Since originally being published on my blog, many of these posts have been re-edited, re-organized, and published in my book, Life through the Lens of Unschooling.
What does day-to-day life look like for an unschooling family?
Leaving the traditional education system behind can be scary, so it helps to have a solid picture of what your family is going to do instead. In this meaty and inspiring book, Pam explores how unschooling both enables us to nurture our children’s curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm for learning as well as encourages strong and connected relationships with them to blossom.
The theme is life; the lens, unschooling.
Here’s an index of links to the original blog posts, organized by the monthly theme, including those posts that didn’t make their way into the book.
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How is unschooling different than school?
Unschooling Doesn’t Look Like School At All
Learning to Read Without Lessons
Learning to Write is About Communicating
Do Classes Hinder Deschooling?
Parenting to Support Unschooling
Unschooling and the Power Paradigm
Building Strong Relationships with Your Kids
The Unschooling Family: Considering Everyone’s Needs
Raising Children and Developing Character
Communication Instead of Discipline
Unschooling and Extended Family
Enjoying Visits With Extended Family
Supporting Our Kids’ Relationships with Their Relatives
When Negative Relatives Won’t Let Go
The Philosophy of Unschooling
Isn’t Philosophy Just For Intellectuals?
Shifting Away From Conventional Wisdom
Moving Toward Unschooling Principles
Deschooling
What to Do Instead of School – Part 1
What to Do Instead of School – Part 2
Don’t Get Complacent About Unschooling
Unschooling Days
What’s Behind a Typical Unschooling Day?
Unschooling Days: Inside the Nest
Unschooling Days: Outside in the World
Unschooling Families
Unschooling With Strong Beliefs
“Who Am I and What Makes Me Tick?”
Learning is Learning No Matter Your Age
Unschooling Kids
Attachment Parenting Flows Into Unschooling
Transitioning to Unschooling with Young Children
Are You Playing the Role of “Mother”?
A Bigger Picture: The Transition From Childhood to Adolescence
Unschooling Teens
Teens Reap What Their Parents Sow
Five Unconventional Ideas About Relationships With Teens
What Does Lifelong Learning Look Like?
The Spirit of Unschooling
Unschooling Grows Far Beyond “Not School”
A Positive Outlook Isn’t Turning a Blind Eye
The Unschooling Lifestyle
Chores and an Unschooling Childhood
Why Choice is Key in Learning Life Skills
Reader Questions
Helping Your Spouse Explore Unschooling
The Dance of Unschooling: Understanding and Supporting Our Children
How Do Unschooling Children Learn How to Act in Society?
The World of Siblings and Unschooling
Mainstream Mantras
“Learn to Say No Or You’ll Spoil Your Child”
“If You’re Bored, I’ll Give You Something To Do”
“You Have to Limit Screen Time”
“Video Games Are Making Children Violent”
Unschooling Beings
How Does Your Child Like To Learn?
Looking Back on Unschooling
A Lifetime of Living and Learning
Exploring Beyond the Family
Online Connections: Do They Count?
Parenting Challenges
When You Want to Fix Things For Your Child
When You and Your Child See Things Differently
Unschooling From the Outside
Are Unschooling Children Being Sheltered?
What Love Looks Like in Unschooling Families
Check In Time
Am I Feeling Open and Connected?
Am I Supporting My Family’s Interests?
Am I Exploring and Learning Too?
Building Trust
Ways to Build Trust in Unschooling
Ways to Build Trust in Each Other
Exploring Our Fears
The Fear of Leaving Curriculum Behind
The Fear of Your Child Choosing School
When Unschooling Children Discover Their Lives Are Unconventional
Exploring Unschooling as Adults
Can You Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?
The Search for Meaningful Work
Seeing Learning Everywhere
Seeing the Learning in All Their Activities
Seeing Learning in the Quiet Moments
The “Joy” in Living Joyfully
Joy is a Beacon for Living and Learning
Joy is a Beacon for Building Strong Family Relationships
Joy is a Beacon for Building a Personal Body of Work
Joy is a Beacon for Community and Growth
The “Cons” of Unschooling
Unschooling Means Spending Time with Your Children
Unschooling Means Not Needing to Control Others
Unschooling Doesn’t Have Report Cards
The Challenges of Deschooling
Our Fears Can Stifle Our Children’s Exploration and Learning
Judgment Can Cultivate Fear and Shame in Our Children
Power-Based Living Can Curb Our Children’s Compassion
Growing Up Unschooling
Book Reviews
Homeschooled Teens by Sue Patterson
Unschooling Dads, edited by Skyler J. Collins
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert