Carolyn - Yackandandah, VIC / Dhudhuroa Country

Unschooling on a farm in country Victoria, Carolyn, her husband Michael and their three children (aged 8, 6 and 2) are living their dream life. Currently in their third year of homeschooling, two of her kids have attended school for periods of partial enrolment, they have now chosen to wholeheartedly unschool, completely free and unscheduled, dig deeply into their values and celebrate living simply and joyfully. <br/><br/>SUMMARYAfter growing up in country NSW she moved to Melbourne, where she met Michael and thus began their journey in search of the place they now call homeStarting a new veggie garden in her small rental backyard in Warragul combined with listening to the futuresteading podcast inspired Carolyn and her family to seek out a more sustainably focused community and a google search lead them to YackandandahHow becoming a mum changed her whole being, the lived experience being so different to what she had imaginedFinding what didn’t work for her family lead them to homeschoolingCarolyn positively reflects upon her own education in which she felt free from pressure to perform academically. Not being tied to the outcome meant she could enjoy all aspects of her schooling experienceConnection - to each other, to ourselves, to our community - drives everythingAllowing her kids to create, be, rest and play - each week looks different depending on where they are at and what the weather is doingHolding back from jumping into community and outsourced activities so deeper connections can be found slowly and intentionally with likeminded familiesYou really don’t need much at all to have an abundance of wealth. It's the simple pleasures of life that money can’t buyContinuing to live bravely and try different ways of living that are aligned to the values that we hold so dearA garden and a library is all you needIt’s not just not doing school. Choosing joy as the lense to approach homeschooling<br/>INSPIRATIONHomegrown - Ben Hewitt (book)<br/>Consider asking your local library to purchase a copy if they don't currently have this book in their collectionFuturesteading PodcastLucy AitkenRead @lucy_aitkenread<br/><br/>CONNECTInstagram - @carolyn_doyne<br/><br/><br/>Have you got a story to tell?<br/>Connect with us on instagram @australianhomeschoolstories or email australianhomeschoolstories@gmail.com<br/><br/>This podcast is recorded on the land of the Bunurong people of the Kulin nation. I pay my respect to elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, always will be aboriginal land. <br/><br/>Original music by Daniel Garrood <br/>@garroodcomposer