The Learning Path Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jennie Nelson
The Learning Path Podcast is here to encourage you in homeschooling, mothering, and reading. These short podcasts are full of practical tips to help you as you journey forward in faith.
Preschool is a time to explore and have fun together. Forget anything formal- just try to enjoy these years!
Let's talk about academics in homeschool high school. How can you make the whole process more enjoyable for everyone in the family? Listen in for some practical ideas.
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I can't wait to encourage you with some practical ideas to bring more joy to your family during the high school years. It's a wild ride, but can be so much fun!
More stories from London. We had such fun- please give yourself the gift of adventures! They don't even have to be far from home.
Photos and links at www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
Come along for some fun stories from my trip to London. And some encouragement to make time for your own nourishing friendships.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
Spend a few moments pondering 2022, the good and the bad. Enjoy asking your children some questions and learning more about what's going on in their cute little heads.
This episode is a summary of my reading this year and my very favorites that I think you should put on your To-Read list!
Do you embrace the changing seasons? Here are some ideas to bring the transition to Fall to the forefront of your mind and home.
This is such an important topic as it can make a real difference in our day-to-day lives. We all try to be gentle with our children, but how do we treat ourselves?
A quote from a recent read inspired me to ponder how stillness within ourselves precedes presence with others. Am I able to offer soul hospitality?
A quote from a recent read inspired me to ponder how stillness within ourselves precedes presence with others. Am I able to offer soul hospitality?
How can lists help to make outings easier and more peaceful? Anything that helps me get out of the house with the kids in a more calm manner is a blessing to my life!
How can lists help to make outings easier and more peaceful? Anything that helps me get out of the house with the kids in a more calm manner is a blessing to my life!
Are you dreading cleaning out your kids' rooms? Me too! Especially the closets. How do they end up with that much stuff anyway?? Here are some ideas for taming the toy clutter.
Are you dreading cleaning out your kids' rooms? Me too! Especially the closets. How do they end up with that much stuff anyway?? Here are some ideas for taming the toy clutter.
We all need a bit of a fresh start before school starts. Here are some simple tasks that I try to take care of before the school year begins.
This extra short episode is a follow-up to Episode 86 about conversations with your teens about college. In this episode, we talk about what to ponder and what to ask when you go on some formal and informal college tours.
This episode is about what and how to talk to your children about college. There are many simple questions you can ask and ideas you can offer to get them thinking about how college may or may not fit into their long-term plans and callings.
The podcast is back! Here are some highlights of our trip. There will be more stories later, but here is a dip into our time in England and Switzerland. If you want to see more of our trip, we made a video, linked at thelearningpathpodcast.com
We all want peace in our homes. Sometimes we try to achieve that by inserting ourselves between family members too much and too often. Can you recognize any triangles in your family?
Sometimes we train our children to be easily distracted without even realizing it. What are some simple ways we can train their and our own attention spans?
Busy mothers rarely have time to think about changing out their décor with the seasons or with the holidays, right? I found a very simple method that makes it easy for me to freshen up our living space.
Textbooks are not my favorite method of homeschooling. They do have their place, and there are definitely subjects that lend themselves to that type of communication. But there are several things that you can do to make learning from textbooks a bit easier and more enjoyable.
Most of life is gray. Can you live peacefully in the gray? I want to be someone that shows Jesus' love for others by being loving and kind, not harsh or angry.
Did you know that curriculum targeted to middle schoolers is often just review of the earlier years and an introduction to the high school content? Utilize these years with intention and joy! You don't have to follow a prescripted list from someone else's plan!
I want you to enjoy the early years of homeschooling young ones. Here are some ideas to dive into the joy instead of the drudgery.
Join Gretchen and I as we talk through what it looks like to be present when there are so many options calling out to us as mothers.
We make many transitions during each day as mothers and educators. Here are a few ideas for what helped make those transitions more peaceful in my home.
Do you know your state's requirements for homeschooling? Or are you falling back on your state's requirements for public schooling to guide your homeschooling course choices? The laws may very well differ drastically.
Melissa is back to talk about our 2022 reading plans. Lots of great books discussed in this episode, be sure to check the show notes for links at www.thelearningpathpodcast.com.
