The Unschooling Mom2Mom podcast is a quick conversation with Sue Patterson, coach, author, and mother of 3 grown unschoolers. Sue shares inspiration and tips to help you find the unschooling confidence you're looking for! Even if you’re more of a “homeschooler” than an “unschooler,” these 10 minute(ish) podcasts can help you find more joy in parenting, educating and connecting with your children! All 6 Seasons listed here: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/podcast
A recent Parents.com article explaining the pros and cons of unschooling raises an important question: Are these really problems with unschooling—or signs that we’re still defining learning through a school lens? In this episode, Sue Patterson looks at the concerns raised about basic skills, parental involvement, free time, and schedules—and explores where homeschooling parents may need to pivot. Are children really learning only when they’re completing lessons? Does making them study subjects they dislike prepare them for the future? And what might they lose when their curiosity is repeatedly interrupted by an adult’s curriculum checklist? We’ll also explore what involved unschooling parenting actually looks like—and why starting with the learner may make more sense in today’s world than starting with a predetermined body of knowledge. If you’re ready to move away from the school version of learning but aren’t sure what to do next, Unschooling 101 and Learning Math Without Curriculum can help. Both courses are included in the Unschooling Starter Bundle for $99 through July. Find the Unschooling Starter Bundle: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/product/Unschooling-Starter-Bundle More about the July Special: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/build-your-unschooling-confidence Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Would an unschooling course you can work through step by step—or a library of resources you can pull from when you need them—fit you better? Some unschooling parents want a clear path they can follow from beginning to end. Others want trusted help waiting for them when questions about deschooling, technology, math, or doing enough appear. In this short episode, Sue explains the difference between two kinds of self-paced unschooling support: • The Unschooling Starter Bundle —with Unschooling 101 and Learning Math Without Curriculum • The Unschooling Parent Toolkit —with all 25 unschooling guides Both options are $99 through July 31. See both options and choose the one that fits you: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/build-your-unschooling-confidence Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Why does it feel like unschooling isn’t working—even when you can see learning happening? The problem may be the school timelines you’re still using to measure your child. Many homeschooling and unschooling parents worry that their children aren’t reading, doing math, becoming independent, or preparing for the future soon enough. We may have left school behind, but its milestones can still shape how we define progress—and turn ordinary uncertainty into fear. In this episode, Sue looks at why timelines make unschooling so difficult to trust, how today’s concern can become a frightening story about the future, and what parents can use instead of grade levels and curriculum benchmarks. Through July: Get Unschooling 101 and Learning Math Without Curriculum together for $99. Learn how to reframe education and put learning without curriculum into practice. https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/product/Unschooling-Starter-Bundle Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Is your child really behind... or are you comparing them to the wrong timeline? When we leave school, do we have to carry the school's timeline with us? Doesn't the freedom to learn outside a classroom give us a different way to measure growth? In this episode, we're exploring one of the most common fears homeschooling and unschooling parents face: the worry that their child is falling behind. But before we answer that question, I want to challenge the assumptions behind it. If you've ever found yourself wondering whether your child is learning enough, reading soon enough, or keeping pace with everyone else, this conversation will help you see learning—and your child—through a different lens. If this episode has you looking at your own child a little differently, you may have questions that are unique to your family. That's exactly what we talk through inside my Creating Confidence Community . https://cc.unschoolingmom2mom.com/checkout/creating-confidence-membership Every week, parents bring questions about reading, math, teenagers, motivation, transcripts, screens... and yes, those worries about whether their child is "behind." If you'd like to experience those conversations for yourself, I'd love to invite you to come spend a week with us. You can join a coaching call, meet other unschooling parents, browse the resource library, or simply listen in. Your first week is free, so you'll have plenty of time to see whether it's the kind of support you've been looking for. I hope to see you there. Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Summer has a funny way of making homeschooling parents feel like they should have a plan. Even unschooling parents can start worrying about filling the time, finding a routine, or doing... more. Being between one school year and the next can feel surprisingly uncomfortable. Maybe it's the extra space. In this episode, we're exploring why those in-between seasons make us want to rush into decisions—to buy something, fix something, or make a plan—and why slowing down to observe your child may bring more clarity than planning ever could. It's almost as if creating a plan will fill the space and stop the worrying. Read at the Blog: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/summer-the-in-between-season NEW! Try Sue's Creating Confidence Community for a week - for Free! https://cc.unschoolingmom2mom.com/checkout/creating-confidence-membership Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
When your kid won't get off screens, even a simple request can quickly turn into a battle. Many homeschooling and unschooling parents find themselves caught in this frustrating pattern. What starts as "time for dinner" or "we need to leave" suddenly becomes an argument, leaving everyone wondering why it escalated so quickly. In this episode, Sue Patterson explores why screen time battles happen, what children experience when they're deeply engaged in gaming, and how understanding those transitions can help reduce conflict without relying on more rules or consequences. In this episode you'll learn: Why screen time battles escalate so quickly What children experience when they're deeply engaged in video games and gaming Why transitions away from screens can feel so difficult How repeated conflicts create predictable family patterns Practical ways to reduce power struggles around screen time Why understanding your child's perspective often changes everything Whether you're homeschooling, unschooling, or simply trying to create a healthier relationship with screens, this episode will help you understand why these moments happen—and how to make them feel less like a battle. Read transcript at the blog: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/when-your-kid-wont-get-off-screens-why-it-turns-into-a-battle Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Making Homeschooling Decisions Out of Fear | 216
What if fear is influencing more of your homeschooling decisions than you realize? When we're anxious about our children's future, it's easy to mistake fear for wisdom and urgency for insight. In this episode, Sue Patterson explores how fear can cloud our judgment, shape our homeschooling decisions, and make it difficult to separate what we're actually observing from what we're afraid might happen. If you've ever wondered whether you're responding to your child—or to your fear—this episode is for you. Need help sorting through your specific situation? Throughout June, Sue's 30-minute coaching calls are half price. Sometimes a conversation can help you separate what's actually happening from what fear is telling you might happen. http://www.suepatterson.as.me/june-special ________________________________ Read the transcript here: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/making-homeschooling-decisions-out-of-fear Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
They're playing all the time - is there anything worthwhile that we can count for homeschooling transcript? The answer may surprise you. In this episode, Sue Patterson explores how gaming can support learning in subjects like history, science, math, philosophy, leadership, and communication—and shares real examples of how those experiences can be documented on a transcript. Many parents worry that gaming is "just entertainment," especially when their teen spends hours immersed in Minecraft, Civilization, Kerbal Space Program, Factorio, Discord communities, or competitive gaming. But when you look beyond the label and focus on what a student is actually learning, a very different picture begins to emerge. In this episode, you'll discover: • How to identify academic learning hidden inside gaming interests • Real examples of transcript-worthy subjects connected to video games • Why philosophy, ethics, history, science, and math often show up through gaming • How leadership and communication skills develop in online communities • Why "video games" isn't a course title—but can lead to many legitimate high school credits • Tips for translating interest-led learning into transcript language Whether you're homeschooling, unschooling, or creating a non-traditional high school transcript, this episode will help you recognize learning that may already be happening right in front of you. UNSCHOOLING RESOURCES MENTIONED: Unschooling Transcript Course https://suepatterson-unschooling.thinkific.com/courses/unschooling-transcripts Creating Confidence Daily APP - Talking about Technology this month! https://cc.unschoolingmom2mom.com/checkout/creating-confidence-daily Creating Confidence COMMUNITY - Full Support for the journey! https://cc.unschoolingmom2mom.com/checkout/creating-confidence-membership-2 If you've ever wondered how to document gaming, screen time, or interest-led learning on a high school transcript, this episode is for you. Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Are you wondering whether it's time to make a change in your child's education? Many parents spend the whole summer questioning what's working, what's not, and whether a different approach to learning might be a better fit for their family. Some are considering leaving the school system. Others are rethinking traditional homeschooling. Still others are exploring unschooling for the first time. They aren't just looking for answers about academics, motivation, socialization, or learning gaps. They're trying to decide what comes next—and what they need to know before making a change. In this episode of Unschooling Mom2Mom, Sue Patterson explores the questions parents often ask when considering homeschooling, unschooling, or a more individualized approach to learning, and shares how coaching can help families move forward with greater clarity and confidence. You'll hear stories from parents who: • Had a teen who seemed interested only in gaming • Felt like their child didn't fit the traditional homeschooling mold • Were curious about unschooling but afraid to make the leap • Needed reassurance that they weren't ruining their children • Wanted a clearer path forward before the new school year began Whether you're new to homeschooling, curious about unschooling, transitioning away from curriculum, or simply looking for reassurance, this episode will help you approach the new school year with more confidence and less stress. Special Resource mentioned: • 1:1 Coaching Calls (50% off during June) Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Are we preparing kids for adulthood… or preparing them for school expectations? Parents worry about grades, gaps, transcripts, screen time, and whether their kids will be successful adults. But real adult life often depends on something else entirely: adaptability, communication, confidence, initiative, emotional regulation, and problem solving. In this episode, Sue Patterson explores how real-life experiences, play, curiosity, gaming, technology, and pursuing interests can help kids develop the skills they actually need for adulthood. Also: why school expectations still shape our fears how unschooling builds real-world problem-solving skills the difference between memorizing information and learning how to navigate life reducing power struggles around technology helping parents feel more confident taking an unconventional path If you’ve ever wondered whether unschooling truly prepares kids for adult life, this episode will help you rethink what “life prep” really means. → Creating Confidence Community and Daily Confidence App: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-sign-up → Read transcript at the blog https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/the-life-prep-unschooling-homeschooling-kids-really-need Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Mother's Day can be a lot of things — wonderful, disappointing, emotional, or somewhere in between. For unschooling and homeschooling moms, there's an added twist: your kids aren't sitting in a classroom getting reminded to make something for you. No teacher. No craft. No school newsletter nudging dad to pick up flowers. So this year? You become the Mother's Day Fairy. 🧚♀️ In this episode, Sue Patterson — mom to three now-grown unschooled kids and founder of Unschooling Mom2Mom — shares why unschooling really is a Mother's Movement, and how you can reclaim Mother's Day so it actually fits YOU and your family. You'll hear: Why waiting and seeing is a recipe for disappointment The Mother's Day Fairy concept and how to make it a family tradition A practical night-before checklist so the day doesn't just arrive like a regular Sunday Why appreciation is an inside job — and what to do about it How to set your kids up for success without doing it all for them Whether your Mother's Day has been wonderful, meh, or a total flop in the past — this episode will help you create something that actually feels good. No comparisons. No "what will people think." Just a day that fits the actual humans in your family. Because that's what unschoolers do. 🌸 Resources mentioned in this episode: The Mother's Day Collection Page — bookmarkable, comes back every year: UnschoolingMom2Mom.com/mothersday Mother's Day Fairy Checklist @blog: Link Mother's Day Songs Playlist on YouTube: Link Mother's Day Playlist on Spotify: Link Printables for Kids or Moms: Links Bazillion Memes to share with other moms: Link Join the Unschooling Mom2Mom App Community Try it for FREE for 7 days Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
What does an unschooling day actually look like? If you’ve been searching for a routine, a schedule, or some kind of structure you can follow… and keep coming up empty, this episode will give you something more useful. Instead of a rigid plan, we’re walking through real-life examples of unschooling days—what it looks like for younger kids, older kids, and teens—and why it can feel so unstructured (even when learning is happening all day long). Inside this episode: What unschooling looks like in real life (by age) Why “structure” feels missing at first How learning shows up without curriculum What’s actually happening during gaming, YouTube, and downtime How to recognize patterns, rhythms, and progress This is the shift most parents need: From trying to create structure… to learning how to see it. If your days feel open-ended, uncertain, or like you’re “not doing enough,” this will help you reframe what’s really going on. 🎧 Want daily support like this? The Creating Confidence Daily app gives you short, practical voice notes each day to help you stop second-guessing and feel more grounded in your unschooling. Try it free for 7 days. 📝 Prefer to read or revisit this later? You can find the full transcript on the blog. Looking for those Seasonal Unschooling Guides Sue mentioned? See all 4 Guides here. Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
What does unschooling look like day to day—and how do you know it’s enough? This is where most parents start to second-guess everything. If you’ve ever lwondered, “Is this enough?” —you’re not alone. We’re unpacking one of the most common fears in unschooling: What learning actually looks like when it doesn’t look like school. With no worksheets, no visible lessons, and no clear benchmarks… it can feel like nothing is happening. But that’s not what’s going on. We’ll talk about: Why unschooling feels “too unstructured” Where that pressure to do more comes from What learning actually looks like in everyday real life Why confidence comes and goes—and how to handle that If you’ve been second-guessing your choices or worried your child is falling behind, let's reframe what you’re seeing—and what really counts. 🎧 Listen in, then take a closer look: Full transcript and resources https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/is-unschooling-enough-what-it-really-looks-like-day-to-day Want daily support instead of figuring this out on your own? Inside the Creating Confidence Daily app, I walk alongside you for a couple minutes each morning—helping you reset your thinking and build real confidence over time. Try it free for 7 days. https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-daily Podcasts Mentioned: Unschooling Doubts: Why Unschooling Parents Feel They Aren't Doing Enough The Real Reason Unschooling Confidence Disappears "I Want to Do More to Teach” Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
How do unschoolers learn math without a curriculum? Can kids really learn math without school—and how do you know it’s enough? Here's a real “day in the life” of an unschooling teen. See exactly where math shows up—hour by hour—without worksheets, textbooks, or formal lessons. If you’ve been wondering: how do kids learn math without curriculum is real life math enough am I doing enough math in our homeschool what about unschooling math gaps …you'll get a clear, practical look at how math naturally develops through everyday life. Real life Math examples like: Mental math, estimation, math in daily routines Math in video games Cooking, shopping, and budgeting Sports, timing, decision-making Problem-solving, estimation But here’s the struggle you'll recognize— Noticing is Step 1 - Seeing it in YOUR kids's lives is the Next Level. We talk about why so many parents feel confident after seeing examples like this… and then fall back into doubt—and what actually helps build long-term confidence with unschooling math. If you’re transitioning from homeschool curriculum, questioning traditional math approaches, or trying to trust unschooling, this episode will help you start recognizing what’s already happening—and understand what comes next. 🎯 Want help seeing and trusting real-life math in your home? UNSCHOOLING RESOURCES for Episode 209 Learning Math WITHOUT Curriculum - Let's conquer your math concerns and talk about what real math adults are using daily. Day-In-The-Life - How Unschoolers Learn Math (blogpost) See the Hour-by-Hour Math in this unschooled teen's life Creating Confidence Membership Group - Ready to level up and figure this out with other unschoolers? This is for you! Creating Confidence Daily - Voicenotes and inspirating messages every day. This daily habit really will grow your confidence! (7-day Free trial!) Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
“If we don’t use a curriculum... how do we plan anything?” It’s the number one question new unschoolers ask. If stepping away from traditional lesson plans makes you feel like you’ve lost your roadmap, this episode is for you! Welcome to Season 6 of the Unschooling Mom2Mom podcast! This week, host Sue Patterson explains why planning as an unschooling parent isn’t about deciding what your child must learn next. It’s about shaping an environment where curiosity has room to grow. When you let go of the need to control the learning, you remove the friction in your home. We're shifting the focus from "planning school" to "planning for connection." In this episode, you’ll learn 3 simple planning tools unschooling parents use: The "Look at the Week" Conversation: How to build a natural family rhythm based on real life, not an imaginary school schedule. The "Idea Parking Lot": A stress-free way to offer invitations to learn (strewing) without assigning tasks. The "Just Data" Review: A simple weekly habit to help you step back, notice the learning that is already happening, and stop the "Are we doing enough?" panic spiral. Learning doesn’t need nearly as much management as we were taught. Tune in for your 10-minute pep talk to help you build a life where learning naturally fits! Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Need more daily support or a community of like-minded parents to help you brainstorm? You don't have to do this alone! Join the Creating Confidence Membership: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-membership Get Daily Reassurance with the Creating Confidence App: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-daily Strewing Calendar Ideas DAILY! https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/strewing-calendars Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Pi Day is one of those holidays parents often try to make “fun.” But sometimes the issue isn’t the activity — it’s the hype. Here's a quick unschooling perspective on Pi Day and why kids often respond better to curiosity than to pressure. Instead of trying to convince kids something is fun, unschooling families often offer ideas lightly — letting interest show up naturally. Sometimes kids lean in. Sometimes they don’t. And both are completely normal. Sue Patterson also shares a simple way to introduce Pi Day at home without turning it into a big event. Just remember, real learning doesn’t need a sales pitch. Huge collection of Pi Day ideas here: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/pi-day Blogpost: The Reality of Pi Day for Unschooling Families 🎧 Unschooling Mom2Mom Helping parents build confidence in unschooling and learning outside traditional school. Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
