Tell me what you really think.
Oh no I'm first?
I have to confess, I don't read homeschooling blogs. They upset me. With a few exceptions, of course. So many people homeschool for all the wrong reasons, and they are of course the most vocal ones in the blogosphere. To pull your children out of school because the school actually TEACHES them something that you do NOT want them to know... is something I cannot comprehend. These are my thoughts on the first part of your post.
On the second part, I agree wholeheartedly about the ranting teachers. Heck, I'm a ranting parent myself. I've been accused by fellow parents on the 'net of having a negative attitude towards school and passing it to my children. "With the attitude you have", I was told, "it's no wonder that your teenage son doesn't want to have anything to do with school."
I replied that this was not the case. That I, in fact, have a lot of faith in public schools. That, if I hadn't, I would've quit complaining about them a long time ago. What's the point complaining about something that cannot be improved? I believe that there is a lot my children can learn in their schools, both academically and socially. But at the same time I believe that their schools have tremendous room for improvement. I like to think of it as potential. So, next time I rant about one thing or another in my kids' schools, remember... I am pushing them towards achieving their full potential.
Great post. I homeschooled for awhile way back when, but not for the reasons you discussed. My child was behind...he wasn't ready for middle school. I attempted to get him where he needed to be math wise. I agree with you though, and I have found the most well rounded, able to carry on an intelligent conversation homeschooled students are the ones that are receiving a well rounded curriculum not just what the family likes to spend time on.
I wish you were a teacher in my son's high school. We need more like you.
I agree with the homeschool dissapointment. I am yet to meet a homeschooled teenager that I think will actually make it successfully on the outside after 18. There is a reason teachers need a degree, and parents should parent. Homeschooled children strike me as socially ignorant and far too sheltered about real world things.
So who balances your checkbook? believe it or not, that's algebra. Or figures out how much yardage to make a dress? Or how many gallons of paint to buy. Or how to double or triple a recipe? Travel time estimates; comparisons between how long it takes to walk vs. drive....let alone the whole "there's one thing missing...what is it?" problem. Admittedly it's pretty simple algebra...but my guess is you do use it.
I love your blog and your common sense attitude, your creativity with your students, your love for your job, but oops with the algebra thing.
In the post, you said:
Shouldn't it be a source of pride, not fear, when a child comes home with new ideas?
You mean a new idea like homeschoolers who follow their children's interests rather than impose a standardized curriculum on them?
I see a lot of fear -- not to mention loathing -- in your reaction to that unfamiliar idea.
The worst things about public school are the best reasons for their existence. Socialization -- so painful for so many kids, but the most valuable thing we teach them. Uncomfortable subject matter -- I think the parents who homeschool want to control every idea in their child's head, but that's going to just bite them on the ass some day. It's a big world out there and unless your child learns about all of it, he/she won't be prepared to live in any of it.
I tried to ping this post from my blog without success. The error said to contact Halo-scan.
Excellent post!
Uisce --
"Socialization" these days means daisy-chain BJs in the bathrooms.
Or Rap Bling. Or Pimps & Hos.
Check out the South Park episode "Stupid Spoiled Whore Video Playset" (aka "The Paris Hilton episode") for a whacked-out-but-based-in-fact example of today's socialization.
This is me. Sending you a big hug. You said it. And algebra teaches thinking. You think lots. Thus the algebra was not wasted on you.
I'm one of those parents. Yeah, we're homeschoolers. Yes, I do want to have control over what my children are taught. I want them to learn about things like evolution. And the Big Bang Theory. And a 12 billion-year-old universe. And Latin. And Arabic. And an appreciation for the Old Masters. And classical music.
Yeah, we march to the beat of a different drum.
Reading, writing, and basic math are things everybody needs to know. Everything else is an elective, and I see no reason why those electives shouldn't be driven by the child's interests.
When I took my son out of the public school system, it wasn't because of what the teachers were teaching him, it was what his peers were teaching him.
You can call me old fashioned if you like - but 1st grade is too young to be talking about oral sex.
Thanks and goodbye!
I am beginning to home school one of my children this year. I agree with you on the whole "homeschooling to LIMIT what children learn" thing. I will never limit what my children wish to learn. Knowledge is power. If you decide to not teach children something, they will look for someone else to teach it to them, and you never know what they will be learning then.
