Choosing My Own Path
I recently left my position at the homeschool writing company, Brave Writer. This was a major life change and I wanted to record it on my blog.
While on staff at Brave Writer, I wrote 50 party school guides, full of amazing book club activities and ideas! As a fun exercise in creativity, I included over half of those book titles in the blog post below.
Dear Reader,
A few weeks ago, I made the decision to quit my job as part of the staff at Brave Writer. This was not an easy decision.
Trying to determine the best course of action made my brain felt a bit like the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler. I loved working at Brave Writer but my Sense and Sensibility told me it was time to move on.
There was a series of Unfortunate Events and By the Great Horn Spoon, everything ended with me Walking toward more free time with my family and the freedom to pursue other opportunities. It turns out that not even a little Harry Potter magic can create more time in my day, as much as I have tried.
While the decision didn’t leave me singing A Christmas Carol, I am looking forward to this new found Freedom Train. I am suddenly more available for When You (or my kids need to) Reach Me.
Of course, this new schedule does leave me wondering, “What shall I do with my time?”
Sometimes I March around the house wondering what to do with this freedom. It’s a bit of a Westing Game to determine the next steps on my journey.
If you know me at all, then you know my heart always responds to the Call of the Wild. As much as I would like to Journey to Jo’Burg, I am not ready for an international trip….yet.
Instead, I suspect I will take my kids to New York City to see if A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. We wouldn’t mind returning to the Redwall formations of Bryce Canyon or Arches either.
Before I plan a Wilson Family adventure to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, we’ll start with a visit to the beach in May where I don’t plan to learn The Thing About Jellyfish or any other stinging creature. Instead, I’ll enjoy the sun and the sand without any work to complete.
While this wasn’t the Twisted Ending (short stories) I was looking for, that is the Thing About Luck – sometimes it just strikes hot, like Fahrenheit 451 degrees hot.
In the meantime, there is a homeschool year to complete and we need to Mary Poppins the final weeks. So it is time to pick up my Red Pencil and make plans to wrap up this year.
The good news is that I’ll have more time for my blog so you can channel your inner Harriet the Spy and peek at this page more often. I suspect you’ll find more to explore in the days ahead.
Because of Winn Dixie,
Mary
PS. I loved my two years on staff and I am sad that it came to an end, but due to the nature of my staff contract with Brave Writer, the noncompete clause limited my ability to be involved in the homeschool community in ways I wanted to be. This decision frees up my time while also opening doors for me in the future as I continue to encourage and support homeschool moms.
She believes that creativity, laughter, and fun are the backbone for engaging and inspiring homeschools. You can find her encouragement and tips on this blog, Mary Hanna Wilson.
She is an enneagram 7 and an extrovert. She enjoys traveling, tea (iced or hot), good conversations, and books. You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.
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Oh, Mary, how bittersweet. We have loved your party school ideas and am glad they’re not going anywhere soon. Enjoy the time with your kids. You know how fast it goes, and before you know it, they’re leaving the nest. Our first is leaving this year and it’s not going to be easy to see her go.
Thank you so much Amy. It does go by so fast!
Excited to see what this new adventure brings for y’all.
I am too! HA!
What an incredibly clever tribute to your hard work! I know your impact left an impression and helped mold the BW experience for so many families. Much love to you!
Thank you, Tia <3
I can’t believe it’s been two years! Seems like I just watched your first party-school periscope!
Well, that was 3 years ago. I was doing my own fun book clubs before I began writing guides for Brave Writer. Good memory.
The clever and wit in this post is why I am incredibly sad that your journey with Brave Writer is complete. But my passion about caring for our families first is why I celebrate your BRAVEry! If that NYC trip happens, I would love you to reach out. My family would be delighted to show you a lovely time or give you a fabulous list of hidden treasures.
Gina. I 100% plan to hit NYC. I will definitely reach out. We have some friends in Randolph, NJ that we’ll probably stay with but I hope to stay IN the city for at least a night. and thank you for your kind words. I have loved being a part of Brave Writer – but intend to stick around in the homeschooling world.