Exploring Unschooling

By Pam Laricchia

Society & Culture Education Philosophy Kids & Family

What's Exploring Unschooling about?

Explore unschooling with Pam Laricchia, Anna Brown, and Erika Ellis. We want to help parents figure out how to apply bigger picture unschooling ideas in their everyday lives.

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Exploring Unschooling episodes:

04.25.2024
EU365: The Independence Agenda
In this episode, Pam, Anna, and Erika dive into a very interesting lens on parenting—the independence agenda. It’s fascinating to see how this seemingly reasonable goal of fostering our children’s independence can get in the way of not only our...
04.11.2024
EU364: Unschooling Stumbling Blocks: Including Kids in Decisions
We are back with another episode in our Unschooling Stumbling Blocks series and we’re talking about including kids in decisions. There are many reasons why parents may rush through big decisions without giving children a chance to weigh in, but...
03.28.2024
EU363: Deschooling
Deschooling is a bit of a buzzword in homeschooling and alternative education spaces at the moment. So, let’s dive in! Pam, Anna, and Erika talk about the definition of the word, what that transition to unschooling can look like for...
03.14.2024
EU362: On the Journey with Kendel Ricker
We’re back with another On the Journey episode! We had a delightful conversation with Living Joyfully Network member Kendel Ricker. Kendel is an unschooling mom of two kids, 11 and 9, and she shared some of her journey with us....
02.29.2024
EU361: Siblings
In this episode, Pam, Anna, and Erika explore the sibling dynamic and some of the questions that come up when unschooling families navigate sibling relationships. We talk about letting go of expectations, watching out for casting our children in roles,...
02.15.2024
EU360: What’s So Magical About Age 18?
What’s so magical about age 18? Pam, Anna, Erika, and our guest Erin dig into the transition from childhood to adulthood and what it means for our unschooled kids. It’s common for parents to bump up against some cultural beliefs...
02.01.2024
EU359: Unschooling Stumbling Blocks: Quitting vs Sticking It Out
In this episode, we are starting a new series called Unschooling Stumbling Blocks, where we talk about common challenges on the unschooling journey. For this first stumbling block, Pam, Anna, and Erika talk about “quitting” vs “sticking it out.” This...
01.18.2024
EU358: On the Journey with Jahaira Luzzi
This week, we’re back with another On the Journey episode. Pam and Erika are joined by Living Joyfully Network member Jahaira Luzzi. Jahaira is an unschooling mom of two, ages 6 and 8, and a former early childhood educator. We...
01.04.2024
EU357: Building Community
In this episode, Pam, Anna, and Erika dive deep into building community. As we regularly mention, people are different, and each member of your family will likely have different needs for community, friendship, and social time. We talk about in-person...
12.28.2023
Harbor Highlights, Issue #1
Pam shares the first edition of Harbor Highlights, the new monthly audio dispatch she’s creating for her Patreon supporters. In it, she’ll be sharing the behind-the-scenes details of her next grand adventure! Listen in to learn more. And click here...
12.07.2023
EU356: Unschooling “Rules”: About Food
We’re back with another episode in our Unschooling “Rules” series. And we use the word “rules” in quotes to draw attention to the fact that there is no such thing as an unschooling rule! It can feel easier to reach...
11.27.2023
Podcast Update, Nov 2023
Quick Links Check out the Black Friday-inspired bundle specials on the newly refreshed Living Joyfully Shop! Transcript Hello, everyone! I’m Pam Laricchia from Living Joyfully and I’m popping in to share a couple of bits of news with you. First...
11.16.2023
EU355: Unschooling “Rules”: Freedom Leads to Self-Regulation
We’re back with another episode in our Unschooling “Rules” series. And we use the word “rules” in quotes to draw attention to the fact that there is no such thing as an unschooling rule! It can feel easier to reach...
10.05.2023
EU354: Unschooling “Rules”: Unschoolers Should Never Divorce
On this episode of the podcast, we’re sharing another entry in our Unschooling “Rules” series. We use the word “rules” in quotes to draw attention to the fact that there is no such thing as an unschooling rule! It can...
09.21.2023
Redefining Success and Parent-Child Relationships
This week on the podcast, we’re sharing a conversation I had recently for the Self Directed Podcast with Jesper and Cecilie Conrad. It was such an invigorating conversation that I asked if we could share it here as well and...
09.07.2023
EU353: Unschooling “Rules”: Unschooling is Child-Led
This week on the podcast, we’re sharing a new episode in the Unschooling “Rules” series. We use the word “rules” in quotes to draw attention to the fact that there is no such thing as an unschooling rule! It can...
08.24.2023
EU138 Flashback: The Sparkle of Unschooling
This week on the podcast, we’re sharing a compilation of experienced unschooling parents answering the question, “Looking back, what has been the most valuable outcome from choosing unschooling?” Another apt title might be Remembering Our Why, which is why we think...
08.03.2023
EU352: Unschooling “Rules”: Unschoolers Are Always Happy
This week on the podcast, we’re sharing a new episode in the Unschooling “Rules” series. We use the word “rules” in quotes to draw attention to the fact that there is no such thing as an unschooling rule! It can...
07.06.2023
EU351: Bringing It Home: Navigating Technology
This week on the podcast, we’re diving into another Bringing It Home episode. We’re looking deeper at our last Unschooling “Rules” topic, that unschoolers have unlimited screen time, and exploring what it can look like to navigate technology with our...
06.08.2023
EU350: On the Journey with Sarah McMackin
This week, we’re back with another On the Journey episode. Pam, Anna, and Erika are joined by Living Joyfully Network member Sarah McMackin. Sarah is an unschooling mom to Eamon, who just turned seven. She also runs a restaurant in...
05.25.2023
EU349: Unschooling “Rules”: Unlimited Screen Time
This week on the podcast, we’re sharing a new episode in the Unschooling “Rules” series! We use the word “rules” in quotes to draw attention to the fact that there is no such thing as an unschooling rule! It can...
05.11.2023
EU348: Q&A Deep Dive
In this week’s Exploring Unschooling podcast episode, we’re diving deep into a listener question submitted by Michelle in Texas. She writes, I listened to the episode with Xander regarding gaming, and it really helped change my perspective, especially during this...
04.27.2023
EU347: Bringing It Home: Staying Up Late
This week on the podcast, we’re diving into another Bringing It Home episode. We’re looking deeper at our last Unschooling “Rules” topic, that unschoolers don’t have bedtimes, and exploring what it can look like to navigate staying up late with...
04.13.2023
EU346: On the Journey with Cassie Emmott
This week, we’re back with another On the Journey episode. Pam, Anna, and Erika are joined by Living Joyfully Network member Cassie Emmott. Cassie is an unschooling mom with four children with diverse needs. She shares her path to unschooling...
03.30.2023
EU345: Unschooling “Rules”: No Bedtimes
This week on the podcast, we’re sharing a new episode in the Unschooling “Rules” series! We use the word “rules,” in quotes, to draw attention to the fact that there is no such thing as an unschooling rule! It can...
03.16.2023
EU344: Q&A Deep Dive
In this week’s Exploring Unschooling podcast episode, we’re diving deep into a listener question submitted by Julie in Ontario. She writes, How would you encourage parents to best unschool themselves? I’d really like to be a better example of someone...
03.02.2023
EU343: Bringing It Home: Navigating Lessons
This week on the podcast, we’re diving into another Bringing It Home episode. We’re looking deeper at our last Unschooling “Rules” topic, that unschoolers don’t use curriculum, and exploring what it can look like to navigate lessons and adult-led activities...
02.16.2023
EU342: Helping Kids Find Their Passion
This week on the podcast, we’re sharing a talk that Pam gave at the 2022 Canadian Online Homeschool Conference, Helping Kids Find Their Passion. Following our children’s interests and passions is one of the joys of unschooling. And truly, humans...
02.02.2023
EU341: Unschooling “Rules”: Don’t Use Curriculum
This week on the podcast, we’re sharing our second episode in the Unschooling “Rules” series! We use the word “rules,” in quotes, to draw attention to the fact that there is no such thing as an unschooling rule! It can...
01.19.2023
EU340: On the Journey with Nora McDonald
This week, we’re back with another On the Journey episode. Pam, Anna, and Erika are joined by Living Joyfully Network member Nora McDonald. Nora is an unschooling mom of two living in Costa Rica. She shares her journey to unschooling...
01.05.2023
EU339: Q&A Deep Dive
In this week’s Exploring Unschooling podcast episode, we’re diving deep into a listener question submitted by Jessie in Colorado. She wants to explore a quote from Free to Learn that took her off guard, which is: One proviso, though. Unschooling...
12.08.2022
EU338: A Conversation with Lore Blancke
This week, we’re sharing a conversation Anna Brown and I had recently with Lore Blancke on her podcast, Intimate Breath. Lore came across unschooling and the Exploring Unschooling podcast and was intrigued by the similarities she found with her work...
11.24.2022
EU337: Bringing It Home: Yes Energy
This week on the podcast, we’re sharing our first Bringing It Home episode. In this series, we’re going to dive even deeper into the topics that we explore in the Unschooling “Rules” series, with an eye to showing how these...
