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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think thisDy is setting her kids up for a big fall

127 replies

Sadoldbag · 09/12/2013 16:31

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2520667/Unschooling-children

I think the daughter couldn't hack school due to not ever having to follow any rules

And this is not a new wave of parenting it's as old as time it's called bad parenting there have always been children and always will be who are allowed to do what ever.

Sadly these children tend to struggle when in any formal environment also I wonder why any parent who has no job due to there own lack of education would not want better for children

Homeschooling can be fantastic how ever I think these children are not getting the education or structure they have a right to

OP posts:

Original poster

Sadoldbag · 09/12/2013 16:34

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2520667/Unschooling-children

OP posts:

SaucyJack · 09/12/2013 16:41

If I'm being honest, I think 99% of the National Curriculum is a complete pile of irrelevant wank, and I only send my own kids so they're not at home pestering me all day........... so I kinda get where she's coming from.

Her kids will probably never pass a GSCE in Meeja Studies, but I don't doubt they'll actually be just as well set up for life in the "real world" as kids who've received a more formal education.

spanky2 · 09/12/2013 16:48

Odd to me. What experience of the world are they getting ? How will they succeed in the adult world if they've never had to learn to obey rules and get along with other people?

softlysoftly · 09/12/2013 16:49

The kids will be fine. They don't need qualifications if they never intend to work just like mum and dad.

loopylouu · 09/12/2013 16:50

I home schooled my ds until he was ten. Tbh, I was a lot more sty tired than that, but we met a lot of families that did it that way.

All of the children I knew did very well. Of the older ones, almost all went on to college at 16, then uni. Some went right into apprenticeships.

If you want qualifications you can do them, many homeschoolers start a few GcSEs at 12 and do them slowly, or do them at 16.

KungFuBustle · 09/12/2013 16:53

Got to agree with Saucy after what DS just told me.

DS had 'social dance' today. The fuck is this horseshit? Give me real subjects and proper sports.

Bunbaker · 09/12/2013 16:55

But they aren't learning about real life are the?. Their daily activities is what DD does to relax on a weekend.

The workplace is structured, it has rules, deadlines and a hierarchy. How are they going to learn that at home?

Unless they want a job stacking shelves in a supermarket they are going to need some kind of formal qualifications to get on the first rung of the job ladder.

SomethingkindaOod · 09/12/2013 16:58

softlysoftly how do you know the children don't intend to work? Did I miss that bit in the article? Unschooling in the way they do it seems a bit like opting out of your child's education to me but I would homeschool in a heartbeat if I thought we could do it.

OHforDUCKSchristmascake · 09/12/2013 17:00

Ive been thinking about this and I dont think its that bad. I did a 3 years ago. What can I remember from it? Precisely diddly squat.

What can I remember from school? Pretty much nothing. Apart from the basics.

That doesnt stop me applying for another degree to change my career direction and I have absolute faith that I can do it. I know, with no doubt in my mind that I can do it.

As someone said above, tonnes of the stuff they teach (IMO) is pointless and gets forgotten anyway.

As long as they are getting taught maths and english and par with their age then I dont see the problem.

Question is, how is she getting away with it? I need to read the link. I only skimmed an article this morning.

Anniegetyourgun · 09/12/2013 17:00

Look, you do realise that story is in the Daily Mail, right? If the whole truth were told it is unlikely to bear much resemblance to the tale as presented. It really is not worth getting in a froth over.

OHforDUCKSchristmascake · 09/12/2013 17:01

*did a degree.

Ive even forgotten how to write properly.

WilsonFrickett · 09/12/2013 17:08

funny so many people saying they don't remember anything from school and one of the few things I do remember is social dance KungFu. Tis important to know how to Gay a Gordon and Strip a Willow

BertieBowtiesAreCool · 09/12/2013 17:12

It's going to be completely twisted in the DM. I think there are a lot of benefits to "unschooling" (usually referred to as "autonomous home education" in the UK, unschooling is a US term) because it basically takes the child's interests and lust for life/learning and they explore topics through that. I think it's great and I'd do it if I wasn't a pile of unmotivated blob (because DS would end up watching TV all day and/or one of us would murder the other...)

OddBoots · 09/12/2013 17:15

I've got adult friends who were autonomously home educated - they seem absolutely fine - maybe a little more adventurous than average but still fine.

BertieBowtiesAreCool · 09/12/2013 17:20

Hmm, have read the article and it doesn't come across too badly at all. If even they can't find anything to froth over, it must be something good

UriGeller · 09/12/2013 17:27

"Today leading educators said a formal education offered children the best chance."

That's like the CEO of Cadburys saying people should eat more chocolate.

softlysoftly · 09/12/2013 17:44

It was a slightly sarcastic post by me clearly, extrapolating the fact that she is assuming a large leap between achieving entrepreneurs by allowing her dcs to play minecraft.

Where are their role models? Are their lives likely to lead them to where they can accept the structure society ultimately will need to function?

I don't actually think school is the be all and end all, there are some homeschoolers I would LIVE to emulate but feel I haven't the commitment or capability. I appreciate child led learning.

But none of that should be because the kids don't like rules and the parents then have a responsibility to create opportunities to learn which playing computer dragging round shopping and sleeping when they please is not.

Bunbaker · 09/12/2013 17:48

"That doesnt stop me applying for another degree to change my career direction and I have absolute faith that I can do it. I know, with no doubt in my mind that I can do it."

I don't think there are any degrees in Minecraft though. To do a degree you have to study and take formal exams. And to do that you need to learn how to apply yourself to learning.

bundaberg · 09/12/2013 18:01

i know several people who "unschool" their children and they're all doing brilliantly IMO.

just because they don't have a structured school day doens't mean their lives have no rules in and that they get to do what they like

Weegiemum · 09/12/2013 18:01

Ceilidh dancing is a very important social skill where I live! If you ever want to dance with a sexy man in a kilt grace the dance floor at a Scottish wedding!

riskit4abiskit · 09/12/2013 18:04

Who will give these children a job as adults? Without formal qualifications they are destined to minimum wage jobs (nothing wrong with that btw but you should never limit your opportunities). Correct me if im wrong but I thought you also needed gcses to do apprenticeships?

I have met two home schooled children and they came across as 'too old' for their ages and struggled to relate to people their own ages. I think a lot of the national curriculum is wanky but 3/4 of school is about social skills and cultural education.

Dawndonnaagain · 09/12/2013 18:09

I think for some children it's an excellent idea. I have home schooled and one is now reading Lit at university. I'd also say that Dr. Stannard is talking bunkum; schoool is the last place to pick up Critical Thinking skills or theories.

Coconutty · 09/12/2013 18:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bunbaker · 09/12/2013 18:15

Dawndonnaagain Home schooling is different from not getting any form of education at all though. In order to get to university didn't your DC have to take some form of exams first?

BerniceBroadside · 09/12/2013 18:21

Sounds like she's doing what's known as radical Unschooling. AKA educational neglect.

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