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Child Development

Everything you need to know about play and child development. How to help your child build the skills they need to grow and learn.

Big Kids Need Play Too: Why Screens Are Replacing Play and What We Can Do About It
Learn | Child Development

Big Kids Need Play Too: Why Screens Are Replacing Play and What We Can Do About It

Teaching Kids Problem-Solving Skills
Child Development | Fostering Life Skills | Learn | Parenting | Raising Confident Kids | Thrive

Teaching Kids Problem-Solving Skills

The Summer Screen Reset: Why Your Child Needs a Minimal Screen Summer (and How to Make It Happen)
Child Development | Intentional Family Living | Learn | Parenting | Screen-Conscious Parenting | Thrive

The Summer Screen Reset: Why Your Child Needs a Minimal Screen Summer (and How to Make It Happen)

How to Raise an Independent Child
Child Development | Fostering Life Skills | Learn | Parenting | Raising Confident Kids | Raising Confident Kids | Thrive

How to Raise an Independent Child

The EdTech Illusion: How Screens in Schools Are Harming Our Kids (And What Parents Can Do)
Alternative Education | Child Development | Learn

The EdTech Illusion: How Screens in Schools Are Harming Our Kids (And What Parents Can Do)

Reggio Emilia, Montessori, or Waldorf: Which Educational Approach is Right for Your Child?
Alternative Education | Child Development | Learn

Reggio Emilia, Montessori, or Waldorf: Which Educational Approach is Right for Your Child?

The Power of a Growth Mindset For Kids
Learn | Child Development

The Power of a Growth Mindset For Kids

Montessori Parenting: A Guide to Raising Confident, Independent, and Curious Kids
Child Development | Learn

Montessori Parenting: A Guide to Raising Confident, Independent, and Curious Kids

Dive into the benefits of risky play and learn why letting your child take calculated risks can be a transformative experience for their growth and development.
Play | Child Development | Learn

Risky Play: Why It’s Essential for Your Child’s Growth and Development

Why Boredom is GOOD for Your Child & How to Let it Happen
Learn | Child Development

Why Boredom is GOOD for Your Child & How to Let it Happen

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Together we’ll slow down, stop rushing our kids through life and raise lifelong learners who will become confident and independent adults. 

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thealannagallo

📖 Former teacher (M Ed.) turned secular homeschooler
🚫 Reducing screen time + rethinking school
🌱Raising confident, curious, real-world ready kids ↓

