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Unschooling isn't just about education, it's a life choice! For most parents, embracing unschooling requires some serious unravelling of old paradigms around parenting, learning and childhood, and that can be both challenging and exhilarating. Join me, Esther Jones, a mindful parenting coach and unschooling mother-of-three, as I take a look at the many opportunities for reflection that naturally arise in an unschooling home. Each episode, I chat with other parents about their family’s experiences. From self-care, neurodiversity and mindfulness, to how to live consensually and trust our children, this podcast is here to help parents navigate the everyday challenges so th...
The pencils get ceremonially broken; your old school rules might be next.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A gentle, practical look at unschooling, de-schooling, and mindful parenting.
Ruth McAllen's conversation treats unschooling as a daily practice rather than a theory: child-led routines, slower rhythms, family arrangements, and the discipline of trusting judgment when parenting choices run against convention.
Archived dissent, kept in circulation.
Curiosity-led learning, relationship by relationship.
Family life without school, one theme at a time.
This episode features an interview with Cyrielle, a former teacher in Ontario, Canada, discussing her family's unschooling journey, neurodivergence, and balancing parental well-being with child-led learning.
This episode features an interview with Pat Farenga discussing his experiences working with John Holt, the history of unschooling since the 1970s, and how self-directed learning has evolved over the last 50 years.
This episode features a conversation with Claire Gillespie about the courage required to leave mainstream schooling for unschooling, and how this decision transformed her family's life and relationships.
This episode features a conversation with Cassie Emmott about unschooling with four neurodivergent children, discussing how to manage different needs, foster deep learning, and maintain parental presence.
This episode features a conversation with psychotherapist Alice Bramhill about her family's journey to unschooling, focusing on consent-based living, agency for children, and unravelling personal stories to support mindful parenting.
This episode features an interview with Makiba Garraway, a former doctor from the UK who moved to Silicon Valley and discusses her family's journey to unschooling after mainstream school didn't fit their eldest child.
Host Esther Jones interviews Esther Grimes about her family's journey from conventional schooling to unschooling after realizing their oldest son couldn't cope with traditional school.
Host Esther Jones addresses four common questions about unschooling, focusing on children's motivation, exams, partner support, and parental feelings, offering insights for parents on this educational journey.
This episode features a conversation with Dani Oliver about her family's transition to unschooling and permaculture farming in Texas, focusing on the challenges of de-schooling and learning to trust children.
This episode features an interview with Stacey Yates-Sellar, a conscious parenting coach, discussing her family's transition from Silicon Valley to roadschooling and embracing unschooling principles.
This episode features a conversation with Holly from South Wales about her journey from burnout to recovery, exploring how unschooling provides a compassionate approach to supporting children through emotional distress while addressing adult pressures in society.
This episode features a conversation with Ruth Macallan about unschooling and mindful parenting while living in Zambia, focusing on topics like boredom and slowing down.
Host Esther Jones interviews Francine Wise about her family's journey from trying various educational approaches like Waldorf and Charlotte Mason to embracing unschooling as a path toward authentic living and mindful parenting.
This episode features a conversation with Mariam Carter about her family's journey to unschooling their autistic children, focusing on shifting from academic achievement to trust and safety in learning.
This episode features a conversation with Helen Stuart about unschooling and PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) in autistic children, focusing on creating safe, regulated environments for learning.
This episode features a conversation with Lizzie, a parent in the UK, discussing her family's unschooling journey, particularly focusing on how it helped her autistic son recover from burnout and challenging traditional educational conditioning.
This episode features a conversation with parent Liz Mears about her family's journey to unschooling, focusing on prioritizing children's mental health and happiness over traditional schooling systems.
This episode features a conversation with Linda Velwest, a parent of three adult unschooled sons, reflecting on their family's unschooling journey and the different paths each child took.
This episode features a conversation with Adrienne Miller about her journey into unschooling, exploring how unraveling personal stories and conditioning can help raise empowered children.
This episode features a conversation with Erin Cummings about her family's intentional unschooling lifestyle in the Canadian boreal forest, focusing on simple living, indigenous connections, and parental fulfillment.
This episode features a conversation with Dana Huraimi about her unschooling journey, redefining success, and navigating parenting challenges in a school-centered culture.
A conversation with Maddy about her daughter's experience with school burnout and subsequent thriving through unschooling, exploring the family's journey and the impact of letting go of traditional educational expectations.
This episode features an interview with Lucy Aitkenread about her family's unschooling journey in New Zealand, exploring how deschooling helps parents overcome limiting beliefs from traditional education systems.
This episode features a conversation with Leila from Melbourne about her family's unschooling journey, exploring conscious parenting, overcoming educational conditioning, and applying anthropological perspectives to learning.
This episode features a conversation with Melissa Crockett-Joyeux about unschooling neurodivergent children, focusing on parental self-regulation, community support, and the challenges of alternative education.
This episode features a conversation with Nicola Leyland about her family's journey from traditional schooling to unschooling after her son's brain injury, exploring the challenges and freedom of alternative education.
Host Esther Jones interviews Claire Gillespie, a mother from the UK, about her family's four-year unschooling journey, exploring how it started with her son's request to leave school and its impact on their daily lives and personal growth.
