Show Notes
Pi Day is one of those holidays parents often try to make “fun.” But sometimes the issue isn’t the activity — it’s the hype. Here's a quick unschooling perspective on Pi Day and why kids often respond better to curiosity than to pressure. Instead of trying to convince kids something is fun, unschooling families often offer ideas lightly — letting interest show up naturally. Sometimes kids lean in. Sometimes they don’t. And both are completely normal. Sue Patterson also shares a simple w...
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Homeschooling parents worry they're not doing enough for their children's education. That concern intensifies when you unschool! You can see your child learning. You’re just not sure it’s enough. What if the little moments you keep dismissing are adding up? A conversation. A game. A question about something you passed on the road. None of it looks like a complete science unit or a finished history assignment. So how does it become an education? How is it ENOUGH? In this episode of the Unscho...
Why does unschooling leave you wondering, “Am I doing enough?” Let’s talk about the exhausting pressure to prove your kids are learning—and five ways to step off that treadmill. After thirty years of unschooling and helping families, I’ve seen how school expectations, relatives’ questions, and homeschool social media can keep parents second-guessing themselves. In this episode, we’ll look at who you’re trying to prove yourself to, when comparison makes things worse, and how to recognize the l...
Unschooling can leave you wondering, “Am I doing enough?”—even when you can see your child learning. Why do worksheets, schedules, and grade levels still feel like proof that you’re doing your job? That’s the "untethered" feeling. You’ve stepped away from school’s rules, but when you’re worried, the old ways of measuring a day can still feel reassuring. A hard week, a question about grade levels, or a glimpse of another homeschooling family’s routine can bring them right back. In this episode...
Everyone asks, “But what about socialization?” Usually, they mean: Will your child have friends? But sometimes they’re asking something much bigger: Without school, who will teach your child how to fit in? And that raises a question we rarely stop to ask: What kind of socialization are children actually getting at school—and is all of it something we want to recreate? Because spending every day with same-age peers doesn’t teach children only how to make friends. It also teaches them about po...
Looking for fun homeschooling ideas that don’t require curriculum? Discover how unschooling and strewing help children learn naturally through everyday activities and interests. Your September Calendar is ready for you! In this episode, Sue explores how learning can weave through playful September possibilities—from making Rice Krispie treats to investigating rabbits or noticing the changing daylight around the Autumn Equinox. She explains how strewing introduces interesting ideas without ass...