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.

Beating Homeschool Overwhelm With Heart and Flexibility

Every homeschool parent knows that certain seasons feel a little heavier than others. Sometimes, the phrase “homeschool overwhelm” doesn’t even do it justice. Between laundry waiting in the washer, forgotten math lessons, and kids with shifting needs, it can feel like there’s not a single thing getting done—at least not in the way you envisioned….

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Easy Ways to Boost Emotional Intelligence During Your Homeschool Day

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why your child melts down over spilled juice, flounders after a bad math lesson, or can’t seem to shake off a sibling’s casual tease, you’re not alone. At some point, every homeschooling parent faces that one moment—maybe during a spelling quiz or a family game night—where the room is…

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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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