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.
An Invitation
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Hello Reader, Well, it's 2025, and I've been out of touch. Rather, I've been focused. Focused on creating a homeschool balance that works for us, focused on supporting my clients, and focused on co-creating a school alternative for families in my community. I've come to realize that creating alternatives is my primary form of activism, really, and I have long been an activist at heart. My main purpose with Partnered Path Parenting, for example, is helping families explore alternatives to traditional parenting that honor and celebrate the magnificence of the children. I have been feeling conflicted, though. It's a conflict that arises from knowing that one of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves and our families is reduce the noise paired with a post-covid dependence on social media as a primary means of spreading my message and connecting with new people. Truth #1: I want to divest from Meta. Truth #2: Meta has been a big part of connecting me with families like you. I've gotten to the point, though, where truth #1 is winning for me. So, I am working on providing alternatives. If you'd like to stay with me on this journey, here's what I've got for you: SubstackThe written word is my jam. I will continue to write and send emails to this list, but if you'd prefer an app that gives you that old-school google reader feel, come join me on substack. These emails are available over there (The Lifeline), and you can find all of my podcast episodes there as well. If you're interested in more general musings, I also write a substack called The Blackbird Chronicles. I love that substack gives me an all-in-one place for my writing, without the video driven algorithm of other platforms. There is a bit of a social feel to it, too, but it's less in your face. Bluesky and StoryGraphIf you would like to connect socially, this is where I'm hanging out these days. You can find me at @juliamcgarey.bsky.social on bluesky, and this is my profile on StoryGraph. I love that I can so easily adjust my feed in bluesky and that I'm not constantly inundated with videos (recurring theme here!). If I feel like reading about books, I can do that. If I want to read up on the news, I'm in control of that as well. And StoryGraph is filling a hole that I didn't realize existed. I used to be fairly active on goodreads, but it lost its appeal for me a few years ago. StoryGraph plays to exactly what I feel I've been missing, and it makes reading challenges (like Read Harder, which I love) so much easier to start. Other possibilitiesAt the moment, I'm trying to subtract things from my to-do list, but I do want to mention one other platform I've come across that I think could be useful to this community in the future: Band. Band is an app for groups, and I was so happy when I discovered it. Groups are one of the main reasons I've stayed on facebook as long as I have, and Band provides a viable alternative. I used to have a group on facebook, and I would be willing to consider starting a Band group if there is enough interest. What do you think? Would you appreciate a parenting-focused group away from facebook? Reply to this email and let me know. Your partner in parenting, Julia McGarey PS I want it to be easy to connect and get the support you need to grow as a parent. Our work together starts with a free consultation call, and if we decide to move forward, I offer tiered pricing to meet you where you are. Please don't hesitate to reach out.
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The Lifeline
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.
We have had a few weeks full of life, y'all. This photo was taken a few weeks ago in the waiting room at the hospital. My husband had major surgery — it was a long day, but he came home a few days later, and we were so relieved. Once he was home, he needed a lot of help. That made it hard to flow with our regular homeschool routine, so we decided to slow down and just focus on getting through it. And honestly? Sometimes that's the most important thing we can do for our kids -- slow down....
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...
Hello Reader, We've all been there. You made the plans. They know the plans (although, it's debatable whether or not they're fully on board). The time comes to execute the plan, and they're giving you a full-bodied no. They won't go, and now they're in full-blown meltdown mode, crying on the floor or curled into themselves under a blanket. What can you do? Most parents have one of two reactions: Are you kidding me?! Faced with a sudden meltdown, they feel blind-sided. They had a plan and...