When I left the classroom, I didn’t have a neat When I left the classroom, I didn’t have a neat five-year plan.What I had was a knowing.A knowing that I couldn’t keep watching kids burn out before they even turned thirteen.That I couldn’t keep handing out grades that didn’t reflect the whole child.That I couldn’t keep watching neurodivergent kids labeled as “disruptive” when the system never tried to understand them.Then I became a mom. And that knowing got louder.Because it’s one thing to see the harm up close as a teacher.It’s another thing entirely to imagine your own child spending the next twelve years in that same system: learning to perform instead of love learning, to comply instead of question, to survive instead of thrive.So we stepped away.Not because I had it all figured out.But because I was willing to listen.And maybe you’re in that space right now.You’re noticing the stomach aches. The Sunday night anxiety. The spark fading from a child who used to be curious about everything.And a quiet part of you is wondering…What if we didn’t do it this way?Let me say this as clearly as I can: You’re allowed to want something gentler. Something freer. Something slower.That’s not failure. It’s wisdom.Rethinking School is the guide I wish I had at the beginning of our journey. It’s not about replicating school at home: it’s about releasing everything that was never working to begin with, and starting fresh.👇 If you're standing at the edge of something different, this is your first step.Comment DESCHOOL to start building the education your child actually deserves.#deschooling #rethinkingeducation #homeschoolmindset #neurodivergentfamilies #schoolisnottheonlyway #unschoolinglife #childledlearning #secularhomeschooling
Most people picture homeschoolers as unsocialized, Most people picture homeschoolers as unsocialized, sheltered, super religious or behind academically, and often a combination of these things 🙃That couldn’t be further from our reality...we break all the homeschool stereotypes 😅We homeschool because:1️⃣ Academic rigor (our 2E kids need more, not less) 2️⃣ Space to pursue a variety of passions 3️⃣ Flexible schedules that fit our lives 4️⃣ No bullying, no toxic peer culture 5️⃣ Extra time with our kids (and actually enjoying it) 6️⃣ No unnecessary testing or teaching to a test 7️⃣ More travel + adventure days 8️⃣ Time for extracurriculars that matter without stressing about them getting enough sleep 9️⃣ A focus on entrepreneurship + real-life skills 🔟 Appropriate, diverse socialization (yes, our kids do have friends…we socialize more than we do anything else 🤣).It’s 2025 and we aren’t the homeschoolers of 30 years ago. We’re not hiding from the world and for many of us homeschooling looks NOTHING like what you picture in your head 🫣What’s your most burning question about homeschooling? I’ll answer anything…
Most new homeschoolers make the same mistake: They Most new homeschoolers make the same mistake: They try to recreate school at home.The schedules. The subjects. The rigidity.And within weeks, they’re burnt out: wondering why this still doesn’t feel right.Here’s what no one tells you: 👉 You can’t bring your child home from the system and expect them to thrive in a version of the same thing. 👉 They need time to decompress, rediscover their interests, and rebuild trust in learning. 👉 You need time to unlearn what school taught you to believe about education, success, and what “counts.”That’s what deschooling is.It’s not doing nothing... it’s doing something deeply important.It’s slowing down, reconnecting, and clearing space for something better.📘 Inside my $7 guide Rethinking School, I break it all down: ✔️ What deschooling actually looks like (for both you and your child) ✔️ What to do instead of formal curriculum in the early days ✔️ How to build confidence without checking boxes ✔️ What kids really need to thrive: without the pressure to recreate school👇 Comment DESCHOOL and I’ll send you the link to grab it. This isn’t just a download. It’s the mindset shift that makes homeschooling work.
Your heard it straight from the horses mouth 🤣🤣 They love homeschooling for the play, snacks, free time and GRAMMAR!!!! 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 LFG.What do your kids love most about homeschooling?#homeschool #homeschooling #bringbackchildhood #secularhomeschoolers #homeschoolvibes #homeschoolingmom #homeschoolingfamily
My oldest is 10 now.And let me tell you: the pre My oldest is 10 now.And let me tell you: the pressure is real.He still loves to read. Still gets fully immersed in fantasy worlds, still begs for “just one more chapter.”But I can feel it shifting: the way he pauses before mentioning a book in front of friends.The way Fortnite, YouTube, and whatever's trending suddenly feel safer to talk about than dragons, robots, or his favorite author.And it breaks my heart a little. Because I know he’s starting to weigh what he loves against what will make him belong.That’s how early it starts. The hiding. The shape-shifting. The slow, quiet pressure to trade curiosity for conformity. This isn’t about screen time. It’s about identity.And how quickly the world tries to rewrite it.✨ Uninfluenceable is the book I wrote for this exact moment: for parents who want to raise kids who don’t lose themselves in the noise.Not because you bubble-wrap them from culture…But because you give them tools, language, and the confidence to stay rooted in who they are.👇 Comment WAITLIST and I’ll send you the link to join the list for the launch.Because your child shouldn’t have to hide their joy to feel accepted.Let’s raise kids who are unshakably themselves.#uninfluenceablebook #raisingconfidentkids #boymomlife #screenconsciousparenting #slowchildhood #consciousparenting #reclaimchildhood #secularhomeschooling #intentionalparenting #childhoodmatters
Your son is 9. And every day, you hear the same Your son is 9. And every day, you hear the same thing from school: “He’s zoning out.” “He’s not paying attention.” “He’s capable, but he needs to focus.”But here’s what they’re not seeing: At home, he’s fully alive.He spends hours building elaborate LEGO setups, sketching inventions, crafting stories, or moving his body through space like it’s an extension of his imagination.He’s not unmotivated. He’s misunderstood.Because when the environment doesn’t match the child, and the child gets labeled instead of supported.And that’s the moment when parents start questioning: Is the problem really my kid, or is it the system they’re being asked to fit into?That was the question that changed everything for me. And it might be the one changing everything for you.✨ Rethinking School is a guide I created for parents who are ready to challenge what we’ve been told school should look like: and start building a learning life that actually works for their child. 👇 Comment DESCHOOL and I’ll send it your way. Because your child’s light shouldn’t dim between 8 and 3. It should shine brighter every single day.#deschooling #rethinkingeducation #reclaimchildhood #raisingconfidentkids #homeschoolmindset #neurodivergentparenting #childledlearning #movementislearning #intentionalparenting #secularhomeschooling
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