#44 Real education: how I raise my kids (guest post)
Most people think education happens in classrooms. I think it happens when your kid falls off a bike and gets back on to try again.
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We’re thrilled to share this guest post by our good friend JJVelaz. Juanjo is someone we deeply admire. Thoughtful, intentional, and always walking the talk. In this piece, he shares a beautifully personal and insightful reflection on how he approaches one of life’s most important roles: educating his kids. We’re very happy to introduce him and hope you enjoy his perspective as much as we did.
Real education: how I raise my kids
I grew up in a small village of 5,000 people, between the Mediterranean sea and the mountains. My childhood was defined by a strong sense of community, a close group of friends, and plenty of opportunities to experience life close to nature.
When I first met city kids, I noticed they were more polished – they knew how to navigate social situations and seemed more sophisticated. But they lacked many of the physical skills and street smarts that came naturally to those of us raised in the village. We learned by doing, by exploring, by facing risks and challenges directly.
As I grew older, I tried to copy those more polished kids. Moving to Barcelona for university, then to Madrid, I tried to become more “city-like.” But something always felt off. I wasn’t being true to myself. Thankfully, with time and a bit of success, I found the confidence to embrace who I really am. I returned to living authentically, in a way that felt natural to me.
This journey has deeply influenced how I think about raising my own kids.
What real education means to me
Most people think education equals school. And while I recognize that school can play a role (or maybe not – I’m still not sure), I believe what truly matters is what I call “real education.”
Real life isn’t that clean. It’s messy, unpredictable, and full of mistakes. And that’s exactly how we grow — by trying, failing, getting back up, and figuring things out ourselves. You don’t learn that sitting at a desk all day or by being told what to do all the time.
Real education is about learning who you are – physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s not something you get from a classroom or a book. It’s something you experience by living.
As a child, I was lucky to grow up in a house full of love, which gave me the confidence to be myself. That’s the one thing I want most for my own kids – that they feel loved, that they have the confidence to be authentic, and that they don’t spend their lives chasing the goals society sets for them.
Living freely, raising freely
Since our first child was born, my partner and I have optimized our lives around spending time with them. We quickly realized it made no sense to have kids only to drop them at daycare, rush to an office, stress about picking them up on time, and end each day exhausted without having truly enjoyed time with them.
We’ve adjusted our work to be free – free to decide how and when we spend time with our kids. And that’s been the biggest win of all. No stress. Just time. Just life.
Real education is real life
I believe in giving kids real-life experiences rather than artificial ones. Instead of indoor activities or planned, safe park outings, I want them exposed to the world. Climbing, biking, exploring the forest – these are the lessons they can’t learn in a classroom.
Humans are meant to move — not just for fitness, but for thinking, feeling, and growing. When kids climb, crawl, jump, and fall, they’re not just building strength — they’re building confidence, spatial awareness, problem-solving skills, and joy. That’s why movement isn’t an extra in our lives — it’s the foundation.
Of course, this means letting them take risks. I see parents constantly saying, “Don’t do that, you’ll get hurt.” I do the opposite. I let my kids try. I’m there to catch them if they fall – but I don’t prevent them from trying.
When my 12-month-old wanted to climb steep stairs he wasn’t ready for, I didn’t stop him. I stayed close, ready to catch him, but I let him try. He fell a few times, but soon enough, he could do it himself. That’s how they learn.
The same goes for building, fixing, and cooking. My kids love helping around the house – assembling a new table, hanging something on the wall, or preparing pancakes. It’s messy. It’s slow. But it’s real education.
I basically try to bring them to do whatever I do. Ever since my daughter was 1, she’s been coming with me to the calisthenics park, or to watch me play tennis. Naturally she started to play with the bars and the racket, for fun. The outcome has been that she’s become quite developed in gymnastics and sports in general. Not only that, I feel that by seeing this as a key component in our daily life she’ll grow up understanding that sports is a key area in life.
My only goal as a father
As a closing note, I feel like we parents worry too much. We stress about doing everything perfectly, but the reality is that genetics will shape most of who our kids become. Our role is to give them love and expose them to enough experiences so they can discover their own interests.
Real education is giving them the freedom to explore, to fail, to try again, and to live.
I just want them to give them unconditional love so they have the confidence to be authentic.
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