Brave Writer

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...

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 com...

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...

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 th...

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...

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...

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 encourage...

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.bra...

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 pl...

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...

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...

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 nu...

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...

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...

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...

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 Pinwheel...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 complet...

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 an...

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 childre...

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 – wheth...