PODCAST

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief

Thoughts from my home to yours

All Episodes

What AI Can’t Write

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/10

AI can write anything! Almost. But you know what AI is terrible at writing? Those moments? They’re real. They’re human. So—how do you help bring them to the page while keeping your child’s authentic voice alive? Need help? Growing Brave Writers is your guide to leveling up your teaching skills—so you can nurture your child’s voice and love of writing. And here’s […]The post What AI Can’t Write appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in

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[Podcast #308] Julie’s Brief History of Homeschooling

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/08

On today’s podcast we go on a sweeping journey through the history of homeschooling, weaving together Julie’s story with the larger movement that reshaped education in America. From the experimental classrooms of 1970s California to the early legal battles of the 1980s and the faith-driven conventions of the 1990s, Julie shows how homeschooling evolved from […] The post [Podcast #308] Julie’s Brief History of Homeschooling appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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The Foundation of Self-Worth

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/06

I found this little gem in my Instagram drafts and it brought a tear to my eye. I recorded it in the spring of 2024. My mother was still alive at the time. It struck me as I re-watched it that the foundation of self-worth is the faith that my parents have in me. Each […] The post The Foundation of Self-Worth appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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More Monday Morning Meetings

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/03

Our five-minute weekly podcast for your kids is going strong on Substack! We took a break for the summer but have new episodes available and they are FREE (they aren’t always). The goal is to give your kids actionable steps to take control of their learning experience, to make it more meaningful and delightful to them. […]The post More Monday Morning Meetings appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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[Podcast #307] Italy, Literature, and Learning...

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/10/01

Julie is back from her two-week trip to Italy (with a quick stop in Copenhagen!) and brings stories that weave together travel, literature, and layered learning. From visiting her aunt on the Mediterranean coast to finally stepping inside Florence’s Santa Croce—20 years after promising herself she would—Julie shares how books like A Room with a […] The post [Podcast #307] Italy, Literature, and Learning Connections appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Your Child Is Already an Author

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/29

One of the key concepts that I teach in writing is that kids are authors, not just students trying to write. Children ought to have authorial control over their own writing. They get to decide what they keep and discard, and they decide which editing concepts to apply to their work. A Truth When we […] The post Your Child Is Already an Author appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Your Child Is Smart

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/26

It’s incredible to realize that we have front row seats to the unique intelligence of our children. We alone know when they are clever and maximizing their particular brand of smarts. Be the parent who notices and brags about those skills. If you can, express that admiration in front of that child. Goes a long […]The post Your Child Is Smart appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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[Podcast #306] Challenge Accepted: An Interview with...

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/24

One of the major perks of homeschooling is that the middle-school years can be about adventure instead of awkwardness. In this Brave Writer podcast episode, Melissa chats with author Chris Balme about his book, Challenge Accepted: 50 Adventures to Make Middle School Awesome. Balme’s book invites young readers to discover how trust, agency, and meaningful […] The post [Podcast #306] Challenge Accepted: An Interview with Chris Balme appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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The Danger of Black and White Thinking

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/22

In his book, Strong Religion, Gabriel Almond (plus authors) makes a case for the idea that when a society is going through seismic shifts that feel unnerving, the tendency is to double down on the past and black-and-white thinking. Many times we adopt a fundamentalist spirit, whether or not, we are religious. The hallmarks of […]The post The Danger of Black and White Thinking appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Brave Learning: Middlers

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/19

Recently on Brave Learning… If you have kids ages 8-10, these are especially for you! Partnering with Your Child Partnership Writing is the most overlooked stage of writing development. [More] Tips for Enticing Your Children to Write You can change how your kids feel about writing right now! [More] How to Give Positive Writing Feedback Let’s […] The post Brave Learning: Middlers appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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[Podcast #305] Can Screens Benefit the Whole Family?...

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/17

Do you ever catch yourself treating screens like contraband—tolerated in tiny doses, never to be openly celebrated? Ash Brandin, author of Power On: Managing Screen Time for the Benefit of the Whole Family, urges us to view screens as morally neutral and to focus on how they can serve the whole family’s needs. In this […] The post [Podcast #305] Can Screens Benefit the Whole Family? with Ash Brandin appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Understand the Meltdown

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/15

Do you ever wonder what to do when your child has a meltdown about homeschooling? I have a video message for you! I made a reel on request from a morning chat I did on Instagram. Reels are not my favorite but it’s nice to give this one a permanent spot! Watch the Video Need […] The post Understand the Meltdown appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Boredom is Boring

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/12

Have you heard that children will happily entertain themselves if you leave them in their boredom? More often than not, kids left alone will simply wander the halls of their homes like nomads and eventually turn on the TV. Boredom is a state of “lacking vision.” A child doesn’t know what resources are available or […]The post Boredom is Boring appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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[Podcast #304] Teens and Books: A Deep Dive with Dawn...

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/10

Do you ever wonder how to keep teens reading—joyfully, deeply, and on their own terms? In this conversation with Brave Writer Director of Publishing Dawn Smith, we explore practical ways to sustain a teen’s love of books: We also share a simple framework for building teen book lists—evaluating a single title, the mix across a […] The post [Podcast #304] Teens and Books: A Deep Dive with Dawn Smith appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Quick Reads to Start the Year

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/09

Looking for a quick win to kick off the school year? Below, find Brave Writer literature guides based on “short” books that will draw children in! Your kids may be so captivated that they forget they’re learning: Here are some recommended guides for kids ages 8 and up. Darts (ages 8-10) Arrows (ages 11-12) Boomerangs […] The post Quick Reads to Start the Year appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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You Can’t Change Your Child

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/08

Take it from me: you can’t really change your child. What you can do is help them learn how to adapt to a world that isn’t designed for the kind of person they are. Fundamentally, “Who We Are” stays pretty much the same throughout our lives. What we learn to do is cope. Your job […] The post You Can’t Change Your Child appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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The Gift of a Great Home Life

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/05

I believe in homeschooling. It’s one decision I made that I don’t regret for my children. That said, there are kids who regret being homeschooled. What I’ve noticed when I talk to them is that the system of parenting created pain and the parents did not acknowledge that. They persisted in an ideology rather than […] The post The Gift of a Great Home Life appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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[Podcast #303] Introducing Monday Morning Meetings: a...

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/03

Do you ever wish your homeschool week started with momentum instead of Monday drag? We’ve found that small, doable invitations right at the start of the week prime kids for curiosity, competence, and follow-through. Think five minutes of inspiration that launches hours of self-directed learning—no elaborate prep required. In our work with families, three tiny […] The post [Podcast #303] Introducing Monday Morning Meetings: a Brave Writer Podcast for Kids appeared first on A Brave Writer's

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It’s Okay to Wait

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/09/02

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 […] The post It’s Okay to Wait appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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Heal Yourself First

A Brave Writer"s Life in Brief ·

2025/08/29

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! […]The post Heal Yourself First appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.

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