Electronics, Technology - and YOUR Kids!

What Unschooling Parents Know...

Parenting is hard. And when we step away from the more conventional approaches, it's even harder to figure out what to do!

So after nearly 30 years in the community, and 3 grown unschoolers of my own, I want to share some resources with you. Look at them (read or listen, actually) with an open mind. So often, things I was SURE we'd never do in OUR family, shifted as time moved on and I learned more.

Bookmark this page and work your way through the videos, blogposts and memes - a little at a time.
Don't miss the PDFs at the bottom of the page!

Videos

Podcasts

#30 Unschooling and Technology

#51 Addicted to Technology?

#76 Technology and Your Kids

#132 Too Much Technology - How do you know?

Blogposts

Person wearing white headphones gaming at a desktop computer in a blue-lit room

Are Online Friends Real Friends? A Parent's Guide to Gaming Friendships

By Sue Patterson • June 11, 2026

Worried that your child's online friends aren't "real" friends? Explore how gaming friendships develop, what healthy online relationships look like, and how to think about online safety.

Child under a gray blanket using a tablet, focused in a dim room

Will My Kid Be Okay If They Play Video Games All Day?

By Sue Patterson • June 5, 2026

Worried about your child’s future with so much gaming? A grounded look at video games, development, and what actually matters over time.

Child in striped shirt reading a glowing tablet on a couch in the dark

When Your Kid Won’t Get Off Screens: Why It Turns Into a Battle

By Sue Patterson • June 2, 2026

If your kid won’t get off screens, you’re not alone. Here’s why screen time turns into a battle and what actually helps without making it worse.

Child using a tablet on a couch, browsing a streaming app with colorful thumbnails.

When Screen Time Feels Like Addiction: What’s Actually Going On With Kids and Gaming

By Sue Patterson • May 30, 2026

Worried your child is addicted to video games or screens? Here’s what those intense moments often mean and how to understand what’s really happening.

Screens, Gaming, and Unschooling: What’s Really Happening

By Sue Patterson • May 27, 2026

Worried about screen time or gaming in unschooling? Here’s what’s actually happening, why it feels so intense, and how to make sense of it in real life.

The Life Prep Your Kids Really Need

By Sue Patterson • May 18, 2026

Parents worry about grades, gaps, screen time. Let's discuss what prepares kids for adult life through unschooling / homeschooling: adaptability, problem-solving, confidence.

How to Start a Gaming Club: Building Community Through Play

By Guest Blogger • October 29, 2025

Learn how to start a gaming club for homeschoolers and unschoolers. Build community through board games, video games, and play-based learning.

Connecting with Your Gamer Teen

By Sue Patterson • July 8, 2025

No one prepared you for parenting a teen - certainly not in this day and age. Don't let fears about gaming interfere in your connection with them!

Rethinking 'Screentime': Why It's Time for Parents to Shift the Conversation

By Sue Patterson • March 9, 2024

Let's talk about "Screen Time." We need to shift our conversation with the kids about their love for technology and electronics.

Too Much Technology?

By Sue Patterson • March 4, 2024

How much IS too much - when it comes to gaming and surfing the web? Especially if you're going to unschool! Sue Patterson shares strategies for how to tackle the technology in your home!

Technology and Your Kids

By Sue Patterson • September 8, 2022

Worried about your kids use of technology and "screens?" Sue Patterson helps you understand how to see it through an unschooling lens.

Addicted to Technology

By Sue Patterson • February 15, 2022

Are you worried that your kids are "addicted" to technology? Sue Patterson shares some unschooling thoughts on in this Unschooling Mom2Mom's podcast.

Dive Deeper with PDFs!

Person holding a video game controller, text overlay:

Start with This Free PDF

Grab this FREE PDF to get you started seeing how learning is weaving through all those apps and games your kids are playing.

Send Me The FREE PDF!

People using various devices around a wooden table: phone, tablets, and a laptop. Text overlay reads “The Unschooling Guide: Technology.

Ready to Dive Deeper?

This mini-magazine shares insights to help you make changes in your home - changes that work for YOUR family! Articles, explanations, research links, scripts - so much help for you!

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