 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
Welcome Back to Homeschool
We can’t create space for traditional school subjects to be loved by children until we help them to be meaningful to children.
My sweet friends: the terrifying adventure begins!
What kind of wild line of reasoning did you follow to choose THIS life? The full responsibility for your children’s education? The audacious (self-aggrandizing) belief that YOU were capable of providing this education? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
Homeschooling never matches the fantasy in your head. It’s so frustrating and scary!
That’s because learning at home JUST WON’T SIT STILL! It’s like life has this way of interfering with that Oh So Important Education you would give your darlings at the table in the workbooks if they would STOP LEARNING ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE!
A Meaningful Life Now
Your homeschool will be completely unique because it will be YOUR lives, braided together on an adventure to LEARN—not to get through and get done, not to check boxes (though by all means check some if you need to for your sanity). Our goal is a meaningful life now, not just one we prepare for at a future date.
Lean in, trust the process and know this: every so often, you hit a wall of entropy and have to reinvent your homeschool a little bit. It’ll be okay. That’s how it works!
Hang on to your hats! I’m rooting for you BIG TIME!
This post is originally from Instagram and @juliebravewriter is my account there so come follow along for more conversations like this one!
Friday Freewrite: Go Away
Today’s freewriting prompt:
Have you heard the nursery rhyme: “Rain, rain go away. Come again another day”? Replace “rain” with a different word. Explain why you chose it.
New to Freewriting?
Freewriting is that wonderful key that unlocks the writer within. It’s the vehicle by which we trick our inner selves into divesting the words and ideas that we want to share but are afraid won’t come out right on paper if we do. So, read the freewriting prompt, set the timer for 5-10 minutes then write whatever comes to mind. Just keep the pencil moving!
Need more help? Check out our free online guide.
[Podcast #248] How to Find Homeschooling Community
Homeschooling can be isolating, but it shouldn’t be and it doesn’t have to be. In fact, as a homeschooling family, you have unique opportunities to meaningfully connect with all kinds of folks. In this podcast episode, we discuss how to find community as homeschoolers and why it is so important.
We discuss:
- connecting to your local homeschooler advocacy organization,
- using the internet to find like-minded homeschoolers (and even non-like minded homeschoolers),
- and coming up with ways to integrate non-homeschoolers into your fun learning experiences.
We also dive into why community is important. Yes, social media can show you some reels of cool project ideas, but ongoing conversations and relationships drive deeper growth. That’s why we created Brave Learner Home. We discuss the Braver Learner Home features and invite you to join!
Show Notes
What Connections to Explore
As a homeschooler, you need to be proactive about making connections with others.
First, we suggest getting in touch with your state homeschool advocacy organization—they can help you figure out your state’s legal requirements around homeschooling and let you know what resources are available.
Second, use the internet and social media to find local homeschool meet-ups. If there aren’t any, start your own! Don’t worry, you can start small, like a one-day meet-up at the park.
Third, connect with local business owners who will likely be happy to offer you and your kids fun activities during the day when business is typically slow. Group discounts can be a great incentive for homeschool families to get together!
Fourth, don’t forget about the non-homeschoolers. There are plenty of parents and kids who would love to come to a Dart party or poetry teatime.
Brave Learner Home
What originally started as a resource library for homeschool parents has now evolved into an online community. Brave Learner Home has:
- thriving discussion boards,
- a map where you can find homeschoolers close to you,
- and lots of webinars and live events.
You can learn from others, developing your teaching and parenting philosophy.
Social media is great, but it doesn’t fulfill all the important aspects of community. We hope you will join us at Brave Learner Home and prioritize finding your community.
Resources
- Join the community at Brave Learner Home
- Watch the Brave Writer Summer Camp webinar replays
- Poetry Teatime website
- Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention.
- Download our free Summer Games guide
- Don’t miss Brave Writer Fall Class Registration
- Listen to Episode 189. Party Schooling with Lise McGuinness
- 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
- Twitter: @bravewriter
- Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter
Connect with Melissa
- Website: melissawiley.com
- Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
- Instagram: @melissawileybooks
- Twitter: @melissawiley
Produced by NOVA Media
The Hardest Part of Homeschooling
Education is not a “right or wrong way” proposition. Your drive to not make mistakes will ruin homeschooling for you. It’s totally fine to change your mind regularly about how you create learning opportunities for your kids! And you will—because you’re learning and growing too. Don’t wreck your homeschool trying to solve it. Get curious. Be brave. Try try again.
I met a mom at the National Association of Women’s Business Owners (NAWBO) conference. She’s interested in home education and asked an amazing question: “What was the hardest part of homeschooling?”
I told her it was not the long hours or the endless needs of my kids. What dogs most of us is the worry that there’s a better method, the one that will bring a quality education that our kids will love every day—no complaints, no mistakes.
Not Knowing
Learning to tolerate that feeling of “not knowing” how it will all turn out is the key to making it a good long while.
I told her that you know you’re getting the hang of it when you stop worrying so much about doing it right and lean into simply doing it.
Homeschooling is a grand experiment that allows us to:
- adapt,
- make changes,
- and pivot when needed.
Because of that, sometimes we live with too much uncertainty that feels unnerving.
Remember, home education is a process not a destination. It’s unpredictable and that’s both its beauty and its biggest challenge.
This post is originally from Instagram and @juliebravewriter is my account there so come follow along for more conversations like this one!