I am homeschooling my son because after being diagnosed with a minor learning disorder...Wait, that's not the right word. He has a problem processing written language. He has an "amazing" (teacher's word) vocabulary, and his reading comprehension is above his grade level. However, it takes him at least twice as long to read as the rest of the children his age, and I still have trouble reading the simplest sentences that he writes. He's going into 6th grade.
How does the school deal with this? Well, his special education classes actually went well. Basically, they just had him do extra reading/writing excercizes. The rest of his schoolwork, however, was thrown to the sidelines. It's not that his teachers didn't care, it's just that, with the testing and the possibility of losing funding, they needed to get test scores high. And, since he had been "diagnosed," he was less of a problem in that area.
He didn't come home with worksheets half done, he came home with blank worksheets. When I'd ask him about them, he told me he was allowed to work in groups. (Which, if I know my son at all, means he sat back and let everyone else do the work.)
They were all prepared to set him up with a special computer program, so he didn't ever have to write. He just speaks into a microphone, and the computer writes for him.
In my opinion, these are not the answers. There will be no computer or a group of peers there to fill out his job applications.
Hee. Am I allowed to rant here, too?
Unschooling does not necessarily mean that you are going 100% by your child's interests. Unschooling, for the most part, means that you don't feel learning has to be confined to the state's predetermined course of study for your child's "grade level". Unschooling means that that you *encourage* your child's natural interests and don't chain them to what the government "experts" say a child should have learned by grade such-and-such. If my child reads on a 5th grade level by 1st grade, she isn't sitting in a classroom spinning her wheels and getting in trouble while the other kids are learning that C-A-T spells CAT. My kids aren't confined to desks and one room. They aren't confined to studying one year of world history when the world has existed for thousands of years, and 10 years of studying US history/social studies when the US has existed for 230 years. If we are studying butterflies they can observe butterflies hovering around my scuppernong vine instead of looking at a picture in a book.
That's what unschooling is. It is NOT lazing around waiting for the child to decide he or she is in the mood to "do school".
Wow, these are interesting comments, can I use your blog to reply to some of them? I hope you don't mind 
Angela - I understand 100%. My 13yo has Aspergers. Believe me, the thought of homeschooling crosses my mind on a regular basis. In our family's current circumstances however, it is not possible, so I am instead concentrating on trying to make the school system work for him. It's an uphill battle and it requires a lot of interaction with teachers and a lot of special adjustments, but I'm positive that we'll get there.
COD - this was true in the 19th century. This is no longer true now. It is a competitive world. Do you want your children to be able to earn a living?
Unicorn Guy - BJs in the bathrooms? Pimps and Hos? Wow, my children must be going to the wrong school. I've heard about BJs before, is this some kind of a legend that circulates in the HSing circles in order to keep the parents from enrolling their children in public schools? South Park is a great show, but it does not paint an accurate picture of an elementary school, nor does it intend to.
Daryl - the beat may be not as different as you think. If there were more parents like you, the world would be a better place.
Oh...and I also wanted to say I totally agree with ths statement:
"To limit a child's access to knowledge is a SIN."
Amen a million times! That's why unschooling works. You are NOT limiting a child's access to knowledge. You are building upon what knowledge the child already possesses and introducing related activities to compliment it. A child is not an empty pitcher to fill--a child is a flower to watch bloom.
Goldie, In the 19th century , you could do quite well without much in the way of reading or math skills. A plot of land, an ox, and enough math to sell your produce at a profit was all anybody needed to support a family. With strong reading and writing skills, and math up through about first year algebra and geometry, you have everything you need today to learn whatever else it is that you may want to learn. School is not required to learn math, reading, or writing. For a lot of kids, school is a hindrance to learning.
Who decided it was more important that kids spend 1/2 a year studying the culture and economy of Ghana, versus learning the identity and habits of every bird that visits the back yard feeder? There are a gazillion things somebody might want to learn, and the idea that a room full of middle aged bureaucrats at the state capital knows better than each kid and his or her parents is quite frankly, ludicrous.
I agree with COD. We have "schooled" ours the way he describes and I have 2 grown daughters who are working and making a good living. Everyone they have ever worked for has complimented them on their work ethic, their ability to pick up on things quickly, and their willingness to do their job thoroughly without trying to shirk.
If I have disadvantaged them in any way by allowing them to learn as they have, I have yet to see it. My oldest daughter is doing especially well. She put her first sales commission check in the bank last week, as a matter of fact This commission is above and beyond her regular pay. And truth be told, she earned more than her dad did last week 
So much for unschoolers not being able to earn a living.
My unschooled son is about to embark on a year of international study in South America at age 18. He recently received his Eagle Scout award, something that only about 4% of scouts earn (second unschooled son has also earned this). He went out and got his own job and was quickly the boss's favorite because of his social skills, dependability, maturity and ability to deal with the business side (cash register, taxes, etc.) (That's almost an exact quote from the boss's letter of recommendation). The boss said he was the first young employee he'd had who'd ever had REAL questions about how the businesss operates and showed aptitude for learning it. He shared his room for the last year with our Ecuadoran exchange student son, learning Spanish and not exactly being sheltered from ideas outside our family, our community, our country, and our culture. He is interested in the study of religions, philosophy, history, political science, sociology, psychology, ethics and international cultures. He will be studying music in South America, among other things. He is currently interested in the possibility of a law enforcement-related career and plans to attend college when he returns to the U.S. He recently completed directing a project, working with adults and teens who were both professionals and volunteers, where he created an interpretative trail, explaining the history and natural history of the Arkabutla Lake area of Mississippi (you saw this lake referred to in the movie O Brother Whereart Thou -- the flood) on a series of very professional permanent park-quality signs. He is at ease in both computer-geek world and among his many teenage friends. He regularly writes articles and has them accepted, despite never having had a writing "class."
Yeah, clearly this unschooling thing has limited him in all kinds of ways. Sarcasm: He's sheltered, he's socially inept, he has no leadership skills, no academic skills, no independence, no ability to earn a living, no goals, and just no sense of adventure.
I can think of 10 unschooled teens or college kids off the top of my head who have similar resumes. If you folks have met an odd or inept unschooler here and there, be glad that we unschoolers don't stereotype all schooled kids based on some of the students we've met who attend(ed) public schools. Also, keep in mind that often parents do bring home their odd and inept kids and homeschool them because of the social devastation they experience at the hands of the Cool Kids and High Stakes Testing. So it's not surprising that odd, inept kids are still odd and inept kids when they are unschooled -- they just aren't crucified for it and have some hope of pulling together the semblance of a life in a nurturing and accepting environment that meets them where they are and provides encouragement rather than castigation.
Clearly it is easier to criticize something one knows little about and to use a broad brush to paint stereotypes based on limited experience.
But it might be a SIN to limit your knowledge about such a successful, viable method of education without research, understanding, and reflection on the ways that unschooling produces interesting, successful, independent citizens who contribute to our communities, volunteer for our military, provide intellectual diversity at our universities, and contribute creatively to our economy.
Sheesh.
Angela,
If your son's sole problem is getting written words on a page a dictation program might be an excellent solution. I haven't used it yet, but the current version of Naturally Speaking gets rave reviews. The error rate is supposed to be down under 1%.
A fringe benefit to using dication software is that one has to speak the punctuation period. I know comma when I was using it comma I was much more aware of the structure of the sentence period.
Jeanne,
This is a great story and I am very happy for your son. But something tells me you didn't start out by saying you can only teach him reading, writing and 'rithmetic and then he'll figure out what else he wants to know.
Believe it or not, I researched unschooling a few years ago. On the unschooling.com site, under success stories, I came across a story of am mother whose children learned to read when they were, if memory serves me, 15, 17 and 13 years old. You have real success stories, like yours. And then you have this... This essay is not on the website anymore, gee I wonder why.
I completely understand how different menthods of schooling work for different children/families. All I'm saying is that it would be good if we parents used our good judgement to determine if our child would do better with home education than he would at school. And, conversely, whether our child would be better served in school because we are not qualified enough to give him adequate education on or own at home. I know I'm not qualified to do that, so I'm not even trying.
Another thing and I promise I will stop hogging Mamacita's blog. One of the reasons why I stopped reading homeschool blogs is the unbelievable venom and vitriol towards public schools and people who work there that I saw on almost every one of those sites. People sling around the wildest accusations based on nothing except urban legends and their own experience in school back in the seventies. Talk about "limiting your knowledge about a successful, viable method of education without research, understanding, and reflection"!
Well Goldie, if "something" is telling you that, you'd better check on your "something." He has precisely figured out what he wants to know. That's what we've done. Kids who are given power over their lives are extraordinarily able to divine what they want and need to learn and do.
