In this continued conversation from ep. 114, special guest Andrea Thorpe and host Janna Koch pick up on part two of their discussion about homeschooling middle schoolers. These years don't have to be a season of gritting your teeth and white knuckling through. You can actually thrive when you shift your mindset from controlling your teens to preparing them for the next phase of life. Learn how to handle mistakes (theirs and yours), how to react to their bids for autonomy and alone time, and how to guide them into better decision making without using the phrase "I told you so." 

ABOUT OUR GUEST | Andrea Thorpe is the author of three children’s books, a wife, and a mother of three daughters ages 18, 16, and 11. Prior to becoming a homeschooling mom, Andrea worked as a middle school classroom teacher and guidance counselor and was recognized as Teacher of the Year. For the past thirteen years, Andrea has enjoyed teaching her lively trio from the comfort of her family’s New Jersey home. Currently, she teaches classes in her local homeschool community and works as a freelance writer.

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02:52 Giving teens a safe space to make mistakes and, at times, bear consequences.

05:26 How to ask questions to give middle schoolers the powers of introspection and evaluation (instead of telling them what to do all the time).

10:42 Model how to handle mistakes.

14:16 The power of the phrase, "Now you know how not to do it."

18:53 Don't be offended with middle schoolers exert independence.  

21:24 Middle schoolers need more space than before.

23:46 As they grow in independence, realize your voice is always inside their heads. 

25:50 Focusing on the end goal of your parenting/homeschooling.

28:17 Helping kids remember how they've mastered hard things.

30:53 How a supportive teacher inspired Andrea to became a writer.

Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com.