Have you ever yelled at your child and immediately wondered if you'd just failed as a parent?

Most of us have moments we're not proud of. We lose our patience, raise our voices or react in ways that don't reflect the kind of parent we want to be. But does one difficult moment define our relationship with our children?

In this episode, Sari shares a recent experience of losing her temper with her nine-year-old son before a family trip. Together, we unpack the guilt that followed, the pressure many parents feel to "get it right," and why repair, self-awareness and self-compassion matter far more than perfection.

Along the way, we also explore freedom, responsibility, child development, neurodivergence, unrealistic expectations and what it really means to raise children with respect while remembering that parents are human too.

Some of the questions and ideas we explore include:

• Does yelling make you a bad parent?
• Will one angry moment damage your child?
• Why do parents lose their temper?
• How can repair strengthen a relationship?
• What does freedom look like alongside responsibility?
• How do we hold ourselves to realistic expectations as parents?

Wondering what keeps shaping your reactions when parenting gets hard? → Discover Your Parenting Archetype

Have a parenting, homeschooling, or unschooling question? Send it to us and we may answer it in an upcoming newsletter: → Dear Sari & Becka

→ Follow us on Instagram and come hang out with us between episodes.

→ Check out our website and explore more of our work, resources, and support.

Radical Learning Talks was named the #2 Democratic Education Podcast to Listen to in 2026 by FeedSpot. See the full list

Language and how we use it are important and can be one of the many ways we either move towards or away from individual and collective liberation.

So many of us are questioning systems of oppression in our deschooling work, yet if we aren’t vigilant we can easily slip into old ways of thinking, speaking and behaving - especially when we are faced with language and ideas that rub up against our current beliefs.

In this episode we talk with our friend Meghan from The Unschool Files about language policing and advancing the liberation movement through solidarity. 

Why do kids lie? Is it really about dishonesty—or could lying be telling us something important about how safe, connected or understood a child feels?

Most parents want to raise honest children, but conversations about lying often focus on punishment, consequences or teaching children to tell the truth. In this episode, we explore a different question: Why do children lie in the first place?

Together, we unpack the fears, pressures and unmet needs that often sit beneath dishonest behavior. We discuss how shame, punishment and the desire to avoid disappointing adults can make lying feel like the safest option, and why building trust is far more effective than trying to force honesty. We also reflect on the ways adults lie in everyday life and what children learn from watching us.

Whether you're homeschooling, home educating, unschooling or simply trying to build a more open and trusting relationship with your child, this conversation offers a compassionate perspective on honesty, trust and emotional safety.

Some of the questions and ideas we explore include:

• Why do kids lie?
• Is lying a sign that something is wrong?
• How can parents respond without damaging trust?
• What makes children feel safe enough to tell the truth?
• What role do shame and fear play in dishonesty?
• How can we model honesty in our own relationships?

Wondering what keeps shaping your reactions when parenting gets hard? → Discover Your Parenting Archetype

Have a parenting, homeschooling, or unschooling question? Send it to us and we may answer it in an upcoming newsletter: → Dear Sari & Becka

→ Follow us on Instagram and come hang out with us between episodes.

→ Check out our website and explore more of our work, resources, and support.

Radical Learning Talks was named the #2 Democratic Education Podcast to Listen to in 2026 by FeedSpot. See the full list

Should you make your child say "please" and "thank you"? What if they refuse to greet someone, make eye contact or give a hug?

Many parents feel caught between wanting to respect their child's autonomy and worrying about how other people will judge them. Is teaching manners really about kindness—or is it more about meeting other people's expectations?

In this episode, we explore the difference between manners and genuine kindness, the pressure parents feel to raise "polite" children, and how culture, neurodivergence and social expectations shape the way we think about respectful behaviour.

We also share personal stories about parenting, autism, selective mutism, cultural differences, people-pleasing and the fear of the adult gaze. Along the way, we ask what children actually need from us—and whether forcing polite behaviour helps them become kind human beings.

Some of the questions and ideas we explore include:

• Should you force your child to say please and thank you?
• What if your child won't greet people?
• What's the difference between manners and kindness?
• How do cultural expectations shape children's behaviour?
• How can parents support neurodivergent children without forcing compliance?
• What matters more: fitting in or building an authentic relationship?

Wondering what keeps shaping your reactions when parenting gets hard? → Discover Your Parenting Archetype

Have a parenting, homeschooling, or unschooling question? Send it to us and we may answer it in an upcoming newsletter: → Dear Sari & Becka

→ Follow us on Instagram and come hang out with us between episodes.

