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, Amber shows how to choose books that reflect kids’ lived experiences, open honest views into other worlds, and inspire real-life empathy that carries beyond the page.

We talk about practical ways to curate without censoring. Amber’s rule is brave conversation over banned books: preview when you can, invite your kids to bring you the sticky parts, and ask sharp questions about author intent, historical context, and your own family values. You’ll hear how this approach trains discernment for the teen years, when kids meet complex ideas without you in the room. We also dig into why diverse stories matter for every family, especially in communities that still feel segregated. Familiarity breeds friendship, and literature can be the first friendly bridge.

Then we pivot to pace. Amber guards margin so her kids can be bored, curious, and creative—because that’s where the magic lives. She makes a compelling case for a slow childhood and wide learning: linger in topics, pair fiction with primary sources, visit local history, cook the food, and let questions lead. Instead of climbing faster, go broader and deeper, and watch confidence and empathy grow together. Her final nudge is freeing: you are the special sauce. Lead with what you love—tech, nature, handicrafts, or culture—and let that authentic passion shape your homeschool DNA.

If you’re ready to raise thoughtful, joyful readers and make your home a place of belonging, press play. If this resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more conversations like this, and leave a review to help others find the show.

ABOUT US:
The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. Dr. Amy and Sandy have conversations with experts in parenting, child development, education, homeschooling, psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. Listeners leave with tips and advice for helping parents and kids thrive. If you love us, add us to your playlist and follow us on social media!

CONNECT WITH US:
Website: www.TheBrainyMoms.com
Email: BrainyMoms@gmail.com
Social Media: @TheBrainyMoms

Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter

Visit our sponsor's website: www.LearningRx.com

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 the practical moves that turn tension into traction for bright kids who think differently.

We talk through why “definitions” of giftedness vary wildly across schools, and how that confusion leaves many families feeling isolated or dismissed. Erin explains how to spot authentic strengths—rapid learning with fewer repetitions, cross-domain links, divergent thinking—and how to honor them without feeding perfectionism. When a child refuses to show work or challenges a one-right-way method, we model how to teach the why, offer real choice, and compare solution paths for efficiency. If big feelings take over, you’ll hear a simple re-engagement technique that brings the prefrontal cortex back online so problem-solving can start again.

For homeschoolers and parents looking for ways to support their child after school, we map a path that values depth over speed. Instead of racing up grade levels, go lateral: invent operations, flip number orders, and use Bloom’s higher levels to analyze and create. Protect reading joy by pairing accessible texts with deep conversations about character, structure, and theme. And leverage games as a secret classroom for cognitive flexibility, planning, patience, and losing well—ending early when needed and debriefing with curiosity. The takeaway is freeing: gifted is not better or worse, just different. When we stop measuring worth by acceleration and start nurturing thinking, resilience, and engagement, our kids learn to thrive on their terms.

If this conversation helped, follow and share the show, leave a quick review, and subscribe to our newsletter at TheBrainyMoms.com for more smart, usable tools.

ABOUT US:
The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. Dr. Amy and Sandy have conversations with experts in parenting, child development, education, homeschooling, psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. Listeners leave with tips and advice for helping parents and kids thrive. If you love us, add us to your playlist and follow us on social media!

CONNECT WITH US:
Website: www.TheBrainyMoms.com
Email: BrainyMoms@gmail.com
Social Media: @TheBrainyMoms

Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter

Visit our sponsor's website: www.LearningRx.com

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 show. The result is a disarmingly honest look at fear, faith, and the daily choices that turn hardship into wisdom.

Timber shares how producers of Alone protect the true experiment—extreme isolation—forcing contestants to face themselves without distraction. In that silence, he used scripture to speaking both fear and gratitude out loud to steady his spirit. From missing a moose with millions watching to withstanding online backlash for expressing his faith, he explains how to loosen your shoulders, learn what you can, and take the next right step. Success may be fleeting, but satisfaction can be solid when your identity isn’t riding on outcomes.

We also go deep on parenting. Timber and his wife are raising three kids while dialing back overseas work, breaking cycles of fear-based decisions, and centering kindness as the family’s North Star. He tells a revealing story about choosing connection over performance. We talk about giving children silence, autonomy, and wonder; modeling a beautiful life with God rather than forcing belief; and how conviction beats confidence when facing real-world challenges, including their toddler’s developmental needs.

If you’re curious about resilience, gratitude, and practical ways to bring wildness home—without making your kids replicas of you—this conversation delivers. Expect thoughtful insights on echo chambers, empathy, failure, and why choosing kindness at any scale matters.

This episode is different from any we've done in all six seasons so far. In a conversation among parents, we laugh, we cry, we share our faith, and we laugh some more. It's an hour and fifteen minutes of pure joy. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a review telling us where you’re practicing conviction over confidence right now.

ABOUT US:
The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. Dr. Amy and Sandy have conversations with experts in parenting, child development, education, homeschooling, psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. Listeners leave with tips and advice for helping parents and kids thrive. If you love us, add us to your playlist and follow us on social media!

CONNECT WITH US:
Website: www.TheBrainyMoms.com
Email: BrainyMoms@gmail.com
Social Media: @TheBrainyMoms

Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter

Visit our sponsor's website: www.LearningRx.com