10: Should a Child Be Given the Freedom to Choose?

If children are given the freedom to do whatever they want, will they choose to do nothing at all?

My teenage daughters, Imogen (19) and Sophie (13) join me for today's podcast, to discuss this question. During our conversation we talk about whether it is actually possible to do nothing at all, and how parents and children sometimes differ in their opinion about what is a valuable way of spending time. I ask my daughters if they think children should be made to do difficult things. And what about things they do not like doing? We also chat about the need for quiet time. By the time we get to the end of the podcast we are mulling over this question: Could it actually be essential for parents to let children choose?

 

I've gathered together a few blog posts I've written on this subject. They can be found in the program notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.