When School Isn’t Working Anymore

A gentle, practical workbook created for parents of autistic, ADHD, PDA, and anxious kids who are overwhelmed by school refusal or ongoing school stress – and looking for a calmer way forward.

Homeschooling doesn’t have to feel like chaos, guilt, or second-guessing every move. The first stage isn’t about rushing into lessons – it’s about slowing down, reconnecting with your child, and understanding what they need to recover from school pressure.

This guide is for families stepping away from school and for those who’ve already started homeschooling and are wondering why things still feel hard.

It offers a calm, confident place to begin – or to pause and reset.

Illustration of a digital tablet displaying the cover of “The Deschooling Survival Guide,” a printable workbook for families navigating life after school stress. The guide is designed to support families, especially those with autistic, ADHD, PDA, or anxious children, during the deschooling process.

Does this sound familiar?

  • You’ve pulled your child from school (or are about to) – and now you feel pressure to “do it right.”
  • You’re worried about them “falling behind,” even though school wasn’t working.
  • Your child is burnt out, anxious, or shutting down, and you don’t know how to help.
  • You want to homeschool – but without recreating the same school stress at home.

You’re not alone. So many parents of autistic, ADHD, PDA, or anxious kids feel this way when they start homeschooling.

This can be just as true for families who’ve already started homeschooling and are wondering why things still feel hard.

What This Guide Will Do for You

This isn’t just a workbook. It’s a reflective, practical guide designed to support you through this stage.

Inside you’ll find:

  • Validation that deschooling is real, necessary, and allowed.
  • Reflection prompts to help you release guilt, fear, and “shoulds.”
  • Observation tools to notice everyday learning without worksheets.
  • Simple ways to create curiosity-friendly, PDA-aware spaces.
  • Examples that prove life itself counts as learning (yes, Minecraft and board games included).
  • A gentle path from deschooling into discovery – when your child is ready.

You’ll Walk Away With

  • A clearer understanding of what your child is going through
  • A calmer mindset about “falling behind”
  • More confidence navigating learning without a curriculum
  • A toolkit you’ll use again and again
  • A way to record learning without planning everything

What’s Inside the Guide

The Deschooling Survival Guide has 6 Core Sections

  • What Even Is Deschooling? – definition, reframes, and why ND kids need more time.
  • How Are You Feeling? – journal prompts + Parent Guilt Bingo.
  • What Do You Notice? – trackers and observation tools.
  • Create Space for Curiosity – strewing, environment scan, PDA-friendly invitations.
  • Learning Without Recreating School – everyday learning + Board Games Cheat Sheet + “This Counts as Learning.”
  • When Curiosity Returns – signs your child is ready, first projects, and bridge to Reverse Planning.

Printable Toolkit (10+ pages you can reuse)

  • Deschooling Is / Is Not sheet
  • Parent Guilt Bingo
  • Today I Noticed daily + weekly trackers
  • Environment Scan checklist
  • Board Games Cheat Sheet
  • This Counts As Learning fridge sheet
  • Ready for Discovery? checklist
  • First Project brainstorm sheet

What Other Parents Are Saying

  • “I felt so seen. The strewing section made everything click. This is such a great first step in understanding unschooling.”
    April
    Just starting out
  • “All of it was amazing – such a valuable resource. The printable toolkit helped so much. It was really validating and gave me permission to relax into homeschooling.”
    Sarah
    A few months into homeschooling
  • “Exactly where families need to start. I wish I had this when I first took my kids out of school. This is the missing link.”
    Lisa
    3+ years homeschooling
Explore the Deschooling Survival Guide

How This Guide Supports Families

  • Clarity → understanding what deschooling can look like in real life
  • Confidence → Begin to recognise learning in everyday life, even when it doesn’t look like school.
  • Connection → Support trust and curiosity to grow again, at your child’s pace.
  • Calm → Support trust and curiosity to grow again, at your child’s pace.

Sneak Peek

Preview of “The Deschooling Survival Guide” showing a digital cover alongside printable workbook pages, including a checklist, learning prompts, and a project brainstorm sheet. This deschooling guide helps parents ease into home education with practical tools and reflection-based resources for neurodivergent children.
Quotation Marks
As a mum of two autistic, ADHD, and PDA boys who reached breaking point in the school system, I created this guide to give families the clarity and calm I desperately needed at the start.

Who It’s For

This guide was created especially for:

  • Parents of autistic, ADHD, PDA, and anxious kids leaving school.
  • Families who want reassurance and practical tools without pressure.
  • Anyone feeling judged, overwhelmed, or unsure of what “counts” as learning.

“Beautifully done – full of supportive gems that made me think more deeply about what education could look like for my child.” – Karina

Price & Access

  • Instant access after purchase.
  • Print and reuse the trackers as often as you like.
  • Designed to give you support for weeks, months – even your entire transition into homeschooling.

If and when you’re ready, The Deschooling Survival Guide is available as a $17 AUD PDF download.

FAQ

Q: Is this a curriculum?
A: No. It’s not about replicating school – it’s about creating a calm, supported transition into home education.

Q: How long will it take to use?
A: As much or as little as you want. Some parents dip in and out; others use the trackers daily.

Q: Is this only for neurodivergent families?
A: It was written with ND kids in mind – but the principles can help any family stepping away from school.

Q: Do I need to be creative or super organised?
A: Not at all. The guide is designed to simplify, reassure, and make your life easier.

“It’s an incredible resource – validating, calming, and so thoughtfully created.” – Sarah

Final Encouragement

You don’t need to have it all figured out right now. The first step is giving yourself and your child permission to rest, reset, and reconnect.

The Deschooling Survival Guide will help you do just that – with practical tools, gentle strategies, and the reassurance that you’re not alone.

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