Stories of an Unschooling Family

By Sue Elvis

Want to know more about unschooling? How about radical unschooling? (It’s not as scary or as wild as some people make out!) Join me as I share ideas, stories, homeschool record-keeping tips and resou... more

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FAQs about Stories of an Unschooling Family:

How many episodes does Stories of an Unschooling Family have?

The podcast currently has 222 episodes available.

Stories of an Unschooling Family episodes:

February 11, 2025208: Why This Unschool Mother Doesn’t Care
Why don’t I care? Is there nothing I care about? Or do I no longer care about the things that could prevent me from doing what I feel called to do? Have you also learnt not to care?
In episode 208, I share:
Additional thoughts about episode 207
My new passion for classic cars
Why we should take an interest in our kids’ interests even if we don’t think we will like them
Why we shouldn’t let other people’s opinions decide how we live our lives
A couple of books and a TV show
Jumping rope or skipping for exercise
How we learn by diving into rabbit holes and having conversations
Fabulous ways to learn art history
And loads of unschool thoughts about loads of things

Show Notes

Podcasts
Da Ladies Fixing the World podcast
Virtual Kitchen Table podcast

Books
Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton
Practical Theology by Peter Kreeft

TV Series
Fake or Fortune?

People
Mel Robbins

Music
Camouflage by Joseph O’Brien

Blog Posts
How to Beat Time Who Jolts Us Forward Without Permission
Strewing to Share Passions and Keep Our Bonds Strong

My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers
Radical Unschool Love
The Unschool Challenge
My Amazon Author Page

If You’d Like to Support My Work
Buy Me a Coffee: Sue Elvis
Receive access to my password-protected blog posts and my thanks!

My Blog
Stories of an Unschooling Family
...more
1h 8min
February 05, 2025 207: The Unschool Fangirl Returns
I’m back and I’m fangirling!
Will I stay? Will I find a new focus for my podcast? Will I find a co-host? Will I get enough sleep? And who am I fangirling over?
This week, I’m sharing thoughts on
unschooling as a business
doing things for free
ageing unschoolers who might have unique skills to offer
our superpower- unconditional love
competing and persuading
social media
and lots of other things.

Show Notes

Websites
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Sandra Dodd’s website
Cecilie Conrad’s website
Erin’s website, Everlearning

Podcasts
Da Ladies Fixing the World podcast
Self Directed podcast
Virtual Kitchen Table podcast

Unschooling Community
Virtual Kitchen Table Community

Book
From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks

Blog Posts
Why I’m Content to Be a Blogger and Not an Instagram Influencer
Do You Need to Follow an Older Unschooler? (Part 1)
Do You Need to Follow an Older Unschooler? (Part 2)
How to Write a Million Unschool Love Stories
A Genuine Invitation for Christian Unschoolers
The Problem with Being Too Nice

If You’d Like to Support My Work
Buy Me a Coffee: Sue Elvis
Receive access to my password-protected blog posts and my thanks!

...more
1h 1min
April 30, 2024 206: A Birthday Chat
Today, on my birthday, I’m chatting about ageing, experimenting, taking risks, encouraging others, and other things.

Show Notes
I mentioned:
The Self Directed podcast with the Conrads
Episode 65 of the Self Directed podcast: Sue Elvis / Stories of an Unschooling Family
The Unschooling Together community
Podcast episode 3, Getting Older, Admitting One’s Age, Lines and Wrinkles
The Video Version of this episode on YouTube

My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
The Unschool Challenge: Kindle
The Unschool Challenge: paperback
My Amazon Author Page

Where You Can Find Me
Unschooling Community
The Unschooling Together community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Wholy Souly
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily/stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily

...more
26min
April 22, 2024205: Chatting with My Unschooled Author Daughter
I’m back with my author daughter Imogen!
In this episode, we’re chatting about…
Writing and how Imogen is promoting and selling her YA novels
Collaboration and how we achieve more when we work together
The ups and downs of social media
We also share some news and tell a couple of stories, including the one about my frightening Frida Kahlo eyebrows!

Show Notes

We mentioned
The Virtual Kitchen Table podcast
The Self Directed podcast with the Conrads
The Unschooling Together community
The Christian Unschooling group and Zoom discussions within the Unschooling Together community.
Writing podcasts with Imogen: episodes 181 and 183

My Unschooling Books
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page

Where You Can Find Me
Unschooling Community
The Unschooling Together community
Youtube
Sue Elvis
Blogs
Stories of an Unschooling Family
Wholy Souly
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily/stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily

Where You Can Find Imogen
Blog
Write.Rewrite.Read
Instagram
write.rewrite.read
Youtube
Imogen Elvis
Books
The Crystal Tree
The Shattering Song
Frost Hands

