Everybody has an opinion on parenting – especially the way I do it. You see, I was brought up in a very traditional way, which caused me all sorts of problems in my early adult life. When I became pregnant for the first time I was determined to find another way of parenting: a way to raise my kids to be full of joy, and to avoid the kind of controlling behaviour that can fill kids with fear. That’s when I discovered “un-schooling”. So what’s the philosophy behind it? And just how does it work in the real world? Listen in to find out.
22 thoughts on “How and Why I “Un-school” My Kids – Podcast Episode 44”
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Great podcast! Very enlightening!
Loved this podcast on in-schooling your children. Wish I’d known about it when mine were young. So inspiring, raw and honest. ?❤️
Hey Kim, loved this podcast. As a mom to a toddler, this opened up my mind and heart to being a better and mindful parent . Please do more podcasts on parenting.
Loved listening to the podcast a very different approach to parenting but one I think a lot of people could relate too and brings up thought provoking questions about your own childhood for sure and things you know you don’t want to repeat!
Thank for you this. Your insight is so helpful and refreshing! Definitely feel enlightened.
Great points, thoughtful!
I’ve listened to a few of Kim’s podcasts but I put this one on hold for a while. The reason I didnt want to listen to this one in particular is because I’m a yeller. I find my kids extremely frustrating at times and I just lose it. I’m not proud of it, I know it’s wrong and I thought, I don’t need Kim telling me that and making me feel guilty for being such a terrible mother. However, after listening, I found that Kim doesn’t judge, she simply educates and informs us of how she parents. I really loved this podcast and I’d love to hear more about her parenting techniques and radical unschooling. I think the whole family will benefit ? Thanks Kim
You have given me so much to consider and think about. My childhood, my own fears, my parenting. Thank you for taking the time to be honest and share your experience and wisdom.
Everything you said is basically what I’ve gone through. I have found through all this covid stuff that I CAN work from home and my boss is allowing me to. SO, I have pulled my kiddo out of school and he’s excited to unschool! He’s been experimenting with baking, science projects, he loves Lego, he loves Mario Bros games and would love to design one some day and maybe even tournaments!! HE has all these amazing ideas that I feel school actually SQUASHED! My son’s father and I aren’t together and his father isn’t really “on board”. But, he also hasn’t read ANYTHING I shared with him about unschooling and home schooling. So, I made the decision on my own, like most other parenting decisions! I’m nervous about it all, but only because I’m new to it all! I’m really looking forward to it all and I can already see how much happier my son is with the freedom & autonomy I’ve given him. Unfortunately, his dad probably won’t do similar, but all I can do is what I feel is best for him when he’s with me.
Loved this! After raising three stepchildren and now raising my two teenage children, this really made me think. So much I want to say, but overall this is brilliant and how I want to help continue their education, especially in these now uncertain times, with Covid keeping our kids from school as we have been accustomed to. Lots of food for thought here… thank you so much!
I really enjoyed listening to your views on schooling, both as a parent of grown “children” and as a former high school teacher. I do agree that home schooling can be very beneficial – I also believe that some PARENTS are not up to the challenges presented, as this pandemic has exemplified – due to the PARENTS lack of education and maturity. For a well rounded adult figure, with control of their temper, home schooling can be wonderful. I have seen this first hand. I wish I had home schooled. I did not have the confidence in my own abilities at the time – nor the patience.
Far out that spoke directly to me! Mum of three (11,13&17yrs) Thank you so much for such a real account of your life with your kids.
Inspiring, for freedom for my kids and myself! Can’t wait to make some changes around hear.
YES!!! Thanks for this Kim. Because of your initial interview with Dayna in the Sculpted Vegan group we are officially unschooling our son! I would LOVE to hear you do a podcast on all things unschooling!
Eye opening!!! My kids are older now but I did switch to homeschooling once they were in middle school. Wish I would have know about un-schooling. Thank you for the insight. Also, would absolutely love to hear more podcast on parenting!
Loved the podcast. Would love more parenting episodes.
Your experience is valuable, and is helpful for us who are yet to become parents. Thank you for being such an inspiration! I love listening to you so so much!
I believe that kids benefit from being in school, parents sometime take things and overreact on them. but I think home schooling is great. I can relate on some of the moms cause I still have two in school yet, I agree on the stuff this lady says.
