Raising Lifelong Learners

In this episode, Colleen shares the unique role that community plays in the life of a gifted and twice exceptional child. She discusses why it matters and how to go about finding the right community for your family.

In this episode, Colleen talks frankly about the impact of perfectionism on gifted children and how parents can help.

In this episode, Colleen and Shawna discuss the unique role reading and story can play in the life of a gifted child. They share information on how to help an advanced reader and the role of books in social emotional learning for gifted and twice exceptional kids.

This series is all about equipping our kids for the future with a sense of wonder, adventure, joy and encouragement. Today's topic is a discussion about inquiry based learning - what inquiry based learning really is, plus resources and ideas for how to incorporate it into your homeschool. Learn more about Synthesis --https://go.synthesis.is/rll

This new series is all about equipping our kids for the future with a sense of wonder, adventure, joy and encouragement. Today, Colleen specifically explores the power of play-based learning, and provides practical examples of how to incorporate it into your homeschool. Learn more about Synthesis: https://go.synthesis.is/rll

This new series is all about equipping our kids for the future with a sense of wonder, adventure, joy and encouragement. Today's topic is an introduction, all about "future proofing" our kids in an ever changing world. Throughout the course of this series, we'll discuss child led learning and interest driven choices that we can make in our homeschool, to help prepare our children for the future. (Learn more about Synthesis ---> https://go.synthesis.is/rll)

This continues our series all about homeschooling a child with ADHD. Today, I'm sharing my own experience as a mom with ADHD homeschooling my own children with ADHD. This episode includes research about the family genetics of ADHD, coping strategies for moms in the trenches, and how to create the best possible environment for homeschooling a child with ADHD when you have ADHD yourself.

We continue our series all about homeschooling a child with ADHD. Today, Shawna Wingert joins Colleen to share 7 tips for motivating your child with ADHD.

This series is all about homeschooling a child with ADHD. Today, Colleen shares her best tips for homeschooling a child who struggles with sitting still and is often "wiggly" throughout their learning.

In this episode, we kick off our new series all about homeschooling with ADHD. Today, our focus is an overview of ADHD, and how it impacts your child and your homeschool. Colleen also shares tips for successfully homeschooling your child with ADHD.

In this episode, we continue our overexcitabilities series for parents of gifted children. Today, the focus is on emotional excitabilities and gifted children. Colleen discusses what these overexcitabilities are and how to support and help your child.

In this episode, we continue our overexcitabilities series for parents of gifted children. Today, the focus is Imaginational Overexcitabilities and gifted children. Colleen discusses what these overexcitabilities are and how to help your child.

This continues our overexcitabilities series for parents of gifted children. Today, Colleen explores intellectual overexcitabilities and gifted children.

In today's episode, we continue our overexcitabilities series for parents of gifted children. Today, the focus is sensual excitabilities and gifted children. Colleen discusses what these overexcitabilities are and how to help your child.

Taking an eclectic approach to homeschooling when your child is gifted or twice exceptional makes sense. In fact, I believe it to be one of the best ways to engage and challenge a gifted learner. Today, I am sharing 101 reasons why!

In today's episode, we continue our overexcitabilities series for parents of gifted children. Today, the focus is psychomotor excitabilities and our gifted children. Colleen discusses what these overexcitabilities are and how to help your child.

It's easy to think of examples of how play helps young children and preschoolers. But what about older kids, teens, and even adults? The importance of play for your entire family is significant and the focus of our discussion today.

Gifted children tend to have multiple intensities. These intensities are also referred to as overexcitabilities. In today's episode, Colleen introduces the theory of overexcitabilities and shares support and encouragement for parenting gifted children with intensities.

If you are homeschooling a gifted or twice exceptional child, it probably looks different than you expected. Today, Colleen is sharing 5 Things You Need To Know About Homeschooling Gifted Kids. This a a real life, honest look at what it is really like!

One of the advantages of homeschooling your gifted child is the ability to incorporate their interests and passions into your learning. But how does it work in real life? This is a snapshot of what homeschooling your gifted child with interest-led learning is all about.

Finding gifted homeschool curriculum can be a challenge for homeschooling parents. Having a chance to take a peek inside someone else's homeschool is one of the best ways to get inspired and learn what works. With this in mind, I am sharing everything we are planning for the upcoming school year in our homeschool.

When your child is struggling with a negative mindset, it can affect all aspects of learning and family life. That's why a question that often comes up is "Can I help my child become more optimistic?" The answer is most certainly, "Yes." This episode of the Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast is all about how you can make a difference and help your child develop skills to become more optimistic.

Creating your own interest-led middle school curriculum is not only possible, it's preferable for many gifted and twice exceptional children. In this episode of the podcast, Colleen shares how she encourages her tweens and teens to take on more responsibility for their education and how to get started creating your own interest-led, middle school homeschool curriculum.

This is the second episode in our series with Marianne Sunderland, from Homeschooling With Dyslexia. Today, we are specially discussing gifted children and dyslexia. This conversation includes testing, using assistive technology, and most importantly, encouragement that you are the best person to help your child succeed in learning and in life!

Homeschooling a child with dyslexia has it's own unique challenges and opportunities. The more we learn about dyslexia, the more we understand that homeschooling a child with dyslexia is about more than just reading. In this episode, we talk with Marianne Sunderland, She has been homeschooling for 26 years and is considered an expert in helping children with dyslexia. In fact, seven of her eight kids have dyslexia.