I know, it's very counter-intuitive. We are so "schooled" as a society that we are just SURE that unschooling can't work. We are just sure that the successful ones (whatever that means) have been sneaking in something else. But I've been doing this for years and know many, many unschooling families who can tell these stories.
And by the way, my kid is no academic prodigy in any way. I'd describe him as "average," but his accomplishments have been unleashed by the workings of unschooling.
So what about the parents? Well, I've found that it is COMMITMENT more than any other quality that makes unschooling kids able to have the kind of lives that my son has had. Not patience, not money, not education, but commitment. And if I had to add a second quality, I'd add that it helps to have a kind of nurturing acceptance. That is, for instance, my oldest son didn't always do what *I* would feel most comfortable with him studying or learning, but I accepted his interests and nurtured them.
Unschooling doesn't mean Un-everything. It means, not schooling. So, my kids have not gotten "un" from me, they've just gotten "not school." They have gotten commitment and nurturing acceptance. They have been supported in their choices. When they were interested in weaving, we learned about weaving. When they were interested in ice skating, we went ice skating. When they were interested in money, we opened bank accounts and learned about investing. My 8 year old is currently on a volcano kick that promises to never end, so we are at the library, watching videos, etc. My COMMITMENT to him and his interests provides the material.
As for late readers, pegging that one on unschooling is sort of funny, considering the rate of illiteracy among high school students and our population in general, considering the vast majority of our citizens are products of public schooling rather than homeschooling. I would say if a homeschool student learns to read at 17, he is doing quite a bit better than public school students who do not learn to read EVER. Would I be worried? I'm sure I would. But the truth is, that is so hugely the exception among the hundreds of unschooling families I know that I can't say I'd be any more worried than if it were a student in government schools who can't read at 17.
Students in schools who do not learn to read at 13, 15 or 17 are highly stigmatized and unable to learn other material that is presented by text, which is the vast majority of all material beginning in about 4th grade, but certainly thru middle and high school. Homeschooled students who are late readers continue to learn in other ways and receive support for their "personhood," while still receiving encouragement to learn to read and the information they need as they are ready for it. If I were going to have a late reading child, who perhaps has challenges that make reading difficult, I'd a lot rather have him home with me than in school!
I think that studying reading acquisition in an unschooled population would be quite revelatory (not that we like to be studied). My 8 year old did not learn to read until this year, but spent only several weeks (or less?) at the beginning levels and was on to third grade books within a month. I do believe that many of our preconceptions about reading on a certain time-table are based on a schooled model, where children who do not read "on grade level" are unable to achieve compensatory accomplishments because of how all the other material is presented (as reading matter). They are then "doomed to failure" as we hear over and over ad nauseum. We just don't hear this in our homeschooling communities, where late readers continue to learn and don't get "doomed."
OK, one more thing. There is "unbelievable venom and vitriol toward public schools among some homeschoolers." I must point out that most unschoolers I know are refugees from public school. They sent their kids and did EVERYthing in their power to create a positive situation for them. Often, for YEARS. Their negative attitude is not based on urban legend, but first-hand experience! And, hhhmm, most of the unschoolers I know went to school just a little more recently than the seventies -- and indeed, they often do site their own experience in school as a reason they will homeschool their own kids. Most of us have friends and relatives who are in the school systems - and a lot of us get our "material" from their complaints! Not to mention the many sad, sordid news stories. And, what teachers will tell you when they don't feel you are going to betray their trust is quite incredible.
Now, I'm not saying homeschooling is for everyone or that public schooling is bad for every child or every family. I just don't think in those sorts of absolutes. Additionally, the same as it is possible for parents of a schooled child to neglect their parental responsibilities, I believe it is possible for the parents of an unschooled child to neglect their parental responsibilities. I would say, though, that mostly, such neglectful parents "self-select" themselves OUT of the unschooling population -- it's a choice that does require more time and commitment, so unschooling's adherents (and homeschooling's adherents in general)tend not to be neglectful parents who, after all, find they can more easily send their children to school.
I don't think school bashing is very attractive or likely to win friends for homeschooling -- but I have to tell you, when you've been living your life with love and logic and creativity and a schedule that makes sense for your kids and the ability to address your kids' strengths and weaknesses and immersive amounts of time together etc., government school does begin to look a little loony. The default gets all mixed up in your mind, and you think, now why is it that MY education choice is seen as whacko? We're lying around here reading Shakespeare, playing MAD LIBS, designing computer games, going to museums/mall/dollar store, sprouting seeds and learning constellations in a supportive, accepting environment that takes into account all our learning styles and interests. This is somehow "limiting?"
