Discover a revolutionary approach to parenting and homeschooling!

Join host Kelly Edwards as she engages in a live recorded conversation with Amanda Diekman, author of "Low Demand Parenting” and Robyn Robertson of Honey! I’m Homeschooling the Kids.

Amanda walks us through her personal journey through burnout, breaking societal norms, and finding freedom outside conventional boxes. She shares practical tips for navigating demands, recognizing your capacity, and building trust with your children. If you're a parent seeking joy, healing, and a unique path, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode we answer the following questions:

• I’m a new homeschooler and I’m very nervous about 24/7 with my kiddo.  I’m worried about my own burnout and self-care...help!

Tune-in for insights that will reshape your parenting experience!

Resources and Support:

Amanda Diekman’s Website and Instagram

Buy Amanda’s book, Low Demand Parenting

Robyn Robertson’s podcast, Honey! I’m Homeschooling the Kids

Book - Burnout: Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Nagoski sisters

Learn more about PDA here: PDA North America

Join Waitlist for 90-Minute School Day Guide Training™ – The next co-hort is March 2024!

Kelly offers one-on-one coaching and a self-paced course on the 90-Minute School Day method if you’re ready to start today.

Listen to or invite Kelly to speak about the 90-Minute School Day™ with your community here.

Share your homeschool with this community! Be featured on the podcast by recording your story, struggle or asking your question here.

In this special episode of the 90-Minute School Day podcast, I guide you through the transformative practice of crafting personal retreats.

Together, we delve into the essence of these intentional breaks, exploring why they're crucial in preventing burnout and fostering personal and familial growth.

In this episode you will learn:

• What are personal retreats?

I encourage you to embrace change gradually, making personal rest and assessment a healthy habit integrated into your routine on a regular basis.

Until next time, nurture yourself and thrive on your homeschooling journey.

Resources and Support:

Grab our homeschool planning worksheets:  My Learning Year and Homeschool Year in Review  (I use these seasonally instead of yearly – they run from retreat to retreat).

Our Week At-A-Glance Sheet – we keep this over our kitchen sink for easy visual reference each day.  Reminders of who is in meetings, appointments, activities, and social engagements.  Most importantly – what is for dinner!

Kelly offers one-on-one coaching and a self-paced course on the 90-Minute School Day method.

Join Waitlist for 90-Minute School Day Guide Training™ – The next co-hort is Spring 2024!

Kelly offers one-on-one coaching and a self-paced course on the 90-Minute School Day method if you’re ready to start today.

Listen to or invite Kelly to speak about the 90-Minute School Day™ with your community here.

Share your homeschool with this community! Be featured on the podcast by recording your story, struggle or asking your question here.

In this special holiday episode of the 90-Minute School Day podcast, you’re invited to take a break from your usual learning routine and embrace the gift of "Holiday Hooky."

Let’s get tactical on navigating the busy month of December and finding balance amidst gatherings, festivities, and daily responsibilities.

This episode emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing peace during the holiday season. Gain the encouragement you need as a homeschooling parent to assess your values and make intentional decisions that align with your family's goals.

Here’s your permission slip to take a break from traditional learning and play "Holiday Hooky" instead.  The benefits of this break are explored, highlighting how novelty and a change of pace can enhance learning experiences.

Delve into five key areas of learning inspired by Maria Montessori to offer a fresh perspective on how holiday activities that happen naturally in your home contribute to education. These areas are: Practical Life, Sensorial experiences, Language, Math, and Cultural understanding.

Everyday examples of holiday activities are shared and the learning within them decoded through the lens of these 5 areas.  Together, we explore the richness of learning opportunities embedded in holiday traditions, encouraging you to align these experiences with your homeschooling goals.

One of the gifts of the season you receive in this episode is the gift of presence: encouragement to prioritize family time, recognize the value of the holiday season in fostering learning, and play "Holiday Hooky."

Resources and Support:

Free Boundaries Scripts – grab your 30+ boundary scripts here to adapt to use with family and friends.

Episode 10 – Why Don’t Kids Like School?

Watch this video: how I use visual positioning during the holidays.

Shopping for gifts for your favorite learners?  Here are the curated lists of our favorite learning items.

Kelly offers one-on-one coaching and a self-paced course on the 90-Minute School Day method.

Join Waitlist for 90-Minute School Day Guide Training™ – The next co-hort is Spring 2024!

Kelly offers one-on-one coaching and a self-paced course on the 90-Minute School Day method if you’re ready to start today.

Listen to or invite Kelly to speak about the 90-Minute School Day™ here

Share your homeschool with this community! Be featured on the podcast by recording your story, struggle or asking your question here.

In this episode we address the universal question: "Why don’t kids like school?" Tune-in and re-consider the challenges faced by children in conventional school settings (both at home and in a classroom) and what home educating parents may want to do differently.

Unraveling the Mystery:

This episode challenges the perception that kids don't like learning.  Instead, we suggest that adults may struggle to recognize and honor learning that is meaningful to the child.  Listen in and explore the idea of actively engaging with children's self-chosen learning, entering their world, and offering non-judgmental support.

Reshaping the Approach to Learning:

We examine the need to reevaluate and reshape the approach to learning in homeschools by:

• Introducing the philosophy of the 90-Minute School Day, drawing inspiration from educational philosophers Maria Montessori, Charlotte Mason, and John Holt.

Resources and Support:

Join us regularly for more insights into homeschooling strategies.  Subscribe, rate, review and share!

“Why Don’t Student’s Like School?” – article from American Educator by Daniel T. Willingham

Episode 9 – The Science of Attachment: Reading Aloud is Key

How Children Learn by John Holt

Montessori: A Modern Approach: The Classic Introduction to Montessori for Parents and Teachers by Paula Polk Lillard

For the Children’s Sake: Foundations for Education for Home and School by Susan Schaeffer Macauley

Episode 4 – Escape the Homeschool Comparison Trap

Episode 6 -  Unlock Your Child’s Superpowers: The Magic of Observation

Need some support defending your homeschooling choices?  Grab 30+ boundary scripts to adapt and use.

Kelly offers one-on-one coaching and a self-paced course on the 90-Minute School Day method.

Join Waitlist for 90-Minute School Day Guide Training™ – The next co-hort is Spring 2024!

Kelly offers one-on-one coaching and a self-paced course on the 90-Minute School Day method if you’re ready to start today.

Listen to or invite Kelly to speak about the 90-Minute School Day™ here

Share your homeschool with this community! Be featured on the podcast by recording your story, struggle or asking your question here.

Delve into the world of neurobiology and attachment, exploring the profound impact reading aloud has on relational synchronicity.  Reading aloud activates the whole brain and grows our collective cognitive and emotional empathy.

This episode closes our series on reading aloud.  The other episodes in the series are:

Episode 7, "If You Do Nothing Else, Read Aloud," and Episode 8, "Read Aloud with Neurodivergence."

In this episode you will learn:

The Concept of Reading Aloud and Attachment

Relational Safety is a Basic Need

Development and Anatomy of the Brain

Where Language is Processed in the Brain: Analytic and Gestalt Processors.

Brain Functions and Attachment

Left Brain:

• Linear, Logic, Language

Right Brain:

• Relational, Big Picture, Emotion

Reading Aloud as a Whole Brain Activity

Story

Karema Akilah, a fellow homeschooling mom and self-directed education thought leader, shares a favorite memory and read aloud with us that includes a challenge to living life without school.

Mindset Moment

Resources and Support

Join us regularly for more insights into homeschooling strategies.

Subscribe, share, and remember – as homeschooling parents, you’re shaping a relational family culture that celebrates curiosity, connection, and the joy of learning. ✨

• Share your homeschool with this community! Be featured on the podcast by recording your story, struggle or asking your question here.

Citations:

1. Article - Understanding Unconscious Bias

I’d love to connect with you personally too: find me on Instagram!

You’re doing a great job, let’s make it easier!

Kelly

In this episode, we explore why reading aloud is the first answer for any disability, difference, resistance, struggle, overwhelm or doubt in your homeschool. 

Mindset Moment

• Let’s reframe the "learn to read, read to learn" adage.

Training + Tools

• We explore 6 definitions to answer the question, “What is language?”

• Learning differences discussed: autism, non-verbal, adhd, dyslexia, hearing-impaired.

Reading aloud is the first answer to homeschooling challenges because it is a low-demand approach for any struggle you and your children are experiencing in a particular season because it is relational.  Reading aloud together builds (or repairs) relationships by facilitating understanding of not only the content, but one another.

On a hard day.  Drop the drainers, pick up a book and read aloud together.

Story

Marci is a wife and mom-of-3.  She has been homeschooling for 14 years, is an avid nature lover, homeschool community leader and loves to learn alongside her children, getting lost in deep conversations, good books and the outdoors. 

Resources and Support

Free to Learn by Peter Gray

Body Doubling in ADHD

90-Minute School Day Reading Discussion Guide - Use this free download to foster conversations in reading!

Join Waitlist for 90-Minute School Day Guide Training™ – The next co-hort is Spring 2024!

Kelly offers one-on-one coaching and a self-paced course on the 90-Minute School Day method if you’re ready to start today.

Listen to or invite Kelly to speak about the 90-Minute School Day™ here.

In this episode, we explore the transformative power of reading aloud, diving into neuroscience, anthropology, and the benefits it offers for home learning.  If you do nothing else, read aloud - it's enough!  

Training:

• How Does Language Develop?

Tools:

• 10 strategies to employ in making reading aloud a regular practice in your homeschool.

Mindset Moment:

Progress is the Goal, Not Perfection...Persist.

Story:

Meet the Brothers Grimm, linguists from the 19th century whose body of work exemplify why reading aloud is so transformational and academically intersectional.

Resources Mentioned:

Join 90-Minute School Day Guide Training™ - Registration closes at midnight Tuesday, October 3rd.

90-Minute School Day Reading Discussion Guide - Use this free download to foster conversations in reading!

The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales

Amber O'Neal Johnston, Heritage Mom Blog

Ep. 3 - Decoding the Language of Homeschooling

Additional Resources for Reading Aloud:

Megan Cox Gurdon's book The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction

Read Aloud Revival podcast and book lists

Discover the power of observation in homeschooling! In this episode, we simplify learning, delve into the mechanics of observation, and explore how it reveals your child's inner world and strengths.

Training and Tools:

• Explore observing your child in both regulated and dysregulated states for a complete picture.

Mindset Moment:

4 essential observation mindsets to hold.

Story:

Meet Lesley, a mom, educator, and fellow homeschooler, as she shares her confidence-building journey through observation.

Join us and share your story on a future episode by clicking here.

Resources:

Allison Gopnik’s book The Gardener and The Carpenter.

Find Dr. Gray’s work on PsychologyToday.com or read his book, Free to Learn.

The Explosive Child by Dr. Ross Greene

Kelly offers one-on-one coaching and a self-paced course on the 90-Minute School Day method.

Join us for Guide Training™, a live group learning environment of homeschool parents, I guide you so you can guide them.  In this program we go deep, build our invisible toolkit and make new friends.  It’s only offered twice a year. 

Listen to or invite Kelly to speak about the 90-Minute School Day™ here.

I’d love to connect personally: find me on Instagram!

You’re doing a great job, let’s make it easier!

-xo, Kelly

PS - Thank you for your ratings, reviews and following the podcast!

The heart of effective education is always … Home.

Join us as we unveil the key elements that shape an enriching learning landscape.

Step away from traditional models to embrace interests, strengths, and real-world applications. Explore three vital environments for learning: Relationship, Space, and Time.

In this episode, Kelly walks us through learning as a house with three levels:

• Building the Foundation: Relationship

Unveil scheduling secrets for individual growth. Grant kids control over time and projects for self-directed learning. Discover how less is more with extracurricular activities.

Mindset Moment: Say "YES"

Stories:

Meet Missy Willis, a fellow homeschooler and podcaster, as she shares her story and highlights resilience's role in her home.

Listen to Ashley's unschooling journey intertwining learning, relationship, space, and time. Share your stories via voice messages and join our community.

Resources:

Subscribe to the podcast for more homeschooling insights! Shape an environment celebrating curiosity, connection, and joyful learning. ✨

• Share your homeschool with this community! Be featured on the podcast by recording your story, struggle or asking your question here.

• Grab our homeschool planning worksheets:  My Learning Year and Homeschool Year in Review.

 I’d love to connect with you personally too: find me on Instagram!

You’re doing a great job, let’s make it easier!

-xo, Kelly

PS - Thank you always for your ratings, reviews and following the podcast.