Is your area good for unschooling? If so, how and why and where in the world do you live?

[Pookietooth]

We have relatively recently moved back to northern California after a stint in the Pacific Northwest. We thought that moving back here would give us more outdoor time, but we haven't really clicked with any of the homeschooling or unschooling families and we have had real trouble being motivated to do anything. I was hoping some of you could post what about your area makes it good (or not good) for unschooling, such as laws, weather, support groups, etc. I am posting this really quick because my three year old my want to nurse any minute now. We are thinking of moving yet again, but really don't want to keep moving around in search of a new home -- we are not really the living in an RV types.

Thanks for your posts!

[nettlesoup]

I live in Scotland and it's great for unschooling. Here in Edinburgh there is a great network of homeschoolers and unschoolers. The laws are also really relaxed; as long as a child has never been to school, the government or council does not get involved at all and you can pretty much do what you want. The only downside to Scotland is the weather; it's usually cold and wet, and more recently the Summers have been almost non existent.
 

[chrisnjeri]

We live in Lincoln, Nebraska.  My LO is only 2, but we have met quite a few of the local unschooling/homeschooling moms, and it is a very supportive network.  We are adjusting to the change in winter climate (moved here from Arizona) but get outside most days of the week - Lincoln has a great parks & rec. department.  Nebraska is very home educating-friendly, and also great if you're interested in gardening.  The biggest drawback for me so far is no mountains.  But people are friendly, there is a great LLL support system, and a lot of naturally-minded families.  There is also an API group that we are hoping will resume meetings soon.

Hope this is the type of info you are seeking!

[ancoda]

I found Portland, Oregon to have one of the best unschooling environments of anywhere I have lived.  The weather is overcast or even light rain a good portion of the year, but once you get use to it people are out and doing things in that weather all the time. 

Austin, texas area has a very good environment for unschooling.  Austin has  great weather for most of the year with just the middle of summer being way to HOT to want to ever go outside.

[pek64]

Homeschooling groups come and go in the suburbs. We live in PA, so weather is variable, depending on the season. Libraries, bookstores, and science or educational stores were in abundance when my son was young. Now, not so much. But I think that's the times, not location.

[hiagain]

Have you considered that if you follow your own interests that you can create your own network based on something other than unschooling/home education - for instance is there a book club or sporting club or outdoor adventure club in your area?  Also give yourselves a break.  It can take time to settle into a new area and your children sound young, so it's difficult to be motivated to do anything other than live from day to day.

[Pookietooth]

My interests are not really going to work for us, since they involve things my kids don't like -- hiking, concerts, and reading (I actually don't read anymore anyway, nor do I hike or go to concerts, so I guess you could say I have no interests right now). My nine year old likes computer games, Star Wars, making clay things, and that's about it, so there aren't any clubs for those (he does take a clay studio class now though but the other kids in it are all teen girls). My three year old is just into watching TV and sometimes crafts. So thus the desire to find a homeschooling group. I guess.

[pek64]

It's a lot of work, but you may want to start a group of some sort. Either homeschooling, or simple arts and crafts, or Legos or some other construction toy.

[rightkindofme]

I'm in the SF Bay Area! I'm part of a pretty great homeschooling group! http://www.meetup.com/DaVinci/  We have a lot of activities and it's ok to come once a month, once a week, or three times a week depending on how much you want to be involved. (I range between once a week to every other week myself) 

The group has gotten a lot larger over the past year. We have several kids up in the 11/12 range all the way down to mom's having new babies every few months. There are a fair number of highly religious parents but none of them have been offended that I am an atheist who swears.   We have a nice blend of formally school-at-home people and unschoolers and everything in between. Lots of online charter action.

It's mostly in the east bay. We have a number of peninsula people who drive over because they like us. :)