HumanUp

Pim and Milan

She was a Google leader; he was a stay-at-home dad 6 years her junior. 3 kids under 8. 0 screens. 0 fights. We threw out the default script. Welcome to huMAN UP with Pim and Milan. After Wall Street and Google, we built our business (Grows Us), retreat center (La Tierra), and AI app (JustRight). Today, we live screen-free in Chiang Mai, homeschool, work side-by-side as best friends, and operate with (almost) zero friction. We hit record at our kitchen table to share the raw reality of breaking the rules and designing a fulfilling life.

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    Is Traditional Education Broken? Why We Homeschool Our Son (AI, Money & Freedom)

    Both of us grew up in traditional public school systems and universities—so why did we decide to take our oldest son out of first grade to homeschool him? In this episode, we open up about our full journey from traditional schooling to alternative home education. We share the reasons behind our decision, the real benefits we've seen over the last year and a half, and the tough challenges that came with it. In this episode, you’ll learn: The pivotal moment that made us rethink standard education. How we customize learning for advanced math while supporting slower reading and writing. Practical real-world lessons we teach: profit margins, negotiation, sales, and AI prompting. How we solve the "socialization issue" and create healthy peer interactions. The reality of balancing business, parenting, and home education. Whether you’re curious about homeschooling, frustrated with the standard school system, or looking for ways to teach your kids practical life skills, this episode is packed with real experiences and actionable insights. 🔔 Don't forget to follow the show and leave us a rating if you enjoyed this episode! Timestamps:00:00 - Our background in traditional public education01:24 - The reasons we pulled our son out of first grade02:07 - Why the standard school system creates average results02:46 - The power of customized pacing (Math vs. Reading)03:58 - Teaching life skills: Negotiation, profit, and business04:44 - Future-proofing kids: AI prompting & graphic design on Canva05:27 - Is homeschooling for everyone? 05:81 - How we solve the socialization problem

  2. Oct 11

    Raising Kids in a Screen-Free Home: The Fun Jar, Tech Intentionality & Building True Connection

    Is it possible to raise kids in the modern digital age without a single TV, iPad, or smartphone in the house? In this episode, we dive into our decision to build a completely screen-free home for our family. We share the personal childhood experiences that shaped our philosophy, how we deal with the chaotic reality of taking screen-free kids out in public, and why we created the "Fun Jar" to keep life packed with real-world adventure. We also unpack: • Why being "screen-free" doesn't mean being anti-technology. • Using AI tools like Gemini to empower kids' creativity rather than passive consumption. • The real impact of screen time on childhood attention spans (and pseudo-ADHD). • Practical, screen-free games and strategies you can use today to engage your children. If you’re looking to build deeper connections with your family and rethink your relationship with screens, press play now! 🔔 Don't forget to follow the show and leave us a review if you enjoyed this conversation! In this talk, we'll cover: 00:00 - Designing a house with no TVs 03:20 - How our 90s childhood shaped our parenting 05:50 - Core values: High-quality relationships vs. co-living 06:40 - Dealing with messy behavior ("Lung Lang") in public 08:40 - The "Fun Jar" initiative for screen-free entertainment\ 13:30 - How we use AI (Gemini) responsibly with our children 15:40 - The "75% childhood memory loss" screen time statistic 18:40 - Practical screen-free activities (Concrete bike track, books, hand games) 23:40 - How to start reducing screen time today

About

She was a Google leader; he was a stay-at-home dad 6 years her junior. 3 kids under 8. 0 screens. 0 fights. We threw out the default script. Welcome to huMAN UP with Pim and Milan. After Wall Street and Google, we built our business (Grows Us), retreat center (La Tierra), and AI app (JustRight). Today, we live screen-free in Chiang Mai, homeschool, work side-by-side as best friends, and operate with (almost) zero friction. We hit record at our kitchen table to share the raw reality of breaking the rules and designing a fulfilling life.