Sue Elvis - Podcast Details

Shows

The Ladies Fixing the World S2E10 | Is It Working? Wrestling with Doubt in UnschoolingCecilie Conrad, Sandra Dodd, and Sue Elvis discuss doubt and fear in unschooling—where they come from, how they spread, and how to move through them without defaulting to school-based thinking. They explore the pressure of responsibility, the impact of lingering fears, and why letting go of outcomes helps build trust in both learning and relationships.They talk about how fear can be reinforced through casual conversation, especially when parents share worst-case scenarios or compare their children to school-based standards. The discussion includes the idea that much of what parents worry about is based on assumptions that ha...

2025-06-221h 36

The Ladies Fixing the World S2E9 | Unschooling: How Do We Know They’re Learning?What if we abandoned the question "How do we know they're learning?" and trusted that they are? In this conversation, Cecilie Conrad, Sandra Dodd, and Sue Elvis look closely at the fears that drive many unschooling parents to seek proof of learning—and why those fears may come from old conditioning rather than real concerns.They explore how learning in an unschooling context doesn’t always look like progress, mastery, or academic benchmarks. Instead, it often appears as play, conversation, curiosity, or even stillness. The episode also addresses the "big mix-up in the mind of the p...

2025-06-081h 48

The Ladies Fixing the World S2E8 | The Math Myth: How Do Unschooled Kids Learn Math?In this episode, we explore one of the most persistent questions in unschooling: What about math? Cecilie, Sandra, and Sue examine the widespread belief that children can’t learn math without formal instruction — and explain why that belief doesn’t hold up.Cecilie reflects on the early years of home education in her family, the pressure to “cover” math, and the quiet fear of doing too little. Sandra shares examples of how her children developed mathematical thinking through games, practical needs, and everyday problem-solving — without ever relying on school-based methods. Sue talks about letting go of struct...

2025-05-252h 19

The Ladies Fixing the World S2E7 | Unschooling is Carried by ConversationsDinner tables, car rides, bedtime chats, café corners—this episode dives into the real places where unschooling lives and grows. Cecilie Conrad, Sandra Dodd, and Sue Elvis examine how conversations—often unscheduled, informal, and unplanned—become the central structure of a learning life.They discuss the Danish tradition of the daily family dinner, the rigid rituals of American mealtime culture, and the café catch-ups that shaped Sue’s large family. The conversation travels through memories, cultural habits, and practical insights into how families can hold space for curiosity, connection, and growth—without curriculum, tests, or set agendas.Fro...

2025-05-111h 19

The Ladies Fixing the World S2E6 | The Role of Repetition in Learning, Unschooling, and Shaping IdentityWhat’s the value of doing the same thing more than once? In this episode of Ladies Fixing the World, Cecilie Conrad, Sandra Dodd and Sue Elvis unfold repetition—how it shows up in our lives, why it matters, and what it reveals.Together, they examine how children tend to gravitate toward watching the same films, reading the same stories, or playing the same games. Rather than dismissing these habits, they unpack the deeper role of repetition in building understanding, creating comfort, and developing personal interests.They explore repetition in unschooling: how revisiting mater...

2025-04-272h 02

The Ladies Fixing the World S2E5 | Sandra Dodd, Sue Elvis & Cecilie Conrad on Learning to Read & Trusting UnschoolingSandra Dodd, Sue Elvis, and Cecilie Conrad come together to discuss their personal journeys into unschooling, focusing on natural learning, curiosity, and redefining educational expectations.Sandra shares her transition from a public-school teacher to embracing unschooling with her family, exploring how her upbringing influenced her parenting choices. Sue reflects on her experiences returning to unschooling after attempts to follow structured educational methods, and how her understanding evolved with each child. Cecilie offers insights from her journey, including learning experiences through family travel and navigating seasonal challenges.Their conversation delves into how children naturally learn to...

2025-04-132h 11

The Ladies Fixing the World S2E4 | Unschooling: Trusting the Process and Letting Go of ControlTraditional education is built on judgment—constantly measuring children’s progress against rigid standards. Unschooling offers a different path, one that values curiosity over evaluation. In this episode, Cecilie Conrad, Sue Elvis, and Sandra Dodd discuss why letting go of expectations leads to deeper, more natural learning.Reading becomes a key theme, as they challenge the idea that children must read by a certain age. Cecilie shares how her son resisted reading until fourteen, only to become an avid reader once the pressure was gone. Sandra and Sue add their own stor...

