by Lehla Eldridge in
04 Family Wellbeing, 09 For Parents, 12 relationships, 16 The healthy child, 27 Play Hanging out and Fun, 017 Happy Healthy Parents Introduction, 70 Age 0 to 7yrs, 71 Age 7 to 14 yrs

Unschooling, Community and Choosing to say Yes

Fourteen children of varying ages troupe around here, sometimes together, sometimes in small groups. They are shoe-less school-less the sun is out and so are they. Their parents are all doing different things, some working, one making a cake, another on a business call, someone else is writing.  You are not allowed to walk across the veranda you have to ‘swim’ over the rainbow fairies and the small horses. The small ones have turned it in to their ocean and swimming is what has been decreed. Yesterday our son was

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by Lehla Eldridge in
01 Alternative Education and Learning, 07 Unschooling, 08 self-directed learning, 09 For Parents, 10 for grandparents, 11 for friends, 16 The healthy child, 19 Reading and Writing, 70 Age 0 to 7yrs, 71 Age 7 to 14 yrs

A Letter to a Parent About reading

This is what I would I have told my worried self about reading and my children about three years ago. One of children was diagnosed with Irlen’s syndrome and so I was very stressed about whether she would be able to read or not. As time went by she did. But here is a letter that I would have liked to have read as worrying  served nothing for me. Dear Lehla, Please stop it, stop worrying about the children’s ability to read. Have more faith in them. You have been

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by Lehla Eldridge in
02 parenting for the future, 06 homechooling, 07 Unschooling, 08 self-directed learning, 20 Creativity, 31 Technology, 30 Screen Time, 70 Age 0 to 7yrs, 71 Age 7 to 14 yrs, 72 Age 14 to 18 yrs

Could Minecraft hold the key to the future of how kids learn…?

‘That is it I have got it, the future if education is Minecraft’ I say to my husband then he looks at me across the kitchen coffee in hand, ‘erm, am not sure you are right there’ he says. I am not sure I am right  either but I think I am on to something. I then go on to tell him that a university in the UK aims to teach children biochemistry using Minecraft and he thinks about that. The reason for my revelation is this. Well there are many

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by Lehla Eldridge in
01 Alternative Education and Learning, 06 homechooling, 08 self-directed learning, 09 For Parents, 70 Age 0 to 7yrs, 71 Age 7 to 14 yrs

Our Unschoolers want projects! Ideas for Project Based Learning.

So last night as I tucked the kids in to bed one of my daughters said. ‘Mummy, I want homework. Could you give me a project, make me do it and if I don’t do it be really mean to me?’ We both laughed. Then the other two chimed in ‘Yeah, me too, me too!’ What I gleaned from this is that they are hungry to learn, they want something to do and they want to be challenged. They also want me to stick to a boundary to make sure

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by Lehla Eldridge in
01 Alternative Education and Learning, 07 Unschooling, 08 self-directed learning, 09 For Parents, 70 Age 0 to 7yrs, 71 Age 7 to 14 yrs, 72 Age 14 to 18 yrs

What on Earth is ‘Strewing?’

It does not mean making a stew. Here are a few examples of strewing. 1.  Anthony bought ‘The Big Book for Loo’ a book about interesting facts. It is by the toilet in the bathroom. In effect you could say he ‘Strewed’ (ooh that sounds really odd) He strewed it there…He left it there and the kids pick it up and they learn about whatever is in this book, 100 pointless things you need to know. The kids LOVE this book. I LOVE this book. Did you know that humans

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