I had never heard of the term “un-schooling” til I started listening to your podcasts a few weeks ago and I was curious to know more! Sure enough you do a whole podcast about it and I am still wanting to know more about little examples or scenarios I have in my brain. No matter what I applaud you for sharing authentically about what you do in your life whether people may perceive it as extreme or not. I love the passion you have when you talk about it because its something you truly believe in and its working for your family. I like to educate myself on what others are doing even if its not for me who knows I may be able to share the knowledge with others looking for something like this and I am sure I can learn a thing or two myself. Of course, I did learn a lot from your podcast today and shared it with my husband. With COVID happening I have been a lot harder on my kids, husband and myself! It was a great reminder that we don’t want our kids to fear us. When I told my husband of your example of “when daddy comes home watch out” hahaha we both laughed because it’s when “mommy comes home watch out” in our house lol! That’s how it was as a child for me my mother was the tough one and my dad was the one we went to when we wanted things. I don’t want my kids to fear me and I want to build that respect NOT fear. I will model the qualities and actions we want them to have. It is important to take this time and use it wisely to REALLY think about our children’s futures and not just tomorrow’s consequences. I to think its extremely important to get them use to making choices for themselves and to have problem solving skills. I liked your version of having a macro view not a micro view. We really need to expand our thinking and not get so upset about such trivial things!
Thanks again for educating me on “un-schooling”!
Even though I don’t have children of my own, your “un-schooling” podcast is fascinating because everything you say on there is exactly the healthy way to parent. I learned about self-parenting (and still learning) because I had a terribly unhealthy (and painful) childhood and for over 30 years I have been working to Un-do the way I was parented. As you probably know, we all have an “inner child” and later an “inner parent” that unconsciously repeats what had been taught. A cruel parent? You will speak that way internally to yourself. It’s so great that you don’t care what other people think. As you are modeling good qualities–teaching them TRUE honesty, respect for others based on SELF respect, NOT shaming or guilt-tripping them…the Whole World needs to hear this podcast! I was just reading that little George (UK prince) just turned 7 and they are sending him away to boarding school. Great way to destroy your child’s sense of self, to be forced to leave his tight-knit family & fend for himself. Sad…the way too many people parent their kids is actually criminal–they’d never speak to their friends that way, or they would not have any friends, but for some reason most people (so far) are really clueless as to what they are doing to their kids. Peace begins at home, and my wish is that millions of people hear your podcast, or other similar ones…can you imagine–if ALL, or even most parents followed this method of parenting there would not be any global strife. What a better world this would be…
Anyway, thank you for the work you do!
Even though I don’t have children of my own, your “un-schooling” podcast is fascinating because everything you say on there is exactly the healthy way to parent. I learned about self-parenting (and still learning) because I had a terribly unhealthy (and painful) childhood and for over 30 years I have been working to Un-do the way I was parented. As you probably know, we all have an “inner child” and later an “inner parent” that unconsciously repeats what had been taught. A cruel parent? You will speak that way internally to yourself. It’s so great that you don’t care what other people think. As you are modeling good qualities–teaching them TRUE honesty, respect for others based on SELF respect, NOT shaming or guilt-tripping them…the Whole World needs to hear this podcast! I was just reading that little George (UK prince) just turned 7 and they are sending him away to boarding school. Great way to destroy your child’s sense of self, to be forced to leave his tight-knit family & fend for himself. Sad…the way too many people parent their kids is actually criminal–they’d never speak to their friends that way, or they would not have any friends, but for some reason most people (so far) are really clueless as to what they are doing to their kids. Peace begins at home, and my wish is that millions of people hear your podcast, or other similar ones…can you imagine–if ALL, or even most parents followed this method of parenting there would not be any global strife. What a better world this would be…
Anyway, thank you for the work you do!
Just WOW! Thank you for sharing this. I would absolutely love to hear more. We have friends that sort of do this but in all honesty we’ve been put off as their child is…. a little terror, not at all respectful of much and there’s always lots of awful shouting and then preaching to other parents :/ !
My daughter is 9 months old and already I’m mindful that I would love to do it differently but am not entirely sure how! Thanks again. Looking forward to hearing more 🙂
Thank you so much for this episode! You’re point of view is so refreshing!! I am a mom of 6 children myself and people criticize me ALL the time for the way I parent my children…..I’ve always wondered what goes through a person brain before something so incredibly rude comes out of their mouth.!! Lol!
You have an amazing insight and refreshing view on parenting as well as being incredibly knowledgeable on fitness, food and all things fabulous!!
Thank you for being who you are and shouting it from the rooftops!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Yes, we live in a world where people believe think they have a right to judge everyone else’s life. Mom of 6 is an incredible job, thank you for listening and I hope you’ll continue to listen in!