2025-03-301h 56

The Ladies Fixing the World S2E3 | Unschooling and Connections: How Learning Is All About Creating a Web of UnderstandingHow do children learn math without lessons, textbooks, or worksheets?Sandra Dodd, Sue Elvis, and Cecilie Conrad talk about the ways kids pick up mathematical thinking—through games, shared meals, money management, and real-world problem-solving.They discuss what happens when learning is driven by curiosity rather than instruction, sharing stories of children who mastered math in unexpected ways. Their experiences with unschooling reveal how learning develops naturally, often outside the structures designed to teach it.Meanwhile, schools—with their insistence on rigid, standardized learning—often disconnect children from their natural curiosity, someti...

2025-03-161h 36

The Ladies Fixing the World S2E2 | Unschooling: Trust, Autonomy, and the Realities of LearningWhat is unschooling? What is it not? And why defining it is so difficult? Sandra Dodd, Sue Elvis and Cecilie Conrad explore how unschooling is not just about rejecting school but fundamentally shifting how families approach learning, trust, and daily life.Sandra shares her decades of experience and the challenge of explaining unschooling in simple terms, emphasizing that true understanding takes time. Sue reflects on her evolution from believing unschooling meant being hands-off to realizing the importance of parental engagement and invitations. Cecilie challenges the assumption that learning must be the goal, arguing instead that curiosity, passion...

2025-03-021h 26

Stories of an Unschooling Family 208: Why This Unschool Mother Doesn’t CareWhy don’t I care? Is there nothing I care about? Or do I no longer care about the things that could prevent me from doing what I feel called to do? Have you also learnt not to care? In episode 208, I share: Additional thoughts about episode 207 My new passion for classic cars Why we should take an interest in our kids’ interests even if we don’t think we will like them Why we shouldn’t let other people’s opinions decide how we live our lives A couple of books and a TV show Jumping ro...

2025-02-111h 07

Stories of an Unschooling Family 207: The Unschool Fangirl ReturnsI’m back and I’m fangirling! Will I stay? Will I find a new focus for my podcast? Will I find a co-host? Will I get enough sleep? And who am I fangirling over? This week, I’m sharing thoughts on unschooling as a business doing things for free ageing unschoolers who might have unique skills to offer our superpower- unconditional love competing and persuading social media and lots of other things. Show Notes Websi...

2025-02-051h 00

The Ladies Fixing the World S2E1 | Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Curiosity, Flexibility, and Trust with Sandra Dodd and Sue ElvisWhat if education wasn’t confined to classrooms but instead flourished naturally through life’s experiences?In this episode of Ladies Fixing the World, renowned unschooling pioneers Sandra Dodd and Sue Elvis join Cecilie Conrad to redefine what learning can look like. We explore the philosophy and practicalities of unschooling—where curiosity, trust, and relationships replace rigid curricula.Sandra shares her journey to define unschooling, describing it as "creating and maintaining an atmosphere where natural learning can flourish." Sue emphasizes the importance of embracing time with children, noting, "We can't go back and reclai...

2025-02-0256 min

Self Directed Sue Elvis | The Art of Conversation and Lifelong LearningSend us a textHave you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of your favorite podcasts? Join us for a unique twist as Sue Elvis steps in as our interviewer, flipping the script on your usual hosts, Jesper and Cecilie. Sue brings heartwarming feedback from new listeners who love our open-minded and conversational style. Together, we reminisce about the origins of our podcast, the nervous excitement of recording our un-aired Episode Zero, and the inspirations and motivations that fueled our journey into podcasting.Podcasting isn't always smooth sailing; we delve into its spontaneous...

2024-07-111h 29

Self Directed Sue Elvis | Intuition and Independence: Unschooling Tips and Practical AdviceSend us a textSue Elvis is an Australian author, blogger, and podcaster renowned for her work in the unschooling community. She runs the blog "Stories of an Unschooling Family," where she shares her experiences and insights about unschooling and radical parenting.Join us as we welcome Sue Elvis back for her third visit and discuss the ins and outs of unschooling. We dive into this educational approach's everyday challenges and triumphs, from getting kids to brush their teeth to planning for college. This episode is a helpful guide for parents thinking about leaving conventional...

2024-06-061h 18

Self Directed Sue Elvis | Live a radical life of unconditional loveSend us a textDiscover the essence of unconditional love and its profound impact on parenting and education as we welcome back Sue Elvis for another heartening conversation.This episode peels back the layers of what it truly means to love our children without conditions, exploring the intersection of this powerful emotion with the unschooling philosophy.Sue delves into how respecting our children's individuality and passions is not just about meeting homeschooling legalities but about nurturing their well-being and learning experiences from a place of genuine support.We reflect on the...

2024-05-021h 17

Stories of an Unschooling Family 206: A Birthday ChatToday, on my birthday, I’m chatting about ageing, experimenting, taking risks, encouraging others, and other things. Show Notes I mentioned: The Self Directed podcast with the Conrads Episode 65 of the Self Directed podcast: Sue Elvis / Stories of an Unschooling Family The Unschooling Together community Podcast episode 3, Getting Older, Admitting One’s Age, Lines and Wrinkles The Video Version of this episode on YouTube My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Ki...

