Podcast: Read-Aloud Revival

“Marley was dead, to begin with.” That is one of the most famous first lines in English literature. It comes from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, which is perhaps the greatest Christmas ghost story ever told. What is it that speaks to so many of us about this story of Scrooge and his ghosts?…

As homeschooling moms, we often focus more on what we’re not doing than what we are doing. We fret about the lessons we should be teaching or the projects we should be creating. But here’s what we want you to remember (and what we try to remind ourselves): what you’re already doing is powerful. It’s…

How do you know a good book when you see it? I remember walking into the big, beautiful children’s section at the library with my oldest, who was a baby. I wanted to find books to read aloud to her, but it was hard to know which ones we would love.  That longing to find…

A library should be a kind of paradise, don’t you agree? Author and illustrator Barbara Cooney certainly thought so.  Barbara Cooney was an extraordinary author and illustrator of over 100 children’s books with stories that span the world, from the shores of Greece to the mountains of Appalachia. The more I learned about Barbara, the…

Raising creative kids is a beautiful, worthwhile endeavor, but not one that is always neat and tidy!  In today’s episode, I’ve invited two of my good friends and fellow creatives—authors S. D. Smith and Carolyn Leiloglou—for a conversation on how our creative work as adults impacts our kids. We discuss everything from the challenges of…

What if I told you that your homeschool could be relaxed, bookish, and ordinary? If you’re anything like me, that’s music to your ears.  Our kids thrive–and we do too–when our day-to-day homeschool is relaxed, bookish, and ordinary. In fact, that’s what over 726 experienced homeschool moms told me were the three most important qualities. …

Which of these two activities would be easier for you?  Describe the best life you could achieve over the next twenty years. Describe the best things that have happened to you over the past twenty years. I know that as a busy wife and mama, dreaming for the future can feel daunting. As I was…

Do you have a child who dreams of being a writer? Or maybe it’s your dream? How do you support those dreams and foster creativity while also raising kids and running a household? Today, I’m delighted to welcome back author Laura Martin, who’s giving us her very best advice for how to nurture your child’s…

We recently took a poll in RAR Premium about favorite reading genres, and it turns out that historical fiction isn’t just my favorite genre, but it’s the favorite of many of you as well. Today, I’ve invited historical fiction lover and award-winning author Anna Rose Johnson to join me to discuss just what it is…

If you’re a homeschooling mom, chances are good that you’re familiar with Sally Clarkson. She is one of the most beloved names in homeschooling worldwide, and it’s no wonder why.  She homeschooled her own four kids to adulthood and has been writing and encouraging homeschool moms for decades. She also happens to be one of…