Brave Writer

121. (S8E5) The Learning Benefits of Travel & Taking Big Risks with Blake Boles

08 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This interview did not go the way I expected – in the most delightful way imaginable. We wound up discussing the power of travel in a teen’s life!...

120. (S8E4) The Culture of Parenting, Marriage & the Mamasphere with Anne Helen Petersen

17 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The hardest part of being a homeschooling parent in this era is the pressure of being caught smack dab in the middle of idealism and the Mamasphere.An...

119. (S8E3) The Bermuda Triangle of Education

10 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Even, and especially, when a task is easy for us, teaching children a life skill is harder than it seems. As a parent, this can be extremely frustrati...

118. (S8E2) Overcoming Frustration & Teaching Kids With Actions & Intent with Dr. Natasha Beck

03 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Picture this, your child asked for, and happily ate an easy and nutritious dish the other day. Today, you prepare the same thing but they’re not int...

117. (S8E1) My Book, Raising Critical Thinkers, Has Arrived!

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It took decades of researching, writing, and editing to be standing on the precipice of my book launch. Raising Critical Thinkers is now officially av...

116. (S7E8) How to Face the Facts When Discussing Politics with Sharon McMahon of SharonSaysSo

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to politics, keeping your facts straight can feel nearly impossible. It seems as if every outlet has some political bias, and misinforma...

115. (S7E7) Critical Thinking for Little Ones with Susie Allison of Busy Toddler

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As we talk about critical thinking, the conversation tends to skew towards teenagers and high schoolers, but you’d be amazed at the powerful wheels ...

114. (S7E6) Thinking Critically, Aging Gracefully & Being a True Influencer with Lyn Slater, Accidental Icon

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guest is someone of which I’m a huge fan, who lives as a role model for my future, who has hundreds of thousands of followers, and who has...

113. (S7E5) Preparing Your Homeschooled Kids for College with Dr. Adam Clark

02 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is university a rite of passage or merely a means to success? Or is there even more to it? Could college grow our young adult’s minds and hearts in ...

112. (S7E4) How the Different Enneagram Types Can Think Critically with Leslie Hershberger

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Enneagram can be a useful tool for understanding the different ways in which people perceive the world, but how can it apply to critical thinking?...

111. (S7E3) Homeschool Unrefined: Maren Goerss & Angela Sizer

19 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Homeschooling should be an option for everyone. That doesn’t sound like a controversial statement, and yet many of us struggle to make our homeschoo...

110. (S7E2) The Educational Value of Video Games, with Ash Brandin

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Raising five kids during the internet era, everyone is dying to know what my thoughts on video games are! How many hours, how many minutes, how many d...

109. (S7E1) Practicing Psychological Flexibility and ACT with Dr. Diana Hill

05 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The podcast has been dark for a few months… and for a good reason! Julie just wrapped up writing her newest book (out February 2022). Now that it’...

108. (S6E21) Teaching Your Children Shakespeare | with Ken Ludwig

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Join Julie today as she talks with best-selling author and award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig. Together, they explore their shared enthusiasm for Sha...

107. (S6E20) Overturning Overwhelm

25 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a little thing: that one comment, the nudge in the acceptable direction, the calm and carefully-worded reminder. You had the right tone of voic...

106. (S6E19) What’s Worth Fighting (About) For?

23 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When you signed up for the task of homeschooling, you surely imagined what the ideal homeschooling life would look like. This is the life you are figh...

105. (S6E18) That Pernicious Topic: Chores

16 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The number one question I get is not how to prepare kids for college, or what you need to start homeschooling, or even about homeschooling at all — ...

104. (S6E17) Rigor vs. Relaxed Alertness: The Sweet Spot

02 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do parents ensure that homeschooling is challenging and rigorous enough for their kids to become smart, successful adults?Many parents are under t...

103. (S6E16) When You Worry About Public School Standards

19 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I heard from a mom who wanted to know how to shed the fear that her children won’t be ready to enter the school system one day. She wanted to be abl...

102. (S6E15) Growing Minds

12 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Did you ever think of learning as training your brain chemistry?The goal of skill-building in learning is automaticity, fluency, ease of use. It’s a...

