Exploring child development and well-being, education, parent-child relationships, and family systems through the lens of mindful awareness.
Episodes
14 hours ago
14 hours ago
It's hard not to feel excited about the future of education when you talk to MacKenzie Price! She is a changemaker and on a mission to help children receive the most customized education possible. Not only that, she wants to help parents recognize that they don't have to passively accept the standard model as it is, but can utilize better options for their children.
As the co-founder of 2-Hour Learning which is a model that uses adaptive apps for academics and teachers as "guides", students are learning and achieving in ways that could not be done in the traditional school model. From the Texas Sports Academy, to the GT School, to NextGen Academy to Alpha School and Alpha Anywhere (homeschool), MacKenzie aims to transform the face of education.
In this episode, she shares how she went from a Standard graduate who had zero interest in going back into a classroom after graduation, to an alternative school entrepreneur. We talk about her own children's experience in the standard school model, where they are now, how 2-Hour learning has evolved, why "guides" instead of teachers, what is expected of students and families who participate in the schools that use 2-hour learning, the reason kids are successful (or not), the role of community and autonomy in learning, the importance of projects and goals, and much more.
It's hard not to be convinced that MacKenzie is onto something big and that the overall tides of education are changing. I believe the next 5-10 years are going to be filled with innovation and our children will benefit greatly, as they should!
Enjoy the episode!
How to stay in touch with MacKenzie:
Website: https://2hourlearning.com/about-us/
Instagram: @futureof_education
How to stay in touch with Missy:
Instagram: @letemgobarefoot
Facebook: @letemgobarefoot
Website: www.letemgobarefoot.com
eBook: Life Unschooled: A Guide to Living and Learning Without School
Substack: https://letemgobarefoot.substack.com/
Friday Oct 11, 2024
Friday Oct 11, 2024
Julie Bogart is an author, podcaster, mother of 5 children, and the founder of Brave Writer, which has been supporting, encouraging, and inspiring homeschool families for years!
I have been following Julie’s work for a long time and find myself regularly impressed with her level-headed approach to learning, parenting, and thinking. And I'm so glad we got to talk about all these things plus her wonderful book, Raising Critical Thinkers: A Parent's Guide to Growing Wise Kids in the Digital Age.
In this episode we discuss:
- Julie's upbringing, school experiences, and how the Internet has changed since she was raising kids
- how homeschooling became a part of her life
- listening to our kids and embracing their dissent
- considerations for technology use, algorithms, and being online
- how the different generations view authority
- the lens (and levels) to learning and mastery: Reading, Experiencing, and Encountering
- paying attention to our attachment to certainty
- considerations for making decisions
- how school taught us to believe in "one" right answer
- and more!
I hope you'll tune into this fabulous episode and let us know what resonated with you.
How to stay in touch with Julie:
Website: www.bravewriter.com
Social Media: @juliebravewriter
Podcast: https://blog.bravewriter.com/2024/01/03/podcast-complete-list-2024/
Book: Raising Critical Thinkers
How to stay in touch with Missy:
Instagram: @letemgobarefoot
Facebook: @letemgobarefoot
Website: www.letemgobarefoot.com
eBook: Life Unschooled: A Guide to Living and Learning Without School
Substack: https://letemgobarefoot.substack.com/
Saturday Aug 31, 2024
Saturday Aug 31, 2024
Dr. Robyn Koslowitz is a licensed school psychologist and clinical psychologist. She is also an author, writting the book she needed as a mom, (due to be out in 2025).
As someone who suffered from childhood trauma and PTSD, she knew that her panic attacks and flashbacks would impact her ability to parent her son. So, she set out to understand only to find that the research was limited. Fast forward 26 years and she has created a community to support parents, a YouTube channel, a podcast, and is the educational director of the Targeted Parenting Institute.
You won’t regret setting aside an hour of your time to listen to her wonderful insights and wisdom about mental health, self-care, parenting, relationships, and understanding how our nervous system works.
Much of what she shares can be applied today!
Here are some of the questions we address and ideas we discuss:
- What is trauma?
- Self-doubt, shame, negative self-talk and self-blame
- Parenting through past trauma
- What is a “trauma app”?
