Unschooling Style

One of my Google News requested subjects is unschooling. I get mildly excited when there's an unschooling article that happens to come from Australia. Today there was one about a family in North Queensland. The last time I wrote about an article about unschooling in Australia, it was about Queensland too. Maybe unschooling is more popular in Queensland than the other states. Or maybe it's more noticed?

The article has a photo of the family, and they look like an unschooling family to me....or the type that goes to unschooling conferences. A lot of unschooling families have a certain look. If you're wondering what I'm talking about, click on the article link and you'll see.

I also think they look the way I imagine families in North Queensland will look. I've never been to north Queensland, or Queensland at all. I'm haven't seen a lot of families, so I'm probably mostly using my overactive imagination to come up with this stereotype.

I'm just thinking if people from North Queensland naturally dress like the typical unschooler, maybe that's why unschooling might be growing in popularity there. Maybe it's a natural fit.

I'm wondering if we look like unschoolers. I think maybe I do...sometimes. Jack does too, sort of. I don't think Tim does.

I don't have any problem with the style of the typical unschooler. I think it's lovely. I like that look, especially the bare feet. What bothers me, though, is that there IS a style. I almost feel like unschooling has a uniform.

I was talking to someone in email about unschooling and said something like unschoolers often look like Darcy, Geraldine, and Jimmy Proudman on Offspring. And that's fine. I like how they dress. But when we go to conferences, I wish there was more variety. I wish there were people who dressed like Nina and Billy Proudman.

Now I'm looking at pictures of unschooling conferences online and thinking all of my issues are in my head.

Here's one group shot from an unschooling conference. A few folks match my stereotypical idea of an unschooler, but many others don't. And maybe people dress the part when going to the conference, not just so they can appear like a proper unschooler but because the conference is casual and has a free-spirit type aura. People might have their casual conference clothes just as they have their church clothes and/or cocktail party clothes.

I'm thinking of Disney World. There's a certain style there—funny hats, Disney t-shirts, comfortable shoes, etc. But most of those people probably dress differently when they're away from Disney World.


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