10 September 2017

Why Becoming an Ex-Unschooling Blogger is a Bit Scary

I’m almost an ex-unschooling blogger. How does that feel? Scary.

My blog has been a huge part of my life for many years and I’m wondering if I can survive without it. Can I get out from behind the unschooling label and do something that’s different but still valuable? Perhaps all my talents are wrapped up with unschooling and I haven’t got anything else to offer. Maybe I ought to say, “I’ve changed my mind. I made a hasty decision. I want to keep blogging about unschooling after all.”

Except it wasn’t really a hasty decision. Things haven’t been right for months. (You probably noticed.) I thought the answer might be to try something new. So I created a Facebook group where I could collaborate with other unschooling bloggers. I tried vlogging from the car. I made some blog post promotional videos and posted them on Youtube. I turned parts of my podcasts into transcript blog posts. I made some unschooling graphics to post on Instagram. And although I enjoyed doing all this, I know that experimenting with different ways of promoting the unschooling message isn’t really going to help.

Although it’s scary, I’m finally ready to move on.

“What shall I do next?” I ask my girls.

“We could start a new podcast together, Mum,” suggests Sophie.

A mother and daughter podcast. Talking about issues from both parent and teenager points of view. Sharing books and other things we’ve discovered. I always love chatting with my 16-year-old daughter. She has lots of interesting things to say. Often she surprises me with her observations.

“Batgirl and Ruby.”

“Huh?” Sophie raises her eyebrows.

“We could call the podcast Batgirl and Ruby,” I explain. Why? No particular reason except that name sounds so much more exciting than Sue and Sophie.

So my daughter and I might start a new podcast. But what else will I do?

READ  Discouraged

I’m going to ponder that question. I guess there’s no hurry to decide. I’m sure some quiet time will encourage me to think creatively.

In the meantime, I still have a guest post or two I never got around to publishing here on this blog. Also, there are some posts in my drafts file that I could finish. Perhaps I should tidy up some loose ends before I disappear completely. Leave my blog in good order.

So I’m not quite an ex-unschooling blogger. I’m only an almost one because an occasional post might appear here from time to time as I empty my drafts file.

And who knows? Sophie and I might dive into the bat cave and return as podcasting superheroes. If we do that, there’s every chance unschooling will pop up in our conversations. As my daughter said, “Mum, unschooling is life, and life is what we’d be talking about.” However much I want to move on from my blog, I think it’s going to be impossible to leave unschooling behind. It’s coming with me. It will flavour future projects because it’s part of who I am.

“Who will be Batgirl and who will be Ruby?” I ask.

“I’m definitely your sidekick,” says Sophie, “so I should be Ruby.”

“But I’m too old to be Batgirl…”

Our conversation continues. And I forget about feeling scared. Instead, I’m excited, Discussing new ideas is so delicious.

And if we put this one into action, I’ll let you know!


So when was the last time you had a delicious new idea? And have you ever been scared at the thought of changing direction? 

Sue Elvis

I'm an Australian blogger, podcaster, and Youtuber. I write and speak about unschooling, parenting and family life. I'm also the author of the unschooling books 'Curious Unschoolers', 'Radical Unschool Love' and ‘The Unschool Challenge’. You'll find them on Amazon!

12 Comments

  1. You’ve been a wonderful addition to the home educator voices online. May your family and future endeavours be blessed. Much love.

  2. I find when my gut is screaming something I should just follow right away or it will eat me alive until I do. I figure I can always find my way back if I needed as nothing unless it involves dying is the end 🙂 I hope you leave your blog intact though after you go as I still find bits from years past that is new and helpful currently to us. It’s an archive of useful knowledge, motivation, and inspiration. I am glad you emptied your thoughts and experiences onto pages for us to gleam from, thank you. You are one of the reasons we believed our different family could also unschool as before what I had seen in the unschool blog area just wasn’t us. I think you will do great in whatever you do from here. Maybe it’s time for a Sue blog exploring your passions and who you are as your girls start off on their own seperate adventures although your still far from empty nest 🙂

    • Alissa,

      Oh, yes, sometimes we have no choice. We have to make some changes. Years ago, I remember doing a horticulture course. I hated it. Everyone told me I’d be silly to give it up because I was so close to getting another qualification. (I already had a science degree.) But something inside me was screaming. One day, I knew I just couldn’t face another lecture so I dropped out of the course. I decided I could always return in the future, but at that moment, I had to move on. It ended up being the right decision. I never did finish the course and I never needed the qualification. Sometimes we need to listen to what is going on inside us.