→ Check out our website and explore more of our work, resources, and support.

Radical Learning Talks was named the #2 Democratic Education Podcast to Listen to in 2026 by FeedSpot. See the full list

Will an unschooling teen be ready for adulthood? What happens when there are no grades, no graduation and no conventional path into adult life?

As unschooling parents, it's natural to wonder how our teenagers will find their way into adulthood. Without school milestones or prescribed next steps, many parents worry that their young person will fall behind or struggle to become independent.

In this episode, Becka reflects on her son's journey as he approaches adulthood after years of unschooling. We explore what independence really means, how intrinsic motivation continues to guide learning beyond childhood, and why becoming an adult isn't something that happens overnight.

Along the way, we talk about autonomy, responsibility, purpose, neurodivergence, life skills, friendships, accountability and how parents can support teens without taking over their journey.

Some of the questions and ideas we explore include:

• Will my unschooling teen be ready for adulthood?
• How do unschooling teens become independent?
• What life skills do teenagers actually need?
• How can parents support teens without controlling them?
• What does adulthood look like outside the school system?
• Why doesn't every young person's path have to look the same?

Wondering what keeps shaping your reactions when parenting gets hard? → Discover Your Parenting Archetype

Have a parenting, homeschooling, or unschooling question? Send it to us and we may answer it in an upcoming newsletter: → Dear Sari & Becka

→ Follow us on Instagram and come hang out with us between episodes.

→ Check out our website and explore more of our work, resources, and support.

Radical Learning Talks was named the #2 Democratic Education Podcast to Listen to in 2026 by FeedSpot. See the full list

How do you move forward after pregnancy loss? And how do you begin untangling the shame, guilt and expectations that so often surround miscarriage, abortion and birth?

In this deeply personal episode, we share our own experiences of pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, difficult births and the stories we carried about what these experiences meant.

Rather than focusing on medical advice or easy answers, we explore the emotional and societal layers that often go unspoken: the pressure to have the "right" pregnancy, the belief that something must have gone wrong, the judgments placed on parents, and the compassion that becomes possible when we begin questioning those beliefs.

Together we reflect on grief, surrender, autonomy, shame, healing and what it means to trust both ourselves and our children as human beings with their own unique paths.

Some of the questions and ideas we explore include:

• How do you heal after pregnancy loss?
• Why do miscarriage and abortion carry so much shame?
• How do societal expectations shape our experiences of pregnancy and birth?
• What helps us move through grief with compassion?
• How can we let go of guilt when life doesn't unfold as planned?
• What does all of this teach us about parenting, trust and letting go of control?

Wondering what keeps shaping your reactions when parenting gets hard? → Discover Your Parenting Archetype

Have a parenting, homeschooling, or unschooling question? Send it to us and we may answer it in an upcoming newsletter: → Dear Sari & Becka

→ Follow us on Instagram and come hang out with us between episodes.

→ Check out our website and explore more of our work, resources, and support.

Radical Learning Talks was named the #2 Democratic Education Podcast to Listen to in 2026 by FeedSpot. See the full list

What happens when you're ready to embrace homeschooling or unschooling, but your partner or co-parent isn't? Can your family still move forward together?

One of the most common questions we hear from parents is what to do when they're the only one excited about unschooling. It can feel lonely, frustrating and overwhelming to carry the responsibility of questioning old patterns while your partner seems resistant or unconvinced.

In this episode, we share our own experiences of navigating different paces in our co-parenting relationships. We talk about the temptation to convince, fix or pressure the other parent, why that often backfires, and how curiosity, patience and shared values can create space for genuine change.

We also explore guilt, judgment, communication, adultism, partnership and the importance of recognising that growth rarely happens on the same timeline for everyone.

Some of the questions and ideas we explore include:

• What if my partner doesn't support home education?
• How do you co-parent when you're not on the same page?
• Why doesn't trying to convince your partner usually work?
• How can you support change without creating more resistance?
• What does it mean to trust another person's process?
• How can you stay connected while growing at different paces?

Wondering what keeps shaping your reactions when parenting gets hard? → Discover Your Parenting Archetype

Have a parenting, homeschooling, or unschooling question? Send it to us and we may answer it in an upcoming newsletter: → Dear Sari & Becka

→ Follow us on Instagram and come hang out with us between episodes.

→ Check out our website and explore more of our work, resources, and support.

