool at all so to
even consider the unschooling idea was out of the question. My son and also
my 7yo dd both go to public school right now because I couldn't handle the
stress in our house anymore.
It is very difficult to homeschool when you don't agree on what to do. I
found myself doing what was best for my husband to see results, instead of
focusing on my children's needs. When you unschool, many times they don't learn to
read as early as children who go to school. You and I know that they will learn,
but try to explain that to your husband or to the school if you ever do put
them in. This is what happened to me. This all caused a lot of resentment (from
me) toward my husband also, for not supporting homeschooling.
I'm not sure if any of this helps, because I still don't have any
answers. Just thought I'd tell you my story. I do believe if people would just
trust a Mother to make decisions about their children (if they are the ones with
them every day) things would work out best. A mother should make decisions
that are best for her children and she needs people around her to be supportive
of her, even when she makes a mistake. I hope everything works out for you.
Teresa


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