Stories of an Unschooling Family

Latest Episodes:

138: Is Unschooling More Than a Method of Homeschooling? Oct 27, 2018

Show notes

This week, I'm discussing the question: Is unschooling a method of homeschooling? Or is there more to unschooling than that? Could it be a way of life?

I'm sharing and discussing a story, Why Unschooling Isn't Just Another Method of Homeschooling

I'm also talking about

the issue of unlimited screen time again
criticism and the power of love
how can we encourage kids to become the people they are meant to be?

Show Notes

Blog Post

Why Unschooling Isn't Just Another Method of Homeschooling

Podcast

Episode 70: Trust, Respect and Love Unconditionally

Article

Unschooling 101 by Bridget Bentz Sider:

Instagram

stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling. A quick review or rating would help too!

Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment about anything I talked about in this episode. Or just stop by and say hello!

137: Guiding Our Kids by Radically Unschooling Oct 19, 2018

Show notes

This week, I'm returning to the topic of radical unschooling.

I'm sharing a story about junk food and poor hygiene and then discussing the following questions:

Is it okay if our kids make choices that are detrimental to their health and happiness?
Should we stand back and let kids make their own minds up about everything?
Or is it okay to guide them?
Do all parents influence their children in some way?
How do we guide our kids without forcing our values, beliefs and practices on them?
What's the difference between unschooling and unparenting?
Why do I think everyone should radically unschool?

I also share

My bad haircut story
My Instagram news
An update about the unschooling book I'm writing

Show Notes

Blog post

Junk Food and Poor Hygiene: Is Radical Unschooling Wrong?

Podcast

Episode 109: Why You Should Consider Radical Unschooling

Books

The Crystal Tree by Imogen Elvis

Finish: Give Myself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff

Instagram

stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling. A quick review or rating would help too!

Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment about anything I talked about in this episode. Or just stop by and say hello!

136: The Complicated Issue of Unlimited Screen Time Oct 12, 2018

Show notes

This week, I'm chatting about unlimited screen time. Is this a simple issue? If we let our unschooled kids have unlimited access to screens and trust them, will they learn to self-regulate their usage without any problems? Or is there more to discuss than that?

I'm sharing my story, Is It Really Okay to Let Unschooling Kids Have Unlimited Access to Screens and the Internet?

And I'm discussing the questions:

Will kids learn to self-regulate their screen usage?
Do adults have trouble self-regulating?
Should we respect our kids’ choices?
Why do we fear letting go of control?
What is sensible screen behaviour?
Is the Internet really addictive?
Is making screen rules a responsible thing to do?
Or is there a better way to help kids self-regulate their usage?
Do we have to do more than just step back and give our kids complete freedom to do what they want?

Show Notes

Blog Posts

Is It Really Okay to Let Unschooling Kids Have Unlimited Access to Screens and the Internet?

My Unschool Unplanning Strewing Notebook

Podcast

Episode 105, Social Media, Internet Addiction, and Screen Time

Youtube

Sue Elvis

Instagram

stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling. A quick review or rating would help too!

Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment about anything I talked about in this episode. Or just stop by and say hello!

135: A Gradual Approach to Unschooling and More Oct 05, 2018

Show notes

This week, I'm talking about how unschooling can be approached in a gradual way.

I'm sharing a story: A Gradual Approach to Unschooling.

And discussing the following questions:

Is a gradual approach the best way for many families to begin unschooling?
Is mutual trust between parent and child essential?
Is it really okay if our kids spend all day in front of screens?
Why do some kids have trouble self-regulating their screen time?
Is it wrong if parents want their kids to exercise and go outside?
How can we encourage kids to leave their screens?

Show Notes

Blog Posts

A Gradual Approach to Unschooling

Is It Really Okay to Give Unschooling Kids Unlimited Access to Screens and the Internet

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling. A quick review or rating would help too!

Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment about anything I talked about in this episode. Perhaps you'd like to tell me what you think of my new look blog. Or just stop by and say hello!

134: Do Unschoolers Need Holidays? Sep 28, 2018

Show notes

This week, I'm sharing my story Funny How Things Change. It's about school term time and holidays. It's also a typical day story.

I'm also discussing the questions:

How did our attitude towards holidays change when we became unschoolers?
Do unschoolers need holidays?
If we want our kids to respond to our strewing invitations, do we need to respond to theirs?
Do we have to be prepared to give our time and full attention to our kids?

