Are there any unschoolers here?

Well you might want to check your facts again dear, because unschooling is a type of home schooling. I live in the US, and have never had to report anything about my children's education to anyone. By my states law, no one has authority to do so. And there is no mandated testing. Does that mean my kids aren't "up to code"? Not at all, I check the state standards on a regular basis to make sure they are. But instead of creating a 10-15 question test to make sure they know their stuff. I watch them and listen to them everyday, and evaluate their progress through them actively using their knowledge, instead of reciting it back to me.

welp.. lemme rephrase then.. in MY state, you have to report the education and the kids are made to take the mcas and other standardized tests, and if they do not, reports are filed that the children are truant and not being educated. that better?

fair enough. I do understand that every state has different laws. I am fortunate enough to live in a state that supports parental rights. Even though our economy is at the bottom of the bucket, I wouldn't think to leave because of it. I apologize if I came of brash. Sometimes I can feel a bit like an outcast, so I have become very defensive. I was hoping to find some encouragement, and insight. Do you have kids?

saiight.. if i could do something like that here, i so would. yes i have two daughters.. one that was passed thru the school system without doing any work at all until high school, then they flunked her, and ultimately asked her to leave because she had failed 3 years in a row. shes nearly 19 now.. and a near 8 year old daughter, who is the exact opposite and busts her butt on everything tomake the grade. i would like very much to homeschool, and refrain from it due to the social aspects public school provides. thankfully the school system we are in now is very good.

That's so sad about your oldest. Unfortunately it happens all too often. It's very good for your youngest that you have her in a good system. I ache for some of my friends going through trouble with their kids in school. And then I ache for some of the kids I know because their parents leave all of the educating up to the system. Those teachers do not have enough time or training to meet the needs of all of their students. I'm very grateful for the freedom I have. And ya know, I know things change, and who knows what might happen at the next turn. That's why I make sure my kids get as much interaction as any other kid. They have tons of friends in our neighborhood, and run and play with them after their school gets out. We have also started a group for homeschoolers in our area, so they get together 2-3 times a week. They get as much, if not more interaction as other kids their age. I also make sure they would be able to slip into their age group if I ever needed to put them into school. My oldest is a year ahead. She's so proactive when it comes to learning. Sometimes I have to tell her to slow down. My second has some attention problems, I know that if she were in the system, they would be pushing me to put her on drugs. But we just go with it, if she can't sit still, we go outside, or get real active for a while. Then when she's settled, we sit down and read, or write, or play a math game or something. She's learning to be herself, and how to handle her weaknesses, and turn them into strengths. Its amazing to be with them each day, and experience their growth right along with them.
WOW...that got long...sorry:)

lol no worries. i admire you for taking it all on yerself. i stay very active in my daughters education. spend the time with her on her homework, help her study etc. spend alot of time reading and other creative excursions, usually out into the woods to explore, and shes real big on doing science experiments at home with me. cant tell you how many things weve either melted or blown up just to test things cause she wanted to learn. so i guess in a way i DO school my kids, they just end up in school as well. they both could read, write, do math and all of that before they even entered school. i think honestly, the school systems hold back a kids potential to try to keep everyone on the same page. i remember when i was in school, we got in trouble for reading ahead/ working ahead, it wasnt allowed. i also think its great that youve found ways to deal with yer childs attention problems.. and yer right, the school would start shoving pills because they cant handle each and every kid individually. my husband and i have already decided with our youngest that if there ever is a problem such as we had with the elder, that wed take her out and i would home school her, i dont want it happening again. what frightens me is the social aspects. there arent a whole lot of kids nearby (and those that are, i really cant stand the parents) and i dont want her missing out or becoming stunted in interaction with other kids and adults. will cross the bridge if i ever have to. if it matters any, i think it sounds like yer doing a wonderful job with them and they arent lacking anything at all. if anything, theyre excelling in places they wouldnt in a school system with 30 kids packed in a classroom with 1 teacher.

way to go on being an active participant in your daughters education. The thing you said you are doing with her, are very unschooly type of things. They teach the child that learning isn't restricted to a classroom. I'd hate for my kids to reach graduation and think they were done learning. A successful adult continues learning new things throughout their entire life. Thanks for your compliments on my kids. It means a lot, even though we've never met.

no need to thank me. i know what it feels like to have no support as a parent, or even be scoffed at for the things you do, even when you are doing the absolute best for your child. and yer right.. learning isnt restricted to just the classroom, and i instill that in my lil sprite everyday. EVERYTHING is a learning experience! case in point.. we have a cat thats about to grace our home with a bunch of furry little purrinators, and the day she has them, im keeping my daughter out of school so she can experience it. shes expressed the desire to be a vet when she grows up, and even if she hadnt.. she wont learn this in the classroom.

That's awesome! When I was twelve I had a ....ummmm cat who got around. I got to experience two of three sets of deliveries she made. The last of the three was the most memorable. My mom, my best friend, and I were the only ones in the house. Stubby (my kitty) was delivering her babies under my grandpa's bed. After each one had successfully traveled its course, she brought it out to us, still attached. She cleaned it off, and brought it to me. I have since been told this is a very rare happening, mother cats are usually very over protective. But it was almost as if ed me to check each one out. Two of the five died within a week, so maybe she knew something was wrong.
It will be a great experience for your daughter!

thats so sweet and sad at the same time. ive had scads of cats and kittens over the years.. and ive only ever had one of them have them without me. the others would all wake me up if i wasnt awak already.. and i was the "birth coach" lol one of em, i had been by her side for like 4 hours and HAD to pee, so i left her for a bit, and the entire time i was gone she yowled constantly outside the door waiting for me.. when i came out another kitten was halfway out of her while she was standing there screaming at me to get back into the closet with her. i couldnt help but laugh and call her a halfwit and "get back in there im here im here!!" and she ran back to her basket. lol my oldest daughter was lucky enough to be home too with some of them, one of which was a still born. or so we thought. it was the mommas first litter, and contrary to popular beleif, they dont always instinctively know what theyre doing, and she didnt clean any of her babies off at all or remove the sack or anyhting, i had to do it for her. and one of them,.. didnt breath or do that coughing gag thing they do when they take their first breath. he didnt move. i tried repeatedly to massage him out and even tried kitty cpr to get him breathing.. and nothing. so i set him aside, wrapped in a small towel and told my daughter he didnt make it, tried not to bawl, and focused on the next one that was coming. then the towel started coughing and wiggling, and i unwrapped him, and he was trying to breath but had no airway. so i ran and grabbed the nasal aspirator i had gotten in the hospital when my daughter was born ( yes i still had it even tho she was 7 lol ) and sucked his nose and mouth out. he was appropriately named Lazerus, and the only damage he had from his birth was the occaisional episode of narcolepsy. my little one is looking forward to the kittens so much that shes been getting books from the library on cats kittens and their births so she knows what to do now im the one being longwinded! LOL

hehe, at least I'm not the only one.
That's a great story.

Yup, I sure have, she is definitely kinesthetic. I am also positive she is overly sensitive, there's a name for that too, but I can't remember it right now. I'm currently working to earn my Bachelor's in the Arts of Social Science with a concentration in education...say that one three times fast I dare ya. Anyway, my studies have really helped me to understand my daughter better. Since last fall, we have gotten a lot more active. Sometimes we have discussions, and the whole time she'll be bouncing or clicking her fingers or some kind of movement. A teacher would berate her for being disruptive, but I just keep the conversation going. She absorbs more information if she can keep at least one body part moving. At the end of last year, I was beginning to think she would never read. Now she's reading chapter books, all within 8 months!!! She's not my youngest though, I have two more below the two I've already talked about, they are 5 and 3.
Way to go with your son. It's amazing what can happen when the kid leads the way!

"overly sensitive"= empath