Parents often wonder if pushing through difficult books is worth the tears and late nights. In this episode, Davies Owens is joined by Sarah Osborne, author of Reading for the Long Run, as she explains why classics feel hard, how to discern real obstacles from attitude or context, and practical steps to move forward with confidence.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why classics challenge modern readers, and why the challenge is good for minds and hearts
• How to make an honest assessment: simple journaling, patterns to watch, and assembling a “team of knowers”
• The start-small strategy: short, rich texts, repetition, paired audio, and building stamina like training for a race
• Respectful bridges for older students that avoid “babyish” materials, including short stories and thoughtful fables
• Tech, timing, and motivation: shaping habits that support deep reading at home and school
• The telos of reading: from “checking the box” to a lifelong love of truth, beauty, and goodness
• Weakness and formation: how pushing through hard things shapes character for students, parents, and classrooms

With honest assessment, small wins, and steady practice, any family can grow a reading life that lasts. If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend, then try one simple step this week, such as a short story with paired audio or a five-minute read-aloud after dinner.

Resources Mentioned:

• Reading for the Long Run
• Sara Osborne, author at Circe Institute

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Technology is changing faster than families can keep up. From social media to smartphones to the latest wave of AI “companions,” new tools are shaping how children think, connect, and even define friendship. In this episode, Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes and a leading voice on digital safety, joins host Davies Owens to unpack what’s really happening and how parents and schools can respond with both truth and grace.

🎧 Tune in to hear:

• Why AI “friends” appeal so powerfully to teens and what’s really going on in the developing brain
• How to recognize and respond to the risks of AI companions and mature content online
• The three kinds of families in the digital age and what each can do today
• Chris’s HALT framework for course-correcting unhealthy tech habits
• Why it’s time to “be weird together” as parents and schools who choose community over conformity
• Simple, real-life “micro moves” families can make to model authentic, human connection

Technology may be accelerating, but parents are not powerless. Listeners will come away with a renewed sense of hope and concrete ways to model healthy technology use, foster real-world connection, and guide students toward wisdom in an increasingly digital world.

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Can classical schools really prepare students for STEM careers? Many parents wonder if a humanities-rich education leaves room for science and technology. Our guest, Diane Gray, scientist, musician, contractor, tutor, and mother of seven, says yes. After 12 years in biotech R&D, Diane completed a master’s in Classical Studies to explore how classical Christian education and STEM can thrive together.

In this conversation with host Davies Owens, Diane shares her research comparing STEM and classical models, revealing that the two are not in competition, but complementary.

🎧 Tune in to discover:

• Why the fear that classical schools shortchange STEM is understandable, but misplaced
• How classical education forms curious, adaptable thinkers who excel in science and technology
• Why ethics, history, and philosophy are essential companions to innovation, especially in the age of AI
• How classical tools of learning (language, logic, rhetoric) strengthen problem-solving, communication, and creativity in STEM fields

Diane reminds us that the goal isn’t just to make scientists but whole humans who pursue truth and wisdom through their work.

🎧 Join us for this encouraging episode and see why classical formation might just be the best preparation for the modern lab.

Resources Mentioned:

• Science Education in the Modern World - Diane’s full dissertation

Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:

The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
Life Architects Coaching

Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.com

Don't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.