      I will be leaving my blog online. I’d like to polish it up a bit. There are a few old posts that still need reformatting after the move from Blogger. And as I said, I do have some incomplete posts in my draft file that I could publish if I finish them. And I keep thinking of one last thought I’d like to share before I disappear completely!

      I’m so glad we could connect through my blog. Yes, unschooling is definitely for different families like ours!

      A Sue blog? I like that idea very much. I do wonder though if I’m interesting enough to have a personal blog. Unschooling and my children have given me endless ideas for posts. Without them, I do feel a bit lost. I suppose whatever I write about, my family will still make appearances in my stories. My life is so wrapped up with them. I hope we’ll still stay in touch regardless of where I go next.

      Thank you so much for supporting and encouraging me while I’ve been blogging. I’ve really enjoyed sharing this adventure with you!

      • Maybe think about a one year up date just so those of us who have followed for a few years can see where the girls have gone on to do. I think that is one of the greatest fears sometimes with things like unschooling, what does adult futures hold after unschooling since it’s unconventional.
        I think when your finished writing about unschooling you may find even if your busy with the girls you will find something come up to focus on, maybe another book 🙂
        I wonder sometimes once the kids are gone and I have to embark on a journey of self discovery what will I find? I had my first child at 22 so I feel I haven’t had the time like others may have to “find myself” completely. I hope I like her haha 🙂 Good luck!

        • Alissa,

          A journey of self-discovery? Oh yes! Our identity is so wrapped up with our kids. At times, it’s hard to see ourselves as separate people with interests that have nothing to do with parenting and education.

          When you get a chance to find yourself, you’ll love her. I’m sure of that, even though I only know you through our comment conversations. We often talk about needing time to ourselves and wanting to do things of our own. But our most important work is associated with our families. They help us become the people we are meant to be. All those sacrifices we make and the love we receive, they transform us. Imagine how self-centred we’d be if we only had ourselves to think of.

          It’s been good to chat. Enjoy the weekend!

  3. Sue,

    I will miss reading your blog. You have been such an encouraging voice in the unschooling world, and specifically to me. Your words have given me a new perspective on my relationship with my kids and your examples of how to love unconditionally have been so helpful. I’ve hesitated often in our almost unschooling lifestyle and your words have given me the courage to keep letting go of the traditional school ideas. I haven’t commented often, but I have been here reading, learning, and growing.

    Please do leave your blog up as I would like to be able to refer to it in the future (especially the Evernote helps!) and iti s my favorite blog to share with friends interested in unschooling.

    If you and Sophie start a podcast, I’d love to listen to it with my 17 year old daughter. That sounds like a wonderful adventure.

    Thank you for sharing your life and love of unschooling with us!

    • Mary,

      I’m so pleased you have found something helpful in my words about unschooling. Thank you so much for sharing my blog with your friends. I know I don’t have all the answers, but it’s always good to ponder ideas together and offer each other encouragement and support, isn’t it?

      Yes, I will be leaving my blog online. Also, I’m going to continue podcasting, at least for the moment, maybe until I get a clearer idea of what I’m going to do next. Despite wanting to move on, I keep thinking of things I could say or write about unschooling.

      Talking of podcasting, I will indeed let you know if Sophie and I create a podcast together. I think it would be fun to do something like this with my teenage daughter. And it would be lovely to know you and your daughter are listening!

      Thank you for taking the time to write this very kind comment. I always enjoy swapping comments with you. Maybe we will continue chatting depending on what I do next!

      I hope you continue to enjoy your unschooling adventures with your family!

  4. Thanks so much for everything you’ve done, and all the insightful visions your posts have given me! And thanks very much for capturing thoughts here on this blog for myself, other unschoolers, and future unschoolers to benefit from!

    • Hamilton,

      I appreciate your kind comment. Thank you for your thanks!

      For the moment, I’m continuing to podcast while I decide what to do next. And I want to reorganise things a bit better here on my blog. It’s good to know readers might want to browse my archives even if I’m not writing new posts.

      I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you in the comments as I’ve been blogging. I hope we’ll continue to share ideas and experiences both on your blog and my podcast posts. And maybe we’ll stay in touch depending on where my future projects take me!

  5. I just found your blog and have been feeling like something isn’t right in our homeschool. This may be the answer. I look forward to exploring your posts, and appreciate you leaving it up for people like me to find and learn from! God bless your new endeavors!

    • Annie,

      I’m pleased you’d like to explore my blog. I hope you find something that will help you with your homeschooling. I love sharing the unschooling message. Maybe that’s why I can’t quite seem to let go of my blog. If you read my more recent posts you will discover that I’m going to continue posting here on this blog despite saying I’m off to do something else. I’m not going to become an ex-blogger after all. I hope you’ll stop by again some time!

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