I am so happy to introduce my friend, Melissa Lay, to you. Melissa leads our local book club. Have you ever considered starting a book club? Listen in for ideas of what it can be like and also some of the difficult things we've encountered.
Are your children delighting in your home, your homeschool, the Lord? Maybe those attitudes have more to do with us and less to do with them.
Spend a few moments pondering 2021, the good and the bad. Enjoy asking your children some questions and learning more about what's going on in their cute little heads.
After reading almost 90 books this year, these are my top five! (Plus a bonus, which I couldn't resist mentioning.)
Do you want to be more intentional in your personal reading? So did I! So now I take time to plan a major portion of my yearly reading. The planning is almost as fun as the reading. :)
What is Christmas School? It's homeschooling in December! Listen in for a few simple ideas for your own Christmas School.
Does the holiday season stress you out? Here are some simple tips to help you enjoy the season with a more peaceful heart and spirit.
Have you ever taken a homeschool planning day??? It is a wonderful tool to help your year go more smoothly. Plus- it's just plain fun!
Do you get distracted by all the options around you? Here are some tips to remaining laser-focused on your priorities.
What might happen in your home if your approached unexpected situations with curiosity instead of condemnation?
Valerie is back for more book talk! In this episode, we discuss how our books talk to each other and how history comes alive through literature.
This is the final episode in our Memory Binders Series with details about a few of the extra things that we have put into our binders.
This is part 5 of our Memory Binders series, all about incorporating hymns into your morning time.
Part 4 of our Memory Binders Series is all about Art Study. This is such a favorite of our family.
Here is an overview of our Memory Binders including how the binders are set up and what our routine looks like. This is Part 1 out of 6 in this series.
It's our 50th episode!!! What a milestone!
Books have united Valerie and I for 25 years of friendship. Enjoying hearing about some of our recent and favorite reads.
Margin is what makes life flow. Margin helps us to breathe and to remain on the journey for the long haul. This episode addresses four common areas in which we need to consider margin.
Mothers need hobbies! Do you need help finding a hobby? This episode will give you some simple ideas to explore new crafts and interests in order to be a more content and growing mother.
Are there any individuals in your life that are passionate about a subject that you are not passionate about? Lean into those relationships and considering allowing your children to be influenced by a few others within your homeschool. The episode image is from Cousin Camp recently in our home!
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Holly Packiam and I could talk books all day long. Listen in as we share some recent reads.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com for links.
In this final installment of our current Q & A episodes, Gretchen and I cover the questions: "How do you handle chores for kids under 10?" and "Homeschooling Tips for Moms with Younger Kids?" Check out episodes 41 and 43 for parts 2 and 3.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com for links.
Do you tend to dive right back into life after a vacation or house guests? Listen in for some tips to allowing yourself a gracious and slow start into "regular" life.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
Gretchen and I had a great time answering some of your questions submitted via IG. This episodes covers the questions: "What stories have most anchored your family during times of transition or trouble?" and "How can technology addicted moms get through their days?" Watch for Q & A part 3 in the coming weeks.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com for links.
Join Mary Cherry and I as we discuss some recent reads. Mary is a new friend and kindred spirit in all things books and homeschooling, so I know you'll love her as much as I do.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com for links.
Gretchen and I have been friends for over 10 years. We are likeminded in many areas of homeschooling and parenting. Some of you submitted questions via IG and we had a great time answering those. This episodes covers the questions: "How do you navigate sheltering kids from bad influences but not being too controlling?" and "Caboose babies in our 40s." Watch for Q & A parts 2 and 3 in the coming weeks.
Between us, my friend Kaci and I have 5 teenagers! Here are some of our favorite book recommendations to help you walk through what can sometimes be turbulent years.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com for book links.
Holly Packiam and I had a great conversation about enjoying musical theater with kids. Choose one and dive in. Or better yet, find a local theater company and look at their upcoming schedule and reserve tickets!
www.thelearningpathpodcast for links.
Join Kaci and I for descriptions of our recent reads.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com for book links.
Does the noise of bickering kids drive you crazy? Me, too! Here are a few ideas to help reduce the sibling bickering or to handle it in a way that preserves your own peace and calm. (Hint- there's no formula!)
