In this episode I am chatting with Munira Adenwalla, who is an occupational therapist and lives in London with her 14-year-old son. Munira realised when her son was young that school would not be a good fit for him. We talk about how our school conditioning runs deep and the worries that can come when we step away from it. And Munira tells us what unschooling looks like for her son, and how in hindsight she can see how his particular path has unfolded as he has followed his interests. We also talk about why unschooling allows neurodivergent children far more space to understand themselves and to forge a path that feels right for them.

Connect with Munira

FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ot4kidswithmunira
Parents' FB Group: www.facebook.com/groups/helpingkidswrite
Website: https://www.ot4kids.co.uk

If you'd like to support the podcast and the sharing of these stories, you can do that here. Thank you!

The Parent's Handbook to Unschooling Yourself. A Mindful Guide to Embracing a New Way of Living and Learning With Your Child

You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:
www.esther-jones.com

Or, connect with me on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschooling
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

This episode, I am with Zahra Lightway and Patricia Sprenger of Light Way Learning. Both came to alternative education through feeling disilusioned with the education system, Zahra as a teacher whose son had found the system difficult, and Patricia as a parent whose children were struggling at school. We talk about learning looks when it doesn’t look like school, the power of just observing our children, and the amazing things that can happen when they have agency over their own learning. And, they explain why they started Lightway Learning, to help parents with their transition to learning beyond school. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Zahra Lightway, M.Ed, BA
Co-founder of Light Way Learning and creator of Famli & Light Way Home Educator Academy. I understand what it's like to watch children lose their spark in traditional schooling. I witnessed it for over a decade as a classroom teacher. That heartbreak led me to spend four years researching how children actually learn best, drawing from 150+ years of alternative education research and real experience with hundreds of families. I created the Light Way Home Educator Academy to give parents what I wished I'd had: a clear, proven framework that honors how children naturally learn while giving families the structure and support they need to feel confident: a course, coaching, community and AI tool to make learning visible, all in one place. My approach weaves together holistic educational principles, emotional intelligence, and collaborative decision-making tools, all designed to help parents create a learning life that feels joyful and sustainable rather than stressful and overwhelming. You can find out more about our first course, The Foundations Journey, here and/or do our free introductory training here.

Patricia Sprenger home educated her two children from ages 10 and 11 through high school, blending her 30-year background as a movement specialist with an academic approach rooted in nervous-system balance, emotional regulation, and organic, interest-driven learning. Drawing on her expertise in the language of the body, she developed a holistic educational model that was intentional yet free-spirited, honoring every curiosity with equal value. Now in their early twenties, her children are thriving—one in his first year of law school at UCincinnati, and the other completing her final year in plant science at Cornell University before pursuing a PhD. Patricia currently serves as a co-founder and academic advisor for Homeschool Directive, a globally recognized accredited home-education program that empowers families to personalize lea

If you'd like to support the podcast and the sharing of these stories, you can do that here. Thank you!

The Parent's Handbook to Unschooling Yourself. A Mindful Guide to Embracing a New Way of Living and Learning With Your Child

You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:
www.esther-jones.com

Or, connect with me on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschooling
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace

In this episode, I am talking with Sue Patterson, who lives in Austin Texas. Sue is an unschooling coach, author, and the founder and voice behind Unschooling Mom2Mom. Sue has three adult children, who are now in their thirties, and who were all unschooled. Sue tells of how she came to unschooling when her children were young, after seeing how they were failing to thrive in traditional school. We talk about her deschooling process and how important it is to change the stories in our heads, and to focus on the here and now and the connection with our children. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Connect with Sue

Unschooling Mom2Mom: http://www.UnschoolingMom2Mom.com
Creating Confidence Daily App: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-daily
Unschooling Membership Community: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/creating-confidence-membership
Strewing Calendar: https://www.unschoolingmom2mom.com/strewing-calendars

If you'd like to support the podcast and the sharing of these stories, you can do that here. Thank you!

The Parent's Handbook to Unschooling Yourself. A Mindful Guide to Embracing a New Way of Living and Learning With Your Child

You can find my blog, workshops and courses at:
www.esther-jones.com

Or, connect with me on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.unschooling
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace