Podcasts
Want to raise your kids to love learning? To become lifelong learners — children who know that they can find the answers to anything they’re curious about? This is the podcast about all of that and more! Grab a cup of coffee or tea, and listen to how others help inspire kids to view their world with play and passion and fascination…
RLL #70: More Than Enough with Kara Anderson
Ever feel overwhelmed or scared that you just might not be doing enough in your homeschool? Not seeing those Instagram families in your own home? Feeling a little drained by those wonderful but intense learners? In today's podcast, Colleen speaks with...
![RLL #69: [Audioblog] Seven Tools for Peaceful Parenting that You Can Use Today](https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RLL-69-7-Tools-Peaceful-Parenting-Feature.jpg-copy.jpg)
RLL #69: [Audioblog] Seven Tools for Peaceful Parenting that You Can Use Today
Parenting is tough. No matter how rock-solid your discipline strategies are, you probably lose your temper and yell from time to time. Even the most well-meaning of parents may find themselves yelling at their kiddos in a moment of angry frustration. When...
RLL #68: Self-Directed Education with Peter Gray, PhD
Today, Colleen speaks with Peter Gray, PhD and author of “Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life.” Peter and Colleen discuss his journey to understanding how...
RLL #67: Ideas for Nurturing Our Kids’ Strengths
Research shows that when we encourage our learners to pursue their interests and utilize their strengths in their learning, we can also see gains in areas that they aren't as strong in. Colleen dives a little deeper into understanding what strength based...
RLL #66: Strength-Based Learning for Differently-Wired Kids with Shawna Wingert
When our differently-wired kids are struggling or seem bored with their studies, often we want to find out why and fix it fast! What if we first became observers of our kids, discovering what they’re great at and interested in, and then turned that around,...
![RLL#65: [Audioblog] Navigating Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted Kids](https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/RLL-65-featured.jpg)
RLL#65: [Audioblog] Navigating Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted Kids
Gifted children have characteristics that can often cause them to struggle socially and emotionally. In today’s episode, Colleen shares an audioblog — an article that first appeared on the site — outlining some common challenges facing gifted kids and offering real...
RLL #64 What to Do When School Doesn’t Work
School choice is extremely personal. It really comes down to what you are most comfortable with, what you can afford and what kinds of sacrifices you are willing to make with regards to this decision for educating your differently-wired kiddos. In...
RLL #63: Creating a Business with Kids with Sara Tullos
Subscription boxes are a wonderful way to add learning opportunities for your curious kids. Typically arriving monthly, they add extended play (and learning!) about once a month on topics like cooking, crafts, even inventions! But what do you do when your...
![RLL#62: [Audioblog] Why Should You Homeschool Your Gifted Children?](https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/RLL-62-feature.jpg)
RLL#62: [Audioblog] Why Should You Homeschool Your Gifted Children?
The longer I homeschool my gifted children, and the more I see and talk to other parents of gifted and twice-exceptional kids, the more I believe that homeschooling is the best educational option for our nation’s above-average...
RLL #61: Let’s Talk About Anxiety
Anxieties are high. Kids are worrying. Adults are worrying. We’re all kind of in this big ole anxiety boat together. We could really use some solidarity and support right now. While recorded before COVID-19 hit, in this episode I talk about five simple things you can do with your anxious kiddos to help them right now.
RLL #60: Raising Differently-Wired Kids with Debbie Reber
Differently-wired kiddos require a major shift in parenting philosophies and practices, and today's guest is no stranger to shaking things up. Debbie Reber, founder of the Tilt Parenting podcast and author of Differently-Wired: Rasing an Exceptional Child in a...
![RLL #59: [Audioblog] Gifted Kids Are Gonna Gift](https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/einstein.jpg)
RLL #59: [Audioblog] Gifted Kids Are Gonna Gift
I shrug a lot, shake my head with a smile, even chuckle. My kids are a blast. They’re different and difficult and quite the handful, but at the end of the day I don’t know what I’d do without the constant excitement of their excitabilities or the quick wit...
