#155: Why This School Psychologist Won’t Send Her Child to School (and Skips Curriculum Too)

You’ve heard it a thousand times: “But what about socialization?” “What if my kid falls behind?” “What if they only want screens?”
In this episode, I’m joined by Courtney (former teacher + school psychologist, now a private evaluator/advocate) to break down what unschooling actually is — and what it looks like in real life.

We talk about the fear parents carry when they step outside the school system, and why so many families need to deschool themselves first. Courtney shares what she’s seen from inside education and why forcing kids to meet grade-level standards can backfire — especially when kids develop at different rates.

We also get into:

• What unschooling really means (and why it’s not “kids watching TV all day”)
• Why school “socialization” can be toxic and what healthy socialization looks like
• How to handle screen time without power struggles (and why curiosity matters)
• The link between anxiety, nervous system regulation, and learning
• Why many kids are labeled too early — and what parents can do instead
• How to spark learning naturally through real life, nature, conversation, and connection
• A fascinating look at Human Design as a tool for understanding how your child learns

If you’re a parent who’s trying to homeschool without recreating school at home — and you want your child to grow in confidence, curiosity, and love of learning — this episode will help you breathe again.

 📌 Links to Courtney’s work: https://linktr.ee/courtney_shakti

Follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with a parent who needs reassurance today.

Mentioned in today’s episode:

• My ebook: https://thehomeschoolhowto.com/ebook
  
  
• My children’s safety book Let’s Talk, Emergencies!: grab it on Amazon!

🎁 Free resource: Grab my free 30-day homeschool quick start guide at thehomeschoolhowto.com