Stories of an Unschooling Family: Recent Episodes
Sue Elvis
Want to know more about unschooling? How about radical unschooling? (It's not as scary or as wild as some people make out!) Join me as I share ideas, stories, homeschool record-keeping tips and resources for living an unschooling life of unconditional love.
Why 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 rope or skipping for exercise
- How we learn by diving into rabbit holes and having conversations
- Fabulous ways to learn art history
- And loads of unschool thoughts about loads of things
Show Notes
Podcasts
Da Ladies Fixing the World podcast
Virtual Kitchen Table podcast
Books
Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton
Practical Theology by Peter Kreeft
TV Series
Fake or Fortune?
People
Mel Robbins
Music
Camouflage by Joseph O’Brien
Blog Posts
How to Beat Time Who Jolts Us Forward Without Permission
Strewing to Share Passions and Keep Our Bonds Strong
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers
Radical Unschool Love
The Unschool Challenge
My Amazon Author Page
If You’d Like to Support My Work
Buy Me a Coffee: Sue Elvis
Receive access to my password-protected blog posts and my thanks!
My Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
I’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
Websites
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Sandra Dodd’s website
Cecilie Conrad’s website
Erin’s website, Everlearning
Podcasts
Da Ladies Fixing the World podcast
Self Directed podcast
Virtual Kitchen Table podcast
Unschooling Community
Virtual Kitchen Table Community
Book
From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks
Blog Posts
Why I’m Content to Be a Blogger and Not an Instagram Influencer
Do You Need to Follow an Older Unschooler? (Part 1)
Do You Need to Follow an Older Unschooler? (Part 2)
How to Write a Million Unschool Love Stories
A Genuine Invitation for Christian Unschoolers
The Problem with Being Too Nice
If You’d Like to Support My Work
Buy Me a Coffee: Sue Elvis
Receive access to my password-protected blog posts and my thanks!
Today, 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: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Where You Can Find Me
Unschooling Community
The Unschooling Together community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Wholy Souly
https://www.instagram.com/stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily/stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
I’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 community
The Christian Unschooling group and Zoom discussions within the Unschooling Together community.
Writing podcasts with Imogen: episodes 181 and 183
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
The Unschooling Together community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Wholy Souly
https://www.instagram.com/stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily/stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Where You Can Find Imogen
Blog
Write.Rewrite.Read
write.rewrite.read
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Books
The Crystal Tree
The Shattering Song
Frost Hands
Thank you for listening to this episode!
This week, I’m talking about:
Desires and Expectations
Are desires good? Are expectations about control? Can our expectations spoil our family celebrations?
Challenges
Should we give our kids space to set their own challenges? Do we need to challenge ourselves too?
Books
Do people judge us on our book choices? Can sharing the books we’re reading lead to some stimulating unschooling conversations?
The Santa Myth
Is it wrong to pretend Santa brings gifts to our kids? Is that lying? Should we eliminate Santa from our Christmas celebrations? Or is it possible to include the magic of Santa with the true meaning of the season?
2023
What were the highs and lows of my year? Does blogging about our kids lead to problems? Should adults make time for their passions and interests? Can we feel lost when our kids grow up? How do we move on? What do we do while we’re working out what to do next? Is it important we’re successful in a big way?
Stories
I’m sharing a story about books, people’s opinions, and the difficulties of parenting: Is it Risky to Share Our Book Collections? What Will People Think?
I’m also sharing a story about the Santa myth and family traditions from my book, The Unschool Challenge.
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to leave a comment or say hello.
This is my last episode for 2023. Thank you for listening. I hope you have a very happy Christmas!
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
This week, I’m talking about right and wrong…
If we think something is right, should we do it? Do we have to push through any difficulties we might encounter? Perhaps we can’t give up unless we’re willing to do something we know is wrong. And if we do that, we won’t feel at peace.
The big question is: is unschooling the right thing to do? If it is, we shouldn’t be concerned about the future. Whatever happens, regardless of the outcome, we’ll know we did what we should have done.
Also, how do kids learn right from wrong if we always love them regardless of their behaviour? Are the critics right? Are unschooling parents irresponsible? Or do our strong connections allow us to guide our kids?
I have lots of stories and comments to share with you!
Show Notes
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my blog post, Unschooling: Doing What Is Right. It contains this episode’s 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
Do good parents stay firmly in control of their children, demanding obedience, good behaviour and respect? Do they practise tough love? Or are there problems with this method of parenting? Is there some other way of raising kids to be good people who want to do what is right? Is it okay to parent with unconditional love?
This week, I’m sharing a few stories on this topic. I also have a request or plea for help.
Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Tough or Unconditional Love?Parent or Friend? It contains today’s 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
Is unschooling about drifting aimlessly through each day?
Do unschoolers waste time? Or do they live intentionally responding to their needs and making sure they achieve the things that are relevant and important to them?
Do unschoolers direct their lives instead of letting life direct them? Is that the meaning of true freedom?
Does the word ‘planning’ have a place in unschooling?
This week, I’m discussing these questions and more while telling a few stories.
Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Do Unschoolers Drift Aimlessly Through Each Day? It contains today’s 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
It is what it is. An interesting episode or not. I don’t suppose it matters. All that’s important is love.
Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Preventing Childhood Trauma with Unconditional Love. It contains today’s 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
Is it irresponsible to trust and unschool teenagers? When unschoolers reach the teenage years, is it time for something else? Or could unschooling be exactly what our older kids need? Could it keep them safe?
This week, I’m discussing these questions and more, sharing lots of thoughts, stories and resources.
Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Could Unschooling Be Exactly What Teenagers Need to Do? It contains today’s 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
Should children be responsible for their own educations? Or is that an irresponsible idea?
This week, I’m exploring lots of questions including:
Is learning an active activity that needs the learner’s cooperation?
Is it impossible to force knowledge into a child without resorting to teaching methods that ultimately destroy their natural love of learning?
Is forced learning real learning?
Is it better to unschool and let children learn what’s important to them?
But if we choose unschooling, will our kids, one day, accuse us of side-stepping our duty and not providing them with a good education?
Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Who Should Be Responsible for a Child’s Education, the Parent or the Child? It contains today’s 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
Is unschooling about staying in bed late, spending lazy days in the forest, and baking cookies? Or is there more to unschooling than that? What does a typical unschooling day look like? Will it be different in different families? Will it change over time? Whatever it looks like, will it always be packed with deep learning, the kind that matters and makes a difference?
I discuss these questions and more in episode 197.
Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, What Do Unschoolers Do Each Day? It contains today’s 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
Are kids more likely to suffer mental health problems if they experience excessive control?
Could video games provide safe spaces for kids to retreat to when life becomes too difficult?
If we insist kids leave their games and they get upset, could it be the real world that we’re forcing them to return to that’s the problem and not the video games?
And if kids do have genuine trouble handling games and protest loudly when we take them away, how will they learn to deal with their feelings if they’re not allowed to play?
I discuss these questions and more in episode 196.
Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Video Games, Control, Mental Health and Freedom. It contains today’s 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
This week, I’m going back to basics: I’m discussing the question, What is Unschooling? I’m also sharing several stories to illustrate my definition:
What Is Unschooling?
Why Unschooling Isn’t a Method of Homeschooling
What Is Unschooling? A Transcript
I also share some links to other unschoolers’ definitions of unschooling.
Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Unschool Basics: What Is Unschooling? It contains today’s 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
This week, I'm discussing chores. How do we encourage our kids to be generous and willing workers?
I’m sharing two stories:
How to Get Kids to Do the Chores
The Radical Chore Roster
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Can Radical Unschoolers Use Chore Rosters? It contains today’s 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
This week, I’m sharing a blog post, Should We Push Kids to Use Their Talents, Aim High and Impress?
This post includes stories about people who have followed the pathway desired by their parents and ended up unhappy. And there’s one story about a man who, despite achieving the necessary grades to study medicine or law, chose to become a high school teacher.
I’ve included lots of links to books, videos and other resources. Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post and look at these links.
And I’d love you to check out my unschooling books, Curious Unschoolers, Radical Unschool Love, and The Unschool Challenge, which you can find on Amazon!
In episode 192 of my Stories of an Unschooling Family podcast, I talked about:
- Homework for Life
- Generating writing ideas
- Creating second brains
- Homeschool records, including strewing and planning notebooks and family journals
- Social media and other online distractions
Also:
- I shared Matthew Dicks’ book, Storyworthy and Tiago Forte’s book, Building a Second Brain.
- I told two stories of my life, one about a kangaroo and the other about trees topped with a bright green fuzz of new leaves.
- I read my blog post, The Writing Game: No Shortage of Writing Ideas.
- And I discussed the note-taking apps, Apple Notes, Evernote and Notion.
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family to read the associated post that includes a list of resources.
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
Where You Can Find Me
Blog: Stories of an Unschooling Family
Instagram: stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Youtube: Sue Elvis
Things I Mention in This Episode
John Holt's Growing Without Schooling magazine
The Virtual Kitchen Table podcast
Episode 5, Part 1: Kindness and Unconditional Love: What Do They Have to Do with Unschooling?
Episode 5, Part 2: Kindness and Unconditional Love: What Do They Have to Do with Unschooling?
Watch out for the Virtual Kitchen Table podcast about deschooling and The Unschool Challenge. It’ll be available some time in the next few weeks. Why not subscribe to the podcast so you hear all about the latest episodes?
Art of Manliness podcast
Jane Austen for Dudes
The Word on Fire Institute YouTube channel
God and Gaming video series
After 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 Charlotte Mason
Blog post: Unschooling when Charlotte Mason Appeals to Our Hearts
Book: The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery
Book: Fingers in the Sparkle Jar by Chris Packham
Documentary: Aspergers and Me by Chris Packham
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
Youtube: Sue Elvis
Blog: Stories of an Unschooling Family
Instagram: stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Thank you for listening to this episode!
Error: I received enormous bills for my blog hosting and podcast hosting. I didn't receive two bills for my podcast!
I'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
- My new children's novel, The Angels of Wallaby Way!
- Perfectionism, and the fear of criticism, and Marco Polo video messages
- The value of feedback, encouragement, and the most important people in our lives
Show Notes Blog Post
What I discovered When I Became a Video Gamer
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
The Angels of Wallaby Way: available very soon!
My Amazon Author Page
Where You Can Find Me
Unschooling Community including Unschool Plus and Marco Polo
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
Thanks you for listening to this episode!
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 novel by Andrew Davies
Sanditon: unfinished Jane Austen novel
Pride and Prejudice: 1995 miniseries adapted by Andrew Davies from Jane Austen's novel
Bridgerton: miniseries
Bridgerton: book by Julia Quinn
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
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
sue_elvis
Where You Can Find Imogen
Blog
Write.Rewrite.Read
write.rewrite.read
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Books
The Crystal Tree
The Shattering Song
Frost Hands
Thank you for listening to this episode!
This 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
Masterchef Australia 2021
Show Your Work by Austin Kleon
Dear Hero by Hope Bolinger and Alyssa Roat
Illuminae Files Book Series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
The Catholic Homeschool Conference
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
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
sue_elvis
Where You Can Find Imogen
Blog
Write.Rewrite.Read
write.rewrite.read
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Books
The Crystal Tree
The Shattering Song
Frost Hands
Thank you for listening to this episode!
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 tree
- cockroaches
- how I might have made a difference to the lives of the world's dogs
- and many other things
Show Notes
Things we mention in this episode:
Tamworth
Botanic gardens and Marsupial Park
Country Music Festival
Gunnedah
Silo Art: Dorothea MacKellar and her poem, My Country
Water Tower Art: The Long Tan Battle of the Vietnam War
Silo Art at Barraba
Book
Show Your Work: Ten Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon
Tin Tin comics and Netflix shows
Movies and Series
The Greatest Showman
Les Mis
Oklahoma
Hamilton
The Crown
The Chosen
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
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
sue_elvis
Where You Can Find Imogen
Blog
Write.Rewrite.Read
write.rewrite.read
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Books
The Crystal Tree
The Shattering Song
Frost Hands
Thank you for listening to this episode!
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 Social Dilemma on Netflix
Dust by Kara Swanson
The Drover’s Wife by Leah Purcell
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Henry Lawson: poems and short stories
Bleak House and Little Dorritt by Charles Dickens
How to Train Your Dragon: movie and book
The Princess Bride: movie and book
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
Jeff Wayne’s musical, The War of the Worlds
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
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
sue_elvis
Where You Can Find Imogen
Blog
Write.Rewrite.Read
write.rewrite.read
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Books
The Crystal Tree
The Shattering Song
Frost Hands
Thank you for listening to this episode!
This 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 Unschooling Family community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
sue_elvis
Thank you for listening to this episode!
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
The A-Z blogging challenge
Masterclass:
Neil Gaiman and his writing class
Margaret Atwood and her writing class
WandaVision
The Making of Wandavision
Captain America: Civil War
Solo Free on Amazon Prime
The Dawn Face on Netflix
Blown Away on Netflix
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
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
sue_elvis
Where You Can Find Imogen
Blog
Write.Rewrite.Read
write.rewrite.read
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Thank you for listening to this episode!
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
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
sue_elvis
Photo
Me and my daughter Charlotte
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that we can spread the word about unschooling!
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 Gaiman's books including Coraline and The Graveyard Book
Coraline the movie
WandaVision on Disney Plus
The Truth Seekers on Amazon Prime
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
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
sue_elvis
Where You Can Find Imogen
Blog
Write.Rewrite.Read
write.rewrite.read
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that we can spread the word about unschooling!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family or Instagram to leave a comment. Perhaps you'd like to join our unschooling community?
Imogen and I would love to hear some feedback about our conversation!
Photo: Imogen took me out for a special celebratory breakfast. I've finished my children's novel!
My 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
NaNoWriMo
Music
Musescore
Garageband
Play
Blog Post: Doing What Kids Ought to Do
A Space Phase
The War of the Worlds book by H.G. Wells
Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds
The Martian book
The Martian movie
Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets
Exercise
Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home
Books
The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
Imogen's new novel : Frost 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
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Where You Can Find Imogen
Blog
Write.Rewrite.Read
write.rewrite.read
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that we can spread the word about unschooling!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family or Instagram to leave a comment. Perhaps you have a question for Imogen? We'd love to hear some feedback about our conversation!
My 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 Things
Show Notes
Imogen's new novel
Frost Hands
Podcasts about NaNoWriMo
Episode 153: More Unschool Writing Ideas and Resources
Episode 140: Difficult Things
Imogen's Music Youtube Channel
Imogen Elvis
Websites
Skillshare
Walk at Home
Books
The Lake House by Kate Morton
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Blog Post
Why We Need to Support Our Kids' Choices
Video
My 2020 Global Homeschooling Summit interview video
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
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Where You Can Find Imogen
Blog
Write.Rewrite.Read
write.rewrite.read
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that we can spread the word about unschooling!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment!
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 Is Not Enough
A Book
The Book of Delights by Ross Gay
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
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that we can spread the word about unschooling!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment!
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, (unless, of course, you're interested in hearing about my unschool learning). Over the years, I have explored a lot of unschooling topics multiple times, and sometimes it seems like I have said everything possible. Could it be time to pack up my mic? Move on and do something else?
I'd love to hear your thoughts. I know they will be kind and encouraging!
Episode Details
0:00 intro
1:53 discouraging words and negative podcast reviews
3:46 Crushed by a Label
11:11 story comments
13:07 Encouraging Each Other to Do Difficult Things
16:08 How I Became a Runner
24:46 what I learnt from my running adventure
33:01 other encouraging stories
33:53 I’d love to hear your thoughts!
34:42 Summit interviews worth watching
38:17 unschooling: something worth hearing about
38:55 an encouraging unschooling community
39:48 thank you for listening!
Show Notes
Blog Post
Encouraging Each Other to Do Difficult Things
The Homeschooling Global Summit The Homeschooling Global Summit
My 2020 Summit interview
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
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that we can spread the word about unschooling. A quick encouraging review or rating would help too!
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment. I hope to see you inside my unschooling community. And if you haven't already seen it, perhaps you'd like to check out my Homeschooling Global Summit interview!
This 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 of Time
Video
What's in Your Strewing Basket?
The Homeschooling Global Summit The Homeschooling Global Summit
Our 2019 Homeschooling Global Summit Interviews
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Other Things I Mentioned
Powtoon
Adobe Indesign
Adobe Font Packs
Skillshare
Where You Can Find Me
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Email Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. I hope to see you inside my unschooling community. And perhaps you'd like to watch my Homeschooling Global Summit interview!
This 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
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Pat Flynn's website: Smart Passive Income
Where You Can Find Me
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Email Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. I hope to see you inside my unschooling community. Perhaps you'd like to join me for our next Zoom meetup!
This 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 Interviews
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
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Email Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. I hope to see you inside my unschooling community. Perhaps you'd like to join our book club!
This 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
Our 2019 Homeschooling Global Summit Interviews
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
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Email Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. I hope to see you inside my unschooling community. Perhaps you'd like to join our book club!
This 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 story from Radical Unschool Love:
Perfectly Them
Show Notes
Blog posts
The Problem With Being Too Nice
Where the Carol Birds Sing
Battle
Daylight Saving
Look
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
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Email Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Where the Carol Birds Sing
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. I hope to see you inside my unschooling community. Perhaps you'd like to join our book club!
This 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 Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Where You Can Find Me
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Email Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. I hope to see you inside my unschooling community!
I 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?
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
My Stories of an Unschooling Family community
Email Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. I hope to see you inside my unschooling community. And please don't forget to pass on the word about my book!
This 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: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Where You Can Find Me
Email Me:
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. I hope to see you inside my unschooling community!
This 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 Dusty Week Stories
And I have some resources to share.
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
Email Me:
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Resources
The Burnt Stick
Codecademy
Bind a Book-Make a Journal Pinterest board
Secrets of the Castle
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. I hope you will consider leaving some feedback about my BIG idea that I can share with listeners in next week's episode!
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 Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Imogen's novels
The Crystal Tree
The Shattering Song
Blog Posts
What About Grammar and Punctuation?
Learning About Punctuation the Lewis Carroll Way
Wanting to Learn How to Spell
The Writing Game: No Shortage of Writing Ideas
Podcasts
Our Writing Unrules for Unschoolers
More Unschool Writing Ideas and Resources
Resources
Grammarly
Capitalize My Title
Where You Can Find Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. I hope you will consider leaving some feedback that I can share with listeners in next week's episode!
This 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
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Blog posts
Unschooling Sausages
How Light Can Turn into Deep and Serious
Watching History as it Happened
The Writing Game
Resources
Tudor Monastery Farm
Wartime Farm
Edwardian Farm
Victorian Farm
The Hollow Crown
Richard III: The King in the Carpark
The Crown
Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets
Where You Can Find Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. I hope you will consider leaving some feedback that I can share with listeners in next week's episode!
This 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
Radical Unschooling: Something Beautiful
Unschoolgram
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Or you could just stop by and say hello!
This 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
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Blog posts
A Gradual Approach to Unschooling
Is it Really Okay to Give Unschooling Kids Unlimited Access to Screens and the Internet?
Podcast
Episode 162: Asking for Help
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Or you could just stop by and say hello!
This 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 words and a bit of breathy breathing and other strange noises, but I hope this recording is good enough to listen to. (How did Darth Vader get into my podcast?!) When I learn how to use Adobe Audition better, my podcasts will sound better!
Show Notes
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Blog posts
How Did a Man Get into My Podcast?
Letting Go of Another of Thomas' Places
Podcast
Beginning and Endings and a Simple Christmas
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Or you could just stop by and say hello!
After 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 Elvis: An Interview (from my book Radical Unschool Love)
Show Notes
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Blog posts
When We Reach Crisis Point
Time to Unschool
Book
The Power of Silence by Cardinal Robert Sarah
Unschoolgram
Unschoolgram menu
Unschoolgram: 2019 October and September (Do you ever yearn for more silence in your life?)
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Perhaps you have a crisis point story you'd like to share. You could give me some feedback on my podcast ideas. Or you could just stop by and say hello!
This 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: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Blog Posts
Giving a Child Unasked-For Help
Posts About Registration and Homeschool Record-Keeping
How Choosing a Different Path Can Cause Conflict
The Curious Unschoolers Book Club
The Curious Unschoolers Book Club Is Now Open!
The Book Club Link
Where You Can Find Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. And please join me on Instagram!
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.
Show Notes
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
My Children's Novels
The Angels of Abbey Creek
The Angels of Gum Tree Road
Blog Post
Bringing God into the Unschooling Picture
The Curious Unschoolers Book Club
The Curious Unschoolers Book Club Is Now Open!
The Book Club Link
Where You Can Find Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Are you interested in talking more about Christian unschooling? Join us in the Curious Unschoolers Book Club. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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 kids were younger:
- An Adventure Hiding in Every Moment
- The Photography Girls Head into the Bush
Show Notes
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Blog Posts
An Adventure Hiding in Every Moment
The Photography Girls Head into the Bush
The Bush Walk
Podcast
Episode 2: Mistakes, a Teenager's Love of Learning, and Loose Change
The Curious Unschoolers Book Club
The Curious Unschoolers Book Club Is Now Open!
The Book Club Link
Where You Can Find Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Share your waiting time adventures! Join us in the Curious Unschoolers Book Club. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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 Imogen, Sophie and I are travelling to Canberra on 31st August to meet up with other unschoolers.
Show Notes
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Blog Posts
I Am a Pirate King!
When Unschooled Kids Charge Off on Their Own Learning Adventures (includes links to mentioned musicals)
The Curious Unschoolers Book Club
The Curious Unschoolers Book Club Is Now Open!
The Book Club Link
Books by Father James Tierney
The Bush Boys books
Where You Can Find Me
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Join us in the Curious Unschoolers Book Club. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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 Fearing Our Kids Will Fail from my book Curious Unschoolers.
Show Notes
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
Podcast
Episode 140: Difficult Things
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. You could let me know what you think about my new unschooling book idea. Maybe you have a fear of failing story of your own to share.
And please join me on Instagram!
This 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 Notes
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. (You could tell me how many times I said the word 'grin' in this episode!) And please join me on Instagram!
This 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!!
Show Notes
Blog Post
Another Way of Looking at Our Kids' Learning
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. You could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
The Global Homeschooling Summit
Unschooling books by Suzie Andres
Homeschooling with Gentleness
A Little Way of Homeschooling
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Or you could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
My 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 shops.
Show Notes
Go Teen Writers
Go Teen Writers blog
Go Teen Writers book: How to Turn Your First Draft into a Published Book
Go Teen Writers Facebook Group
NaNoWriMo
NaNoWriMo
Camp NaNoWriMo
NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program
Blogging
Blogger
Wordpress
Books
Plot and Structure: Techniques and Exercise for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish by James Scott Bell
Revision and Self-Editing (Write Great Fiction) by James Scott Bell
Bird by Bird: Some Instruction on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Podcasts
Episode 148: Our Writing Unrules for Unschoolers
Writing Excuses
Charlotte Elvis
Charlotte's Redbubble Shop
The Stories of an Unschooling Family Red Bubble Shop
Instagram: charlotte.elvis
Imogen Elvis
Website
Write.Rewrite.Read
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Write. Rewrite. Read
Imogen's novel
The Crystal Tree
Write. Rewrite. Read
Sue Elvis
My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
The Global Homeschooling Summit
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Or you could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
The Global Unschooling Summit
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Or you could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
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 Unschooling Work?
38:04 Part 3: What Unschooling Looks Like 38:10 What is Unschooling All About? 48:12 Is Unschooling Just Living Life? 54:08 The Curriculum of Life 1:03:07 A Typical Unschooling Day
Show Notes
My Unschooling Book
Curious Unschoolers
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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 this episode. Or you could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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 and pieces!
Show Notes
Youtube
Sue Elvis
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider sharing the link so that 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. You could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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 their own timetables and not ours.
And I share my latest unschooling book news.
Show Notes
Podcasts
Episode 27: The Tricky Business of Registering an Unschooler as a Homeschooler
Episode 45: How Registered Homeschoolers Can Unschool
Blog Posts
My homeschool registration and record keeping posts
Youtube
Sue Elvis
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. You could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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 and reading
- How English workbooks are unnecessary
- The progress of my unschooling books
- And lots more!
Show Notes
Imogen Elvis
Website
Write.Rewrite.Read
Youtube
Write. Rewrite. Read
Imogen's novel
The Crystal Tree
Write. Rewrite. Read
Podcasts
Homeschool Solutions with Pam Barnhill
Episode 150 of the Exploring Unschooling podcast with Pam Laricchia.
Books and Authors Mentioned
Jackie French
Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak
Rick Riordan
Alice in Wonderful by Lewis Carrol
My 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 we talked about in this episode. You could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
My 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 teenagers?
- Is it never too late to build close relationships with our teenagers?
- Is it essential we do this?
These are just a few of the many questions we discuss during our big chat about unschooling teenagers!
Show Notes
Imogen Elvis
Website
Write.Rewrite.Read
Youtube
Write. Rewrite. Read
Imogen's novel
The Crystal Tree
Sophie Elvis
thetechnomaid
tough.turtle
Youtube
Sophie Elvis
My 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 we talked about in this episode. You could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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 photography
- The joy of sharing passions
- Creativity and learning
- How we all have bad days
- How our family isn’t perfect
- Sophie’s new job
- Sophie’s transition from unschooling to structured learning
- Sophie’s beta personal training clients
- How it can be difficult for parents to accept help and advice from their children
- How kids can outlearn their parents
Show Notes
A Novel
A Thousand Perfect Notes by CG Drews
Imogen Elvis
Youtube
Write. Rewrite. Read
Imogen's novel
The Crystal Tree
Write. Rewrite. Read
Website
Write. Rewrite. Read
Sophie Elvis
thetechnomaid
tough.turtle
Youtube
Sophie Elvis
My 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 you could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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 right gift can make a difference to the receiver's life
- Planning our year instead of making New Year's Resolutions
- Things I want to achieve in 2019
- My unschooling book news
- Things Sophie wants to achieve this year
Show Notes
Imogen Elvis
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Imogen's novel
The Crystal Tree
Sophie Elvis
thetechnomaid
tough.turtle
Youtube
Sophie Elvis
My Instagram
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
My Unschooling Newsletter
Subscribe
Philip Mott's Podcast
School's Out
Sallie Borrink's Blog Post
Should Bloggers Edit Their Past
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 you could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
Perhaps you have a question or topic you'd like me to discuss in a future podcast episode. Please let me know so that I can add it to my planning notes for next year.
This 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 kids occupy the reader's chair
- How we have to be patient while our kids are learning how to read out loud
- My reading-out-loud experiment: What happened when I stopped correcting my daughter when she made reading-out-loud mistakes
I also return to the topic of Christmas presents:
- Do presents belong only to the commercial side of Christmas or do they have spiritual significance?
- Can we tell others to be generous?
- Or do we only learn about generosity by experiencing it ourselves?