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
Are you nearing the end of the school year? Take a few minutes now to wrap up the year well.
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This quick episode includes some tips to overcome your own inertia by undergirding your ideals with books, people, and social media.
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Listen in to find out what Ginger and I are currently reading and some tidbits from those books. It's quite a variety this time!
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Did you know that you are raising adults not children? You don't want to end up with a tall, large child on your hands once your part is done! :) Listen in for some tips to helping your children ease their way into adulthood, starting when they're very young.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
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Do you struggle with hospitality, whether in your own home or just being inviting to those around you? That's because it's difficult!!! Those of us that practice hospitality don't do it because it is easy, but because we've chosen to push through that discomfort in order to make those around us feel comfortable. Listen in for some of my own experiences with discomfort and some tips to work through those uncomfortable feelings.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
We love board games in our home! Here are some tips for getting your very young children to begin to play games with you.
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As we continue our What are You Reading Series, Bekah joins me to talk books for personal development as well as books for our kids.
www.thereadingpathpodcast.com
This is the conclusion of my conversation with Bekah about discipling our teenagers. I hope it's an encouragement to you!
When you hear the word "teenager," do you feel nervous for what the future holds? The teen years are a time of such growth and maturity in a young person's life but can also be fraught with angst and challenges that we never saw coming. My dear friend, Bekah, has extensive experience mentoring teens including her own two teen boys. We had a great time recording this episode about discipling teenagers.
When you hear the word "teenager," do you feel nervous for what the future holds? The teen years are a time of such growth and maturity in a young person's life but can also be fraught with angst and challenges that we never saw coming. My dear friend, Bekah, has extensive experience mentoring teens including her own two teen boys. We had a great time recording this episode about discipling teenagers.
In pre-covid times, my dear friend, Valerie and I, recorded a podcast together about what long-distance friendship looks like and ideas to maintain those important relationships. These principles are even more critical now in a time of social isolation and the ongoing worldwide pandemic.
We also talked about ideas to initiate with local friends and the disappointment that so many of us experience in friendship. It's a little pep-talk in how to be a good friend.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
@juneberryblue on IG
Gretchen Roberts and I discuss what we are reading. Lots of good books in this episode!
Do you use your library? We LOVE to use our library and so I wanted to share a few tips about getting the most out of your public library.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
@juneberryblue on Instagram
Do you feel inadequate? Here's some news: so do I. And so does the woman sitting next to you. Listen to this short episode for some encouragement.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
This episode is full of ideas for how to engage your little ones using what you already have on hand. We all want our youngest children to learn and enjoy family life alongside us. Here are several tips to make that time interesting for both you and your littles.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
In this periodic series, I chat with friends about what they are reading. Book talk with friends is the most fun. I hope you find some inspiration from what Jacqui Wakelam is currently reading.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
Do you want to enjoy Shakespeare alongside your children? Here are some tips and ideas to make it a fun process. You might even hear my four-year-old recite a bit of Midsummer Night's Dream.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
As my children have grown, I have tried to be intentional with each phase that they pass through. Challenging them to stretch and grow, learn new things, and to accept responsibility. The season of the teen years is one that intimidated me. Will my children still love God? Will they love their dad and me? Will the journey to independence be filled with trials? I know that God holds all these things in His hands and I can only do what He has called me to do- love my children, show them grace, model Christian living, train them to do difficult things, and then let them go into His hands.
Years ago, we watched some wise mentors walk their children from childhood to adulthood in a very intentional manner. There was no expectation of rebelling. No abandoning the young adults just as they needed their parents' guidance. It was done in a manner than tied their children's hearts to theirs while simultaneously letting them move into independent and responsible adulthood.
In order to help our boys along this journey, we gave them each Twelve Challenges on their twelfth birthday. They were each expected to complete these before their thirteenth birthdays at which time they received additional privileges to launch them on a young man's journey to adulthood. Listen in for ideas and inspiration!
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com for links
January is a great time to introduce some novelty into your everyday life. With the anticipation and excitement of Christmas over, I tend to need an injection of novelty into my daily routines and habits. Listen in for some quick ideas of adding some freshness to your life.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
Join me on instagram @juneberryblue.
