Help! My Kid Hates Writing: How to Turn Struggling Students into Brave Writers

by Julie Bogart

A practical resource to help you turn struggle into success and become the writing coach your kid needs—from the creator of the award-winning Brave Writer curriculum

Writing is often hard—for kids and for adults. How can we help our children get past the difficulties and learn the writing skills that are so necessary for communication, creativity, and critical thinking?

In Help! My Kid Hates Writing, Julie Bogart shares the secrets to breakthroughs in writing that have made her award-winning Brave Writer program a smash hit among homeschoolers and beyond. From unlocking the joys of freewriting to overcoming fear of the red pen, it blends useful advice and hands-on exercises with in-depth explanations of the underlying philosophy—and throws in more than a few pep talks for parents along the way.

Teach your kid not just what to write but how to write—and research, revise, and polish—with this encouraging and educational guide to language arts.

Genres: Parenting, Education, Writing, Nonfiction

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2025

About the author

Julie Bogart is the popular voice of common sense and compassion for home educators. Her online coaching community, The Homeschool Alliance, her podcast A Brave Writer's Life in Brief, and her YouTube channel are lifelines for tens of thousands of weary homeschoolers all over the world.

Julie’s the creator of the award-winning, innovative online writing program called Brave Writer and the fast-growing weekly habit called Poetry Teatime. She home educated her five children who are now globe-trotting adults.

Her newest book, The Brave Learner tackles the conundrum of parents who want their children to have academic success, and children who want to be happy.

Can’t we get these two desires together: learning that develops skill and creates joy? Creating a love of learning in your family is as easy as lighting a fire. You just need a book of matches. The Brave Learner is that book.

Today, Julie lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, and can be found sipping a cup of tea, planning her next visit to one of her lifelong-learning kids.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Santelmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite is still The Brave Learning, however this was a gem!!

Julie is great a helping parents and educators think outside of the box when it comes to approaches to learning! I adore how positive she is toward the students in her care.

Moving away from red pen markings and toward interactive writing feed back was my favorite part. I want to circle back to that again and again!

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie does it again! This book is a fantastic resource for parents wanting to encourage and equip their children to authentically share their voices!!

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic! First of all, it was entertaining and fun to read. Julie is an excellent writer herself. The author gave lots of fun and practical ideas that I am looking forward to trying. I don't homeschool and yet am hopeful that I can follow her advice enough to help my kids with their writing. I also feel inspired to do more writing myself. I borrowed this from the library but want to buy a copy of my own. I am looking forward to reading more of Julie Bogart's books. I highly recommend!

[Nicole Boehrig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I savored this book! Each chapter was a rich dive into much-needed information, reminders, tips, explorations and ideas. I feel MUCH better equipped to step into the joys of writing with my kiddos. Excellent read for any parent, educator, librarian, anyone who works with kiddos!

[Samantha Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved!! I think this is an awesome important read for every parent not just those whose kids hate writing. Powerful and approachable insight. I underlined half the book!

[Lisa Sherrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was exactly what I needed. Julie Bogart has such a thoughtful, compassionate approach to writing instruction, and I love how she always puts the child’s experience at the center. So much of what she shared helped me see writing through my son’s eyes, not just through my own expectations.

The book is full of super practical tips and exercises, and I appreciated how each chapter ends with a writing assignment for the parent. It was such a good reminder of what it feels like to be the one trying to get words on a page.

My copy is marked up everywhere—underlined, notated, and covered in sticky notes. There were so many things I want to come back to.

This is definitely one I’ll return to again and again as we keep walking through writing together.

[Arianna Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read for any parent or educator supporting a child who struggles with writing. Julie Bogart offers compassionate, practical advice that truly shifts the mindset—from “my kid hates writing” to “my kid is learning to be brave with words.”

Her approach is grounded in empathy, creativity, and years of experience. The strategies are realistic and encouraging, not overwhelming. I walked away feeling more equipped and more hopeful—not just for helping kids write better, but for helping them feel better about writing.

Highly recommended for homeschoolers, teachers, and anyone guiding reluctant writers.

[Christine Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐5⭐ FREE WRITING! Excellent resource and practical tools for all ages (including the adults reading this). I also appreciate Julie's insight in chapter 12 on AI and how to have conversations with our family about the ethics surrounding the topic.

[Kate Shivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

very informative and encouraging!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Julie Bogart!!! This is an excellent resource for writing instructors.

[Amber Gutierrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to read if you are looking into writing pedagogy.