beyond having cake and eating it

I have been wrecking my brains over how radical unschoolers approaches the common parental challenges (sweets, TV -videogames, etc), with complete lack or restrictions.

I am beginning to think that this reflects a certain underlying basic belief that it a foundation of a whole unschooling philosophy. I am not sure whether I can put my finger on it, but I’ll try.

Radical unschoolers appear to believe in the basic natural goodness, perfection even, of human beings. From here, it follows that children will figure out the right thing to do if left to their own devices, that their nature will guide them.

This is not a new concept. In a way, it represents a return to the very roots of modern childrearing. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was the first person to voice this concept in his seminal work, ‘Emile, ou l’Education’ . His ideas were a far cry from the predating view that children are miniature adults, full of original sin that must be stomped out.

Rousseau compared a child to a savage, who at the time of Enlightement was viewed as a perfect human being, innocent and unspoiled by civilization, just as Nature intended. Rousseau's childrearing methods were directed at preserving and enhancing those beneficial traits within his pupil, achieved through simle, commonsense approaches. He showed how Emile, having the wisdom of Nature behind him, integrates perfectly in the ways of civilization.

The catch is that Rousseau doesn’t let civilization come anywhere near Emile during his formative years. Only than he believes the Nature can infuse his body, mind and spirit with strength and wisdom.

Now however we want to have our cake and eat it (no pun intended). We think that children can maintain innocence while partaking liberally of every pleasure and temptation that society bombards them with. We think that they will be able to understand the real value of every experience and thought, guided only by their natural goodness and unconditinal approval of their parents.

It is a certainly a nice idea, warm and fuzzy – and easy.

The question is, is it supported by any fact or data? Does it make sense considering everything we know about history, about human biology, about our society and the forces that operate in it?

To probe still deeper, do we feel basically at home in the world that we ourselves have created, and find it satisfactory? Or are we prodigal sons and daughters, struggling to find our way through wilderness?

I don’t know the answers to those questions.

I do notice however a parallel between the permissive approach of radical unschoolers and the issue of childhood competenceas discussed by Donald Elkind in his book ‘Miseducation’ .

Doing away with any rules and restrictions shows an assumption that our children are competent. It implies that they will be able to deal with things that we the adults can’t deal with in a satisfactory matter.

According to Elkind, childhood competence is a defining trait of our contemporary childrearing methods. It is very interesting to note that although radical unschooling concept defies society in many ways, it still remains a child of our time, as shown by its utmost reliance on childhood competence.

What a tangled web we weave.