The Gentle Year

Is homeschooling only realistic for families with financial flexibility? And how do homeschooled children develop friendships, independence, maturity, and the social skills they need for adulthood? In Part 3 of this conversation, homeschool coach and former public school educator Katelyn Deville joins Knikki Hernandez to discuss the practical and social realities of homeschooling. They explore how...

Thinking about homeschooling can feel overwhelming, especially when you are trying to figure out state laws, withdrawal procedures, curriculum, record keeping, assessments, transcripts, and whether your child is truly ready for a different educational environment. In this episode of The Gentle Year, Knikki Hernandez continues her conversation with homeschool coach and former public school educator...

Thinking about homeschooling but feeling overwhelmed, underqualified, or unsure where to begin? In this episode of The Gentle Year , Knikki Hernandez sits down with Katelyn DeVille, founder of The Home Based Method, to talk honestly about why families are leaving traditional school settings and how parents can begin homeschooling with more confidence and less fear. Katelyn brings a unique perspect...

What should you do if your child finds an injured bird, orphaned squirrel, or baby rabbit? How can parents encourage a love of animals while teaching respect for wildlife? In this episode of The Gentle Year , I sit down with Sarah Cooperman, Executive Director of Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary, to explore the fascinating world of wildlife rehabilitation and what parents can teach their children about...

What if the problem was never that you were "too much"? In this deeply personal conversation, therapist Caasi shares the moment that changed the course of her life. As a teenager struggling with anger, fear, and loneliness, she learned firsthand what happens when honesty is met with rejection rather than understanding. Together, we explore the hidden wounds beneath difficult behavior, th...

This episode is sponsored by Your Wish Is Your Command , a transformational success and mindset program focused on helping people reshape the way they think, create, and pursue personal growth. Join The Gentle Year Facebook Group What happens when a child grows up believing they are too much? Too loud. Too emotional. Too needy. Too difficult. In this deeply personal and emotionally raw conversatio...

Jennifer Kaufman focuses on one of the most important — and often overlooked — aspects of autism support: transitioning into adulthood. In this segment, Jennifer breaks down why conversations about independence, employment, long-term planning, social connection, and life skills need to begin much earlier than most families realize. Drawing from her experience as both a school principal for student...

Part 2 of this interview with Jennifer Kaufman focuses on autism, public safety, and first responder awareness. This conversation explores how autistic individuals may respond differently during encounters with police officers, EMTs, firefighters, and other emergency personnel—and why misunderstanding those behaviors can quickly escalate situations. In this episode, Jennifer discusses: Why autisti...

Part 1 of this conversation with Jennifer Kaufman explores autism, family dynamics, and the grandparent perspective through both professional and deeply personal experiences. Jennifer is the author of Grandparenting on the Spectrum: A Journey from Both Sides of the Desk and a longtime school principal who worked extensively with autistic students and their families before autism became part of her...

In the final part of this conversation with Raeanne Johnson, pediatric mental health nurse practitioner and founder of Brain Waves Wellness, the discussion shifts into practical family life and everyday parenting strategies. Raeanne shares concrete tools parents can use to help children regulate emotions, navigate overstimulation, develop healthier habits, and build stronger family connection insi...

What happens when neuroscience, faith, emotional healing, and parenting all collide in the same conversation? In part two of this interview, Raeanne Johnson joins The Gentle Year for a deeply thoughtful discussion on the connection between the brain, belief, hope, suffering, healing, and the renewing of the mind. Together, we explore the relationship between Scripture and neuroscience, the science...

What if your child’s behavior isn’t something to fix—but something to understand? In part one of this conversation, Knikki Hernandez sits down with pediatric nurse practitioner and child mental health specialist Raenne Johnson to break down what’s actually happening in the brain when children experience big emotions, dysregulation, and behavioral challenges. This episode focuses on the foundation—...

In this episode of The Gentle Year , Knikki Hernandez sits down with Robert DeLena to explore a powerful and deeply personal parenting journey—one that challenges how we think about behavior, discipline, and what it really means to help a child. Through Ryan’s story, this conversation looks at how quickly systems can shape outcomes for children who think and behave differently. From early diagnose...

In this continuation of The Gentle Year , we return to Robert and Ryan’s story and take a closer look at how children are supported when their behavior doesn’t align with expectations at home or in school. Robert reflects on years of navigating diagnoses, school placements, physical restraint, and medication. With time and distance, he shares what he understands now about those decisions, the patt...

What happens when your child doesn’t fit the life you thought they would? In this episode of The Gentle Year , I sit down with Robert Delana to explore what it means to parent a child who challenges expectations at every turn. From early behavioral concerns and school interventions to misdiagnosis and therapeutic placements, Robert shares the reality of raising a child who didn’t respond to tradit...

What happens when a diagnosis changes everything? In this episode of The Gentle Year , Knikki Hernandez speaks with Paul Voss, a father of eight, about raising a child with autism—and how it reshaped his understanding of parenting, health, and what children truly need to thrive. This conversation explores the gap between what we think we know and what real-life experience teaches us. From early si...

What if the most important thing you ever build… is your child’s life? In this powerful episode of The Gentle Year , Knikki Hernandez sits down with Nathaniel A. Turner—TED speaker, author, and founder of the League of Extraordinary Parents—to challenge everything we think we know about parenting, education, and what it really means to raise a capable, fulfilled human being. Nate introduces a bold...

What should parents know about speech delays, toddler language development, and late talkers? In this episode of The Gentle Year , speech-language pathologist Jeanean Tang explains early speech milestones, when to seek early intervention, and how everyday parent-child interaction shapes how children learn to talk. Drawing on over two decades of experience in speech therapy and early intervention,...

In this powerful episode of The Gentle Year , Knikki Hernandez sits down with author and entrepreneur Jessica Danel for an unfiltered conversation about trauma, resilience, generational patterns, and what it really means to keep moving forward. Jessica shares the raw, unbelievable stories behind her memoir Bucket List from a Redneck Girl —from being wrongfully placed in drug rehab as a teen, to su...

In this parent-focused episode of The Gentle Year , Knikki sits down with Dr. Emily Levy, founder of EBL Coaching, to demystify special education, early reading struggles, and what parents truly need to know. Dr. Levy explains the early signs of dyslexia and learning differences, when to request a psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation, and the difference between an IEP and a 504 plan....

Join the conversation beyond the episode inside The Gentle Year Facebook community — a thoughtful space for parents seeking clarity, encouragement, and real dialogue. In this powerful episode of The Gentle Year , Knikki Hernandez interviews Sean Dawson, host of the Raising Men podcast, for an honest and nuanced conversation about raising boys, modern masculinity, and fatherhood in today’s culture....

Join the conversation beyond the episode inside The Gentle Year Facebook community — a thoughtful space for parents seeking clarity, encouragement, and real dialogue. Black history is often taught as a single storyline—centered on slavery—while countless Black contributions to early American life are left out of standard textbooks. In this episode of The Gentle Year , historian and public school t...

Join the conversation beyond the episode inside The Gentle Year Facebook community — a thoughtful space for parents seeking clarity, encouragement, and real dialogue. What does it mean to survive stillbirth — and then keep living? In this deeply moving episode of The Gentle Year , I sit down with Val Kleppen — a bereaved mother, homeschool mom, and host of The Motherhood Experience podcast — to ta...

Join the conversation beyond the episode inside The Gentle Year Facebook community — a thoughtful space for parents seeking clarity, encouragement, and real dialogue. In this episode of The Gentle Year , I sit down with Roman Wyden — author of ADHD Is Over and host of the podcast and documentary by the same name — for a deep, thought-provoking conversation about childhood diagnoses, parenting, str...

Join the conversation beyond the episode inside The Gentle Year Facebook community — a thoughtful space for parents seeking clarity, encouragement, and real dialogue. What if the reason families feel so fractured right now isn’t a lack of love —but too much pressure, too much information, and too little shared responsibility? In this episode of The Gentle Year, I’m joined by Angela Caldwell, a Lic...