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The Stories of Our Lives

In this episode of the Stories of an Unschooling Family podcast, I discuss a range of topics from unschooling and homeschool record-keeping to generating writing ideas and dealing with social media distractions. I also share some resources, including Tiago Forte's book, Building a Second Brain, and Matthew Dicks' Storyworthy. If you're interested in unschooling, homeschooling, or just love listening to podcasts, tune in for some great insights and ideas.…
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Punctuation and Grammar and Other Unschool Writing Stories

Many people think kids need to be pushed. If we don’t tell them what to do, they won’t do much at all. But, of course, this isn’t true. Kids are curious people. They are wired to learn. If we don’t keep them busy fulfilling our goals, they will challenge themselves, they’ll work hard and achieve amazing things. Some kids might end up writing and publishing a novel. Or two. Several…
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Unschooling Sausages and Other History Stories

A couple of days ago, I posted the following words on Instagram: Friends, I need some feedback! We’re almost at the end of February and I haven’t made a single podcast so far this year. (Did you notice?!) Why haven’t I sat down in front of my mic and made some new episodes? Well, I’ve been having lots of problems with my equipment. After spending another afternoon trying to get…
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Books That Make Us Cry

On the last day of the last school term for 2019, I sent a text message to my husband, Andy: We just got a bushfire emergency warning. A few minutes later, Andy phoned me and I said, “The fire isn’t far away.” It was burning in our neighbouring village. My voice wobbled as I added, “Everyone has been told it’s too late to leave. The only option is to take…
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Unschool Writing: What About Grammar and Punctuation?

How do unschoolers learn to write? This was one of the questions we were asked when we spoke at the recent Canberra unschooling talk. First, I think kids need something to say before they want to write. Lots of different things inspire us to write. Here are just a few: books, movies, games, events, and lively discussions that lead to thoughts and opinions. When my kids were little, they acted out…
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More Unschool Writing Ideas and Resources

Back in February, my author daughter Imogen joined me on my podcast to talk about unschooling and writing. In episode 148, Our Writing Unrules for Unschoolers, we explored the question: Can unschoolers gain the writing skills they need without any formal instruction? We shared our own stories, experiences, and thoughts as well as our writing unrules. (You can also find these in my unschooling book Curious Unschoolers.) Imogen and I…
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Reading Out Loud and a Generous Christmas

Do you like listening to stories being read out loud? I have to admit that this isn’t my favourite activity. My mind tends to wander and I miss half the words. But my kids are different from me. They love reading aloud time. Even though most of my children are grown up, they still like to gather whenever anyone opens a book and says, “Do you want to listen?” I…
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Reluctant Spouse: Unschool Bits and Pieces

Reluctant Spouse What does my husband Andy think of unschooling? Was he always in favour of it? Or did I have to convince him that unschooling is the right thing to do? Parents frequently ask me these questions especially when their spouses or partners don’t like the idea of unschooling. So was Andy always supportive of unschooling? Yes, but he didn’t realise we were unschooling. I didn’t either. We lived…
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What if Unschoolers Don’t Know How to Write Essays?

What if unschoolers don’t know how to write essays? Will they be at a disadvantage if they want to go to university? This post follows on from How an Unschooler Learns to Write. My daughter Imogen taught herself to write. After learning the basics, she read widely, observing the example of good authors. She experimented with different styles and techniques. She wrote and wrote and wrote. I wasn’t surprised when…
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How an Unschooler Learns to Write

My daughter Imogen loves writing. It’s part of who she is. “When did you start writing?” I ask. “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing.” My fourth child was writing stories long before she knew how to form letters into words. “Do you remember how Charlotte and I would sit side by side at the kitchen table and draw our stories?” says Imogen. “We’d chat about what was happening…
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Adding Joy: Unschool Bits and Pieces

Adding Joy to an Unschooling Day Not so long ago, a mother told me she only arranges special outings for ice cream or coffee or lunch with her kids as a reward. They can earn special time with her by working hard at their school work. I feel sad that the special moments of life seem to be rationed out. (And learning is done for rewards and not out of…
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Unschool Reading: A Slow Learner

It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was helping my daughter Gemma-Rose learn to read. She’d choose a book and we’d sit side-by-side on the sofa and we’d enjoy the story together. Actually, I don’t know if ‘enjoy’ is the right word. Reading was a very slow process. We hardly ever got to the end of a book. I’d think, “Will Gemma-Rose ever read fluently?” which was a very…
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