S3E11 | Unschooling - How much time does it take and what does it cost?

The two most common practical questions about unschooling are how much it costs and how much time it takes. Neither has a simple answer. One parent usually stops earning a full income. Some expenses disappear — uniforms, rain gear, processed food, school fees — while others appear: music lessons, sports equipment, a computer for a gamer. The budget shifts with the seasons.

Cecilie Conrad, Sandra Dodd, and Sue Elvis talk about what it actually looks like to manage money and time as unschooling families. They share stories of tight months, handmade Christmas gifts, charity shop finds, and the creativity that comes when resources are limited. They discuss why withholding from children to "teach the value of money" often backfires, how generosity is learned through experiencing it, and why spending unequally on different children based on their actual needs is fairer than splitting everything evenly. On the question of time, they push back on the idea that unschooling is something parents must endure — and describe it instead as the richest use of the years they have with their children.

🗓️ Recorded November 30, 2025. 📍 Tarragona, Spain

🔗 Sandra, Sue and Cecilie's websites
https://sandradodd.com
https://storiesofanunschoolingfamily.com
https://cecilieconrad.com

Send a message

Support the show

In season 3 of Ladies Fixing the World, host Cecilie Conrad is joined by longtime unschooling voices Sandra Dodd and Sue Elvis to explore unschooling as a lifestyle.