In this new periodic series, I will chat with friends about what they are reading. Books, books, all the time books! Book talk with friends is the most fun. I hope you find some inspiration from what Sally Clarkson is currently reading.
www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
Do you ponder and pray over the year that is ending and the new year that is beginning? Many adults do this, but children need our help and modeling to learn to process what's come before and what's coming ahead. Listen in for ideas of how to discuss this with your children and help them find a vision for 2021.
This is one of my favorite topics: Planning for my own learning. Some topics and hobbies I've tackled in the past: Basic Theology and Church History, C. S. Lewis, Eugene Peterson, Christianity and Culture, Knitting, Crochet, Painting Peg Dolls. The options are endless! What would you like to learn this year?
This has been a great reading year for me. Reasons: quarantine (need I say more?), preschooler is a bit more independent, and very little TV. The result: I blasted through a lot of books this year. This podcast is a brief description of my favorites and why I enjoyed them.
How do you inspire yourself before you jump into the details of planning for a new year or when you need to make a change? For me, the first step is all about books that undergird my ideals.
Do you tend to use negative words with your kids? It's so easy to fall into saying, "Don't do that!" or "Stop" very often throughout the day. Here are some ideas to reframe your words and teach your children from the positive angle. We want to lay a feast of ideals in front of ourselves and our children to provide a vision for what their life can be.
Have you ever done a book advent (wrap one picture book for each day of December)? This is certainly one of my favorite traditions. Here are some of our most loved picture books that we look forward to reading together each year. Links at www.thelearningpathpodcast.com
Enjoy these book recommendations of some of our favorite series! Check out www.thelearningpathpodcast.com for resources and links.
Do you need a break from the negativity and anger that has overwhelmed our culture? Here are 10 fiction books that will transport your imagination to places of wonder and delight. Happy Reading! Links at thelearningpathpodcast.com
Are there areas of your schooling that are difficult? Are you brainstorming ways to make some changes? Here are a few tips for how to look at curriculum differently and to think outside the box.
As a follow up to Episode 4: Bless Your Future Self, Jacqui Wakelam and I are back to give you more ideas about how to actually make this happen. Resources, galore!
As I pondered some of the struggles that many of us have while we educate our children at home (including those of you who are walking alongside your children as they learn remotely), I was reminded of the struggle that often comes with certain subjects. I wanted to encourage you that the relationship with your child is ALWAYS more important than the curriculum or the grade. I pray this podcast is a support to you in your efforts to tie heartstrings with your children.
Have you ever overreacted? We all have when something unexpectedly gets broken or our child talks back on an already stressful day. Did you know that we can overreact to schooling struggles too? Or even to questions our children ask us? Here are a few ideas to help yourself not overreact as often, thereby preserving the peace in your home and in your mind.
Are you afraid of prepping for homeschool high school? Here are some tips to take off the pressure. There are some simple ways for you to reframe how you look at high school graduation requirements in order that you won't feel the need to check ALL the boxes.
I am so excited to share my first episode with a guest! Jacqui Wakelam is my precious across-the-pond kindred friend and was my partner on the Quarantine Diaries videos. Jacqui is an encouragement to me in so many areas of my life, so when she and I started talking about what "blessing our future selves" might mean in our current context, I knew that it would encourage you as well.
You can find Jacqui and her incredible photography on instagram at jacquiwakelam and her beautiful blog at jacquiwakelam.com.
Have you lost your initial burst of enthusiasm after starting school this year? One way that I have combated that loss of motivation is to mix things up. In this episode, you will hear some of my favorite ways to surprise my children and change up our routines.
This season has brought incredible changes to the world and our individual lives including educational choices. There are many of you that have found yourselves unexpectedly homeschooling. I want to come alongside you and encourage you in some simple ways to get started in homeschooling.
This is such fun news! The Learning Path Podcast has launched out into the world! In this initial episode, I wanted to give you a bit of the backstory and why I started a podcast. I plan to begin by releasing one short episode every week. Thank you for your kind encouragement and welcome to The Learning Path Podcast!
Find links at:
thelearningpathpodcast.com