If you’ve ever found yourself quietly wondering what worldschooling actually looks like, or why so many families are questioning traditional education, you’re not alone. This comes up constantly, especially for women who have already built lives that don’t fit neatly into standard systems.

For us, worldschooling wasn’t about rejecting school. It wasn’t some dramatic stand against education. It was about realizing that the life we were intentionally building didn’t align with the structure we were about to commit to, and being willing to pause long enough to pay attention to that mismatch.

Here’s what I know. Most big life shifts don’t start with a bold decision. They start with a small moment that doesn’t sit right, followed by the willingness to ask one more question instead of brushing it off.

That’s how this started for us.

6. We Chose Worldschooling Because Freedom Isn’t Just for Adults

The Moment That Cracked Things Open

I was filling out kindergarten enrollment forms for our oldest, doing what you’re supposed to do, when I started reading through the district handbook. Somewhere between the bell schedules and attendance rules, I realized I was signing our family up for a life that didn’t resemble the one we had intentionally created.

I remember thinking, Wait, we need permission to take a family trip?

That single detail cracked everything open.

We had built our lives around freedom. Freedom in how we work. Freedom in how we structure our days. Freedom in how we prioritize family. Darren and I both run our own businesses. We don’t ask permission to take time off. So the idea of suddenly needing approval to live our life felt deeply misaligned.

That wasn’t a judgment of the school system. It was a moment of clarity. And once you see that kind of misalignment, it’s hard to unsee it.

Why Freedom Isn’t Just for Adults

This is the part no one really talks about. We talk a lot about building freedom in adulthood. Location freedom. Time freedom. Financial freedom. But we rarely question why children are expected to live inside rigid systems while adults are actively trying to escape them.

That realization stayed with me.

If we value flexibility, curiosity, and self-trust in our own lives, why wouldn’t we want to build an education model that reflects those same values for our kids?

Worldschooling didn’t show up as a rebellion. It showed up as the most natural extension of the life we were already living.

What Worldschooling Actually Is

At its core, worldschooling is an education approach rooted in real life. Kids learn through experiences, travel, culture, conversation, and curiosity rather than spending most of their time in a classroom following a rigid curriculum.

In practice, it can look very different from family to family. Some combine travel with hybrid programs. Some follow an unschooling or project-based approach. Others blend traditional academics with experiential learning.

There isn’t one right way. Context matters more than comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions About Worldschooling

Why This Felt So Aligned for Us

Our decision didn’t come from a dramatic turning point. It came from curiosity.

I started learning about alternative education models and came across a study that said a full year of public school math could be learned in just a few weeks with one-on-one instruction. I remember saying out loud, “What?”

That wasn’t about rushing learning. It was about realizing how much of the school day is designed around structure, not depth.

It made me wonder what life could look like if learning didn’t consume the entire day. What our kids could do with that extra time. What kind of family rhythm we could build if education supported our lifestyle instead of dictating it.

Worldschooling didn’t feel like a leap. It felt like alignment.

How COVID Changed Everything

A lot of this clarity came during COVID. When preschool shut down, we created a small learning pod at home. And honestly, it felt lighter than anything we had experienced before.

We had long lunches together. Darren was home instead of traveling. I was working with a startup I loved. Life slowed down just enough for us to notice how good it felt to actually be together.

I remember thinking, This feels right. Not easy, but right.

Once you experience that level of alignment, it’s hard to pretend you didn’t.

What Worldschooling Looks Like in Real Life

Worldschooling for us isn’t about checking off destinations or recreating a classroom on the road. It’s immersive and intentional.

Learning looks like navigating a language barrier at a bakery. Hearing the questions our kids ask after visiting a temple. Watching them figure things out in real time.

It’s real-world math in places like Tokyo. Art, history, science, and culture woven naturally into daily life. Curiosity-led deep dives that happen because something sparked their interest, not because it was on a lesson plan.

That kind of learning sticks.

Structure Still Matters

Freedom doesn’t mean chaos.

Our kids attend a hybrid program two days a week when we’re home. They get community, group learning, and social connection. The rest of the week is fluid and rooted in curiosity.

There’s no strict curriculum and no heavy worksheets. Just real learning anchored in real life.

Traveling with Intention

This year, we’re spending a month in Japan and several weeks in Europe. These used to feel like someday dreams. Now they’re simply part of the life we chose to design.

They aren’t about seeing everything. They’re about showing our kids what it looks like to live with intention and curiosity.

Is This Sustainable in Real Life?

Yes, with intention.

Our kids are in sports. We have routines. We have commitments. Freedom doesn’t mean everything is spontaneous. It means we choose our structure instead of inheriting it.

We regularly ask ourselves what matters most in this season. What needs more structure. What can soften.

Freedom isn’t the absence of structure. It’s intentional structure.

This Isn’t a Blueprint

This isn’t a how-to guide.

You don’t have to homeschool. You don’t have to travel. You don’t have to do any of this.

But you are allowed to question what you’ve normalized. You’re allowed to ask what you want your family life to feel like.

Worldschooling, for us, isn’t really about education. It’s about alignment. About designing a life that fits instead of forcing ourselves into one that doesn’t.

This is how we’re doing it. And honestly, we’re just getting started.

If You’re Curious About Exploring a Different Path

Start with your values, not logistics. Pay attention to what feels aligned in your family. Question the systems you assumed were the only option. Take it year by year.

You don’t have to force clarity. It tends to show up when you’re willing to listen.

Where Freedom Meets Lifestyle Design

If you’re craving more alignment in your life or business, this is the work I do inside my world and within The CEO Besties community. Your life gets to feel intentional, flexible, and fully yours.

Your version won’t look like mine.

And that’s the point.