Show Notes
Blog Posts
Respecting Kids and Christmas Presents
The Reading Out Loud Experiment
A Main Course of Reading Out Loud
Listening
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 you could just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
Perhaps you have a question or topic you'd like me to discuss in a future podcast episode. Please let me know so that I can add it to my planning notes for next year.
This is my last episode for 2018. I'm taking a break over Christmas. Please join me again in 2019!
Happy Christmas!
This 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 an act of love?
Show Notes
Blog Posts
My Perfect Christmas Present Secret
Making an Aussie Bush Christmas Tree
YouTube
Imogen Elvis
Imogen's Christmas Music Playlist
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. Perhaps you have a question or topic you'd like me to discuss. Or just stop by and say hello. And please join me on Instagram!
This 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 Balanced and Productive Unschool Life
Episode 139, Unschool Socialisation: Making Friends, Being Different
Sophie Elvis
thetechnomaid
tough.turtle
Sue Elvis
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 we talked about in this episode. Perhaps you have a question for Sophie. Or you could just stop by and say hello. And join me on Instagram!
This 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 Painting on the Wall
Unschooling, Strewing, and Unplanning
My Unschool Unplanning Strewing Notebook
Podcasts
Episode 4: Exciting Times, Slow Times, and Unschool Holidays
Episode 83: How to Start a Great Art Conversation
Novel Writing
Camp NaNoWriMo
Coding Lessons
Codecademy
Youtube Exercise Channel
Fitness Blender
My Unschooling Newsletter
Subscribe
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. Perhaps you have a question or topic you'd like me to discuss. Or just stop by and say hello. And join me on Instagram!
This week, I'm talking about things that are sometimes difficult:
- Letting kids do what they want even if there is a risk of failure
- Taking risks so that we continue to learn
- Not pushing kids to use their talents
- Balancing the role of school teacher with that of unschooling father
- Talking to reluctant spouses about a desire to unschool
- Listening and building up trust
- Writing a 50,000-word novel
- Losing a child
- Reaching out to those who are grieving
Show Notes
Pam Laricchia's Podcast
Exploring Unschooling
Episode 150 of the Exploring Unschooling Podcast: Stories of an Unschooling Family with Sue Elvis
Novel Writing
NaNoWriMo
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. And join me on Instagram!
This week, I'm talking about unschooling and friends.
- Is it sometimes difficult for unschoolers to find kindred spirit friends because we're different?
- What if our kids don't have many friends?
- If someone doesn't want to be our friend, is there something wrong with us?
- How do you become a cool kid?
- Should we pretend to be someone we're not so that we'll be accepted and have friends?
- Or is it better to be ourselves?
- Do we need lots of friends in order to learn good communication skills and how to get on with other people?
- Or maybe some 'socialised' people who have no trouble talking don't actually have many communication skills?
Of course, some unschoolers may be part of big unschooling groups and have no trouble finding like-minded friends!
I'm also talking about
- NaNoWriMo and friends
- My unschooling book
- How I stepped outside my comfort zone and had an exciting adventure!
Show Notes
Podcast
Episode 48: Do Unschoolers Mind Being Different
Novel Writing
NaNoWriMo
Video
Gemma-Rose (9) Talks about Novel Writing
Pam Laricchia's Podcast
Exploring Unschooling
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. And join me on Instagram!
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:
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!
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
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!
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
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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
This week, Cricket is my unschooling guest podcaster.
The Colin Show
- Cricket tells us about her family
- She shares their journey from school-at-home homeschooling to unschooling
Cricket recorded her guest podcast with her son Colin’s help. Please visit Colin’s Youtube Channel, The Colin Show, and subscribe!
Hitting the Pause Button
- I share some of the responses from my Stories of an Unschooling Family survey
- I respond to some constructive criticism
- I talk about some changes I could make
- I tell you what I'm going to do next, how I'm hitting the pause button for a while and taking a break
I also talk about:
- Accepting ourselves as well as our kids
- Quiet times and how they are essential
- How we can make a big difference by doing little things
- The importance of feedback
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 to say hello.
A big thank you to Cricket for being this week's guest podcaster!
This week, Venisa McAllister is my guest podcaster.
Thankful
Venisa is talking about:
- Her own educational and childhood experiences
- How her family moved from homeschooling to unschooling
- Her children and how they have their individual learning styles
- The reasons she is thankful her family is unschooling
Facing Facts
I'm talking about:
- How perfectionists like me don't always face facts
- What I discovered when I was brave enough to look at my blog, podcast and video stats
- How data can help us do better work
- A survey I'm hoping you'll fill in so that I can find out if what I'm doing is helpful.
- Changes I could make
Show Notes
Website
Cal Newport
Book
Finish by Jon Acuff
Survey
Stories of an Unschooling Family Survey
Patreon
My Stories of an Unschooling Family Patreon page
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. Maybe you'd also like to support my work and receive some exclusive content by becoming a patron.
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 to say hello.
A big thank you to Venisa. If you'd like to be a guest podcaster, please let me know!
This week, I'm chatting with my teenage daughter Sophie.
We're discussing lots of questions including:
What extra content am I producing for my Patreon patrons?
What has Imogen been doing instead of making music videos?
Why have I asked my daughters Imogen and Sophie to be regular contributors to my blog?
Why should we take an interest in our kids' passions?
Do I present my children in an honest and truthful way?
How do we encourage our kids to be themselves and not follow the crowd when they go out into the world?
Why would Sophie become a patron of my blog and podcast (if she were an unschooling parent)?
Show Notes
Podcasts
Episode 110: An Interview with a Teenage Radical Unschooler
Episode 34: Learning from My Daughter and Other Unschool Stories
Video
How I Got My Mother to Do a 100 Squat Challenge
Blog Post
Confident to Be Me
Youtube
Sophie Elvis
Imogen Elvis
Sue Elvis
Patreon
My Stories of an Unschooling Family Patreon page
stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily
sophie_elvis
write.rewrite.read
Fitness
Fitness Blender
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. Maybe you'd also like to support my work and receive some exclusive content by becoming a patron.
.
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 to say hello.
This week, I'm talking about ageing and unschooling.
I share the reasons why I'm finding my ageing appearance difficult to accept. Maybe you are a lot younger than me. You could think this conversation isn't relevant to you. However, this episode, despite first impressions, is about unschooling. If everyone lived an unschooling way of life, would the problems associated with ageing disappear? Does the world need unschooling?
Show Notes
Blog posts
Ashamed of Being Ashamed of Looking Older
Playing for Ian
Patreon
My Stories of an Unschooling Family Patreon page
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. Maybe you'd also like to support my work and receive some exclusive content by becoming a patron. I hope you will!
.
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 to say hello.
This week, I'm discussing the question Does Unschooling Work? The answer, of course, depends on what we mean by the word 'work'.
I'm also talking about:
- My fabulous Patreon patrons and the work I hope to do with their help
- Camp NaNoWriMo
- How kids learn new things when they have a need
- How younger siblings think they are just as capable as their older siblings
- How sorting out a problem isn't always as difficult as it seems
- A new podcast idea which involves collaborating with other unschoolers
Show Notes
Patreon
My Patreon page
My Instagram Account
stories_ofan_unschooling family
My Unschooling Newsletter
Blog posts
Does the World Needs Unschooling?
Are We Incomplete Without Our Passions and Interests?
Youtube channels
Sue Elvis
Imogen Elvis
Sophie Elvis
Videos
What is Unschooling?
Mission: Surviving Holy Week
Music
Podington Bear's Sound of Picture
Writing
'NaNoWriMo
Camp NaNoWriMo
4theWords
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. Maybe you'd also like to support my work by becoming a patron!
.
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 to say hello.
This week,
I'm sharing my new BIG idea. I'm joining Patreon! I hope you will join me as I set out on this next chapter of my unschooling adventure.
I'm also talking about:
- The need for us to take risks
- How the world needs unschooling
- How we shouldn't lose our playful spirit as we grow older
- How Sophie filmed a Passion Play on Good Friday
- And other Easter news
Show Notes
Patreon
My Patreon Page
Video: Join Me On My Patreon Adventure
My Instagram Account
stories_ofan_unschooling family
Blog post
Does the World Needs Unschooling?
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. Maybe you'd also like to support my work by becoming a patron!
.
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to leave a comment on this episode. Or just stop by to say hello.
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm sharing my teenagers' typical unschooling days. I'm discussing the following questions:
Is there such a thing as a typical unschooling day?
Can we have too many resources? Do our kids sometimes get overwhelmed by too many possibilities?
Are documentaries and lifestyle TV series a good source of learning adventures?
What TV series have Gemma-Rose and I been enjoying recently?
Why did I initially reject this episode?
Show Notes
Podcast
Episode 110: An Interview with a Teenage Radical Unschooler
Sophie's Youtube Channel
Sophie Elvis
Sophie's Vlog Series
A Week in the Life of
Videos
Back in Time for Dinner
Further Back in Time for Dinner
Back in Time for the Weekend
The Secrets of Your Food
The Big Family Cooking Showdown
Website
Open Learn: Free learning from the Open University
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 on this episode. Or just stop by to say hello.
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm talking about:
The importance of trying to see the world through our kids' eyes
How we're not giving in to kids when we respond to their needs
How we should respond to the needs of our kids even if it's inconvenient or difficult
How making kids feel welcome at church isn't a matter of tolerating their crying during the service
Should we force unschooled kids to go to church? Why this might be the wrong question
The trials of aspiring authors
How we have to be brave and do things without worrying about the opinions of others
I'm also sharing some stories about:
Kangaroos and dogs and the late rising sun
A child who cried in a restaurant because he couldn't cope
A Note
When it comes to sharing our faith with our kids, I am talking from my own experience which may be different from yours. My husband Andy and I share a faith. We both go to church. When it comes to passing on our beliefs, I'm sure we have it easy compared to families where spouses have differing religious beliefs or levels of commitment.
Show Notes
Game-Making Website
Stencyl: Create Amazing Games Without Code
Blog Posts
The Wobbly Moments of Life
When A Child Can't Cope
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 on this episode. Or just stop by to say hello.
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm sharing my husband Andy's and my university experiences, and what we learnt from them:
The Opportunity to Discover, the Freedom to Learn
My Dean's Medallist of a Husband
I discuss the following questions:
Can unschooled children study successfully at university?
What is the best motivation for successful learning?
Should unschooling teenagers be allowed to continue exploring their interests?
Or should we structure their education in the final years so that they are prepared for university?
Is it ever too late to follow our dreams?
Is it ever too late to learn new skills?
Something I didn't mention: If a child knows what she wants to do, making a plan in order to achieve that goal seems to be a sensible thing to do. My daughter Imogen made a plan for getting into university. And it was successful.
My Youtube Videos:
Imogen Talks About Unschooling
From Unschooling to University and Work (Part 1)
From Unschooling to University and Work (Part 2)
Unschooling and university is a big topic. I didn't cover all aspects of it in this podcast, but maybe I offered a few ideas we can discuss.
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 on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm talking about:
- The progress of my unschooling book
- How unschooling transforms families
- Duty and love
- Supporting young adults
- How it's hard to admit mistakes and change what we're doing
- How it's never too late to unschool
- Possible reasons why there's a shortage of older unschooling bloggers
- Why we don't need to make rules for our teenagers in order to keep them safe from the dangers of the world
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 on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm talking about the times when we don't like who we are and the way we're parenting our kids. I answer the following questions:
- How did I get the nickname The Dragon Mother?
- How did I get on top of my quick-temper and become a more calm and patient mother?
- Am I now a perfect mother or do I still make mistakes?
- How did my first child cope with her inexperienced dragon mother? Was she irreversibly affected by my far-from-perfect parenting?
- Do we actually need to be perfect parents?
- Is the unschooling life perfect?
I also tell a lot of stories during this episode.
Show Notes
Blog posts
Confessions of a Former Quick-Tempered Mother
Memories of an Inexperienced Mother
An Unschooling Imposter
Imogen
Youtube channel, Imogen Elvis.
Facebook: Imogen Elvis
Instagram: Imogen Elvis
Imogen's Mad World music video
The Mad World behind-the-scenes video
Podcast music
Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review or rating this episode and 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 on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
This week, I'm talking about:
- Christmas in summer
- Evernote planners
- My blogging/podcasting plans for 2018
- Christian unschooling
- My faith story
- Being open-minded
- Doing the impossible
- Letting go of control
- How life can change in a moment
- Snakes
- Family news
Show Notes
Blog posts
Bringing God into the Unschooling Picture
Letting Go of Control
An Impossible Adventure
Imogen
Youtube channel, Imogen Elvis.
Facebook: Imogen Elvis
Instagram: Imogen Elvis
My Youtube channel
Sue Elvis
Podcast music
Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review or rating this episode and 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 on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
This week, I'm discussing the following questions:
- Does planning have any place in unschooling?
- Can we make attractive planners using Evernote?
- Will I continue my Evernote workshop series?
- How does balance fit into an unschooling life?
- Why is it very important that we let our kids follow their passions and interests?
- Is it okay to acknowledge our kids' talents?
- Can we praise our kids?
- Are we obliged to develop and use our own talents?
- Can reality, lifestyle and documentary TV series provide us with lots of wonderful learning experiences?
- How do we make homeschool record notes about TV shows we've watched?
Show Notes
My Evernote workshop series
50 Coloured Evernote Background Note Templates (to download)
Evernote and homeschool record keeping
My unschooling book series
Are We Incomplete Without Our Interests and Passions?
Should Unschooled Kids Live Balanced Lives?