11.10.2022
EU336: On the Journey with Josh Ellis
This week, we are excited to share our first episode in our new On the Journey series! Anna, Erika, and I are excited to bring guests on the podcast to share their experiences. We’ll be talking about paradigm shifts, a-ha...
10.27.2022
EU335: Unschooling “Rules”: Always Say Yes
This week, I’m excited to share our first episode in the Unschooling “Rules” series! We use the word “rules,” in quotes, to draw attention to the fact that there is no such thing as an unschooling rule! It can feel...
10.13.2022
EU334: Q&A Deep Dive
In the intro, I share my new vision for the podcast: helping people figure out how to apply bigger picture unschooling ideas in their everyday lives. I want to help listeners explore how these big unschooling ideas work on a...
10.06.2022
EU213 Flashback: Unschooling and Math with Marcella O’Brien
This week, I’m sharing a popular episode from early 2020 with unschooling mom Marcella O’Brien. Marcella’s grown sons, Jack and Sean, have also joined me in Growing Up Unschooling episode 181. Marcella’s experience as a public school teacher and math...
09.29.2022
EU239 Flashback: Unschooling Dads with Roop Bhadury
This week, I’m sharing a fun conversation I had with unschooling dad Roop Bhadury. I connected with Roop through his wife Susan, who is a member of the Living Joyfully Network. She has also joined me on the podcast in...
09.22.2022
EU119 Flashback: Gaming and Growing Up Unschooling with Xander MacSwan
I get so many questions about “screen time” and video games and how they fit into an unschooling life, so I thought it might be helpful and fun to reshare a conversation I had with Xander MacSwan in 2018. Xander...
09.15.2022
EU111 Flashback: Ten Questions with Jan Fortune
This week, I’m sharing a conversation I had with Jan Fortune back in 2018. Jan home educated her four children in the UK and wrote many articles and five books on unschooling and parenting. Her book Winning Parent, Winning Child, focuses...
09.08.2022
EU207 Flashback: Advice from Grown Unschoolers
It’s compilation episode time again! This week, I’m sharing one of our listener favorites from 2019, a collection of conversations with grown unschoolers in which they offer their thoughts for newer unschooling parents. I’ve woven together answers from eleven episodes...
09.01.2022
EU282 Flashback: Teachers Turned Unschoolers
This week, we’re revisiting a popular compilation episode from last year. Many people have asked me whether any former or current teachers have been interviewed on the podcast. And the answer to that question is a big YES! We have...
08.25.2022
EU333: Exploring Unschooling Q&A
Anna Brown and Erika Ellis join me again this week to dive into listener questions! We talk about the fears and doubts that come up at the start of the unschooling journey, the idea of wanting to measure success, and...
08.18.2022
EU332: An Unschooling Journey with Jae Williams, Part 3
This week, I’m sharing the second part of my recent conversation with Jae Williams (you can listen to the first half here). Jae is a former teacher and new unschooling dad of two young children. We first spoke about a...
08.11.2022
EU331: An Unschooling Journey with Jae Williams, Part 2
Jae Williams is a former teacher and new unschooling dad of two young children. I first spoke to Jae when he was about two months into his unschooling journey, in episode 290. It’s been a year now and we had...
08.08.2022
EU330 Bonus Episode: A Peek Inside the Living Joyfully Network
I’ve mentioned the Living Joyfully Network online community here and there on the podcast over the last couple of years, sometimes sharing the theme we’re exploring that month or testimonials from members. But I feel like that doesn’t actually say...
08.04.2022
EU023 Flashback: Learning to Read in Their Own Time with Anne Ohman
Anne Ohman is a long-time unschooling mom of two grown children. Back in 2016, Anne and I had a lovely conversation about reading that I have referenced countless times over the years. When we spoke, she was working as a...
07.28.2022
EU154 Flashback: Unschooling Dads and Documentaries with Jeremy Stuart
This week, I’m sharing a conversation I had a few years ago with unschooling dad and filmmaker Jeremy Stuart. Jeremy directed and co-produced the documentary film, Class Dismissed, which was released in 2015. Since then, it has been screened in more...
07.21.2022
EU038 Flashback: Time to Think
This week, I want to share one of my conference talks, Time to Think. So many of the questions and concerns we hear from unschooling parents boil down to the fears that bubble up when we project our current situation...
07.14.2022
EU090 Flashback: Growing Up Unschooling with Phoebe Wahl
This week on the podcast, I’m sharing a conversation I had with grown unschooler Phoebe Wahl a few years ago. Phoebe is an artist whose beautiful work focuses on the themes of comfort, nostalgia, and intimacy. After first grade, Phoebe...

What's Exploring Unschooling about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Exploring Unschooling episodes:

EU365: The Independence Agenda

EU364: Unschooling Stumbling Blocks: Including Kids in Decisions

EU363: Deschooling

EU362: On the Journey with Kendel Ricker

EU361: Siblings

EU360: What’s So Magical About Age 18?

EU359: Unschooling Stumbling Blocks: Quitting vs Sticking It Out

EU358: On the Journey with Jahaira Luzzi

EU357: Building Community

Harbor Highlights, Issue #1

EU356: Unschooling “Rules”: About Food

Podcast Update, Nov 2023

EU355: Unschooling “Rules”: Freedom Leads to Self-Regulation

EU354: Unschooling “Rules”: Unschoolers Should Never Divorce

Redefining Success and Parent-Child Relationships

EU353: Unschooling “Rules”: Unschooling is Child-Led

EU138 Flashback: The Sparkle of Unschooling

EU352: Unschooling “Rules”: Unschoolers Are Always Happy

EU351: Bringing It Home: Navigating Technology

EU350: On the Journey with Sarah McMackin

EU349: Unschooling “Rules”: Unlimited Screen Time

EU348: Q&A Deep Dive

EU347: Bringing It Home: Staying Up Late

EU346: On the Journey with Cassie Emmott

EU345: Unschooling “Rules”: No Bedtimes

EU344: Q&A Deep Dive

EU343: Bringing It Home: Navigating Lessons

EU342: Helping Kids Find Their Passion

EU341: Unschooling “Rules”: Don’t Use Curriculum

EU340: On the Journey with Nora McDonald

EU339: Q&A Deep Dive

EU338: A Conversation with Lore Blancke

EU337: Bringing It Home: Yes Energy

EU336: On the Journey with Josh Ellis

EU335: Unschooling “Rules”: Always Say Yes

EU334: Q&A Deep Dive

EU213 Flashback: Unschooling and Math with Marcella O’Brien

EU239 Flashback: Unschooling Dads with Roop Bhadury

EU119 Flashback: Gaming and Growing Up Unschooling with Xander MacSwan

EU111 Flashback: Ten Questions with Jan Fortune

EU207 Flashback: Advice from Grown Unschoolers

EU282 Flashback: Teachers Turned Unschoolers

EU333: Exploring Unschooling Q&A

EU332: An Unschooling Journey with Jae Williams, Part 3

EU331: An Unschooling Journey with Jae Williams, Part 2

EU330 Bonus Episode: A Peek Inside the Living Joyfully Network

EU023 Flashback: Learning to Read in Their Own Time with Anne Ohman

EU154 Flashback: Unschooling Dads and Documentaries with Jeremy Stuart

EU038 Flashback: Time to Think

EU090 Flashback: Growing Up Unschooling with Phoebe Wahl