Brave Writer

What do our kids actually need to know before they leave home?
In this episode, we explore the everyday life skills that often get overlooked, from tying shoes and folding laundry to handling money, filling out forms, speaking with customer service, hosting guests, managing time, and learning how to do what life requires next. We talk about why practical competence is part of education, not separate from it, and why homeschooling gives us a beautiful chance to teach these skills in real life, at the right moment.
Join us for a conversation about raising capable, confident kids who know how to participate fully in the world.
Resources:
Find our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Brave Writer 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
Find community at the 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
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
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to [email protected]

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

What if the crankiness in your homeschool isn’t a behavior problem at all, but an adventure deficit?

In this episode, we explore how too much routine can flatten a family’s energy and how a little surprise, novelty, and wonder can bring learning back to life. We share simple ways to add adventure at home, outside, in literature, in language, and even on rainy days, plus ideas for building an “adventure list” before you need one. Along the way, we talk about wonder walls, theater games, jump rope, gardening, punctuation, and the hilarious flow chart that asks the all-important question: “But did you die?” Listen in, then come share your own adventure ideas with us.

Resources:
Check out the “Did You Have a Good Adventure?” flow chart at Semi-Rad.com
Find Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots and Whatever the Weather: Science Experiments and Art Activities That Explore the Wonders of Weather in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Brave Writer 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
Find community at the 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
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
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to [email protected]
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

What if math felt less like drudgery and more like discovery?
In this episode, we explore “mathematical imagination” and the many ways math is already alive in everyday family life. We talk about counting, measuring, predicting, sports, video games, art, nature, and how curiosity can turn numbers into something meaningful. We also share practical ways to make formal math time more inviting, from manipulatives and mystery-based activities to math tea times and even bubblegum math. If you’ve ever wanted to help your child experience math as a language for describing the world, this conversation is for you.
Listen in, then come tell us what math looks like in your home.
Resources:
Explore the Journey North Mystery Class archives
Encounter solar system planet sizes and distances in this fun activity
Find our favorite books for kids and parents in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s newest book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the 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
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
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to [email protected]

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

What if an online writing class didn’t mean Zoom fatigue, rigid schedules, or one more thing to manage?
In this episode, Melissa Wiley talks with Kirsten Merryman about what makes Brave Writer’s online classes so different: asynchronous discussions, text-based coaching, warm instructor feedback, and a structure that makes room for all kinds of learners. We explore how real writing growth happens, why parents learn right alongside their kids, and which classes might be the best fit for your family, from Story Switcheroo to Essay Prep, Gamers Write, and Media Literacy.
Kirsten Merryman is Brave Writer’s Vice President of Operations and former director of online classes. She is also a longtime homeschooler, writing coach, and curriculum creator who has helped shape Brave Writer’s approach to supporting both parents and young writers.
Join us to discover how writing support can feel personal, practical, and surprisingly freeing.
Resources:
Explore our upcoming Brave Writer class schedule
Got questions about classes? Reach out to us at [email protected]
Find our favorite books for kids and parents in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s newest book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the 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
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
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to [email protected]

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

What if the biggest obstacle in your homeschool isn’t what you’re missing—but the fear that you’re doing it wrong?

This week, we explore “fear of messing up” and how perfectionism quietly shapes our expectations, decisions, and confidence as parent educators. We unpack where that pressure comes from, how it shows up (hello, endless curriculum switching), and why chasing the “perfect” method keeps us stuck.

We also share practical ways to shift your focus toward connection, curiosity, and process—plus tools like interval training and a flexible writing app to support real learning.

Ready to trade perfection for progress? Let’s rethink what success actually looks like.

Resources:
Pacemaker: pacemaker.press
Julie’s Substack post on this topic: http://juliebogart.substack.com/p/fomu-fear-of-messing-up?r=bv7b0&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true
Find books mentioned in this episode in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Brave Writer 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
Find community at the 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
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
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to [email protected]

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