It seems like a very long time since I last wrote a blog post. Maybe you were beginning to think I’d abandoned my blog. Could I have gone off to do something completely different? No, I still here! I’ve just been spending a lot of time working on my unschooling books instead of blogging.
So how are my books coming along? The first book Curious Unschoolers is finished. But even though all the words are written, there are still other things to do before I can announce, “My unschooling book is now available on Amazon!” My daughter Imogen is in the middle of formatting the manuscript. Charlotte is working on the book cover. Soon, very soon, we’ll be able to upload the files to Amazon and then order a proof copy.
My second unschooling book, Radical Unschool Love is almost finished too. I’m at the stage where I’m changing a few words here and there. All the major writing has been done. I’m hoping to get the manuscript to the proofreading stage in the next day or two. Then I can hand everything over to Imogen for formatting. My bit will be done!
I’m sharing all my unschooling book news in my latest podcast. I’m also sharing some family news and the details of my daughter Gemma-Rose’s recent homeschool registration visit.
In episode 149, My Unschooler’s Homeschool Registration Visit, I discuss the following questions:
- Can registered homeschoolers unschool?
- How do we write homeschool plans when we don’t know what our unschooling kids will be interested in?
- How can we fulfil homeschooling registration requirements without forcing kids to learn things they’re not interested in?
- Is forced learning real learning?
I also talk about:
- How we might be tempted to push our kids to use their talents or extend their interests.
- How kids can surprise us. They’re often not like us. They do things on their own timetables and not ours.
Show Notes
Podcasts
Episode 27: The Tricky Business of Registering an Unschooler as a Homeschooler
Episode 45: How Registered Homeschoolers Can Unschool
Blog Posts
My homeschool registration and record keeping posts
Youtube
As well as sharing the registration visit in a podcast, I also posted a few thoughts about it on Instagram:
Did you hear that we had our final homeschool registration visit a couple of days ago? My youngest daughter Gemma-Rose’s application to continue homeschooling was approved without a problem. She’s now registered until she turns 17 (just under 2 years) and won’t need any more visits from our Authorised Person.
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After our AP left, my daughter Charlotte said, “You can now do what you like.” And then she added, “But I suppose you’ve always done that.” Yes, knowing that no one from the education department will be back to check up on us is not going to change anything. I’m not thinking, “Now I can stop ticking off boxes. I can stop making my kids do things just because I’m worried about getting through our registration visits.” Life here is just carrying on as usual.
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But what if we hadn’t been unschooling? What if I’d done things to satisfy other people and hadn’t put my children’s needs first? I might suddenly feel very relieved that homeschool registration visits are over. I wonder if I’d also feel regret that we hadn’t found a way to unschool sooner.
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Sometimes we’re bound by rules and regulations made by other people. It’s not always easy to do what we want. I realise that some parents’ options are very limited. But with a bit of clever thinking many of us can do more than we think.
Sometimes there are no legal reasons why we can’t unschool. The only obstacle is our own confidence and lack of courage.
So here we are nearing the end of our homeschooling journey. How am I feeling? Grateful. I’m glad I found a way to unschool despite having to fulfil homeschool requirements.
Of course, this isn’t the end of the story. Unschooling continues on!
So I’m wondering if there’s anything stopping you from unschooling. Fulfilling homeschooling requirements while unschooling might seem impossible, but there might be a way for you to do both. Perhaps we could share some ideas.
Maybe you’d like to listen to my podcast.
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling. A quick review or rating would help too!
Please feel welcome to leave a comment about anything I talked about in this episode. You could share your own experiences of unschooling and homeschool registration. Or you could just stop by and say hello!
I’m sorry not to be commenting much anymore. I love reading about you and your family, but I can’t follow vlogs. I often look at your photos on Instagram.
Did you know that sueelviswrites is taken over by some Japanese enterprize?
Charlotte,
I’m so glad you stopped by to say hello! I miss the old days when we used to chat regularly on our blogs. Yes, I don’t write enough blog posts with proper stories. I’d love to return to that style of blogging. I keep thinking about it, but I know I have to finish my unschooling books first. The book project has been dragging on for years. But I’m nearly done. I’ve ordered a proof copy of my first unschooling book ‘Curious Unschoolers’ and if it looks okay, I can publish it. I’m working hard on the second book Radical Unschool Love and have almost finished it.
Yes, I did see that someone else has my old sueelviswrites url. I followed an old link and ended up on the Japanese site. I don’t suppose there’s anything I can do about that. I gave up the url and so someone else must have bought it. I should search through my blog for old links to that blog and delete them. I don’t want all my readers going to the Japanese website.
I hope all is well with you and your family. It’s been good to chat!
Yes, I have also landed on some japanese website. I wonder where are your sueelviswrites posts now? I hope there are somewhere available. They are so full of warmth and wonders of life.
Luana,
I made my blog private. I think its time is over. However, I have included a few of my old stories in my unschooling books. And I’d like to gather the grief ones together and publish them as a book. Maybe the other stories will make a reappearance somewhere else!
Sue, I am so happy you are still writing…and books now! I always knew! ? I still think of you often. We now have 3 beautiful granddaughters and stay busy spending time with them. I really miss writing and keep trying to get back to blogging.
I am still on Facebook, but it consumes so much time that I gave it up for Lent and i tend to limit time there once Lent is over.
Your girls are all grown up, and so amazing and pretty. I miss Imogen’s music and vlogs, but I know she is writing as well. Such a talented family.
I wish all of you a most joyful and holy Easter. Please do stay in touch. I still check my blog periodically so you can always reach me there, and I think you have my iCloud email address.
May God richly bless all of your family’s endeavors.
Love and hugs,
Patricia
Patricia,
I was so excited to see your comment! Oh my, it’s been too long since we last swapped letter-sized comments. We must have lots of news to catch up with.
You have 3 granddaughters? Congratulations! That is such delightful news. I always predicted you’d be blessed with lots of granddaughters! I imagine you are enjoying them immensely.
Books? Oh yes! I have just published my first unschooling book Curious Unschoolers. I have another unschooling book that just needs proofreading and formatting before I can publish it too. It took me a very long time to write these books, more time than was actually needed. I kept getting distracted by other things. Finally, I made a few changes to my online life and decided it was time I did some real work. I have a real sense of urgency these days. What if I don’t get all the important things finished because I waste my time?
I hope you had a wonderful Easter with your family. Our Easter weekend was very joyful. And now we’re enjoying the Easter season. Don’t you love this time of year? I do!
I often think of you and dear Nancy and Trish and all our friends. Yes, I will stay in touch! Thank you so much for stopping by. Sending much love xxx