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Thoughts on Parenting from an Unparent

Posted on Dec 17, 2009 - 05:10 PM by Tanya Reza in Op-Education

I'm not a parent. My heart goes out to all of you who are, and I am at a point in my life where I can greatly (albeit not completely) appreciate the tough job you all have. To my own parents, thank you. I know you did your best.

However, as I have been diving deeper into the world of democratic education and childrearing, I'm coming to realize that Mom and Dad, as well as many moms and dads out there, did exactly the opposite of what many of these books and articles tell you to do. Of course, such critical analysis of Mom and Dad inevitably leads to the same of oneself. I found myself better understanding why I was the way I was, and also asking, how do I picture raising my own children...

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5 Lessons Kids Can Learn From Pets

Posted on Feb 12, 2010 - 02:11 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting

Homeschooling affords families the opportunity to travel and experience a wide variety of flora, fauna, culture, and...pretty much everything. During the winter months, that can be difficult to do, especially if you're snowed in for days at a time. Thankfully, traveling afar isn't necessary for learning; in fact, much can be learned from your very own kitchen, your laundry basket...even your pets. Here are just five out of the many things that kids can learn without the aid of expensive curricula or educational toys--and with Fluffy or Fido instead.

5. Counting
This might sound far-fetched ("I've got two cats and a fish--there's not much counting involved there!"), but it's been a better...

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Everyday Opportunities

Posted on Feb 25, 2010 - 11:23 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting

As the wheel stops, my four-year-old quickly counts the cherries and announces, "Three!"

She adds three cherries to her tree from her bucket and then, with a sly glance at me from the corner of her eye, adds two more.

"Hmmm... Is that three?" I ask.

"No!" she laughs and puts two of the cherries back.

I'm seeing more and more of this testing-me behavior every day. She likes to know her limits and she's all about discovering loopholes. She's learning about fairness, sharing, kindness, and ethics--as well as counting and colors, not to mention developing those fine motor skills even further--all with a game of Hi Hi Cherry-O!

Recently I sent in my six-word memoir for a project our local...

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