Among the homeschool set, there’s this thing called “unschooling” (Elon Musk was unschooled and is doing the same for his kids). Basically, kids get to pursue the educational things that are most interesting to them. However, it seems this Mom is taking that a step further!
Gemma Rawnsley, 35, has seven children who aren’t in school, can cut and dye their hair, eat whatever they want, curse, and even set their own bedtimes because they are being raised in a home where Mom and Dad want them to be free to make their own choices.
(Click here to watch a short interview with the family.)
Skye, 13, Finlay, 12, Phoenix, nine, Pearl, eight, Hunter, five, Zephyr, three, and one-year-old Wolf are being raised to make wise decisions:
“People see my son with the pickaxe and will think ‘how dangerous’. But not if you teach them how to use it, it’s not. I make calculated decisions so if something seems dangerous I know it has risk attached, but the benefits are that they learn responsibility.”1
The kids are taught English and math and participate in lots of extracurricular activities with their peers. But yes, being educated in a liberal manner at home also means sometimes “ice cream at midnight”2 is called for. Or even taking the day off to enjoy the outdoors.
However, Dad Lewis says his son Finlay “could put a three-course meal on the table.” Mom says, “It’s about letting them make decisions, it’s not a feckless attitude where we sit back and let it all happen. It looks like we’re feral, but that’s just one side of us. Feral is left to your own devices, but these kids are brought up to the nth degree.” 3
What do you think about unschooling?