- Self-regulation exercises
- Behavioral patterns
- Rupture and repair
- Temperament work and respecting our children’s unique neurological writing
- Developing our skills as parents so we can parent ourselves and our unique kids.
- Polyvagal Theory and co-regulation
- “Sharing our calm”
- Entanglements and types of post-traumatic parents
- Our emotions are history, “What’s hysterical is historical.”
- How our memories are encoded in objects and places and people.
- Why people impact our nervous system.
- The power of acceptance, even our pain.
- Understanding the future self and appreciating your past self.
- And more!
As always, I’d love to hear what resonated. Please share your aha moments with us.
People/Things mentioned in the podcast:
Where to find more of Dr. Koslowitz:
Website: https://www.drrobynkoslowitz.com/about/
Instagram: @dr.koslowitzpsychology
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drkoslowitzpyschology
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@posttraumaticparenting
How to stay in touch with Missy:
Instagram: @letemgobarefoot
Facebook: @letemgobarefoot
Website: www.letemgobarefoot.com
eBook: Life Unschooled: A Guide to Living and Learning Without School
Substack: https://letemgobarefoot.substack.com/
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
Deb Adamson is a writer, children’s book author, and has worked in radio and broadcasting, been a journalist, and had a syndicated column about homeschooling that documented her family's homeschooling journey. Her goal with the column was to “bridge the gap” by showing people what homeschooling could be.
Now, she has written a children’s book about homeschooling, A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool, which gives homeschooling children a chance to see themselves in the pages of a book. This book celebrates homeschool in all its forms.
In this episode we discuss her interesting career, how homeschooling came onto her radar, her family’s homeschooling journey and where her son is now (hint: working towards a Ph.D. in semi-conductors!) and what goes into writing a children’s book and getting published.
We also discuss:
- The fear we can have about “messing our kids up” if we choose to homeschool.
- Supporting our children by following their strengths.
- How we can inspire our kids by following our own interests and how they can inspire us to keep learning!
- The importance of community and pulling in people and resources that can help your child achieve their goals.
- Not getting locked into a mindset but staying flexible as you each learn and grow.
- How a schoolteacher offered her a vote of confidence that homeschooling was a good choice.
- Sacrifices some of us have to make to homeschool.
- A book project she and her son have collaborated on.
- What goes into published a book.
- The books she has written and the inspiration for them.
- The books she has coming out in the next couple of years.
- And so much more!
This conversation is so inspirational and is a beautiful reminder that we are never too old to try something new or to chase our dreams.
You can now pre-order A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool through Amazon or from Barnes and Noble.
What a unique and delightful book to add your child's book collection.
*****
Other books mentioned in the show:
Stormy The Baby Dolphin/A Gulf Coast Rescue by Deb Adamson
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
**SPECIAL OFFER**
For those who pre-order “A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool” and provide a proof of purchase, Deb is graciously offering a chance to win a picture book manuscript critique for those interested.
**Deadline to be included in the drawing is August 31st, 2024. Please send your proof of purchase to letemgobarefoot@protonmail.com or through DM on Instagram.
Where to find Deb:
Instagram and Twitter: @debadamsonbook
Website: www.debadamson.com
Author page on Amazon
Homeschooling column:
Book Publisher:
How to stay in touch with Missy:
Instagram and Facebook: @letemgobarefoot
Website: www.letemgobarefoot.com
eBook: Life Unschooled: A Guide to Living and Learning Without School
Substack: https://letemgobarefoot.substack.com/
Friday Jul 12, 2024
Friday Jul 12, 2024
Ruth Rinaldi is an unschooling mom of two and the creator of Joyful Maths. She spent 11 years in the school system, eventually becoming the head of a math department in secondary school then the pandemic hit. She struggled with the way things were going and what she was required to do. At the same time, she noticed that her son’s behavior was different when he was home versus being in preschool. He was happier. This propelled her to take a sabbatical which turned into choosing the unschooling life.
Now, she hopes to spread math joy instead of math stress.
In this episode we take a deeper look at a subject that tends to make people nervous...Math.
