Yesterday my 10yos and I were cuddling on my bed, just talking about everything and he got very quiet. Suddenly he took my hand and said, "Mom, there is something I want to tell you." I said, "Ok, what is it?" He said that when we began homeschooling that he HATED it as much as school, but he never wanted to tell me because he didn't want to hurt me. He said he used to sit and listen to me teach and hope that I would be finished, but then I'd tell him it was time to do something else...It just broke my heart!!! We did this for three years before I just QUIT!! It hurts me that I made them suffer for three years like that!!!
I told him that the truth was, I hated it, too. And I was glad that he told me! I told him that I was sorry that I did that to him. He told me that he loves his life now and he loves that he can do what he wants - then went on to list all the wonderful, real-life things he is doing.
I felt honored and privileged to listen to him speak. I am SOOOOO thankful for this message board and for all of your honesty and truth. I wish I could take back those three years and all the years before and do it all differently. I wish I could have given this kind of life to my two adult children (18ds and 21dd). Fortunately, they still live at home and are experiencing this unschooling life with us. What my 10ds said to me just reinforces how RIGHT this is and we will look forward from here.
We LOVE our lives right now! Each day is truly an adventure and a place of peace and security for my children now.
I hope that those who are new to this board will read everything here with an open heart and mind; do not pass judgement without thinking about WHY you feel the way you do about something said here. I am so very, very thankful that I listened and thought and read and read and read and thought and listened. My whole family has been set free!! Thank you!
Back to what Donna wrote about the unschooling forum and list.