2024-04-3025 min

Self Directed Sue Elvis | Stories of an Unschooling FamilySend us a textSue Elvis from StoriesOfAnUnschoolingFamily.com shares her fascinating journey through unschooling her children. Sue shares how she strikes a balance between fostering her children's individual passions and engaging in collective family activities, creating a harmonious learning environment free from the constraints of traditional education. Listen in as she describes the significance of being present, especially in the mornings, and how she integrates her interests in blogging and podcasting into the rich tapestry of her family's daily life.In our heart-to-heart discussion, we contemplate the evolution of the parent-child relationship w...

2024-04-251h 08

Stories of an Unschooling Family 205: Chatting with My Unschooled Author DaughterI’m back with my author daughter Imogen! In this episode, we’re chatting about… Writing and how Imogen is promoting and selling her YA novels Collaboration and how we achieve more when we work together The ups and downs of social media We also share some news and tell a couple of stories, including the one about my frightening Frida Kahlo eyebrows! Show Notes We mentioned The Virtual Kitchen Table podcast The Self Directed podcast with the Conrads The Unschooling Together communi...

2024-04-221h 07

Stories of an Unschooling Family 191: Be Brave and The Unschool Challenge This week, I'm sharing some big news: I've published a new unschooling book! In this episode, I tell you about The Unschool Challenge, share some family news and a couple of resources, and ponder lots of unschooling thoughts and ideas along the way. Show Notes My Unschooling Books The Unschool Challenge: Kindle The Unschool Challenge: paperback Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Kindle Radical Unschool Love: paperback My Amazon Author Page

2023-03-021h 07

Stories of an Unschooling Family 190: Clock Watching, Short Lessons and Curious QuestionsAfter a long break, I’m back! In this episode, I read one of my stories called Clock Watching and comment on it. I share some news, including some about the future of my blog and podcast. I mention a couple of resources that I hope you’ll find interesting. And, along the way, I share loads of unschooling thoughts! Show Notes Things mentioned in this episode: Blog post: Clock Watching Podcast episode 178: Strewing Unschooling and Char...

2022-09-0140 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 189: The Important People in Our LivesI'm back! Are you surprised? I am! This week, I'm talking about: How lack of control makes us feel helpless. Do controlled kids feel helpless? Does control lead to mental health issues? If we want a society of responsible adults, do we need to listen to kids, give them freedom, and let them learn how to be responsible for themselves? Difficult times, friends, and our unschooling community How change can stretch us, and how we learn when we have an interest or a need Video gaming and what I've learnt since I became a video gamer ...

2021-09-2247 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 188: It's Not for Me!This week, Imogen and I are discussing: The value of casual work and lower profile jobs How our kids can surprise us Jobs and passions Why we need to promote our work How to answer critics and critique other people’s work The importance of helping each other Jane Austen, Sanditon and Bridgerton Ageing And other things! Show Notes Things we mention in this episode This is Marketing: book by Seth Godin The Illustrated Man: book by Ray Bradbury Sanditon: miniseries adapted from Jane Austen's nove...

2021-05-111h 02

Stories of an Unschooling Family 187: The Problem With High Expectations and ControlThis week, Imogen and I are talking about: High expectations and control. Do they result in unhappy children? Do controlled kids look for distractions? Does limiting screen time result in an increased attraction for devices? A novel that Imogen reviewed: Dear Hero Inspiration and different ways of telling a story How we can work together, share our skills, and help each other The Catholic Homeschool Conference (I'm a speaker!) News of two soon-to-be-produced unschooling podcasts Show Notes Things we mentioned in this episode: Indistractible by Nir Eyal Ma...

2021-04-271h 23

Stories of an Unschooling Family 186: Criticism, Reviews, and Paying it Forward This week, Imogen and I have a lively conversation about: The highs and lows that affect our parenting, homeschooling and creative lives Criticism: why do we let other people's opinions affect what we do? Whose opinions should we listen to? Why we shouldn't let criticism stop us from using our talents Reviews: why we don't ask for many reviews Writing about things we have never experienced Paying it Forward: is free online stuff really free? We're also discussing some books and movies. And we're telling stories about: how to remove a dead t...

2021-04-141h 22

Stories of an Unschooling Family 185: Social Media, Hooks, Distractions, and Books This week, Imogen and I are discussing: Social media and video games: can we break the hooks that pull us in? Books: is it okay to use someone else’s ideas and create something of our own? In particular, we’re talking about the documentary, The Social Dilemma, and the books, Dust by Kara Swanson and The Drover’s Wife by Leah Purcell. We’re also telling a few family stories. Show Notes Things we mention in this episode: Indistractible and Hooked by Nir Eyal The S...

