by Anthony Eldridge-Rogers in

HOLD THE BIGGER PICTURE

Anthony We all get focused on those small important things in our lives. We become focused and attached to behaviours and things that we have decided are either important and that feel compelling, or that are in some way addictive. We can get stuck in our thinking and beliefs, our attitudes and emotions. How easy it seems for us to start believing that the world that we see close-up around us is the only world there is. How much do we expand our view beyond the current crisis? Why is

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by Lehla Eldridge in

Ten Things I Tell Myself to Remember Around Parenting

How do kids learn things that connect with their souls and set their imagination on fire?How do the fireflies of inspiration spark their spirits? Can I help keep those iridescent lights of creativity shining?I ask myself these questions...they are big questions.I know that for me putting the kids in a schooling environment stopped being an option when I saw them shrinking and the sparkle diminishing from their eyes.I also know that this may not be easy to read, especially if in your heart you feel through my words that there is

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by Lehla Eldridge in

Uplifting the Next Generation and Gently Changing the Course of History

How we show up is so important for our children and we are shaping who they are to become.  I was struck by this thought the other day. I am raising children that will most likely go on to have children and I am modelling for them how to be as a parent. We as parents have a choice as to how we show up and we can change script for future generations. If you stop and think about it that is an amazing thought! I was brought up in

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by Lehla Eldridge in

Tis the season not to be triggered.

A loving reminder/question for all of you entering in to the Christmas season with family and friends. Can you stay in your truth and not get triggered? Can you be aware when you are getting stressed?This can be a time of year when tensions rise. So for any of you out there who are mixing with the button pressers remember this, breathe through any awkward questions. Remember to lovingly keep your boundaries and be gentle with others and yourself. Sometimes people can be curious about different ways of raising kids and

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by Anthony Eldridge-Rogers in

Just when you thought schools could not get more idiotic

The manipulation of mindfulness into schools is cause for concern. It is tough for our schooling systems to reform themselves root and branch in the way we need. Mainstream schooling certainly has not and it is unlikely that it even can. In a way it is no surprise that a coercive, directive and conditioning educational system is resorting to hijacking and distorting enlightened spiritual principles to pacify, control and punish children. Some schools are mandating mindfulness instead of detention or are putting it into the curriculum. On first presentation this

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by Lehla Eldridge in

Listening with Respect: How Unschooling Elevates Our Children’s Voices

Simply put, if you talk to them with respect, they flourish. I don’t want to go for a long walk. Yes but you have to. Why. Because I said so. If you said that to me you might piss me off. Finish everything that is on your plate. That also might irritate me. Just do as I say. At that point, I would grab my coat and I probably would not come back and visit you. This is the way a lot of children get talked to and I get

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by Lehla Eldridge in

Are you a competitive homeschooling/unschooling parent?

 We as of yet have no self-sustaining organic garden, our kids don’t know quite how to fashion wooden spoons out of a tree nor how to stick then roast an organically farmed pig. They are not musical geniuses that we know of, yet, and they have not started their own companies at the age of eight, which they are now floating on the stock market. These are not our kids, our kids may end up doing all those things who knows but right now, they don’t. Now this is such

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by Lehla Eldridge in

Me and the Wood Man.

As I was stacking the wood, Ant, my husband talked about when we should order our next bunch of wood from the wood man. And I said I think ‘I would like to order from another wood man’. And he said ‘WHAT???? After ALL HE GAVE YOU? You should be thanking that wood man!!!’ If you don’t know what I am talking about click here… I gave him a sideways glance and I thought about it, he was right. With out his harsh words I wouldn’t have heard all your

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by Lehla Eldridge in

‘Unless your children go to school they will be NOTHING’ an unexpected lesson from the wood man.

After the wood man had dropped the wood, when I was paying him, he quizzed me about our kids schooling. As they all skipped around the van he was curious as to why they were not in school. After I told him what we do, he went on to do mental Kung Fu on my psyche. If his words were a gun, he first shot my knee, then went on to my arm, he did not let his gun drop and I stood there and I took it. He asked

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by Lehla Eldridge in

Abandoning teaching. Embracing facilitating.

When I started out teaching the kids and I say ‘teaching’ because that was exactly how I was approaching it. I had it all organised, I was ready. We would start with a check in, ‘How are you? How is everything? What would you like to do today?’ And in my mind I would have it all prepared I would be guiding them in my direction, as to what I wanted to do. Firstly nobody really wanted a ‘check in’ it was always a bit cringey and they would sit

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