Comments on: Freedom Is Not Conditional: 8 Ways to Tell If You’re Respecting Your Child’s Autonomy

By: Sara @ Happiness is here

Sara @ Happiness is here — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 19:55:40 +0000

In reply to Matilda. Sounds like you've never met a child parented this way. Why are you so afraid of trusting children?

By: Matilda

Matilda — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 17:32:24 +0000

This article is garbage and is a great way to raise entitled, selfish children that fail to contribute anything to society.

By: Sara @ Happiness is here

Sara @ Happiness is here — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 20:56:03 +0000

In reply to Edith. It sounds like the most enduring lesson you learned is that you cannot do things without force. What is stopping you from learning these things now? Nothing. Unschoolers are always in charge of their education, with supportive parents, and therefore sure of their capabilities and intrinsically motivated.

By: Edith

Edith — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 13:45:20 +0000

This article is full of buzz words but really out of touch with reality. While I agree wholly about respect then you can’t give 100% of autonomy to the kid. This example with cloths and sleep time were a bit bad ones. I’ve heard some people’s way of raising kids is “let them burn the fingers, then they’ll know next time that the oven is hot” – I feel if you let your kid go out in a summer dress in the middle of the Autumn and she’ll get lung infection then it’s a terrible and irresponsible way of parenting. Also in a summer holiday I let my kids to stay up late (basically until they want) but when I see them overtired and it’s late then I definitely decide this for them and say it’s time for bed.

Also I grew up in a way where I could do anything I wanted. I did do whatever I wanted with my hair (using hair example as the writer used it) so I decided to bleached my hair despite my Mum previously said please don’t do it it won’t look good, I still did it and it looked awful. Then I decided to get rid of my eyebrows. I’m still so sad I did this terrible thing as they never grew back. I didn’t like school so I dripped it. Never returned so the outcome is that I have no specific education, knowledge or know-how. Also a lot of my friends play an instrument and while only few of them have told me it was a hard time to learn it and that they have choose not to become musicians (tho still do not regret they are able to play an instrument) then the rest ones tell me how happy they are that their parents “forced” them to continue with music studies and today they are fabulous musicians. Also I can’t swim properly, play and sports well nor paint. I also did not have many coping skills. How many times in adulthood I have wished I could play some sports, swim really well, play piano etc just to realise anxiety and stress. My parents did not push me to do anything and that’s the outcome. Tho, I strongly agree that one can not teach/learn anything without respect and deep kindness and that’s my only take away from this article. Thank you for reading.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 18:37:33 +0000

Such a great article, and I really needed it today! I feel like I’ve made so many mistakes with my 5yr old daughter lately. How do I fix the praise situation I have created?

By: Sherri

Sherri — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 11:41:22 +0000

I’d love to know if your opinions of freedom for children extend to your opinions on government and freedom… (not a troll post i am genuinely asking)

Do you think the amount of freedom you are giving your child is really preparing them to live in a society that is increasingly cutting away our freedoms?