Initiation Rituals

Apr 15 2013

Drinking from the River, Initiation Rituals

Money for something

Tantrums. Tantrums. Tantrums. How to turn the inevitable misery into a learning opportunity? How about the chance to turn “no you can’t have it” into yes, we don’t have money today but we can put it on hold until tomorrow and open your piggy bank and count it the money from grandmas birthday gift of $5. Then we can bring the money to buy it tomorrow! Yay! A lesson in delayed gratification that might actually now make sense to her. She is ready. And along the way we are learning counting, saving, responsibility for our own needs and belongings, weighing our options, and appreciation for thoughtful gifts. I see a light at the end of the tunnel of tantrums. But I also see many more challenges coming my way with this new lesson about what money can do, and I’m sure that freedom to choose will bring other frustrations for Phoenix, also. But today’s lesson feels like a tiny step up. I’m looking forward to seeing what Phoenix will do with that money tomorrow. Will it still be the stretchy lizard that is the cutest thing ever, or will money become another cruel limitation?

Mar 08 2013

Drinking from the River, In the Cave, Initiation Rituals

The path less traveled

How did we get here?
http://m.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201203/what-leads-families-unschool-their-children-report-ii

Mar 08 2013

Drinking from the River, In the Cave, Initiation Rituals, Wise(wo)men

My motto

“We are social creatures, and it is very difficult for us to behave in ways that run counter to what others perceive as normal. In the history of cultures, harmful normative practices or rituals may persist for centuries at least partly because of the stigma, or perceived stigma, associated with violating the norms. These have included such practices as foot binding in the upper classes in China and genital mutilation in many other cultures. Even people who knew that such practices were harmful did them, because failure to do so would mark the family as “different” and therefore aberrant. School is the most predominant cultural ritual of our time. It is a practice ingrained as normal, even necessary, in the minds of the great majority of people. To counter it, one must overcome not just others’ negative judgments, but also the judgments that rise up from one’s own school-indoctrinated mind.”- Peter Gray writes in an article about the common challenges as named by unschooling families. Being outside of normal may well be a lonely path but i believe it is one worth taking. My motto, which I didn’t know until I heard it sung, is “F**k you, I won’t do what you tell me!” (-thank you , you so eloquently spoke my mind. Boy, am I asking for it from my kids! I guess I’m raising them to question everything! Yikes!) As I reflect, I see that it is my eternal inborn drive to question and analyze all accepted “truths” that makes this moto so fitting.

Mar 08 2013

Drinking from the River, In the Cave, Initiation Rituals, It Takes a Village

Child seeking unqualified teacher

This Fraser institute study of homeschooling is full of fascinating things to think about. Particularly regarding what i enjoy calling the “unqualifications”that homeschool parents (don’t) require in relation to children’s academic performance (p. 13-14) and the well-loved myth of the “unsocialized” beast that is the home schooler.
http://www.fraserinstitute.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2953

Mar 08 2013

Drinking from the River, Initiation Rituals

Is it definable?

What is unschooling?
http://m.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201109/what-is-unschooling-invitation-survey

Mar 08 2013

Initiation Rituals, Wise(wo)men

From the horse’s mouth

An interview with an adult unschooler
http://m.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201204/meet-kate-fridkis-who-skipped-k-12-and-is-neither-weird-nor-homeless

Mar 06 2013

By the Fire, Initiation Rituals

Is unschooling lonely?

http://www.unschooler.com/2011/12/finding-community/

It may be lonely for the parents too. Watch for my post coming soon about my motto.

Feb 20 2013

Initiation Rituals, It Takes a Village

If I build it, will they come?

Having failed to find a local unschooling community, I have decided to initiate one myself. The scary thing is, people are signing up! So thank goodness for this inspirational article to help me on my way to creating my dream community!

http://www.homegrown.org/forum/topics/community-building-101