198 - When School-at-Home Homeschooling Stops Working

When traditional homeschooling stops working, there’s nothing wrong with exploring your options.
The Unschooling 101 mini-course can help. Let’s talk about what’s going on together.
-> Unschooling 101

-> Creating Confidence Membership (Unschooling 101 is included)

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If you’ve been homeschooling for a while — especially in a more traditional or school-at-home way — there often comes a point when it just doesn’t feel like it’s working anymore.

Not because you’re doing something wrong.
Not because your kids are failing.
But because the structure you started doesn’t fit your family.

In this episode, Sue Patterson talks through what it really means when traditional homeschooling stops working. She explores why so many families reach this place, why it often shows up midyear, and why unschooling frequently enters the conversation at this stage.

You’ll hear about the difference between homeschooling and unschooling, what “deschooling” actually looks like in real life, and why questioning your current approach is a thoughtful, responsible response — not a failure. This episode is especially helpful if you’re searching for alternatives to traditional homeschooling or trying to understand whether unschooling might be a better fit for your family.

Rather than offering quick fixes or rigid plans, this conversation focuses on clarity, reassurance, and next steps you can take without panic or pressure. If homeschooling isn’t working the way you expected and you’re wondering what comes next, this episode will help you slow down, make sense of what you’re noticing, and feel less alone as you explore your options.

Sue also shares how the Unschooling 101 mini-course can support parents who want a practical, grounded introduction to unschooling — especially those transitioning away from school-at-home methods and looking for a clearer understanding of what unschooling actually looks like day to day.

Read the Transcript at the blog