Katherine Kate Anderson shared Ronnie Sundance Maier's status update.
September 6 at 2:00pm
Ronnie Sundance Maier
Bear with me while I attempt to articulate something intangible. People ask sometimes whether unschooling "works." They want to know if it it provides an education equivalent to public school. The answer ranges from "of course" to "hell no, and that's why we do it" to "beats the hell outta me" (because most of us who do it simply don't care as long as our kids are happy and successful by their own definition of the word). But what is perfectly clear now that my unschoolers are grown is that it builds excellent relationships, not only between parent and child but between parents and all the people our children bring into our lives. Eventually even the friends who have been schooled and traditionally (or wretchedly) parented--the ones who interact with us at first with great caution and restraint--come to realize that we are more interested in *them* than in their ability to "measure up" or conform or achieve in any way beyond what they choose for themselves. They begin to trust in our interest and our (relative) lack of judgment. We become contemporaries instead of adversaries, and we have FUN. And then they know they can come to us if/when they need help. I don't say this to sound smug or special: What we do for these *people* is not particularly difficult and doesn't stem from any particular talent. It shouldn't *seem* particularly special. But, yes, it WORKS. We have friends of all ages, and our kids have friends of all ages, and we can count on each other for fun, and to listen. It works. #unschoolingmoments #100unschooldays
