Bonnie Smith Whitehouse is a Nashville-based professor at Belmont University and writer. She calls herself a pilgrim not only because she loves to walk, wander, and contemplate, but because when she read Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek her life was forever changed. She’s a mother of spirited boys, a lover of bird song, a baker of bread, and an amateur painter and hand-letterer.We discuss her latest book, Seasons of Wonder: Making the Ordinary Sacred Through Projects, Prayers, Reflections, and Rituals: A 52-Week Devotional.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Learn more at bonniesmithwhitehouse.comRead: Seasons of WonderDecember is a great time to register for Brave Write online classes! See out class descriptions here: https://bravewriter.com/online-classesSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

As we’re facing the end of the year — whatever that means to you — I feel like it’s a chance to think about the dynamics of our relationships and the ways that things have changed and yet are also uncomfortably the same. We’re getting through it together, one day at a time. Hug your people, stay present to the moment, and take good care of yourself — because you are the essential ingredient that makes the whole thing work.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Whitney Goodman is the author of Toxic Positivity, a book sharing its release date with my own, Raising Critical Thinkers. She’s a psychotherapist with a wonderful Instagram account, @sitwithwhit, where she offers insightful support to young adults seeking to recover from childhood pains and traumas. She was previously on the podcast in May 2022 where she discussed her book and the downsides of positive thinking. Lately, Whitney has zeroed in on the challenge of creating healthy relationships between adult kids and their parents. Meanwhile, I’ve been in conversations with my adult friends about how to relate to their Millennial and Gen Z kids as they set boundaries and communicate their pain. We all want connection — but most of us are unsure of how to get it. Together, Whitney and I hope to represent these two generations and discuss how to heal pain and foster connection.We even do some role-playing!You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Whitney's website: sitwithwhit.comRead her book: Toxic PositivityInstagram: @sitwithwhitPodcast: Toxic Positivity & the Downside of Always Looking Up « A Brave Writer’s Life in BriefSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Mary Van Geffen is an international coaching expert for parents of “spicy ones.” She helps people who are highly competent in life but overwhelmed by the challenges of parenting to lean into the discipline of staying calm. She helps them cultivate warmth and tenderness, all while trying to wrangle the fiery future of their tiny future CEOs. We discuss what it means to have or be a spicy child, and how parents can best react to these spirited young ones.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Mary's website: maryvangeffen.comMary's Instagram: @maryvangeffenSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Did you know that Brave Writer was the first online writing class instruction in the homeschool space? We have been pioneers and innovators in the writing world for over two decades, teaching over ten thousand students since then. Kirsten Merryman is the Director of Online Classes at Brave Writer. She’s responsible for hiring and training each of our 35 writing coaches to ensure that any student that registers with our program gets the same quality instruction no matter who is teaching. She’s going to share with us what makes the Brave Writer program so unique.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Class Descriptions: https://bravewriter.com/online-classesHow our classes work: https://bravewriter.com/program/online-classes/about-online-classesWinter/Spring Class Schedule: https://bravewriter.com/program/online-classes/class-scheduleSign up for our Text Messages for special offers and homeschool tips: https://store.bravewriter.com/pages/BRAVE-subscribe-pageWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

The holidays are coming, and many homeschooling parents know that there are going to be disruptions to the routine of daily life — so they try to figure out how to maintain that routine instead of allowing that routine to change and adapt to the constraints of this time of year.Some homeschoolers don’t even bother with finding a balance and they take the month off from education, instead dedicating that time to cookies, music, and family. Others try their best to keep up their homeschool routine, even if that means refusing to participate in holiday activities.I’d like to offer a third way, a potentially better solution that will allow you to have your peppermint cookies and eat them, too.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get our Cyber Monday Discount Code!Our online class program for 2023 opens Monday, December 5th at 12:00 PM Eastern. For 12 hours only, we are putting some of our most popular classes on sale! Visit bravewriter.com/online-classes to learn more.Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Most parents love the idea of allowing their children to be independent, follow their own passions and interests, and be enriched by them. But not all of those interests are equal — at least in our eyes. What happens when our kids’ interests take them in directions that, to us, don’t seem valuable? How do we direct them toward learning without shutting down their hobbies and interests? Let’s discuss!You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Sign up for Text Message Pod Ring: 1 (833) 947-3684 and text the word PODWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

