[mnm4242]

Hi Mamas!

I have this crazy desire to homeschool or unschool. I say crazy (no offense to you gals) but I am a pretty mainstream person. Recently turned somewhat crunchy, but I wouldn't even say that.

For example, I'm just learning how to prepare meals on a regular basis. I know it's bad, but I grew up on all the processed food and my mom took me to malls and salons, but never taught me any domestic stuff (Cooking, sewing, crafty things, etc)

I had my first baby back in May 2008 and it has changed me. Well I was changing before that, but change is hard and it's hard to be consistent.

It started with me starting to care about the environment. Then it progressed to what kinda mom I want to be. I want to change the mold. My mom provided lots of love to me (so she has my 100% respect), but she is definitely not crunchy AT ALL. (very superficial, very mainstream, doesn't care about the environment, eats out all the time, let me CIO (good thing I turned out ok)).

Well to make a long story short, how can I know if unschooling or even homeschooling would work for my daughter. I do not know ANYONE who unschools or even homeschools. I first heard about unschooling on WIFESWAP and was SHOCKED!!!

How do you guys become unschoolers? What kinda person does it take for it to work. I just feel so nervous that I would mess up my kids future.

What do you mamas think? (my baby is only 11 months old so I do have some time)

 

[midnightwriter]

Hi! Welcome!

For me it was definitely a slow and gradual process. When DD1 was about 10 months old, I realised I wanted to homeschool; at that point I was interested in Waldorf...So I started reading a lot about that, and slowly realised that 1. DD was not a good fit for Waldorf and 2. I wasn't as crazy about some of the Waldorf ideas. I don't remember how I stumbled on unschooling, but i remember reading John Holt (How children learn and How Children Fail) at that time and thinking, oh Wow, we found our way!

Then it took some time for DH to accept the idea. Now he's an avid unschooling advocate. He loved Holt and also was very influenced by "Hold on to your Kids" by Gordon Neufeld (not an unschooling book, though)

I think we all feel nervous at times about messing up our kids' future. Sending them to school is not a solution to this worry.

For me, I just know, with certainty, that following their lead, respecting their choices, living our life fully--this just can't "mess them up" no matter what.

:

 

[ankh]

Of course you can! Start reading. That helped me decide.

"Dumbing us down" By John Taylor Gatto is the first book I read. I would go to the library and get as many books out as you can, or look on Amazon for second hand copies of books on homeschooling, there are many!

Good luck, it's a very liberating (and exciting) decision.

 

[jillc512]

Don't let a "mainstream" upbringing stop you from doing your own thing with your kids. I ate a lot of Kraft mac 'n cheese growing up, and DH's family ate way too much bologna

(his sister liked to eat Cheetos and cottage cheese wrapped up in bologna -- ewwwww).

I definitely agree that it's a gradual process. I originally wanted to hs because I wanted to be a teacher when I was little (I think mostly because I wanted to boss people around

). After doing a lot of reading over the last few years, here we are unschooling.

Second the Dumbing us Down recommendation. Also, "Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense" and anything by John Holt.

 

[Serendipity]

I would wager to guess that the people who decide on unschooling before birth are in the minority and most people come to it throughout the preschool years or after their kids have done school or school-at-home of some kind.

I wasn't raised in an 'alternative' family either. We've just learned and adjusted as time went on.

I think you're in an ideal position to unschool, you've got lots of time to learn.

You don't have to be domestic and crafty, you just have to be willing to let your child follow their interests and support them in that.

 

[LauraN]

Go check out whatever John Holt books you can find. You'll be talking the talk in no time! Seriously.

I've been homeschooling a little over a year and just recently started reading John Holt and was immediately converted. He just makes so much sense.

As for mainstream-ness, unschoolers come in all sorts of molds, believe me.

You should join a homeschool park group just for fun and to start getting into the scene. We have lots of moms with babies and toddlers in our park group, so you won't feel out of place. The more you absorb before your child hits school age, the more prepared you'll feel to... just keep on doing what you've been doing while all her peers head off to school.

:

Welcome aboard!

 

[vegmama3]

You should look for home/unschool groups on Yahoo Groups and Meetup! You can get alot of support by finding moms nearby to get together with. You would be suprised to se how many homeschoolers there are where you live!

Good Luck!