The Building Heroes Podcast

On this episode of The Building Heroes Podcast, we explore the idea that children are not distractions but actually the whole point of homeschooling. Our guest, Laura Swain, shares her insights on why the factory-style homeschooling approach doesn't work and explains how a mindset shift is needed for parents to connect with their children and cultivate their innate curiosity instead of focusing on efficiency and standardization. We also discuss handling guilt and pressure, finding a supportive community, embracing the hero's journey, and offers practical tools such as a free de-schooling guide and a Type A checklist.Get your deschooling guide here: https://learnwithlauraswain.com Connect with Laura here: https://instagram.com/learnwithlauraswain Whether you're a homeschooling parent or just interested in alternative education, this episode will inspire you to rethink your beliefs and actions.Get hero building resources here: https://www.buildingheroesathome.com Connect with Molly here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wearebuildingheroes[00:01:41] Countryside move requires patience and gardening passion.[00:04:56] "Parental worry: good and bad tendency"[00:09:32] Building character through homeschooling challenges.[00:11:40] Recovering perfectionist homeschools children, changes mindset.[00:18:05] Leaving the school model for something different.[00:20:43] Beach vacation, first time kids saw ocean.[00:27:02] Fear of falling behind due to FOMO.[00:33:35] Moms struggle with guilt and FOMO.[00:37:53] "Acceptance and vision lead to growth."[00:41:58] Help with mindset shift for homeschool moms.[00:44:02] Freedom journey feels beautifulTranscript: https://app.castmagic.io/share/2faf9b84-3b64-4de7-ad64-4343d426ad75

On this episode of The Building Heroes Podcast, guest Mo Spell and I discuss the journey of growth and how to navigate hardships and challenges along the way. Connect with Mo: https://maureenspell.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/maureenspell/Get your bonus journal: "Mom Brain Hacks: Navigating New Seasons" as an opt-in https://maureenspell.com/new-seasons/[00:01:44] A homeschooling mom with hindsight talks about navigating ups and downs in her journey and trusting her gut with her children's education.[00:03:54] A mother overcomes overwhelm by changing her perspective and expectations, realizing that her circumstances can't change but her mindset can. She learns to appreciate the present moments in her journey instead of waiting for future milestones.[00:10:07] Recognize subconscious expectations for self and others, articulate expectations for kids, and adjust expectations for different seasons of life.[00:12:51] Embrace the struggles and obstacles in life as catalysts for growth, and focus on what you tell yourself about them. Joy and struggles exist in every age and stage of life, and pain can also be a necessary and positive part of growth. Changing your perspective on challenges can lead to new opportunities.[00:16:48] Our worth is not based on what we do, but our thoughts fuel our actions. We should focus on changing our self-talk and beliefs rather than always trying to fix things through action.[00:20:51] Changing beliefs takes time, as thoughts are repeated and neural pathways form. The acronym "Learn" is useful for identifying limiting beliefs, unrealistic expectations, and unvoiced expectations. Awareness is important for recognizing and addressing these beliefs.[00:22:22] The text discusses the importance of awareness, recognizing and changing limiting beliefs and expectations, using feelings as a check engine light, and renewing one's mind to change actions and results. It also provides a personal example of how changing one's thinking can lead to better outcomes.[00:31:45] Letting go of control and expectations is crucial when homeschooling; embracing flexibility and feedback helps maintain a heart connection with one's children.[00:36:26] Give yourself grace, let go of guilt and embrace discomfort as part of growth. Each new level and season will have new challenges to face but it's all part of the journey.[00:41:34] Use cold therapy to interrupt negative thought patterns and take deep breaths to think clearly about the next step.

Maybe you've heard the buzz around Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT. What is it? Do you need to know? Check out this episode to learn what it is, how it can help you and what you need to be aware of with your kids!

Join me with guest and homechool mom of 4, Angela Trusty as we chat about how building relationships and connecting with our kids is SO much more important than what curriculum we choose!Connect with Angela: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolparadigm/https://homeschoolparadigm.com

Do you feel like you always have to be doing things, always busy, always hustling the kids along? While it might sound like a fun dance, it's the fast road to burnout.

Join me with guest, Sarah Collins, a homeschool occupational therapist. You can find her at www.homeschoolot.com.

Homeschool moms want the best for their kids. But do you feel like you're just treading water trying to just stay afloat? What if you had a lifesaver, or better yet, a boat so you could get to where you're going?

We hear a lot about raising life long learners in the homeschool community. But what does that really mean? And is that REALLY want we want for our kids?

Join me as I interview parenting coach, Mary Cook, where she gives us great insights on what we can do when our kids are acting out or misbehaving! Connect with Mary: https://joyandconfidence.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/joyandconfidence https://www.instagram.com/joyandconfidence

Sometimes ya just feel drained... In this 100th episode, learn about these 5 power habits every homeschool mom should have! And learn more about my celebration giveaway! Https://www.buildingheroesathome.com/power-habits

Modern neuroscience has discovered much about how our brains learn in the past 30 years. Using these findings, we can help our kids learn much faster and learn some of the most important life skills for success!

What is a parent's role in raising smart, confident, successful children? These basic principles aren't always what we tend to focus on, but really can help our children live up to their potential!

Join me with guest, Kristen Lehman of Hewitt Learning, as we discuss simple, fun and easy ways to build problem solvers and creative thinking in your homeschool!

What is realistic to expect in your homeschool? Can you really do it all? Should you really do it all?

Did you know that there is a pattern for the journey that moms take when you start homeschooling? When you know the pattern and where you are, it makes the journey a lot more predictable!

Homeschool moms have a LOT on their plate. But if you're not incorporating intentional rest & recharge time, you're going to burnout. Join me with guest Danielle Roberts as we discuss how moms CAN fit this in and what it looks like! https://www.daniellemroberts.com (https://www.daniellemroberts.com)

It's a struggle to get the kids to do their morning chores, and if you're like me, you hate nagging them! (And I'm not even good at consistently following up with them!) Family work changed everything for us!

Work with your cycles and seasons of life instead of always trying to be on the go! Join me with guest, Michelle Beckner, a cyclical nutritionist as she gives us some great tips on working with nature in our homeschools. Get your free download here: https://start.mlbfamilywellness.com/heroes (https://start.mlbfamilywellness.com/heroes)

Use these techniques to spark their minds and get them excited!

You can learn so much more in the kitchen than just how to cook! Join me with guest, Lisa Jendza, of Freedom Kitchen and hear how she empowers kids to not just learn how to cook and be healthy, but so many good life lessons. And how you can do that in your home too.

You don't have to be an entertainer to capture your kid's attention. In this podcast, I let you in on some secrets that good teachers know.

We all know that family relationships are so important. With some simple changes, you can improve communication quickly! Join me as guests Don and Suzanne Manning of Crazy Cool Family teach us how to stop working hard at the wrong things and focus on building relationships!

How do you let your kids take ownership? How can you raise heroes who make wise decisions? Join me as I interview Kerry Beck who is all about homeschool super heroes!

Being a mom can be overwhelming. Being a kid can be too! How do you handle overwhelm? Join me with my guest, Jamie Knapp as we share some great ideas on parenting and making decisions!

Are you like me and you sometimes wonder if you're spoiling your kids? It sure seems easy to do in this world with instant gratification and so much stuff! This experience I had this week made me really look deeper into this, and you can have a measuring stick to see if you're spoiling your kids!

Maybe you want to reduce the toxic load for your family and feed them better food, that is SO overwhelming! Is it even possible? Join me with guest Sara Rausch to learn her judgment free tips on how to do that!

You do a LOT of important things. What do you think the most important one is? This is what I think EVERY homeschool mom needs to do most!

Do you want your kids to be leaders or followers? Most of us would say leaders. But maybe there is more to it than that.

Do you enjoy meal planning? Many of us don't, and there is a good reason for that. But when you learn the skill of meal planning, it can bring so much more energy into your life!

It's not because you are super busy, have lots of kids, too much to do...

When you seek for answers, sometimes that leads you to unconventional paths. As a homeschool mom, you've definitely stepped on that path, and you've probably found others,such as health and wellness. In this podcast, LaRayne Miller and I discuss how the journey isn't easy, but it's so, so worth doing!

Just like a cell phone dies when you don't charge it, you need some recharging power in your life too!

Everyone does have stress in their lives, but you can control what it does to you. Join guest Julie Drake as she shares lots of tools to help you manage the stress in your life.

It happens to all moms, and especially homeschool moms, but are you really failing?

Often we really just don't want to do chores, and our kids especially don't wanna. Join Freedom Mom, Ashley Buffa as she talks about how to create more freedom in your life as you train the kids to help you!

It's great to have experts show us how to do things, but sometimes that creates more anxiety than necessary!

Your kids are born naturally curious. What happens to that curiosity? Can your kids learn naturally without rewards?

How do we teach our kids (and ourselves!) to manage technology in our lives. Learn some things you may not have considered in this interview with Sarah Maynard.

With all the things we feel like we have to do, sometimes it's hard to know what is best for family.

Why you need some boundaries and how to create ones that work! Join me with my Guest, Kerstin Kerchsteiger as she explains how they do it their home.

You have so much to do, but not enough time or energy to do it all! In this podcast, I share two EASY tips that don't take any extra time that can change your life!

You could give tests, but truthfully, homeschool moms are doing assessments a lot more than you think! Learn what clues you're looking for and how to get that spark back into their eyes when you say it's time for school. Join me with my guest, Rachel Figg of The Hands On Homeschool.

When you try something and it doesn't work, don't give up! The hero journey still applies. And when success comes, it's not only ok to celebrate, but it's actually helps you on your journey!

I know you want the best for your kids, but truly, you don't have to be doing everything yourself!

New year's resolutions can be tricky. Learn how to get your goals this year!

As a homeschool teacher, one of the most fun (and most frustrating) things is figuring out how our kids learn!

Do you look forward and back at this time of year? Here's how to do it so it's actually helpful!

The science of light and how we can use the idea of light applies to us and our homeschool

We want the best for our kids, but what if they don't want to learn?

Homeschoolers are notorious DIYers, but it's the power of community that can make all the difference.

Are family read alouds a part of your homeschool? Hear some of my best tips for read alouds!