2021-03-291h 13

Stories of an Unschooling Family 184:Trying Not to ComplainThis week, as the rain continues to fall, I'm telling a few stories: Wondering Weather I Should Iron The Elvis Connection Me? I'm Elvis' Wife Why I'm Wearing Stiff Undies Show Notes My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Kindle Radical Unschool Love: paperback My Amazon Author Page Where You Can Find Me Unschooling Community My Stories of an U...

2021-03-2352 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 183: Big Ideas and Big Passions, This week, my daughter Imogen is back, and we're talking about: Writing: the definition of a story, what to write about, how we use our own experiences in stories. Superhero movies: the big ideas contained in seemingly trivial stories Behind-the scenes documentaries. Rock climbing and glass blowing: creativity, and the lengths (or heights!) some people will go to follow their passions. We’re also telling lots of stories. Show Notes Things we mention in this episode: Camp NaNoWriMo ...

2021-03-151h 20

Stories of an Unschooling Family 182: Bad Haircuts and Unschooling Adventures This week, in this solo podcast episode, I'm sharing and discussing a few adventurous stories: Unschooling: Haircut Courage Younger Unschoolers: Spur-of-the-Moment Adventures Enjoying an Unexpected Little Adventure Show Notes My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Kindle Radical Unschool Love: paperback My Amazon Author Page Where You Can Find Me Unschooling Community My Stories of an Unschooling Family community Y...

2021-03-0931 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 181: Writing, Explosions, and Unsuitable Horror Stories After a 4-month break, my daughter Imogen and I are back! And we're chatting about: Finishing novels and beta reading My 19-year-old daughter Sophie and 'graduate' unschoolers Bushfires and exploding trees How our generous members saved our unschooling community Vlogging The TV shows we've been watching The Masterclass classes we've been enjoying We’re also discussing the question: is it okay to expose our kids to 'unsuitable' movies and books? Show Notes Things We Mention Masterclass website Matthew Walker on Masterclass Neil...

2021-03-021h 20

Stories of an Unschooling Family 180: Unschool, Martian, and Risque StoriesMy daughter Imogen and I are discussing play, writing, books, Martians, and exercise. This episode is jam-packed full of stories, unschooling thoughts and resources. Episode Contents 0:00-01:56 Intro 01:56-07:53 Excitement 07:53-10:51 Writing 10:51-18:08 Music 18:08-30:15 Kids’ Play 30:15-42:10 Adults’ Play 42:10-59:18 A Space Phase 59:18-01:03:31 A Novel and Priest Holes 01:03:31-01:07:11 Exercise 01:07:11-01:13:51 A Risqué Story 01:13:51-01:17:01 Listener Questions 01:17:01-01:21:38 End Stuff Show Notes Writing NaNo...

2020-10-271h 21

Stories of an Unschooling Family 179: Unschooling, Plot Holes and TwonkMy daughter Imogen and I are sharing some unschooling thoughts while we talk about what we’ve been working on, what we’ve been reading and watching, and what’s making us feel excited. 0:00 Intro 00:58 Introducing Imogen 01:47 Returning to Podcasting 05:50 Frost Hands and Writing 14:34 Writing Novels and Unschooling Books 21:57 The Inconvenience of Losing Our Videographer 32:14 Excited About Exercise 41:59 Escaping into a Novel 48:55 Rereading Retold Fairy Tales 53:52 Masterchef and Kids’ Happiness 01:01:29 The Masked Singer and Twonk 01:08:50 End Thing...

2020-10-131h 13

Stories of an Unschooling Family 178: Strewing, Unschooling and Charlotte Mason This week, I'm sharing and discussing two stories about strewing: Time For Some Strewing Unschooling When Charlotte Mason Also Appeals to Our Hearts I'm also talking about overwhelming times, how we don't have to be perfect, and looking for the delights in our days. Show Notes A Blog Post Unschooling When Charlotte Mason Also Appeals to Our Hearts Podcasts Episode 151: All About Strewing Episode 30: Why Classical Music...

2020-07-2433 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 177: Encouraging Unschooling Kids and Mothers This week, I'm talking about encouragement. I have two encouragement stories to share with you which I'm hoping you haven't heard before. But if you are familiar with them, will you think, "Sue is getting repetitive"? Will you consider giving my podcast a negative review? I hope not. Instead, maybe you'll offer some feedback. Do you have any ideas for future episodes of this podcast? What would you like to hear about? Most of my kids are grown up, so often I don't have any current unschooling news to share with you, (un...

