UPDATE: JULY 2013 The article below is an account of the UnNanny experience of my family in July, 2010. Sadly, in the past month, many people have come forward to share far less positive experiences. As of this writing, Dayna Martin has announced that she is suspending her UnNanny service. As with any paid service, […]
Confessions of an Academic Imposter
In his book How Children Fail, John Holt discusses the damaging messages that schools and teachers send to children. There are a lot of them, but one really resonated with me, because it described my own experience. Here’s what Holt has to say: What teachers most reward is not knowledge and understanding but the appearance […]
Unschooling: America’s Next Top Mr. Potato Head
I don’t watch reality shows. Seriously. Not Survivor or Dancing with the Stars. Not The Bachelor or Big Brother. Not even American Idol. Nothing. Well, okay, maybe I do indulge in just one…I’m a closet fan of America’s Next Top Model. But I never admit to it, so let’s just keep it between us. Anyway, […]
Unschooling: “How’s That Working for You?”
Ever watched Dr. Phil? He’s the talk show host who’s known for asking his guests, “How’s that working for you?” A retired psychologist, he appears to be a leading authority, dispensing wisdom and practical advice to his guests and viewers. In a series titled The Great School Debate, Dr. Phil explored the topic of unschooling. […]
Avoiding the Morning Rush, Unschooler Style
One common theme among parents is the dreaded “morning rush”. We talk nostalgically about our childhood summers, when the world seemed to be on “kid time”. These days, people always seem to be racing to keep up with their schedules. Being an unschooling family, we rarely experience the “morning rush”, which makes it all the […]