Read-Aloud Revival ®

Attend the Circle with Sarah Online Retreat on August 7-8, and Sarah will help you become the peace-filled, joyful mom you’re called to be.

How long is your to-do list? 

What if you added in all the extra shoulds and supposed-tos that you are in your head but you don’t even write down because that would be too overwhelming? How long is it then?

It might feel a little cliché to talk about how busy we are. But I think it’s helpful to acknowledge that most of us are at least a little bit (or more) fried. 

So why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we keep piling things onto our to-do lists?

If you take a closer look at your list, I think you’ll find that underneath that busyness, the reason is relationships. Your list is long because you love your kids, and you want them to feel loved and supported by the things you do for them, from teaching to cooking to cleaning to working outside the home. 

But a hard truth I’ve learned in nearly 25 (!!) years of motherhood is that restless busyness can make it harder to do the things that actually allow us to nurture our kids, develop fruitful relationships with them, and model God’s love.

Today on the show, I want to help you find some rest in the mess so you can show up in all of your relationships with more peace and even, dare I say it… joy. 

To do that, I’m going to let you in on some of our favorite moments from Circle With Sarah over the last year. Circle With Sarah is one of our Read-Aloud Revival Premium members' favorite features. It’s a private podcast, live virtual events, and biannual virtual retreats all designed to support you in the journey you’ve chosen as a mom.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 
Shifting your focus to how far you’ve come from how far you have left to go
A simple exercise for getting to the root of worry and learning to trust that what we do is enough 
Tips for reframing interruptions, prioritizing rest and connection

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:
Read Aloud Revival
Waxwing Books
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/finding-rest-in-the-mess

Attend the Circle with Sarah Online Retreat on August 7-8, and Sarah will help you become the peace-filled, joyful mom you’re called to be.

Here at the Read-Aloud Revival, we’ve been asked more times than I can count to create virtue-based book lists. And I always say no.
Today, our Creative Director (and my eldest daughter) Audrey is back with me to talk about why we don’t make lists of books that specifically set out to teach kids about kindness, honesty, or other virtues. 
The reality is, all good books have a powerful capacity to inspire us towards virtue, and the ones that are the most effective are the ones that don’t set out to teach. They just set out to tell a good story. Good stories, by their nature, form us in virtue.
We’re going to talk about what makes a story formational, and of course, share some of our favorite books that have been formative in our family.
In this episode, you’ll hear: 
Why learning virtue doesn’t need a lesson plan or bullet points, and can even be delightful
How stories invite us into the experiences of others, with all their human strengths and weaknesses
The guiding question behind every book recommendation we make at RAR

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:
Read-Aloud Revival
Waxwing Books
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/books-forming-virtue

Attend the Circle with Sarah Online Retreat on August 7-8, and Sarah will help you become the peace-filled, joyful mom you’re called to be.

 When you think about the various work that goes into making a children’s book, research probably isn’t at the top of your list. 

It might not make it on your list at all!

But research is often an essential part of the process. And I can tell you from personal experience that research can be a time-intensive, sometimes overwhelming, but often the most delightful task. 

Today on the show, we’re hearing from some incredible authors and illustrators about the research that goes into children’s books. Whether you’re an aspiring author or a curious reader, you’re in for some surprises.

In this episode, you’ll hear: 
Two big reasons why authors do research, whether they’re writing a biography, historical fiction, or even fantasy!
How every research question can be a doorway, from talking with subject matter experts to primary sources to searching your own heart and mind
The challenges and opportunities in having too little or too much information available about a person or topic

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:
Read Aloud Revival
Waxwing Books
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/sparking-creativity-with-research

Attend the Circle with Sarah Online Retreat on August 7-8, and Sarah will help you become the peace-filled, joyful mom you’re called to be.

When I mention Shakespeare, a lot of people immediately conjure up visions of high school English class, struggling through Julius Caesar line by line.
Which is an absolute shame, because Shakespeare’s plays are meant to be experienced–performed, seen, heard, felt. 
And experiencing Shakespeare with your kids is truly one of the most joyful things you can do together.

Today, I’m returning to my conversation with one of my favorite Shakespeare lovers, Ken Ludwig.
Ken is the author of How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare and one of our most celebrated, widely-performed playwrights. His plays are performed every single night of the year, and his enthusiasm for Shakespeare is utterly contagious and in this episode, we not only nerd out about our favorite plays, but share how to make teaching Shakespeare a true delight for you and your children.
In this episode, you’ll hear: 
Easy tips for breaking down passages for young kids to make them fun and memorable
Why Shakespeare is the best way to introduce children to complex, inventive, and beautiful language  
How Shakespeare’s work informs all of the English literature (and plays and TV and movies!) that followed it

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:
Read-Aloud Revival
Waxwing Books
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/joy-of-shakespeare

Attend the Circle with Sarah Online Retreat on August 7-8, and Sarah will help you become the peace-filled, joyful mom you’re called to be.

How do we homeschool high school? It’s *the* question, isn’t it?

A lot of us go into homeschooling ready and excited for the younger years. Then as high school approaches, things start to feel… a little more complicated. To say the least. Navigating difficult subjects, transcripts, college applications, and alternatives to college if that isn’t a good fit for your child can be intimidating.
It’s no wonder that homeschooling high school is one of the most-asked topics here at RAR.
As many of you know, I have three kids who I homeschooled through high school who are now in college and beyond. My guest today is also an experienced homeschool mom who’s had two of her six children graduate high school and move on to college. 
Rachel Kovac is a speaker, educator, and the author of the new book, Their Future is Shining Bright: A Guide to Homeschooling High School. I invited her to talk with me about the nitty gritty details of getting your kids through high school, as well as to share some big-picture encouragement as you face the challenges of the high school years.
In this episode, you’ll hear: 
Why the high school years feel so intimidating and what you can do to support a growth mindset for your teen
How your role shifts as your kids enter high school (and why it’s something to look forward to!)
Balancing doing less in your homeschool with keeping doors and paths open for your kids

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:
Read-Aloud Revival
Waxwing Books
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/rachel-kovac