Thank you for listening to this episode!
...more
1h 8min
December 06, 2023 204: Santa, Books and Expectations
This week, I’m talking about:
Desires and Expectations
Are desires good? Are expectations about control? Can our expectations spoil our family celebrations?
Challenges
Should we give our kids space to set their own challenges? Do we need to challenge ourselves too?
Books
Do people judge us on our book choices? Can sharing the books we’re reading lead to some stimulating unschooling conversations?
The Santa Myth
Is it wrong to pretend Santa brings gifts to our kids? Is that lying? Should we eliminate Santa from our Christmas celebrations? Or is it possible to include the magic of Santa with the true meaning of the season?
2023
What were the highs and lows of my year? Does blogging about our kids lead to problems? Should adults make time for their passions and interests? Can we feel lost when our kids grow up? How do we move on? What do we do while we’re working out what to do next? Is it important we’re successful in a big way?
Stories
I’m sharing a story about books, people’s opinions, and the difficulties of parenting: Is it Risky to Share Our Book Collections? What Will People Think?
I’m also sharing a story about the Santa myth and family traditions from my book, The Unschool Challenge.

Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to leave a comment or say hello.

This is my last episode for 2023. Thank you for listening. I hope you have a very happy Christmas!

My Unschooling Books
The Unschool Challenge: Kindle
The Unschool Challenge: paperback
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
...more
1h 10min
November 23, 2023 203: Unschooling: Doing What Is Right
This week, I’m talking about right and wrong…
If we think something is right, should we do it? Do we have to push through any difficulties we might encounter? Perhaps we can’t give up unless we’re willing to do something we know is wrong. And if we do that, we won’t feel at peace.
The big question is: is unschooling the right thing to do? If it is, we shouldn’t be concerned about the future. Whatever happens, regardless of the outcome, we’ll know we did what we should have done.
Also, how do kids learn right from wrong if we always love them regardless of their behaviour? Are the critics right? Are unschooling parents irresponsible? Or do our strong connections allow us to guide our kids?
I have lots of stories and comments to share with you!

Show Notes
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my blog post, Unschooling: Doing What Is Right. It contains this episode’s show notes!

My Unschooling Books
The Unschool Challenge: Kindle
The Unschool Challenge: paperback
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
...more
49min
November 15, 2023 202: Tough or Unconditional Love?
Do good parents stay firmly in control of their children, demanding obedience, good behaviour and respect? Do they practise tough love? Or are there problems with this method of parenting? Is there some other way of raising kids to be good people who want to do what is right? Is it okay to parent with unconditional love?

This week, I’m sharing a few stories on this topic. I also have a request or plea for help.

Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Tough or Unconditional Love?Parent or Friend? It contains today’s show notes.

My Unschooling Books
The Unschool Challenge: Kindle
The Unschool Challenge: paperback
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page

...more
46min
November 08, 2023 201: Unschooling, Drifting, Planning and True Freedom
Is unschooling about drifting aimlessly through each day?
Do unschoolers waste time? Or do they live intentionally responding to their needs and making sure they achieve the things that are relevant and important to them?
Do unschoolers direct their lives instead of letting life direct them? Is that the meaning of true freedom?
Does the word ‘planning’ have a place in unschooling?
This week, I’m discussing these questions and more while telling a few stories.

Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Do Unschoolers Drift Aimlessly Through Each Day? It contains today’s show notes.

My Unschooling Books
The Unschool Challenge: Kindle
The Unschool Challenge: paperback
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page

...more
38min
November 02, 2023 200: Unconditional Love and Parenting
It is what it is. An interesting episode or not. I don’t suppose it matters. All that’s important is love.
Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Preventing Childhood Trauma with Unconditional Love. It contains today’s show notes.

My Unschooling Books
The Unschool Challenge: Kindle
The Unschool Challenge: paperback
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page

...more
46min
November 01, 2023 200: Unconditional Love and Parenting
Recently, from the bottom of the misery pit that I seem to have fallen into, I’ve had doubts about the worth of what I have to say. Blogging and podcasting haven’t seemed important. But despite questioning the value of what I’m sharing, there’s one thing I’m absolutely sure about: kids need unconditional love. Adults do too.
This episode starts with an extra introductory bit where I share a few personal things and a couple of extra stories. Then I get into the real episode about unconditional love and parenting.

Show Notes
Please visit my blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family, to read my post, Preventing Childhood Trauma with Unconditional Love. It contains today’s show notes.

My Unschooling Books
The Unschool Challenge: Kindle
The Unschool Challenge: paperback
Curious Unschoolers: Kindle
Curious Unschoolers: paperback
Radical Unschool Love: Kindle
Radical Unschool Love: paperback
My Amazon Author Page
...more
1h 8min

FAQs about Stories of an Unschooling Family:

How many episodes does Stories of an Unschooling Family have?

The podcast currently has 222 episodes available.

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