Math causes more shutdowns than any other subject, and it’s not because kids “can’t do it.”

Listen in to unpack why why math isn’t a confidence problem, what to say instead of “did you get it right?”, and how to teach math in a way that keeps learning (and your relationship) intact.

Episode 3: Why Kids Shut Down During Homeschool Lessons (and what to do about it) | S8 EP3

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/why-kids-shut-down-during-homeschool-lessons-and-what/id1722383570?i=1000735274837

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Right now, I’m taking a step back from client work and pausing the podcast as I focus on healing from a recent lupus flare, and caring for our youngest son through his brain tumour journey.

This space and the work here mean so much to me. If something you’ve found has supported your homeschool and you feel led to give, you’re welcome to send a donation to [email protected] via PayPal.

And truly—one of the greatest gifts is hearing how this has impacted your family. If something has shifted for you or your children, I would love to hear. You can email me anytime and share what’s changed. I’ll be celebrating right alongside you.

If you’re looking for support while I’m away, you can access the Teaching Inspired Content Library now for a one-time fee of $67:

homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired

Free Download:

Say This, Not That: Scripts For Tricky Homeschool Teaching Moments:

homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/saythis

Connect with Natalie:

[email protected]

How much can you ask of your homeschoolers without causing fights, tears, or resistance?

In this Q&A episode, Natalie responds to a question from inside the Teaching Inspired membership: “How do I guide my kids without pressuring them?”

This episode is about how to guide learning with calm confidence, set expectations without urgency, and lead your homeschool in a way that protects both growth and connection.

We unpack:

• Why the pushback you’re seeing isn’t about academics — it’s about the pressure band wrapped around the ask

• How to move out of the rigid-vs-unschooling trap and lead confidently in the grey zone

• What calm, grounded expectations look like when you want effort without power struggles

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Right now, I’m taking a step back from client work and pausing the podcast as I focus on healing from a recent lupus flare, and caring for our youngest son through his brain tumour journey.

This space and the work here mean so much to me. If something you’ve found has supported your homeschool and you feel led to give, you’re welcome to send a donation to [email protected] via ⁠PayPal⁠.

And truly—one of the greatest gifts is hearing how this has impacted your family. If something has shifted for you or your children, I would love to hear. You can email me anytime and share what’s changed. I’ll be celebrating right alongside you.

If you’re looking for support while I’m away, you can access the Teaching Inspired Content Library for a one-time fee of $67:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired⁠

Free Download:

Say This, Not That: Scripts For Tricky Homeschool Teaching Moments:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/saythis⁠

Connect with Natalie:

⁠[email protected]

How do you get dad more involved in homeschooling — without turning it into another source of tension?

Natalie sat down with homeschooling dad Jonathan Chizick, co-founder of SmartPath, to talk honestly about what actually helps parents co-lead learning.

This conversation goes deeper than schedules and subjects.

Together, they unpack why “doing more” isn’t always the answer, how different teaching styles can become a strength instead of a conflict, and what it looks like to lead your homeschool with shared ownership centered on the child, not control.

You’ll hear:

• Why ‘getting dad to help’ creates resistance — and what to focus on instead

• How shifting from control to shared leadership changes everything

• What meaningful involvement actually looks like in real homeschool life

Connect with Jonathan:

https://smartpath.school/

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Right now, I’m taking a step back from client work and pausing the podcast as I focus on healing from a recent lupus flare, and caring for our youngest son through his brain tumour journey.

This space and the work here mean so much to me. If something you’ve found has supported your homeschool and you feel led to give, you’re welcome to send a donation to [email protected] via ⁠PayPal⁠.

And truly—one of the greatest gifts is hearing how this has impacted your family. If something has shifted for you or your children, I would love to hear. You can email me anytime and share what’s changed. I’ll be celebrating right alongside you.

If you’re looking for support while I’m away, you can access the Teaching Inspired Content Library for a one-time fee of $67:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired⁠

Free Download:

Say This, Not That: Scripts For Tricky Homeschool Teaching Moments:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/saythis⁠

Connect with Natalie:

⁠[email protected]

What do you focus on in your homeschool when illness or trauma make academics feel impossible?

In this Q&A episode of The Assured Podcast, Natalie answers a deeply nuanced question many homeschool moms are quietly carrying — especially those navigating chronic illness, medical diagnoses, or family trauma.

Drawing from personal experience homeschooling through lupus, Lyme disease, and her son’s brain tumour diagnosis, Natalie unpacks why social-emotional learning isn’t a “pause” from education — it is the foundation that makes future learning possible.

You’ll learn what’s actually happening in the brain during stress, why pushing academics can backfire in hard seasons, and how prioritizing emotional regulation, meaning-making, and resilience equips your child for learning long after this season passes.

This episode is an invitation to adjust without guilt — and to trust that learning is still happening, even when it looks different.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Right now, I’m taking a step back from client work and pausing the podcast as I focus on healing from a recent lupus flare, and caring for our youngest son through his brain tumour journey.

This space and the work here mean so much to me. If something you’ve found has supported your homeschool and you feel led to give, you’re welcome to send a donation to [email protected] via ⁠PayPal⁠.

And truly—one of the greatest gifts is hearing how this has impacted your family. If something has shifted for you or your children, I would love to hear. You can email me anytime and share what’s changed. I’ll be celebrating right alongside you.

If you’re looking for support while I’m away, you can access the Teaching Inspired Content Library for a one-time fee of $67:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired⁠

Free Download:

Say This, Not That: Scripts For Tricky Homeschool Teaching Moments:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/saythis⁠

Connect with Natalie:

⁠[email protected]

Homeschool co-ops are often seen as the solution for socialization, support, and sharing the teaching load, but what happens when it doesn’t feel helpful anymore?

In this Q&A episode of The Assured Podcast, Natalie shares how to tell whether a homeschool co-op is truly supporting your child and your family, or if it’s quietly adding pressure instead.

Natalie walks through different co-op models, how to evaluate alignment based on your season of life, and why permission to adjust is a critical part of sustainable homeschooling.

If you’ve ever wondered whether a co-op is right for your family (or felt guilty for wanting something different), this episode will help you reframe the decision with clarity and confidence.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Right now, I’m taking a step back from client work and pausing the podcast as I focus on healing from a recent lupus flare, and caring for our youngest son through his brain tumour journey.

This space and the work here mean so much to me. If something you’ve found has supported your homeschool and you feel led to give, you’re welcome to send a donation to [email protected] via ⁠PayPal⁠.

And truly—one of the greatest gifts is hearing how this has impacted your family. If something has shifted for you or your children, I would love to hear. You can email me anytime and share what’s changed. I’ll be celebrating right alongside you.

If you’re looking for support while I’m away, you can access the Teaching Inspired Content Library for a one-time fee of $67:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired⁠

Free Download:

Say This, Not That: Scripts For Tricky Homeschool Teaching Moments:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/saythis⁠

Free Novel Study Unit Guide (Charlotte's Web & The Green Ember):

homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/novelstudy

Connect with Natalie:

[email protected]

Deschooling and unschooling are often talked about as if they mean the same thing — but they don’t. And confusing the two can quietly create more stress in your homeschool.

If you’ve ever been told you need to deschool for a set amount of time before you can “really” homeschool — or felt pressure to pick a label and stick to it — this episode will bring clarity and relief.

You’ll walk away with a better understanding of how mindset, methods, and flexibility work together so you can make confident decisions that actually fit your family.

In this episode, we unpack:

• Why deschooling is a mindset shift, not a phase you complete

• How unschooling works as a practical approach — and why it’s often misunderstood

• What it looks like to blend structure and freedom without losing connection

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Right now, I’m taking a step back from client work and pausing the podcast as I focus on healing from a recent lupus flare, and caring for our youngest son through his brain tumour journey.

This space and the work here mean so much to me. If something you’ve found has supported your homeschool and you feel led to give, you’re welcome to send a donation to [email protected] via ⁠PayPal⁠.

And truly—one of the greatest gifts is hearing how this has impacted your family. If something has shifted for you or your children, I would love to hear. You can email me anytime and share what’s changed. I’ll be celebrating right alongside you.

If you’re looking for support while I’m away, you can access the Teaching Inspired Content Library for a one-time fee of $67:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired⁠

2025 Roundtable Vault:

https://crafty-designer-4246.kit.com/products/the-homeschool-roundtable-collectio

Free Download:

Say This, Not That: Scripts For Tricky Homeschool Teaching Moments:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/saythis⁠

Connect with Natalie:

[email protected]

Homeschool moms have big feelings about AI. And honestly? They’re valid.

Most of us have heard enough scary stories to wonder:

"Is using AI in my homeschool unsafe for my kids?"

In today’s episode, I brought on someone who has spent years solving that exact problem: Zach Jones, co-founder and CEO of Learnology AI, a homeschool-focused platform designed with built-in guardrails, child-safe architecture, and adaptive learning that actually supports how your child thinks… not just what they’re supposed to memorize.

We get into:

• What makes general AI tools (like ChatGPT) unsafe for kids

• The three biggest problems Zach saw when moms tried using regular AI for lesson planning

• How AI can support creativity, critical thinking, and mastery (when it’s designed to)

• How moms can use AI to gain back time, confidence, and flexibility with homeschooling

If you’ve been curious about AI but hesitant about safety, privacy, or losing the human piece of homeschooling… this conversation is for you.

Connect with Zach and Learnology AI:

Use my affiliate link and code "LAIHOMESCHOOL" for 50% off your first month: https://learnologyai.com?fpr=natalie38

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Right now, I’m taking a step back from client work and pausing the podcast as I focus on healing from a recent lupus flare, and caring for our youngest son through his brain tumour journey.

This space and the work here mean so much to me. If something you’ve found has supported your homeschool and you feel led to give, you’re welcome to send a donation to [email protected] via ⁠PayPal⁠.

And truly—one of the greatest gifts is hearing how this has impacted your family. If something has shifted for you or your children, I would love to hear. You can email me anytime and share what’s changed. I’ll be celebrating right alongside you.

If you’re looking for support while I’m away, you can access the Teaching Inspired Content Library for a one-time fee of $67:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired⁠

Connect with Natalie:

⁠[email protected]

When your child shuts down and says, “I can’t do this,” it can feel like all your effort as a homeschool mom just hit a wall.

In this Q&A episode, Natalie Burns talks about what’s really going on in those moments, why your usual strategies (like taking breaks) don’t always work, and how to respond in a way that builds resilience instead of resistance.

Learn what to say, what to stop doing, and how to create calm connection so learning feels safe again.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Right now, I’m taking a step back from client work and pausing the podcast as I focus on healing from a recent lupus flare, and caring for our youngest son through his brain tumour journey.

This space and the work here mean so much to me. If something you’ve found has supported your homeschool and you feel led to give, you’re welcome to send a donation to [email protected] via ⁠PayPal⁠.

And truly—one of the greatest gifts is hearing how this has impacted your family. If something has shifted for you or your children, I would love to hear. You can email me anytime and share what’s changed. I’ll be celebrating right alongside you.

If you’re looking for support while I’m away, you can access the Teaching Inspired Content Library for a one-time fee of $67:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired⁠

Free Download:

Say This, Not That: Scripts For Tricky Homeschool Teaching Moments:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/saythis⁠

Connect with Natalie:

⁠[email protected]

I sat down with Jill Baumann from Self-Directed Success to talk about gaming, motivation, and how to build real independence without destroying your relationship.

We talk about:

🎮 The secret sauce inside games (progress tracking, clear goals, immediate feedback, safe failure, autonomy) & how to steal those elements for your homeschool

🎮 How to shift from “do 4 more pages” to “you’ve mastered this concept, you level up now”

🎮 The difference between gamified learning and basic bribery (“finish math and I’ll let you play”)

🎮 How this all ties into resilience and independence, not entitlement

We also talk about something that doesn’t get said enough:

When our kids get older, they don’t always want to learn from us anymore, and that can feel like rejection. Jill walks us through how to keep your relationship strong while letting your child step into ownership.

Connect with Jill:

• Sign up for the "5-Day Gamify Your Homeschool" Email Course (Free Series)→ https://quest.self-directedsuccess.com/5-day-gamification-course  

• Join the Free “3 Steps to Teaching Your Teen to Homeschool Independently Without Micromanaging or Nagging” webinar → https://quest.self-directedsuccess.com/webinar-registration. 

• Get the “Gamification Starter Kit” → https://quest.self-directedsuccess.com/gamification-starter-kit

• Enroll your teen in “Scholar’s Quest for Independent Success” → https://www.self-directedsuccess.com/scholars-quest-waitlist 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Right now, I’m taking a step back from client work and pausing the podcast as I focus on healing from a recent lupus flare, and caring for our youngest son through his brain tumour journey.

This space and the work here mean so much to me. If something you’ve found has supported your homeschool and you feel led to give, you’re welcome to send a donation to [email protected] via ⁠PayPal⁠.

And truly—one of the greatest gifts is hearing how this has impacted your family. If something has shifted for you or your children, I would love to hear. You can email me anytime and share what’s changed. I’ll be celebrating right alongside you.

If you’re looking for support while I’m away, you can access the Teaching Inspired Content Library for a one-time fee of $67:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired⁠

Free Download:

Say This, Not That: Scripts For Tricky Homeschool Teaching Moments:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/saythis⁠

DIY your own unit study for a game (or use one of my 2 novel examples): ⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/novelstudy

Connect with Natalie:

⁠[email protected]

Season 8 is here and we’re doing things a little differently... I’m answering the real questions homeschool moms aren’t sure how to think about. 

This first episode tackles one of my favourites: When can I start teaching critical thinking?

Listen in to unpack:

• A sneak peak into Season 8

• Character traits that make up a critical thinker

• Whether it’s even possible to be objective

• How to hold neutral for calm that comes from the inside out

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Right now, I’m taking a step back from client work and pausing the podcast as I focus on healing from a recent lupus flare, and caring for our youngest son through his brain tumour journey.

This space and the work here mean so much to me. If something you’ve found has supported your homeschool and you feel led to give, you’re welcome to send a donation to [email protected] via ⁠PayPal⁠.

And truly—one of the greatest gifts is hearing how this has impacted your family. If something has shifted for you or your children, I would love to hear. You can email me anytime and share what’s changed. I’ll be celebrating right alongside you.

If you’re looking for support while I’m away, you can access the Teaching Inspired Content Library for a one-time fee of $67:

⁠homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired⁠

Connect with Natalie:

⁠[email protected]