You don’t need a bell schedule to keep your kids on track—you need Jean Lee’s “plan everything, pause for magic” rhythm. Neuroscientist and Academy of Chaos founder Jean Lee never planned to homeschool—now she’s the mentor every family corners at soccer practice. In this conversation with Ela Richmond, Jean shares how she maps an entire year in Homeschool Planet in one weekend, keeps even her four-year-old accountable, and still slams the brakes to chase June berries or inspect insects.
If you’re a working parent, raising twice-exceptional kids, or just trying to stop the daily workbook wars, this episode is your blueprint for flexible structure.
Chapters:00:00 – Plan, then slam the brakes
00:35 – Why every parent finds Jean at soccer practice
04:05 – Flexible structure vs. deschooling myths
10:12 – Homeschool Planet and year-round pacing
16:45 – Teaching independence (even for four-year-olds)
24:30 – Parenting philosophy inside the “Academy of Chaos”
30:05 – Dopamine-proof screen time strategy
36:20 – Tech, AI, and executive function
43:00 – Curriculum isn’t a workbook
50:10 – Jean’s resource library + how to connect