Unschooling Sausages
The Big Painting Challenge (episodes available on Youtube at time of posting)
Blog posts about The Big Painting Challenge
Imogen Elvis on Youtube
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and 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 on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
This week, I'm sharing and discussing two stories: Learning From Life and Homeschooling in a Crisis
I'm talking about those times when we don't need to strew because life is rich enough without any help from us. Maybe life is sometimes too rich. We might have a crisis to deal with that prevents us from getting involved with our kids' learning. Should we worry if we can't do all the things we normally do? And what about our homeschool records books? What will we write in them when we're learning from life or homeschooling in a crisis?
Show Notes
Evernote and homeschool record keeping
My unschooling book series
Imogen Elvis on Youtube
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and 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 on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
This week, I'm sharing and chatting about two strewing stories:
Time for Some Strewing
What to Do When Strewing is Rejected
I discuss the following questions:
- What is strewing?
- When do we need to do it?
- How do we do it?
- And what if our kids reject our strewing?
Show Notes
Blog post: Unplanning Notebooks for Strewing and Unschool Record-Keeping
Podcast episode 82: How to Start a Great Art Conversation
Blog post: What Happened When I Strewed a Painting on the Wall
My unschooling book series
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and 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 on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
Have you heard I'm writing an unschooling book? I've been working on it for a very long time but, finally, I'm making progress. While I'm writing and editing, I'm publishing a series of short podcasts, each one based on a blog post from my archive.
This week, I'm sharing and discussing the story Independent Learners, Toast and Heavy Washing Baskets.
Show Notes
Leonie's blog: Living Without School
podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Maybe you'd like to read my unschooling book series. I'm publishing bits and pieces of my book-in-progress as blog posts.
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and 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 on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
This week, I'm sharing and discussing another blog story, Why I'm Not a Good Homeschooling Teacher:
- Will unschooled children really be prepared for tertiary education (if that's their goal)?
- What role do I play in the education of my older teen unschoolers?
- How do I record all their learning activities for homeschool registration purposes?
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and 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 on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm talking about:
- A new podcast series
- A blog post series
- My unschooling book-in-progress
I'm also sharing an unschooling story: Nurturing Independent Learners and chatting about it.
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing a review and 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 on today's episode. Or just stop by to say hello!
Last week, I was chatting about radical unschooling. This week, I'm interviewing Sophie (16) who is a radical unschooler. If you're unsure about this way of life, perhaps our conversation will reassure you that radical unschoolers aren't wild and irresponsible!
This is a very lively interview. I hope you enjoy it!
In this episode, Sophie and I are chatting about:
- her unschooling week
- her part-time job
- her passions and interests and where she hopes they will lead
- the importance of parent-child friendships
- how unschoolers are different
- siblings and how to avoid rivalry and encourage strong bonds between brothers and sisters
- how we can protect our kids without making rules
- how she has developed a strong sense of right and wrong
- mutual trust
- how unschooled kids can be themselves both in front of their friends and when they are with their family
- Sophie's health and exercise challenge
- our joint podcasting idea
- and lots of other things!
Show Notes
Sophie's previous podcast episode
Episode 70: Trust, Respect and Love Unconditionally
Podcast music
Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Where you can find us
Sue
You'll find lots of unschooling posts in my archive on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You can find me on Instagram at sue_elvis.
Imogen
Please take a look at Imogen's latest music video, Symphony which is on her Youtube channel, Imogen Elvis.
You can also find Imogen on her Facebook page, Imogen Elvis. She livestreams with the Team on Thursday mornings, Australian time.
And please watch out for a new music video on Wednesday 18th October.
Sophie
You can find Sophie on Instagram at Sophie Elvis and The Technomaid.
Thank you
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! (Thank you, Samantha, for your recent review. Your very kind words were greatly appreciated!)
Would you like to continue the conversation?
Do you have unschooling teenagers? Are they different from most other young people? Do you make rules? And what about exercise? You could join us and accept Sophie's health and exercise challenge! I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. You could stop by my blog and say hello!
This week, I'm discussing radical unschooling.
Do you unschool but don't like the sound of radically unschooling? Maybe you're convinced you'll never do it? If so, I hope to change your mind!
I'm pondering lots of questions including:
- How did we end up becoming radical unschoolers (when I said we'd never do this)?
- Are radical unschooling parents irresponsible? Or are the critics wrong?
- How will our kids learn to do the things that are necessary and right if we don't make any rules?
- Can anyone radically unschool? Or is radical unschooling associated with only a particular lifestyle?
- Can Catholics unschool?
- How do we protect, care for and share our beliefs with our radically unschooled children?
- Is it possible to let kids make their own choices and, at the same time, be confident that they will make the right choices?
- What could happen if we force our kids to live by our rules?
- Is it really okay if kids don't wash their hair and clean their teeth?
- What is at the heart of a radical unschooling way of life?
Show Notes
Blog Posts
Rules, Responsible Parenting and Radical Unschooling
The 'Risky' Business of Trusting Children
How to Live Radically
Podcast music
Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Where you can find us
You'll find lots of unschooling posts in my archive on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You might find me on Instagram at sue_elvis.
Please take a look at Imogen's latest music video, Symphony and her Facebook page Imogen Elvis. Your interest and encouragement are appreciated!
Thank you
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Would you like to continue the conversation?
Are you a radical unschooler? Did you make a conscious decision to adopt this way of life or did it happen naturally? If you are apprehensive about going along this pathway, what are your main concerns? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. You could stop by my blog and say hello!
This week, I'm telling some stories and chatting about how kids and adults learn:
- What is the best motivation for learning?
- Why do we persist using teaching methods that we know aren't working? Why do we waste our time?
- Would more people unschool if there was no such thing as homeschool registration?
- What bad habits have adults learnt that get in the way of learning?
- Do other people's words have an effect on our inclination to learn?
- When our kids are learning to read or spell, could we end up discouraging them instead of helping them?
- Should we focus on what our kids can do instead of what they are unable to do?
- What do kids need to know?
- How do we ensure our kids have all the knowledge they will need for a successful future?
- Does our lack of trust hurt our children?
Show Notes
Blog Posts
How Children Learn According to Sophie
Learning from My Children
Encourage or Discourage?
What Do Children Need to Learn?
Remembering to Trust
You'll find lots of unschooling posts in my archive on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You might find me on Instagram at sue_elvis.
Please take a look at Imogen's latest music video, Symphony and her Facebook page Imogen Elvis.
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
A note before you listen to this week's episode:
Episode 107 is only a conversation starter. I'm sure my thoughts are incomplete...
Sometimes we have to work at jobs that we’d rather not do because we have families to support. My husband Andy was in this situation for many years so I understand how it might not seem possible to resign from such a job to follow a dream. However, perhaps there’s still room in our lives for a little unschooling. We might find a way to use our talents in whatever kind of job we have. Maybe we can watch out for an opportunity to turn down a different pathway. Whatever we do, we need to keep learning and keep striving to be the people we are meant to be… just like our kids.
Yes, this week I'm asking:
Is unschooling for everyone? Can anyone unschool? Should we all, whatever our situations, live an unschooling way of life?
Also:
Why do most of us have a need for 'likes'? Why is our self-worth dependent on the opinions of other people? And is it different for our unschooling kids?
Should parents be friends with their kids? Is it okay for parents to demand obedience? Or does obedience, no questions allowed, destroy the connection between parent and child?
Show Notes
Nancy Shuman
Blogs:
The Cloistered Heart
The Breadbox Letters
Book:
The Cloistered Heart
Imogen Elvis
Youtube
The Rains of Castamere music video
Podcast
Episode 91: How Unschooling is About Being Connected with Our Kids
My blog is Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You might find me on Instagram at sue_elvis.
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm talking about changes both in my online and offline lives.
I'm sharing:
- Some further thoughts on kids, screen time and Internet usage
- The future of my unschooling blog and podcast
- A few resources
- More about learning from life
- Some family news including the fur coat story
Show Notes
Blog Posts
Is it Really Okay to Give Unschooling Kids Unlimited Access to Screens and the Internet
Why This is the End of the Line for Me
Why Becoming an Ex-Unschooling Blogger is a Bit Scary
Michael Mosley Resources
The Truth About Sleep
The Truth About Exercise
Guts
Infested
Eat, Fast, and Live Longer
Imogen Elvis
Youtube
The Rains of Castamere music video
I apologise for the 'different' sound quality. I forgot to check the mic settings before I started recording and the podcast was recorded with my computer's internal mic instead of my USB one. I think the audio is clear, but maybe I sound like I'm in my bathroom!
My blog is Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You might find me on Instagram at sue_elvis.
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm pondering:
- Real life: Is my offline life being affected by my online activities?
- Facebook: Do we need to be on social media?
- The Internet: Is it addictive? Why do many adults have trouble using it in a sensible way? Does the Internet fulfil needs we're not really aware of?
- Deep Work: Does the Internet affect our ability to concentrate and do valuable work?
- Our children: Do we worry about our kids spending lots of time online because of our own experiences? Will all our kids be able to handle unlimited access to the Internet?
I also share some news of a new series of Facebook Livestreamed videos that might be of interest to parents and teenage girls.
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family where you might find some show notes to go with this episode.
You might find me on Instagram at sueelvis.
You'll find my daughter Imogen on her Facebook page, Imogen Elvis. If you're interested in the FB Livestreamed videos, you might like to 'like' Imogen's page to keep up with the latest news.
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I chat about some recent events in our lives and how I turned them into notes for my Evernote homeschool records book.
Along the way, I share lots of news and discuss the questions:
- Should we give pocket money to our unschooling kids?
- Should we buy our kids what they need to further their passions?
- Should we expect our adult children to be part of our lives?
- What will I speak about when I do my first Facebook Live?
- Did I finish Camp NaNoWriMo? Do I now have a first draft of my unschooling book?
- Why do I appear twice in Feedspot's list of their Top 50 Blogs and Websites for Unschoolers and Their Parents?
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
You could also join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
I'm on Instagram at sueelvis and storiesofanunschoolingfamily.
Thank you for listening. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
I'm taking a short podcasting break while I work on my unschooling book. I hope you'll watch out for a new episode in a few weeks' time.
In the meantime, you might find some 'teasers' from my book on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family .
You'll find any news on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
And you might find me on Instagram at sueelvis and storiesofanunschoolingfamily.
Thank you for listening. I hope to be back very soon!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm discussing the following questions:
- Is it okay to share our beliefs with our kids? Or should we try not to influence them but leave them to make up their own minds without any input from us?
- If we do want to pass on our beliefs and values, how should we do this?
- Normally, unschoolers don't make rules, but is it okay to make rules about issues that are of great importance to us?
I also talk about:
- The real Sue
- Our online friends who are going to become real life friends
- The new addition to our family
- My new Facebook group, Unschooling Collaborators
- And some other family news
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
And I'm on Instagram at sueelvis and storiesofanunschoolingfamily.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm talking about:
-
Communication skills: Are we good communicators? Why is it important that we know how to communicate? What about our kids? How do they deal with people in the bigger world who fail to treat them with the respect and politeness they have come to expect?
-
Adult peer pressure: Do we sometimes make decisions based on our friends' opinions rather than our families' needs? If we do this, do we put our relationships with our kids at risk?
-
Rules: Do we need to make rules? Or are they ineffective? Do rules set us up for battles with our kids?
-
Jeggings: Is it okay for a mother as old as me to wear them? And are my jeggings fitting more comfortable after a month of our great weight loss adventure?
-
Collaboration: If we collaborate could we light a gentle unschooling fire?
As I talk, I share a few stories including one that was hard to write.
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This is the (hopefully) un-muddled version!
This week, I'm sharing my unschooling podcasting adventure. I talk about:
- My first episode and why I nearly deleted it
- Why we have to take risks
- The future of this podcast
I also share:
- a few resources while talking about Gilbert and Sullivan
- my plans for Camp NaNoWriMo
- my new Instagram adventure
- and lots of other thoughts, ideas and stories!
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I continue the unschool maths conversation:
- Can we force kids to learn things they don't want to know about?
- What if we have to show evidence that our kids are learning maths for homeschool registration purposes?
- Why should we sometimes put ourselves in our kids' shoes?
- How can we become maths detectives?
- What is wrong with most maths games?
- Can we approach maths backwards?
I also share a few learning and maths blog posts and discuss the ideas in them:
Making Children Learn What They Don't Want to Know
Approaching Maths Backwards
Becoming Real Life Maths Detectives
Why Kids With Families Don't Need Workbooks to Learn Basic Maths Skills
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm talking about:
- uncomfortable ideas, the ones we think we'll never consider
- how we sometimes deceive ourselves because we can't face the truth
- our unschool maths story
I discuss the questions:
- If our kids don't have formal maths notes to show, what can we put in our homeschool records books?
- Is it okay to strew maths like we would science or history?
- Is there a problem with some maths games?
- Is there a problem with real life maths resources?
- Can we call ourselves unschoolers if we don't unschool maths?
I also talk more about:
- those times when life becomes overwhelming
- how we can help each other when someone isn't coping
- empathy and misbehaviour
- our weight loss and fitness adventure
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I answer the following questions:
- Why did I feel like an unschooling imposter?
- Why is unschooling the perfect way of life even though life isn't perfect?
- Why should we stop and reassess what we're doing every now and then?
- What does Gemma-Rose's (13) day look like?
- What is Sophie (16) doing at the moment?
I also talk about
- our weight loss adventure
- and my recent activity with my blog and Youtube channel
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I share:
- how I've been turning my 13-year-old daughter's unschooling learning experiences into homeschool records notes.