Also:

I talk about homeschool record keeping
I have some resources to share
I reveal what happened to my Catholic Radical Unschool Cheese blog
And I tell you about some changes to my unschooling blog

Show Notes

Blog post

Funny How Things Change

Resources

Novels

To Love a Sunburnt Country by Jackie French

The Billabong Books by Mary Grant Bruce

The Far Side of the Loch by Melissa Wiley

Poem

Clancy of the Overflow by Banjo Paterson

Videos

Secrets of the Castle

The Hollow Crown

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling.

133: A Balanced and Productive Unschool Life Sep 21, 2018

Show notes

This week, I'm chatting with my teenage daughter Sophie.

We start with these conversation prompts:

Something we've been thinking about
Something we've found difficult
Something we've enjoyed
Something we've read or listened to
Something we've watched

And we end up talking about:

Why making rules can be dangerous
Balancing work, passions, and taking care of ourselves
How unschooling isn’t about drifting aimlessly through the day
An easy way to keep a journal
Intentionally seeking joy in our lives
Becoming happier and more positive people
How we can all make a difference to other people’s days
Resisting the temptation to check apps and waste time
Creativity
Growing and developing as people

Show Notes

Podcasts

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

The Accidental Creative

Blog post

Unschoolers Talk About Freedom to Choose

Books

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

Louder Than Words by Todd Henry

TV Series

Agents of SHIELD

Call the Midwife

Sophie's Blog

Tough Turtle

My Youtube Channel

Sue Elvis

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling.

Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment about anything I talked about in this episode. Or just stop by and say hello!

132: When an Unschooler Isn't Interested in Maths Sep 14, 2018

Show notes

This week, I'm sharing and discussing the post When an Unschooler Isn't Interested in Maths. It's the promised update to my daughter Gemma-Rose's unschooling maths story.

Also, I have a maths resource to share.

And I tell a couple of stories. One involves a huge kangaroo and the other ponders the questions: What is success? How do we measure it?

Show Notes

Blog Post

When an Unschooler Isn't Interested in Maths

Maths Youtube Channel

Eddie Woo

My Youtube Channel

Sue Elvis

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling.

Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment about anything I talked about in this episode. Or just stop by and say hello!

131: Making Unschooled Kids Learn Maths Just in Case Sep 07, 2018

Show notes

This week, I'm sharing a story called Making Unschooled Kids Learn Maths Just in Case. And I'm discussing the main points in it.

Is it sensible to make all kids learn maths just in case they might need it?

What if kids need maths to go to university?

What if they decide they want to go to school?

Show Notes

Blog post

Making Unschooled Kids Learn Maths Just in Case

Videos

Are You a Curious Unschooler?

What Will You Strew Today?

Youtube channel

Sue Elvis

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling.

Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment about anything I talked about in this episode. Or just stop by and say hello!

130: Are You a Curious Unschooler? Sep 01, 2018

Show notes

This week, I'm sharing a story called Are You a Curious Unschooler?

I'm also discussing the following questions:

Is everyone curious?
Or can we lose our curiosity?
Can we strew verbally?
Do we have to be good examples of learning for our kids?
Does our curiosity make homeschool recordkeeping easier?
How can we unschool and also be registered homeschoolers?

Show Notes

Podcast

Episode 58: Responding to Unschooling and Other Critics

Blog posts

Are You a Curious Unschooler?

Saying Yes: Unschool Bits and Pieces

A Resource

The House with Annabel Crabb

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling.

Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment about anything I talked about in this episode. Or just stop by and say hello!

129: Unschoolers Earning Money, Following Passions Aug 02, 2018

Show notes

In this week's episode, I'm talking about:

How my daughters are earning money while they continue to pursue their passions
Why it's okay not to finish everything we start
What I've been doing recently
Why I left Instagram
Why Gemma-Rose is painting the interior of our house
Imogen's first novel and where you can buy a copy!

As usual, I have some stories to share and a resource as well.

Show Notes

Imogen

Blog: Write, Rewrite, Read

Novel: The Crystal Tree, available as a paperback or Kindle ebook.

TV Series

The Great Interior Design Challenge

You might find some episodes on Netflix or other sites.

Podcast

Episode 86: Are You an Unschooling Multipotentialite?

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling.

Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment about anything I talked about in this episode. Or just stop by and say hello!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Stories of an Unschooling Family

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected