Embracing Unschooling: Fostering Curiosity in Education

Ever wondered about alternative paths to educate your child outside the traditional school system? My guest today is Laura Moore, who spent 15 years in early childhood education - and who is now exploring homeschooling alternatives, including unschooling, for her own child.   As a teacher and mother of a 3.5-year-old, Laura brings a unique insider perspective to the education debate. She opens up about witnessing the limitations of the current school system, the pressure children face to conform to rigid schedules, and why she's questioning whether traditional schooling truly serves our children's best interests.   You'll hear a raw, honest conversation between two parents grappling with real concerns about education choices. Laura shares her genuine questions about balancing work with alternative education, handling judgment from others, and whether children can truly thrive outside the conventional system. Her curiosity about unschooling leads to fascinating insights about child-led learning, maintaining boundaries while honoring children's natural rhythms, and creating educational experiences that preserve rather than diminish curiosity.  

Questions this episode will answer

• What is unschooling and how does it work?
• How is unschooling different from homeschooling?
• Can you homeschool while working full time?
• What are the pros and cons of homeschooling?
• How to get started with homeschooling?
• Is homeschooling better than traditional education?
• What are the advantages of homeschooling?
• What's wrong with the traditional education system?
• How do you handle judgment about homeschooling decisions?
• Do homeschooled children get into college?
• How do homeschooled children get socialization?
• What's the role of parents in unschooling?
• How do you balance work and alternative education as a family?
• What happens to children's natural curiosity in traditional school?

 

What you'll learn in this episode

The insider perspective on traditional education's limitations: Hear firsthand from a teacher about the systemic issues affecting children's learning and wellbeing in conventional schools, including the impact of rigid scheduling and underfunding.   How unschooling preserves children's natural curiosity: Discover why traditional schooling often kills children's innate desire to learn and how alternative approaches can maintain and nurture this crucial trait throughout childhood.   Practical strategies for balancing work and alternative education: Learn how to homeschool while working full time, including realistic approaches for working parents, flexible scheduling, community programs, and family support systems.   Discover the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling: Get a comprehensive overview of homeschooling pros and cons compared to traditional education, and develop a practical homeschooling plan for families considering alternatives.   The truth about socialization in homeschooling: Understand how homeschooled children actually develop social skills and why the diversity of real-world interactions often surpasses traditional classroom socialization.   How to handle family and social pressure about education choices: Get specific strategies for responding to criticism and judgment while staying true to your family's values and educational philosophy.   Real examples of learning without formal curriculum: See how everyday activities like volunteering at animal shelters, helping with household tasks, and following natural interests create rich learning opportunities.   The college and career reality for unschooled children: Learn about the actual pathways to higher education and career success for children educated outside the traditional system, including inspiring real-world examples.   How to trust your child's learning process: Understand the mindset shift required to move from controlling education to supporting natural learning, including how to recognize learning that doesn't look like traditional schoolwork.   Setting healthy boundaries while honoring children's needs: Discover how to maintain structure and meet practical requirements while respecting children's capacity, interests, and natural rhythms.  

FAQ

How do you maintain structure without being too rigid like schools? Find a balance between saying yes to everything and having super rigid boundaries. You can maintain routine and predictability while still respecting what children want to do and what their bodies are telling them. This means having some structure so children know what's coming next, but staying flexible enough to honor their natural rhythms and genuine needs.   What if my child isn't meeting traditional grade-level expectations? Children learn most effectively when they're genuinely interested and ready. A 10-year-old learned multiplication tables up to 9x9 in just one week using a satisfying toy button, after years of traditional teaching methods hadn't worked. When children are truly ready and interested, they absorb information quickly and naturally without the lengthy "drip feeding" that forced instruction often requires.   How do you deal with judgment from family and friends? Your approach should depend on your relationship with the person. For close family members who you see regularly, have honest conversations about their concerns - they likely want what's best for your child and may have fears about nontraditional paths. For casual acquaintances or strangers, you don't need to justify your choices. Remember that others' strong opinions often reflect their own fears and unmet needs rather than real concerns about your situation.   Can homeschooled kids really get into college? Yes, through several pathways: community college (which provides official transcripts and teacher recommendations), standardized testing at designated centers, or parent-created transcripts. Homeschooled students often excel in college because they maintain their natural curiosity and genuine interest in learning, rather than just asking "what do I need to do to get an A?" They're more likely to approach professors with genuine questions about research and exploration.   How do working parents make homeschooling work practically? Many arrangements work successfully. The only scenario that typically doesn't work is when all parents must be out of the house full-time with no alternative childcare. Successful arrangements include: parents with alternating work schedules, part-time not-school programs, family exchanges (watching each other's children on different days), flexible work-from-home arrangements, and children participating in parents' businesses when age-appropriate.   What about socialization - won't my child miss out? Homeschooled children often experience more diverse and authentic social interactions than traditional school provides. Even in supposedly diverse schools, children often segregate by race and academic track. Homeschool communities and not-school programs typically offer more adult support for navigating social situations, encourage cross-age friendships, and foster more genuine connections without the artificial social pressures common in traditional school environments.   Do I need to know everything my child needs to learn? No. Learning happens naturally through everyday experiences and genuine interest. When children are motivated by real goals, they can learn remarkably quickly - one parent learned all the math needed for university entrance exams in just six months when she was ready and motivated. Children naturally learn what they need when they need it, often much more efficiently than premature, forced instruction provides.  

Ready to Support Your Child's Natural Learning

Whether this episode has you considering unschooling, reinforced your commitment to traditional schooling, or left you somewhere in between, one thing is clear: every child deserves to have their natural curiosity and love of learning nurtured.   Just like Laura discovered, learning happens everywhere - in everyday conversations, through helping with household tasks, during visits to museums, and in those spontaneous moments when your child asks "why?".   The challenge for parents isn't choosing the "right" educational path, but knowing how to support meaningful learning wherever your child is.   The Learning Membership gives you the tools to nurture your child's development whether they're in traditional school, homeschooled, or unschooled. You'll discover how to:

• Turn everyday moments into rich learning opportunities (just like Laura does with her daughter)
• Support your child's interests and curiosity without becoming the "teacher" parent
• Create a home environment that enhances rather than competes with whatever educational approach you choose

  Inside the membership, you'll find research-backed strategies that work alongside any educational setting, helping you become the parent who nurtures learning rather than forcing it. Your child's curiosity is precious - don't let it get lost in debates about educational methods.   We'll get you notified when doors reopen. Click the banner to learn more.     Other episode mentioned: 221: How to advocate for the schools our children deserve   Jump to highlights 02:09 Introduction of today’s episode and guest 08:53 Laura feels a little bit uncertain about where the education system is going in the UK, but from her colleagues, who she knows across the world, it is a relatively universal thing, where the education system is not serving children as well as it could 18:54 We can step out of curriculum pressure by remembering that learning happens everywhere. Kids will be ahead in some areas, behind in others, and that's okay 29:43 When we model honoring our boundaries and needs, we teach our children that they can do the same. This creates powerful learning about mutual respect. Moving away from rigid school schedules allows both parent and child to follow their body's rhythms 41:59 While childcare coverage matters more when children are younger, older kids become more self-sufficient. Older age kids can direct their own time, but in the younger age range, having regular places to go can be helpful for families 55:25 Laura believes in learning through play and child-led learning. Children lose their joy when forced to learn things they don't care about. She’d follow her child’s curiosities and interests while gently introducing essentials the child might need, honoring her child’s way of exploring the world 01:01:01 You don’t have to justify when someone asks why your child isn’t at school at 10 o’clock on a Wednesday morning when you’re doing homeschooling 01:09:58 Wrapping up the discussion