🌿 Before You Dive In — Have You Heard of Deschooling? If you're new here, or you've just pulled your kids from traditional school, there's one thing I wish *someone* had told me right away. It's called **deschooling** — and skipping it is one of the biggest mistakes new homeschool families make. So what is deschooling? The term was coined by educator and author **John Holt** — one of the founding voices of the homeschool movement. He believed that traditional schooling actually 'conditions' children out of their natural curiosity and love of learning. Deschooling is the 'adjustment period' your child (and YOU) need after leaving that system behind. After years of bells, schedules, worksheets, and being told exactly what to learn and when, your child's brain needs time to decompress and rediscover their natural love of learning. They may seem like they're doing "nothing." They're not. They're healing. John Holt's golden rule? 👉 One month of deschooling for every year your child was in traditional school. So if your child was in school for 6 years — plan for at least 6 months before you worry about curriculum, structure, or whether they're "behind." Yes, really. 😊 What does deschooling look like? ✨ Lots of free play and unstructured time ✨ Following their interests without an agenda ✨ Rebuilding trust between you and your child around learning ✨ Letting go of the "school at home" mindset yourself And here's the secret most people miss — parents need to deschool too. We were all conditioned to believe learning only counts if it looks like school. Releasing that belief takes time, grace, and community. That's exactly why this space exists. 💛 Drop a 👇 and tell me — how long was your child in traditional school? Let's figure out your deschooling timeline together!

Don't miss this essential part when you start homeschooling! See the classroom tab in my skool community for more details in the homeschool guide! My full homeschooling/ unschooling course is coming soon too. https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/deschooling/