101. (S6E14) Creativity in Teaching

05 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you one of those people that thinks you just aren’t inventive enough to imagine creative learning experiences?We tend to think of creativity as ...

100. (S6E13) Joy-Centered Learning for the Reluctant Learner

29 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode addresses a specific question: What do I do about children who refuse to learn—children who balk, who throw fits, and who are consisten...

99. (S6E12) Healthy Diverse Homeschool Communities

22 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ideally, homeschooling as a common interest should be enough to unite us and drive us forward to forge friendships with a variety of people and learn ...

98. (S6E11) Marriage, Divorce, and Homeschooling

15 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I have been asked the same question repeatedly over the past 10 years: How do I know if I should get a divorce? And this question has a friend: I am g...

97. (S6E10) Out of the Classroom: Brave Schooling

01 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible to work from home while doing homeschooling?This school year is different from any other. We are not going into it with the same sense ...

96. (S6E9) What Are the Risks of Homeschooling?

06 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of families have been forced to educate at home due to the pandemic of COVID-19. Millions of families also educate their kids this way by cho...

95. (S6E8) Tips for Suddenly-at-Home Schoolers & Working from Home While Schooling

23 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s address this global, unique moment where homeschooling is suddenly center-stage and millions of families are experiencing a lifestyle change t...

94. (S6E7) Finding Common Ground in Homeschool Communities

11 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s question comes from an encounter I had at a homeschool conference several years ago. It echoed a feeling I’ve experienced myself in the ho...

93. (S6E6) What To Do When Your Kid Has No Passion

26 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What do you do when your child has no clear passion?When we exhaust the value of the planned learning model, and we pivot to our children’s passions...

92. (S6E5) To Parent Or Not To Parent: That Is The Question

19 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this season of the podcast, my goal is to give you a chance to pause and consider ways to improve the experience of learning in your home and in yo...

91. (S6E4) When You Have No Energy To Do Any Of It

12 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s question will likely feel very familiar to pretty much any parent: “What if you just don’t have the energy to do all the stuff? The...

90. (S6E3) How Do You Balance Being a Parent & a Teacher?

05 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our goal with this season is to focus on your questions, both the questions you’ve been asking Julie throughout this podcasting journey and the ques...

89. (S6E2) Love + Collaboration in Learning

29 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back, Brave friends! We want to start this season with a big thank you to all of you for helping us achieve an incredible milestone: over one ...

88. (S6E1) Celebrating 20 Years of Brave Writers

22 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We want to share some exciting news: Brave Writer just turned 20! To celebrate, we will have a slew of wonderful offers throughout the year. You ...

BONUS. Getting Wild + Free | with Greta Eskridge

11 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Julie is getting ready to go down to Texas to present at the Wild + Free conference, so today we talk with someone who’s been getting Wild + Free si...

BONUS. The Brave Learner: Happy Book Birthday!

05 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We are so excited because it is the Book Birthday of Julie’s brand new book, The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and ...

87. (S5E12) Routines, Chaos, and Big Goals—Oh My!

28 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today we’re joined by five wonderful moms from the CO Springs Homeschool Mamas Group.So instead of focusing on just one question, we’ll tackle one...

86. (S5E11) Breaking Free From Multitasking | with Courtney Moyer

21 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Courtney Moyer, a homeschooling mother of four (plus a young niece), wrote to Julie saying, “The consistent homeschool challenge that has confronted...

85. (S5E10) Prepping Your Teen for Adulthood | with Myah St. John

14 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest Myah St. John homeschools three children (plus a newborn), and her oldest child, 14, is on the verge of high school. Myah’s always embrace...

84. (S5E9) Awesome Adulting | with Jessica Hammond

07 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Hammond is a homeschooling mother of two who feels conflicted as she tries to spin half a dozen plates. She has a laundry list of passion proj...

83. (S5E8) Cultivating Connection in a Large Family | with Jardel Manalo

24 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Jardel Manalo is a homeschooling mother of five, ranging from the ages of two to 12, who also opened her school doors to a wonderful 12-year-old young...

82. (S5E7) Finding Balance in High School | with Karen Goldstein

17 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Karen Goldstein and her son Elijah are struggling with the difficult transition into high school. It can be a challenge to fit in the oftentimes-rigor...

