adult unschoolers

105: Social Media, Internet Addiction, and Screen Time

 
 
This week, I'm pondering:
Real life: Is my offline life being affected by my online activities?
Facebook: Do we need to be on social media?
The Internet: Is it addictive? Why do many adults have trouble using it in a sensible way? Does the Internet fulfil needs we're not really aware of?
Deep Work: Does the Internet affect our ability to concentrate and do valuable work?
Our children: Do we worry about our kids spending lots of time online because of our own experiences? Will all our kids be able to handle unlimited access to the Internet?
 
I also share some news of a new series of Facebook Livestreamed videos that might be of interest to parents and teenage girls.
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family where you might find some show notes to go with this episode.
You might find me on Instagram at sueelvis. 
You'll find my daughter Imogen on her Facebook page, Imogen Elvis. If you're interested in the FB Livestreamed videos, you might like to 'like' Imogen's page to keep up with the latest news.
Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)

104: How Do I Turn Unschooling Life into Homeschool Records?

 
This week, I chat about some recent events in our lives and how I turned them into notes for my Evernote homeschool records book.
Along the way, I share lots of news and discuss the questions:
Should we give pocket money to our unschooling kids?
Should we buy our kids what they need to further their passions?
Should we expect our adult children to be part of our lives?
What will I speak about when I do my first Facebook Live?
Did I finish Camp NaNoWriMo? Do I now have a first draft of my unschooling book?
Why do I appear twice in Feedspot's list of their Top 50 Blogs and Websites for Unschoolers and Their Parents?
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
You could also join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
I'm on Instagram at sueelvis and storiesofanunschoolingfamily.
Thank you for listening. If you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 

101: Adult Peer Pressure, Clothes, Rules and Compassion

 
This week, I'm talking about:
Communication skills: Are we good communicators? Why is it important that we know how to communicate? What about our kids? How do they deal with people in the bigger world who fail to treat them with the respect and politeness they have come to expect?
Adult peer pressure: Do we sometimes make decisions based on our friends' opinions rather than our families' needs? If we do this, do we put our relationships with our kids at risk?
Rules: Do we need to make rules? Or are they ineffective? Do rules set us up for battles with our kids? 
Jeggings: Is it okay for a mother as old as me to wear them? And are my jeggings fitting more comfortable after a month of our great weight loss adventure?
Collaboration: If we collaborate could we light a gentle unschooling fire?
 
As I talk, I share a few stories including one that was hard to write. 
 
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 

100: My Unschooling Podcast Adventure

This is the (hopefully) un-muddled version!
This week, I'm sharing my unschooling podcasting adventure. I talk about:
My first episode and why I nearly deleted it
Why we have to take risks
The future of this podcast
I also share:
a few resources while talking about Gilbert and Sullivan
my plans for Camp NaNoWriMo
my new Instagram adventure
and lots of other thoughts, ideas and stories!
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0) 

98: Unschool Maths and Uncomfortable Ideas

This week, I'm talking about:
uncomfortable ideas, the ones we think we'll never consider
how we sometimes deceive ourselves because we can't face the truth
our unschool maths story
 
I discuss the questions:
If our kids don't have formal maths notes to show, what can we put in our homeschool records books?
Is it okay to strew maths like we would science or history?
Is there a problem with some maths games?
Is there a problem with real life maths resources?
Can we call ourselves unschoolers if we don't unschool maths?
 
I also talk more about:
those times when life becomes overwhelming
how we can help each other when someone isn't coping
empathy and misbehaviour
our weight loss and fitness adventure
 
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0) 

97: Unschooling Imposters and Difficult Times

This week, I answer the following questions:
Why did I feel like an unschooling imposter?
Why is unschooling the perfect way of life even though life isn't perfect?
Why should we stop and reassess what we're doing every now and then?
What does Gemma-Rose's (13) day look like?
What is Sophie (16) doing at the moment?
I also talk about
our weight loss adventure
and my recent activity with my blog and Youtube channel
 
 
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0) 
 

91: How Unschooling is About Being Connected With Our Kids

This week, I discuss the following questions:
How do our children learn right from wrong?
Why is it so important that we are connected with our kids?
Why am I reluctant to ask people to review my children's novels?
Do parents have to be perfect or is there something more important than perfection?
What is a family?
Is my new podcast series idea a good one? Perhaps it's ridiculous!
I tell lots of stories along the way:
Why did I regret crying while I was watching a biology film at school?
Did my husband Andy become a singing superstar with his very own backing group?
Did I used to be a good surgical assistant or did I quake in my boots every time I was asked to help?
Please visit my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family for the show notes. 
Also, I invite you to join me on my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook page.
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 
Podcast music: Twombly by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)

86: Are You an Unschooling Multipotentialite?

This week, I'm talking about multipotentiality. In particular, I ask the following questions:
Is it okay to have multiple interests, to pursue one thing, get bored and then move onto something else?
When are we finished with a topic? When people move quickly between interests do they lack perseverance and  commitment?
Should we encourage kids to focus on only one interest? Is this best for a future career? Or is okay to have multiple interests?
Is my family full of multipotentialites?
Are people who move continuously from one interest to another frustrating?
How does the way I'm wired affect my online life?
This is my last podcast for the year. I'm off to explore new thoughts and ideas. Thank you for supporting my podcast during 2016. I hope you'll listen again when I return after Christmas!
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Join me in The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group,
and my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
You can find my new videos on my Youtube channel, Sue Elvis.
My new children's novel, 'The Angels of Gum Tree Road', is now on Amazon, Kindle, and Lulu. 
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 
 

81: Are You a Daring and Adventurous Parent?

This week, I talk about:
strengthening bonds between spouses
finding a balance between family life and work
how a parent's fears can hold back a child
how we need to be adventurous and daring parents
being silly as a family
some of the stories in my children's novel, 'The Angels of Gum Tree Road'
guest posting. Would you like to write an article for my blog?
essay writing. Do our kids need to practise essay writing just in case they want to go to university?
my new videos on my Youtube channel
and lots of other things!
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
Join me in The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group,
and my Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page.
You can find my new videos on my Youtube channel, Sue Elvis.
My new children's novel, The Angels of Gum Tree Road, is now on Kindle and Lulu. Soon it will be available on Amazon too.
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 
Thank you for listening. And if you enjoy my podcast, please consider writing an iTunes review and sharing the link so we can spread the word about unschooling! 

79: Learning from Life, Record Keeping, and Strewing

This week, amongst other things, I discuss the following questions:
 
Does working together strengthen family bonds? What about doing hard things together?
Is it okay to support our young adult children as they pursue their dreams?
How can we turn real life into homeschool records notes?
Do we sometimes overlook opportunities for making notes? And do we miss opportunities for strewing?
I had some technical problems with this episode. I apologise for the poor audio quality. Hopefully, I will sort everything out before I record the next episode!
You can find the show notes on my blog Stories of an Unschooling Family.
The Not So Proper Unschoolers Facebook Group
My Stories of an Unschooling Family Facebook Page
Imogen Elvis' Youtube Channel
Imogen Elvis' Facebook Page
The Angels of Gum Tree Road
 
Podcast music: 60's Quiz Show by Podington Bear, (CC BY-NC 3.0)
 
Thank you for listening!