Podcast - Raising Lifelong Learners

The Raising Lifelong Learners podcast helps parents — especially homeschooling parents — encourage their differently-wired kids to learn, explore passions, cultivate creativity, and become fascinated by the world around them. Join host Colleen Kessler — educational consultant, gifted specialist, author, and speaker — for interviews, audioblogs, tips, and encouragement to help your differently-wired kiddos become lifelong learners — children who know that they can find the answers to anything they want to know if they can just view their world with play, passion, and fascination.

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Kids — you can use the button below to be featured on an upcoming episode of the Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast. When leaving your message: say your name, age, and home state. Then tell what you wish other people understood about your brain, how it works, or how you think about things.

Busting the Biggest Myths About Homeschooling Neurodivergent Kids

It creeps up in conversations, in worried glances at the grocery store, and in uncertain late-night Google searches: the fear that homeschooling neurodivergent kids is an impossible or ill-advised task. Maybe you’ve heard it yourself—“But what about socialization?”—or, “You’re not an expert, are you sure you’re qualified?” The doubts echo, often drowning out that…

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Why Family Connection Matters Most as Kids Grow Up

It hits you in ways you didn’t expect: one minute you’re orchestrating playdough sessions and read-aloud cuddles, the next you’re standing in the kitchen, trying to tease a few words out of a teenager who would rather spend the evening locked away in their room with friends, earbuds, and TikTok. It’s a bittersweet truth—connection with…

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How Adventuring Together Grows Confidence, Curiosity, and Executive Function

I used to think “adventure” meant climbing literal mountains—or at the very least, something involving packing duffels and driving three hours into a frenzy of unfamiliarity. Kid logic: adventure equals wild, unstructured “out there” stuff. Grownup logic: no, thank you, I’ll be at home with coffee and my kids where I can control the snacks….

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Celebrating Wins: Why Noticing the Small Stuff Is a Gamechanger in Your Homeschool

Boxes of curriculum stacked up, sticky notes everywhere—maybe a half-read book on neurodiversity is stashed in your kitchen. You’re balancing the chaos of a Monday morning and half-wondering if anyone notices the actual learning happening. And then, out of nowhere, your kid—who yesterday lost it over a math worksheet—manages to focus for ten minutes straight…

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Homeschooling to Celebrate and Nurture Your Child’s Spark

If you’ve ever watched your child’s face light up as they narrate a passionate interest—maybe it’s dinosaurs, coding, bugs, musical theater, or even the precise gauges of old locomotives—and then felt your heart sink when the “real world” seems to dim their enthusiasm, you need to know: you’re not alone, and you’re in the right…

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The Power of Connection in Homeschooling Neurodivergent Kids

You’ve decided to embark on this incredible journey of homeschooling your differently-wired kiddos, and it’s no small feat. Together, let’s explore one of the most powerful tools in your homeschool toolkit: connection. In this deep dive, we’ll weave our way through the whys, whats, and hows of prioritizing connection in your homeschool. Why Connection Matters…

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