A five-minute visit can hold a whole season of hope. I sat down with Paige Carter of Inclusive Oak to trace the delicate return of motivation after school burnout, and name a stage many families live inside: curiosity without capacity. Oakland asked to see his friends, stepped into the classroom, then stepped back out, overwhelmed but determined enough to hug classmates in the hallway. We call that progress, and we talk about how changing our expectations changes a child’s nervous system.
We also untangle language that matters in practice. De-schooling is the rest-and-repair bridge between school and any home education model; unschooling is the child-led learning that may follow. Paige shares how releasing academic demands helped her son regulate, then rediscover interest through technology. From iPad downtime to active PlayStation sessions and YouTube walk-throughs, we explore how authentic learning shows up when a child truly cares about the goal: decoding letters to search, transferring steps into gameplay, and building confidence one solved problem at a time.
Parallel to this home shift runs a major advocacy effort. Paige takes us inside her months-long push to address the “grey area” in education, children who don’t qualify for special education but can’t access mainstream classrooms safely or consistently. After building a campaign, gathering expert input, and meeting the Premier, she shares the emotional toll and why deep rest afterward wasn’t indulgence but maintenance. Looking ahead, the family is packing up their home to travel Australia for a year. The kids get choice over what to keep and how to set up their bunks, and a purpose-built stroller remains a crucial support for safety and regulation in public spaces.
If this story resonates, whether you’re navigating de-schooling, advocating for grey-area learners, or rethinking what “success” looks like - come along. Listen, share with someone who needs a gentler lens, and leave a review to help more families find this conversation.
danabaltutis.com, mytherapyhouse.com.au, https://mytherapyhouse.com.au/your-childs-therapy-journey/ https://www.danabaltutis.com/services
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