Learning naturally without coercion can take many unexpected turns. This is a story about how a young person starts showing interest for math through their own intrinsic motivation.
Tag: unschooling
Raising a neurodivergent teen
My neurodivergent teen is developing and getting both more independent and autonomous – but in other ways that I hadn’t expected. I just need to stop comparing him to other kids AND TRUST him and his process.
Magic moments in unschooling
Rituals remind us that unschooling isn’t just about learning – it’s about wholeheartedly experiencing LIFE and life’s milestones together. It’s about those magic moments.
Supporting a neurodivergent teen
My son is developing and getting both more independent and autonomous – but in ways that I hadn’t expected. I just need to observe carefully to see it, and stop comparing him to other kids. And trust him and his process.
Triggers that turn us inside out
So, what is triggering for you? Is it toothbrushing? Or having to leave on time and your kid not ever getting ready? Or is it when your kid talks back? Or when you recognize that your kid has privileges you didn’t have as a child? Or maybe when they get upset or sad? Or don’t clean up their mess even though they agreed to do it?
We all have different triggers, and not only do we need to understand what they are – we also need to figure out what they are about.
When did you stop playing?
Learning through play is basically free exploration without external pressure to create a specific result. This is where learning takes place, completely spontaneously and without any adult directing or interfering with the process.
The pitfalls of treating kids like adults
When we place too high expectations on our kids we may unintentionally set them up for failure. Yes, we need to help prepare them for the world, but by letting them practice being responsible, and with the awareness that we adults need to be ready to step in and take back that responsibility whenever it’s too much to handle for our kids.
Does the perfect parent exist?
Perfectionism isn’t a realistic expectation to have – not on ourselves and definitely not on our kids. We are human and it means we will keep on messing up. That’s okay, as long as we do the necessary repair work.
The role of the unschooling parent
We often stumble across blog posts and articles that kind of hand us a list of the things we need to do as unschooling parents. Basically, we refer to them as the myths of the role of an unschooling parent!