Podcast Episode #21 – From Public School to Unschooling

Journey to Unschooling

I’d like to introduce you to Tanya and her 16-year-old son, Gavin. They currently live in New York, but I met them when they were living in St. Petersburg, Florida several years ago. I also had the privilege of hosting Gavin for a month in Mexico with my son, so I got to see firsthand what Gavin has been up to for his schooling.

I’ve really only known them as an unschooling family, so I did find myself in awe of their journey and where they started, and even what it looked like when they first started homeschooling. It’s fascinating to see what works for different families, and what doesn’t work. Each family is so unique and each family’s journey is different as their children grow and the needs of individuals and the family change.

According to Tanya, they started their schooling journey with public school because “that’s what you’re supposed to do.” As a family who values travel and having experiences over book knowledge, they realized public school wasn’t really a good fit for their family. When they pulled the kids out of school to homeschool, they discovered that unschooling was a good fit for their family. This is their story.

If you’re curious about what unschooling looks like or how you might arrive in a place to unschool, you’ll enjoy this conversation. If you’re an unschooler and you want some validation for your choices, take a listen. Even if you’re never going to be an unschooler, this conversation is about finding your own way, helping your kids find their own way, and staying connected in the process. I hope you enjoy it!

Resources:

Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org

Follow the Sharkey family on social media:

Family: www.instagram.com/theperfectlyflawedfamily

Gavin’s Photography: http://www.instagram.com/gavinsharkeyphotography

Addy’s Makeup: www.instagram.com/Adelaide’s_Makeup

Author

Rebecca Thompson Hitt

Rebecca Thompson Hitt, MS, MFT is the founder and executive director of The Consciously Parenting Project (2007). Rebecca loves supporting individuals and parents to grow themselves up in their current relationship challenges. She delights in empowering people to find peace and connection with their loved ones, supporting the transformation of the way we understand our connections. Her holistic approach, which includes our earliest experiences and nervous system patterns, her gentleness and compassion, and her deep listening without pathologizing, helps us to see ourselves and those we care about with new eyes, supporting the transformation needed in the world starting with our closest relationships. With over 30 years of professional experience working with individuals, couples, and families, in addition to her own personal healing work raising her now young adult sons, Rebecca is dedicated to transforming our relationships stories, one relationship and one family at a time.
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