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Hey Home Educators! 

What if the missing piece in your homeschool isn’t more or better curriculum, but rather wonder and awe?

Wonder and awe are catalysts for deeper, more engaging learning, and it does require some planning. 

In this episode, I’m challenging you to think bigger than a book and start planning for awe. Inspired by Dacher Keltner's research, we’ll explore how everyday moments, like watching a seed grow or even regrowing celery on your kitchen counter, can transform the emotional climate of your home and make learning stick.

We’ll also take a quick look at the emotions we experience daily, drawing on the work of Paul Ekman, and how those emotions shape how we teach and connect with our kids.

If you want your child to love learning, it starts with what you’re intentionally creating.

So, let’s add more awe to your homeschool days.

Write On!

Mentioned in this Episode

BOOK: Awe - The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner

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In this episode, I sit down with Kami Wanous, founder of The Freedom Scholar, to talk about why so many homeschooling families struggle and how to move beyond it. 

Kami shares her early experience of recreating school at home, which quickly led to frustration for both her and her son. Can you relate?

The turning point came when she stopped focusing on checking boxes and started rebuilding his love of learning. This was a real game-changer. 

Together, we talk about the pressure of “educational shoulds,” how that pressure lowers motivation, and why curiosity must come before academic rigor. 

Kami explains how we can bridge what our kids love with what society values, creating both engagement and real skill. We also talk about the importance of community and being intentional parents. 

At the heart of it all is this reminder: we are not just educating children, we are raising future adults who need to be confident, lifelong learners. Are you in?

Write On!

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

🔗 April 16 - Inspiring Lifelong Learners Masterclass (Free for parents!)

🎙️ The Homeschool Success Podcast with Kami Wanous

💻 The Freedom Scholar

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What if one simple storybook could spark an entire unit of learning?

In this episode, I share how a single story can become the foundation for reading, science, writing, art, and more. Inspired by a few surprising ladybug facts from my own garden, I walk you through the power of thematic learning and why connecting subjects helps children understand more and remember more.

I also share the story behind my children’s book, How the Ladybug Got Her Spots, and how it was written with both curiosity and education in mind.

If you’ve ever felt stretched trying to cover every subject, this episode will encourage you to simplify, connect your lessons, and let one meaningful story multiply your child’s learning. 

Write On!

Mentioned in this Episode

BOOK: How the Ladybug Got Her Spots

LIT GUIDE: How the Ladybug Got Her Spots on TPT

RESOURCES: History Pockets, Moving Beyond the Pages

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“I forgot.”

Have you heard that one before?

This week, I want to talk about why kids forget and why it’s actually okay that they do.

After reading over a hundred student essays this month with my team, I was reminded of something so important. One of our students skipped a step in the writing process… again. He felt frustrated and embarrassed and told me, “I forgot.”

And it got me thinking. "What if forgetting isn’t a problem to fix? What if it’s actually part of how learning works? We should talk about this!"

In this episode, I’m sharing a few encouraging, research-backed ideas that will help you better understand your child’s learning process:

• Why forgetting is a sign the brain is working properly
• Why repetition matters more than we think
• How practicing remembering strengthens memory

If you’ve ever felt frustrated when your child forgets something they just learned, this episode will help you see it in a whole new light.

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Have you heard of neuroscientist Richard J. Davidson, author of Born to Flourish?

Until this past week, I hadn’t either. But I’m so glad I know who he is now, and I want to share him and his research with you.

In this episode, based on both his studies and my own experiences working with children for more than 30 years, I share three ideas that homeschooling parents can use to help their children grow in confidence and resilience and ultimately flourish.

When children see others succeed, something powerful happens. They begin to believe it might be possible for them, too.

And that’s when flourishing begins to spread.

So let’s all catch it and spread it.

Write on!

Mentioned in this Week's Episode

🔗 Born to Flourish by Dr. Richard J. Davidson

🔗 The Names by Florence Knapp

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After more than 30 years in education, I’ve had the privilege of watching thousands of children learn, struggle, grow, and eventually step into adulthood.

If there’s one thing experience has taught me, it’s this: most of what we stress about in our children’s lives is small stuff.

In this episode, I’m zooming out and sharing five life lessons I’ve learned from three decades of teaching and parenting. 

As graduation season approaches and many families reflect on the journey of childhood, it’s the perfect time to step back and ask the bigger questions. 

✅ Are our children learning? 

✅ Are they growing? 

✅ Are they becoming thoughtful and responsible people?

From test scores to messy essays to the pressure we sometimes put on ourselves as parents, we’ll explore how shifting our perspective can bring more peace and joy into the learning journey.

You've got this! 🎉

Write On!

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Two years ago, I released an episode called Leave Busyness to the Bees, and it resonated with so many homeschool moms that I decided to build something practical to go with it. 

In this episode, I’m replaying that conversation about busyness, time, and the stories we tell ourselves about why we can’t get everything done. 

But this time there’s a brand-new resource waiting for you! 🎉

I created a free, downloadable Google Sheet called The 3-Day Time-Truth Project, designed to help you track your time in simple half-hour blocks so you can clearly see where your hours go. 

With color-coded days, easy dropdown categories, directions, and even a short video tutorial, this tool makes doing a time audit surprisingly simple. 

If you’ve ever wondered where your day disappears, this project might be the eye-opening clarity you didn’t know you needed.

Write On!

Mentioned in this Episode

🔗 Freebie! Your 3-Day Time-Truth Project

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Have you ever set a goal with the best intentions, only to watch it quietly fall apart?

Me, too! And the fact is that you and I are not lazy, and nothing is wrong with us. We've just been fighting the wrong battle. 

In this episode of Homeschool is a Work of Heart, I would like to share a powerful framework with you. 

Brendon Burchard taught this concept years ago, and it helped explain why follow-through breaks down for so many of us. 

There are four common hurdles that tend to block progress: money, time, skill, and discipline. 

Once you can name which one is actually getting in your way, everything changes. You will indeed stop fighting the wrong battle and start addressing the real obstacle. 

This episode is practical, honest, and encouraging, with real-life examples you can relate to right away. 

Grab a journal, reflect along with me, and get ready to move forward with more clarity and confidence.

Write On!

Mentioned in this Episode

🎙️ HSWH: Episode 30 - Leave Busyness to the Bees

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In today’s episode of Homeschool is a Work of Heart, I’m naming a growing problem I’m seeing everywhere: we are becoming a skimming society. 

Skimming is fine for recreational enjoyment, but such passive engagement hurts today's learners. We need to do better.

Students are racing through instruction, multitasking, and playing learning videos at high speeds while missing the deeper thinking real learning requires. 

Please tune in to hear the explanation as to why exposure is not the same as understanding, why attention matters more than speed, and how poor digital habits can quietly weaken focus, follow-through, and long-term retention. 

Most importantly, I’ll share how we can build stronger learning habits at home, even when using online and digital instruction. 

This conversation is about raising the bar with love, clarity, and practical accountability. Please join me.

Write On!

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State testing is a hot topic in the homeschool world, especially when it comes to ELA performance tasks.

Many families feel unsure about testing, or even resistant to it. I get it!

In this episode, we are going to take a fresh look at state tests and explore why and how they can be helpful tools rather than something to fear. 

There may be plenty of cons, but there are so many pros! I have several worth sharing with you. 

If testing is part of your homeschool journey this year, this episode will help you approach it with confidence and clarity. I'm here to help.

Write On!

Mentioned in this Week's Episode

🎙️ Episode 127: To the Naysayers: Why We Should Teach Essay Writing

📽️ YouTube: Parent-Training: How to Teach the Core Writing Styles