It's good to know someone thinks this isn't a problem. I think most of my problem with her lack of interest in reading right now is the pressure I'm getting from other people. I mean, what does that say about me as a parent? She didn't potty train until 4. She's still doesn't know her alphabet and she's 4 now! She hasn't said anything profound by age two, like using words such as precipitation, dysfunctional, hedonistic, or other such things. Apparently my other friends children were telling them things like gravity works and how fog was made at age two as well. Honestly, I think these kids were just parroting back things their parents drilled in their head. I mean, you tell a child something often enough and they're going to start saying it on their own. It makes the parents look great because their kids are so smart, but do they really understand? I'm guessing not.

Corde has thankfully started to show some interest. She got a Leap Pad Read and Write for Christmas and has been all about writing her letters and numbers as part of the games. I think that's pretty great. At least she shows some interest if it's all for fun and games. And oddly enough she likes some of those workbook things. My aunt got her some workbooks for Christmas and she liked doing those because they have coloring and puzzles. I don't think it's enough to get her to read, but it's at least something she enjoys.

Obviously she's got to be doing okay. She knows how plants grow. She kind of understands how weather works, or has a basic understanding. She's got a good start on a lot of things relating to science and math. I just wish I'd stop getting pressure because she doesn't know how to read yet! Apparently this is normal, so why all the pressure? Especially since that really is the kind of kid she is. She does things when she's ready, then takes off like a bolt.

I think this just once again goes towards my concept of "the evils of 'conventional' schools"...from what I've seen here, if you don't know how to read by the time you enter Kindergarten, you're considered behind. I remember nannying a Kindergarten kid when I was back home in Mass and he was expected to read and write on his own in English and read in Spanish with assistance. I know with unschooling, you don't have to compete with the school systems, but it's sometimes so hard because almost everyone in my life thinks I'm making the wrong decision by not putting my daughter in school. Those who have no problems with homeschooling definitely think she needs to be working on her ABCs and writing because she'll be behind the other kids her own age. I see nothing wrong with that, but I have a hard time sticking with it when everyone else feels so differently.

Hi Marlfox, I think you are in Texas so you might try looking through this list of resources. Some are homeschoolers, some are unschoolers, it's pretty clear from the titles. I think these are mostly discussion lists, but I can tell you I LOVE my unschooling discussion lists. I belong to the Always Unschooled list. Will try to come back with a link to that later, my computer time is in tiny increments just now as we have teething going on.

www.homeedmag.com/groups/texas.html