This episode features an interview with Missy Willis, a former teacher and unschooling parent, discussing the journey to unschooling, overcoming parental fears, and how this approach helps children connect with their own values.
Host Esther Jones interviews Ruth Macallan, an unschooling mother living in rural Zambia, about her family's journey to child-led learning.
Esther Jones interviews Daniel Muller, a former teacher, about his family's unschooling journey with his son Kai, exploring how childhood power dynamics influence parenting and the importance of intentional deschooling.
This episode features a conversation with Lindsay, a parent in the UK, about her family's journey into unschooling after removing their eldest son from school due to difficulties.
This episode features host Esther Jones interviewing Ivana Petersen about her family's transition from traditional schooling to unschooling and worldschooling, exploring the challenges and joys of alternative education.
This episode features a conversation with psychologist Dr.
Host Esther Jones interviews Nora McDonald about her family's journey from traditional home education to unschooling in Costa Rica, focusing on embracing children's individuality and the role of technology as a catalyst for change.
This episode features an interview with Jenny Mainwaring about her experience unschooling her son after he suffered burnout in primary school, discussing recovery, family dynamics, and socialization.
Host Esther Jones interviews Shannon Stoltz about her family's unschooling journey, including navigating skeptical partners and recognizing the 'golden threads' in children's lives.
Host Esther Jones interviews former teacher Stephanie McDowell about her journey from burnout to unschooling her daughter, exploring alternative approaches to education and parenting.
This episode features a conversation with Ash Winton about unschooling, natural learning, and the importance of following intuition over social norms in parenting.
This episode features an interview with Irene Genelin, who discusses her family's transition from organic fruit farming to full-time travel and worldschooling with their 10-year-old daughter.
This episode features a conversation with Fiona Sim from Scotland about her family's journey into unschooling and home education, exploring the challenges and joys of letting go of structured planning to embrace a more mindful, child-led approach to learning and life.
This episode features an interview with Rose, a parent from Oxfordshire, UK, discussing her family's unschooling journey with her six-year-old autistic son who has PDA, focusing on home-based learning, rhythms, and connection.
This episode features a conversation with former teacher April Scully about unschooling, exploring how it allows children to discover their passions and identities beyond traditional schooling.
This episode features an interview with Robyn Tamlin-Lea about her family's unschooling journey, focusing on trusting children, valuing rest and play, and moving beyond academic expectations.
This episode features an interview with Melissa Miles McCarter about her family's unschooling journey, focusing on helping children follow their passions and interests.
This episode features a conversation with Heidi Steel about unschooling, the importance of play in children's learning, and living consensually with children for a more joyful family life.
This episode features an interview with Julie Walter, a former teacher and unschooling parent, discussing the differences between classroom learning and natural learning at home, and how to support children through this educational journey.
This episode features an interview with Essie Richards about how unschooling became a healing journey for her family, focusing on parental deconditioning and the operation of an agile learning centre.
This episode features an interview with Claire Windmill, a parenting mentor and former social worker, discussing her family's journey to unschooling, the importance of balance, rest, and self-compassion for parents, and the impact of allowing children to be themselves.
This episode celebrates 100 conversations on the podcast and discusses the upcoming Unschooling Summit 2026, featuring insights from co-founder Melissa Crockett-Joyoue about the event and unschooling experiences.
This episode features a conversation with Coralie Steadman about her family's journey to unschooling, driven by her son's autism and PDA diagnosis and a desire for meaningful, passion-driven learning.
Sue Patterson tells Esther Jones how her family moved from mainstream schooling to unschooling after Michael became bored in first grade and Katie experienced auditory processing difficulties in preschool.
Host Esther Jones interviews Donna about her family's shift from school stress to unschooling, exploring the liberating journey of trust and curiosity.
The Unschool Space episode #50 features Esther Jones interviewing clinical psychologist and author Dr Emma Svanberg about the internal stories that shape parents’ ideas of education, control, and achievement.
Esther Jones interviews Hayley from Derbyshire, UK, who began unschooling 14 years ago after her eldest daughter questioned why she had to attend secondary school.
Host Esther Jones discusses unschooling with a former teacher who transitioned her family to this lifestyle, exploring themes of autonomy and liberation from traditional schooling.
Esther Jones interviews Fran Liberatore about consent-based parenting and unschooling while Fran's family moves between Bangkok, Maine, and Sicily.
Chelsea moved from New York to California with two sons, ages 10 and 6, after COVID intensified her older son's problems at a new school.
Esther Jones speaks with Lorna Norton, co-founder of Kith Homestead in North Yorkshire, about creating a self-directed learning community for 25 to 30 children aged five to eleven.
Clinical psychologist Naomi Fisher argues that self-directed learning protects children's curiosity, autonomy, and intrinsic motivation from school rewards and exams.
Peter Gray describes how his son rejected a suburban public school before finding Sudbury Valley School, founded in 1968.
Host Esther Jones interviews Sophie Lovett about her family's journey into unschooling and the principles of self-directed learning.
Host Esther Jones interviews Sophie Larcher about her family's unschooling journey, discussing natural rhythms and living together with children.