On today’s episode, I had such a blast chatting with Kat @bllissfullybeautifulchaos. Kat is an unschooling mama of 4 who created her instagram page very recently, so she can share her passion about unschooling and connection parenting. She’s become such quick friend, as we have so many things in common, and I loved hearing her perspective about why unschooling works for kiddos with ADHD and dyslexia. Both of these are near and dear to my heart, as they run on both sides of our families. I’m learning that I have undiagnosed ADHD and had no idea until very recently. Kat talks to us about how a more traditional homeschool setting didn’t work for her neurodivergent learners because the expectations to get through the curriculum and lessons dysregulated them so much that they had to spend hours recooperating, not to mention all the power struggles to get it all done. This is so familiar for me, as well! Kat talks to us that because there are so many days and times that are unpredictable because of neurodivergence, living a learning lifestyle gives ourselves and our children the freedom to not follow a specific method or lesson plan or curriculum, and instead frees us to give ourselves and our children what is needed in the moment. Kat talks about how they dont use curriculum and what they do instead. She touches on how they learn reading without curriculum and we talk about how the conventional way to approach a child having struggles with a specific school subject is to intensify the support and time spent on it, Kat talks to us about letting go and giving children the time and space to learn it as the child feels safe and curious on their own to do so. She talks about how children naturally learn and desire to do the things they see older siblings and adults around them doing. This gives the child the control and autonomy to take over their own learning. We talk about how the little things DO truly add up, even when it doesn’t seem like it, especially when it’s done out of joy and freedom. We talk about connection/conscious parenting and how unschooling gives us the time to spend helping our children and ourselves learn how to regulate emotions, communicate needs, demonstrate empathy, etc. We talk about sensory tools and how to integrate them in and through our days to help our neurodivergent kiddos, as well. Kat talks about how unschooling and conscious parenting his not a hands off approach, but extremely hands on in such a different way. We end with Kat encourages moms who are struggling and possibly afraid to take this different path for their families to just take some time to intentionally do things together they enjoy and take the pressures off, both them and us. She encourages families to just start! Take the dive and see what happens! And along the way, we see the healing we may not have even known that we needed all along as well.

I hope you gain wisdom, encouragement, and next steps on your journey by listening to our chat. Let’s get to it!