Stop Waiting for Permission and Back Yourself: Lael Stone on Courage, Curiosity and Confident Kids

If you have ever waited for permission before backing yourself or your child, this is for you. Courage and curiosity open doors that school sometimes can't. What happens when you stop waiting for permission and start backing yourself instead? Lael Stone, speaker, educator and author, shares how leaving a school system that did not quite fit opened the door to a life of possibility. At seventeen she travelled overseas alone and launched her first business, guided by courage and curiosity rather than convention. This is a warm, practical conversation for parents about raising confident young people, choosing connection over judgment, and trusting that a different path can be a rich one. If your child does not fit the traditional mould, Lael's story is a hopeful reminder that there are many ways to build a meaningful life. What you'll discover: • Backing yourself instead of waiting for permission • Raising confident, curious young people • Choosing connection over judgment • When school doesn't fit, and what becomes possible • Why courage and curiosity open doors In this episode of More Than a Score, Lael Stone shares how leaving behind a school system that didn’t quite fit opened the door to a life of possibility. At just 17, she travelled overseas alone, launched her first business at 20, became a parent at 25, and went on to build a career as a parenting educator, speaker, author, and co-co-founder of Woodline Primary School. Lael’s story is a reminder that qualifications don’t always come from classrooms — they can come from life experiences, curiosity, and the willingness to take a chance on yourself. She opens up about the power of trusting your instincts, embracing imperfection, and finding freedom in being “enough.” This episode is for parents and young people who feel pressure to have everything figured out. Lael’s journey reminds us that courage, curiosity, and connection will take you further than perfection ever could. You’ll discover: • Why backing yourself can be a powerful qualification you can have. • How courage and lived experience can open unexpected doors. • Why being “enough” matters more than being perfect. • How parents can model possibility, presence, and calm for their kids. Because success isn’t about ticking boxes — it’s about backing yourself and creating a life that feels true to you. Know someone else with a story that should be shared? Get in contact with us at [email protected]! More Than a Score: Redefining Success Beyond School is hosted by Laura Pitt and Dan Steele, a former teacher and award-winning school leader on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. New episodes fortnightly. Subscribe to follow along.