and ALWAYS the twain shall meet

One of my core beliefs, that ultimately led me to unschooling Silas, is that children are our equals. Plain and simple. They are whole people with wants, needs, and rights. So often in the public school system (and in family and society as a whole), they are treated as second class citizens. They are expected to sacrifice their autonomy and free-will for the sake of blind obedience, staying "on-track" and preparing for their future. Subject matter is thrown at them at a speed that they may either not be ready for, or be light years ahead of. The order in which they are expected to absorb this information is rarely compatible with the individual needs and interests of the child. But here's the thing... they're living their lives RIGHT NOW. Not solely in this bright, exciting future where we want them to be doctors and scientists and humanitarians... cue the epic eye roll. They only get to be children once.

Our recent shift into the practice of unschooling and peaceful parenting has been eye opening. Silas has been able to express himself and explore new territories (both physical and intellectual) in ways that he never had the chance to experience before - at his own pace, in his own way, of his own choosing. I'm finding more and more that the release of control is crucial in this new family dynamic. For us, peaceful parenting and Silas driving his own education have been heavily intertwined, pretty much impossible to separate.

nuzzle, nuzzle.