81. (S5E6) Community is Self-Care | with Jennifer Hunter

10 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guest, Jennifer Hunter, is a mother struggling with a problem that afflicts many homeschooling parents.Jennifer says, “My homeschool chall...

80. (S5E5) When Learning Isn’t Fun | with Anne Trott

03 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a dilemma that plagues every homeschooling parent’s mind at some point in their journey, filling threads online and conversations in perso...

79. (S5E4) Checklist Lovers: Planning From Behind | with Jennifer Vetter

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Jenniver Vetter is a brave mother of six who has been homeschooling for nine years. She has embraced the emphasis on relationship and freedom in learn...

78. (S5E3) What About Technology? | with Lindsay McCarthy

19 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this day and age, we are so connected to technology. We carry these magic little screens with us everywhere – and if you’re anything like us, i...

77. (S5E2) Growing a Mind & Cultivating Curiosity | with Christa Gregg

12 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today we’re going to talk to a brave mother who wants to support her children’s dreams, is inspired by everything she’s learned about on Brave W...

76. (S5E1) Embracing Elements of Home | with Tammy Kim

05 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past four seasons, our help inbox has been flooded with What Abouts: What about the kid who won’t work hard? What about college? What about...

75. (S4E32) The Same Page | with MacKenzie Koppa

01 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest MacKenzie Koppa (aka Bold Turquoise) is the creator of a slew of resources for families: the Cultivating the Lovely podcast, the Lovely Home...

73. (S4E31) Homeschooling High School: Real Talk about Teens, Writing, Wonder, and Weirdness

24 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Homeschooling changes when you transition into the scary world of teenagers, so today I want to discuss teens in general and what you can expect from ...

72. (S4E30) Making Money as a Parent & Homeschooler

17 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Before Julie started Brave Writer, she worked as a freelance writer, freelance magazine editor, and a ghostwriter – which is to say, yes, you can si...

71. (S4E29) How to Be Your Child's Partner in Writing

10 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

After working with parents for years, we have learned that there is often a reluctance to giving your own efforts to your child’s writing. But kids ...

70. (S4E28) 6 Writing Myths Busted!

03 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a difference between correct writing and good writing. You can check off all the boxes and put together a series of grammatically correct se...

69. (S4E27) Modern Miss Mason | with Leah Boden

27 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

One of Julie’s most popular talks is called “Updating Charlotte Mason to the 21st Century,” so when she stumbled upon Leah Boden – AKA Modern ...

68. (S4E26) Breaking the Cycle of Homeschool Despair: Don’t Let ‘What if...’ Get You Off Track

20 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine this scene: your child is reading a book, and they’ve been reading for a few months now. Suddenly, you think, “What if I had taught them t...

67. (S4E25) Learning How to Learn | with Barbara Oakley

13 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Barbara Oakley, Ph.D., educator, writer, engineer, and perhaps most importantly, a female Indiana Jo...

66. (S4E24) Unschool Undefined (& Other Home Education Philosophies)

06 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever feel stressed out talking about home education philosophies? When Unschooling, Classical Education, or Charlotte-Mason come up, do you eve...

65. (S4E23) The Top 10 Things to Have Done by the End of High School

30 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Before getting into the topic of this episode – the top 10 things to have done by the end of highschool – we want to make something clear: you can...

64. (S4E22) Exploring Learning Differences: ADD, ADHD, Dysgraphia, Autism, Dyslexia

23 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A disclaimer for this episode: we are not trained experts and our specialty is not special needs, so anything we share today is based on our own effor...

63. (S4E21) Are you one big happy family? Homeschool advice for the frazzled!

16 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a happy family… or are you not? Today, we hope to solve that dilemma!There’s a temptation to only consider the family identity when we thi...

62. (S4E20) Partnership Home Education: Finding Friends for You

02 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We often see families join Brave Writer or The Homeschool Alliance who get excited about this style of living, but then we struggle to find other like...

61. (S4E19) Family Dynamics in Homeschool: The Roles Your Kids Play

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today we want to talk about the roles in our families – and the incredible power of choice. We delve into the labels and roles we use to characteriz...

60. (S4E18) No Silver Bullet: Searching for the Perfect Homeschool Curriculum

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Julie spends a lot of time looking at the homeschooling zeitgeist, and she notices a common theme coming up every so often: the search for the one thi...

59. (S4E17) Brain-Based Learning - Part 2

11 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the last episode, Julie started breaking down some research on brain-based learning, or the science behind what it looks like to be a good learner...

58. (S4E16) Brain-Based Learning - Part 1

04 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When Julie started learning about home education, she read a lot of work by home educators. Of course this makes sense because she wanted to understan...

57. (S4E15) Permission to Party School

28 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Julie coined the term Party School when she was developing her own homeschool experience. Today, we’re going to look at the properties of Party Scho...

56. (S4E14) The Ages & Stages of Awesome Adulthood

21 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As we get older, we go through many different stages of our lives, and it can be challenging to discuss the topic of “Awesome Adulthood” because o...

55. (S4E13) Being an Awesome Adult & Living Your Most Fulfilling Life

14 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As home educators, what does it mean to have a satisfying adult life? How can we nourish and enrich our lives when we are so depleted from giving away...

54. (S4E12) Developing Cultural Literacy & Empathy Through Books | with Sarita Holzmann

07 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In 1989, homeschool curriculum programs were few and far between; parents had to assemble products piecemeal, and this problem was far worse overseas....

53. (S4E11) The Split Between Structured & Unstructured Learning

30 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When Julie started homeschooling, all of the curricula she saw focused on what tasks the kids should do – there was nothing explaining to parents wh...

52. (S4E10) How to Include Poetry Teatime in Your Family

23 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the difference between Brave Writer and some of the other writing programs available online? Julie originally saw the writing process as a re...

51. (S4E9) Integrating Cultural & Language Learning in Your Homeschool | with Anne Guarnera

16 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Anne Guarnera has always been passionate about learning, languages in particular. Anne shares her passion for language learning with her husband, Dani...

50. (S4E8) Back to Homeschool: Maximizing the Perks of Home!

09 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today I want to talk about hominess in homeschool, and how you can you help your kids stay on task, while still experience the peace and comfort that ...

49. (S4E7) Adding Adventure, Community, & Collaboration to Your Homeschool | with Dachelle McVey

02 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dachelle McVey owns and operates Hide the Chocolate, a blog about homeschooling adventures, parenting, and – occasionally – hiding the chocol...

48. (S4E6) The Scourge of Perfectionism

26 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today we’re going to look at the habit of perfectionism. We all know, deep down, that we have to let go of this compulsion to do things right on the...

47. (S4E5) The Natural Stages of Growth for a Home Educator

19 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Julie has written a lot on the natural stages of growth for young writers, which help parents place their children and figure reasonable expectations...

46. (S4E4) Diversity, Inclusion, & Literature | with Charnaie Gordon

12 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Charnaie Gordon is a computer programmer by day, blogger and influencer by night, and a wife and mother of two 24/7. She is also a self-proclaimed lif...

45. (S4E3) 61 Things I Did RIGHT in My Homeschool

05 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

To be a home educator is to value learning – if you are part of the Brave Writer community, it is because you value learning. Although your children...

44. (S4E2) 55 Things I Did NOT Do as a Homeschooler

26 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Julie homeschooled five children, and today each of them is grown and thriving, in very different environments. We know that homeschooling parents oft...

43. (S4E1) Morning Routines That Support Your Homeschool & Family

19 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today Julie is talking about one of her favorite topics in the world: morning routines! She discusses how you can approach structuring your mornings, ...

Bonus. Brain Breaks: How Stopping Instruction (and Having Fun) Can Help Children Go Further | with Joshua MacNeill

05 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We know the early years are crucial when it comes to a child’s development – but do you know, specifically, how it affects the brain?For example, ...

42. (S3E13) Be There: A Brave Role Model for Parents | with Karen O'Connor

11 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Season three of the Brave Writer podcast has been all about Brave Shifts; how to make the necessary shifts so you can have the homeschool you long to ...

41. (S3E12) Dealing with a Diagnosis & Leaving a Beauty Mark on the World | with Joules Evans

04 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Joules Evans is a mother of three, writer, cancer activist, fierce cheerleader of her friends in all of their creative endeavors, a girl with a severe...