This first-hand experience tops all the "research, understanding and reflection" I have done on public schools, including having been a school system employee, a parent of school children, daughter of a school teacher, daughter-in-law of a school principal, and a student for whom school was, personally, a really good fit.
Yes, "it would be good if we parents used our good judgement to determine if our child would do better with home education than he would at school. And, conversely, whether our child would be better served in school because we are not qualified enough to give him adequate education on or own at home. I know I'm not qualified to do that, so I'm not even trying."
Goldie, I'm with you until you get to "qualified." I hear this a lot, and I have to say that it's a schooled notion. I'm not qualified to teach my kids because of any "qualifications," but because I'm their interested, committed mother. A great many more parents could consider homeschooling or unschooling if they understood that it's not about degrees or curricula or qualifications. And it's worse, when these parents also presume to be able to judge others' qualifications to homeschool, without understanding how it really works.
Or, to cut to the chase, to homeschoolers it seems just as weird to talk about whether parents are *qualified* to help children learn during their school-age years as it might be to talk to non-homeschoolers about whether they are qualified to help their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers learn to walk and talk and eat and use the toilet, etc. Frankly, I'm not sure any intellectual leaps occur that are any greater than those. I mean, wow - TALKING! Now that is SOMEthing. Are your child's parents QUALIFIED to be in charge of this stage of life? Are they really weird wanting to direct the learning of speech personally, rather than turning it over to government certified experts?
Okay, I'm confused now...
So when I went to college to study math and programming, are you saying that I shouldn't have? that my parents could have taught me at home?
Or take for example English, which is my second language. I spent nine years studying it in school. Are you saying my parents could've taught me instead, even if they don't know a word of it? and I would have the same results? I am really confused.
I guess I should take it to my own blog now...
Thank you, Jeanne, for going over all of this with such patience.
But now I have yet another blog to visit -- Goldie's.
Well, since it's going to be too hot for man or beast outside today, why not do some more reading. . .
Nance
Yes, Goldie, I see that you are confused. Somehow you have extrapolated too far. An unschooling parent would certainly encourage anyone who wishes to go to college to go. Many unschooled kids I know begin to take college classes at 13, 14 or 15. (Frankly, my experience is that unschooling is closer to grad school than it is to elementary or secondary education, or even undergrad ed).
Here's another example. When my then-14 yo son (the middle son), showed interest in engineering, I helped find an engineering club that supported his interest, which is outside my realm. When he was 15, he wanted to build a computer from scratch. This was out of my area of expertise also, so I helped him organize "the project" by finding the right reading and research materials, helping him find on-line resources, and finally, finding him a mentor in a computer shop who was more than willing to have an apprentice. This man (who was not our friend or known to us at the time -- people are incredibly generous with their expertise, aren't they?) helped to determine that our son's plan for components would meet the specs for the computer he wanted in the end, and then provided him the shop space and time and assistance to complete building the project, once our son had designed it, ordered parts, etc. (And, you see, this is how it works -- my son's reading and research skills improved because of the many technical manuals, magazines and books he read to do this project. His financial and "independence" skills improved as he earned, saved, and budgeted the money for the computer. I didn't have to make a vocabulary list of computer terms for him to learn -- his technical vocabulary runs circles around mine as a result of his PRIMARY work, and the reading level was far above most high school text books I've looked at recently.)
Unschoolers are not anti-resource or anti-education or anti-higher-education. Again, this is a stereotype borne of not understanding the process. I do really appreciate that you are trying to figure this out. I definitely think unschoolers are commonly misunderstood.
Let's go back to the reading example. Let's say that as a parent, I felt that my child at whatever age might not be reading due to a vision problem. Guess what? I'd take him and have his eyes checked and his vision corrected. Let's say that I felt his challenges might be related to dyslexia. I'd find out all I can about dyslexia and decide if that is something that I can address myself or if it is something that I think I can "give time to" to see if it will improve or if it is something for which I would benefit my child by consulting with someone with special training in the field. This is the same as I would do if my child had, say, a medical condition. Some things right themselves. Some things I can put antibiotic and bandaid on. Some things I need a surgeon or specialist to address.
So, truly, if someone thinks he is NOT qualified to unschool or homeschool, then I do think that is a reason for the child to attend school. Basically, they are saying that they do need a specialist to address their child's general education needs.
What I'm saying is that sixth grade social studies is not rocket science. My youngest child has learned to read and write with no curriculum and no formal lessons. Yes, he's in a rich, nurturing environment -- but I think a great many parents are up to providing this environment -- but they are cowed by thinking they need some special "qualifications" to homeschool or unschool. Homeschoolers of all stripes are great at finding resources for whatever their children's needs and interests are.
Yes, your parents COULD have taught you English without knowing it, in the same way that I have taught/am teaching my kids Spanish without knowing it. We learned together, we attended library story time in Spanish, we hosted a Spanish-speaking exchange student, we use Rosetta Stone computer language program, we befriended Spanish families on the soccer field, we got a neighbor to do a series of Spanish lessons for the kids, and finally, our oldest son is headed to South America for immersion in Spanish. His Spanish has far superceded mine, but certainly my not knowing Spanish was no barrier to his learning it, even tho' we are in an English-speaking country and he did not attend school. And now, due to my commitment to helping my son learn Spanish, I can speak some basic Spanish myself and am continuing my own studies of Spanish. (This is the secret reason many parents enjoy unschooling - we learn so much ourselves!) We have also been fortunate to know homeschooling families who are not native English speakers who have learned English together in America in the same way that we learned Spanish.
If your parents saw school as the best resource for you to learn English and that was their commitment, then that's fine with me and it seems to have worked well for you. But again, what concerns me is the assumption of negative limitations in homeschooling and unschooling.
OK, let's address your math and programming question. One of my kids is very adept with math. He's been studying it on his own, because, indeed, he might want to be a programmer or other math-intensive kind of guy. He's highly motivated because it's his interest and he may want a related career, so mostly he gets up every morning (well, he's taking some of the summer off because we moved and life's been complex) and does advanced math. I can help him with some of it, but if we both get stuck, I can find resources who can help him. As a result of what he learned in the engineering club and contacts he made there, he can do a lot of basic programming. If his interests continue to skew this way, I have no doubt that I can support his getting the material he needs to pursue it. If he wants to major in math and programming in college, certainly I can't insert that material into his brain from my brain, but I can facilitate his preparation because of my COMMITMENT to him and his interests.
Is this becoming any clearer?
Unschooling's not the easy route for parents. It's not for slackers. It can look slack from the outside, because, for instance, let's say you have a kid who wants to be a musician and the person on the "outside looking in" doesn't find the pursuit of music to meet HIS standards of what's a good enough endeavor/way to make a living/way to get into college or whatever. Or let's say you do have a kid who isn't reading at 6 or 7 and someone else assumes it's because of "non-qualified" parents providing the education -- when it's just a kid who is not ready or has special difficulties -- just like many of the children in school!
You might be interested in reading some books by John Holt, such as How Children Fail. Many folks who are vaguely negative and definitely mystified by unschooling and homeschooling become some of the strongest converts once they understand or experience the methodology of trusting children and empowering them to reach their potential. Curiosity about us weird unschoolers has been the downfall of many critics, who, if they are able to step outside their presumptions, find articulate, caring, committed families who are learning together.
I should point out that a great many unschoolers "pass." That is, many people who were educated in this way appear to be so normal that "civilians" don't notice them in college, grad school or on the job. So, when you find an oddball, you assume that he's odd or inarticulate or unprepared for life because he's unschooled. But unschoolers who reach whatever level of "success" socially and economically that most people consider acceptable are generally not noticed. They just "pass." My kids often say that the funniest comment they get is "but you don't SEEM unschooled/homeschooled. You're so normal!" My sister, not a long-standing homeschooling advocate, recently said to me that now that I have big kids, she gets it -- my kids are actually MORE normal because they spent so much time learning in a family situation and having their needs met.
Your mileage may vary. Our family is pretty functional. Then again, most unschooling families I know are also pretty functional, with kids who grow up or who have already grown up and "pass" as regular, productive people. Sure, just as there are kids in school with dysfunctional families whose parents cannot keep their commitments, you're going to find some of those in home/unschooling. But again, I would not take them as representative of the whole. Unless I just didn't want to open my eyes.
Jeanne
Bonnie, you are one of my idols.
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