Every year about this time, we begin to plan for and discuss our upcoming homeschool year. It's like a homeschool mom annual ritual. But what about our children? Homeschool planning for kids is a helpful skill to develop and is essential as our children graduate and move into the world. In this practical and down to earth episode of the Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast, Colleen and Shawna discuss the in's and out's of helping your child plan their homeschool days, weeks, and months.

In this episode of The Raising Lifelong Learner's podcast, Colleen addresses a common concern - the uncertainty of parenting and nurturing a gifted toddler.

Colleen answers a frequently asked question today on the Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast: How do you help siblings understand when one child has anxiety? This episode is all about helping anxious children and their siblings.

There are a lot of misconceptions about twice exceptional children and homeschooling. In this episode of the Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast, Colleen shares what it's really like to homeschool a twice exceptional child, both as a gifted education specialist and a homeschooling parent.

In this special episode of the Raising Lifelong Learner's Podcast, Shawna Wingert shares valuable information about getting started with strength-based learning in your homeschool. She also answers a frequently asked question: What is the difference between interest-led and strength-based learning?

Wondering if your child is profoundly gifted? What does profoundly gifted even mean? In this episode, Colleen discusses how to determine if your child falls into the profoundly gifted category. She also shares the reality of homeschooling a profoundly gifted child.

Colleen is joined by her good friend and fellow veteran homeschool mom, Pam Barnhill. Honest and practical, they talk about planning, what gets in the way on a Monday morning, and provide access to resources that will help homeschoolers at any stage. If you homeschool or are even thinking about homeschooling, this episode is for you!

Giftedness is often disguised in our brightest kiddos. In this episode, Colleen explains how even as an expert in the field, her son's giftedness was difficult for her to uncover. Practical and encouraging, you don't want to miss this honest look at parenting gifted children.

In this very special episode, Colleen is joined by her son and new homeschool high school graduate, Trevor. This is a must listen for any homeschool parent wondering how their child will feel about the decision to homeschool once the journey is done.

One of the challenges of homeschooling is finding a community that works for your child's needs and interests. In this episode of The Raising Lifelong Learner Podcast, Colleen and Shawna discuss the reality of finding a homeschool community for our children and for ourselves.

Do you want more for your family? Do you have bigger dreams and a desire for deeper relationships with your kids? Join Colleen in this encouraging and practical conversation with Celeste Orr, from Togetherness Redefined. They discuss creating meaningful connections with our children and sustaining a deeply satisfying family life.

One of the best pieces of advice I give a parent is to become a student of their child. To really pay attention and discover what your child is interested in, passionate about, or wants to explore further so you can use that information to design the best homeschool ever. In this episode, we revisit a conversation with Andrew Peterson all about how to practically become students of our children.

Parenting gifted and twice exceptional children can bring an entire host of fears and guilt, when our children are struggling or not typically developing. In this episode of The Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast, I am thrilled to welcome Denaye Barahona, Ph.D. We discuss our shared experience as moms coupled, with our expertise in supporting neurodiverse children. We consider the importance and gift of authentically accepting our kids as they truly are.

Empathy is a word we emphasize a lot when it comes to our children's social and emotional development, but what does it really mean? Even more so, how can we encourage empathy in our gifted and twice exceptional children? In today's episode, Colleen and Shawna tackle the topic of empathy,

This encouraging and informative conversation with Dr. Meg Meeker, is all about her expert perspective on meeting the individualized needs of our children. She is bit of a hero of mine, so I am thrilled to share this episode.

At some point most parents of gifted kids will ask, "Does my gifted child really need a label?" In this audioblog episode, Collen tackles this question and looks at the pros and cons of giving your gifted child the "label."

How do we best support the unique social and emotional needs of gifted and twice-exceptional kids? In today's episode, Emily Kircher-Morris of The Neurodiversity Podcast joins Colleen to discuss the specific, intense needs of our neurodiverse children and how we can best help.

Homeschooling a gifted/2E child is often far more about helping our children develop confidence as learners than it is teaching any one subject. In this episode of The Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast, we talk about the relationship between confidence and learning, as well as some of the ways we can intentionally help our children in this area.

In this bonus episode, Colleen and Shawna answer a homeschooling mom's question about doctors, therapists, and homeschooling. What do we do when doctors don't support our decision to homeschool? How can we prepare for therapist visits and doctor appointments? When is it time to switch to a more homeschool friendly doctor?

Have you ever wanted to ask a homeschool graduate what they thought about their homeschool experience? Are you curious about what an adult life after homeschool looks like? Colleen gets all the answers from Samantha Shank, a brilliant homeschool graduate, highly successful business owner, and highly gifted, multi-talented individual.

Education and achievement doesn't have to look like school, and it doesn't have to follow a prescribed path. In this audio-blog episode, Colleen shares the reality of rethinking achievement and how homeschooling helps our gifted children thrive.

Homeschooling high school, particularly when your child is gifted, has its own unique set of challenges and rewards. In this conversation with Heather Woodie, from Blog, She Wrote, Colleen explores the ins and outs of homeschooling gifted high schoolers. Encouragement, practical tips, and real examples you won't want to miss!

Self-care has become an increasingly popular topic in recent years, and for good reason. As parents, we simply have to take care of ourselves in order to take care of our children. But what about our kids? How do we help them learn coping skills and emotional regulation? Join Colleen and Shawna as they discuss practical strategies for their own self-care and for their kiddos.

We are convinced homeschooling is the best way to educate our gifted and 2E kids, through self-directed learning and unschooling. This week, Colleen speaks with Robyn Robertson of Honey, I'm Homeschooling the Kids about unschooling. The conversation continues at https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/episode107