To wonder if this is what people mean by gentle parenting

[pleasemothermay1]

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3699191/Outrage-parents-allow-child-toilet-Morning-floor.html

Not sure why a one year old wouldn't have a nappy on as she clearly is not Notts trained at that age my one year old would be become destressed to be constantly wet

And what's the no medication about surely social service would become involved if they got very ill and parents did noting

Very odd

I know people that started it in the 70s and persevered for years, with livestock, chickens, orchards ... it's unbelievably hard work and even then, you still need to buy bread, soap, fabric and oil etc, which means someone has to earn money somehow.

DH was brought up like this. He spent all weekeds tending to the garden/vegetables/re-wiring the hovel.

He does not look upon his childhood with fond memories. I have never met anyone who hates gardening as much as he does.

'Breast milk is sterile as it comes from your body'.

Like shit.

I have a friend that home educates (no curriculum). Her child isn't known to the education department because she's never been registered for school.

Poor little Dylan Seabridge comes to mind here. He died of scurvy at the age of eight and was totally unknown to government agencies. (BBC link)

He may come to mind. But that is news because of how rare it is...just how many kids do you think are home edded each year?! And how many kids that go to school and see 'professionals' day in, day out slip through the net?

I'm s children's social worker. Here are some things that the (evidence-based) assessment framework used nationally tells us are not good for children's development: lack of guidance and boundaries, lack of opportunity to attend school to socialise with peers, failure to teach child to mix with adults and children in line with social norms.

Here are some things that are nationally and legally defined as neglect - not allowing a child to get an education. Not meeting the child's health needs, especially not vaccinating and seeking treatment for illness.

To me this is cut and dried neglect - you don't get to rob your child of their education just so you can put your principles first.

Also the "off grid" thing is dangerous. Children need to be visible in society to be safeguarded. The majority of social workers think home schooling should be illegal.

They haven't robbed their child of an education. What they are doing is in no way illegal, and as a 'children's social worker' I'm pretty horrified at your unprofessional claim.

Until you can prove to me that all schools are a healthy fit for all children, your opinion holds no value.

Well each to their own I guess but I don't understand why 5 is too early to teach a child to read but a 1 year old is expected to be in control of their own toileting. No one has ever been able to explain the benefits to the child to me. I'd be interested to hear though.

The same with no paracetamol - how is not giving a child pain relief beneficial? It's horrible to have a headache etc so why put a child through it if you don't have to?

Non vaccinators are just selfish though. During pregnancy I found out that my mmr hadn't taken and I wasn't immune to rubella. If I had come into contact with it it could have been awful. The people who genuinely cannot be vaccinated depend on the rest of us. Most of my grandparents' generation have the scars of childhood illness - deformities from polio etc and anyone who thinks they're no big deal are kidding themselves.

Not vaccinating your kids without a very good medical reason is neglect. Not allowing them to access medical care is neglect.

poor kids.

Typical selfish right on types with no regard for their childrens health or wellbeing. Seems like it's all about self promotion at the expense of their poor kids who have been publicly humiliated.

Wow that's interesting Witsender- my opinion holds no value? This child at five is only just beginning to recognise letters and numbers. Instead of learning at some kind of comparable rate with his peers he spends all of his days playing outside looking at nature.
That is robbing this child of his education. Unless this woman is willing and capable to teach him everything he would need to know to be a botanist, a vet, a lawyer, a teacher l, a chef, his parents are denying him choice over his future so they can prioritise their choice about how they want to live.
Sorry that offends you so greatly!

wherethewildthingis

Your lack of attention to detail is as poor as your understanding of the word "legally".

Legally no child has to attend school. Children learn (often better) outside of school. That's education too.

As for your statement about most SWs wanting to ban HE, well that's bollocks too. Majority of HE are known to local authorities and those that aren't are usually known to medical and other public services.

You're an embarrassment to your profession.

I just can't really reconcile their crunchiness with the media whoring.

