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 complexity and ambiguity, no matter how much we mothers want to protect our kids from it. I’m going to share a story of when I came to realize that, hey, this happiness thing may not be so bad.

You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

Resources:

• Text POD to 1-833-947-3684 in order to join our texting community and message us any suggestions you may have for future episodes.
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

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 can read all of the self-help books out there, but one of the surest ways to overcome our fears is to hear the real stories of other moms navigating their own hardships and conquering them. We talk about the lessons you can learn from stories, combating perfectionism in parenting, and moving on from your mistakes.

You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

Resources:

• thepeacefulpreschool.com
• Read: Mothering by the Book
• Instagram: @jenniferpepito | @thepeacefulpress
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

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 that makes your young writers more confident and willing to take risks.

You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

Resources:

• Growing Brave Writers
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

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 our communities, and what to do about our political polarization.

You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

Resources:

• Instagram: @mosheh
• Subscribe to Mo’s newsletter: monews.bulletin.com
• Read: Raising Critical Thinkers
• Are your kids nervous to jump back into education after the summer? Consider one of our online courses to ease them back into the school year while tapping into their interests. Visit bravewriter.com/online-classes to learn more.
• Book Club: Arrow is our book club recommended for kids ages 9-12.
• Book Club: Boomerang is our book club recommended for kids 11-18.
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

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 through in this interview. He focuses on verified headlines and is interested in facts above all else.

Mosheh’s news-neutral platform welcomes a variety of opinions and is a place for people to learn from each other and recognize where we each come from. We talk about the current wave of news coverage and journalism, why nobody is truly unbiased, why so much news gets turned into “infotainment,” and the difficulties of being unbiased in a social media world.

You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

Resources:

• Instagram: @mosheh
• Subscribe to Mo’s newsletter: monews.bulletin.com
• Read: Raising Critical Thinkers
• Are your kids nervous to jump back into education after the summer? Consider one of our online courses to ease them back into the school year while tapping into their interests. Visit bravewriter.com/online-classes to learn more.
• Book Club: Arrow is our book club recommended for kids ages 9-12.
• Book Club: Boomerang is our book club recommended for kids 11-18.
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

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 encourages critical thinking! So get out there and make some messes.

You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

Resources:

• bravewriter.com/tea
• raisingcriticalthinkers.com
• thebravelearner.com
• bravewriter.com
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

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.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

Resources:

• bravewriter.com/tea
• raisingcriticalthinkers.com
• thebravelearner.com
• bravewriter.com
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

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 plan a life that accounts for each child’s personal needs and gets them to the finish line of adulthood well-educated, behaved, kind, and ready to live life on their own?

We do it one thing at a time.

You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

Resources:

• Read my blog post on The One Thing Principle
• Join our text messaging service by texting the word POD to 833-947-3684 
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

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 of working with tens of thousands of students, I’ve developed what I call the natural stages of growth in writing and my confidence in its accuracy has only solidified over time.

Today, we’re going to walk through each of those stages:

• [04:58] Beginning Writers: Jot it Down (5-7)
• [07:51] Emerging Writers: Partnership Writing (8-10)
• [10:31] Middle School Writers: Building Confidence (11-12)
• [15:39] High School Writers: Experimenting with Forms (13-14)
• [17:29] College Prep Writers: Joining the Conversation (15-18)
• [19:43] Adult Writers: Fluent and Competent (18 and beyond)

Visit bravewriter.com/stages to learn more about how our products and classes are organized according to these stages and find the ones that are going to help you. We are eager to support you!

You can download show notes for the podcast here: https://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

Resources:

• Visit bravewriter.com/stages to find the right products for your child’s current learning stage
• If you need help placing any of your children in the correct stage of development for them, reach out at [email protected] or sign up for our text messaging system by messaging the word POD to 833-947-3684.
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

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 surprised.

You can download show notes for the podcast here: http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

Resources:

• If you’d like to get these Tea for Julie newsletters in your inbox every week, sign up at bravewriter.com/tea.
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: http://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter