In this episode of Autistic Advocacy, Dr. Angela Kingdon is joined by Chrissy Gardiner—longtime listener, autistic parent, and radical unschooler—for a powerful conversation about parenting, autonomy, and rethinking education through a neurodivergent lens.
Chrissy, a mom of two late-diagnosed AuDHD young adults, shares how her family embraced unschooling not just as an educational approach, but as a way of affirming autistic identity and fostering lifelong self-trust.
🎧 What You’ll Learn
- What radical unschooling actually is—and how it differs from traditional homeschooling
- Why unschooling can be a powerful tool for neurodivergent autonomy and emotional regulation
- How autistic parents can navigate raising autistic kids with intention, clarity, and flexibility
- How to answer the infamous question: “But what about socialization?”
- Why unschooling is not about doing nothing—but about doing everything with consent and purpose
- What you can try even if you can’t fully unschool due to work, custody, or financial constraints
👤 Featured Guest:
Chrissy Gardiner is an autistic mom of two late-diagnosed AuDHD young adults. Chrissy and her husband embraced radical unschooling, allowing their children to lead their own learning journeys. She holds a master’s degree in liberal arts with a focus on history and Black studies and is currently pursuing nursing school, aiming to research best practices for autistic patients.
Related Episodes:
Parenting Autistic Kids
Child-to-parent Diagnostic Pipeline
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