Radical Learning Talks was named the #2 Democratic Education Podcast to Listen to in 2026 by FeedSpot. See the full list

You've taken your child out of school, or shifted toward homeschooling or unschooling, expecting more curiosity, creativity and freedom. Instead, they spend hours on screens, say they're bored and don't seem interested in much at all. Is something wrong?

For many families, this stage is one of the hardest parts of deschooling. It can feel as though your child has lost all motivation, leaving parents wondering whether they've made the right decision.

In this episode, we explore what deschooling can actually look like for children who have spent years in school or adult-directed learning. We talk about burnout, healing, autonomy, boredom, screens, self-direction and why "doing nothing" doesn't necessarily mean that nothing is happening.

We also share practical ways parents can support their children through this transition without taking over the process, controlling their choices or recreating the very dynamics they're trying to leave behind.

Some of the questions and ideas we explore include:

• Why doesn't my child want to do anything?
• What does deschooling actually look like?
• Why are screens so common during deschooling?
• Is boredom part of the healing process?
• How can parents support self-directed learning without controlling it?
• What's the difference between offering support and taking over?

Wondering what keeps shaping your reactions when parenting gets hard? → Discover Your Parenting Archetype

Have a parenting, homeschooling, or unschooling question? Send it to us and we may answer it in an upcoming newsletter: → Dear Sari & Becka

→ Follow us on Instagram and come hang out with us between episodes.

→ Check out our website and explore more of our work, resources, and support.

Radical Learning Talks was named the #2 Democratic Education Podcast to Listen to in 2026 by FeedSpot. See the full list

What if your child wants to go to school after you've worked so hard to create an unschooling or homeschooling life? Or what if they've never been to school but suddenly want to try it?

For many parents, this possibility brings up fear, disappointment and confusion. It can feel as though everything you've been building is being rejected.

In this episode, we explore why children sometimes become curious about school, what might be underneath that desire, and why this moment can actually be a powerful expression of autonomy rather than a failure of unschooling.

Together we talk about belonging, friendship, curiosity, healing, consent, trust and the importance of supporting our children's choices without projecting our own fears onto them. We also discuss how home education isn't defined by whether a child attends school, but by the quality of the relationships, conversations and respect they experience at home.

Some of the questions and ideas we explore include:

• What if my child wants to go to school?
• Should I let my child try school?
• Why would a homeschooled child choose school?
• Can children still deschool while attending school?
• How do I respond without projecting my own fears?
• What does this situation teach us about trust and autonomy?

Wondering what keeps shaping your reactions when parenting gets hard? → Discover Your Parenting Archetype

Have a parenting, homeschooling, or unschooling question? Send it to us and we may answer it in an upcoming newsletter: → Dear Sari & Becka

→ Follow us on Instagram and come hang out with us between episodes.

→ Check out our website and explore more of our work, resources, and support.

Radical Learning Talks was named the #2 Democratic Education Podcast to Listen to in 2026 by FeedSpot. See the full list

What is an Agile Learning Center, and how is it different from both school and homeschooling? Could it offer a glimpse into what learning looks like when young people have genuine freedom, responsibility and choice?

In this episode, we're joined by Tomis Parker, one of the co-founders of the Agile Learning Center movement, to explore what happens when education is built on trust rather than control. Together, we discuss the principles behind Agile Learning Centers, how self-directed learning communities work in practice, and why creating the right culture is just as important as creating the right curriculum.

We also explore the role of adults in self-directed education, what freedom really means, how young people develop responsibility without coercion, and why democratic decision-making can transform the way communities learn together.

Whether you're homeschooling, home educating, unschooling, or simply curious about alternatives to conventional schooling, this conversation offers a thoughtful introduction to one of the most influential models in the self-directed education movement.

Some of the questions and ideas we explore include:

• What is an Agile Learning Center?
• How is an Agile Learning Center different from school?
• What does self-directed learning look like in practice?
• How do children develop responsibility without being forced?
• What role do adults play in Agile Learning Centers?
• Why is culture more important than curriculum?

Wondering what keeps shaping your reactions when parenting gets hard? → Discover Your Parenting Archetype

Have a parenting, homeschooling, or unschooling question? Send it to us and we may answer it in an upcoming newsletter: → Dear Sari & Becka

→ Follow us on Instagram and come hang out with us between episodes.

→ Check out our website and explore more of our work, resources, and support.

Radical Learning Talks was named the #2 Democratic Education Podcast to Listen to in 2026 by FeedSpot. See the full list