If your year is starting—and it's not going well yet, keep reading. Do you have a nagging sense that you and your child are not on the same page or that your child seems to be struggling and you don't know what to do about it? If so, stay tuned! I’m going to share some practical tips for reestablishing connection with your child, earning their trust, and turning this year around.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Sign up for Text Message Pod Ring: 1 (833) 947-3684 and text the word PODWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

When the staff of Brave Writer gets together, there is always one ingredient present that isn’t planned for but is nevertheless enjoyed: Laughter. In fact, our meetings often run long, to the annoyance of nobody. This is one of those secret ingredients that make the work of Brave Writer shine, though you never get to see it—until now. In my last meeting with Dawn Smith, our head of publishing, I asked out loud “Why aren’t we recording this?” And now, here we are! I want to give you an inside look at the dedication, energy, philosophy, and craft that goes on behind the scenes.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Sign up for Text Message Pod Ring: 1 (833) 947-3684 and text the word PODWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedIf you have any questions, reach out to [email protected] and our team will get back to you!Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

While educating children is a job of its own, many homeschooling parents also have a full-time job or side gig on top of that. You deserve support in all of those roles.Yael Schonbrun is a clinical psychologist, an assistant professor at Brown University, and co-host of Psychologists Off the Clock, a podcast about the science and practice of living well. She’s also the mother of three. Her academic research explores the interaction between relationship problems and mental health conditions and has a brand new book coming out called “Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Based Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection (When Everything Feels Like Too Much.”We get into why she wrote the book, how parents can balance the different roles they play in life, the value stress can play in our lives, using your values to guide your decisions, and more.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Work, Parent, ThriveYael's website: yaelschonbrun.comPodcast: Psychologists Off the ClockSign up for Text Message Pod Ring: 1 (833) 947-3684 and text the word PODWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Our guest today is a Brave Writer mom, Emily Mohajeri Norris. She homeschooled her kids, using our Brave Writer program extensively. She and her children have taken online classes and used our writing manuals to boost their skills. She’s also read my books and applied what she learned there to her teaching and parenting while personalizing it to the needs of her and her family. But that’s not the most amazing thing about her. Both Emily and her son are contestants in the third season of LEGO Masters!Season 3 of LEGO Masters features 24 contestants competing in pairs against the show’s most ambitious challenges to date, with the hopes of winning a $100,000 dollar cash prize. We go into the story of how she built a family culture that allowed her son to dive deeply into his passion for LEGO building—and how investing deeply in any subject allows you to grow a rich vocabulary, and develop cross-disciplinary skills as well as a rich, meaningful life.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Interview with Emily and Liam: Arizona mom and son duo competing on nationally televised 'Lego Masters' showLEGO Masters: https://twitter.com/LEGOMastersFOX/status/1573024476459339776Sign up for Text Message Pod Ring: 1 (833) 947-3684 and text the word PODWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzFollow Emily on Instagram: @legomomemilyConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

