#18 Tending relationships. Reflections on self-directed education and living with adult children, in Montreal, Canada, with Renee Tougas

My guest in this episode is Renee Tougas, who lives in Montreal, Canada with her husband and three adult children (22, 21 and 19). Renee discovered self-directed learning when her children were small and, whilst she had initially imagined that homeschooling would be all about academics, she soon realised that things just naturally unfolded in the right environment. Her children are now young adults and intentionally living at home whilst each pursuing a different path in higher education.Today, we chat about the need to let go of expectations or attachment to particular outcomes in order to allow our children to be who they want to be, particularly as they move into the teenage years. We explore what it means to live in a collaborative way with our children and how to feel into our role as parents, giving suggestions and guidance, whilst respecting their autonomy. And, we talk about why at the heart of all of this lies the importance of tending the relationship, above all else. If you'd like to support the podcast and the sharing of these stories, you can do that here.   Thank you!The Parent's Handbook to Unschooling Yourself. A Mindful Guide to Embracing a New Way of Living and Learning With Your ChildYou can sign up for weekly resources around unschooling and mindful parenting at:www.esther-jones.comOr, connect with me onSubstack: https://substack.com/@estherjonesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherjones.beyondschoolFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnschoolSpace