The Brainy Moms

On this episode of The Brainy Moms podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy unpack reasons why schoolwork so often triggers meltdowns and then give you a practical roadmap to fix them—by finding whether you’re facing a content gap, a cognitive skills gap, or a diagnosis that needs attention. As experts AND moms who’ve lived the dining-room-table drama, we share how to cool the moment, then build long-term capacity so your child needs fewer props...

A single comment from a curious child—“We only study white people”—sent Amber O’Neal Johnston on a mission to rebuild her family’s learning around story, dignity, and depth. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Amber to unpack how a balanced bookshelf can change the culture of a home and the character of a child. Using Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors analogy,...

Gifted doesn’t mean easy, and it certainly doesn’t mean perfect. With gifted educator and 2e advocate Erin Vanek, we dig into what giftedness actually looks like day to day: lightning-fast connections, rich vocabulary, and inventive solutions alongside emotional intensity, executive function gaps, and meltdowns over the smallest snag. We share the language that helps—neurodivergent, twice exceptional, asynchronous development—and t...

Ever wonder how being alone in the wilderness impacts your faith, your views on fatherhood, and how you define fear? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy upack all of that with Timber Cleghorn--humanitarian aid worker, survivalist, and cast member on Season 9 of Alone.  Timber shares lessons from a life that spans an off-grid childhood, years in conflict zones, and 83 days alone in the Arctic Circle on the ...

What if the story you’ve heard about autism is incomplete—and changing? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy dive into the science with Dr. Teresa Lyons, an Ivy League-trained researcher and autism parent who translates complex studies into clear, practical steps. Our conversation challenges the “lifelong and fixed” narrative about autism, explores why some children no longer meet diagnostic criteria over t...

Handwriting isn’t just pencil meets paper; it’s purpose, posture, vision, and motor planning working in sync. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with occupational therapist and homeschool consultant Sarah Collins (The Homeschool OT) to explore how kids move from “hot mess” letters to confident, legible writing by addressing the real foundations: core strength, shoulder stability, explicit motor p...

What if better writing doesn’t start with a prompt, but with what’s already living in a child’s mind? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Andrew Pudewa, founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, to trace a surprising line from Suzuki violin training to strong language skills. Andrew shares how deep listening, memorized repertoire, and deliberate repetition lay the groundwork for flu...

Ever wondered why your child’s spark fades the longer they stay in a school environment that never quite fits? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with master educator and homeschool expert Christy Faith to rethink the purpose of education and design a path that actually supports healthy development. Drawing on decades of work with families, Christy shares why home-based education isn’t about recr...

Ready for a season that actually makes parenting, homeschooling, and supporting your child easier? We’re kicking off season six with a clear promise: weekly, expert-driven conversations that turn overwhelm into action for families of struggling learners—homeschoolers and classroom parents alike.

In 2026, you’ll hear from experts around the world on topics relevant to kids with learning struggles and special needs as well a...

Are you a military or special needs family feeling torn between stability, services, and what your child actually needs to thrive? We sit down with Natalie Mack and Ashley Barta, two military homeschool leaders who have navigated frequent moves, special needs, and high school planning—then turned those lessons into practical guidance for families everywhere. Their stories show how homeschooling can transform from a last resort into...

Teen pain often wants proof, and too many families discover self-harm the hardest way—by finding the evidence. Dr. Amy sits down with returning guest Stacy Schaffer, a licensed professional counselor, to unpack non-suicidal self-injury with clarity and care. We name what NSSI is and isn’t, explore why it seems to provide fast relief to hurting teens, and talk through what to do the moment a teen opens up. You’ll hear how shame keep...

Teens today live at the intersection of real mental health risks and viral misused language like gaslighting, narcissism, and DID. On this episode of The Brainy Moms podcast, Dr. Amy sat down with children’s therapist Stacy Schaffer to unpack how parents can support mental health without turning every rough patch into a diagnosis. Stacy shares the story behind her new book and the core idea that guides her work: integrate tough his...

What if helping your kid find “the right career” starts with removing the pressure to choose one? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with counselor and career coach Dr. Tega Edwin to rethink how families approach work, college, and the messy middle in between. From fifth-grade classrooms to college advising offices, she’s seen how early biases about gender and prestige quietly close doors—and how...

The temperature of public disagreement feels scorching—and that heat is seeping into our homes. We dig into what it means to hold strong convictions while still honoring people, then connect that idea to everyday parenting: how we talk with our kids, how we set boundaries without shaming, and how we handle it when we don't agree. From there, we pull back the curtain on the forces shaping our families—peer culture, dopamine-dri...

Homeschooling or thinking about it? Wondering if 'open education' is right for your homeschooled child? What if everything we thought we knew about education was designed for a world that no longer exists? Matt Bowman, founder of OpenEd and international bestselling author, joins Dr. Amy and Sandy on this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast to challenge the foundations of traditional education and offer a refreshingly prac...

When your child is drowning in mental health struggles, the weight of helplessness can feel crushing. Where do you turn? How do you fight a battle you can't even see? Nurse practitioner and author Jen Robb knows this battlefield intimately. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, she tells Dr. Amy all about it. 

"We were the white picket fence, typical all-American kind of family," Jenn shares, describin...

Ever feel like you're failing at work if you don't give 110%, and failing at home if you try? You're not alone in this impossible balancing act.

In this conversation between Dr. Amy and returning guest Leah Remillet, balance strategist and host of the Balancing Busy podcast, they tackle the myth of perfect balance head-on. Leah redefines balance not as equal attention to everything, but as "being true t...

The gap between being "smart" and "struggling" often confuses parents, especially when school accommodations don't seem to be working. Dr. Amy and Sandy dive into this critical topic, exploring how cognitive processing differs from academic learning and why this distinction matters for your child's future.

Your child's brain isn't just responsible for thinking and learning—it process...

Sleep struggles can feel like a nightly battle when parenting a child with ADHD. But what if the solution isn't another sticker chart or stricter routine—but understanding the unique way your child's brain processes sensory information?

Dr. Amy and Teri talk about how during a recent webinar on focus and attention for homeschooling families, one question dominated our Q&A session: "How do I help my ADHD ...