- some of the resources she has been using
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
These are a few of the things I'm talking about this week:
- Siblings
- Acceptance
- Encouragement
- Labels
- Boys
- The joy of giving
- Essay writing
I tell lots of stories and share my new free ebook Unschool Reading.
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I share a few stories from a time when we used to ponder such things as:
- was Helen of Troy still beautiful after ten years of war? Was she still worth fighting over?
- are Elvis feet different from everyone else's? Why can't we walk in thongs (flip-flops, not underwear!)
I also talk about:
- how we never used to unschool maths
- how we sometimes deceive ourselves because we're not ready to face the truth
- how unschooling is a continual learning experience for parents as well as kids
- how I forgot something very important when we began unschooling
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm sharing our unschooling story. Years ago, we started as unschoolers. We then tried different methods of homeschooling before returning to unschooling:
- Behind That Cream Front Door
- Undercover Homeschoolers
- Doing Our Own Thing
- Time to Unschool
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I talk about:
- Trust: It's easy to trust when things are going well but is that real trust?
- Being a support driver for young learner drivers: Do we sometimes have to be adventurous and do things we don't want to do?
- Children who don't seem to fit easily into the world: Should we watch out for ways to help each other?
- Praise: Is it good or bad? How do we encourage our kids to be humble about their talents?
- Creativity: Do you ever yearn to create but don't have the opportunity because you have small children who need your time and attention?
- Creative Art and English resources: art documentaries, Jane Austen mini-series, film scores and cinema history
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I discuss the following questions:
- How do our children learn right from wrong?
- Why is it so important that we are connected with our kids?
- Why am I reluctant to ask people to review my children's novels?
- Do parents have to be perfect or is there something more important than perfection?
- What is a family?
- Is my new podcast series idea a good one? Perhaps it's ridiculous!
I tell lots of stories along the way:
- Why did I regret crying while I was watching a biology film at school?
- Did my husband Andy become a singing superstar with his very own backing group?
- Did I used to be a good surgical assistant or did I quake in my boots every time I was asked to help?
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I answer the following questions:
- Is it important we know who we are?
- Am I a perfectionist?
- Is our self-image affected by other people's opinions and expectations?
- Why didn't I fulfil my early gold star potential?
- How can we help our kids become who they are meant to be?
- Why did my daughter Sophie laugh when I told her the results of an IQ test I took?
- What did our Authorised Person from the education department think of my Evernote homeschool records when she came for a recent registration visit?
- Does my family have a secret identity?
- What's my latest big project? Will you want to be involved?
- Will there be an episode 91?
I hope you'll join me as I talk about these questions and lots more including giftedness, Evernote, and homeschool record-keeping.
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I talk about:
- Adding joy to a powerless afternoon
- Why sometimes it's good to leave our cameras at home when we go out
- Social media again
- Deciding whether our work is good or not
- Allergic cats and daughters
- A delicious gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free chocolate tart
- How we sometimes need to put our families first and say no
- Our unique back-to-school supplies
- Buying what our kids need to further their passions
- Unschoolers and planning
- Listening to Jane Austen
- Redwork embroidery
- Shakespeare
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
And join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
My children's novel, 'The Angels of Gum Tree Road', is now on Amazon, Kindle, and Lulu.
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
This week, I'm talking about:
- What mothers have to do even when the weather is very hot
- The place of last resort
- Children that don't seem to fit into the world
- Earning coffee money
- A trap door accident
- Father and daughter time
- Gym buddies
- Video dance workouts
- Encouraging kids to exercise
- Forcing kids to do things
- A perfect subscription for all the family
- Christian running music
- My Australia Day baby
- An unschool science resource
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Please join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
My children's novel, 'The Angels of Gum Tree Road', is now on Amazon, Kindle, and Lulu.
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
This week, I answer the following questions:
- What is unschooling?
- Why is unschooling different from other methods of homeschooling? Could it not be a method at all?
- Should we make kids do things they don't want to do? Would that be good for them?
- Is there such a thing as providing a too happy life for our kids? Should we get them used to the fact that life in the bigger world won't always be happy?
- Are we easily distracted? Have most of us lost the ability to concentrate and do deep work?
- Do we need social media? What if we have something we want to share with the world?
- Can series such as Downton Abbey lead to some wonderful learning experiences?
- Are quiet times valuable and even essential?
- What is The Catholic Radical Unschool Cheese?
- Can unschooling kids work hard?
- Is a parent's attitude important when it comes to chores and other mundane tasks?
- What have my children been doing recently?
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Please visit my new blog The Catholic Radical Unschool Cheese.
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
This week, I'm talking about multipotentiality. In particular, I ask the following questions:
- Is it okay to have multiple interests, to pursue one thing, get bored and then move onto something else?
- When are we finished with a topic? When people move quickly between interests do they lack perseverance and commitment?
- Should we encourage kids to focus on only one interest? Is this best for a future career? Or is okay to have multiple interests?
- Is my family full of multipotentialites?
- Are people who move continuously from one interest to another frustrating?
- How does the way I'm wired affect my online life?
This is my last podcast for the year. I'm off to explore new thoughts and ideas. Thank you for supporting my podcast during 2016. I hope you'll listen again when I return after Christmas!
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. Join me in The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group,
and my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
You can find my new videos on my Youtube channel, Sue Elvis.
My new children's novel, 'The Angels of Gum Tree Road', is now on Amazon, Kindle, and Lulu.
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
This week, I share a story about the extraordinary ordinary things of life.
I talk about:
- How we should live in the present moment
- And not spoil it by worrying about possible future suffering
- How each ordinary moment is made extraordinary by the power of love
- How our unschooling lives are far from ordinary
I also share some big blog news.
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. Join me in The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group,
and my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
You can find my new videos on my Youtube channel, Sue Elvis.
My new children's novel, 'The Angels of Gum Tree Road', is now on Amazon, Kindle, and Lulu.
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
This week, I talk about:
- How we can look at both school and unschooling with romantic eyes
- Moving to a yurt or a farm or travelling around Australia in a campervan
- Our experience on a 100-acre fish farm
- What our kids need if they are to be world changers
- The latest blog and Elvis news
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Join me in The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group,
and my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
You can find my new videos on my Youtube channel, Sue Elvis.
My new children's novel, 'The Angels of Gum Tree Road', is now on Amazon, Kindle, and Lulu.
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
I'm trying something new this week: a shorter single topic episode.
In ep 83, I talk about:
- My ideas for future podcast episodes
- How to strew paintings
- How paintings can lead to all kinds of great conversations
- Ferrets and how ours came to a crunchy end!
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Join me in The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group,
and my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
You can find my new videos on my Youtube channel, Sue Elvis.
My new children's novel, 'The Angels of Gum Tree Road', is now on Amazon, Kindle, and Lulu.
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
This week, I discuss the following questions:
- How can we become best friends with our spouses?
- Can we be friends with our children?
- Or can we be a parent or a friend but not both?
- What should we do if our kids get into trouble?
- What if we put effort into our relationships and we don't get the response we're hoping for?
- Is unschooling just as much about a parent as it is about a child?
I also talk more about being daring and adventurous parents.
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Join me in The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group,
and my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
You can find my new videos on my Youtube channel, Sue Elvis.
My new children's novel, The Angels of Gum Tree Road, is now on Amazon, Kindle, and Lulu.
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
This week, I talk about:
- strengthening bonds between spouses
- finding a balance between family life and work
- how a parent's fears can hold back a child
- how we need to be adventurous and daring parents
- being silly as a family
- some of the stories in my children's novel, 'The Angels of Gum Tree Road'
- guest posting. Would you like to write an article for my blog?
- essay writing. Do our kids need to practise essay writing just in case they want to go to university?
- my new videos on my Youtube channel
- and lots of other things!
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Join me in The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group,
and my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
You can find my new videos on my Youtube channel, Sue Elvis.
My new children's novel, The Angels of Gum Tree Road, is now on Kindle and Lulu. Soon it will be available on Amazon too.
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
This week, I discuss these questions:
- Is radical unschooling about allowing kids to do whatever they like?
- But if we stand back and give our kids that kind of freedom, will life become chaotic and unproductive?
- Could radical unschooling require an active rather than a passive response from parents?
- And how did our family become radical unschoolers?
I also share some family news, some local history, and a few resources.
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Join me in The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group,
and my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
My new children's novel, The Angels of Gum Tree Road, is now on Kindle.
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please share the link so we can spread the word about unschooling!
This week, amongst other things, I discuss the following questions:
- Does working together strengthen family bonds? What about doing hard things together?
- Is it okay to support our young adult children as they pursue their dreams?
- How can we turn real life into homeschool records notes?
- Do we sometimes overlook opportunities for making notes? And do we miss opportunities for strewing?
I had some technical problems with this episode. I apologise for the poor audio quality. Hopefully, I will sort everything out before I record the next episode!
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group
My Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page
Imogen Elvis' Youtube Channel
Imogen Elvis' Facebook Page
The Angels of Gum Tree Road
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening!
This week, I answer the following questions:
- Where have I been for the past few weeks? What have I been doing? Where am I going?
- Am I making a difference? Are you? Should we encourage our kids to go out there and make a difference?
- Will kids learn something if they have a need?
- What new Evernote feature am I excited about?
And lots more!
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group
My Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page
Imogen Elvis' Youtube Channel
Imogen Elvis' Facebook Page
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening!
This week, I'm talking about my podcasts, blog, and videos. What are listeners/readers/viewers looking for? Is what I'm producing helpful?
In an attempt to answer these questions, I ponder my ten most popular blog posts ever. Are the unschooling ideas and principles, contained within them, what people want to know about?
My top ten list includes posts about:
- chores
- getting kids to do 'school' work
- parenting mistakes
- 'proper' unschooling
- unschool record keeping
- resources and strewing
- unschooling misconceptions
I'm wondering: What about you? Do these topics interest you? Or do you listen to my podcast for a different reason? Perhaps you're not searching for information. Could it be you're just looking for friendship with a like-minded family?
I hope you'll listen to this week's episode and then stop by (if you have time) with some feedback.
I'm taking a short break while my husband is home on holiday. I'll be back in a couple of weeks with another episode!
In the meantime, you can find me on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest. You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, please do. I'd love you to join us!
Thank you for listening. If you enjoy my podcast, perhaps you can share the link to help spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I talk about our unschooling days: * Is there such a thing as a typical unschooling day? * Do our days change over time? * Is it time to share a new typical day?
Along the way, I chat about things related to our days:
- How can we share our beliefs (Catholic or otherwise) with our kids?
- Do I force my kids to say family prayers and go to church?
- Does the Church force me to attend Mass?
- Do my girls exercise because I make them?
- Do I ever follow my girls' good example?
- Can we strew verbally?
- Do sibling relationships change over time?
- Does position in the family affect relationships?
You can find me on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest. You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, please do. I'd love you to join us!
Thank you for listening! If you enjoy my podcast, perhaps you can share the link to help spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Today, my 21-year-old daughter Imogen joins me to talk about siblings, writing, and music.
- Is it possible for siblings to teach siblings?
- What special challenges are involved?
- What benefits are there to siblings sharing their talents?
- Can siblings work together on a single project? Is it possible to make everyone feel part of the team?
- Imogen talks about the piano and singing lessons she gives to her younger sisters.
- We chat about her last music video which features her three younger sisters who all sang as well as helped make the video.
- We talk about writing and the upcoming Camp NaNowriMo event. Is it too late to join in? Do you need a novel plan before signing up?
- Imogen tells us about the Writing Circle Meetings she, Sophie and Gemma-Rose have each week.
- And how she'd like to turn these meetings into a formal online course to help and inspire other young writers.
You can find me on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest. You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, please do. I'd love to have you on my team! You can find Imogen on Youtube and Facebook, and on her blog Gossiping with Dragons.
Thank you for listening! If you enjoy my podcast, perhaps you can share the link to help spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I discuss the following questions:
- Should we condemn people, including children, who are having a bad day? Or can we help them?
- Do adults need to play?
- What about teenagers?
- What happens if we don't play?
- Is it okay for kids to spend all day playing?
- Do kids need time to play without a parent's involvement?
- What are the benefits of play?
- What are the best toys?
- Should we let kids play games that involve risk?
- Are our kids in danger of losing their childhoods?
- Why am I very glad I let my kids play?
- Should parents be daring and adventurous?
- How can we increase our enjoyment when playing with our kids?
I also talk about Facebook.
You can find me on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest. You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, please do. I'd love to have you on my team!
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, my 21-year-old daughter, Imogen, joins me. We explore a lot of questions including:
- Do children's talents need the right environment in order to be discovered?
- How can parents create that environment?
- How can we support a child's talents?
- Should we be worried if a teenager doesn't know what she wants to do as a future career?
- Do we put too many pressures on teenagers?
- How can we help children who seem to have no interests?
- What if children don't want to do anything but watch TV?
- What if they don't want to do anything but play?
- Is play valuable? How has it helped Imogen as a musician and writer?
- Do parents feel pressured to offer their kids impressive learning experiences? Do they feel pressured to show others that their kids are doing impressive things? Are we all too competitive?
- How did we cope with multi-aged kids, including babies and toddlers, while homeschooling?
You can find me on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest. You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, please do. I'd love to have you on my team! You can find Imogen on Youtube and Facebook.
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week,
I talk about:
- ageing, appearance and associated insecurities
- video making
- Livestreaming
- resources which might spark off some new learning experiences if life is a bit quiet
I also ponder a few unschooling questions such as:
- Are some kids so resourceful they have no need of basic skills?
You can find me on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest. You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, please do. I'd love to have you on my team!
