Brave Writer

We are so excited because it is the Book Birthday of Julie’s brand new book, The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life!We’ve heard from a lot of brave homeschooling parents throughout this season of the show, and looking forward, we want to hear from more of you Brave Learners out there: How are you rethinking curiosity, online gaming, or the role of collaboration in your home school – and what does that look like in your unique family?We can change the conversation around education by being homeschoolers who take pride in what we do; we have a contribution to make back into the story of schooling, learning, and education, and this community is here to make it!Resources:Order Julie’s book & get your FREE companion guide at thebravelearner.comSign up for The Brave Learner Conference (July 19, 2019 in Cincinnati, OH): https://thebravelearner.com/conferenceJoin The Homeschool AllianceAsk Julie a question: help@bravewriter.com-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Today we’re joined by five wonderful moms from the CO Springs Homeschool Mamas Group.So instead of focusing on just one question, we’ll tackle one from each of them, representing the wide variety of problems that every homeschooling parent has to tackle throughout their home education journey.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Sign up for The Brave Learner Conference (July 19, 2019 in Cincinnati, OH): https://thebravelearner.com/conferencePreorder Julie’s upcoming book at thebravelearner.com (releasing Feb. 5th, 2019)Looking to kickstart your writing program this school year? Download the FREE 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)Learn more about SCALE: https://readwriteact.org/Join The Homeschool Alliance-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Courtney Moyer, a homeschooling mother of four (plus a young niece), wrote to Julie saying, “The consistent homeschool challenge that has confronted me is homeschooling multiple children at multiple levels, lacking expertise to multitask... It seems that chaos overrides my agenda on most days... I know if I could understand a way to multitask, anxiety would be minimal, creating a hospitable atmosphere that's desirable for my children.”Courtney’s concern is one that almost every homeschooler deals with at some point (really, almost every parent), and our natural inclination is that doing everything requires multitasking expertise. However, that’s not the case at all – especially not in homeschooling!So today, Julie discusses how our traditional notions of education interfere with our homeschooling opportunities – and how you can break free from multitasking to offer all of your children a more complete and joyful education!You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Sign up for The Brave Learner Conference (July 19, 2019 in Cincinnati, OH): https://thebravelearner.com/conferencePreorder Julie’s upcoming book at thebravelearner.com (releasing Feb. 5th, 2019)Looking to kickstart your writing program this school year? Download the FREE 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Our guest Myah St. John homeschools three children (plus a newborn), and her oldest child, 14, is on the verge of high school. Myah’s always embraced a one-room schoolhouse model for her family, but she finds herself floundering trying to balance high school with elementary school... and as her teenage daughter starts to become a young woman.Why do our children become these people we don’t understand? How do they transform so quickly from a young kid happy to be part of the team to a young adult with their own opinions, wants, and needs – which they are more than happy to share with us, loudly?We don’t always think about this transition in our children’s lives, but eventually, your pleasant young children will become teens, and they’ll start trying to figure out how they can be individuals in a homeschool household. This can be a big challenge, for both your and your child, but Julie is here to offer a helping hand.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Follow the St. John Family on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stjohnfamilyfarm/Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for The Brave Learner Conference (July 19, 2019 in Cincinnati, OH): https://thebravelearner.com/conferencePreorder Julie’s upcoming book at thebravelearner.com (releasing Feb. 5th, 2019)Looking to kickstart your writing program this school year? Download the FREE 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Jessica Hammond is a homeschooling mother of two who feels conflicted as she tries to spin half a dozen plates. She has a laundry list of passion projects and hobbies, and she wants to be able to devote time and energy on those passions without feeling guilty.“I want to be present and engaged with my kids during our days. But I also want to accomplish interesting projects of my own. And right now, it feels a constant tug of war between the two, Jessica says. “How can I adjust my mindset and trust that I really am going to get enough time for all of it?”Sound familiar? With your various roles as a parent, spouse, and home educator, have you ever stopped and wondered where your own personal fulfillment fits in? How to nurture your Awesome Adult self?If so, then our talk with Jessica will help you, too.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 Learner Conference (July 19, 2019 in Cincinnati, OH): https://thebravelearner.com/conferencePreorder Julie’s upcoming book at thebravelearner.com (releasing Feb. 5th, 2019Looking to kickstart your writing program this school year? Download the FREE 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Jardel Manalo is a homeschooling mother of five, ranging from the ages of two to 12, who also opened her school doors to a wonderful 12-year-old young woman named Samantha.That’s a lot of children at a lot of different stages in life – a situation we know many of you can relate to – and that can create a lot of pressure for us to perform, both as parents and teachers.Jardel says, “I don't feel like I am able to connect with each of my children daily, both personally and academically ... Is this ok? Often, it leaves me feeling like such a failure because I'm failing at connecting with some of the kids ALL the time.”You’re not a failure, Jardel, and neither are any of you reading – but for your own sanity, you might need to adjust your expectations.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-startedPreorder Julie’s upcoming book at thebravelearner.com (releasing Feb. 5th, 2019)Looking to kickstart your writing program this school year? Download the FREE 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Karen Goldstein and her son Elijah are struggling with the difficult transition into high school. It can be a challenge to fit in the oftentimes-rigorous high school work while still allowing breathing room for a laid-back, enjoyable lifestyle – and holding on to the love of learning throughout it all!“More subjects leaves less time for in-depth exploration, field trips, time in nature, rabbit trails, and down time. I miss that. There is only so much time in a given day. We are both working harder than ever,” Karen says. “Working hard isn't a bad thing but I am wondering how to make high school feel smoother?”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-startedPreorder Julie’s upcoming book at thebravelearner.com (releasing Feb. 5th, 2019)Looking to kickstart your writing program this school year? Download the FREE 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Today’s guest, Jennifer Hunter, is a mother struggling with a problem that afflicts many homeschooling parents.Jennifer says, “My homeschool challenge is that I am lonely! My kids are all young, and while I am honoured to be spending my days helping them learn, it isn’t always stimulating for me.”We expect this is something that every homeschooling parent experiences at one point or another. We all love our kids, of course, but it can be difficult to connect with other families, or even just our personal friends, when they operate on a completely different schedule.But it’s also really important that we do because community is a critical part of our mental health! Luckily, though, Julie has been there and done that, and she has some great tips for finding communities online and in your area.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-startedPreorder Julie’s upcoming book at thebravelearner.com (releasing Feb. 5th, 2019)Looking to kickstart your writing program this school year? Download the FREE 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

There’s a dilemma that plagues every homeschooling parent’s mind at some point in their journey, filling threads online and conversations in person: How can we make learning fun?And then the natural follow up question comes up: Do we have to make learning fun? Because the truth is that education won’t be fun 100 percent of the time.This is the dilemma brought to us by our guest Anne Trott, who asked how she can push through these challenging moments and teach perseverance, without hurting her relationship or connection with her kids.It’s a fine line some days, but Julie has some advice to guide you through the difficult daysYou 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-startedPreorder Julie’s upcoming book at thebravelearner.com (releasing Feb. 5th, 2019)Want to kickstart your writing program this school year? Download the FREE 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!) -- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Jenniver Vetter is a brave mother of six who has been homeschooling for nine years. She has embraced the emphasis on relationship and freedom in learning that homeschooling offers, but she worries that her children also need to learn skills that don’t lend themselves as easily to fort building and play.Jennifer asked, “How do I balance the love and creative side of learning with the nuts, bolts and rules side of learning?”We know this is a big question in the Brave Writer community, but Julie has a few ideas for how homeschoolers can meet both of those goals.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-startedPreorder Julie’s upcoming book at thebravelearner.com (releasing Feb. 5th, 2019)Want to kickstart your writing program this school year? Download the FREE 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!) -- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters