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.

Today, I’m sharing a recording from a session I did at a series of homeschool conferences earlier this year called “Relaxed, Bookish, and Ordinary”.

If you’re hoping that your homeschool can be any or all of those things, listen in–I bet you’re closer to it than you think.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How a relaxed approach impacts your child’s ability to learn and your peace as a homeschooler
• The academic, personal, and relationship benefits of having a bookish homeschool
• Why you don’t need to strive for an extraordinary homeschool to do it well

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/relaxed-bookish-ordinary

Order a copy of Beyond Mulberry Glen by January 7, 2025 to get your free gifts!

Which of these two activities would be easier for you?

1. Describe the best life you could achieve over the next twenty years.
2. 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 reading Jon Acuff’s book, All It Takes Is a Goal this summer, I was struck by how this exercise can shift our perspectives as homeschool mamas and mentors of our children.

In today’s episode, New York Times bestselling author and speaker Jon Acuff is joining me to discuss how to actually achieve those goals amidst the busyness of daily life (hint: you’re probably already doing more than you think!).

We’ll also chat about the book he wrote with his teenage daughters, How Teens Win: The Student’s Guide to Accomplishing Big Goals, which comes out September 10, 2024.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How looking back at our best moments, big and small, can help us create a vision for the future
• Why it’s okay that your imagination for your kids is bigger than your calendar
• How auditioning small goals helps you successfully transition from optimism and realism for yourself and your kids

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/best-moments-in-homeschooling

👀 Watch this episode on Youtube!

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 creative dreams and your own.

Laura Martin is the author of some of my very favorite page-turners for kids, including The Edge of Extinction series and Glitch, and she has a new book out, Wander Lost, that I know you’ll love too.

We talk about the importance of capturing ideas as they come, what creative writing curriculum gets wrong about being a writer, and lots more.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why Laura says that ideas are like lightning bugs
• How Laura nurtures her daughter’s creativity with time, space, and access to materials
• How Laura honed in on what she needs in order to write while juggling four children

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/nurturing-creative-dreams

👀 Watch this episode on Youtube!