Let ‘em go Barefoot

Welcome to episode 19 of the Let ‘em go Barefoot Podcast. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to my first couple interview! Nicky and Davone are so fun to talk to and the enthusiasm they have for the life they live is contagious, which is exactly what drew me in when I started following along their journey on Instagram @princefamilytravel (formerly @life.long.learners) These kindred spir...

Welcome to Episode 18 where I get to share a moving, deep, and open conversation with the lovely Emma Hosfeld. Emma writes moving and beautiful pieces on parenting, education, and healing. I was immediately drawn to the way she can get to the heart of things. In our conversation, Emma talks about showing up to life with radical responsibility and radical joy. We talk about her struggle with drugs...

Welcome to episode 17 of the Let ‘em go Barefoot podcast. My guest today is Julie Walter also known as @familyyields on Instagram. I invited Julie on to talk about creating intentional community and to share with us the purpose of the forest and farm school she created and runs with her husband on their 50-acre farm in Canada.   Community is something we all need and yet many of us struggle with f...

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Emily Splichal, a functional podiatrist who calls herself “barefoot friendly”. This designation may seem odd for a foot doctor, but because of the fear-based medicine in our western society, she has witnessed the unreasonable fear of the natural (bare) foot amongst some of her colleagues. Her book, Barefoot Strong, aims to bring the importance of foot health back i...

Welcome to episode 15! My guest is Kelly Edwards. Kelly is the creator of the 90-minute school day and co-creator of How to Be an Awesome Homeschooler. Kelly is also a mother to 3 foster-adopted girls and is a trauma-informed parent. In this episode we talk about: Why deschooling is an important process to go through if you are transitioning to homeschool. The fascinating neuroscience behind the 9...

Karla Marie Williams is an author, a speaker, and global advocate of children and families. In this episode, we discuss her transition to homeschooling, then unschooling, with her six children and focus on the ideas and insights she shares in her book, Teens Unleashed .  Some things we discussed: PUP- Periodic Unschooling Panic What parents can do to support their kids Reframing math, reading, and...

Cindy Gaddis is back with even more amazing insights about right-brained dominant people. (You can find our first conversation in Episode 12 where she gives her backstory and lays the foundation for her research and the book she wrote, The Right Side of Normal: Understanding and Honoring the Natural Learning Path for Right-Brained Children.) In this almost two-hour long powerhouse episode, we cove...

Cindy Gaddis is a homeschooling mom to seven and the author of the book, The Right Side of Normal: Understanding and Honoring the Natural Learning Path for Right-Brained Children.   In this episode, Cindy and I go over multiple topics covered in her book including: how she defines right-brained and left-brained, what the research says, the presenting characteristics of right-brained and left-brain...

Dr. Lynne Baker-Ward, Professor Psychology, has been on the faculty of the Department of Psychology at NC State University since 1985. She was also one of MY professors when I attended N.C. State in the early 90s.  Much of her work has examined the age-related cognitive changes that affect children’s capacities to provide testimony in legal proceedings, and the ways in which alternative approaches...

On this 10th episode of the Let 'em go Barefoot podcast, I interview Erich Leidums, a dad of three, an outdoor enthusiast, and the creator of the highly entertaining and fun-loving family adventure channel, That Mountain Life. Erich's approach to parenting and education are born from a space of trust and believing things will work out. It is both a peaceful and powerful lens to view the world. We...

Sue Patterson likely needs no introduction because she has been involved in the homeschooling and unschooling community for over 2 decades. With three grown children and one grandchild, she sits in that wonderful space of reflection and can offer us her unique perspective and insight. Sue is candid about the fears she had about homeschooling, including worrying about what other people would think....

Putting together these episodes is an activity that truly brings me joy and for the next hour, I believe you will feel joy as you listen to my guest, Isabelle Robledo talk about her life experiences and her passion for helping others get to know themselves. When Isabelle reached out to me about coming on the show, I did not think twice. I follow her on Instagram @makingmindfulnessfun and love the...

Have you thought about where your ideas and beliefs about parenting come from? Have you considered that the relationships we have with others is primarily a nervous system experience? In this conversation, I talk to Erica who is a conscious parenting coach. She explains the road she takes to get here, including the anxiety and reactivity that were part of parenting her first born. I imagine many o...

According to Deena, a Holistic and Integrative Health Coach, we all have a food story.   However, many of us have not brought this story forward. We may not even realize why we have certain attitudes about food or how particular beliefs around health and eating have influenced us. In this episode, Deena and I discuss many ideas and beliefs around food including personal stories that have impacted...

I am thrilled to have Nicolette of Mamas Roots are Showing on the podcast again. You were first introduced to her in the second episode, “When Did you Know”. Today, however, we cover A LOT more ground. Growing up as a 4th generation farming family, being close to the land is 2nd nature to Nicolette, so naturally, we talk about farming and gardening, our own connections to nature, and raising child...

In this episode, I talk all things books with Nicole who is the creator of the Instagram page, Book Led Learning. We discuss what it looks like to create a culture of reading within your family, being open to our children choosing the books that speak to them versus controlling their choices, and how books not only connect us to knowledge and information, but to one another. We touch on the differ...

On this 3rd episode of the Let 'em go Barefoot podcast, I have a conversation with Robyn Roberston, the creator of the Honey! I'm Homeschooling the Kids podcast and community. Robyn and I talk about flexibility, how we evolve as parents as our children grow and change, and the power of supporting our kids, ourselves, and receiving community support. Plus, you get to hear about a special interest o...

This 2nd episode of the Let 'em go Barefoot podcast is a compilation of stories from five mothers across the United States and Canada answering the question, "When did you know the traditional schooling model was not right for your family?"  Several moms have a background in education, including teaching in public schools, but as you will hear, their teaching experience does not make them feel mor...

In this first episode of the Let 'em go Barefoot podcast, I have a conversation with my son about his experiences as a (mostly) lifelong unschooler. We discuss common misconceptions about self-directed education and reflect on his K-12 learning journey. He offers insights on parenting and education that drive home the importance of a parent's presence and respect for each child's unique unfolding....