What does it take to raise kids for a rapidly changing future world? Katie Wells, founder of Wellness Mama, joins me in this episode to talk about building her kids’ education from the ground up.
The sad reality is that the public school system hasn’t changed much in the last hundred years—so is it really prepping our children for a successful future?
Forget test taking. Ditch the grading system. Finish all schoolwork in the morning and let them be free to play creatively all afternoon. These are some of Katie’s fresh ideas on raising her six children into capable, confident, and entrepreneurial adults.
In this episode, Katie shares her framework for homeschooling her kids, how to encourage critical thinking and creative skills, cheap ways to keep your kids healthy, and managing your family like a business. Catch this episode to hear the conversation!
Time Stamped Show Notes
[00:00:00] Welcome to this week’s episode of the A-Game Advantage
- [00:01:53] Katie Wells, journalist turned health and parenting blogger…
[00:04:18] Inexpensive ways to keep your kids healthy
- [00:06:41] Optimizing for nutrients rather than minimizing for calories…
- [00:08:18] Personalize your approach to your wellness!
[00:09:32] Why did Katie decide to homeschool her kids?
- [00:11:32] Building education from the ground up…
- [00:13:08] A unique business-building challenge for her teenagers…
- [00:14:24] What about socializing homeschooled kids?
[00:15:49] Creating a homeschooling system other parents can use
- [00:18:30] The sabotaging effects of too much structure and the grading system…
- [00:20:04] Moving away from perfectionism into a growth mindset
- [00:21:15] Encouraging natural creativity and curiosity
- [00:23:17] Communication and negotiation—not part of the public-school curriculum!
[00:24:25] How Katie’s kids interact with others their own age…
- [00:26:01] Free-range parenting? Or involved in everything?
[00:27:44] School finished by 11 AM? Katie talks about priorities…
- [00:31:23] Katie talks about the importance of self-care for moms
- [00:33:02] Run your family like a business—you’re the CEO!
[00:35:27] Where can you learn more about Katie?
[00:36:28] Episode wrap-up—thanks for listening!
3 Key Points
- The traditional school system can really dampen creative thinking. Instead of using a numbered grade that punishes for mistakes, Katie cultivates the natural curiosities in her children.
- Stuck in perfectionism? Katie says a growth mindset is the antidote. If you make a mistake, what can you learn from it? How can you improve your next attempt?
- Rather than managing every aspect of your home in your head, run your family like a business! Create systems and tools. Delegate work. Allow your children to share in the responsibilities!
Contact/Resources
- Primed Mind – Elliot’s Mindset Coaching App
- Listen to Katie’s podcast
- Find out more about Katie Wells at Wellness Mama
- Follow Wellness Mama on LinkedIn
- Follow Katie on Instagram
- Wellness Mama on Twitter
- Wellness Mama on YouTube
- Find Wellness Mama on Facebook
