| Kes has loved the film Wall-E since he first saw it, age 3. ❤️ He has watched it over and over ✨ When his snow boots didn’t fit him this winter and we bought him new ones, he said, “I’m going to grow a flower in my boot just like in Wall-E” He planted seeds in both boots back in early spring and today those flowers bloomed. 🌼🌼💛💛 |  |
 | When my family started unschooling, my partner and I felt the spirituality of it immediately... . . . . It's grounded, realistic, accessible enlightenment. —Janine |
| Where is the balance between ignoring a child, and being an irritation? Children should not be ignored. Attentively staying some distance away because a child is playing intently, and not interrupting flow—that can be a good thing. Knowing that a child is intently playing alone involves paying attention to the child. |  |
 | "I was amazed at how much of the world came to life when they were free, and encouraged, to immerse themselves in their deep, passionate interests." —Pam Laricchia |
 | Be the way you want your children to be, and they will want to be like you. |
 | Being a good parent, not according to a list in a magazine, or vague memories of what grandparents might have thought or said, but being a good parent in the eyes of one's children, in one's examined soul, is a big thing most parents never even see a glimpse of. We can go beyond normal. |
 | We don't know, when we meet a person, whether we'll see them again, at all, a little, a lot. We can't always know, when we have a wish, whether its fulfillment would be good for others or ourselves. Probaby the best thing to do is to relax and say "Hello!" |
 | Many times parents have created a situation in which a child trusts advertising, or trusts strangers. Sometimes, it comes from the mom being so pushy that the child wants to push back. Other times, it comes from the moms being so definite and inflexible, that when one thing she said proves not to have been true, the child loses faith in other things she says. |
 | When people ask about being happier and more positive, the answer can't help but be the same. BE happier. BE positive. But as with any accounting (think a bank account), withdrawals deplete your reserves. Every negative word, thought or deed takes peace and positivity out of your account. Cynicism, sarcasm—which some people enjoy and defend—are costly, if your goal is peace. |
| Different window, different view. Don't forget to look. |  |
 | and your sweet surprises bring you much joy. |
| If someone gives you a blanket when you need a blanket, just because they know you need one and think you might like to have one, it's better than a hand-quilted show-piece given to someone who had blankets. |  |
| Deschooling usually involves seeing everything in a new light, or re-naming things we see all the time. If someone thinks of "art" as a school course or in "an art room," breathe that away; shake that off. If you think of "real art" as oil paintings and marble sculpture, expand your definition. |  |
| To say peace doesn't need quiet doesn't mean that all noise is peace. Quite a bit of understanding unschooling is looking at all your thoughts, and the things you read, with as much logic as you can gather up. |  |
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 | Many people do have experience "removing restrictions," but please help us help others by NOT recommending doing that, ever. Sudden change confuses kids, they don't trust it, they assume it's temporary, and so their behavior reflects that. And it robs parents of the growth from gradually allowing more and more, as the parents learn more and more. You could have said "okay" and "sure" hundreds of times instead of "whatever you want" one time, and the gradual change would have been a joy. |
 | If you get to sleep for a long time, be glad. If your sleep is interrupted, try to be like a cat, and just accept it. Measuring sleep and being angry about the clock will lead to neither peace nor rest. Children will wake you up. Breathe in love and remain restful. |