As parents and caretakers, we are often torn between the trust we feel for our children and the worry that something will go wrong. These two are intrinsically opposed: Trust is the act of letting go of worry. That’s difficult to do when so much of parenting is wrapped up in worry—it gives us value. Let’s discuss the risks of trusting your child, the dangers of worrying too much, and some tips on how you can let go of a little more worry.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Sign up for Tea with Julie emails: https://bravewriter.com/teaBrave Learner Home Membership: https://bravewriter.com/special-offerSign up for Text Message Pod Ring: 1 (833) 947-3684 and text the word PODWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Content warning: We deal with topics of evangelical Christianity and parenting in the United States. While this conversation may be welcoming for some, it could be triggering for others. Despite any personal views expressed by myself or our guest Bekah McNeel, know that Brave Writer is a non-sectarian company that happily celebrates and includes members who hold a wide variety of worldviews, religious beliefs, non-religious beliefs, backgrounds, and political perspectives.Bekah McNeel is the author of Bringing Up Kids When the Church Lets You Down: A Guide for Parents Questioning Their Faith. She’s a native of San Antonio, Texas where she’s been a reporter for nine years. Her work has appeared in Christianity Today, The Public Justice Review, Chrisitan Science Monitors, Texas Tribune, and numerous other outlets. She’s a graduate of the London School of Economics where she earned an MSC in Media Studies. She’s also a wife and mother of two very busy boys.Here’s what you can expect in this podcast:Why has Christianity fallen for Millennials and what role do their parents play in that?Should children be baptized as a baby or only when they are old enough to consent?Why does Christianity push us to rely on authority figures—and why do many who leave the church never learn to shed that reliance?I know this is a difficult topic for many people. Whether you grew up religious and found yourself drifting away from the church, or you are still devoted and find it painful to hear these stories, know that the end goal here is for all of us to be able to move forward together.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Twitter: @BekahMcneelWebsite: bekahmcneel.comBook: Bringing Up Kids When the Church Lets You DownJoin our 7-Day Writing Blitz and take your kids’ writing to the next level! Visit bravewriter.com/writing-blitz to download itSign up for Text Message Pod Ring: 1 (833) 947-3684 and text the word PODWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Dr. Becky Kennedy is a clinical psychologist and the founder and CEO of Good Inside, as well as a mom of three, and she’s rethinking the way we raise our kids. Her goal: To empower parents to feel sturdier and more equipped to manage all the challenges every parent faces.As home educators, we know that you’ve compounded the challenge of parenting by spending every waking moment (and those rare times you’re actually getting some sleep) with your precious ones.We tackle all the topics from video games to tolerating frustration to thinking through how to deal with a child that expresses a lot of resistance and anger. Dr. Becky Kennedy brings an internal family systems perspective to the job of parenting but offers us so many practical tools. She’s never one to offer advice without breaking down exactly how to implement it in your home.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Learn more at goodinside.comRead: "Good Inside"Follow Dr. Becky on Instagram: @drbeckyatgoodinsideFar from the Tree by Andrew Solomon: PrologueBrave Writer's Growing Brave Writers was designed with you in mind, and how to connect with a child to produce writing without pain or trauma. Learn more here: bravewriter.com/products/growing-brave-writersPurchase one of our bundles or sign up for a class to be added to our Brave Learner community for free: bravewriter.com/special-offerSign up for Text Message Pod Ring: 1 (833) 947-3684 and text the word PODWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

It feels like a natural part of teaching to look at our child’s work and note where it could be improved. Yet oftentimes, giving suggestions can often leave young writers feeling judged, inadequate, or underappreciated. It’s possible to offer your young writer editorial feedback without triggering a meltdown. I’ll share some tips you can use to give your kids helpful feedback that will help retain their confidence and independence.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Growing Brave Writers: store.bravewriter.com/products/growing-brave-writersFind the right Brave Writer program for your kids: bravewriter.com/stagesSign up for Tea with Julie emails: go.bravewriter.com/tea-with-julieSign up for Text Message Pod Ring: (833) 947-3684 and text the word PODWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

What’s clear to me is that parents are confusing two important issues. They care about their students getting the appropriate education and so they are prioritizing what they consider the right subjects taught in the right ways through the right programs.Meanwhile the child is resisting. That resistance is expressed as a global unhappiness with the subject or any effort required to address the subject. To create a desire to learn, the child must find the work personally meaningful and useful in some way. Let’s talk about how you can connect learning to something in the child’s current lifeYou can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:If your interested in learning more about our award-winning classes, visit bravewriter.com/classesHave suggestions for topics you’d like to hear discussed on the show? Reach out to our SMS platform at 1-833-947-3684 and text the word POD to be added to the group and text us any of your ideas, questions, or feedback.Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Note: To kick off the start of the school year, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes.Even, and especially, when a task is easy for us, teaching children a life skill is harder than it seems. As a parent, this can be extremely frustrating. The positives, though, are worth the trouble. Consider this: the sooner our kids know how to help around the house, the sooner they can help us around the house!More importantly, and beyond our own benefit, ensuring they’ve got the most recent software update on self-sustaining skills like tying their shoes and reading a clock provide the daily boosts of confidence and personal growth that a child needs. This comes down to one question we receive again and again when it comes to teaching children. It falls into something I call The Bermuda Triangle of Education. It’s a place where so many of us go wrong, and yet the principles to get out are actually quite simple. There are three parts of this triangle. Our own desire to teach leads us to believe that we should already know how to teach. When a child fails to learn, we pull in the other two aspects of this triangle of doom.Children are smart: they feel the pressure and obligation that parents add to their teaching. These three features: a desire to teach, thwarted by pressure and obligation, lead to the cranky learning experience so many of us are trying to overcome in our homes! Listen to hear exactly where we’re going wrong and how we can approach teaching tasks and tools in a way that helps kids want to use them.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

