It’s Okay to Wait
Timing is everything! It’s better to NOT teach ancient history to your third grader who isn’t yet interested than to build resentment that your child won’t cooperate with your lesson plan.
You don’t have to teach everything today, or tomorrow, or even next week!
In fact, you can put off a subject for a semester until you find the right spark to make it interesting. Your biggest task is to ignite interest.
If your child isn’t ready, adding pressure doesn’t improve the child’s chance of “getting it.” Sometimes a little mindful neglect of a school subject is just good sense and teaching!
You’ve got time to circle back.
In the meantime, figure out what about the topic IS interesting and put some of your own energy there. It’s amazing how much adult fascination can trigger interest in kids.
This post is originally from Instagram and @juliebravewriter is my account there so come follow along for more conversations like this one!
Heal Yourself First
I was the play-acting, lit-loving, history buff in school. No way did I feel confident enough to teach SCIENCE to my kids! Why trust me with that huge task?
Well it turns out that when your own school education failed you, you get a second shot at it when you have kids to home educate!
I healed my own sour relationship with the subject of “science” by becoming interested in it as though I knew nothing about it. I looked for tools and kits and experiments and explanations that I needed when I was a child so that my kids would have a better shot at liking and learning science than I did. It worked!
You can change how you see any subject that you supposedly “hate.” As it turns out: the subjects are all utterly fascinating.
A Fresh Attitude
It’s the method of teaching that likely turned you off.
Now you get the chance to approach that subject with a fresh attitude of curiosity. That attitude can spark a lot of learning and a little love too!
When we studied geology, I found these incredible rock kits from the Ring of Fire program (founder now retired so no longer available). But look at it!
A fish tackle kit with rocks, a jeweler’s loupe for close study, and a booklet of amazing activities to help us get to know the beauty and wonder of rocks.
Of ROCKS!
Yes, it’s possible to even heal your sad educational history with rocks.
Today so many incredible programs and activities in every subject exist for homeschoolers. Go on the journey and find something that inspires you because then you have a better shot at inspiring your kids.
This post is originally from Instagram and @juliebravewriter is my account there so come follow along for more conversations like this one!
[Podcast #302] A Former Teacher’s Take on Homeschooling with Meredith Reyes
Have you ever wondered why a classroom teacher who loved her job would leave it all behind to homeschool? That’s the story of Meredith Reyes, known as @TheStringyMama.
In this Brave Writer podcast episode, Meredith shares what she learned teaching in California and Texas, why an unannounced active-shooter drill became the tipping point for her family, and how she’s navigated the shift from rigid classroom structures to a more flexible, tidal rhythm at home.
We talk about:
- nature as a powerful teacher,
- the role of interest-driven writing (yes, Minecraft counts!),
- and the challenges—and opportunities—of raising kids in an age of AI.
Meredith’s story is candid, moving, and deeply relatable for anyone weighing the value of school versus the joy of learning. Listen in to hear her journey and take away fresh confidence for your own path.
Show Notes
From schooling goals to learning goals
Meredith’s journey illustrates the gap between institutional schooling and true learning. In classrooms, “success” is often measured by pacing guides, test prep, and compliance. At home, the focus shifts: curiosity, connection, and wonder become the driving forces. Meredith shared the story of a second-grader who resisted formulaic writing prompts but poured himself into a detailed story about Minecraft. That spark—the motivation to write because it mattered to him—showed her what authentic learning looks like.
When safety becomes the tipping point
For Meredith, the move to homeschool began as an emergency response to safety concerns. That active-shooter drill revealed the toll such practices take on children and teachers alike. While fear was the catalyst, reflection showed her that homeschooling offered more than safety—it provided space for joy, flexibility, and genuine engagement with her children.
Unlearning the micromanaged day
As a teacher, Meredith was trained to plan every minute. As a homeschool parent, she had to unlearn that rigidity. Instead, she discovered what we call “tidal schooling”—a rhythm that ebbs and flows with the seasons. Fall might feel structured and classical, winter lends itself to cozy Charlotte Mason-style projects, and spring calls for free exploration outdoors. Meredith has learned to embrace rhythm over rigidity, a shift many of us recognize in our own homeschool journeys.
The power of nature
Some of Meredith’s most moving stories come from days outdoors with her children: discovering fossils in a creek, meeting snapping turtles, and watching curiosity bloom in real time. These experiences remind us that children don’t need to memorize species names to become naturalists—they need a reason to care. Nature provides that point of contact where questions naturally arise and knowledge sticks.
AI in the living room
Meredith also sounded a warning for parents about artificial intelligence. When her son’s Alexa device evolved into a conversational partner—complete with giggles and questions—he began confusing machine responses for relationship. Her story highlights the need to teach children how to use AI as a tool without outsourcing the human connection that fuels real learning.
What parents really need
Meredith is clear: you don’t need a teaching credential to homeschool. Classroom training equips teachers to manage 30 students to a standard. Home education is different—it’s about knowing your own children deeply and creating an environment where those learners can thrive. Her story is a reminder that attentiveness, flexibility, and curiosity matter more than credentials.
Meredith’s voice adds depth and honesty to the broader homeschooling conversation. She reminds us that protecting curiosity, nurturing safety, and choosing rhythms that fit our families are what make learning come alive.
Resources
- Follow Meredith on Instagram: @thestringymama
- Find Skunk and Badger in the Brave Writer Book Shop—and don’t miss our Skunk and Badger Dart!
- Fall class registration is open!
- Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
- Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
- Brave Learner Home: https://bravewriter.com/brave-learner-home
- Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
- Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
- Give your child the gift of music! Sign up for a free month of private lessons with Maestro Music and let your child discover their own musical voice: www.maestromusic.online/brave
- Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
- Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
- Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Connect with Julie
- Instagram: @juliebravewriter
- Threads: @juliebravewriter
- Bluesky: @bravewriter.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter
Connect with Melissa
- Website: melissawiley.com
- Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
- Instagram: @melissawileybooks
- Bluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social
Produced by NOVA
You’re Not Wasting Time
You might think you’re wasting time when you invest in one thing—one subject, one task, one idea, one skill—at a time.
But I’m here to tell you that you inadvertently waste a lot of time trying to do too many things at once.
You have time!
In fact, if you accomplish one thing well, it will provide momentum to do more things well. If you only do a lot of things poorly, you always feel behind, in a rush and like you’re not doing anything productive.
This week invest in depth rather than breadth (ALL THE THINGS). Stick with something long enough to”get it”—why it’s cool, useful, interesting, provocative.
Follow the rabbit trail, be much more curious about what your kids need to understand in order for this experience, this lesson to be meaningful to them.
Need more help?
- Listen to my podcast.
- Buy my books.
- Shop for our curriculum.
Everything we produce is meant to help you do the things you want to do well and with depth.
I believe in you!! Rooting for you big time!
This post was originally shared on Instagram.
Watch the accompanying reel for more.
Brave Learning: Tips for Enticing Your Children to Write
Recently on Brave Learning…
Tips for Enticing Your Children to Write
You can change how your kids feel about writing right now!
Try one of these today.
Create a treasure hunt—that rhymes! Send your kids hunting for some treat with clues you design. Then later, ask them to make one for you (on your birthday!).
Put Sticky Notes all over the bedroom door of your child. Fill them with jokes, silly word pairs, or aphorisms. Jot down comments about your child’s strengths, brief memories of their exploits, hints about the fun you will have during winter break, questions of the universe (“Who am I and why am I here?”, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”)… You decide. This is a stealth operation to be performed after your child is asleep. In the morning, your child will discover the door of notes! Leave a stack of sticky notes and a pen nearby. See if the child reciprocates. Some will.
Use lipstick to leave love notes on the bathroom mirror for your kids. [Keep reading]
Subscribe to Brave Learning on Substack where we chat, discuss, problem-solve, and create together. Here’s what you can expect: weekly themed content, freewriting prompts, and a podcast for kiddos called Monday Morning Meeting (first 6 are free)!
