Comments on: An Unschooling Journey – from Control to Connection http://theparentingpit.com alternative parenting | conscious living | unschooling Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:18:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Paula http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-90080 Paula Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:00:40 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-90080 Hi I have a 6 (nearly 7) year old boy and 5 year old boy and a two year old boy, and have been feeling a little nervous about the fact my almost 7 year old isn't reading yet, and how to justify this to non homeschooling/unschooling friends and family. Thanks for reminding me that the kids don't need to be doing all that 'school' type stuff!!! I knew it already, but you have moments when you waver a little and feel like you ought to prove to people that the kids really are learning....... actually the only people who I should care about in this is what the children themselves think!!!!! :-) Hi

I have a 6 (nearly 7) year old boy and 5 year old boy and a two year old boy, and have been feeling a little nervous about the fact my almost 7 year old isn’t reading yet, and how to justify this to non homeschooling/unschooling friends and family.

Thanks for reminding me that the kids don’t need to be doing all that ’school’ type stuff!!! I knew it already, but you have moments when you waver a little and feel like you ought to prove to people that the kids really are learning……. actually the only people who I should care about in this is what the children themselves think!!!!!

:-)

]]> By: Mette http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-46597 Mette Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:28:34 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-46597 Hi Arun, what a faboulous article, so well-written, inspiring, encouraging and reassuring. Reading your journey reminds me so much of my own, which started about four years ago, when my daughter was 4 yo. I used to be so much like you, with so many pre-set ideas of what was bad and "evil" from the outside world; junk food, tv, consumerism etc. I had to laugh when I read your description of trying to create a certain environment for you daughter....this is exactly what I used to try to do. No tv, only organic food, no plastic toys etc etc. To a certain extent, I still have some of these issues, but I deal with them in a very different way. And like you, I have seen it working - the internal change in my parenting and the external change in our relationship with our daughter. I just hope and wish so many more parents would encounter this philosophy and DARE to embrace it, it is such a wonderful gift to give our children, freedom of being - even before reaching the age of 18!! kind regards, Mette (Denmark) Hi Arun, what a faboulous article, so well-written, inspiring, encouraging and reassuring. Reading your journey reminds me so much of my own, which started about four years ago, when my daughter was 4 yo. I used to be so much like you, with so many pre-set ideas of what was bad and “evil” from the outside world; junk food, tv, consumerism etc. I had to laugh when I read your description of trying to create a certain environment for you daughter….this is exactly what I used to try to do. No tv, only organic food, no plastic toys etc etc. To a certain extent, I still have some of these issues, but I deal with them in a very different way. And like you, I have seen it working - the internal change in my parenting and the external change in our relationship with our daughter. I just hope and wish so many more parents would encounter this philosophy and DARE to embrace it, it is such a wonderful gift to give our children, freedom of being - even before reaching the age of 18!!
kind regards, Mette (Denmark)

]]> By: Nadine http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-39959 Nadine Mon, 03 Mar 2008 03:29:06 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-39959 Thank you for this and for your amazing site. Sometimes when I read unschooling stuff I wonder where/ how these folks were raised to have such enlightened perspectives. In your site you show each stage of the metamorphosis from conventional because that is the way I was raised parenting to I love you so much it is so great to be with you parenting. It really gives me hope to read your site because we have so far to go. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the example of your lives together Thank you for this and for your amazing site. Sometimes when I read unschooling stuff I wonder where/ how these folks were raised to have such enlightened perspectives. In your site you show each stage of the metamorphosis from conventional because that is the way I was raised parenting to I love you so much it is so great to be with you parenting. It really gives me hope to read your site because we have so far to go. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the example of your lives together

]]> By: Alexis http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-22390 Alexis Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:12:08 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-22390 This is truly a paradigm-shifting piece for me. I have been thinking a lot about DVDs and my toddler and wanting to let go of my restrictive boundaries but feeling so tight about it... It is hard for me to decide to let DVDs be unrestricted to my son. (Actually, he wasn't allowed to watch anything on DVD until I got sick in November with bronchitus.) Just this morning when he asked to watch a DVD, I said no. And yet... when I got sick and let him watch what he wanted to watch, he did a "good job" (haha -- not words I normally use) of limiting himself to what he wanted/ needed to see. So, it was my mind (NO TV!!!) grappling with my heart (let him have what he wants!!!). Thank you for shifting this into perspective for me. We've been doing this with food all along, but for some reason, DVDs are a different kettle of fish. This is truly a paradigm-shifting piece for me. I have been thinking a lot about DVDs and my toddler and wanting to let go of my restrictive boundaries but feeling so tight about it… It is hard for me to decide to let DVDs be unrestricted to my son. (Actually, he wasn’t allowed to watch anything on DVD until I got sick in November with bronchitus.) Just this morning when he asked to watch a DVD, I said no.

