The Life of Our Unschooling Adult Kids Today
Hello dear friends, soul family, worldschooling warriors, plant-based mamas and papas, free-spirited aunties and uncles, beloved grannies and wise grandpas! 🌎💛
We’re back. Really back.
After receiving what felt like hundreds of heart-touching messages following our “We’re Back!” video, I just want to say:
🙏THANK YOU🙏.
Your love poured in like a waterfall of golden light. Some of you even watched our old videos in German — not understanding a word, but still “feeling” us. What an honor. What a community.
It’s been nearly 7 years since we were fully present online. We never stopped living, learning, loving — but we did step away from the internet world. Now? We’re showing up again. Together. With our full hearts.
So many of you have asked: “How are the kids?” “Did unschooling really work out?” “What do your older kids do now?”
Let’s dive in. Grab a coconut or a cup of tea. This might take a few minutes.
🌱 Growing Without School: Our Journey
We’ve always been worldschoolers and unschoolers. Not just as an educational choice, but as a lifestyle, a soul commitment. Our kids never went to conventional school — not because we were against learning, but because we believe learning is a natural, joyful part of life.
Did we try schools? Yes! Free schools, alternative schools, community-run projects in Austria, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. But every time, it became clear — the structure just didn’t fit. Being at the same place every day at the same time? It felt more like a cage than a playground for their spirits.
And so, they followed their own paths. They dove into languages, art, sports, animals, travel, history, tech, investing — you name it.
And guess what? None of them missed school.
Why? Because their friends were also worldschoolers. There wasn’t a “fear of missing out” on school. Most of them had already been there, done that, and weren’t fans.
But here’s the twist: a few years ago, Benny and Jaro (our oldest boys) decided to sign up for an online school called Clonlara. Not because we told them to. But because they wanted to test themselves, stretch themselves, and get inspired.
And it worked! They loved being challenged in new ways. Public speaking, social projects, writing — they even volunteered in an animal rescue center in Costa Rica, caring for monkeys, sloths, stray dogs and more. 🐒🦥
And yes — they got their diplomas. But not because of pressure. It was about the journey, not the paper.
🌈 Where Are They Now?
Here’s a little snapshot of what our three oldest kids are up to now:
✨ Ronja (19)
Our shining artist. She’s always had a magical connection with animals and now she paints soul portraits of them — realistic, emotional, stunning. She runs her own business, teaches art in English and German, and created her own website and Instagram by herself. No “school of business” required — just curiosity, freedom, and love.
See her amazing art here: https://www.instagram.com/ronjas_animal_art/
⚽ Benny (23)
Our football (yes, not soccer 😉) fanatic and finance wizard. He’s visited the biggest stadiums in Europe with me (one of my favorite dad-son bonding activities), and also became the unofficial family investment manager. Crypto, currencies, minerals — he’s got his hands in everything. He even started working with us in our business now — organizing appointments, doing research, and helping with our growing team.
🎨 Jaro (21)
The comic book creator. His world is filled with imagination. He doesn’t just draw — he creates universes. Storylines, characters, publishing — he’s done it all. He published his first comic in print already and is now going even deeper into storytelling and visual design. Passion is his compass.
See his amazing art here: https://www.instagram.com/jaro_kattoll_drawings
And Joa (14) — he’s in the midst of his own learning adventure with Clonlara now. We have amazing mentor sessions together and he’s thriving with the mix of freedom and structure. It’s a joy to witness.
💞 Still Together, Still Thriving
Now here comes the surprise for many of you: all the kids are still with us. Living together, journeying together, learning together.
Yes, even as adults.
No, there’s no “you’re 18, now fly off” moment in our family. We’ve always walked through life as best friends — parents and kids alike. There’s deep respect and care between us. And that continues into adulthood.
We share tiny spaces in our RV, travel with our pets (yes — three dogs and a cat!), and somehow… it works beautifully. Why? Because there’s no fighting. No yelling. No “teenage rebellion.” It’s not that we’re perfect. It’s that we’re intentional.
We speak kindly. We choose words that build up, not tear down. We take radical responsibility for our moods, our energy, our emotions. We work through our shadows — with coaches if needed. We don’t dump on each other.
Peace is a daily practice in our family — not a miracle. We cultivate peace. And because of that, there’s space for everyone. Space to be different. To grow. To lead. To rest. To shine.
🌟 Final Thoughts From the Road
Sometimes people ask, “But don’t your kids want to leave at some point?” Of course, there’s freedom. Benny travels to visit his girlfriend. Ronya wants to do exhibitions. Yaro may study animation abroad one day.
But none of them feel they need to separate from the family to find themselves. We go together. We cheer each other on. When one of us is excited about something — a place, a project, a passion — we say YES as a family. And we go.
I feel so blessed to witness this harmony. It’s not accidental. It’s the result of deep devotion — to peace, to presence, to parenting from the heart.
As a dad, I take this role seriously. My kids deserve the best version of me — not the stressed, distracted, yelling version. And I do everything it takes to show up that way.
Because when we lead from peace, we raise leaders of peace. And this world surely needs more of that.
Thanks for being here. Thanks for reading all the way. I’d love to hear your questions — about unschooling, worldschooling, conscious parenting, or just life on the road. 🌍💫
And if you’re feeling the call to live more aligned with your soul, we’re here to support you.
With love and blessings from the road,
Chris — proud dad of six, partner of 30 years, and traveler of Earth 🌈
PodcastPodcast of the soultalk
Video of the soultalk
8 Comments
Leave A Comment
The Life of Our Unschooling Adult Kids Today
Hello dear friends, soul family, worldschooling warriors, plant-based mamas and papas, free-spirited aunties and uncles, beloved grannies and wise grandpas! 🌎💛
We’re back. Really back.
After receiving what felt like hundreds of heart-touching messages following our “We’re Back!” video, I just want to say:
🙏THANK YOU🙏.
Your love poured in like a waterfall of golden light. Some of you even watched our old videos in German — not understanding a word, but still “feeling” us. What an honor. What a community.
It’s been nearly 7 years since we were fully present online. We never stopped living, learning, loving — but we did step away from the internet world. Now? We’re showing up again. Together. With our full hearts.
So many of you have asked: “How are the kids?” “Did unschooling really work out?” “What do your older kids do now?”
Let’s dive in. Grab a coconut or a cup of tea. This might take a few minutes.
🌱 Growing Without School: Our Journey
We’ve always been worldschoolers and unschoolers. Not just as an educational choice, but as a lifestyle, a soul commitment. Our kids never went to conventional school — not because we were against learning, but because we believe learning is a natural, joyful part of life.
Did we try schools? Yes! Free schools, alternative schools, community-run projects in Austria, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. But every time, it became clear — the structure just didn’t fit. Being at the same place every day at the same time? It felt more like a cage than a playground for their spirits.
And so, they followed their own paths. They dove into languages, art, sports, animals, travel, history, tech, investing — you name it.
And guess what? None of them missed school.
Why? Because their friends were also worldschoolers. There wasn’t a “fear of missing out” on school. Most of them had already been there, done that, and weren’t fans.
But here’s the twist: a few years ago, Benny and Jaro (our oldest boys) decided to sign up for an online school called Clonlara. Not because we told them to. But because they wanted to test themselves, stretch themselves, and get inspired.
And it worked! They loved being challenged in new ways. Public speaking, social projects, writing — they even volunteered in an animal rescue center in Costa Rica, caring for monkeys, sloths, stray dogs and more. 🐒🦥
And yes — they got their diplomas. But not because of pressure. It was about the journey, not the paper.
🌈 Where Are They Now?
Here’s a little snapshot of what our three oldest kids are up to now:
✨ Ronja (19)
Our shining artist. She’s always had a magical connection with animals and now she paints soul portraits of them — realistic, emotional, stunning. She runs her own business, teaches art in English and German, and created her own website and Instagram by herself. No “school of business” required — just curiosity, freedom, and love.
See her amazing art here: https://www.instagram.com/ronjas_animal_art/
⚽ Benny (23)
Our football (yes, not soccer 😉) fanatic and finance wizard. He’s visited the biggest stadiums in Europe with me (one of my favorite dad-son bonding activities), and also became the unofficial family investment manager. Crypto, currencies, minerals — he’s got his hands in everything. He even started working with us in our business now — organizing appointments, doing research, and helping with our growing team.
🎨 Jaro (21)
The comic book creator. His world is filled with imagination. He doesn’t just draw — he creates universes. Storylines, characters, publishing — he’s done it all. He published his first comic in print already and is now going even deeper into storytelling and visual design. Passion is his compass.
See his amazing art here: https://www.instagram.com/jaro_kattoll_drawings
And Joa (14) — he’s in the midst of his own learning adventure with Clonlara now. We have amazing mentor sessions together and he’s thriving with the mix of freedom and structure. It’s a joy to witness.
💞 Still Together, Still Thriving
Now here comes the surprise for many of you: all the kids are still with us. Living together, journeying together, learning together.
Yes, even as adults.
No, there’s no “you’re 18, now fly off” moment in our family. We’ve always walked through life as best friends — parents and kids alike. There’s deep respect and care between us. And that continues into adulthood.
We share tiny spaces in our RV, travel with our pets (yes — three dogs and a cat!), and somehow… it works beautifully. Why? Because there’s no fighting. No yelling. No “teenage rebellion.” It’s not that we’re perfect. It’s that we’re intentional.