2020-07-1340 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 176: How Curious Unschooled Kids LearnThis week, I'm talking about how children learn: 0:00 intro 1:30 News: Podcast chapters 2:55 My Homeschooling Global Summit interview 7:25 Unschooling alone: things I’ve been doing and learning about 15:18 Is It Really Okay if Kids Play All Day? 25:53 Comments about the story 30:30 How Ticking Off Boxes Can Be a Waste of Time 35:45 Comments about the story 43:48 Looking ahead and other end things Show Notes Blog Post How Ticking Off Boxes Can Be a Waste...

2020-07-0348 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 175: More About Starting UnschoolingThis week, I'm talking about starting unschooling and exciting things: 0.00 Intro 0:53 My First Unschooling Zoom Meeting 11:07 A New Podcast Series 19:20 Time to Unschool 32.25 There Has Never Been a Better Time to Start Unschooling 44:10 End Things Show Notes Blog Post There Has Never Been a Better Time to Start Unschooling The Homeschooling Global Summit The Homeschooling Global Summit Our 2019 Homeschooling Global Summit Interviews My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle

2020-06-2646 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 174: When in Doubt, Just LoveThis week, I'm talking about love again! 00:00 Intro 00:48 Is Anyone Listening? 02:07 My Homeschooling Global Summit Interview 09:46 Unschooling Zoom Meetups 13:32 Video Plans 14:56 Radical Unschool Love Discussion 15:54 Two Love Stories 16:15 Following Our Mothering Instincts 24:30 Reject What Doesn’t Feel Right and Just Love 33:25 End Stuff Show Notes Blog Post Reject What Doesn't Feel Right and Just Love The Homeschooling Global Summit The Homeschooling Global Summit Our 2019 Homeschooling Global Summit Interview...

2020-06-1935 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 173: Unschool Love StoriesThis week, I'm talking about: 00:00 Intro 01:05 Casual Work and Gemma-Rose 06:22 Unschooling Community 07:11 Unschooling Challenges 09:28 Resources, Links, Questions, Photos 10:57 Book Club Discussion Group 12:14 Nothing Is More Important than Love 17:38 Children’s Book Club 20:02 Homeschooling Global Summit 25:09 A-Z Unschooling Stories 28:21 Clock Watching 35:33 Impressing Other People 43:10 End Stuff Show Notes Blog posts Clock Watching Impressing Other People The Homeschooling Global Summit

2020-06-1246 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 172: Discussing Books and Writing StoriesThis week, I'm talking about: The unschooling things I've recently been doing. Our new book club and how we're about to begin discussing my book, Radical Unschool Love. How we can feel helpless when we lose our freedom. How kids might feel if we're too afraid to let go of control. My new blog, Where the Carol Birds Sing I'm sharing a few stories from my new blog: Battle Daylight Saving Look And I'm sharing a...

2020-05-0646 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 171: The Problem With Being Too NiceThis week, I'm talking about the problem with being too nice. Is it okay to be honest about how we're feeling? Should we avoid comparing ourselves with other people? I'm also talking about the A-Z blogging challenge. And I'm sharing one of my old challenge stories, the Y story: You Come to Visit Show Notes Blog Post The Problem With Being Too Nice Writing Challenge The A-Z Blogging Challenge My Unschooling Book...

2020-03-3132 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 170: Learning During Difficult TimesI have two free offers so please listen ASAP! This week: I'm talking about learning during difficult times. I tell you how you can get a free copy of my book, Curious Unschoolers (limited time only!). I share a free unschooling community membership offer. I'm telling two stories from my book, Curious Unschoolers: How to Get Kids to Do Their School Work What Do Children Need to Learn? And I'm sharing a few Chuck Norris jokes because laughing helps us get through difficult times, doesn't it?

2020-03-2033 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 169: Unschooling Community StoriesThis week, I'm sharing some unschool English and Maths stories from my Stories of an Unschooling Family Community: Unschooling Jane Austen Collecting Delicious Words Real Life Toilet Roll Maths I'm also sharing a Moment from My Day story And I'm asking, "Is my unschooling community the perfect fit for you?" If you're not sure, listen to this episode for more details! Show Notes My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Ki...

2020-03-1345 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 168: BIG Unschooling IdeasThis week, I'm talking about unschooling ideas: Should we encourage our kids' ideas even if they don't sound practical? Are our ideas important? Is it okay if our ideas fail? What is my latest BIG idea? Will the readers of my unschooling books join my community? What will my community offer? I'm also telling three stories: The Curious Unschoolers Book Club Is Now Open! Encouraging Kids' Ideas Why Sophie Is Glad I Am Her Mother and Other Du...

2020-03-0648 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 167: Grammar and Punctuation and Other Unschool Writing Stories This week, I'm sharing some feedback about episode 166. I'm telling four unschool writing stories: What About Grammar and Punctuation? Learning About Punctuation the Lewis Carroll Way Wanting to Know How to Spell The Writing Game: No Shortage of Writing Ideas I'm also discussing each story. I have some resources to share. And I'm talking about podcast chapters. Show Notes My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Kindle Radical Uns...

2020-02-2853 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 166: Unschooling Sausages and Other History StoriesThis week: I'm telling you where I've been for the last 3 months. I'm sharing a new podcast format idea. I'm talking about podcast chapters. I'm asking for some feedback. I'm reading 3 unschooling stories that are tagged history and geography (and also English and unschooling). I'm commenting on my stories. I’m sharing some resources. Show Notes My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Kindle Radi...

2020-02-2236 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 165: Stories About Connection from Radical Unschool LoveThis week, I'm sharing a few stories from my book, Radical Unschool Love: A Teenager’s Thoughts Learning Right from Wrong Developing a Sense of Right and Wrong Can We Be Both Parent and Friend? One-on-One Times I'm also sharing a blog post called Radical Unschooling: Something Beautiful Show Notes My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Kindle Radical Unschool Love: paperback My Amazon Author Page Blog post Radic...

2019-11-3044 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 164: DiscouragedThis week, I'm talking about: How I'm feeling discouraged The need to feel successful A negative comment about technology and screentime Letting go and moving on I also share a story from my book, Radical Unschool Love, called The Beginning and End of Praise. Is it okay to praise our kids? Could praise be necessary, not only for our children but for us as well? Show Notes My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Kindle Ra...

2019-11-1549 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 163: Time and Trust and Letting GoThis week, I'm talking about: how time moves so fast. making the most of our time with our kids. not being anxious but trusting our kids will get to where they are meant to go. how we have to let go of each stage of our lives. our son Thomas and grief and birthday traditions. I'm sharing two stories Time and Trust (from my book Radical Unschool Love) Letting Go of Another of Thomas' Places I tried a new podcasting recording setup for this episode. Please ignore any imperfections. Yes, there are a few skipped wo...

2019-11-0835 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 162: Asking for HelpAfter a break, I'm back with a new episode! This week, I'm discussing the following questions: Where have I been? Why did I record 3 versions of episode 162? Can crisis points become turning points? What changes am I making? Do most of us think we can do everything all by ourselves? Do we need social media to spread the message about our work? Do we need more silence in our lives? Are you willing to help me? I'm also sharing two stories: When We Reach Crisis Point (from my blog) Sue El...

2019-10-2737 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 161: Registered Homeschoolers Who Unschool, Confidence and Other ThoughtsThis week, I'm sharing another story about younger unschoolers. It's called Giving a Child Unasked-For Help. I'm also chatting about last week's unschooling meeting in Canberra where Imogen, Sophie and I spoke about unschooling. I discuss the following questions: Does unschooling work? Can registered homeschoolers unschool? I talk about support groups, having confidence, adopting a positive attitude towards homeschool registration and lots of other things! Show Notes My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Ki...

2019-09-0635 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 160: Shall We Talk About Christian Unschooling?This week's episode is for my Christian unschooling friends. I'm exploring the question: can Christians unschool? I share some quick (and maybe muddled!) thoughts on such things as trust, freedom, unconditional love, passions and interests, respect, families, our missions in life, and forgiveness from a Christian unschooling perspective. I didn't aim for a perfect podcast covering all aspects of Christian unschooling. Instead, I just wanted to share a few thoughts that might open up some conversations. I'm also sharing an adventurous mother story from one of my children's novels.

2019-08-2347 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 159: Turning Waiting Times into Unschooling AdventuresThis week, I'm talking about how we can make the most of waiting times by filling them with adventures. I'm also discussing: Perfection and how it stops us from doing important and enjoyable things. How we can be adventurous parents. My vlogging plans. How life and our typical unschooling days change as our kids get older and their needs and interests change. How we don't need to set assignments for our kids after they've enjoyed an adventure. The Curious Unschoolers Book Club My Baby Loss Club website. I'm also sharing two stories of when my...

2019-08-1638 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 158: Old and New Stories, a Book Club and Other Unschooling ThingsThis week, I'm sharing some old stories and some new ones, as well as some news. I talk about: When my kids were younger by sharing a snow story and a homeschooling camp story. How my ideas about how kids learn have changed. How Gemma-Rose (15) has been enriching her own life. Our family passion for musicals. How our kids can come alive when they are involved with their passions and using their talents. How young kids can join in with things we might think are too advanced for them. My new Curious Unschoolers Book Club. How...

2019-08-0944 min

The Homeschool Solutions Show HS 171: Stories of an Unschooling Family with Sue ElvisThis episode from the archives is from our Ultimate Guide to Homeschool Methods and it was a delight to record three years ago. I loved chatting with my old friend, Sue Elvis who blogs at https://www.storiesofanunschoolingfamily.com/ and has a new book out called Curious Unschoolers. Sue unschools her large family where they focus on doing their own projects, relationships, and trusting the child. For more information and the show notes visit https://pambarnhill.com/unschooling.

