A Brave Writer's Life in Brief

Is it okay to abandon a curriculum that worked, just because “fill in the blank”?

Maybe we:

Are tired or bored or nervous.

Have a kid who doesn’t do it the way we did it with the last four, just as we got the hang of it. (Grrr.)

Hear about someone else’s bright idea and doubt everything we’ve ever done, even while our best friend tells us we are perfect as we are. (Sure, Michelle.)

Worry that we’ll lose our friends if we change gears and try something new. (Please, don’t kick me out of forest school because I like the indoors now.)

Know this: It’s always OKAY to reinvent how you home educate.

Lean into it.

Add chocolate if needed.

In this world of AI and voice to text, there’s one essential practice that connects your child to themselves effectively without technological interference. It’s not going outside hours a day or crafting or baking—even though those are great activities for kids.

It’s the power to put your own thoughts into honest words—privately, patiently, slowly, with skill and stamina. And while I’m a huge fan of typing, there’s a therapeutic benefit to writing by hand, old school, too.

Why bother teaching the art of handwriting?

What help is writing by hand to kids who refuse, cry, or complain that their fingers hurt?

Today, handwriting is one of the ways your child can learn about their own mind and thoughts without the suggestions of technology—no supplied words or ideas, no spelling corrections or improvements offered.

Amazingly, the brain loves it too! Handwriting lights up more areas of the brain than typing or voice to text. It anchors memory, focus, and creativity.

One of the ways we grow the handwriting skill is to make a little time and space for it each day. In Brave Writer, we do this through the rhythm of regular copywork and freewriting.

We recommend that you handwrite with your kids too.

• Put on some wordless music.
• Light a candle.
• Then simply write.

Slow the frenetic energy of life to patiently hook up a hand with a mind. See what you discover!

Even if your child struggles with dysgraphia, handwriting can be learned a little at a time. Involve a specialist for handwriting therapies tailored to your child if your child struggles excessively.

But, handwriting is now the key tool in the fight to ensure children and young adults are offering their own thinking. It’s a skill they need.

For parents of teens, check out our webinar:
High School Writing in the Age of AI

We think we’re teaching our kids how to write for academic achievement, but what if we’re actually teaching kids how to write for their mental health?

To help their clients stabilize internal chaos, clinicians use:

• journaling,
• freewriting prompts,
• poetry,
• and the communication game.

Foundaton of Self-Awareness

The art of writing and self-examination create a foundation of self-awareness that leads to mental health.

So why try a traditional writing program that has proven to damage the mental health of so many students? I’m not being a alarmist. Adults everywhere tell me their stories of the damage caused by a writing instructor in their lives. The evaluation model of writing instruction is failing so many.

Yet writing is one of the most important and effective tools for mental health and recovery.

If your kids learn to write because it helps them know themselves, they may never need it as a recovery tool, but as an ongoing conversation with themselves that leads them to self-confidence and a feeling of personal power.

Liberate your kids to enjoy writing! And if you need support, Brave Writer is here to help.

This post was originally shared on Instagram.
Watch the accompanying reel for more.

Some homeschoolers mistakenly believe that we can parent and home educate unimpeachably. If anyone ever seems unhappy, we’re failing.

But let’s normalize…

• boredom
• reluctance
• an unfinished art project
• math pages that are too hard or too easy
• a book no one likes
• wandering attention
• lackluster enthusiasm for fill-in-the-blank

Homeschooling is sturdy enough to take it!

In those moments when it does all come together and the magic occurs, those memories are like pearls strung on a necklace.

They linger. They last.

You can make the entire journey that way—lots of misses, a pearl every so often, eyes on the future, heart in the present on this amazing journey called life and learning.

Remember: most of us don’t know what we’re doing. We learn as we go with both notable failures and astonishing triumphs!

Take a deep breath. You don’t have to figure it all out at once—and you don’t have to do it alone!

Brave Writer has you covered in three simple steps:

Step 1: Watch the replay of Dawn’s Mid-Year Kick-Off Workshop (click the link then scroll down) for:

• practical tips,
• reassurance,
• and real-life ideas you can use right away.

Step 2: If you’re feeling ready, go forth and homeschool! Trust that learning doesn’t have to look perfect to be meaningful. For more support, download our Six Week On-Ramp to Homeschooling!

Step 3 (optional): Buy yourself some breathing room by enrolling in an online writing class. Our short, flexible, coach-supported classes give you extra time to plan—while your kids stay engaged. Browse our full lineup and choose something that sparks their interest (or yours!).

We’d love the chance to support your family as you begin this brand-new homeschooling adventure!