She's pimping a documentary about their lifestyle!

poster wherethewildthingis Wed 20-Jul-16 19:41:11

Amen these middle class twats do the same thing as working class parents who are negelful

They hide them from authorities so they can do what they like
Not wanting there children to attend school or not allowing medical professionals to have acesss to there child also not seeking pre natel care

I was a foster carer for 6 years before I adopted and in almost all abuse and neglect cases you have one or more of the issues I have stated

They keep there children away from professionals because they know they are bat shit are they will be challanged

I once did a course run by a hv and there is a direct corallation between mothers who have refused to engage with hv and a child be neglected or abused

And btw all those who think the Nordic country's have it so right when it comes to children most ban homeschooling.

You clearly missed the bit where she said he could go to school if he wanted to.

Plenty of HE children become vets and doctors etc. And not because their parents teach them. Have you heard of tutors?

And if they lived in most other European countries he wouldn't be expected to be reading at 5. Given how far down the PISA and general happiness stakes British children are, perhaps ramming it into them when they're barely out of nappies isn't actually the best option.

Regarding the education it very much depends on what they are planning to do as home schooling.

A varied, balanced set of learning, tailored to the child which sets them up broadly in line with the school educated contemporaries is one thing. Not all kids thrive in mainstream schooling.
Allowing them to do whatever they want, not really educating them and pushing a dangerous brand of woo on them is quite another.
Something tells me this couple won't be great home educators....

Incidentally where I live, school starts at seven and before that kids just play at kindergarten. Also, home ed is illegal. I showed my Dh that news article about the little boy who died of scurvy and he went off onto one of his 'Britain, bloody savages' rants....

poster SouperSal Wed 20-Jul-16 19:54:33

no your embrassing yourself as Somone who has adopted I can tell you adopters who homeschool often wait longer for match and e to jump through more hoops for prove there not crunchy bat shit parents

Why because in general sw don't like homeschool

Doubt they will be paying for tutors

They are begging for money on
Go fund me

You clearly have no idea about child protection and

What indicators sw use to determine if a child may be at risk

Not getting medical help is one

I'm all for parental choice and home-schooling if you wish. I wouldn't do it personally but that is my choice.
They did seem to be very extreme and these children will not be able to relate to any "average joe's" when older. They won't have any shared experiences that most other people will have so might find it difficult to make friends.
They want their son to discover reading for himself. I presume they do read to them as this is proven to help form a love of language as well as increase vocabulary. However what if he never wants to learn to read? Will they just allow him to be illiterate as it is his choice?!?
I also hope that they never experience a really severe illness or disease. I'm sorry but, imo, no amount of bloody coconut oil and cuddling will get rid of cancer. It actually made me angry when they stated that they believe that these diseases are caused by negativity. They can fuck right off. I know of a much longed for baby who died at 10 months of a brain tumour. That kid had loads of cuddles and endless love but still died.
These parents are full of shit. It will be interesting to discover how they progress through the years, how the kids turn out and what the children think when they are older.

Indeed Fomohault as you say it's all about what you plan to do as a home educator. Some are great I'm sure - many are not and follow this type of not-actually-educating method.
I never said home schooling is illegal, I said not allowing a child to get an education is illegal.
I stand by all of my comments and thanks so much for my first "disgrace to your profession" of the day.

Thing about being a social worker - parents don't like to hear that actually, what they are doing is wrong for the child. Insults are par for the course when you deliver that message!

They have a 'go fund me' page?

You clearly missed the bit where she said he could go to school if he wanted to

Yes but till that might happen, she doesn't even want to homeschool. That's the point. She doesn't want to do anything with him (or the younger daughter) that would facilitate 'learning'. That's what is a little shocking to me.

That's really interesting changez.

It does seem like most of what they are doing isn't that 'out there' mixed in with dubious hippy nonsense, but they've spun it as a life style choice. If they were living on a farm rather than a flat in Brighton I'd be more impressed.
As an aside, I'm really surprised a five year old can only count to 20. Most two/three year olds can do that.

Wherethewildthingis - I'm a children's SW too. I am a bit funny about homeschooling mainly because of Kyra Ishaq (sic) and because I believe children have a right to form relationships with other adults and that that is normal and healthy. I realise lots of families homeschool who are not batshit and turn out fabulous well rounded kids but hey - I'm never going to meet those families at work. Also lots of cases in the us of multiple adoptions by the same family who homeschool and go on to be religious nutters who abuse these kids. Why a family would homeschool a normal, nt child is quite odd to me.

Hold up.... is "mum" posting on this thread?