How Unschooling Is More Than Educating for a Secure Job

What do we want for our kids? A good education? If so, what does that look like? Do we want our kids to get good grades that will allow them to get into university? Would we like them to study degrees that will lead to high-status careers? Do we hope they’ll get well paying secure jobs that will set them up for life? Or isn’t that enough?

Because even though feeling secure about money is good, that doesn’t necessarily lead to satisfaction and joy. But living a purposeful life does. We all need to know that our lives are valuable and have meaning. We are unique people with individual talents that should be used. We all have something important to do. We can all make a difference.

It’s good to know that we’re valuable, isn’t it? That what we’re doing is important? When our lives feel meaningful, we are encouraged to work hard. We want to become the people we are meant to be.

These are some thoughts I shared at the recent Canberra unschooling meeting. The message I wanted to pass on is that unschooling is far bigger than we might first imagine. Although a child may very well excel academically, study at university, and then follow a high-status career, there’s more to unschooling than that. Unschooling is about giving our kids a bigger vision.

Something Extra

Here’s an excerpt from the story Does the World Need Unschooling? which can be found in my book Curious Unschoolers:

… I think we are all born with the desire to do something meaningful with our lives. We want to make a difference. Just look at young children playing. They dress up as superheroes. They flap their capes and jump from chairs ready to save the world. Parents smile indulgently. Kids are cute. It’s a delightful stage of life.

Of course, things change. School days arrive. Life gets serious. There’s no time to imagine and dream and make plans to save the world. The capes and masks and tights are left in the dress up box. They’re no longer needed. Their owners are growing up. They have their minds on other things. They’ve learnt that they’re not going to be superheroes after all. They have discovered that they have to fulfil other people’s expectations. That’s going to keep them very busy.

But what would happen if we didn’t keep kids busy by making them do what we feel is important? What if we gave them time to find out what they are good at, what they enjoy doing, and what they could achieve? Would they set themselves goals? Would they choose to work hard doing things that are important to them, things they believe in?

Would they still think they can save the world?

Of course, superheroes come in all shapes and sizes. They don’t have to look like Mr Incredible or Superwoman. It’s not about appearance or even our superhero powers. Anyone can be a superhero. All we need is passion. To have a purpose in life. And then to work hard at it.

Why don’t we encourage our kids to follow their passions? To dream big? To go where they want to go? Perhaps we think we know better than them. 

Maybe we make kids do things our way because we want them to have a secure future. We think it’s prudent to follow the safe and sensible path. But maybe safe and sensible isn’t what they need. The amount of money we earn isn’t everything. A purpose in life is much more important. This purpose will motivate and push kids to become the people they are designed to be. If we let them, they will rise to the occasion. They will be passionate and enthusiastic about who they are and where they are going. They will experience joy. And who knows where they will end up? Perhaps the things kids choose to do will end up changing the world.

Yes, the world needs people who are passionate, who can think for themselves, who are willing to go out there and work hard at something they believe is important so that they can make a difference. 

We can choose safe and secure, which might threaten our kids’ happiness and motivation to work hard. Or we could step back and trust. Don’t let our fears interfere with our child’s mission in life. 

Let them, in their own way, make a difference because that’s what the world requires. 

The world needs unschooling.

Photos

Imogen and Sophie are standing amongst the paperback trees in the Canberra Botanical Gardens.

Have you thought about what you’d like for your kids? What does a successful education look like to you? And have you ever stripped the bark off a tree? I think lots of people must have been tempted to take a piece of bark from the trees in the gardens. They felt very smooth!