One of the all-time most useful things I’ve implemented in my homeschool is Quiet Reading Time.I did Quiet Reading Time with my three eldest kids, who are now in college and beyond, during the most hectic years when I had all six at home (three of whom were babies at the time!), and I still do it with those younger three today. It has made a bigger difference in our homeschool than almost anything else.It isn’t always quiet. And it isn’t always reading, in the most traditional sense. But it is incredibly effective, and it’s still my kids’ favorite part of the day.In this episode, I’m going to talk all about how to bring Quiet Reading Time into your homeschool.In this episode, you’ll hear: Why and how Quiet Reading Time can simplify your curriculum What Quiet Reading Time does for your kids (and for you!) How to manage reading time with littles underfootLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/quiet-reading-time
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RAR #269 – A Vacation for Your Homeschooling Heart
Summer break . . . It’s often not much of a break, right?Even if you find yourself with a little less on your plate, anxiety and second-guessing have a way of filling the gaps where we want rest and relaxation to fill.To find peace that lasts throughout the school year, we can’t just “take a break.” We need to break free from the stories and fears that keep us mired in anxiety.When homeschooling moms ask me for advice, they rarely need advice. What they’re really asking for is reassurance, a chance to take a breath and let go of anxiety or fear, so they can trust themselves and trust that the Holy Spirit will guide them.Today the RAR team selected some of our favorite pieces of wisdom on the theme of rest and reassurance from the RAR Premium private podcast, Circle with Sarah. Think of this episode as a little vacation for your homeschooling heart. In this episode, you’ll hear: How acting like we know we're loved helps us let go of anxietyWhat we’re actually responsible for when it comes to raising our kids How you know when you’re doing enough in your homeschool Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/vacation-for-your-heart
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RAR #268 Advice to Young (And Young at Heart) Creatives
Have you ever read a book and thought, “Wow, how did the author do that?!” Or maybe you’d love to sit down with your favorite author and pick their brain about their writing process or tips and tricks for when you get stuck.Today, the Read-Aloud Revival team has compiled some of our favorite advice about getting creative from the archives of RAR Premium’s Family Book Clubs. Whether you write, draw, paint, or engage in any other creative pursuit, and whether you’re seven or seventy-seven–and every age in between–there’s something here to help you get your creative juices flowing.In this episode, you’ll hear: Tips for staying with the struggle and keeping the joy in your creativityHow to create a satisfying storyAdvice for getting ideas, when to ignore your outline, and loving the process Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/writing-advice
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RAR #267: A Conversation About Belovedness with Emily Wilson Hussem
If you’ve been around the Read-Aloud Revival for a minute, you might know that C. S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters is one of my all-time favorite books. It’s the book I have read and re-read the most, and it’s also the source of some of my favorite read-aloud memories with my young adult son.Today’s guest has written a book in a similar style with the modern woman in mind, and in this episode we talk about how the enemy is working the hearts and minds of women today. Emily Wilson Hussem is the author of Sincerely Stoneheart: Unmask the Enemy’s Lies, Find the Truth That Sets You Free, as well as a speaker and YouTuber who shares her faith around the world. It was a delight to have her on the show. In this episode, you’ll hear: How Emily adapted C. S. Lewis’s format to get to the heart of the most common struggles in women’s livesWhy embracing friendship, connection, and community is key to thriving as women and mothersThe ways distraction, comparison, and dissatisfaction all pull us away from living in the truth of our identities as beloved daughters of God Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/emily-wilson
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RAR #266 How to Do Shakespeare (and Actually Enjoy It)
On the last episode of the Read-Aloud Revival, we talked about why Shakespeare is not a school subject. I hope we were able to convince you!But if we know that Shakespeare isn’t a school subject or an item on a checklist, how do we actually do it? And how do we make Shakespeare not just doable in our homeschools, but delightful?Today, we’ll talk through a simple framework your family can use to experience one of the richest and most rewarding literary treasures in the world in a way that is absolutely magical and a whole lot of fun.I'm willing to bet that if you implement the framework that we discuss in this episode, you won’t mistake Shakespeare for a school subject ever again!In this episode, you’ll hear: Why we don’t start teaching Shakespeare with the original textSimple, easy ways to build connections with Shakespeare’s works and with each otherHow incorporating performance makes Shakespeare come alive for the whole familyLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read-Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-to-shakespeare