142. Mentoring Builds Independent Kids (Even When They Fail)

149. Google's AI Search Change: What It Actually Means for Your Kids

Google's AI search change has been making the rounds in homeschool communities — and a lot of parents aren't sure what to make of it. In this episode I sit down with my son Kenyon, an AI researcher and author writing a book on AI safety, to separate what's actually changed from what hasn't — and what homeschool families specifically need to do about it. The short version? It's not the crisis some parents fear. But there are real things worth teaching your kids right now. Inside this episode: * Why Google was already curating results long before AI got involved * What AI Overviews are and where they actually pull from * The legitimate concerns — and the ones you can release * A simple three-part framework for teaching kids to search with confidence and skepticism * Why this moment is actually a great opportunity for homeschool families Search has always been a skill. This episode will help you teach it. **Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspire Lifelong Learners Masterclass!  https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0 [https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0] CONNECT WITH KAMI: Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami: https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn [https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn]  “Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” live in Facebook & YouTube every Thursday at 12pm PT & links to Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast [https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast]  Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/ [https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/] Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar [https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/]

148. Teaching Writing at Home (Even If You've Been Avoiding It)

If writing is the subject you've been quietly skipping over, assigning without much confidence, or just hoping your kid figures out eventually… this episode is for you. Melissa Webb — founder of Write On Webb and a teacher with 30 years of experience — joins me to talk about why writing feels so hard to teach at home, why it matters more than most moms realize, and what a clear, structured approach actually looks like in a real homeschool. Inside this episode: * Why homeschool moms feel unqualified to teach writing (and why that's completely understandable) * Why writing is really thinking on paper — and what that means for how you teach it * The most common mistake families make with writing instruction * What confident, structured writing looks like at home * What changes when a kid finally starts to feel like a writer **Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspire Lifelong Learners Masterclass!  https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0 [https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0] CONNECT WITH MELISSA: Grab Melissa’s “4 Week Writing Success Calendar”: Teach your child how to write a complete essay in just 30 minutes a day with a clear, step-by-step plan. This free resource removes the guesswork and gives families a simple structure to follow, so students can quickly build confidence and momentum. https://writeonwebb.myflodesk.com/4-week-writing-plan [https://writeonwebb.myflodesk.com/4-week-writing-plan]  Website: https://writeonwebb.com/ [https://writeonwebb.com/]   Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/writeonwebb/ [https://www.instagram.com/writeonwebb/]  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writeonwebb/ [https://www.facebook.com/writeonwebb/]  Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homeschool-is-a-work-of-heart/id1639428614 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homeschool-is-a-work-of-heart/id1639428614]  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WriteOnwithMelissaWebb [https://www.youtube.com/@WriteOnwithMelissaWebb]  Webinar: https://writeonwebb.com/webinar-registration [https://writeonwebb.com/webinar-registration]  WOW Essay Essentials: https://writeonwebb.teachable.com/p/essayessentials?preview=logged_out [https://writeonwebb.teachable.com/p/essayessentials?preview=logged_out]  🎓 New to The Freedom Scholar? Start here: The Freedom Scholar Podcast is for homeschool moms who want to raise kids who love learning — not just kids who complete assignments. We talk about building a learning culture at home, moving from managing to mentoring, and creating homeschool days that feel more like living and less like school.  CONNECT WITH KAMI: Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami: https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn [https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn]  “Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” live in Facebook & YouTube every Thursday at 12pm PT & links to Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast [https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast]  Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/ [https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/] Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar [https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/]

147. Why June Is the Time to Reset Your Homeschool

If May wiped you out and the couch has been winning lately — this episode is for you. The natural response to a hard season is to retract. Rest. Coast. Wait until you feel ready. But blah has gravity. And the longer you stay in it, the harder it becomes to rebuild love of learning, energy, and momentum — before a new season even starts. In this episode we talk about what a Love of Learning Reset actually is, why it's different from just taking a break, and what it costs when we let summer slip by without one. 👉 Inside this episode: * Why coasting feels like recovery but functions like a slow drain * What the September version of "no reset" actually looks like * What a Love of Learning Reset is — and what it isn't * Why this is not about doing more, it's about choosing intentionally * Why June is the best time to start **Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspire Lifelong Learners Masterclass!  https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0 [https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0] CONNECT WITH KAMI: Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami: https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn [https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn]  “Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” live in Facebook & YouTube every Thursday at 12pm PT & links to Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast [https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast]  Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/ [https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/] Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar [https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/]

146. How Kids Learn to Read and How to Teach It Well

If you've ever sat down to teach reading and wondered if you were doing it right — you're not alone. A lot of homeschool parents are working hard and still feel uncertain about whether their approach is actually building the foundation kids need. In this episode, I talk with Alyssa Althouse, reading specialist and founder of Learn with Alyssa, about how reading actually works — what the brain needs, what gets in the way, and what the most effective strategies really look like. Inside this episode: -How kids' brains actually learn to decode and read -Common mistakes in reading instruction (and how to avoid them) -What stumbling blocks look like before they become big problems -Reading and neurodivergence — what parents should watch for -Evidence-based strategies that work from the start -When to bring in a reading specialist or tutor *Jump start your family’s learning fun and curiosity with the Love of Learning Launch Pad! Know your starting point and next steps in this free quiz! https://pages.thefreedomscholar.org/loloi0 [https://pages.thefreedomscholar.org/loloi0] CONNECT WITH ALYSSA: *Get Alyssa’s Reading Support Flowchart! A simple, step-by-step guide designed to help parents and educators identify specific areas of need and connect them to targeted activities that build foundational reading skills. https://www.learnwithalyssa.net/freebie [https://www.learnwithalyssa.net/freebie]  Website: https://www.learnwithalyssa.net/ [https://www.learnwithalyssa.net/]  Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/learn_with_alyssa [https://www.instagram.com/learn_with_alyssa]  CONNECT WITH KAMI: Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami: https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn [https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn]  “Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” live in Facebook & YouTube every Thursday at 12pm PT & links to Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast [https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast]  Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/ [https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/] Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar [https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/]

145. You Only Need a Summer Break If You've Been Managing Learning

If summer feels like an escape from homeschool… this episode is going to feel very familiar. Most moms think they need a break from learning. But what they're actually exhausted from is managing learning — the pushing, the reminding, the carrying of motivation that should belong to their kids. This episode is about what happens when you stop managing and start mentoring. And why summer is the perfect reset to make that shift — whether you had a hard year or a pretty good one. Inside this episode: * Why the need for a summer break is usually a managing problem, not a learning problem * What managing vs. mentoring actually looks like in real homeschool life * How to use summer to rebuild love of learning and reset expectations * Why learning culture matters more than curriculum * How one ILL Academy mom used a month-long camping trip to build something she never had before **Save your seat for the upcoming FREE Inspiring Lifelong Learners Masterclass!  https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0 [https://illlive.thefreedomscholar.org/illliverp0] CONNECT WITH KAMI: Schedule a free Homeschool Confidence Call with Kami: https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn [https://link.thefreedomscholar.com/widget/bookings/fn]  “Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous” live in Facebook & YouTube every Thursday at 12pm PT & links to Podcast:  https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast [https://thefreedomscholar.com/podcast]  Website: https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/ [https://www.thefreedomscholar.com/] Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/216184786279733] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar [https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomscholar] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kami-wanous/]