Unschooling Mom
Unschooling for us is as much about deschooling ourselves as parents as it is about any particular approach to education. Thus, unschooling in our home means not only honoring our sons’ natural curiosity and choosing to allow their innate desire to learn thrive unhindered; but just as importantly, to trust in this process and to let go of our own preconceived notions about what this might look like at any given moment.
So much of our journey is therefore simply about deprogramming ourselves. My writing is as much about my journey to learn to trust more deeply as it is about my sons’ varied paths in exploring the world. Given our historical and cultural approach to child-rearing, this is not always easy. I have doubts sometimes and worry about my choices (like most thinking parents do). I fail, often, and fall very short of that to which I strive.
Be that as it may, there are nevertheless ever more moments of clarity in which I can see the outpouring of an innate curiosity, a drive to discover, a passion so alive in my sons that I pause in wonder. In these moments all doubts cease, for I know there is a wisdom at work much more brilliant than anything I could ever have fathomed, let alone teach.
There are of course many more reasons for choosing to keep my children at home; but for me at least, they all flow from one central principle: namely, a deep and abiding commitment to allow my sons the time, the support and the freedom to delve deep into the mysteries of both themselves and their world.
10 Things That GeekDad.com Writer Learned After 10 Years of Homeschooling
Posted in Homeschooling on January 11, 2017
As you might know, many of the GeekMom and GeekDad writers of GeekDad.com homeschool their children. Yesterday, Jenny Bristol published an post titled, 10 Things I’ve Learned in 10 Years of Homeschooling. Because not every Homeschool Base reader follows Geek Dad, and I enjoyed the list, here is the quick and simple. I've included my comments after each Read More »
Free Minecraft Ebooks for Children
Posted in Resources on December 31, 2016
Note: Most of the ebook titles in the image are free, but some of them are only free with Kindle Unlimited. I also can't guarantee that the ebooks will still be free after the date of posting this article. I believe almost all of these ebooks are 'unofficial' Minecraft ebooks, all written by fans and Read More »
The Best Learning Toys and STEM Toys
Posted in Reviews on November 21, 2016
Children play in all sorts of different ways. There is no such thing as a 'right' way or a 'wrong' way. Because Christmas and the holidays are coming up, we created a great gift guide for kids toys. It shouldn't be surprising that we have chosen to focus on learning toys. There are hundreds and hundreds of Read More »
Why "Our Babies Ourselves" Is My Favorite Parenting Book
Posted in Book Reviews on November 8, 2016
A book review for: Our Babies, Ourselves: How Biology and Culture Shape the Way We Parent by Meredith F. Small from Amazon Book Review of Our Babies Ourselves: How Biology and Culture Shape the Way we Parent by Meredith Small This is without doubt one of my all time favorite parenting books. I read this when my first son Read More »
Homeschooling Ideas: Educational Scrapbooking Projects
Posted in Homeschooling, Language Arts on November 3, 2016
Scrapbooking Makes Any Craft Lover's Project Fun, Beautiful and Easily Preserved Scrapbooking - for some, it is an amusing past time. For others, an obsession. And for people like me, sitting down to work on a scrapbook layout is like taking on a mission. As a homeschooling mom always looking for new ideas and projects, Read More »
