I'm a radical unschooler AMA

[OutOfControlSpirals]

I'm a radical unschooling mum, which basically means I've taken the principals of unschooling, where a child is free to learn what they want, when they want, and applied it to every aspect of our lives. So my children have the same freedoms that I do when it comes to eating/sleeping/learning etc.

The supermarket thing.... you must know that this is not unusual or radical parenting? Many many parents do exactly this. I don't think that authoritarian rule-focussed parents are the majority.

By the way, I'm not "threatened" by the idea. I'm appalled by it and don't think that a parent should legally be allowed to deny their child a proper education. The OP is neglecting her children in a myriad of ways and that saddens me enormously.

My 11 year old dd got full marks on her SATS reading paper. Do you think she'd have got that if she started reading at 10 OP? Actually she started reading at 3, before she attended school.

To be fair, who cares?

Tabitha well done to your daughter, I’m sure a good sats result will set her up for life, goodness knows at age 11 it’s vital to jump through government hoops.

Yes, I have done the walking out of the supermarket mid shop thing, and I am definitely not a 'radical unschooler'!

wind

jealousy? worrying that somebody might be doing something better than them?
People like to think their way is the best?

So you homeschool and are financially dependent on your DH. That’s an expensive education.

It's a free education, school costs money to attend.
Childcare to enable both parents to work can be as much or more than a wage.
This has to be the most ill thought out argument on the thread.

tabitha your idea of a proper education is different to others, I think sats, algebra, trigonometry, whatever is pointless and purely box ticking

"there's usually a way around things, it often takes a bit more time" welcome to the world of non radical, standard parenting, OP!

Babymamma. 1 - Ive answered that further up. 2 - family bubble? My children have friends that span a range of ages and backgrounds, they play with other home educated kids, with conventionally schooled kids, they belong to clubs with kids who have similar interests and are very active within their local community. 3 - I'd work with them to see what it was they thought school could offer that they couldnt get from their current set up. If school was the answer for them, then yes, I would support that.

I just wanted to come back to the poster who said that violin isn't a core subject.

1. It is if you want to be a violinist
2. There are no set core subjects when you H.ed, you can do what you want and consider any subject a core subject. - that was me, and yes, those were my points. I do realise that when H.Eding you can choose, but you also need outside help.
There is no indication that Ops child wants to be a professional violinist, so, like others who express an interest in violin, piano, German, Knitting - if you can't teach it, you get a tutor who can. These are subjects not taught in schools, so you need to outsource. Like the OP has. With a Teacher - and possibly in a 'class' with others learning the violin.

OP - for someone with multiple Degrees your SPAG is not so good.

sats, algebra, trigonometry

One is a government test, the others are mathematical concepts which actually do matter!!

To be truthful, my dd and us were not fussed about the SATS- they do, however, measure a degree of ability and attainment. The OP said that an "unschooled" (hate that phrase) child who started reading at 10 would catch up with a properly educated child. They won't.

So you mean your children have friends who they share interests with? They’re not forced to spend most of their life with kids they don’t like but share a birth year with? That’s terrible op!

Ah well, bit disappointed, not exactly radical. Just another home schooler. Thanks, OP, interesting to see you do a lot of what the rest of us do! Have a good evening.

Why won’t they catch up? If a child learns to read at 3, 10 or 15 I can guarantee they’ll all be at the same level come adulthood.
Ah yes the number of times I use algebra and trigonometry day to day really makes it worthwhile

It is not a “free” education: it’s a high cost one.

An opportunity cost is the mother’s potential earnings. Which obviously varies person to person, but isn’t negligible.

Childcare for school age DC usually doesn’t cost more than many women, especially graduates, can earn.

Loopytiles, no paying for school uniform, school trips, donations, dances, non uniform days, breakfast clubs, pta funding and the million other things that cost money when a child attends school.
Op might be able to earn a bit more if children are in school but maybe the time she spends with her children is worth more

Clionba, really? When you have the baby in daycare and you're running late for the shool run and you've got to get to work, you take the time to sit with your frustrated child for 40 odd minutes and help them work through their feelings? All parents do this? I'll be honest, I hardly see it, I usually see harrassed mothers and unhappy kids being told to stop being naughty and hurry up we're laaaate. All this rushing and pressure on young kids , no wonder teens have such poor mental health these days. NOT saying any parent who doesn't come under the umbrella of unschooling is stressed and has miserable children. Just saying that this lifestyle affords us the luxery of taking our time and letting children develop at their own pace, which mainstream schooling just can't support

Greenyogagirl - well, if you were an engineer, a mathematician or in a graduate job requiring high maths ability you would.

Agree you probably don’t as a yoga enthusiast.

icecoldchilli and if a child wants to be an engineer they can choose to do that. That’s the beauty of radical unschooling, giving your child opportunities to be who they want to be

@OutOfControlSpirals are you American? Totally irrelevant but just wondering due to terms used here and there.

Why won’t they catch up? If a child learns to read at 3, 10 or 15 I can guarantee they’ll all be at the same level come adulthood.
Ah yes the number of times I use algebra and trigonometry day to day really makes it worthwhile hmm

They really won't all be at the same level. Not all adults are as educated as each other. Not all adults are as well read.

By avoiding the teaching of maths concepts and denying those skills to your children, you limit their options. I think that's a dreadful thing to do to a child. I want my children to be whoever they want to be, without barriers educational or otherwise. I don't want them to be restricted because of choices I made on their behalf.

This is interesting. My children all resist formal education to a greater or lesser degree - however they tend to relish the social side. I have seen the way they fall out with certain subjects when they're taught in an overly rigid, dull way and they way their faces light up when a subject and a teacher inspire them. School is definitely a double edged sword.

cecoldchilli and if a child wants to be an engineer they can choose to do that. That’s the beauty of radical unschooling, giving your child opportunities to be who they want to be

Not if you'd denied them a full mathematical education they couldn't!!!

Thanks greenyogagirl. This is clearly triggering some people! One minute apparently I'm neglectful and abusive, next I have just as many boundries as all those who dictate their childrens clothes/hair/sleeping/education/free time. Crazy