Unschooling Conversations

Chapter 11 Do you need lots of money? Do you need lots of space? A clean house or a car? What is the one thing that parents need to be able to unschool and unschool well? And can they do without so many of the other things that they think are essential? This chapter quickly gets to the point and outlines how strong, caring, responsive, compassionate, relationships are the foundation for the succes...

Unschooling and Self-Directed Education can often lead people to believe that children are left to do what they want and learn by themselves. Whilst there is space for independence and doing things on their own, children always need a dedicated and supportive adult alongside them. It is apparent though that direct teaching and the task of providing a curriculum, or workbooks is not compatible with...

Chapter 8 Unschooled children are different. Their experience of the world is different, their relationships with family, friends and their community are different, the way they live is different and how they learn is different. Throughout this book I have talked about how school does things and the effect that that can have on our children. I have also talked about how unschooling families approa...

It is not uncommon for children to leave school carrying strong negative feelings about reading and those who have never been to school may not show an interest in learning to read much later than their schooled peers. The interview in this chapter draws on the experience of one family with two children, one of whom initially attended school and came to unschooling with significant trauma, and the...

It’s difficult to let go of curriculums and to see how learning can happen without them. It’s not a surprise, it is the way that we were taught, it is the way that most children are taught, and it is the way that gives us some concrete assurance that learning is happening, and our children are moving forwards. When we don’t use a curriculum, or our children aren’t interested in formal lessons (the...

This chapter challenges the value and importance of play for our children’s health and development. Beginning with redefining play and what it means to children, providing reasons for play to exist in abundance beyond the early years and equipping parents with the tools they need to be confident in the learning that is taking place (whilst our child is building with Lego or playing with dolls) and...

It’s not uncommon to want to invest in curriculums, tutors, and online programmes as soon as we start home educating. Unschooling calls you to resist the urge to do this and to allow time to recover from your school experience, move away from relying on professionals telling you what to learn, when and how, and move towards increased autonomy, and a self-determined path. It includes tips on how to...

In this episode of "Unschooling Stories: Living Outside the Lines," Heidi Steel sits down with guest Jenny to share an authentic, hope-filled journey through unschooling and supporting neurodivergent children at home. Together, they discuss the decision to deregister from traditional schooling after burnout, and the practical day-to-day strategies their families use to thrive outside the...

Have you ever learnt a new skill? Did you manage to do it without someone telling you that you had to or force you to learn it in a way that wasn’t working for you? The school approach to learning is only one way to learn. School is not the only way. And school type learning is not the only way. For many this is the beginning of unlearning. Here we are not only unlearning what we thought we knew b...

Episode Overview: In this episode of Unschooling Conversations, host Heidi Steel is joined by returning guest Alice Khimasia to explore how unschooled children transition into adulthood. Both share personal stories and reflect on evolving family dynamics, shifting educational landscapes, and the lasting impact of self-directed learning. Key Topics Discussed: Personal updates: Changes in Alice and...

Your child is not broken or wrong Some children find it easy to comply, others excel at it. Listening to instructions, remembering the rules, and controlling their emotions and behaviours. For others it takes significantly more effort. Sometimes the effort they put in all day means that the falling apart happens at home. There is no time for homework. There is only time for crying, watching TV, or...

School shapes our views about education and learning. Most of us have been to school and have heard the messages on repeat about the need to pay attention, get top marks, and pass exams. It is culturally part of our society, governs our days and family life, and for the most part is our only experience of education. School was built and designed for a reason and there have always been signs that s...

Heidi Steel is joined by Esther Jones in this episode of Unschooling Conversations—author, mindfulness teacher, and unschooling parent—to explore the transformative journey of unschooling, both for children and parents. Together, they discuss Esther’s new book, The Parent’s Handbook to Unschooling Yourself: A Mindful Guide to Embracing a New Way of Living and Learning with Your Child, and share ca...

In this episode of "Unschooling Conversations," Heidi Steel is joined by clinical psychologist and author Naomi Fisher to explore the topic of burnout in children, particularly those moving beyond school and exploring unschooling approaches. Together, they discuss: What burnout looks like in children and how it differs from adult experiences. Early warning signs, such as loss of curiosity, flatnes...

Today I'm chatting with Melissa Crockett-Joyoue from New Zealand. Melissa and her partner have two neurodivergent children and they came to unschooling after their son had an extremely challenging time at school. She co-hosts the Unschooling Summit and holds the Weave online community for unschooling parents of neurodivergent children. In this episode, we have an honest and heartfelt conversation...

Unschooling Conversations Podcast - Episode: Doing Things Differently with Amanda Diekman In this thought provoking episode, I sit down with Amanda Diekman, author of "Low Demand Parenting," for a transformative conversation about radical acceptance, deschooling, and reimagining family dynamics. You will find: The power of radical acceptance in neurodivergent families How to drop demands...

In this powerful conversation, Heidi Steel and Alice Bramhill dive deep into the transformative world of self-compassion, unschooling, and neurodivergent family life. They explore how breaking free from traditional educational and societal expectations can lead to more authentic, compassionate living. Key Highlights: The challenges of unschooling neurodivergent children. Deconstructing, deschoolin...

Heidi Steel talks with Iris Wong about her unschooling journey, neurodivergence, and supporting children's unique learning experiences. Highlights: Navigating Neurodivergent Unschooling: Challenges traditional educational models that don't support neurodivergent children Recognising and Healing from Educational Burnout: Iris's son experienced early school burnout, leading them to unsch...

In this episode of Unschooling Conversations Essie Richards talks about the real journey of unschooling beyond the Instagram moments. Embracing the entire spectrum of experiences is key to a successful education approach and leaning into the complex, nuanced journey that includes both beautiful moments and challenging times. Key Highlights: Exploring the authentic challenges and experiences of uns...

Unravelling in Unschooling - A Conversation with Makeba Garraway In this deeply personal and insightful conversation, Heidi Steel and Makeba Garraway explore the concept of "unravelling" - a metaphorical journey of questioning, discovering, and transforming personal beliefs and societal systems. This episode is accompanied by a sensitivity warning as we discuss the recent shooting and subsequent d...

The teenage years are undoubtedly a whole new phase even for unschooling parents. We come equipped with unschooling principles but they take on a whole new meaning as your young people naturally develop, grow, and change in new ways. Heidi Steel is joined in this episode by Esther Jones from  Esther Jones | Mindful parenting and learning beyond school  to explore unschooling through the teenage ye...

In this insightful episode, Heidi Steel sits down with conscious parenting and living coach Sarah Parkes to explore the transformative power of conscious parenting. Sarah shares how the foundations of unconditional love, radical acceptance, and emotional regulation can profoundly impact families. They discuss the practical ways conscious parenting looks in daily life, including allowing big emotio...

Are you worried about your child’s mental health and feel that they (and you) need a little extra support? Unschooling allows for you to prioritise your child’s mental health and your relationships, and whilst the principles of unschooling and the lifestyle are naturally therapeutic, they are not therapy. This episode of Unschooling Conversations introduces you to the work of NLP4Kids as I intervi...

Welcome to the first in a new series of episodes The Voices of Unschooling. We know that unschooling looks different in every family and that there is no curriculum, manual or blueprint for what unschooling looks like. Unschooling families are drawn together by their ideas on how learning happens and their focus on building and establishing a family culture based on shared principles. This series...

How essential is SALT and when should we seek their help? Many families leave the school system behind often wondering which elements of support they still need as they begin unschooling. With concepts such as 'being behind' (which your child is not) and 'early intervention' (which causes its own problems with neurodivergent children) it can be hard to know what to do for the best...