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Bit of an oddball here..

GigMistress

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I just started reading Unscripted and decided to check out the community more in search of kindred spirits than looking for major change. I am a former attorney in my mid-50s who rejected conventional expectations in my 20s and have lived more or less "unscripted " since. I took my daughter out of school in 8th grade and home schooled her through high school while we traveled around the country and learned through experience and she dabbled in various career paths. I got my favorite "teen idol" from my youth to work with me on a short book about him. I'm not rich and arguably not an entrepreneur--I'm a freelance writer with a few other more passive offerings attached to my business--but I make a comfortable living in part-time hours, work only with the clients I choose on the projects I want to work on, and have no conventional ties.

I am looking to expand my entrepreneurial endeavors now that I have one foot in retirement, and to help my daughter (now 23) who is working on building a business. But, most of the reason I'm here is that the early part of Unscripted (all I've read so far) is all about breaking free from things I ditched nearly 30 years ago, but am still being asked to justify by many "conventional wisdom" disciples.
 
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Interesting about the home schooling thing, I think @Primeperiwinkle comes with that history as well.

Its great to have you, glad to hear you are enjoying the book thus far.

:thumbsup:
 

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I just saw that I was tagged!

Hello New Person! Welcome to the forum! We’ve got a bunch of ppl who have either homeschooled or love homeschoolers here.

I actually don’t homeschool my children at this time since they’re little, I’m a single mom, and I am busy running a B & M business while also having ridiculously long convos online about all kinds of books! Lol.

Happy to have you.
 

GigMistress

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Hello New Person! Welcome to the forum! We’ve got a bunch of ppl who have either homeschooled or love homeschoolers here.

Thanks for the welcome! My homeschooling days are long over--my daughter finished a year ahead of schedule and is 23 now, so I am blissfully not responsible for anyone but myself and one very small dog.
 
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Walter Hay

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I am a big fan of home schooling. When my sister's husband became a drug addict and left her with 2 young children, to settle her mind she sold what was left of their house, bought a trailer and traveled the country while home schooling her children.

There is so much extra-curricular stuff being dealt with at schools, that it was not altogether surprising that when she decided to settle down, and return her children to the school system, they were both 2 years ahead of their peers of the same age.

My frequent and long periods in hospital didn't harm my education. In fact it improved it because to pass the time I simply soaked up educational material such as the Encyclopedia Britannica. My head wasn't being filled with stuff found in B grade social engineering books passing as novels, supposedly provided to help in teaching English.

Please excuse the rant.

I hope MJ's book and your new friends here on the forum help you in choosing the right path for your daughter's enterprise. Her education is a good starting point.

Walter
 

GigMistress

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I am a big fan of home schooling. When my sister's husband became a drug addict and left her with 2 young children, to settle her mind she sold what was left of their house, bought a trailer and traveled the country while home schooling her children.

There is so much extra-curricular stuff being dealt with at schools, that it was not altogether surprising that when she decided to settle down, and return her children to the school system, they were both 2 years ahead of their peers of the same age.


Walter

That is a great story, Walter (though I'm sorry it was triggered by such a rough time). I am not surprised at all that the kids were far ahead of the game. We quickly discovered that my daughter was able to cover significantly more than a typical school day's worth of work in about 2.5 hours/day. When I initially took her out of school, I wasn't sure whether it was going to be long-term, but in the 8 months between when I took her out and when she would have started high school she not only significantly bypassed her class but taught herself to play the guitar and wrote several songs, started writing a book and created a music blog that had bands sending her unsolicited stuff to review. I decided to stay out of her way.
 

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I just started reading Unscripted and decided to check out the community more in search of kindred spirits than looking for major change. I am a former attorney in my mid-50s who rejected conventional expectations in my 20s and have lived more or less "unscripted " since. I took my daughter out of school in 8th grade and home schooled her through high school while we traveled around the country and learned through experience and she dabbled in various career paths.

Welcome! Your story sounds incredible, and I'm already inspired.

We are home schooling our young children + enrolling them in sports programs for socialization and it's going really well so far. We also hope to travel with our kids when they get a bit older, and home school them on the road.

You're in good company here. :)

I got my favorite "teen idol" from my youth to work with me on a short book about him. I'm not rich and arguably not an entrepreneur--I'm a freelance writer with a few other more passive offerings attached to my business--but I make a comfortable living in part-time hours, work only with the clients I choose on the projects I want to work on, and have no conventional ties.

I am looking to expand my entrepreneurial endeavors now that I have one foot in retirement, and to help my daughter (now 23) who is working on building a business. But, most of the reason I'm here is that the early part of Unscripted (all I've read so far) is all about breaking free from things I ditched nearly 30 years ago, but am still being asked to justify by many "conventional wisdom" disciples.

It seems like you have things pretty dialed in. Are you hoping to gain anything from your experience here?
 
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GigMistress

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Welcome! Your story sounds incredible, and I'm already inspired.

We are home schooling our young children + enrolling them in sports programs for socialization and it's going really well so far. We also hope to travel with our kids when they get a bit older, and home school them on the road.

You're in good company here. :)

It seems like you have things pretty dialed in. Are you hoping to gain anything from your experience here?

That is great! I am always happy to hear of people liberating their kids. So much time is wasted in school, and there's so little opportunity for exploration. I know every family is different, but opting out of that structure really opened up opportunities for my daughter (and me, by extension, since we were free to travel).

I think my motivation in being here is mostly about connecting with people who aren't trying to figure out a polite way to ask me where my money comes from since I never seen to go to work (a frequent occurrence in my little Midwestern town) or shaking their heads in confusion at the apparent disconnect in my lifestyle (live in a rented townhouse and drive a 15-year-old car, but go to Cape Cod for a week and end up staying for a month). My daughter laughs about the audio books and podcasts I listen to when I'm walking (aim for 5-8 miles/day)--she says that I always come home quoting someone else saying something I've already been doing for 20 years. She's usually right; I think it's because the real people I'm surrounded by are generally of a very different mindset. Her boyfriend's mother warns him that my daughter is likely misrepresenting the things she tells him about our lives, because if I were actually successful I would own a house.

That said, I'm sure I still have things to learn. But, I won't know what I don't know until I hear it.
 

Walter Hay

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Her boyfriend's mother warns him that my daughter is likely misrepresenting the things she tells him about our lives, because if I were actually successful I would own a house.
I know a multi millionaire who owns an enormous number of rental properties, but lives in a rented penthouse apartment. Most of his rental properties are not leveraged, but he says that owning the place he lives in would not be a good investment.

Another very wealthy friend never bought a new car in his life.

I like the way you do your own thing. You don't have to impress others in order to be happy ..... and free.

Walter
 

BellaPippin

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Can someone briefly explain how homeschooling is done? Where do you even start? How do you plan? Honest question; every time the topic comes up I just imagine a mom sitting at the dining room table explaining math. Is it like that?


Edit- Sorry, how rude of me -- Welcome to the forum!! Your story is really empowering and inspiring, it sounds like you took the bull by the horns!
 
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csalvato

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That is great! I am always happy to hear of people liberating their kids. So much time is wasted in school, and there's so little opportunity for exploration. I know every family is different, but opting out of that structure really opened up opportunities for my daughter (and me, by extension, since we were free to travel).

I think my motivation in being here is mostly about connecting with people who aren't trying to figure out a polite way to ask me where my money comes from since I never seen to go to work (a frequent occurrence in my little Midwestern town) or shaking their heads in confusion at the apparent disconnect in my lifestyle (live in a rented townhouse and drive a 15-year-old car, but go to Cape Cod for a week and end up staying for a month). My daughter laughs about the audio books and podcasts I listen to when I'm walking (aim for 5-8 miles/day)--she says that I always come home quoting someone else saying something I've already been doing for 20 years. She's usually right; I think it's because the real people I'm surrounded by are generally of a very different mindset. Her boyfriend's mother warns him that my daughter is likely misrepresenting the things she tells him about our lives, because if I were actually successful I would own a house.

That said, I'm sure I still have things to learn. But, I won't know what I don't know until I hear it.

Sounds good.

I think for someone in your position, you’ll want to find some contributors that resonate with you, and click the follow button for them. Then you can look at a news feed just of those folks.

You may also want to peruse the gold threads and see if anything pops out at you, to find your initial followees.

Again, welcome!


Can someone briefly explain how homeschooling is done? Where do you even start? How do you plan? Honest question; every time the topic comes up I just imagine a mom sitting at the dining room table explaining math. Is it like that?


Edit- Sorry, how rude of me -- Welcome to the forum!! Your story is really empowering and inspiring, it sounds like you took the bull by the horns!

Mom at the dining room table isn’t too far off. For us, we have a separate room that’s our classroom in the house.

my kids are still preschool age, but they have a few hours of class every morning, with lesson plans my wife plans. We talk about their lessons every day, and she will adjust based on our discussions.

We enroll them in Sports programs, so they get lots of time with other kids, take them to a day care for a couple of hours a week to break things up for them, and have memberships at places like the aquarium, zoo, etc. to incorporate into their lessons.

We have been very happy with the results.
 

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I think my motivation in being here is mostly about connecting with people who aren't trying to figure out a polite way to ask me where my money comes from since I never seen to go to work (a frequent occurrence in my little Midwestern town) or shaking their heads in confusion at the apparent disconnect in my lifestyle (live in a rented townhouse and drive a 15-year-old car, but go to Cape Cod for a week and end up staying for a month). My daughter laughs about the audio books and podcasts I listen to when I'm walking (aim for 5-8 miles/day)--she says that I always come home quoting someone else saying something I've already been doing for 20 years. She's usually right; I think it's because the real people I'm surrounded by are generally of a very different mindset. Her boyfriend's mother warns him that my daughter is likely misrepresenting the things she tells him about our lives, because if I were actually successful I would own a house.
I think you've found your tribe. :) Welcome!

People living the script often don't understand that there are other paths, and are skeptical & confused about those of us who don't have a traditional cubicle-farm job.

Being a parent & entrepreneurial has its challenges, but is also an incredible opportunity to demonstrate that there are other options than the typical life script we're taught.

Coincidentally, all my clients are attorneys, and a lot of them have told me if they could do it over, they'd choose a different career. :)
 

Walter Hay

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I ran my businesses from home and my children were asked by others why I didn't go out to work. Their standard answer was "My dad works at home", but that sometimes led to scoffing.

Later in life they really appreciated having me around so much of the time. Part of their education was watching me at work. I had no problems with them being around me while I was manufacturing my chemical products. Although I used very little that was hazardous I made sure they tasted a harmless but foul tasting raw material after I told them that it was the only one that was safe for them to drink.:arghh:

Home schooling was logistically not an option, but they learnt a lot about business by observing. In a little enclosure that was their "office" I set up a small desk with a real telephone that was not connected, and with no prompting from me I heard them answer imaginary calls in quite a professional way.

They traveled overseas with me on business, and we traveled worldwide on vacation also as a family. Even their teachers told me that their travels were very beneficial even though they missed quite a lot of school time.

Spending so much time with my wife and children was an experience that I treasure. Definitely unscripted . I am so pleased to see how you have achieved that lifestyle @GigMistress

Walter
 
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GigMistress

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Can someone briefly explain how homeschooling is done? Where do you even start? How do you plan? Honest question; every time the topic comes up I just imagine a mom sitting at the dining room table explaining math. Is it like that?


Edit- Sorry, how rude of me -- Welcome to the forum!! Your story is really empowering and inspiring, it sounds like you took the bull by the horns!

A lot depends on you, your kids, and the state you live in. I am fortunate enough to live in a state where the government stays mostly out of your way, but in some states you have to file lesson plans and get approval every year.

There are homeschooling groups where kids can learn about things beyond your expertise, and there are online courses kids can take and curriculum you can purchase, so you're not necessarily left to figure it all out on your own.

I did create a lot of my own curriculum and my daughter even designed some of her own projects. I also used things she was already pursuing in her life as a basis for some school work. For instance, she started writing a novel in 8th grade and I make my living as a writer, so instead of doing the stock grammar and essay format type of writing work, we put pieces of her novel through the editorial process. Rather than a grammar textbook, she used editorial style guides for corrections of grammar and form (and learned a fair amount about when and how to disregard grammatical rules to achieve the intended purpose).

She did a lot of math on her own and I just tested her and answered questions. I used an existing biology text but created my own tests and study guides.

I had some background to prepare me for this, but here's an interesting fact: home schooled children tend to do better in college than their traditionally-schooled peers even if the parent homeschooling them didn't finish high school. My belief is that this is due to a combination of opportunities for self-direction and the customization of the help that is needed to the particular child's learning style, pace, etc. in a way that can't happen when there are 30 kids in the room.

Home schoolers tend to be a bit evangelistic, so there is a wealth of information and support available with a quick Google search.
 

GigMistress

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Coincidentally, all my clients are attorneys, and a lot of them have told me if they could do it over, they'd choose a different career. :)

For the first several years after I left legal practice, I'd run into old classmates and the first question they always asked was "Are you still practicing?" When I said I wasn't, nearly all of them said they envied me, and I would leave confused about why they didn't just make a change. It was a long time before I realized that most of them were as confused as I was--about why I'd thought I could just walk away.
 

BellaPippin

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A lot depends on you, your kids, and the state you live in. I am fortunate enough to live in a state where the government stays mostly out of your way, but in some states you have to file lesson plans and get approval every year.

There are homeschooling groups where kids can learn about things beyond your expertise, and there are online courses kids can take and curriculum you can purchase, so you're not necessarily left to figure it all out on your own.

I did create a lot of my own curriculum and my daughter even designed some of her own projects. I also used things she was already pursuing in her life as a basis for some school work. For instance, she started writing a novel in 8th grade and I make my living as a writer, so instead of doing the stock grammar and essay format type of writing work, we put pieces of her novel through the editorial process. Rather than a grammar textbook, she used editorial style guides for corrections of grammar and form (and learned a fair amount about when and how to disregard grammatical rules to achieve the intended purpose).

She did a lot of math on her own and I just tested her and answered questions. I used an existing biology text but created my own tests and study guides.

I had some background to prepare me for this, but here's an interesting fact: home schooled children tend to do better in college than their traditionally-schooled peers even if the parent homeschooling them didn't finish high school. My belief is that this is due to a combination of opportunities for self-direction and the customization of the help that is needed to the particular child's learning style, pace, etc. in a way that can't happen when there are 30 kids in the room.

Home schoolers tend to be a bit evangelistic, so there is a wealth of information and support available with a quick Google search.
Thanks for the explanation, very enlightening! Indeed It does sound like you can customize way more and help their critical thinking skills form way better and also relate every project to things more of their interest.
 
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SteveO

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My wife was an attorney when we met. She didn't care for it too much. The hours were long and expectations high.

She did real estate contract work for some large developers. I do real estate. Great match.

She quit her job when we purchased a golf course which we run together.
 

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