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The Lifeline

by Julia McGarey

So you say you're feeling overwhelmed by this whole parenting thing? Your child is intense, strong-willed, has big emotions, and you are just hanging on? Or maybe they are slow to warm up and getting them to do anything new feels like a struggle... Wherever you are, it can feel isolating when everyone around you seems to have it so easy. And they're so full of advice, but it just doesn't work for your child. Welcome, friend. The Lifeline is my weekly-ish email for parents just like you. You are not alone, and you don't have to grit your teeth and just get through it. You can change the dynamic within your family. You can reclaim your life. One day at a time. One email at a time. I can't wait for you to join us.

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Featured Post

Finding the right fit

Hello Reader, It's 7:06 AM. I have no idea how much time I have, but I know I need to start somewhere. I've been practicing what I preach and honoring this transition back to homeschooling with space. But if I'm honest, there's been a creeping fear of saying the wrong thing. It's been small, but steady, and it's been easier just to stay quiet than to say my world has been fundamentally rearranged. I didn't want anyone to question it. I didn't want sympathy either. I wanted celebration. And...

about 1 month ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader, Recently I saw a comment on a facebook ad asking what to do for their sensitive child who was having trouble with school. According to the commenter, the teacher was trying to fit their child into a box of conformity. One person responeded, "homeschool." Then someone called them out for being privileged. Then, the coach who published the ad said something about there being no need to homeschool because you can help your child be more resilient and thrive in that environment by...

3 months ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader, This isn’t a typical podcast, but then, this hasn’t been a typical month for us. I took an unplanned break from recording new episodes, and I wanted to take the time today to share a little bit about what’s been going on for us and why a break was necessary. Going forward, I will publish occasional podcast episodes, but they definitely won’t be weekly. Make sure you are subscribed to the podcast and receiving notifications for new episodes so you don’t miss out when I do release...

3 months ago • 1 min read

I get so many random offers from people who want to "fix" my business "problems." Problems that they think exist but I don't because I'm running a different kind of business and they simply don't understand. My business is built on relationships, is small by design, and accommodates different financial situations. My business prioritizes my life, my family, and allows me to homeschool - instead of hustle. I'm not here to make millions, and I'm certainly not interested in impressing the...

3 months ago • 1 min read

Reader, January is typically a busy month around here. We're coming out of the holiday season and diving straight into my daughter's birthday. This year, January has been a month of transition. After two four-day weeks at school, schools in our area were cancelled for a week due to weather conditions. So we stayed home. It was like another winter break, and it brought with it another transition back to school. It also gave us another chance to observe our daughter living life without school...

4 months ago • 2 min read

🎵🎵Mmm hmmm I want to lingerMm hmmm a little longerMm hmm a little longer here with you... 🎵🎵 Reader The years are going by, and I am leaning hard into savoring.These moments.The relationships I've made on this journey.All of it.I see so many more posts from parent coaches these days than I did when I started.And with that, so much playing to the machine that is social media.There is a push for any creator to keep creating, more, more, more.I've felt it. I've given in to it. I am not...

4 months ago • 1 min read

Reader, I think one of the biggest mistakes we've made as a society is trying to standardize childhood.Standardized curricula.Testing.Parenting classes.Behavior plans.Children are not homogeneous.They don't come with manuals, and there isn't a single best approach that will meet everyone's needs.We're running in circles trying to make the individual fit the collective, searching for the right way, looking for answers, and all the while forgetting...The answer was in front of us the whole...

4 months ago • 1 min read
Child looking through a rainy window, wearing an orange coat.

Reader This is my love letter to the parents who have tried it all. You've heard all the advice, the tips and tricks, and it just keeps coming. The trouble is, as a friend of mine succinctly put it, the things that everyone wants to advise you on are exactly not the problem. Your child functions differently. Standard rules do not apply. And because of this, you might feel isolated and alone. You might second guess yourself because nobody else is dealing with this. The things they're...

4 months ago • 2 min read
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