Has the pendulum swung too far the other way?

Hey Reader,

If I had a dime for every time I hear advice directed at homeschool families, urging them to avoid "school at home," I'd have a nice-sized donation for my favorite non-profit.

The thing is, it's not really about avoiding "schoolish" things. It's about the freedom to customize.

That message has given families permission to embrace flexibility, conversation, movement, real-life learning, child-led interests, and individualized pacing.

During a recent homeschool roundtable, we raised an important question:

Have some families moved so far away from traditional school that they have also moved away from meaningful challenge?

When kids resist, saying they can't, don't know, etc., you might ask yourself:

Is this work developmentally inappropriate, or simply unfamiliar?

Are we honoring a real need, or reacting to temporary frustration?

Would a different explanation, resource, or pace make this more manageable?

What kind of support would help my child move forward?

These are the homeschool decisions that can feel especially heavy because there is rarely one answer that fits every child.

A printable cannot always tell you whether to slow down, change direction, or keep going.

A curriculum cannot know your whole child.

And sometimes a homeschool mom does not need someone to say, “Push harder,” or, “Drop it immediately.”

She needs a place to ask questions, think through her choices, and receive support without being told there is only one right way to homeschool.

That is one of the reasons I am working on something new for homeschool moms who want practical guidance, thoughtful support, and help making decisions that fit their own families.

I am not quite ready to share all the details yet, but you can join the waitlist to hear about it first.

​[JOIN THE WAITLIST]​

Freedom allows you to change the path. It does not require you to remove every hill.

There is no single correct way to homeschool.

But we can still thoughtfully evaluate whether the way we are homeschooling is helping our children grow.

P.S. Changing the path is not giving up. Sometimes it is the most thoughtful way to help your child keep growing.

Hit reply and tell me: how do you decide when your child needs a different path and when they need support getting over the next hill?

Reader, you are the most important part of my job. You are not interrupting my day when asking a question, replying to an email, or reaching out for support. I am honored to offer your help as you homeschool.