Virtual Kitchen Table

Episode 52: Does Teaching Have a Place in Self-Directed Education or Unschooling?

We read a Substack article by Esther Jones, Unschooling and the Magic of Teaching and were inspired to peel back the role that teaching might play within self-directed learning and a number of aspects that are related. It turned out to be a very interesting topic and we’d love you to have a listen!Resources: Unschooling and the Magic of Learning – Esther Jones SubstackUnschooling – What’s in a Name?Episode 19: Home Ed Labels and Jargon: Sorting Them ThroughHomeschool High School Ideas – The Beauty of Mentorships For Teens – Ever LearningFinancially Accessible Homeschooling – How Do We Offer our Children an Abundant Life? – Ever Learning

Episode 51: Nervous System Health and Self-Compassion, Our Own and Our Children’s

It was really an honour to speak with Linsey Briggs of @unschoolingstanley about a topic she shares so generously about. Her insights were both beautiful and practical. It’s always amazing to see the different angles and experiences each person has and so this was another full conversation.In listening back through our discussion, I was reminded of how closely it fit with what Hayley has always written so much about — compassion for self, our children and others — on her Taking a Kinder Path blog. If you missed Episode 50, which honoured Hayley and discussed some of her work, please go back and listen to the previous episode.And we hope you’ll join us here for this episode’s conversation with Linsey.Resources: @unschoolingstanleyVirtual Kitchen Table CommunityVirtual Kitchen Table Episode 50: My Journey to Taking a Kinder PathVirtual Kitchen Table Episode 21: Emotional Labour

Episode 50: My Journey to Taking a Kinder Path – In Honour of Hayley

Oof. This is hard. This episode is one in which we give the sad news that our wonderful Hayley has passed on. We also attempt to honour her as best we can by discussing her post, My Journey to Taking a Kinder Path. We’re not sure we’ve ever known someone whose blog name is so perfectly reflective of who they are. Hayley has endured cancer and cancer treatment for the past year and a half and did so bravely and optimistically. Our hearts are full of love for her family and our thoughts include them often these days. The sadness we feel, interspersed with the joy we know from having known Hayley, speaks volumes about the value and authenticity of online friendship. We are immensely grateful that Sue Elvis from Stories of an Unschooling Family joined us for this conversation. It was through Sue that we had the opportunity to know Hayley, and out of a hope for more conversation with Hayley from “across the pond” about  the values we share, that the Virtual Kitchen Table idea was inspired and born. Today we discuss Hayley’s own road  to the idea of Taking a Kinder Path: For Ourselves, Our Children and the World and relate it to each of our own. There are so many similarities across three different countries and four different families. We’d love you to have a listen. Sue closes our conversation with these thoughts:“It’s really been an honour to talk about Hayley’s work and so I think we all feel such deep grief for the loss of a friend. I also feel that mingled with that is a sense of joy from her work.  She brought joy and her work will continue bringing joy to people lives, and I think that our conversation today has been mingled up with joy and grief. She can’t help but bring that joy to our lives … … Thank you Hayley for always turning up and writing the blog post and leaving that fabulous legacy.  We need to keep passing on that message that Hayley was so good at sharing … to be kind, don’t divide,  be respectful and love.”Thank you, Hayley, for your beautiful writing and wisdom that we will continue to share and discuss. And thank you for your friendship. We are grateful.  Resources:My Journey to a Kinder Path Episode 5, Part 1: Kindness and Unconditional Love – What Do They Have to Do With Unschooling? Episode 5, Part 2: Kindness and Unconditional Love – What Do They Have to Do With Unschooling? How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk – Adele Faber, Elaine MazlishDr. Sears – Attachment ParentingRaising Your Spirited Child – Mary Sheedy Kurcinka 

Episode 49: Resentment – Our Feelings Toward Other Homeschool Parents, our Spouses and Children, and How We Can Move Through Them

Resources: 7 Reasons to Talk to Yourself Out Loud | Psychology Today Canada On Chores, Learning Respect and Such … Is There a Gentler Way? – Ever LearningHomeschooling High School and Socialization: Not all Teen Community has to be Homeschool Community  – Ever Learning Basil and Honey Newsletter, The weaving together of our stories – by Anna Hewitt 

Episode 48: Taking a Kinder Path to the Holiday Season – Planning Together with our Kids

Based on a core section of Hayley’s blog post, Taking a Kinder Path to the Festivities: For You, Your Children and the Planet, we discuss kind and collaborative approaches we can take to the holiday season With two holiday season discussions behind us, we weren’t sure how much there was left to talk about. It turns out that was no problem! We had some in-depth conversation about planning WITH our kids rather than just for them, Santa Claus (or not – and all kinds of things in between), gift-giving and the differences between the receiver choosing and the giver choosing, what keeping things “simple” means and how that isn’t always about material things, giving grace and openness to those we’re spending time with, dealing with different convictions within our family and how to be kind to ourselves. There are lots of our own stories in this one:Our own childhood background with Santa, what gift-giving looked like in our families of origin versus with our own families, how to avoid resentment and overload, whether we need to take on making the traditional meal simply because we are mothers and many more. This is a content-packed episode.Come join us!Resources: Taking a Kinder Path to the Festivities for You, Your Children and the PlanetVirtual Kitchen Table Episode 17: Being Intentional about the Holidays – Ideas for Thoughtful FamiliesVirtual Kitchen Table Episode 32: Being Intentional About the Holidays – Finding a Fit for Our FamiliesChristmas Customs: Weaving Together Faith and Festivity and Whether to “Do Santa”Virtual Kitchen Table Episode 37: Nurturing our Well-Being Through Creative Practices Virtual Kitchen Table Episode 41: Creative Kids, Creative ParentsDealing with Conflict at Christmas: Taking a Kinder PathLiving Joyfully Network