We speak kindly. We choose words that build up, not tear down. We take radical responsibility for our moods, our energy, our emotions. We work through our shadows — with coaches if needed. We don’t dump on each other.
Peace is a daily practice in our family — not a miracle. We cultivate peace. And because of that, there’s space for everyone. Space to be different. To grow. To lead. To rest. To shine.
🌟 Final Thoughts From the Road
Sometimes people ask, “But don’t your kids want to leave at some point?” Of course, there’s freedom. Benny travels to visit his girlfriend. Ronya wants to do exhibitions. Yaro may study animation abroad one day.
But none of them feel they need to separate from the family to find themselves. We go together. We cheer each other on. When one of us is excited about something — a place, a project, a passion — we say YES as a family. And we go.
I feel so blessed to witness this harmony. It’s not accidental. It’s the result of deep devotion — to peace, to presence, to parenting from the heart.
As a dad, I take this role seriously. My kids deserve the best version of me — not the stressed, distracted, yelling version. And I do everything it takes to show up that way.
Because when we lead from peace, we raise leaders of peace. And this world surely needs more of that.
Thanks for being here. Thanks for reading all the way. I’d love to hear your questions — about unschooling, worldschooling, conscious parenting, or just life on the road. 🌍💫
And if you’re feeling the call to live more aligned with your soul, we’re here to support you.
With love and blessings from the road,
Chris — proud dad of six, partner of 30 years, and traveler of Earth 🌈
PodcastPodcast of the soultalk
Video of the soultalk
8 Comments
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This is so beautiful! I love your family’s outlook and how you are with each other. Do you study Buddhism by chance? It seems to align with your values.
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I read all the post and had to smile from the first word until the last one. This is so inspiring. I can only hope, my unschooling son will find his way as your kids did. He loves to record sounds, put them together, create dialogues with this recorded sounds and he enjoys it. I give him the chance to find out, what he loves, what he wants to do. Sometimes people tell me: The kid needs to go to school. He needs to learn what discipline is, and bla bla bla. I ignore them all and let my son just be what he wants to be. If he ever has the feeling, he wants to go to school, I will be the first who will support him, but for now, he is happy just the way things are. Thank you guys!
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Thank you for the catch up. So many blessings. Much love to you and your beautiful family.
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Wow! I was just thinking of your family. I followed you for years. We use to message long ago. I am mother of 6 unschooled children, we live in Bali. Your family is more like us than any family I have ever met. You have always been in my heart and such inspiration to me. My oldest is now 18 and my youngest age 3. My main question is how many other families like us do you know. I would really love to have more community and some how connect us all around the world. Sending all our love from Bali.
This is so beautiful! I love your family’s outlook and how you are with each other. Do you study Buddhism by chance? It seems to align with your values.
Hello dear Barbara thank you so much for your wonderful appreciative comment.
I have studied Buddhism since 30 years.
I have been going to Buddhist silence retreats in Thailand since 30 years as well.
I am not bound to one religion or one philosophy, but I feel close to the Buddhist principles.
I read all the post and had to smile from the first word until the last one. This is so inspiring. I can only hope, my unschooling son will find his way as your kids did. He loves to record sounds, put them together, create dialogues with this recorded sounds and he enjoys it. I give him the chance to find out, what he loves, what he wants to do. Sometimes people tell me: The kid needs to go to school. He needs to learn what discipline is, and bla bla bla. I ignore them all and let my son just be what he wants to be. If he ever has the feeling, he wants to go to school, I will be the first who will support him, but for now, he is happy just the way things are. Thank you guys!
All the best to you and your son.
You are doing the right thing
Thank you for the catch up. So many blessings. Much love to you and your beautiful family.
Thanks, Susan and all the best to you!
Wow! I was just thinking of your family. I followed you for years. We use to message long ago. I am mother of 6 unschooled children, we live in Bali. Your family is more like us than any family I have ever met. You have always been in my heart and such inspiration to me. My oldest is now 18 and my youngest age 3. My main question is how many other families like us do you know. I would really love to have more community and some how connect us all around the world. Sending all our love from Bali.
Thanks so much, dear Alexa! Wow, you also have six kids and your own school? You live in Bali? There seems to be a lot of connections between our families.
All the best to you and your family.
There are thousands of other families. I used to speak at an international event called family adventure Summit. There were at least 1000 people getting together each year in your country. All world, schooling, while traveling families. We have our own event we do each year in Germany. We call it the peace week. We have several hundred people getting together and the black forest of Germany spending an entire week together in nature. More than half of the participants are children. However, this year it’s not gonna happen. Next year again.