What can unschooling families learn from the neurodivergent community? In this episode, Sue Patterson looks at how our understanding of “quirky” kids has changed over the years—and why many unschooling parents are learning from approaches developed within the neurodivergent community. Even families without a diagnosis can benefit from these ideas when kids struggle with expectations, pressure, or social dynamics. In this episode: Reassurance for parents of neurodivergent children How the conversation around neurodivergence has evolved Why many families turn to unschooling when school isn’t working What parents can learn from neurodivergent-informed parenting approaches Resources for neurodivergent families Sue also shares details about the Unschooling Summit , where many speakers will be discussing neurodivergence in unschooling families. 🎟 Free tickets to the Unschooling Summit: https://www.theunschoolingsummit.org/a/2148243842/xzoAT2Ao 📱 Try the Creating Confidence Daily app (7-day free trial): https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-daily Read the Transcript: Quirky Kids? Unschooling and Neurodivergence https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/quirky-kids-unschooling-neurodivergence Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Do you need to revisit deschooling as your child gets older? Many unschooling and homeschooling parents start worrying about learning gaps, grade levels, falling behind, and whether unschooling is “working.” Deschooling is often treated as a beginning phase of homeschooling. But school conditioning doesn’t disappear once. It resurfaces in layers. In this episode, we talk about: • Why deschooling isn’t one-and-done • How grade-level thinking creeps back in • Why independence can trigger anxiety • Common fears about gaps and timelines • How to recalibrate without returning to school-at-home structure If you’re homeschooling without curriculum, exploring unschooling, or noticing old school-based fears resurfacing, this episode will help you pause, recognize the pattern, and revisit deschooling with steadiness instead of urgency. Deschooling isn’t finished. It evolves as your child grows. ____________________________ RESOURCES: Creating Confidence (private community or daily app) https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-daily Deschooling Toolkit https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/product/Deschooling-Toolkit Read Transcript at the Blog https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/deschooling-isnt-something-you-finish Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
If you’re an unschooling or homeschooling parent struggling with doubt, internal criticism, or wondering if you’re doing enough, this episode is for you. We talk about how unschooling confidence is built through daily reinforcement — not one-time inspiration. Start your free week of Creating Confidence Daily here: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-daily Unschooling doubt doesn’t disappear just because you left school. Old scripts — about productivity, laziness, timelines, and “doing enough” — are still there criticizing you. And when real life gets loud, those voices get louder. In this episode, we talk about: How to grow your confidence How old school-conditioned thinking resurfaces under stress Why reinforcement matters more than motivation What it looks like to “practice perspective” And why adding a steady voice into the mix can change everything You don’t have to silence the critical voices completely. But you don’t have to let them be the only ones speaking. I want to be in there too —elbowing them out of the way. If daily reinforcement would help you stay grounded in your unschooling values, Creating Confidence Daily was built for exactly that — short, steady reminders that fit into real life. Try it free for a week here: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-daily I’ll see you there — and I’ll be back here next week. Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
You feel steady about unschooling… and then one comment, one comparison, one tired day — and you spiral. Why does confidence disappear so fast? Let's unpack why unschooling confidence doesn’t “stick” — even when you understand the philosophy. Confidence doesn’t grow on autopilot. It comes from intentionally brining it back to the front of our minds. Rhythm and repetition. Today, we'll talk about: • Why doubt resurfaces in cycles • The difference between insight and daily reinforcement • Why bingeing encouragement doesn’t work • How 10–15 intentional minutes can steady your thinking If you’ve ever thought, “I know this… so why am I still worried?” — this one’s for you. NEW UNSCHOOLING RESOURCE: Creating Confidence Daily opens February 22. A simple daily reset to help you stay steady instead of riding the emotional rollercoaster. Learn more: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-daily Read the transcript: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/the-real-reason-your-unschooling-confidence-disappears-and-how-to-strengthen-it Happy unschooling. Let me know what you think of this! Support the show _____________________________________________________ You don't have to do this alone. Try Creating Confidence free for 7 days. Whether you prefer daily encouragement or a supportive community with live coaching, you can explore it all and see what fits your family best. Choose the level of support that fits you best—from daily encouragement to live coaching and community. Come spend a week with us! Creating Confidence Options UNSCHOOLING 101 Course Math WITHOUT Curriculum Course Unschooling Transcript Course Seasonal Unschooling Guides Private 1:1 Coaching with Sue Stay Connected: Free Email List with weekly unschooling resources www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
#183
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Apple Podcasts rankings supplied by Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed July 31, 2026.
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