And yet… when I got sick and let him watch what he wanted to watch, he did a “good job” (haha — not words I normally use) of limiting himself to what he wanted/ needed to see. So, it was my mind (NO TV!!!) grappling with my heart (let him have what he wants!!!).

Thank you for shifting this into perspective for me. We’ve been doing this with food all along, but for some reason, DVDs are a different kettle of fish.

]]> By: Darlyn http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-2073 Darlyn Sat, 08 Sep 2007 21:34:45 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-2073 Thank you for that inspirational read. I thoroughly enjoyed your style of writing and was amused and inspired by your adventure into unschooling. I currently have a 6 year old son and a 1 year old daughter and have held on to nagging beliefs that they need to be kept sheltered with rules and discipline. I'm slowly starting to get into unschooling as I feel it just might be what my family needs. Thank you so much Thank you for that inspirational read. I thoroughly enjoyed your style of writing and was amused and inspired by your adventure into unschooling. I currently have a 6 year old son and a 1 year old daughter and have held on to nagging beliefs that they need to be kept sheltered with rules and discipline. I’m slowly starting to get into unschooling as I feel it just might be what my family needs. Thank you so much

]]> By: Julie http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-1568 Julie Sun, 12 Aug 2007 01:11:27 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-1568 Hi Arun so lovely to read your story and timing is perfect! As a home based learning family sometimes I have moments of doubt as to our chosen approach. Your story inspires me to continue to follow our instinct/spirit. I started out with a steiner school at home approach and gradually have swayed to a natural learning approach with some of steiner's influence yet very guided by my son and we are all grounded, happy and learning heaps together, in a joyful co-learning experience. Hi Arun
so lovely to read your story and timing is perfect! As a home based learning family sometimes I have moments of doubt as to our chosen approach. Your story inspires me to continue to follow our instinct/spirit. I started out with a steiner school at home approach and gradually have swayed to a natural learning approach with some of steiner’s influence yet very guided by my son and we are all grounded, happy and learning heaps together, in a joyful co-learning experience.

]]> By: Colleen http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-1066 Colleen Wed, 11 Jul 2007 06:09:01 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-1066 As the mama of a little one who has with full awareness chosen a kale and romaine salad over apple pie... I loved this piece! As the mama of a little one who has with full awareness chosen a kale and romaine salad over apple pie… I loved this piece!

]]> By: arun http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-783 arun Sat, 23 Jun 2007 11:03:13 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-783 thanks for all of the generous and supportive feedback so far, but dont worry... not everyone loved the article! Some people have used terms such as "misguided", "insane", "irresponsible" in relation to what I wrote here, particularly in relation to food. Read <a href="http://theparentingpit.com/2007/06/19/the-backlash-begins/" rel="nofollow">the debate initiated by the Weston Price nutrition and food people here</a>. thanks for all of the generous and supportive feedback so far, but dont worry… not everyone loved the article! Some people have used terms such as “misguided”, “insane”, “irresponsible” in relation to what I wrote here, particularly in relation to food.

Read the debate initiated by the Weston Price nutrition and food people here.

]]> By: Clare http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-771 Clare Fri, 22 Jun 2007 18:32:30 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-771 Thank you for writing this. I could have written it myself about our children! Thank you for writing this. I could have written it myself about our children!

]]> By: Fiona http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-591 Fiona Sat, 02 Jun 2007 11:43:45 +0000 http://theparentingpit.com/about/an-unschooling-journey-–-from-control-to-connection/#comment-591 That's a brilliant read Arun - and...just what I needed to hear right now... XX That’s a brilliant read Arun - and…just what I needed to hear right now… XX

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