We're sharing some of the most-loved episodes from our archives. Here's #20!   We do two episodes a week—this is our free one. Join us on Patreon to unlock a NEW episode every week for just $5/month!   #20: Permission to Cancel School This Year This episode originally aired on March 8, 2021. We’re just gonna say it: You don’t have to do school this year. In this episode, we’re talking about why it’s ok to skip academics and prioritize mental health and life learning. This is specific to our current pandemic circumstances, but it also applies to any season of life when things just aren’t “normal”: sickness, job loss, moving, traveling, having a baby. Because whatever you’re living through, THAT is the learning experience.  Takeaways  -Even if you were homeschooling before the pandemic, this way of homeschooling isn’t normal. -Stress is high, for us and for our kids. And stress makes learning harder.  -What are our kids learning besides academics, that might need to take precedence? -Kids are learning things like empathy, figuring out their own interests, managing stress, creating healthy relationships and boundaries, self care, etc. They are getting real life experience in how to deal with real life experiences. -Ask yourself why you are doing academics. Is it because you think you need to get through the material or your kids will be “behind”? What are the outcomes of “pushing through”? -We get to be their guide and support them through these experiences now. They’re building a tool box that they can use for their whole lives.   It's all happening on Patreon! You can always get new content on Patreon! Join our $5 Squad on Patreon to get an extra episode every week. Every month, you'll get 2 Listener Q&P (Question & Process) Episodes, an LTW Extra episode, and a monthly check-in where we get real about what's going well, what's hard right now, and what we're doing for self-care. You'll also get plugged into our community of like-minded parents for support, encouragement, and fun!   More About Homeschool Unrefined We are an inclusive and nonsectarian podcast. We believe Black Lives Matter, and we are LGBTQ+ affirming (for more, read our piece on Romper). We are listener supported and are donating 10% of all Patreon income and product sales to The Conscious Kid, a Black and Brown-led organization that has been instrumental in our own evolution and in leading the way in both ideological and tangible change with their work in “parenting and education through a critical race lens." Read our full ABAR Statement here and on Instagram.   Connect with us!  Visit our website | Sign up for our newsletter. | Support us on Patreon. | bookshop.org Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube Angela on Instagram: @unrefinedangela | Maren on Instagram: @unrefinedmaren Email us any questions or feedback at homeschoolunrefined@gmail.com