I know that if you’re an RAR Family, you are raising kids who love to read, because that’s what we do around here!And with a love of reading often comes the inspiration to write. And those young writers will come to you looking for feedback on their stories. But what if we, as parents, don’t see ourselves as experts or writers and feel like we don’t have much to offer in the way of feedback?It happens for a lot of homeschoolers. We know that homeschools are fabulous places to grow young writers, but that we can also feel a little ill-equipped as their writing mentors.Which is where today’s guests come in. Brett Harris and Kara Swanson were both homeschooled and they share a commitment to mentoring young writers and helping parents become better mentors to their own young writers.They’re here to reassure you that you do know what makes a good story, and share some of their best advice for giving your child useful feedback on their creative writing.In this episode, you’ll hear: Six key elements of story that you probably already know, but just didn’t have words forQuestions to ask your young writer that will set them up for future story–and even career–successWhy expressing your support for your child’s writing is probably the most important thing you can doLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-to-give-feedback To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, join RAR Premium. 

I want to introduce you to one of my new favorite authors.She's younger than most published authors. In fact, she says she decided to publish her first book at nine years old. When she was 10, she attended her first writing conference. When she was 13, she self published her first book. She was homeschooled. You probably could have already guessed that. And she has been on a roll ever since.Now she's 20 and she's making books I know your families are going to love.Millie Florence shares her journey from whispering stories to herself under the covers to published author, plus her advice for aspiring young writers and their parents.In this episode, you’ll hear: How Millie’s homeschool experience informed her writing, and vice versaWhy it was so important that Millie’s parents took her professional writing aspirations seriouslyWhy Millie encourages young writers to choose quantity over quality in their projectsLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/advice-for-young-writers To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, join RAR Premium. 

Learn about dyslexia as a genetic brain wiring difference. Discover the signs and misconceptions of dyslexia. Hear personal experiences and strategies to support dyslexic children. Reflect on grammar programs and success in English. Explore the connection between dyslexia and math. Challenge myths about dyslexia as a learning disability.

By far the most popular episode we’ve ever done here on Read Aloud Revival is the episode with my oldest daughter, Audrey, when we looked back together on homeschooling from her vantage point as a sophomore in college.We discussed what worked, what didn’t, and about our homeschool experience in general.And last spring, at the Great Homeschool Conventions, you all kept asking me when Audrey would be back on the podcast.She’s now about to start her senior year at Franciscan University, so it seemed like a great time to check back in with her and get her perspective now that her college experience is almost complete.Today, she’s answering your questions from inside the RAR Premium forum and the RAR Instagram.In this episode, you’ll hear: What gave Audrey the solid foundations for writing as an English majorAudrey’s advice for high school students and college freshmenWhat parents can do to help their children build a strong sense of faithLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/questions-for-homeschooling-graduate To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, join RAR Premium. 

In this podcast, the speakers discuss the common homeschooling question of whether parents are doing enough. They explore the pressure to compare oneself to others, share personal anecdotes, and offer strategies to alleviate stress. They also discuss the importance of focusing on what children truly need and share funny anecdotes and reflections on homeschooling. The podcast concludes with book recommendations and an invitation for listeners to connect through books.

Challenges and strategies for homeschooling with babies and toddlers, including not seeing them as distractions, handling fussy toddlers, and tips for doing less. Also discusses the benefits of co-op homeschooling and the positive influence of babies and toddlers in the homeschooling journey.

Discover practical strategies for helping struggling readers and signs of dyslexia. Learn about addressing unique difficulties faced by advanced readers. Explore homeschooling benefits for dyslexic children and engaging materials for differently wired kids. Find out how to engage with advanced readers and manage anxiety in homeschooling.

During my hardest year of homeschooling, I had a 12, 10, 8, and 1 year old, and twin newborns. Life was… a little chaotic.One week, a friend of mine who had homeschooled all three of her kids asked, “So how's homeschooling going?”And naturally, I burst into tears. I’m not sure she saw that coming. But then, maybe she did. Anyway, she asked me how I was keeping the kids on track for their schoolwork and how much they could do when I wasn’t able to lead them, and when I looked at her with a blank stare, she said, “Okay, I’m going to come over tomorrow and I’ll bring some spiral notebooks.”So, I cleared a path to the door and she came and she showed me how a 25 cent notebook could completely change our homeschool for the better.Today, we're going to talk about those spiral notebooks-- the one simple tool that has had the biggest impact on my homeschooling life.In this episode, you’ll hear: How the spiral notebook system combats overwhelm when you’re being pulled in too many directionsHow I used the spiral notebooks in our homeschoolThe modified system that we use in our homeschool nowFind the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/spiral-notebooks-for-homeschool  To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, join RAR Premium. 

Imagine that your child is grown up, and his or her reading life looks a lot like yours does right now.How do you feel about that? Is your reading life something you want your kids to emulate when they’re adults? What if we built for ourselves the kind of reading life that we’d be delighted for our own kids to imitate? Novelist Katherine Paterson once wrote that “a fondness for books is catching.”I think she’s right. It’s much easier to be drawn into a reading life when the people around you also have a rich reading life.And if you’re someone who wants to raise kids who love to read - that’s probably why you’re here, right? Modeling our own rich reading life is an incredibly important strategy in making that a reality.Which means that reading – not just to your kids, not just for your kids, not just about how to be a better mother to your kids – but reading for the sheer joy of reading, is one of your most important jobs as a mother.And regardless of what your reading life looks like today, it’s OK. Keep listening. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why modeling your own enjoyment of reading is such an important piece of raising kids who love to readHow reading reduces stress, makes us happier, improves focus and more!How to overcome the hurdles and read more (in fact we have a printable for that!)Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/mom-reading-life/ To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, join RAR Premium. 

Today, in this Best Of Read Aloud Revival episode, we’re revisiting a conversation about a series I absolutely adore: The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall.The Penderwicks follows the escapades of four spirited sisters, Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty. The books are a modern nod to Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, and they’ve won tons of awards including the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, several ALA Notable Children’s Book Awards, and the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award.Since recording this interview for RAR episode 100, Jeanne unknowingly planted the seed for my own book, A Little More Beautiful, the Story of a Garden when I visited her and her Northampton, Massachusetts, home. So now, of course, we like to call A Little More Beautiful “our book.”The first book in the Penderwicks series, The Penderwicks, A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy is our RAR Premium Family Book Club pick for this summer.That means we’ve got a full Family Book Club Guide with all the trimmings available now for members AND if you and your kids sign up for RAR Premium, they will have a chance to meet Jeanne Birdsall live on Zoom on August 25th.In this episode, you’ll hear: How Jeanne got her start writing in her 40s and why it’s never too late to follow a dreamAbout Jeanne’s character-driven writing process and why she always envisioned the Penderwicks as a seriesWhere Jeanne gets her inspiration Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/penderwicks-book-club/ To join us for the "Reading as Refreshment" Retreat on 1/31-2/1, join RAR Premium.