RLL #58: Why You Should Check Out a Homeschooling Convention This Year
Are you planning to come out to a homeschool convention this season? Colleen will be speaking at all seven of the Great Homeschool Conventions and several others as well -- you can find her entire calendar on her speaking page. In this episode, though, she...
RLL #57: Protecting Our Kids From Porn with Kristen Jenson
In today's highly connected world, kids are being exposed to pornography at younger and younger ages. Oftentimes, by the time we've sat down with our kids to have a conversation about what they may come across online it's too late. Filters aren't enough. We...
![RLL #56: [Audioblog] Disclipline and Your Intense Child](https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/feature.jpg)
RLL #56: [Audioblog] Disclipline and Your Intense Child
Do you feel like all you ever do is yell at and correct your intense child? That for every time you praise him, you’ve already berated him 15 times? And, are you completely exhausted before you’ve finished your first cup of coffee? Yeah… me too. This...
RLL #55: Helping Your Child Manage Perfectionism
So many gifted and twice-exceptional kiddos struggle with perfectionism, and untreated perfectionism can lead to other problems like low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and even eating disorders. Finding ways to talk to your kiddos is important, and keeping...
RLL #54: Homeschooling Through Tough Times
Let's face it -- homeschooling differently-wired kiddos is challenging. Parenting them is challenging. But, when life hits you from all sides, and you have highly emotional, anxiety-filled, and otherwise differently-wired kids to parent through it, you're going...
RLL #53: A Magical Homeschool with Jessica Waldock
Parenting and homeschooling a differently-wired kiddo is tough. When you're homeschooling a gifted only child, it can be exhausting. You need to stay a few steps ahead of your kiddo as you're the only one they've got to play with, learn from, and do things...
RLL #52: Overcoming Perfectionism and Finding Joy in Homeschooling
How do YOU fight back against perfectionism and recapture the joy of the homeschool you dreamed about? In this episode, Colleen tackles a listener question related to this topic and offers some practical tips for keeping the joy and fun alive. ...
![Helping Your Child Cope with Anxiety [RLL#51]](https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Helping-Your-Child-Cope-With-Anxiety.jpg)
Helping Your Child Cope with Anxiety [RLL#51]
I’m willing to bet that every person reading this has experienced anxiety, depression, or stress at one point or another in their life. And I’m willing to bet that it wasn’t a pleasant experience. For as many as one in eight children, though, anxiety is a daily...
RLL #50: Homeschooling a PG Kiddo from a Teacher’s Perspective with Mariel Howsepian
Think all teachers are against homeschooling? That's actually pretty far from the truth -- I've met many current and former teachers who have chosen to homeschool their kiddos just like today's guest. Mariel Howsepian and her husband Pete are lifelong learners...
RLL #49: Reflections About Anxiety
Over the years, Colleen has talked extensively about her youngest daughter's struggle with anxiety, and so has her daughter. Today, Sara writes in with a great question, prompting Colleen to reflect on the earlier years in their anxiety journey. Listen to find...
RLL #47: The Introverted Homeschool Mom with Jamie C. Martin
Are you an introvert? Guess what?! You're not alone! Today's guest, Jamie Martin, is the brilliant mama behind the website Simple Homeschool and has just released a new book called The Introverted Mom: Your Guide to More Calm, Less Guilt, and Quiet Joy and...
RLL #46: Homeschooling Quirky Kids with Cynthia Heren
Cynthia Heren joins Colleen today to talk about what it's like in the trenches homeschooling differently-wired kiddos. She gives us a peek into her schedule, the rabbit holes her family dives down, and how they incorporate online learning and Minecraft (yes,...
Have a Question?
Got a question for Colleen that you hope she answers on an episode of the podcast, a post, or a live video? Maybe you’ve got a story about how you encourage a love of learning in your kids. Or maybe your kiddos want to share what THEY love to learn about and the cool things they’re doing right now. Now is your chance to share!