Hello Reader,

Can we take a moment to breathe together?

(Inhale, exhale).

There's a LOT happening in the world right now. Actually, it's been quite an eventful year. There's been a lot to process. And that's just on the national and global stage.

I've found it difficult to write about parenting and kids, honestly, because there is so much happening beyond the walls of our homes, and because sometimes the most impactful thing we can do is narrow our focus to our own communities, our own families and neighborhoods.

My focus has been narrow lately, and mostly offline.

It has been difficult to write about parenting because I've felt so much outrage. There is so much I want to say that's *not* about parenting, and yet, I know that parents still need support.

So I am still here, quietly holding my door open for anyone who needs a lantern holder through dark tunnels of parenthood. I continue to offer long-term support and tiered pricing to meet you where you are.

And yet, my biggest actions in the past year have taken the form of providing education alternatives for families who have found that the system of school isn't a fit for their family right now.

I spend my Tuesdays and Thursdays working with a small group of homeschooled kids and doing my best to implement an emergent curriculum at the upper elementary level.

And now, as I'm watching more and more secular families turning to homeschooling their kids, I'm feeling a deep pull to expand my coaching practice and offer services specifically for secular homeschooling parents.

Secular curricula are increasingly available to homeschoolers, but much of the interpersonal support and coaching that are available are still presented through a faith-based lens. If you find yourself homeschooling as a last resort, it can be overwhelming to find what works for your child. I aim to provide an alternative for families who don't fit within that faith-based framework.

I'm starting off with a simple offer: six months of one on one coaching to help parents deschool themselves, explore what works for their child, and build the mindset necessary to keep going, even when things get bumpy or tough. I will continue to offer tiered pricing, and all you have to do to get started is reply to this email to set up a consultation.

Actually, if you are a secular homeschooling parent, I'd love it if you'd reply to this email even if you aren't looking for coaching right now so that I can include you in future homeschool-related emails (I feel a lot of plans brewing!). Just hit reply and say hello, and I'll keep you in the loop as I continue to develop this branch of my coaching practice.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Julia McGarey