The myth of the self-directed child, Part Two (the six blockers to motivation)
Six common reasons children struggle with motivation, and how to gently support autonomy by addressing what’s really getting in the way.
Issy Butson
Check out the latest posts
The myth of the self-directed child, Part One (why freedom isn’t enough) 🎙️
Why so many children struggle to take initiative - even with total freedom - and what the science of motivation, autonomy, and brain development tells us they actually need instead.
If I was starting home ed all over again, here’s what I’d do (part two) 🎙️
Twelve things we’d do differently if we were starting our life without school again, and the perspective we wish we'd had from the beginning.
If I was starting home ed all over again, here’s what I’d do (part one) 🎙️
Everything we'd do differently if we could take ourselves right back to the start of this journey again.
The truth about “school readiness” (what developmental science actually says) 🎙️
What really happens in a child’s brain before and after they turn five? And what are the hidden costs of deciding that formal learning should “start” at that age? Let's look at the neuroscience, the developmental timelines, and four key reasons why the idea of “school readiness” is so deeply flawed.
The 11 things children need to reach their full potential (part two) 🎙️
Part One explored five conditions that built a foundation. This second half moves into the deeper developmental drivers that shape capability and confidence from the inside out.