We discuss:
- myths around maths,
- the idea of “holes” in understanding,
- whether people have “math brains”,
- how to approach math in daily life,
- math in games and play
- the importance of working with objects in the physical realm before online realm
- developing number sense and awareness
- looking at math with curiosity and having fun with numbers
- the expansiveness of math versus the narrow way it is presented in school
- the resources she has created to support families,
- math C.P.R. and more!
People mentioned in the podcast:
https://drchatterjee.com/blog/category/podcast/
https://ed.stanford.edu/faculty/joboaler
Find more of Ruth’s work:
Instagram: @joyfulmaths_homeed
Visit her Stan Store for resources and support: https://stan.store/Joyfulmaths_homeed
How to stay in touch with Missy:
Instagram: @letemgobarefoot
Facebook: @letemgobarefoot
Website: www.letemgobarefoot.com
eBook: Life Unschooled: A Guide to Living and Learning Without School
Substack: https://letemgobarefoot.substack.com/
Saturday Jun 08, 2024
Saturday Jun 08, 2024
Erin wears many hats and brings so much wisdom and reflection to the conversation!
As the mother of four, veteran unschooling mom who is also employed outside of the home, writer and podcast host, we discuss what life looks like as an unschooling family in the older years.
We address societal pressure to conform even when our kids become young adults and we talk about how community isn't necessarily an option, but in many ways an absolute need.
We talk about how our kids change and grow and how it's important for us to stay flexible through their development. We discuss how mentors and work can be great for our teens and young adults and why some unschooling kids want to pursure academics and the standard schooling model when they get older.
If you have a teen or young adult or will soon, this is a wonderful conversation. I think will give you comfort, things to think about, and ideas to consider as you navigate this part of your parenting journey.
How to stay in touch with Erin:
Instagram: @_everlearning_
Podcast: Virtual Kitchen Table
How to stay in touch with Missy:
Instagram: @letemgobarefoot
Facebook: @letemgobarefoot
Website: www.letemgobarefoot.com
eBook: Life Unschooled: A Guide to Living and Learning Without School
Substack: https://letemgobarefoot.substack.com/
Friday May 24, 2024
Friday May 24, 2024
Adam Cohen is a father or two and the creator of Brain Based Parent. You can find him on social media @brainbaseddad.
In this episode, Adam shares his journey from a discontent school kid to a circus student, performer, then circus skills teacher. He shares how coming across a mentor who introduced him to Applied Neurology changed the course of this life.
In this fascinating conversation about the power and purpose of our brain, we dive into:
- how our brain is (negatively) impacted in our modern day world,
- why play is vital for ALL of us, adults included,
- why eye movement impacts brain health,
- how brain-based training can improve ailments such as tremors and incontinence,
- breath work and nervous system regulation,
- how to become a more patient and aware person and parent
- and why unschooling can ultimately be a low stress state of living and learning.
Adam brings a unique perspective to the parenting conversation. Don't miss this one!
How to stay in touch with Adam:
Website: https://www.brainbaseddad.com/
or follow him on YouTube or Instagram @brainbaseddad.
How to stay in touch with Missy:
Instagram and Facebook: @letemgobarefoot
Website: www.letemgobarefoot.com
eBook: Life Unschooled: A Guide to Living and Learning Without School
Friday May 10, 2024
Friday May 10, 2024
Kirsten Cobabe is a therapist and “teen whisperer”, and I believe she is doing what she was put on this earth to do: support teens and parents during this unique time.
Although Kirsten had not planned on living in Hawaii, she was called there. Water surrounds her literally, but it is also a consistent theme in the work she does.
In this episode we talk all things TEENS (and get some solid reinforcements from a neighboring rooster!) Kirsten shares insights from the work she has been doing for over 20 years. Here are some things we discuss:
- Conflict and Struggle and Misunderstanding teens
- How parents can be a bridge instead of a barrier
- Being grounded in relationship first by using the C.A.R.E formula
- Family dynamics and environment
- The different pathways to “success”
- Social media and online world
- Why teens want REAL TALK
- Talking with your teens about being a producer and creator vs a passive consumer
- Dopamine and the teen brain
- The importance of Critical Thinking
- And Kirsten shares about some exciting things coming this summer!
Tune it for a lovely conversation that explores living with teens, parenting, awareness, relationship, curiosity, and connection. Let us know what resonated. We’d love to hear from you!
How to stay in touch with Kirsten:
Instagram @kirstencobabe
Website: www.kirstencobabe.com
How to stay in touch with Missy:
Instagram and Facebook: @letemgobarefoot
Website: www.letemgobarefoot.com
eBook: Life Unschooled: A Guide to Living and Learning Without School
Books and People mentioned during the episode:
A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
The Bonds that Make Us Free by C. Terry Warner
The Arbinger Institute https://arbinger.com/
Untethered Soul By Michael Singer
Dr. Becky Good Inside: https://www.goodinside.com/
Erik Erikson: https://psychology.fas.harvard.edu/people/erik-erikson
Wednesday May 01, 2024
Wednesday May 01, 2024
Karema Akilah is witty, a visionary, a force, and an inspiration. She is a widowed mother of six children, a trained teacher turned unschooling mom and the creator of The Genius School and GeniiDAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization).
This episode is full of insight and ideas for creating foundational, supportive frameworks in our homes, communities, and online spaces. Karema shares the “x factor” of the Genius School which is guided by the 5 Pillars of Invitation:
- Know Thyself,
- Know Thy Source,
- Know How to be Financially Self-Sustainable,
- Know they World,
- Serve Thy Community with Thy Genius
And we discuss the next big frontier in education: Web3 and cryptocurrency!
Karema’s community is thinking big and taking action to find a solution to the micro school funding problem. They have developed their own crypto, the $BeMe token, and aim to fund seven micro schools and their staff, support self-directed learners, and revolutionize education.
As she says, “we can do what we’ve always done, and we’ll get what we’ve always gotten” or you can do things differently and that’s what Karema and her community are doing. Plus, you are invited to join the education revolution, too!
To learn more about how to get involved and to provide support for the children and families who wish to utilize self-directed education communities, here are a few steps you can take:
- Join the GeniiDao Mighty Network community here: https://genii-5pillargeniuscommunities.mn.co/share/RYP4dE_7Rxi-z36G
- Read more about The Genius School here: https://www.thegeniusschool.org/about
- Purchase the merch kids have made here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/genii/
- If you already have a crypto wallet, be on the lookout for the $BeMe token
- If you don’t have a crypto wallet and want to create one, this is a great read for beginners: https://financebuzz.com/set-up-crypto-wallet
- Here is where to follow token performance: https://coinmarketcap.com/
- Follow Karema on Instagram @geniidaocommunity
- Help create $BeMe memes and/or SHARE to raise awareness and funds!
Also mentioned, Dr. Glenn Doman: https://iahp.org/about-glenn-doman/
For more of Missy's writing and work, follow along on Instagram @letemgobarefoot and Substack: https://substack.com/@letemgobarefoot
To purchase a copy of Life Unschooled, click here.
Monday Apr 22, 2024
Monday Apr 22, 2024
Karla Marie Williams is an author, speaker, and global advocate of children and families. She is also an unschooling mother of six. I invited her back on the podcast to dive deeper into a conversation around academics in unschooling, supporting the unique needs of our teens, freedom in the teen years, and launching them into the world. (You can listen to her family’s journey into unschooling and her inspiration for writing Teens Unleashed in episode 14.)
Karla brings a joyful spirit to our discussion. Her love for mothering and supporting her teens is undeniable. The great, real-life examples she shares about the power of conversation, planning, listening, and resourcing our teens, even on a budget, allows us to see unschooling in practice.
We address the concerns that unschooling might not be “intellectual”, walk through ways to guide each of kid as they develop their skills, talents, and goals, and discuss the important roles we play as parents, including when to get out of the way. If you have teens or will, don’t miss this one!
Learn more about Karla’s books and work here:
https://www.karlamariewilliams.com/
and on social media @simplykarlamarie
To find more of my writing and musings, visit @letemgobarefoot on social media and my website: www.letemgobarefoot.com
You can now download the ebook I co-wrote with a fellow unschooling mom, Life Unschooled: A Guide to Living and Learning Without School