2019-08-0635 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 157: Fearing Our Kids Will FailThis week, I'm discussing the following questions: Do things sometimes seem like they'll never change? Is 'grinned' a fabulous word? Do we notice and worry about things that relate to ourselves that others don't notice? Do our fears for our kids get in the way of encouraging them to do the things they enjoy? Can our fears deprive our kids of joy? Is failing really a big deal? What's my latest unschooling book idea? Where are we going when we take unschooling on the road? Does encouragement work both ways? I'm also sharing the story Fe...

2019-07-1929 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 156: Building Strong Relationships with Our KidsThis week, I'm sharing 3 stories about my young adult son Callum (who likes to grin!): How I Removed an Engine from a Car Engines, Muscles and Spending Time with Dad My Fridge Adventure I talk about building strong relationships with our kids by: Taking an interest in their passions. Spending time with them. Being daring and adventurous parents who like to have fun. As well, I talk about: Self-directed learning. Being honest. I also share a couple of reviews for my books Curious Unschoolers and Radical Unschool Love. Show N...

2019-07-1233 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 155: Another Way of Looking at Our Unschooled Kids' LearningThis week, I'm sharing and discussing the story, Another Way of Looking at Our Kids' Learning. I talk about my teenager's morning: What Gemma-Rose did How I could record that learning in terms of school subjects And how I could think about her learning in another way I also talk about the importance of play for both children and adults. And I share a couple of podcast reviews that I was thrilled to receive. A big thank you to The Simple living Mom and Home Ed Fam!!

2019-07-0725 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 154: Stories from Radical Unschool LoveThis week, I'm sharing some of the stories from my recently published unschooling book, Radical Unschool Love: Radical Unschool Love The Next Instalment of the Unschooling Story Not as Wild as it Sounds Unconditional Love An Active Approach to Radical Unschooling How Radical Unschooling Might Not Look Radical What if We Have Differing Beliefs and Opinions? I also have some odds and ends of news to share! Show Notes My Unschooling Books Curious Unschoolers: Kindle Curious Unschoolers: paperback Radical Unschool Love: Kindle ...

2019-06-2658 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 153: More Unschool Writing Ideas and ResourcesMy author daughter Imogen joins me for a bumper episode about unschool writing. In episode 148, we talked about how unschooling children learn to write. This week, we continue the unschool writing discussion by answering a couple of listener questions and then sharing some ideas and resources for anyone, young child to adult, who wants to improve their writing skills. We also talk about: The Global Homeschooling Summit and give a taste of Imogen and Sophie's interview. My soon-to-be-published unschooling book Radical Unschool Love. My daughter Charlotte's new design project: her Red Bubble...

2019-06-181h 26

Stories of an Unschooling Family 152: Stories from My ClosetThis week, I've taken my mic into my closet! Sitting amongst my clothes, I'm sharing: Why I'm in my wardrobe. My new book idea. How I was interviewed for the Global Homeschooling Summit. My Susan Skeleton story. A homeschool registration story from my book Curious Unschoolers. The birthday urn story. And the huge ornate mirror story. Of course, along the way, I'm also sharing some unschooling ideas! Show Notes My Unschooling Book Curious Unschoolers Youtube Sue Elvis

2019-05-1753 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 151: Stories from 'Curious Unschoolers'This week, I'm sharing the first 3 parts of my newly published book Curious Unschoolers. I hope these stories will give you an idea of what my book is all about. Perhaps after listening to them, you'd like to read the whole book! 6:27 Curious Unschoolers 7:06 Part 1: An Introduction 7:10 Something Important 10:33 The Friend Who Comes to Tea 13:08 Just in Case We’re Not Already Friends 14:53 A Book of Stories 17:22 Part 2: An Introduction to Unschooling 17:28 What is unschooling? 20:48 Why Unschooling Isn’t a Method of Homeschooling 32:01 Does Unsc...

2019-05-071h 13

Stories of an Unschooling Family 150: Unschooling Books and BedtimesThis week, I'm chatting about unschooling and bedtimes. What if our kids want to stay up late? Can kids get up early if they have to? Do we sometimes want our kids to go to bed early because it suits us? What if we are criticised because of the way we parent our kids? I share lots of stories including one about entertaining unexpected guests in my pyjamas while feeding a baby. Also, I share My latest unschooling book news An excerpt from my book Curious Unschoolers. Some family news. And a few bits a...

2019-04-1243 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 149: My Unschooler's Homeschool Registration VisitThis week, I'm sharing details of my daughter Gemma-Rose's homeschool registration visit. I discuss the following questions: Can registered homeschoolers unschool? How do we write homeschool plans when we don't know what our unschooling kids will be interested in? How can we fulfil homeschooling registration requirements without forcing kids to learn things they're not interested in? Is forced learning real learning? I also talk about: How we might be tempted to push our kids to use their talents or extend their interests. How kids can surprise us. They're often not like us. They do things on th...

2019-03-2553 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 148: Our Writing Unrules for UnschoolersThis week, my daughter Imogen and I are chatting about unschool writing. How do unschoolers learn to write? We share my writing unrules which are based on my observations of my children who all love writing. We talk about: Imogen's writing story: how she learnt to write, her university degree, how she is turning her passion for writing into YA novels How free play is the foundation for creative writing How drawing is a form of writing How we learn by following someone else's example How motivation for writing must come from within a child Books...

2019-02-241h 09

Stories of an Unschooling Family 147: A Big Chat About Unschooling TeenagersMy daughters Imogen and Sophie join me to talk about unschooling teenagers: What do teenagers need? Should parents introduce more structured learning during the high school years? Or do teenagers need to be free to continue to explore their passions? What should we do if a teenager doesn't appear to have any particular passions? What about university? Do parents keep teenagers safe by keeping a tight hold on them? Is this the responsible thing to do? Or do we keep teenagers safe by giving them their freedom to discover who they are? Should parents be friends with their...

2019-02-091h 10

Stories of an Unschooling Family 146: Finding Unschooling in Unexpected Places and Other ThingsThis week my daughters Imogen and Sophie join me to talk about: Imogen’s novel ‘The Crystal Tree’ and its sequel ‘The Shattering Song’ YA or Young Adult novels Imogen’s book review videos How parents hold the key to a child’s happiness How some parents push their kids to fulfil their own dreams The YA novel ‘A Thousand Perfect Notes’ Imogen’s opinion of my first unschooling book ‘Curious Unschoolers’ How we’re getting on with the formatting and publishing of my unschooling book A progress report for my second unschooling book ‘A Radical Unschool Love’ How Sophie is teaching Imogen p...

2019-02-011h 07

Stories of an Unschooling Family 145: Taking the Unschooling Yeti for a Test DriveThis week, my teenager Sophie joins me to test drive my new Yeti mic! Hopefully, our conversation sounds good! We talk about: Sophie's vlogging plans Encouraging children's ideas How we shouldn't be afraid to try new things The temptation to edit our pasts and rewrite our stories The temptation to delete early blog posts to eliminate our unschooling mistakes The problem of looking like we've never made any mistakes How we can impact other people's lives in a positive way Do I have an online persona? How we can capture our life stories How choosing the ri...

2019-01-0553 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 144: Reading Out Loud and a Generous ChristmasThis week, I'm answering some questions about reading out loud: What is our reading out loud process? Should we have a time (for reading) built into the flow (of our day)? What if this time crowds out other projects our children are working on individually? How do we choose books? I talk about Why I never enjoyed listening to books being read aloud as a child How I used to regard reading out loud as the dessert of my kids' education rather than the main course. How we should move over and let our k...

2018-12-1443 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 143: Respecting Kids and Christmas PresentsThis week, I'm sharing some news about my unschooling book. I'm also sharing two stories, one about respecting children, and the other about perfect Christmas presents and love. And I'm discussing the following questions: Is it the right of every child to be respected? How do we show respect to children? Do we sometimes do things for our kids only because we want them to do things for us? Is it okay to buy and enjoy giving Christmas presents? Is it okay to look forward to receiving them? Can choosing and giving presents be...

2018-12-0839 min

Stories of an Unschooling Family 142: An Unschooler Talks About Life, Work and DreamsThis week, my teenage daughter Sophie (17) joins me to talk about: How she balances her busy unschooling life with work Why it's important to trust kids and not squash their ambitions Why she is choosing not to go to university Sophie's dream to be self-employed and how she plans to achieve it How a lot of people react when they hear Sophie is working full time in a cafe NaNoWriMo events and making friends How we need to believe in our kids and cheer them on Show Notes Podcasts Episode 133, A B...

2018-11-301h 15

Stories of an Unschooling Family 141: When a Child Is No Longer Gripped by a PassionThis week, I'm answering the question: "Have your kids ever been between interests?" I talk about: Exciting times when kids are gripped by a passion Quiet times when they appear to be drifting along How we can help our kids during quiet times by trusting and strewing Some strewing ideas Show Notes Blog Posts When Excitement for Learning Appears to Disappear Regaining Her Enthusiasm for Learning Preparing our Kids for an Unknown Future: Can We Do It? What Happened When I Strewed a Pa...

2018-11-2327 min