This week, on The Parents' Solution, I had an inspiring conversation with Carrie Paxton. Carrie is an unschooling mom of two girls and lives in central U.S. She runs a business that focuses on encouraging children about the wonders of the outdoors. She is also currently closing a tutoring business that she had started for teens and young adults to be more successful in school. Prior to that, Carrie was a classroom teacher and has experienced teaching from JK right up to college, in both private and public school settings.



Of course, with all that experience in so many different educational environments, I had to ask what made her decide to unschool her children. Carrie's answer was simple:


"I saw the system not serving the students." Carrie noted that even private schools promised to focus on the students when often, that was not truly the case.



And then of course, we dove into the topic of unschooling and what it means, particularly its' difference from homeschooling. Carrie explained that with unschooling, she does not do sit-down lessons or follow a certain curriculum. This type of education completely follows the child's interests. Learning experiences are on the child's terms and learning happens naturally.



As a teacher and mother, Carrie reminds parents to never treat their child's hobby as a waste of time. "All of their interests are valid."



As parents, teachers, and caregivers, we should never underestimate the power of the curious wonder with which children view the world.



Even if you are not a homeschooler or unschooler, this podcast is for you! Carrie also shared tips for parents who have children in traditional school systems.