This book is the story of one mom's journey to raise her daughter utilizing the concepts of unschooling and attachment parenting. The daughter learned according to her own interests and became an academic success, ultimately completing her master's degree and doing sociological research.
Unschooling families are unique, and this family is no exception. The idea is this: Left to pursue their own interests and surrounded by resources and encouragement, children will follow their dreams. The result is a responsible, socially conscious adult.
I appreciated that this book portrayed the end result of this process--an adult--rather than the story of a family with young children. I think people who adopt this philosophy need more models of unschooled children as adults, and this book certainly provides that.
It is not, however, a how-to book for unschoolers. Rather, the author gives us her perspective and opinions on this lifestyle, along with lots of ideas that Christian homeschoolers might not appreciate. Her stance on discipline, for example, is that children should have the same privileges as parents. Nevertheless, her approach to loving and accepting our children, along with their feelings and strong emotions, is healthy. Although she is highly opinionated, most of us who write about our homeschooling journey are also highly opinionated, and I appreciated her passion.
If you are interested in unschooling, or raising an "unprocessed child" as the author puts it, you will enjoy this book. If you are looking for something that reflects Christian principles and values, this is not a good choice.
Product review by Christine Field, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC, March 2007
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