If you've said "listen to me" more times than you can count this week and it still hasn't worked, this one's for you.

Speech-language therapist Dinalynn Rosenbush joins the show to talk about what's actually happening when kids seem to tune us out, why speaking too fast is one of the most common mistakes parents make, and the eleven different things we actually mean when we say "listen." She also shares a story about a young boy on a gym floor that will change how you respond the next time your child does something that looks like misbehavior but isn't.

Inside this episode:

• The difference between normal speech disfluency and true stuttering

• The most common mistake parents make when talking to kids

• How communication frustration turns into a relational barrier

• The eleven meanings behind the word "listen"

• A story that reframes what looks like misbehavior

**Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspire Lifelong Learners Masterclass!

 https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0

CONNECT WITH DINALYNN:

-FREE Guide “10 Communication Moments Hidden in Every Story”

 https://www.thelanguageofplay.com/10storytimeideas 

Website: https://www.thelanguageofplay.com/ 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/dinalynnrosenbush/# 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dinalynn.johnsonrosenbush 

Podcast: https://www.thelanguageofplay.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH KAMI:

Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami: https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn

"Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous" Podcast: https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast

Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/

A mom posted, worried about her 6 year old and socialization. It's not a question I hear as often anymore, but it hasn't gone away, so this episode finally gives it a full conversation.

We walk through what socialization actually means (it's simpler and less scary than you think), and how that goal shifts depending on what season of homeschooling you're in.

Inside this episode:

• The real definition of socialization, and why it changes everything

• Why everyday life already includes more socialization than you realize

• What "who are we raising" looks like in the middle years

• Why busy teen schedules make friendship time hard to find, and why that's okay

• Three tips for socialization that apply in every season

**Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspired Homeschool Summit on Aug 4! 10+ homeschool, family and family health experts. One day. Live!

https://inspiredhomeschoolsummit.com/ 

CONNECT WITH KAMI:

Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami:

https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn 

“Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast 

Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/

If you've ever assumed test prep is something you deal with junior year, this episode is going to shift that.

Test prep expert Leia LeMaster Horton joins us to explain why the real starting point is much earlier than most families think, why the most common tutoring method actually holds students back, and what it takes to raise a score by hundreds of points.

Inside this episode:

• Why test prep should start spring of 10th grade

• What most tutoring gets wrong

• Why score jumps of 300 to 500 points are possible

• How test prep builds skills beyond just the test

• How strong scores can also lead to scholarship money

**Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspired Homeschool Summit on Aug 4! 10+ homeschool, family and family health experts. One day. Live!

https://inspiredhomeschoolsummit.com/

CONNECT WITH LEIA:

-FREE “Parents’ Guide to Higher SAT Scores”: https://carefree-waterfall-23049.myflodesk.com/mmzx22gsgf 

Website: http://hortontestprep.com 

Instagram:  @LeiaLeMasterHorton 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hortontestprep 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leia-lemaster-horton-m-ed-test-prep-professional-25917138/ 

CONNECT WITH KAMI:

Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami:

https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn 

“Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast 

Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/

Summer can feel like nothing "real" is happening in your homeschool, but this episode makes the case that it's actually showing you something important.

We talk about what happens when structure disappears for a few weeks and what that reveals about how your child thinks, learns, and engages when nobody's assigning it.

Inside this episode:

• Why structure hides what your child would choose on their own

• What their interests actually tell you

• How to notice how they're learning, not just what

• What trips them up, and why that matters

• Why this season sets up your fall, whether you plan for it or not

CONNECT WITH KAMI:

Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami:

https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn 

“Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast 

Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/

Most kids will pick up basic computer skills just by living life. But there's a whole layer underneath that, problem solving, logic, design, that only comes from real computer science, and most of us were never taught it ourselves.

In this episode, Curtis Grover, a homeschool dad and computer science teacher with 11+ years of experience including AP Computer Science A, walks through what computer science actually builds in kids, how AI fits into the picture, and where to start even if your family has never touched a coding curriculum.

👉 Inside this episode:

• Why computer science builds skills far beyond the keyboard

• How AI changes what kids need to know

• What's really taught in a computer science class

• How to support a computer-curious kid without limiting their creativity

• What counts for high school transcripts and college credit

• Where to start, no matter your student's age or experience

**Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspire Lifelong Learners Masterclass!

 https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0

CONNECT WITH CURTIS:

-FREE "5 Keys to Success in AP Computer Science A" guide: https://assets.cdn.filesafe.space/kOFsAd0htQVkBUrNZBGF/media/6a4d8df1b7dbcd41491a2c2c.pdf 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588974867710 

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18g12625Qy/  

CONNECT WITH KAMI:

Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami:

https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn 

“Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast 

Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/

You chose homeschool because something about the traditional system wasn't working for your kid. But what happens when the pressure, the box-checking, and the constant pushing follow you home anyway?

This episode is about homeschool freedom — what it actually means, why fear quietly rebuilds the system you left, and how mentored ownership changes the emotional tone of your entire homeschool.

This isn't about letting kids roam free. It's about building the kind of structure and culture where motivation grows from the inside — and where you stop carrying all of it alone.

👉 In this episode:

• Why homeschool moms often recreate the pressure culture they left

• What managing mode does to a child's motivation over time

• What mentored ownership actually looks like in real life

• Why when your child owns their learning, you get your freedom back too

• How to know if fear is driving your homeschool decisions

**Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspire Lifelong Learners Masterclass!

 https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0

CONNECT WITH KAMI:

Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami:

https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn 

“Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast 

Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/

You've wondered it. Most homeschool moms have.

Is what I'm doing enough? Or does my child need something I can't give them?

In this episode, I'm joined by Kimberly Bennett — Licensed Professional Counselor, homeschooling mom, and founder of the Homeschool Counseling Network — to talk honestly about when outside professional support makes sense, what to look for in a provider, and why finding someone who actually understands homeschooling changes everything.

Whether you're navigating learning differences, emotional struggles, health needs, or just a season that feels bigger than you can handle alone — this conversation will help you know what to look for and where to find it.

This isn't a scary conversation. It's a relief.

Inside this episode:

• Signs it may be time to seek outside support

• Why a provider who doesn't understand homeschool culture can do more harm than good

• What the Homeschool Counseling Network's professional support directory actually includes

• Support options across mental health, tutoring, parenting, health, and more

• Why asking for help is one of the most powerful things a mentoring mom can do

CONNECT WITH KIMBERLY:

-FREE 100+page Guide Homeschoolers' Mental Health Toolkit Homeschoolers' Mental Health Toolkit

-FREE HCN Preferred Provider Directory Mental Health Providers - Find & Compare Education Professionals

Website: http://www.homeschoolcounselingnetwork.com/ 

Instagram:  @kimberlybennettlpc_hcn 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.bennett.lpc/ 

Facebook Group: HCN Public Resource Sharing Group-  https://www.facebook.com/groups/935707694836042 

CONNECT WITH KAMI:

Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami:

https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn 

“Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” live in Facebook & YouTube every Thursday at 12pm PT & links to Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast 

Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/

Google's AI search change has been making the rounds in homeschool communities — and a lot of parents aren't sure what to make of it.

In this episode I sit down with my son Kenyon, an AI researcher and author writing a book on AI safety, to separate what's actually changed from what hasn't — and what homeschool families specifically need to do about it.

The short version? It's not the crisis some parents fear. But there are real things worth teaching your kids right now.

Inside this episode:

• Why Google was already curating results long before AI got involved

• What AI Overviews are and where they actually pull from

• The legitimate concerns — and the ones you can release

• A simple three-part framework for teaching kids to search with confidence and skepticism

• Why this moment is actually a great opportunity for homeschool families

Search has always been a skill. This episode will help you teach it.

**Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspire Lifelong Learners Masterclass!

 https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0

CONNECT WITH KAMI:

Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami:

https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn 

“Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” live in Facebook & YouTube every Thursday at 12pm PT & links to Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast 

Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/

If writing is the subject you've been quietly skipping over, assigning without much confidence, or just hoping your kid figures out eventually… this episode is for you.

Melissa Webb — founder of Write On Webb and a teacher with 30 years of experience — joins me to talk about why writing feels so hard to teach at home, why it matters more than most moms realize, and what a clear, structured approach actually looks like in a real homeschool.

Inside this episode:

• Why homeschool moms feel unqualified to teach writing (and why that's completely understandable)

• Why writing is really thinking on paper — and what that means for how you teach it

• The most common mistake families make with writing instruction

• What confident, structured writing looks like at home

• What changes when a kid finally starts to feel like a writer

**Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspire Lifelong Learners Masterclass!

 https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0

CONNECT WITH MELISSA:

Grab Melissa’s “4 Week Writing Success Calendar”: Teach your child how to write a complete essay in just 30 minutes a day with a clear, step-by-step plan. This free resource removes the guesswork and gives families a simple structure to follow, so students can quickly build confidence and momentum. https://writeonwebb.myflodesk.com/4-week-writing-plan 

Website: https://writeonwebb.com/  

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/writeonwebb/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writeonwebb/ 

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homeschool-is-a-work-of-heart/id1639428614 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WriteOnwithMelissaWebb 

Webinar: https://writeonwebb.com/webinar-registration 

WOW Essay Essentials: https://writeonwebb.teachable.com/p/essayessentials?preview=logged_out 

🎓 New to The Freedom Scholar? Start here: The Freedom Scholar Podcast is for homeschool moms who want to raise kids who love learning — not just kids who complete assignments. We talk about building a learning culture at home, moving from managing to mentoring, and creating homeschool days that feel more like living and less like school. 

CONNECT WITH KAMI:

Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami:

https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn 

“Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” live in Facebook & YouTube every Thursday at 12pm PT & links to Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast 

Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/

If May wiped you out and the couch has been winning lately — this episode is for you.

The natural response to a hard season is to retract. Rest. Coast. Wait until you feel ready.

But blah has gravity. And the longer you stay in it, the harder it becomes to rebuild love of learning, energy, and momentum — before a new season even starts.

In this episode we talk about what a Love of Learning Reset actually is, why it's different from just taking a break, and what it costs when we let summer slip by without one.

👉 Inside this episode:

• Why coasting feels like recovery but functions like a slow drain

• What the September version of "no reset" actually looks like

• What a Love of Learning Reset is — and what it isn't

• Why this is not about doing more, it's about choosing intentionally

• Why June is the best time to start

**Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspire Lifelong Learners Masterclass!

 https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0

CONNECT WITH KAMI:

Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami:

https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn 

“Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” live in Facebook & YouTube every Thursday at 12pm PT & links to Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast 

Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/