Don’t trust, verify!
We hired a mobile mechanic to help us figure out whether this Nissan pick up truck is a good buy for our land.
We’re building an unschooling neighborhood for fiat-proof families in Madeira
An excerpt of the A PLACE TO BE story:
…
My childhood was rich in outdoor time, having a lot of freedom to play and explore our surroundings, however, this was limited to after-school hours and I must admit that I didn’t enjoy school at all. When learning that schools are not just unnecessary but rather harmful in many ways, it was an easy decision to not send our kids there and to value their time and our bond instead. For my own family, I envisioned living in a neighbourhood full of unschooled kids where they could just run outside and play whenever they wanted.
To cut a long story short, I didn’t find it so I decided to create exactly this: A neighbourhood called A Place To Be for us and all other families who want their children to grow up freely.
So, I hope you’ll come and visit us soon in sunny Madeira!
READ THE WHOLE
STORY HERE: https://www.aplacetobe.me/our-story
Oops, this video wasn’t meant for this post but hey, enjoy watching the kids’ chicken coop project 😉
We spend at least one day a week walking shelter dogs and playing and stroking the cats … zap us if you thinks we should adopt a few once we have space for them!
The kids (and me too) definitely want ALL of them 🐈⬛🐶🫶🏼🤩🥰
Another fun day of muscle work to clean our land and then a well-deserved Espatada BBQ.
On Monday a company will start clearing the roads and pathways to create access to the clearings where we’ll build houses and other structures for our unschooling neighborhood 😎🙌🏽🤩🫶🏼
#fiatproof your kids 😎 A Place To Be - our unschooling neighborhood is progressing nicely… Will you fiat-proof your kids too? Get them out of the system asap 🫶🏼
Today we started clearing our land to prepare it for usage. Tough and BIG job but we all enjoyed it massively!
Soon we’ll camp and do some BBQ’s there. 😎🙌🏽🫶🏼
Footage from our last visit of our land in Caniçal (east of Madeira) … next week we’ll be spending the day there with our architect to find the best spots to build 😎🙌🏽
We have more than 530.000m2 to explore 🫶🏼
Bo (5): mommy, I want honey melon on my bread please.
Me: Honey melon on your bread…
Bo: of course!
Trying new things is great 😁
She doesn’t like …
#unschooling
One reason why I invest so much love, time and effort into the upbringing of my daughters is because I would I like to nap with Bo when I’m 85 and she 50 🫶🏼 #lowtimepreference #unschooling #family
What Barnaby Taught Us About Learning and Free Will
In my personal life, I’ve been engaging deeply with the topic of setting boundaries over the past few months, especially since my husband, who works as a mind coach, had a personal revelation that he shared with me. This theme has since been at the center of many of our conversations and the focus of observation in our own behaviors. It marked a breakthrough moment that triggered a series of insights, leading us to realize that our ability to set boundaries has strengthened significantly. And it feels AMAZING!!!
It’s no coincidence that today, after months of setting it aside, I picked up John Taylor Gatto’s audiobook to finish it.
In the final chapter of *Weapons of Mass Instruction*, the author tells the story of Barnaby, a student who defied the conventions of traditional education with the simple but profound declaration, “I prefer not to.” This phrase, which may sound passive, actually carries revolutionary power. For Gatto, Barnaby’s gentle refusal embodies the spirit of unschooling, the ability to question and reject systems that stifle curiosity and individual growth. It’s a reminder that the ability to say “no” — to exams, to standardized learning, to rigid systems — is a crucial tool in the journey toward true, self-directed education.
In the world of unschooling, we often talk about fostering intrinsic motivation, nurturing curiosity, and respecting the individuality of each learner. Barnaby’s story brings these values into focus. He was not lazy, unintelligent, or defiant in a traditional sense. He was, in Gatto’s words, a young person aware of his autonomy and willing to defend it. By choosing not to participate in exams and evaluations, Barnaby was reclaiming his right to an education that made sense to him. He was rejecting the idea that his worth or abilities could be boiled down to a letter grade or a percentile rank.
Barnaby’s “I prefer not to” resonates deeply with the ethos of unschooling. In an unschooling community, learning is pursued not because it’s mandated, but because it’s meaningful and relevant to each learner’s life. Rather than viewing exams and standardized tests as the ultimate markers of success, unschooling values a deeper, more personalized approach to learning. The pressure to conform, to achieve by external standards, is replaced by an emphasis on exploring passions, discovering strengths, and respecting the natural learning rhythms of each individual.
John Taylor Gatto understood that one of the most powerful things a student can learn is how to refuse what doesn’t serve them. This idea isn’t about shirking responsibility; rather, it’s about exercising free will in a way that aligns with one’s values and genuine interests. Exams, after all, are designed to measure conformity and compliance as much as they are meant to assess knowledge. The freedom to say, “I prefer not to,” is the freedom to prioritize one’s learning journey over the arbitrary demands of the system.
In many ways, Barnaby’s story is also a call to parents and educators. It challenges us to examine our own beliefs about education and question the value of the “academic hoops” students are so often forced to jump through. By encouraging our kids to question, resist, and reclaim their own education, we empower them to take control of their lives and learning.
So when people ask why we don’t send our children to school, Gatto’s response seems the most fitting: “I prefer not to.” It’s a simple yet powerful way to honor our right to an education that aligns with our values.
Barnaby’s journey demonstrates that learning is not a passive act; it’s something alive and full of potential. Through Gatto’s story, we’re reminded that saying “no” to what doesn’t feel right is often the first step toward saying “yes” to a life of authentic, joyful learning. And perhaps, that’s one of the greatest lessons we can give our children: the courage to choose, to think for themselves, and to reclaim the power of their own voice in a world that too often tries to silence it.
Lachlan (27) hasn’t spent a day at school and is as bright, happy and successful as can be 🤜🤛
Tune in to the #fiatproof podcast to hear more about it 🎧
https://youtu.be/8FZ2OHZMMvU?feature=shared
#unschooling
#greenpill
#fiatproof
Wheely?
Super stoked to talk to our dear friend nostr:npub1lelkh3hhxw9hdwlcpk6q9t0xt9f7yze0y0nxazvzqjmre3p98x3sthkvyz who shot a documentary about APTB & #unschooling.
He's super cool, talented, lives an amazing life and is a true #bitcoiner. We can all learn a lot from him 🤓
#fiatproof
#bitcoin
#unschooling
#fiat-proofpodcast
Was that you who bought us "Cool Chemistry Concoctions" book? 🫵
Thank you 💥
We'll put it to good use @ A Place To Be trying all the 50 formulas that fizz, foam, splatter and ooze 🧪🧑🔬⚗️👩🔬🔬
If you want to support us, here's what else we need:
🔬🎨🪘📚📋🏓🐔 🔦 https://geyser.fund/project/decentralisedworldschoolinghubmadeira
Was that you who bought us "Cool Chemistry Concoctions" book? 🫵
Thank you 💥
We'll put it to good use @ A Place To Be trying all the 50 formulas that fizz, foam, splatter and ooze 🧪🧑🔬⚗️👩🔬🔬
If you want to support us, here's what else we need:
🔬🎨🪘📚📋🏓🐔 🔦 https://geyser.fund/project/decentralisedworldschoolinghubmadeira
We recently bought a car, and I'm very pleased with it, especially since it's a 7-seater, allowing me to transport lots of friends. However, there is one thing that bothers me a bit...
It has an inbuilt 'annoying co-pilot' that tells me what to do, advises me to be careful, and even controls the steering wheel sometimes!!!
Can you imagine?! 😲
When I get 'too close' to a car in front, a big red circle flashes up on the display saying BREAK!
The first few times I saw it, it distracted me quite a lot.
When I don't hold the steering wheel stable at all times, a little orange sign pops up, reminding me to drive in a straight line.
And when I was on the motorway and a second lane opened up to the right, which I wanted to take, the car blocked the steering wheel slightly to let me know I shouldn't leave my route.
From then on, I was very wary of how I was driving, whether any light or sign would appear to warn me, and I was getting nervous about making the car—Silver, we called her Silver—not like my driving.
Crazy, huh?! 😕
For a while, Silver was actually making me doubt my decisions, my way of driving perfectly fine (My dad taught me how to drive at the age of 12, and I have driven in Germany, Mexico, Spain, the UK, and Portugal). I was second-guessing myself until I became aware of the crazy situation:
The car is like an adult telling a child what to do, advising them to be careful, and interfering physically with the kid's actions when they think they might be in danger, even though the child is in tune with their instincts, being aware of the risks and dangers around, and making sound decisions.
A complete no-go at APTB! 😈
Having distracting signs popping up made me nervous and not focused on the road for seconds, which could have made it more likely for me to create an accident!
The same applies to adults telling kids 'be careful,' 'danger,' 'stop,' 'you're about to fall,' 'let me take over,' 'you don't know,' etc. Too much of this and not letting the child set their boundaries will lead to the kid second-guessing their decisions. Studies show that this leds more more accidents!
I've gotten used to all the flashes and signs warning me, and I can ignore them, but maybe I will ask Alex to deactivate these settings 😉
Yeah, I'll get rid of this authority that thinks it knows best because I know better... because I'm part of the real world 😏
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