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week:
- I talk about tired days: do we plough on when we are overtired, trying to do all we normally do? Should we slow down? Ask for help? How do our tired days affect our children? And how does our attitude affect how we feel about being tired?
- I ponder the many different definitions of the word 'unschooling' and 'radical unschooling'. Are any of them an adequate description of unschooling? What ingredient do I feel is essential for unschooling? Does it need to be included in any definition, especially when we're talking about radical unschooling?
- I share some thoughts about chores
- I revisit podcast 70, clarifying a point my daughter Sophie and I talked about last week. Is it ever okay to talk about our concerns about our children? What conditions do we feel are necessary if we do this?
- I share my latest projects: my newsletter and my first it's-not-a-periscope. What is an it's-not-a-periscope? I explain in this podcast or you could hop over to my Youtube channel to find out!
- Lastly, I talk about the positive aspects of being tired. Yes, there are some!
Thank you for listening!
You can find me on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest. You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, please do. I'd love to have you on my team!
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, my 15-year-old daughter, Sophie, joins me to talk about unconditional love, respect, and trust.
These are some of the questions we explored during our conversation:
- Should every parent respect and love their children unconditionally?
- Do all children feel loved unconditionally? If not, why not?
- How does Sophie know I love her?
- Do all parents talk to their children with respect? If not, what does Sophie think they're doing wrong?
- Why do parents criticise their children and what does criticism do to them? Does it result in a child trying harder?
- How can a parent encourage a child to overcome her faults?
- Is it really necessary to change our children? Do all children have to be the same?
- What do misbehaving children need?
- Do we gossip about our children?
- Is writing down our thoughts and feelings valuable?
- What is trust? How can trust grow between parent and child?
- Do we judge people on their appearance? Including children?
- Am I a perfect mother? Have I got everything worked out? Or is it okay if I make mistakes?
We hope you'll be patient: Sophie is suffering from allergies and this is affecting her ability to speak clearly. Speaking with a stuffy nose was very annoying for her. Sophie did her best and I'm grateful for her effort.
You can find me on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, please do. I'd love to have you on my team!
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I talk about:
- ideas
- passions
- Gemma-Rose's latest passion for writing
- how passions lead to ideas
- how an idea may lead to an income
- how we decide if an idea is worth pursuing
- unschoolers and entrepreneurship
- what kind of jobs my kids would like to have
- my son Callum's recent visit home
- parenting adult children
- Australian history resources
- my new unschooling blog
- my newsletter
You can find me on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, please do. I'd love to have you on my team! If you feel my podcast is helpful, please consider sharing my link and writing an iTunes review. Let's spread the word about unschooling! And please feel welcome to comment, or you can email me if you'd like to chat or just say hello.
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I'm sharing some stories about the love we have for our children. Even though that love brings us great joy, it can sometimes make our hearts ache. Or the joy of parenting can become buried under a heap of tiredness. I hope you enjoy these love and a mother's heart stories:
- Because I Am a Mother
- How to Have Demanding Children Who Rule the House
- A Mother's Hug
- Sons, Scrapes and Love
- Breeding Like Mice
You can find me on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, please do. I'd love to have you on my team! You can find the details in the sidebar of my blog. If you feel my podcast is helpful, please consider sharing my link and writing an iTunes review. Let's spread the word about unschooling! And please feel welcome to comment or you can email me if you'd like to chat or just say hello.
Next week my podcasts will be back to normal. Enjoy your week!
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This is a special holiday episode. (My husband Andy is home for a couple of weeks because it's the school holidays.)
This week, I tell a few family stories. * Locked Out, Locked In and Lies * Andy Elvis Presley * There's a Dead Body Near Our Running Track * A Doctor's Waiting Room Education
You can find links to the original stories in the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. While you're on my blog, why not sign up for my new newsletter? I'd love to have you on my team! If you enjoy stories, how about taking a look at my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek? It's available on Amazon. I hope you'll consider writing a review of my podcast and share my link. Let's spread the word about unschooling! Thank you to my kind listeners who have already done this. I appreciate it very much!
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I discuss the following questions:
- Are we reluctant to try new things because we fear we might fail?
- Why do we fear failure when we know we learn from our mistakes?
- How can we encourage our kids to give new things a go?
- How do we react when they do make mistakes?
- And are some people afraid to try unschooling?
I also share some stories and a few resources.
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. If you have time, please consider writing an iTunes review of my podcast. I'd appreciate it very much! And if you share my link, we can spread the word about unschooling!
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I ask:
- How do we respond to the critical comments of other people?
- Do our fears about unschooling increase when we are faced with negative opinions? How do we deal with that?
- Are communication skills important? How can we pass on good skills to our kids?
- Is it really possible for an unschooled child to direct her own learning?
- Do a parent's words and fears affect a child?
- How can we encourage a child to write? Would free-writing help a reluctant writer?
- Can a visit to the doctor be recorded as real life maths?
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. Please feel welcome to comment on this episode. I hope you'll share the podcast link. And if you have time, I'd be grateful for an iTunes review. Thank you for listening!
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I answer these questions:
- What was it like recording Imogen's latest music video with an unexpected audience?
- If we are experiencing dark and difficult times, is there hope? Will joy return to our days?
- Isn't it wonderful watching kids working with confidence and skill?
- Why would an unschooling teenager choose to go to school? (We ponder, but maybe we don't have all the answers because we're not unschooling teenagers who want to go to school!)
I also talk about
- the joy of living an unschooling way of life
- our recent videos
- zombies and running
- a few resources
- the joy of living in the moment
- how I'm going to cope when time moves on and I'm no longer living life as it is today
- how we all need a feeling of belonging
You can find the show notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family
Please take a look at Imogen's latest music video, Hallelujah- Leonard Cohen
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening, and Happy Easter!
This week:
I talk about movies:
- Are movies educational?
- If a child watches lots of movies, won't she be missing out on other things?
- Can we tempt our kids away from the screen?
- And how can we turn movies into notes for our homeschool records book?
Also:
- Can we use websites designed for traditional homeschooling/schooling in an unschooly way?
- Is there such a thing as too many resources?
- I share a story about kids and joy.
- Should I be embarrassed by my early podcasts which are far from perfect?
- Should I get upset when I think about my mothering mistakes?
I also share lots of resources.
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family
Podcast Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
My young adult daughter Imogen joins me for this episode.
We talk about:
- Do parents need to continue trusting their young adult children while they are pursuing their dreams?
- Imogen tells us about her dream of becoming a successful online musician.
- She shares her thoughts on a classical musical education. Is she glad she worked her way through the exam system?
- Imogen describes how she and her sisters record the music, and then film and put together their music videos.
- What is the best way to learn? Do we need to ignore the possibility of criticism and get out there and learn on the go?
- Imogen shares her thoughts on marriage, love, and children, and how these relate to her own career dreams.
- Is it important for children to see mothers using their talents?
- Was Jane Austen a modern woman ahead of her time?
- We talk about Imogen's latest music video, a frightening moment with a huge kangaroo, and how a team of kids can do fantastic things.
You can find the show notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family. You can find my children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon.
This week, I discuss the following questions:
- Why do little kids love doing chores but older ones don't?
- Should we thank our kids more often?
- Should we avoid talking to people about their grief? Perhaps it's better not to upset them?
- What's wrong with a lot of real life maths resources (in my opinion!)?
I also share some maths and geography resources including games, videos, podcasts and websites.
You can find the show notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family. You can find my children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon.
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's episode, I talk about:
- Celebrations and joy: Why should we celebrate the small everyday things in life?
- Cake: Did I make my kids adopt a sugar-free diet? Do we no longer eat cake?
- Perfection: Are we a perfect family? Do we need to be perfect if I'm sharing my family's experiences on the Internet?
- Mistakes: If I do make mistakes, am I going to lead you astray? What if I tell you something that's wrong?
- Christian unschooling: Are we an obnoxious religious family? Is unschooling not a very Christian thing to do?
- Listening: How do we encourage kids to talk to us? How can we improve our listening skills?
- Popularity: Do I want to be popular?
I also tell my mean kids story, the one I forgot to talk about last week!
You can find the show notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You can find my children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon.
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's episode, I talk about our busy week and the need for occasional catch-up days .
I also tell a few stories about:
- my girls' recent music video shoot
- how I made a few Youtube interview videos
- what we did with our inside cats while our house was being fumigated to get rid of fleas
- recording and editing audio for a local radio show
- my unique way of finding Valentine's Day gifts for my husband
I also ponder the questions:
- How do we prevent sibling rivalry?
- If we seem to have all the answers, is that discouraging to others? Are seemingly 'perfect' families off-putting?
In my introduction, I did say I was going to speak about 'mean kids', but I forgot. Maybe I'll tell you that story next week!
I hope you enjoy my podcasts. If you do, perhaps you can spread the word about unschooling by sharing my link!
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family where you'll find the show notes.
You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's podcast, I discuss the following questions:
- Do I have all the unschooling answers?
- How do we respond to unschooling critics?
- Are labels important?
- Can you call yourself an unschooler if you require maths but let the child choose the method?
- When should we start strewing resources before our children? Should we wait until they develop a particular interest?
- How do we translate natural learning experiences into the right educational language?
- Do we need to be curious people?
- How can we find lots of everyday learning to add to our records books?
- When we've read all the Jane Austen novels, what can we read next?
I hope you'll listen to this week's episode!
You could visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family. And maybe you'd like to take a look at my children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I have lots to share. I seem to have regained my enthusiasm. (Thank you for last week's kind and encouraging comments!)
In this episode:
- I share some of our unschooling story. Why did we start as unschoolers but then go in a different direction? How did we make our way back to unschooling?
- I talk about obstacles that might be stopping people from unschooling
- I discuss the question: Who can we trust when we're looking for unschooling info online?
- I tell a few family stories while pondering joy.
- And I share lots of resources
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family where you'll find the show notes.
You can find my children's novel The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon. (The Kindle version will be free from Fri 5th - Sun 7th February.)
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's episode, I went from thought to thought, covering lots of ground in a short time. I spoke off the top of my head. (Perhaps I should have made some notes!) Anyway, I hope you'll listen to ep 56. These are a few of the things I talked about:
- my fan mail
- tiredness
- discouragement and encouragement
- talking to kids
- trusting and respecting kids
- chores
- how we need to have patience when trying new things
- why you should try unschooling
- how we all have something valuable to offer
- plus other rambling thoughts
You can find the podcast notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. You can find my children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon (and other places.)
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's episode, I talk about how all our kids are amazing.
I also discuss the following questions:
- Should we praise our children?
- Should we share their achievements with others?
- Do the words 'planning' and 'organisation' have a place in unschooling? (I'm not talking about record keeping!)
I also tell a few stories.
- There's the one about a very excited dog and a kangaroo.
- I have another about a weird woman who talks to herself.
- And I tell you how we're going to be spending Christmas here in Australia.
I hope you will listen to my last podcast for this year!
You can find the podcast notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
My children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek, is on Amazon.
The podcast music is 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Thank you for listening to my podcasts this year. Happy Christmas!
This week,
- I talk about our past week. Are we 'finishing up' as Christmas approaches?
- I tell you about my older at-home daughters and their university experiences,as well as their plans for the Christmas break.
I also discuss the following questions:
- Why do attachment parenting and unschooling sometimes suffer from a negative image?
- Will attachment parenting result in demanding children who rule the house?
- What is the connection between attachment parenting and unschooling?
- Is unkindness ever justified?
- And what is the main message I'd like to share via my blog and podcast?
You'll find the podcast notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family. My children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek is on Amazon.
The music in this podcast is 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week I talk about:
- Preparing our house for the bushfire season
- Why it's good to ask for forgiveness even if you're not sure it's all your fault
- How to strew suggestions and what to do when they are rejected
- How to use Evernote to share the responsibility of record keeping with children who are working on their own
- How we can thank and encourage people who help us
And, of course, I tell you about the awesome teacher!
I also share:
- A blog and podcast that might help you improve your blogs
- A book, some videos and an updated Pinterest board!
You can find the notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family My Unschool Maths board is on Pinterest
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's episode, I talk about:
- Why I'm not strewing at the moment
- Real life Christmas maths
- Encouraging children's ideas even when they don't seem practical
- Whether it's a parent's duty to make sure her child learns what she thinks is essential for future success
- What unschooling has done for me
- How my own learning has had an impact on my children
- Why my blog has a limited life
- Getting older and
- How I will cope when I have to move on from sharing unschooling with my children to a new stage in my life
I also ask the question: What is your 'thing'? It'll be something that's very important to you, something you're passionate about. If you'd like to share your 'thing', please stop by my blog and leave a comment!
My blog is Stories of an Unschooling Family
My children's novel is The Angels of Abbey Creek
And the music in my podcast is 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I talk about a fabulous topic: Christmas...
- I share ideas for gifts, home-made and to buy, that are inexpensive and don't add to the pile of 'stuff' we all have
- I talk about some of our Advent traditions which bind our family together
- I also tell you a little bit about my son Thomas' birthday and a grief idea I am excited about
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family for more details of the things I talk about in this episode. I'll post some photos!
You can find my children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon.
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I couldn't think of anything to talk about. I felt uninspired. My Facebook friends came to my aid and suggested I talk about uninspiring times.
- What do we do when we feel flat?
- Do our children sometimes feel this way?
- Are quiet times normal and should we trust our kids will soon be back on track, excited by learning once more?
- And what about those times when the world appears black and not just grey?
I'm not sure I interpreted my friends excellent ideas correctly. Maybe this podcast will still sound uninspired. If it does, I hope you understand. Podcasting might be cyclic. Inspiration can suddenly disappear and then reappear when we least expect it. I could return next week with a very exciting edition. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
You can find the podcast notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
My children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek is on Amazon.
