Brave Writer

A disclaimer for this episode: we are not trained experts and our specialty is not special needs, so anything we share today is based on our own efforts to do research and learn from other trained efforts. So nothing in this episode should be considered clinical diagnosis or expert referral – this is all parent-to-parent sharing.And Julie’s children are all adults now, so the stories she has to share come from the perspective of someone who has already made it to the other side and can see how it all worked out.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources: Partnership Writing BundleLearn from Rita Cevasco: rootedinlanguage.comIf you have a child on the spectrum, check out surfershealing.orgCheck out this brand new, free product designed to kickstart your writing program this school year: 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)You can download Free Writing Lessons here: go.bravewriter.com/free-writing-lessons-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Are you a happy family… or are you not? Today, we hope to solve that dilemma!There’s a temptation to only consider the family identity when we think about our families, and that can be a wonderful identity to share!But a family is a collection of individuals and we can’t forget that. The friction of human beings living in a family space together is always going to feel a little bit like controlled chaos – and it’s totally okay if that’s the way that it is!However, making space for everyone in your family to have some of your focused attention and some alone time or downtime is the challenge, particularly for big families. So how can we leverage the unique benefits of homeschooling to do that – and what should we avoid?You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Check out this brand new, free product designed to kickstart your writing program this school year: 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)You can download Free Writing Lessons here: go.bravewriter.com/free-writing-lessonsPick up your copy of Family Math -- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

We often see families join Brave Writer or The Homeschool Alliance who get excited about this style of living, but then we struggle to find other like-minded individuals out there in the world.Even in the homeschooling community, there can be a big disconnect between your theory of education and a friend’s. This may be someone you like personally, but they have a different vision of homeschool and it causes a little bit of conflict.There are a few types of friends that you’ll want to cultivate in your homeschooling life, and today we want to share principles and stories that will help you do that.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Join The Homeschool AllianceJoin the Brave Writer Lifestyle Facebook GroupCheck out this brand new, free product designed to kickstart your writing program this school year: 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)You can download Free Writing Lessons here: go.bravewriter.com/free-writing-lessonsNeed support in sustaining your homeschool commitment? We invite you to read Julie’s three-part A Gracious Space series. You can find print copies on Amazon or digital copies in the Brave Writer store-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Today we want to talk about the roles in our families – and the incredible power of choice. We delve into the labels and roles we use to characterize our kids, how those may limit our children, and how to let young people explore who they want to be through choice.Homeschooling is an empowering choice, and we can leverage that power to provide the best learning environment for our kids!You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Connect with Julie on Instagram: @JulieBraveWriterCheck out this brand new, free product designed to kickstart your writing program this school year: 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)You can download Free Writing Lessons here: go.bravewriter.com/free-writing-lessons-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Julie spends a lot of time looking at the homeschooling zeitgeist, and she notices a common theme coming up every so often: the search for the one thing that’s going to magically create a flawless homeschool.But really we shouldn’t be aiming for perfection – we should be aiming for progress!You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Check out this brand new, free product designed to kickstart your writing program this school year: 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)You can download Free Writing Lessons here: go.bravewriter.com/free-writing-lessons -- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

In the last episode, Julie started breaking down some research on brain-based learning, or the science behind what it looks like to be a good learner. Today, we’re going to dig into the rest of that research so that we have a holistic understanding of how our children learn!You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Check out this brand new, free product designed to kickstart your writing program this school year: 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)You can download Free Writing Lessons here: go.bravewriter.com/free-writing-lessonsFunderstanding.com -- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

When Julie started learning about home education, she read a lot of work by home educators. Of course this makes sense because she wanted to understand the philosophy behind home education. However, learning the philosophy didn’t teach her to understand how learning functions inside a person’s brain.So much of educational training is focused on organizational skills, but it’s also important to understand what’s happening inside our children's’ noggins!You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Check out this brand new, free product designed to kickstart your writing program this school year: 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)You can download Free Writing Lessons here: go.bravewriter.com/free-writing-lessonsFunderstanding.com-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

Julie coined the term Party School when she was developing her own homeschool experience. Today, we’re going to look at the properties of Party School and how you can turn it into a practice that brings a little enchantment to your homeschool.With these tips and some imagination, you can transform the study of any subject into something more engaging and fun!You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources:Check out this brand new, free product designed to kickstart your writing program this school year: 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)You can download Free Writing Lessons here: go.bravewriter.com/free-writing-lessonsRead: “The Ultimate Collection of Party School Book Club Ideas”-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters

As we get older, we go through many different stages of our lives, and it can be challenging to discuss the topic of “Awesome Adulthood” because of this fact. Not everybody feels like they’re in a position to add anything to their lives, let alone an awesome new passion, hobby, or career choice.If you have children under the age of five years old, for example, your primary job to to take care of them and your enriching self-education is going to be look like becoming skilled at parenting.Our hope is that, when you’re in that early stage of parenthood, you will give yourself permission to become effective, understand what you’re doing, and care about that child. It’s a huge responsibility that you have, and they’ll be around for at least 18 years!But as kids start getting to school age, your primary self-educating focus will shift to becoming a career home educator.And like the many career educators in public and private schools, home education is indeed a career – but unlike other career educators, home educators don’t necessarily get any breaks from their students.Without any breaks, the burnout is very real. Too many of us get depressed, feel inadequate, blame ourselves, or isolate ourselves. The joy can dissipate, and the more you devote to the home education task, the worst it gets; “You start to feel like your whole life is consumed with an unattainable task.”Because not only is the act of teaching exhausting, not only do you not get a break, but your identity is directly tied to how your children perform.And unfortunately, when you feel depressed or discouraged or joyless, your kids see that too, and they will reflect it back to you like a mirror.The Remedy is Awesome Adulthood“If you’ve made your well-being dependent on how somebody else is doing, you are no longer the master of your own soul, of your own wellbeing; you have taken this personhood that is yours and relocated it, in your children.”What’s the remedy? Staying connected to the you that was you before the “you” became a “We,” whether that’s through marriage, children, or both.This doesn’t mean you have to find a new career or a time-consuming hobby – you just need to try retaining that piece of you and allow it to express itself.Does the word “awesome” in adulting scare you? Don’t worry, that’s really not the important part! It’s just alliterative!Maybe you think of it as being a Happy Adult, or a Fulfilled Adult, or a Meaningful Adult – but you do deserve some time for yourself.You deserve a prep period, a summer vacation, or a sabbatical… but, unfortunately, that’s not an option. But as a home educator, there’s something you CAN do that other educators can’t: mini vacations!You can’t necessarily take an extravagant trip for yourself when you have children living at home, but you can still do something for yourself!Here are a couple things to think about… If a subject area in school piques your interest, but your kids lose interest, keep going! “Home education is a re-education for mothers.”Every day, build in time for choices that make you happy. Even if it’s just for a moment, do something that reminds you that you have choices, value, and wants. The more that you allow yourself to desire, and be okay with that, the more your children have permission to do the same. It’s hard to teach someone to follow their passion if you don’t have experience cultivating your own. Resources:Check out this brand new, free product designed to kickstart your writing program this school year: 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!) You can download Free Writing Lessons here: go.bravewriter.com/free-writing-lessons

As home educators, what does it mean to have a satisfying adult life? How can we nourish and enrich our lives when we are so depleted from giving away so much to our kids? What happens if we spend so much of our time preparing our children that we end up watching our own lives go by?Today we’re going to address these questions, and many more, with a conversation about Awesome Adulting.You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/Resources: Check out this brand new, free product designed to kickstart your writing program this school year: 7-Day Writing Blitz (and tag your creative young writers using #BWBlitz on Twitter & Instagram!)You can download Free Writing Lessons here: go.bravewriter.com/free-writing-lessons-- Brave Writer is produced by Podcast Masters