40. (S3E11) How TeachThought is Innovating Education & Empowering Students | with Terry Heick

27 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Terry Heick is the Founder and Director of TeachThought, one of the world’s leading progressive learning brands, and their philosophy of education p...

39. (S3E10) 21 Years of Home Education Wisdom: Poetry, Fanfiction, & Chronic Illness - with Susanne Barrett

20 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Susanne Barrett is a beloved teacher, staff writer, and friend who has been with Brave Writer since the very beginning, when our classes were taught v...

38. (S3E9) There Are No Educational Emergencies: Learning To Trust Yourself, Your Kid, & The Process | with Homeschool Alliance Coach Stephanie Elms

13 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie Elms is Brave Writer’s fabulous Homeschool Alliance coach, and we hired her to help all of you homeschool with peace and progress. She is ...

Bonus. NaNoWriMo 2017: Don’t be a Perfectionist & Other Advice for Young Writers Participating in National Novel Writing Month | with Millie Florence

09 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Millie Florence is an enthusiastic homeschooler and a published author – and she’s only 13-years-old! Her debut novel, Honey Butter, was published...

37. (S3E8) Coping with Unimaginable Loss | with Brian & Tywana Smith

06 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guests have experienced one of life’s most harrowing events: losing a child. Brian and Tywana Smith are fellow homeschoolers and, more imp...

36. (S3E7) The Homeschooling Paradigm Shift | with Rita Cevasco

30 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Rita Cevasco is a speech language pathologist, mother of three incredible children, the author of Trees in a Forest, and the Founder of Rooted in Lan...

35. (S3E6) Enchanted Roadschooling Adventures for Families | with Ashley White

23 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ashley White enjoyed her career as a first grade teacher, but when her children were born, her entire world changed—including her perspective on pub...

34. (S3E5) How to Be an Awesome Adult: Play & Self-Care | with Christy Thomas

16 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Christy Thomas is the definition of an Awesome Adult! Her husband Adam is on active duty and they have moved eight times in 13 years on the whim of th...

33. (S3E4) Learning to Write Outside of the Academic Rubric - with Gabrielle & Kim Linnell

09 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Kim and Gabrielle Linnell are an amazing mother-daughter duo we invited on the show to share how Brave Writer — and homeschooling in general — has...

32. (S3E3) World Schooling: How to Take Your Homeschool Abroad | with Christina Celebi

02 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

We were first introduced to Christina Celebi in the height of live streaming broadcasts like Periscope, and we were immediately attracted to her conta...

31. (S3E2) Creating a Warm & Rich Homeschooling Environment | with Dotty Christensen

25 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dotty Christensen is a one of Julie’s long-time friends, mentors, and partners in shared homeschooling. They sit down to discuss how families can c...

30. (S3E1) Susan Wise Bauer on Homeschooling Culture & Rethinking School

18 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Susan Wise Bauer is best known for writing her homeschooling classic, The Well-Trained Mind, and she is a trusted authority in the homeschooling commu...

An Inspiring Young Author | with Mason Lawler

04 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guest, Mason Lawler, is 14-years-old and recently self-published his first book, How the Chameleon Got Its Colors.2016 was a rough year –...

29. (S2E10) Tidal Homeschooling: The Ebb & Flow of Home Education | with Melissa Wiley

17 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve reached the finale of this Brave Writer Lifestyle Series. The past interviews have shared literally decades of homeschool experience, includin...

28. (S2E9) An Inspired Homeschool Mosaic - with Angela Awald

10 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Angela Awald wears a lot of hats. She is a mother of six kids, a certified teacher, a writer, and a doula. She also runs the blog NurturedRoots.net.“...

27. (S2E8) #BraveSchoolers are the Best Schoolers - with Chantelle Grubbs of Play 4 Life Moms

03 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Chantelle Grubbs, her husband Tony and her five beautiful kids have been using the Brave Writer lifestyle since 2014. In Spring 2016, Chantelle and he...

26. (S2E7) Note to Homeschooling Parents: Remember Self-Care - with Amy Milcic

27 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Amy Milcic is a former mental health therapist and a homeschooling parent of five active, busy boys. She has a great blog, Rock Your Homeschool, that ...