And my Pinterest boards are on Pinterest, of course!
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week,
- I talk about the value of documentaries and lifestyle TV programs
- and share some of the ones we found on Youtube
- I describe how I translate these videos into notes for our homeschool records book
- After I realised I had no maths notes, I hunted for some real life maths experiences to record. What did I find?
- While I'm chatting, I share lots of resources!
You can find the podcast notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family
You can find my children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon (and other places) And you can find lots of resources on my Pinterest boards!
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, my 14-year-old daughter Sophie joins me to talk about being different. She answers the following questions in her usual lively way:
- In what ways are you different?
- Do you like being different?
- Is there an advantage to being different?
- Even though you don't fit in with the crowd, do you still have a need to belong?
I also talk about how tricky it can be recommending resources.
- What if someone thinks one of my resources is totally unsuitable for children?
- Are we affected by adult peer pressure when deciding whether something is child suitable or not?
- Do parents have a need to feel accepted and approved of?
Even though there is always the possibility I might be criticised for my choices, I did share some resources!
You can find me and the podcast notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. You can find my children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon (and other places).
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week I answer the following questions:
- What mistake have I been making when strewing for my youngest daughter Gemma-Rose?
- What do we do when a child seems not to want our help?
- What criteria do we use when deciding if unschooling is successful?
- When did I go splat and embarrass myself?
- What does 'cowboy up' mean?
- What Pinterest board did someone pin my blog post 'Bite-Sized Pieces of Unschool Maths'? to
I told a lot of stories in this episode, but I did manage to squeeze in a resource segment too!
The podcast notes are on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family
My children's novel is called The Angels of Abbey Creek
And the podcast music is 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)!
Thanks for listening!
In this week's episode, I...
- explain why my legs are aching. (I'm sharing my daughter Sophie's latest passion!)
- ask a question about exercise which I hope you'll answer
- chat about social media
- share a few resources and tell you where you can find lots more
You can find the notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
My book: The Angels of Abbey Creek
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's episode,
- I talk about how we unschool even though our children are legally required to follow the school syllabus.
- I describe a method for recording unschooling in an impressive way
- I share how I translate natural learning into the necessary educational language for registration purposes
- and how I work out what the official documents such as the school syllabus actually mean
- I discuss what we can do if a child refuses to learn something that's required by the educational authorities
- I offer a few positives (!) of homeschool registration
- and also some examples of how I record unschool learning experiences
I use the words 'syllabus' and 'curriculum' interchangeably and wrongly, I'm sure! (I think you'll still get the idea.) I also made a mistake about the required hours of schooling. My number was too low. I can't go back and fix up my mistakes: I had to work quickly on a borrowed computer and unfortunately I've run out of time. Sorry!
If you are interested in homeschool registration resources, you'll find lots of relevant posts, videos and other podcasts on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family. Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's episode,
- I share some ideas for strengthening family bonds
- I tell a few stories about our recent holiday to the Blue Mountains
- I describe some of the interesting places we visited
- and share a little bit of (hopefully accurate!) Australian history
- I reveal how silly the Elvises are
- and talk about why silly is good
The audio quality is a bit poor in places due to computer problems. I'm sorry about that. I hope you'll listen anyway!
I plan to share a few resources associated with this podcast on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family. If you're interested, please watch out for the post!
60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's podcast, I talk about:
- how we can be tourists in our own town
- how we can make the most of our away-from-home holidays
- how we can visit the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
- how we can travel the world without leaving home
- how I record all our rich holiday experiences in my homeschool records book
- how I found lots of interesting history, geography and science resources
My daughter Sophie also joins me to chat about The Wedding! We tell the story of Elsa the Bride!
I hope you'll join me for this week's episode. You will find the notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
By the time you listen to this podcast, my son Callum will be married and I'll have a new daughter-in-law. In this week’s episode, I talk about mothers and daughters-in-law and love.
I answer the following questions:
- Why is it so important we tell people in words we love and accept them?
- What have I learned from being a daughter-in-law?
- How am I going to be a good mother-in-law?
- What is real love?
I also share some resources appropriate to the theme of love!
You can find the podcast notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. Please visit!
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's podcast, I talk again about typical unschooling days.
I answer the following questions:
- Are our unschooling days really as ordinary as I made them sound in last week's episode?
- Do all unschoolers have similar typical days?
- How can we get kids to help with the chores?
- Can we encourage kids to do more than their fair share? Can they become generous without counting the cost?
- Do I sometimes get fed up of being a good example? Do I sometimes fail?
- And what resources do I share this week?
You can find the podcast notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. Please visit!
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week I talk about:
- My first year as a podcaster: Why did I nearly delete my very first episode? And why is it important I don't worry about the opinions of others?
- A typical unschooling day: Do our days have rhythm? Or are they wildly unpredictable?
- Two tips for joyful unschooling: (I offer them, but you are free to reject them!)
- What we should do if our children reject our strewing
- Some science and maths resources I discovered
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family where I'll post some program notes. Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's episode:
- I tell you about a 'huge' mistake I made
- And how that mistake turned into a story about forgiveness, love and joyful unschooling
- I also share some updates for some earlier stories
- And lots of interesting resources!
I made a couple of small mistakes while making this episode: (I've made a lot of mistakes recently!)
- I turned Mary Anne Cotton into Anne Cotton.
- And something went wrong with a tiny section of the audio. Please keep listening. It only lasts for a few seconds!
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
The podcast notes can be found on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
In this week's episode, I discuss the following questions: * Is unschooling just living life? * Or is there more to unschooling than that? * What if life is too quiet or too busy or there's a crisis? * Has unschooling changed as my children have grown older? * Did Charlotte (17) give herself a good education? * Was she prepared for tertiary learning? * Or should I have supervised the last year or so of her high school years? * Am I a proud mother? * Is it possible for siblings to successfully teach siblings? * And should we push children to develop and use their talents if they are not motivated to do this themselves?
I also share my latest resource discoveries!. You'll find the program notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. I hope you'll listen to this week's episode!
This week I talk about:
- our preparations for my son Callum’s wedding
- my new favourite website that I will still love when I’m a yummy granny!
- the perfect wedding present I’ve chosen
- how my family helped me produce a new edition of my children’s novel
- how unschooling children love to share ideas, talents and their help
- the new blog page I’ve created for unschooling author Suzie Andres
- some great free resources that can be found online
- how wonderful it is watching children involved with their passions
- my daughter Charlotte’s university experience: how did she get on writing her very first essay?
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the podcast notes, and to see Suzie Andres' new page! You can also find me on my Facebook Page.
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Some of the things I talk about this week include:
- Do youngest children have a privileged position in the family?
- Or do they have things harder than people might imagine?
- Did my eldest child suffer because she had an inexperienced mother?
- Can youngest children have an advantage when it comes to learning?
- How can we encourage children to write?
- What about spelling?
- And handwriting?
- And what if a child, despite our efforts, just doesn't want to write?
You'll find relevant blog posts and other program notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. And you'll also find me on my Facebook page of the same name!
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
I haven't been checking the stats for this podcast so I don't know if anyone is still listening. Does it matter if I'm talking to myself? In this week's podcast, I talk about blogging, podcasting and popularity.
I also talk about the following:
- is there such a thing as a typical unschooling day?
- how about a typical unschooling week?
- the uneven nature of learning and how this affects homeschool record keeping
- our passion for Shakespeare
- learning to read:
- how I thought I was a wonderful teacher
- how I discovered I wasn't
- the mistakes I made with my children
- what I finally learned about learning to read
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family and my Facebook page, and also Sophie's blog The Techno Maid.
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week's episode is a bits and pieces podcast. I tell some stories about what's been happening in our family, ponder some thoughts and share a few resources. More specifically, I discuss:
- something exciting that happened last Friday
- whether or not we can prepare our children for an unknown future
- why we are glad we have an active dog
- how writing about Jane Fonda led to a new passion for Sophie.
- the importance of encouragement and sharing children’s passions
- how I discovered some muscles I haven’t used in a long time
- how unschooling children persevere even when no one is pushing them
- novel writing
- how children’s knowledge can soon exceed a parent’s and how they can end up teaching us
- how younger children can learn from older siblings
- some of the DVDs and videos we’ve been watching
- and some of the things I’ve been working on
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family for the program notes!
60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week’s podcast, I discuss the topic of starting unschooling.
- Is moving to unschooling a big step for children?
- How can we encourage children to get excited about their own learning?
- What if a child just wants to sit in front of the television or computer?
- Do adults and children have different ideas about what kind of learning is valuable?
- And what about trust?
I also ponder the future of this podcast. Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family for this episode's notes. Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week my daughter Imogen joins me to talk about computers. Some of the questions we discuss include:
- Should children be allowed to use the computer?
- What kind of opportunities for learning do computers offer?
- Can Facebook be valuable?
- Should children’s time on the computer be restricted?
- How do we encourage a child to balance her computer time with other activities?
- Should we respect a child’s creative space?
- Can playing computer games be a worthwhile thing to do?
- Can people make a living out of playing computer games?
- And is there a way to guide our children other than applying rules and regulations?
This podcast contains our thoughts on children and computers, but we respect other people's opinions which might differ from ours. It's okay to disagree. Friendly debate is always good!
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family for the program notes including links to related posts.
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
My 17-year-old daughter, Charlotte has just started her first Open University unit. In this week's episode, I talk about her transition from unschooling to university. In particular, I discuss the following questions:
- Can homeschooling children earn a 'score' or qualification, equivalent to the HSC, the school leavers' certificate?
- How can unschooling children get into university?
- Are unschoolers at a disadvantage when they attend on-campus universities?
- Are unschoolers prepared for university learning?
- What about essay writing skills?
- What are the advantages of studying for a degree online?
I also talk about some other things I've been doing recently:
- Making unschooling videos
- Creating a new blog
- Facebook pages
- And Imogen's and my podcast plans
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for more unschooling to university stories, and other podcast notes
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
So what's Wild Inside? It's an off-shoot of my Stories of an Unschooling Family podcast. I'm recording it with Imogen, my adult unschooler, and we're going to be discussing all our wild thoughts. We hope you'll listen!
This week we explore creativity:
- Why are some people more creative than others?
- Can you be an artist and not be creative?
- Can everything be approached creatively? What about maths?
- Will there ever be another Mozart?
- Why is a diet of classical music not enough?
- Are all classic novels good?
- How can we encourage our children to be creative?
Please feel welcome to visit our blogs: Stories of an Unschooling Family and Gossiping with Dragons.
Music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I tried something new because I've been having trouble turning the ideas in my head into the right spoken or written words. In this podcast, I use some old words.
I tell a story (from my blog) in which ...
- I talk about the label 'unschoolers'
- I ask the question: are labels useful?
- I describe what I used to think the word 'unschooling' meant
- And I share what I now think unschooling is all about
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to read the original post or any of my other unschooling stories!
In this episode, my 20-year-old daughter, Imogen, and I talk about what she wants to do when she finishes her university degree in a few months' time.
- What are Imogen's dreams for the future, and is it possible for her to follow them?
- Should I encourage her in these dreams?
- Or should I point her in the direction of safe and secure employment?
- We all have talents. Are we obliged to use them?
- What might the word 'unworking' mean?
- Using our own definition of the word, should unschooling lead to unworking?
- Unschoolers are different. Can this be frustrating?
- And what new adventure might Imogen and I be setting out on?
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family to read the program notes. Music: Frammenti, by Andrea Carri, (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
This week I report back on our recent homeschool registration visit.
- Is it possible for unschoolers to register as homeschoolers and not compromise their way of life? e.g. How can we fulfill strict requirements such as the need to follow the school syllabus?
- Is there a gentle way of changing people's misinformed opinions about unschooling?
- Is it necessary to find a way of showcasing our children's learning when we are dealing with such people as the educational department?
- How did our registration visit go? Did our Authorised Person like my Evernote records?
- And do I sound like an Evernote salesperson? (I suppose I did get a bit carried away!!!)
You can find the show notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You can find my children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon.
Music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week I discuss the following questions:
- What kind of records will I be presenting for next week's homeschool registration visit?
- I have to make a plan for the next period of registration. How can I do that when we are unschoolers who don't work to a plan?
- What do I think is wrong with testing?
- Is it possible to make kids learn what they don't want to know?
- What if kids refuse to learn what they 'have' to learn?
- Can we force children to eat?
- Is it our duty to train kids to eat whatever food is given to them?
- Do I have any fussy eaters?
- And who does the cooking in our family?
As usual the program notes, including links to related posts, can be found on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Music: By Grace by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week I try out my new home studio audio equipment, while...
- I share a few thoughts on blogging and what the future holds for my Stories of an Unschooling Family blog
- I ponder trust: Do people in general have a problem trusting? Do we like to be in control? Can we control all aspects of our lives? Is it wrong to trust too much?
- I speak a little about homeschool registration: It's time to re-register my girls as homeschoolers. Am I feeling confident about my Evernote records? Will I need to do any preparation before our Authorised Person, from the education department, comes out to visit us?
My voice is croaky and my thoughts may be muddled, but I think the sound quality of my podcast is much improved! Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the program notes.
Music: Frammenti, by Andrea Carri, (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
Usually I speak and write about my four youngest daughters. But not this week. In this episode, I share some boy stories. I have two adult sons who have provided me with lots of interesting moments over the years!
These are a few of the questions I explore...
- What if a son is 'different'? Should we make our children conform and be like everyone else?
- Is it normal for boys to be energy packed and should all mothers know how to deal with injuries?
- Is it miraculous my son Callum made it to adulthood?
- What interests can we share with boys?
- What if brothers can't get on with each other?
- What is it like to be a boy mum? How is it different to being a girl mum?
- Do boys like hugs?
- And what's it like to look up at a son instead of down at him?
If you'd like to leave some feedback about my podcasts, please do. It would be very helpful!
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family where I'll post some program notes with links to related posts!
Music: Growly Snake Beat by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
In this week's podcast, I tell you the story of why and how we moved from traditionally taught maths to unschool maths. I share some of my own thoughts on unschool maths, before interviewing my daughter Sophie (13).
Sophie used to hate maths. She told me she wasn't any good at it. Now she absolutely loves it. I challenge anyone to listen to her speaking and not catch her enthusiasm for maths!
Program notes, including links to lots of unschool maths posts, can be found on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Featured music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Sometimes events in our lives make us stop and reassess what we're doing. Something happened this week which caused me to do a bit of unschooling reassessment. I've been thinking...
- Is there a better way of bringing up children?
- Can we trust too much?
- Is there such a thing as loving too much?
- Am I ready to jump off the unschooling ship?
I share my thoughts in this week's podcast.
Please feel welcome to visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family
Featured music: Autumn Leaves by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Am I a perfect mother and unschooler? This week I discuss this question, and also: * If it is necessary for us to be good examples for our unschooling children, must we be perfect? * Or is there something far more important than perfection? * Why is unconditional love so powerful? * Do some bloggers appear to be perfect? * Are there times when we should be open and honest, even if it means revealing our mistakes? * Do I ever have bad days? * Why did I used to be called 'The Dragon Mother'? * Does homeschooling have to be difficult or is there another way? * Am I a ‘real’ podcaster? * Should I be podcasting when I make so many mistakes? * And will my podcasts improve? Will they ever be perfect?
If you'd like to hear my daughter Sophie's (13) thoughts on mistakes, love and forgiveness, please listen to the end. You'll find an extra recording segment just before my final signing off.
You can find the program notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Music: Frammenti, by Andrea Carri, (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) I faded in and faded out a few bars of this music to use between podcast segments.
This week I talk about apologies, and the importance of good titles. I also answer these questions...
- Have I written any blog posts which have misled readers?
- Have any readers found themselves reading my rather radical ideas by mistake?
- Why is my family glad we run up and down hills regularly?
- Why are the Jenolan Caves so spectacular?
- How many times can I say the word 'spectacular' in one podcast?
- Why did the bride cut two holes into a shower curtain and then step into them?
- Why might I have to go abseiling?
- Why are stories better than text books?
- What is one way of igniting a new passion?
- What is our latest family passion?
- Am I any good at taking photos underground?
- What is my latest video about?
- Did I win my recent copyright disputes with Youtube?
- What treasure am I hoping listeners will discover if they listen to my podcast?
- And finally... What am I apologising for?
You can find the program notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Featured music (which has been modified by fading in and fading out): By Grace by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I interview my daughters Imogen (20) and Charlotte (17), and ask them for their opinions on keeping children safe from the dangers of the world. We talk about inappropriate books, computer usage, movies, emails etc. while discussing the following points:
- Is the world a dangerous place for young people?
- Is spying on a child justified?
- Does policing children's activities really keep them safe?
- Could it damage child/parent relationships?
- Is there another way of keeping children safe?
- Can children be trusted to make the right decisions?
- How do they know what is appropriate and inappropriate?
- Am I irresponsible? Do I just let my kids do whatever they want? Or is there more to it than that?
The program notes, including links to a few blog posts I've written on this subject, can be found on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. I hope you'll visit!
Featured music: By Grace by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
This week, I ponder these questions...
- What happens when we remain open to new experiences?
- Do I have any good tips for anyone who has resolved to get fit?
- What has running got to do with encouraging children to write?
- Are there advantages to reading many books, on the same subject, by different authors?
- Can I recommend some interesting novels to read?
- What do I mean by the words 'multi-directional learning'?
- Why am I feeling very excited about writing?
- Can I pronounce the word, 'tomatometer' or does my tongue get all twisted up?
- What do I always do after reading a good book?
- Should we steer our children only towards books that portray the good?
- Should parents preview every book a child wants to read?
- Is there a danger with banning books?
- Can some ‘wrong’ books actually be right?
- Can punctuation rules sometimes be broken?
- Is there a place for quick and easy reads?
- What if kids only want to read easy books with little literary value?
- And do I say 'Cartload of Hay' instead of 'Cartload of Clay'?
If you listen (to the end!) you'll also discover I tried a new podcast feature for the first time.
The program notes can be found on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family. Lots of links to related books, movies, blog posts etc!
Featured music: Sunny Morning Exercise Club by Origami Repetika, (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
This week's podcast is all about interesting resources I discovered in 2014. Along the way, you'll find out the answers to these questions... * How do I discuss at least 17 resources in only 30 minutes? Do I talk very fast? * How many free trial accounts can I sign up for? * How many times can I say, “I Googled it”, in one podcast? * Has anyone ever become a successive pianist/composer without ever having a single music lesson? * Can an effective animation be made quickly and easily? * Is there a better presentation program than Powerpoint? * Is there a perfect method for keeping unschool records? * What's a glog, and can they be used for homeschool records or portfolios? * And what about mindmaps? * Can a computer screen image be projected onto a big TV screen? * What are historical reality series and where can they be found?
And for anyone following my learning-to-podcast adventure…
- What new technique did I try this week?
- And was it successful?
I hope you'll listen to find out!
The program notes, including lots of resource links, can be found on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Music featured: The Time to Run (Finale) by Dexter Britain, (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
This week my youngest daughter, Gemma-Rose joins me for my Christmas edition. We talk about:
- A magical Santa Christmas
- A magical Christmas without Santa
- Advent and Christmas traditions
- Why the Three Wise Men set out to find Jesus before He is even born
- Why St Nicholas isn't very reliable
- Why we are rotten parents
- Why midnight Mass isn't at midnight
- The worst Christmas job that I no longer have to do
- Australian Christmas traditions and carols
- Why Santa wears his singlet, shorts and thongs
- What Orana means...
.. and lots of other things! And we listen to some beautiful Christmas music sung by my daughter Imogen.
The program notes can be found on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. I hope you have a very happy and blessed Christmas! (I apologise for any poor quality transitions. I'm still learning!)
This podcast is a few days late or a couple of days early, depending on how you look at it. It's also not the same podcast I originally recorded. This week I reveal what happened to the first one and I also talk about...
- Beginnings: How do we capture an audience's attention?
- Books, especially Australian ones
- Free music which can be used for podcasting, video making and any other purpose
- My new Zoom audio recorder and how it performs
- What not to do if you are afflicted by blogging burnout
I also try something new: My podcast, for the first time, is not one long unending passage of speech!
The program notes (with lots of links) can be found on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Music used in podcast: mighty lilbumble bee by Origami Repetika, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
Is it okay to talk about the weather or should that topic be avoided if you want to have an interesting conversation? Is it important for our children to have good conversational skills? How do they get such skills?
Bushfire fighters are heroes but can school teachers be heroes too? Should we all know how to do CPR, just in case? And what about our children? Should they learn too?
Do the youngest children in the family sometimes miss out? Should parents make the effort to give them the same experiences as their older siblings?
And should we brush off other people's thanks? (Hey, it was nothing!) Or is it necessary for us to be gracious and accept them?
I hope you'll listen to this week's podcast to find out my answers to all these questions and much more!
You can find the show notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
You can find my children's novel, The Angels of Abbey Creek on Amazon.
I start this week's podcast with a belated introduction of me and my family. Maybe I should have done this in episode 1. Oh well, better late than never!
I talk about our visit to a professional audio studio and mull over ideas to improve my podcasts. And finally I chat about adventures. Is it necessary for unschooling families to travel? Or can we find adventures at home? I should add that I never dived to the BOTTOM of the lake to look at the map of the bush tracks. (That would have been very adventurous!) Words never come out perfectly when podcasting. The map was on a board BY the lake! The program notes can be found on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. I hope you'll visit!
Last weekend we celebrated the birth and death days of our son Thomas. In this week's podcast I share some of Thomas' story. I ponder the question: How does a family homeschool during a crisis like a death in the family?
Christmas is approaching. Anyone grieving might find this joyful season very difficult. But is Christmas actually a season for the broken-hearted?
On a lighter note, I revisit a simple Christmas. I have a new idea!
I hope you will listen, regardless of whether you have lost a child. We all have ups and downs we have to deal with. They are part of life and we learn from them all.
You can find the program notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
In this week's podcast, I chat about teenagers with my own teenage daughters, Imogen (19), Charlotte (17) and Sophie (13). Many parents expect life to get difficult once their children turn 13. But will it? Are teenagers really trouble or are they unfairly labelled?
We talk about the pressures teenagers face. Do parents unwittingly magnify these pressures? Are rules necessary to keep teenagers safe, or will rules lead to rebellion? My daughters tell me what they think teenagers need instead of rules. We also talk about mistakes, forgiveness and honesty. And how, because of adult peer pressure, I made one of my teenager's life unnecessarily difficult.
This week's program notes can be found on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family. If you'd like to read my posts related to this podcast, please visit!
If children are given the freedom to do whatever they want, will they choose to do nothing at all?
My teenage daughters, Imogen (19) and Sophie (13) join me for today's podcast, to discuss this question. During our conversation we talk about whether it is actually possible to do nothing at all, and how parents and children sometimes differ in their opinion about what is a valuable way of spending time. I ask my daughters if they think children should be made to do difficult things. And what about things they do not like doing? We also chat about the need for quiet time. By the time we get to the end of the podcast we are mulling over this question: Could it actually be essential for parents to let children choose?
I've gathered together a few blog posts I've written on this subject. They can be found in the program notes on my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Is unschooling a lazy way of life? Do mothers choose to unschool because they can’t be bothered putting together a proper homeschool program for their children’s education? Perhaps unschooling mothers don’t actually do much in a day. My daughter Imogen and I discuss these questions in today’s podcast.
Along the way, we also talk about how we can encourage a love of learning, strewing, tiredness and how everything is potentially interesting, even maths!
Please ignore any contradictions. This is an unscripted conversation where we mull over ideas as we chat. Words don't always come out perfectly!
The program notes can be found, as usual, on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
sound effects credit: http://www.freesfx.co.uk/
This week I talk about beginnings and endings. Last week the new school term began, my daughter Charlotte started a new year of her life, and two of my girls have begun a new project. (They're hoping to earn some money!)
Some beginnings are followed closely by an ending, like the death of a baby. I ponder whether grief is something of interest to only a few, or will we all experience grief at some stage of our lives? Along the way I also chat about traditions, minimalism and Christmas, and how to begin and end podcasts. (Something I want to improve!)
As usual the program notes can be found on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
This week I chat to my husband Andy and our 19 year old daughter Imogen. We talk about Andy's two roles: school teacher and unschooling father. Andy shares his own learning story as he tells of his redundancy, and his return to university mid-life which led to a whole new career. Along the way we discuss a few unschooling principles, the ways fathers can be involved in his children's lives... and tea!
As usual, this week's program notes can be found on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
This week:
- I talk about the definition of unschooling.
- Are labels useful or an invitation for criticism?
- I ponder if there are such people as unschooling experts.
- And can a radical unschooling family use a chore roster? No? Perhaps?
- I chat about how my ideas have changed over the years. And how inconvenient it is to have my past ideas published somewhere in black and white, for all to see, when I no longer believe what I wrote!
As usual the program notes, which include a number of posts related to this podcast, can be found on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
This week I chat to my 19 year old daughter Imogen about writing.
Imogen is in her final year of a Professional Writing and Publishing degree at university. So how did she get there? Did she learn to write by doing a structured course? What about spelling and grammar? Surely she learnt all about essay writing before she started her university degree? And how did she write before she knew anything about letters? We discuss all these questions and much more, including NaNoWriMo which is only a few weeks away. Somehow I found myself mentioning a couple of panicky moments I experienced while unschooling!
You can find the program notes, which include a list of recommended writing books, on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
This week I talk about how exciting it is when a child finds something she is passionate about. And how I can be tempted to get anxious when a child doesn't seem to be interested in anything particular at all. I discuss the changing seasons of our unschooling year, and whether or not unschoolers have holidays. If you're interested in mistakes, I mention that as well!
You'll find the program notes for this podcast on my Stories of an Unschooling Family blog.
This week I talk about ageing. Why do some of us find it so difficult to adjust to our changing appearance as we get older? Why do I find it difficult to admit my age? And what are my daughters learning from my attitude towards ageing? I ask my 13 year old daughter a few questions related to this topic.
Along the way, I speak about such things as leading by example, and how we will continue learning all our lives. Learning doesn't stop because we get older… and of course, this is very exciting and much more important than wrinkles!
Sophie, my unschooling teenager and I chat about our shared love of learning and all the interests we have in common. I mull over how important it is for mothers to be a good example of learning. And how mothers usually end up learning so much from their children. We discuss Sophie’s least favourite question related to learning. And we talk about perfection and why it isn’t necessary. Along the way other topics enter our conversation such as cat bites, our huge puppy Nora, online art classes, loose change, DSLR cameras and mistakes!
I talk about why I want to try podcasting and I mention some of the podcasts I've been listening to recently. I chat about the Catholic Digital Media Conference and the blogging workshop I was invited to co-present. Other topics that I touch on are my new children's novel "The Angels of Abbey Creek", how I came to be a blogger, homeschool meetings and lice!