For homeschooling parents, happiness feels like the lowest level of ambition. When other parents would say “I only want my kids to be happy,” we’d scoff. We wanted our kids to be virtuous, to make a difference, to be leaders in their generation. But we parents have very little control—over our own lives, let alone the lives of our kids. The struggle to become an adult means entering a world of complexity and ambiguity, no matter how much we mothers want to protect our kids from it. I’m going to share a story of when I came to realize that, hey, this happiness thing may not be so bad.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Text POD to 1-833-947-3684 in order to join our texting community and message us any suggestions you may have for future episodes.Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Jennifer Pepito and I have had many wonderful conversations on the WILD + FREE podcast, a community of moms seeking to give their children a beautiful childhood—whether that’s through homeschooling or not. She has a new book out now: Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy. As parents, it’s common for us to feel afraid of things both big and small. You can read all of the self-help books out there, but one of the surest ways to overcome our fears is to hear the real stories of other moms navigating their own hardships and conquering them. We talk about the lessons you can learn from stories, combating perfectionism in parenting, and moving on from your mistakes.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:thepeacefulpreschool.comRead: Mothering by the BookInstagram: @jenniferpepito | @thepeacefulpressWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Some writing programs don’t address the key condition needed to take risks in writing: emotional safety. Young writers need to learn to discover their own thoughts, externalize their feelings, and process what happens to them. Allow writing to emerge that is not read, not evaluated, but that creates space for it to become the writer’s own possession. This will build a sense of emotional safety that makes your young writers more confident and willing to take risks.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Growing Brave WritersWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

We’re continuing our conversation with Mosheh Oinounou, a journalist who breaks down daily headlines of the biggest, most relevant news stories on his Instagram. He also publishes a newsletter that aims to share real, verified news sources and hosts a daily news podcast as part of his Mo News Network. We discuss how to come together despite our division, how to handle differences of opinion within our communities, and what to do about our political polarization.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Instagram: @moshehSubscribe to Mo’s newsletter: monews.bulletin.comRead: Raising Critical ThinkersAre your kids nervous to jump back into education after the summer? Consider one of our online courses to ease them back into the school year while tapping into their interests. Visit bravewriter.com/online-classes to learn more.Book Club: Arrow is our book club recommended for kids ages 9-12.Book Club: Boomerang is our book club recommended for kids 11-18.Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

We’ve been discussing the importance of critical thinking lately, and today’s guest is a perfect example of why it’s so important—and also incredibly difficult. I’m speaking with Mosheh Oinounou, a journalist who has risen to fame on Instagram for his neutral approach to the news, digging into headlines, and discussing social issues. On top of that, he is a fabulous conversationalist, which shines through in this interview. He focuses on verified headlines and is interested in facts above all else.Mosheh’s news-neutral platform welcomes a variety of opinions and is a place for people to learn from each other and recognize where we each come from. We talk about the current wave of news coverage and journalism, why nobody is truly unbiased, why so much news gets turned into “infotainment,” and the difficulties of being unbiased in a social media world.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Instagram: @moshehSubscribe to Mo’s newsletter: monews.bulletin.comRead: Raising Critical ThinkersAre your kids nervous to jump back into education after the summer? Consider one of our online courses to ease them back into the school year while tapping into their interests. Visit bravewriter.com/online-classes to learn more.Book Club: Arrow is our book club recommended for kids ages 9-12.Book Club: Boomerang is our book club recommended for kids 11-18.Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

It’s okay to make messes. Continuing our series on the four forces of enchantment, we’re going to take a look at one that might put you on edge: Risk. By allowing ourselves—and our kids—to break rules, make mistakes, and push boundaries, we open up new levels of creativity and expression. And when kids are more comfortable with taking risks, they’re more likely to try new things. It also encourages critical thinking! So get out there and make some messes.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:bravewriter.com/tearaisingcriticalthinkers.comthebravelearner.combravewriter.comWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

How did it go thinking about surprise as a force for good? In our series on the four forces of enchantment, it's time to look at the second force, which is “mystery.” Let’s explore what mystery is, why it’s a critical tool for developing a sense of enchantment, and the ways you can facilitate a sense of mystery in your kids’ lives.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:bravewriter.com/tearaisingcriticalthinkers.comthebravelearner.combravewriter.comWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Let me know if this sounds familiar: You’re trying to think about all of the things you need to accomplish, not just in a day, but over the course of your child’s life—from birth to adulthood? Eating, walking, reading, writing, riding a bike, instilling good morals… the list goes on! And homeschooling only adds more of that responsibility onto your plate. It can be so overwhelming. So how do we plan a life that accounts for each child’s personal needs and gets them to the finish line of adulthood well-educated, behaved, kind, and ready to live life on their own?We do it one thing at a time.You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Read my blog post on The One Thing PrincipleJoin our text messaging service by texting the word POD to 833-947-3684 Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

It’s summertime! Are you planning for the upcoming school year? Whether you’re homeschooling or sending kids to a traditional school, writing is that one skill that so many of us find unnerving.One of the big problems is that your child’s age or grade level doesn’t tell you much about your writer. Writing develops the same way as any other skill: over time, at the writers’ own pace. Over 22 years of working with tens of thousands of students, I’ve developed what I call the natural stages of growth in writing and my confidence in its accuracy has only solidified over time.Today, we’re going to walk through each of those stages:[04:58] Beginning Writers: Jot it Down (5-7)[07:51] Emerging Writers: Partnership Writing (8-10)[10:31] Middle School Writers: Building Confidence (11-12)[15:39] High School Writers: Experimenting with Forms (13-14)[17:29] College Prep Writers: Joining the Conversation (15-18)[19:43] Adult Writers: Fluent and Competent (18 and beyond)Visit bravewriter.com/stages to learn more about how our products and classes are organized according to these stages and find the ones that are going to help you. We are eager to support you!You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Visit bravewriter.com/stages to find the right products for your child’s current learning stageIf you need help placing any of your children in the correct stage of development for them, reach out at [email protected] or sign up for our text messaging system by messaging the word POD to 833-947-3684.Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

If we want our kids to be open to surprise then so should we be. One of the most difficult parts of any relationship is the fantasy we create in our heads of how it should go as compared with how it really is. We have scripts, we have characters, we have motivations. But sometimes, if we stay open, if we can hold back from projecting our expectations onto the ones we love, we might find ourselves surprised.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:If you’d like to get these Tea for Julie newsletters in your inbox every week, sign up at bravewriter.com/tea.Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Maya Payne Smart is a writer, parent educator, and literacy advocate who has served on the boards of numerous library and literacy organizations. She and her family live in Milwaukie, Wisconsin where she serves as affiliated faculty in Educational Policy and Leadership in the College of Education at Marquette University. At her website, MayaSmart.com, she provides tips and tools for parents to nurture, teach, and advocate for kids on the road to reading.Maya’s new book, Reading for Our Lives, provides a powerful action plan to encourage and foster literacy skills in children from birth through six years of age. One of the beautiful things about this book is how well her philosophy dovetails with those of Brave Writer.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Website: MayaSmart.comInstagram: @mayasmartyRead: Reading for Our Lives, publishing August 2ndGrowing Brave WritersBrave Learner Home Special OfferWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Does it sometimes feel like your personality and your temperament are at odds with one another? Whether you keep a ship-shape house or you’re relaxed and casual, let me promise you this: There is no one personality type better suited to homeschooling than another. And no one personality type better for parenting, loving, or nurturing. Each has it’s own strengths and liabilities, and the goal is to work to become more self-aware, recognize when we are in our element, and find out what it means to best serve the moment.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:If you’d like to get these Tea for Julie newsletters in your inbox every week, sign up at bravewriter.com/tea.Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

No one person can balance the needs of a family alone. There’s nothing wrong with prioritizing and taking care of your own needs. I’m going to offer some tips to help you make sure your needs are accounted for.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

It takes courage to change. The moment we make changes in our lives, we feel uncomfortable—maybe even afraid—about how those changes will impact our relationships. Certainty and predictability are comforting, even when that certainty can be a dreaded rush hour commute to work. Yet on the other side of change, we often feel relief.Here’s what’s amazing about change: Not only do we have a right to change our minds, but we can change our attitudes and desires, too.When we make changes in our lives, however, the people in our lives have to adapt to our changes too. That can cause disruption in the relationship. That’s what we’re going to talk about today.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Raising Critical Thinkers is Julie’s new book that covers this topic!Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/stagesSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

We’re continuing our conversation with the brilliant Rita Cevasco! In case you missed out last episode with the owner and creator of Rooted in Language, go listen to it now. In this second part, we’re going to dive into practical steps to help your kids learn to read.In this podcast episode, we talk about:the difference in offerings between Brave Writer and Rooted in Language,who the Pinwheels program is for and what they’ll learn,and how reading comprehension affects kids’ recognition in all areas.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:rootedinlanguage.comTo learn more about Pinwheels, visit rootedinlanguage.com/pinwheels-program.Want a program that’s going to compliment Pinwheels? Check out our new program, the Quill!Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Learning to read and write is absolutely life-changing, but it doesn’t come easily to all kids. Rita Cevasco is a friend and colleague of mine and the founder of Rooted in Language, a company dedicated to helping parents to feel effective in teaching their kids to read and to handwrite, especially if they struggle with language delays. We talk about what is going on in our kids’ brains when trying to process their thoughts as sounds, identifying reading disorders such as dyslexia, and how parents can set their expectations appropriately about their child’s progress.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:rootedinlanguage.comPinwheels ProgramLearn more about the Quill program hereWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced and published by Crate Media.

Whitney Goodman is the radically honest psychotherapist behind the Instagram account @sitwithwit, and the owner of The Collaborative Counseling Center, a private therapy practice in Miami, Florida. Her new book, Toxic Positivity, talks about the downside of our cultural obsession with being happy – and how to better embrace and balance all of life’s emotions. Happiness has been commodified. We get sold the idea that, if we do all the right things, we can be rewarded with happiness. But we don’t feel any emotion – good or bad – all the time. Happiness can be part of your experience, but it won’t be all of it. In fact, holding onto happiness so tightly can keep us from pursuing other experiences that might challenge us or force us to grow because those experiences can often be difficult.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Instagram: @sitwithwhitsitwithwhit.comPurchase: Toxic PositivityOur big book reveal is happening on June 1st and 2nd! Sign up at bravewriter.com/revealWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced and published by Crate Media.

Today we’re going to talk about motherhood like you’ve never heard it before. I have five grown children and two grandchildren (with another on the way), and have been deeply invested in the wellbeing of mothers and motherhood for decades. It feels as if there’s little left to learn in that space for me. Imagine my surprise when I discovered Erin Lane’s book, Someone Other Than a Mother: Flipping the Scripts on a Woman’s Purpose and Making Meaning Beyond Motherhood, and felt the full richness of myself as a woman, a mother, and a human. This conversation is going to deepen and enrich your sense of womanhood in ways you could not have imagined.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Erin's website is: erinslane.comHer Instagram is @heyerinlaneOrder her book: Someone Other Than a Mother by Erin S. LaneWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced and published by Crate Media.

Amber Johnston is a brand new author, debuting with her book, A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond. Her mission is to see all of us celebrate our cultural heritages while also honoring the unique expressions of identity in others. Her book is practical, beautifully conceived, and filled with transparent storytelling that makes you fall in love with Amber and her family. We talk about why she wanted to write it, finding what she wanted to say, how you can find and define your personal and family culture, how to have weighty conversations, and listening to stories with humility. We all come from unique cultures, and it’s our responsibility as parents to pass them on to our children.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:heritagemom.comInstagram: @heritagemomblogRead: A Place to BelongThe Writer’s Jungle is being retired! Head over to store.bravewriter.com/products/the-writers-jungle to get it at a discounted price until the end of May!Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced and published by Crate Media.

What do we do with regret?On one hand, dwelling on our past – giving in to feelings of remorse, guilt, or shame – is not exactly productive. But on the other hand, regret is trying to tell you something, perhaps that you’ve been doing things wrong and could stand to make a change. So what do we do with that feeling and how do we channel it productively? Let’s explore.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:raisingcriticalthinkers.comWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media

This is a special episode for me: my new book, Raising Critical Thinkers, is now available!I have been thinking about thinking for decades. My bookshelves are full of texts dealing with the big ideas we all excavate, explore, and uncover as we become adults and strive to figure out our place in the world.But when kids are presented with abject facts, they can still look us in the eye and completely deny reality. What it takes to think critically is a skill that’s instantly recognizable in it’s usage, but is much harder to strip down to teachable components. Raising Critical Thinkers is going to help you dial into those experiences without panic, without feeling that you’ve failed as a parent, or without worrying about the influences of social media, peer groups, or other forms of media.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:raisingcriticalthinkers.combravewriter.com/special-offerWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media

Last week we discussed how the path to giving our kids the best possible outcomes in life comes down to some counterintuitive advice: You have to think – and care – less about that outcome. Easy, right? Maybe not.Now that you’ve hopefully bought into the theoretical concept, we’re going to dive into more practical advice about how to apply it. I’m going to offer tips and tricks for caring less and calming down – both for yourself and for your child.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Raising Critical Thinkers comes out February 1st, 2022. Be sure to pre-order by January 30th to get an exclusive pre-order bonus!Neurologic® InitiativeRead: 101 Brain Breaks & Brain Based Educational ActivitiesWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free, seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media

As parents and caregivers, we all care so much about giving our kids the best outcomes, education, and experiences possible. We’ve probably even spent an inordinate amount of time diving into books, podcasts, consulting with others, and other ways of learning what we think we need to know in order to be good parents. But what if all of that ends up backfiring? What if we end up killing our children by caring? I’m going to share how caring less might end up being the best thing you can do for your child – and yourself.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Raisingcriticalthinkers.com Preorder by February 1, 2022 and receive pre-sales bonuses!Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzAdam Grant’s Top 12 Books for the winter—RAISING CRITICAL THINKERS is one of them!https://adamgrant.bulletin.com/the-12-new-idea-books-to-brighten-your-winterA Gracious Space: Winter can be found here.https://store.bravewriter.com/collections/brave-writer-lifestyle-tools/products/a-gracious-space-winter-editionConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media

In our last episode, I explored the difference between setting boundaries and setting rules. I want to continue that conversation because there is so much to tease apart between the two.Part of what makes setting boundaries so difficult is the sense of responsibility parents or caregivers have over their children: responsibility to create a healthy environment, to ensure a solid education – whether at home or at school, and to provide food and a safe place to live. But, in the midst of all of those responsibilities, we can sometimes substitute a personal agenda or dream in its place.There is a difference between having a joyful vision of family life that includes opportunity for growth, and learning, and love versus a specific vision you feel you must protect in order to think you are successful.The only way to have a beautiful outcome in your family is to keep all options on the table at all times.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2021 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media

Welcome to the first episode of a new segment I’m calling “Julie Pep Talks,” where I narrow in on one particular topic and give you my thoughts about it and suggestions you can quickly put into practice. Today’s topic is all about setting boundaries, not setting rules.At the start of a new year, we’re often coming from the combined high of family gatherings, as well as the residual resentment that can come when your closest relatives push your buttons in all the wrong ways. Couple that with the cultural expectation to reform our lives in the form of new year’s resolutions of the year and it makes sense that we’d look at our mental welfare and engage in some relationship hygiene. That means setting the boundaries necessary to have a good relationship with the people in your life. Let’s explore what it actually means to set boundaries, and why, sometimes, what you think is a boundary is actually a rule. The distinction matters.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2021 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media

This week, we connect with Grace Llewellyn, a staple of the unschooling community who shaped my own homeschooling approach. She taught for three years before leaving the profession to write a classic in the unschooling world: The Teenage Liberation Handbook. The book was published in 1991, when she was only 26 years old, and has been thoroughly updated and re-released for it’s 30th anniversary in 2021. In 1996, Grace founded Not Back to School Camp to bring together unschooled teenagers and it’s still bringing joy around the world, today.After her time in the traditional school system – at a wonderful private school in Colorado – she came to the point where she felt she had seen and experienced too much to ethically continue teaching. She discovered the world of unschooling and quickly realized that it was unfair to rely on parents to introduce their kids to the methodology. She knew what she had to do.We talk about the expectations that come with unschooling, addressing fears parents may have, and the joys of dabbling.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Visit nbtsc.org to find out more about Not Back to School CampRaising Critical Thinkers: raisingcriticalthinkers.comWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2021 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media

This interview did not go the way I expected – in the most delightful way imaginable. We wound up discussing the power of travel in a teen’s life! Super fun.Blake Boles is the Founder and Director of Unschool Adventures, and he’s written several helpful books including his most recent title, “Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?” He also hosts the Off-Trail Learning podcast and has delivered dozens of presentations for education conferences, alternative schools, and parent groups.Studying astrophysics at UC Berkeley in 2013, he stumbled upon the works of John Taylor Gatto, Grace Llewellyn, and other alternative education pioneers. Deeply inspired by the philosophy of unschooling, Blake custom-designed his final two years of college to focus exclusively on education theory. After graduating, he joined the Not Back to School Camp community and began writing and speaking widely on the subject of self-directed learning. His biggest passion is sharing his enthusiasm and experience with young adults who are blazing their own trails through life.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:blakeboles.comunschooladventures.comRead: “Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?”Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2021 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media

The hardest part of being a homeschooling parent in this era is the pressure of being caught smack dab in the middle of idealism and the Mamasphere.Anne Helen Petersen writes the substack newsletter Culture Study, which I’ve followed for quite some time. She’s a cultural commentator and journalist, and is the author of four books, most recently Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home, which comes out in December 2021.We discuss the influence of the Mamasphere and why mothers trust the advice of other moms over experts or professionals. We also delve into the topic of divorce and the concept of Red and Blue Marriage, sharing examples from my life as well as Anne’s.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/.Resources:Subscribe to Anne’s Substack, Culture Study: annehelen.substack.comThe Ideological Battlefield of the Mamasphere - by Anne Helen Petersen - Culture StudyBlue Marriage and The Terror of Divorce - by Anne Helen Petersen - Culture StudyVisit store.bravewriter.com on Monday, November 29th, to find the best deals of the year!Our online class registration opens at noon on Monday, December 6th. Visit bravewriter.com/online-classes to learn more.Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2021 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media

Even, and especially, when a task is easy for us, teaching children a life skill is harder than it seems. As a parent, this can be extremely frustrating. The positives, though, are worth the trouble. Consider this, the sooner our kids know how to help around the house, the sooner they can help us around the house! More importantly, and beyond our own benefit, ensuring they’ve got the most recent software update on self-sustaining skills like tying their shoes and reading a clock provide the daily boosts of confidence and personal growth that a child needs.This comes down to one question we receive again and again when it comes to teaching children. It falls into something I call The Bermuda Triangle of Education. It’s a place where so many of us go wrong, and yet the principles to get out are actually quite simple.There are three parts of this triangle. Our own desire to teach leads us to believe that we should already know how to teach. When a child fails to learn, we pull in the other two aspects of this triangle of doom. Children are smart: they feel the pressure and obligation that parents add to their teaching. These three features: a desire to teach, thwarted by pressure and obligation, lead to the cranky learning experience so many of us are trying to overcome in our homes!Listen to hear exactly where we’re going wrong and how we can approach teaching tasks and tools in a way that helps kids want to use them.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2021 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media

Picture this, your child asked for, and happily ate an easy and nutritious dish the other day. Today, you prepare the same thing but they’re not interested. They refuse to even entertain the idea. No, you’re not going crazy. And, no, you haven’t found yourself in a rebooted episode of The Twilight Zone. There is a method to their madness, even if they’re not acutely aware of it.Today’s episode of Brave Writer is packed with well-researched methods for bringing your family’s habits and home life back to reality.My guest today is Dr. Natasha Beck, a parenting expert and Founder of Dr. Organic Mommy, an online resource for non-toxic parenting. She leans on her background in clinical psychology and public health to deliver important information and insights to her tens of thousands of social media followers. She’s a great example of someone doing good with a truly influential social platform.We talk about the variables in a child’s education that go unseen or underestimated, like sleep and eating habits. Specifically, we go over how to get past food ruts and expand their palettes with variety and agency in the grocery shopping process. Not to be left out, every parent’s rival, frustration, goes under the microscope to be dissected into rational bits of wisdom and ah-ha moments. By the end of this interview, you might be convinced that Dr. Beck is the first to have all the answers.Common throughout the episode, though, is communication. One area of the parent-child dynamic that’s always in our favor, subtle communication techniques can make all the difference in any range of issues: educational, nutritional, social, behavioral, and so on. Pick your spots right, and how something is said can be more important than what is said at all.Dr. Beck and I connect on many topics, not the least of which being my mom’s propensity to scan nutrition labels. And JOY – the missing ingredient in childhood nutrition – and a great word to describe this interview.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Website: Dr. Organic MommyInstagram: @dr.organicmommyPre-order: Raising Critical Thinkers: A Parent's Guide to Growing Wise Kids in the Digital AgeWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2021 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzJoin the Launch Party for the book here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rctlaunchpartyConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: <a href="http://facebook.com/bravewriter" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

It took decades of researching, writing, and editing to be standing on the precipice of my book launch. Raising Critical Thinkers is now officially available to pre-order!I am thrilled to unleash this project into the world and stimulate a conversation on how we read and discern information – a theme on top of everyone’s minds – and social media feeds.&nbsp; Tune in as I share why Raising Critical Thinkers will nourish future generations of worldly, passionate, and thoughtful learners. Plus: the key dates to put in your calendar to take this community and conversation further.&nbsp;You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Pre-order: Raising Critical Thinkers: A Parent's Guide to Growing Wise Kids in the Digital AgeWant help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2021 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzJoin the Launch Party for the book here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rctlaunchpartyConnect with Julie:Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriterTwitter: twitter.com/bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter--Brave Writer is produced by Crate Media