The Unschool Space

Today I’m talking with Nadia Joshua. Nadia lives in Barry Island in Wales and has two daughters, who are six and nine. Until her daughter left school, three years ago, Nadia was working as a social worker. She took her daughter out of school when she was six years old and had just started year one, as she had rapidly become unhappy and self-critical. Nadia knew there had to be a different way, and could see that her daughter needed more agency over her own life. She discovered unschooling through the works of Pam Laricchia. Today, among other things, we talk about adjusting to an unschooling lifestyle, uncovering our limiting beliefs,  being authentic with our children and making sure we have what we need to hold space for them. You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

My guest today is Marta Obiols. Marta is originally from Spain, but has lived in the US for 21 years. She now lives with her husband and three children in Atlanta, Georgia. Marta was a teacher when her children were small, but became interested in unschooling after taking her children out of school and coming across the works of John Holt. She quickly let go of being 'the dictator in the living room' and fully embraced unschooling. Marta's eldest son  recently turned 18, and Marta was inspired to write a book about her family's experiences, entitled 18: An unschooling experience. Today, among other things, we talk about facilitating the different needs of our children, trusting our children even when society around us says otherwise, and finding the unschooler in ourselves. You can follow Marta on Instagram at @unschoolingstory18 and on Twitter at @Unschooling1. 18: An unschooling experience is available at major online book retailers. You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

Today I’m joined by Sarada de Villeneuve. Sarada lives in Brighton, UK, with her husband and three children, who are 14, 11 and 8 . They began unschooling seven years ago, when their eldest son was seven and having a difficult time at school. Sarada had already felt some conflict around sending her children to nursery at a young age, and found her way to unschooling after seeing home educating families in her local park. Sarada describes the daily practise that unschooling is. The deep work of getting beyond our own triggers and old parenting assumptions and engaging with our children in an authentic, respectful way. We  talk today about social expectations, building community, and learning to respect our children’s voices. Sarada also speaks to how unschooling can help us heal our relationships with our children, affected by early experiences of separation,  school or our own less-informed parenting. You can find Sarada on Instagram at @discovering.wonder.You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

My guest in this episode is Fran Liberatore. Fran has two children, aged 7 and 9, and has just moved to an island in Maine after spending three years in Dubai. Fran first came across unschooling some years ago when she discovered John Holt, and her intention had been to to home educate her children. For different reasons,  it took until the pandemic for her to finally take the leap. We talk today about how she and her children have adjusted to life without school, the importance of being able to set and maintain our own boundaries (both us and our children), and how we can rethink the power imbalances in traditional parenting. Fran also shares how unschooling has made her reflect on the choices she has made in life.You can follow Fran on Instagram and Facebook,  and visit her blog https://livingwithoutschool.comYou can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

Today I’m delighted to be joined by Laura Smith. Laura and I have been in touch online for a few years, but this the first time we've spoken. Laura lives in the south of France with her partner and her son, Rowan, who is nearly six. For her family, unschooling was really a natural progression that felt coherent with the way they were living and parenting. We talk about the need to often just surrender to the moment and how hard that can be, and how we deal with our triggers. We also discuss how doing things differently can sometimes feel isolating, and how finding community can be difficult, particularly when living abroad. You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

My guest in this episode is Anthony Eldridge-Rogers. Anthony has three teenage children with his wife Lehla (my podcast guest in episode #8) and, together, they wrote a book recounting their family's experiences, called Jump Fall Fly. Anthony works with people with behavioural health challenges and is a specialist recovery and wellness coach.Today, we talk about his daughters’ transition from self-directed learning at home to a college environment and the importance of our children’s mental health. He also shares his experiences as a father and some valuable insights into the particular challenges fathers can face when a family chooses the alternative education route. You can find out more about Anthony on his website https://www.jumpfallfly.com.You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

In this episode, I chat with Lianne Campbell, a dancer, performer,  well-being coach, and mother to 12-year-old Anoushka. Lianne came to unschooling when seeing that her young daughter had no desire to be in school. She hadn't considered home education as she assumed that would mean her doing the teaching and she had left school herself with few qualifications. When someone mentioned unschooling to her, she realised that it was the natural path for them and a continuation of how she had been parenting her daughter all along. She decided to trust her daughter and her own intuition and took her daughter out of school. She created community through a regular meet-up with other unschooling families nearby and never looked back. Her daughter's love of horses has helped her fulfil one of her own childhood dreams, and the family now owns two horses and learn natural horsemanship.Lianne's positive outlook on life, and her belief in keeping things authentic and joyful are truly inspiring. Today, among many other things,  we talk about how unschooling is a journey of unraveling our own deep conditioning, the importance of trusting our children, and how essential it is to take care of ourselves. You can find Lianne on Instagram at @ahandpickedlife  Or visit her platform: www.ahandpickedlife.com. You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

In this episode, I’m joined by Lehla Eldridge. Lehla is an illustrator and a performer. She and her husband Anthony have three children, twin daughters, who are nearly 18, and their son who is 15. They’ve been unschooling for many years, and their desire to try something different took them to Italy for four years, and then back to the UK. Lehla and her husband wrote about their experiences in their book Jump Fall Fly, which they published four years ago. An updated edition will be coming out soon. I was really delighted to finally chat with Lehla. I came across her blog about living an unschooling life in Italy when I was doing a similar thing in Spain, and so much of her experiences resonated with me.  Today, among other things, we talk about the long process of letting go, undoing our own scripts, rediscovering our passions and unschooling with teenagers. You can find out more about Lehla on her website https://www.jumpfallfly.com and on Instagram at @unschooling_the_kidsYou can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

My guest in this episode is Paige Hall. Paige has three children, who are nine, seven and four, and she came to unschooling during the pandemic. Without the expectations of school and with the focus entirely on her connection with her children, she found that everyone was  happier and more confident, and learning to exercise their own autonomy. So, from there she has embraced a new way of living, and has spent this year learning and really working at picking apart the old paradigms. I absolutely loved talking with Paige, and hearing how radically her family is being transformed. And, more than anything, about how her children have responded to being trusted and embraced wholly for who they are. I hope you enjoy the conversation.You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

In this episode I am joined by Heidi Steel. Heidi has four children and lives in West Sussex in the UK. Before having children, Heidi used to work as an early years primary school teacher. Her experience in the education system was part of her and her husband’s choice not to send their children to school. Heidi runs a Facebook group called Live Play Learn, where she supports unschooling families. Heidi also works with unschooling families, one on one, and runs the podcast Unschooling Conversations. Among other things, we talk about how learning happens without a curriculum, living in connection with our children, and why finding our own selves in the process is perhaps an inevitable part of  deschooling. You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschoolingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace