In this deeply personal conversation, Jo opens up about her family’s journey from school anxiety and selective mutism to a self-directed, joyful approach to learning: unschooling. She shares the early signs that traditional school wasn’t working for her daughter, including a traumatic bullying incident, health challenges, and escalating panic attacks in Year 8. Despite trying reduced timetables and a paid online school, the same patterns returned.

Jo describes the moment they de-registered and chose to remove expectations, allowing recovery and curiosity to lead. The result? A thriving teen with community, responsibility, paid work (dog walking, stables, social media), equine study certificates, vibrant friendships, and a self-initiated plan to sit GCSEs on her own timeline. Jo also demystifies local authority involvement, reflects on judgement from others, and shares a parenting philosophy centred on trust, autonomy, and consequences in a safe, loving home.

Early signs: selective mutism, post-Covid transition, and exhaustion in Year 7

The trigger events: unexpected class move, bullying incident, and toilet-pass anxiety

Attempts to “fit back in”: reduced timetable, calm room, and online private school

The pivot: de-registering and choosing unschooling to prioritise healing

Life after school: horses, certificates, paid work, social confidence, and self-led GCSE plan

Myth-busting: local authority contact, fines, and what “education” can look like at home

Parenting through judgement: autonomy, boundaries, and trusting teens

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

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About our Sponsor

This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6figurebookkeeper

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Promotion

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Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.