Raising Lifelong Learners

While this podcast episode was recorded before all the COVID-19 stuff hit, and things were relatively normal, I felt it important to share it with you. In this episode I talk about five simple things you can do with your anxious kiddos to help them right now. Right now, anxieties are high.  Kids are worrying. Adults are worrying.  We're all kind of in this big ole anxiety boat together. We could really use some solidarity and support right now.

Differently-wired kiddos require a major shift in parenting philosophies and practices, and today's guest is no stranger to shaking things up. Debbie Reber, founder of the Tilt Parenting podcast and author of Differently-Wired: Rasing an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World, has a lot to say about bringing up neurodiverse kiddos. Join Colleen and Debbie as they talk school choices, parenting shifts, and the news of the brand-new paperback version of Differently-Wired in bookstores everywhere!

I laugh, I shrug, I shake my head. My kids are gifted, and sometimes they're just gonna gift. It's time that we stop apologizing for it... In today's episode, Colleen shares an audioblog -- an article that first appeared on the site. Written by contributor Jen Vail, this audioblog uses humor to help parents appreciate their quirky kids for exactly who they are. 

Are you planning to come out to a homeschool convention this season? Colleen will be speaking at all seven of the Great Homeschool Conventions and several others as well -- you can find her entire calendar on her speaking page. In this episode, though, she chats about why you should consider attending as a homeschool parent of a differently-wired kiddo.  There are opportunities to check out curriculum, talk to experts in all subject areas, be inspired by different tyes of speakers, and enjoy special events like the Real Mom Tour she, Pam Barnhill, and Sarah MacKenzie are hosting at each GHC event! Make sure you leave a comment or a voice mail to let her know which event you'll be at -- she can't wait to meet you!

Today, Colleen talks to Kristen Jenson, author of Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today's Young Kids and founder of Protect Young Minds. This conversation dives deeply into what porn does to the brain, how it contributes to addiction, and how we can protect our differently-wired kiddos who often need more than just a "don't do it" to convince them that our advice might be worth following. This is an episode you don't want to miss. 

Do you feel like all you ever do is yell at and correct your intense child? That for every time you praise him, you’ve already berated him 15 times? And, are you completely exhausted before you’ve finished your first cup of coffee? Yeah… me too. This audioblog shares tips for helping you work with your intense child to have them get on board with family rules and structures so you can all have the peace you crave.

So many gifted and twice-exceptional kiddos struggle with perfectionism, and untreated perfectionism can lead to other problems like low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and even eating disorders. Finding ways to talk to your kiddos is important, and keeping the conversation going can help them feel comfortable opening up when they're having a problem. In today's episode, Colleen gives you tips for talking your kiddo through perfectionism and helping them move past it. There are plenty of additional resources below to help you continue working with your kiddo.

Let's face it -- homeschooling differently-wired kiddos is challenging. Parenting them is challenging. But, when life hits you from all sides, and you have highly emotional, anxiety-filled, and otherwise differently-wired kids to parent through it, you're going to be lucky to get dinner on the table some days, let alone get any homeschooling done.  And, will they really learn anything anyway when their lives are uncertain, family is sick, there's a death or a move to deal with? Probably not. So what do you do? Colleen sits down and chats real life in this episode as she's been parenting and homeschooling her four quirky kiddos through a lot of life stuff lately, and has a few insights. She's not going to solve all your problems, but you'll walk away from this episode knowing that you're not the only one who gets hit by too much stuff at once, and that you will get through it.

Parenting and homeschooling a differently-wired kiddo is tough. When you're homeschooling a gifted only child, it can be exhausting. You need to stay a few steps ahead of your kiddo as you're the only one they've got to play with, learn from, and do things with.  Jessica Waldock chats with Colleen today about the ways she brings delight and interest-led learning into the homeschooling she does with her super-adorable gifted only child. Emily even pops in to tell us what she loves to learn about. This is an inspiring episode with loadds of practical and actionable things you can implement in your homeschool right now -- even if you have more than one gifted or otherwise quirky kiddos of your own.

How do YOU fight back against perfectionism and recapture the joy of the homeschool you dreamed about? In this episode, Colleen tackles a listener question related to this topic and offers some practical tips for keeping the joy and fun alive.