The idea with the unschooling in context episodes is to deepen our understanding of unschooling by exploring it in the context of other, related things. In this episode, we dive into unschooling in the context of parenting and examine some of the paradigm shifts around parenting and parent/child relationships that are integral to helping unschooling thrive in our families.

I had to think about it a bit to choose how I wanted to represent the relationship between parenting and unschooling in the diagram. I chose a big circle to represent parenting, and then a smaller, fully enclosed circle to represent unschooling. Because, of course, there is parenting that exists outside of unschooling, yet, once we commit to unschooling and discover what a pivotal role our relationships play in learning, unschooling and parenting become one and the same.

Topics we cover

• Parenting doesn’t need to be adults vs children: from control to connection
• Connected and trusting relationships are key
• Children are capable of making choices
• Exploring boundaries and comfort zones

Things mentioned in the episode

The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children by Alison Gopnik

Attachment across the Lifecourse by David Howe

Escape From Childhood: The Needs and Rights of Children by John Holt

Episode transcript

Read the transcript