This Golden Hour

In today’s episode, we get to spend time with Crystal and JD Haitsma from Alberta, Canada. In this conversation, we explore several benefits of the homeschool environment, including fostering relationship-building, self-directed learning, thinking outside the box, and helping children with their emotional development. We discuss how screens and electronics impede learning and that boredom is good for kids so that they tap into their creativity and innovation. The Haitsma’s teach us about neurodivergence and how homeschooling provides a more ideal setting to help neurodivergent children. They observe that teachers in the schools are not equipped with the resources and time they would need to attend to all the needs of the students in their classrooms in the way that homeschool parents are able to do at home with their children. Crystal shares her thoughts about attachment-based research and its implications in the homeschool setting. She explains how mothers and parents have intuition to customize the learning for each child, and that parents can work with their kids to determine curriculum and learning.

Connect with Crystal and JD
https://www.coachcrystal.ca/
https://www.thecoachsupport.com/jd

Books
Hold On to Your Kids
The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming the Wonder in Your Child's Education, A New Way to Homeschool
Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction is Hijacking Our Kids, and How to Break the Trance
Jules Verne Collection

 Homeschool Philosophy and Curriculum
Thomas Jefferson Education

This Golden Hour

In today’s episode, we get to spend time with Wendy and Bill Creed from southern Alberta, Canada. Wendy and Bill are pioneer homeschoolers and have influenced countless families where they live. In our interview, we discuss a wide variety of homeschooling topics and concerns. Wendy teaches us that life is our education and learning is our opportunity in everything we do. She explains why a supportive spouse is essential, and why mothers need to be validated regularly to stay motivated with their homeschooling efforts. The greatest challenge in homeschooling is wondering how our children will turn out and if we’re doing enough and if it all works. She reminds parents to make sure that we teach when kids are ready to learn, and to not teach until they are in a state of readiness. Parents are best suited to teach their kids because they love them and care more for their futures than anyone else. Above all other concerns, Wendy invites us to love and focus on our children.

Books
Dumbing Us Down
Brain Gym

Homeschool Paper by Reed Benson
Why Homeschool?

 Homeschool Philosophy and Curriculum
Thomas Jefferson Education

This Golden Hour

This Golden Hour