Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

Ep 6: But What About Socialization?

There is a weak version of the socialization question and a serious one. Homeschoolers have gotten so good at dismissing the weak one that we sometimes miss the real one underneath it. This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. In this episode Why age-segregated classrooms are an administrative convenience, not nature The version of the question that genuinely deserves your calendar Why regular beats occasional, every time What to actually say at Thanksgiving Go deeper on the network How To Help Your Child Make Friends This Year Our Sweet 13 sponsors This episode is sponsored by True North Academy — an accredited online high school meeting live over Zoom. Real classes, real teachers, real discussion, with your student still at your kitchen table. This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to. It is our 13th birthday all month long. More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four. Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

Canva Learn Grid: A New Free Resource for Homeschooling

393: Canva Learn Grid: A New Free Resource for Homeschooling Looking for free, ready-to-use educational resources for your homeschool? Canva Learn Grid offers worksheets, presentations, infographics, and interactive activities that can save you time and make learning more engaging. What You’ll Learn How to access Canva Learn Grid and search for ready-to-use educational resources. How to filter resources by subject, grade level, and location, including US state standards and other countries. Worksheets and digital activities that students can complete as part of their lessons. Presentations and infographics that make teaching easier, especially for homeschool co-op classes. Interactive games created with Canva Code, including matching activities, word searches, quizzes, and sequencing exercises. How to customize resources by changing text, adding your own photos, or adapting activities to your curriculum. Why Homeschoolers Will Love Canva Learn Grid One of the biggest advantages of Canva Learn Grid is the ability to find resources that are ready to use immediately. Whether you’re planning a unit study, teaching a co-op class, or need an educational activity on a busy day, Learn Grid provides plenty of options. Students can also use the templates as a starting point for their own presentations, research projects, and creative assignments. Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies. Join our Facebook Group, especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode.

Ep 5: Teach Them Together

The thing that breaks multi-age homeschools is running parallel grade levels: four separate little schools under one roof, taught by one person. This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. In this episode Which subjects combine beautifully, and which cannot One lesson, several levels of response Why the skill subjects are shorter than you think Putting the older children to work without it being exploitation Accepting the noise Go deeper on the network Morning Time For Mixed Ages Our Sweet 13 sponsors This episode is sponsored by Eden’s Table — Biblical herbalism for the elementary grades. One plant a week, with science, history, art, reading and handwriting running through it as a single unit study. Open and go, no prep the night before. The first nine weeks are $39. This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to. It is our 13th birthday all month long. More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four. Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

Encouragement for Homeschool Moms with Jessica Anderson

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Encouragement for Homeschool Moms with Jessica Anderson. Encouragement for Homeschool Moms with Jessica Anderson Need a little homeschool encouragement? We invited our dear friend, Jessica Anderson from Intentional in Life, to come share some homeschool goodness with us. When you talk with Jessica, you usually feel like you are in the presence of wisdom and intentionality. (Of course, that’s why her work is called Intentional in Life!) She is one of those wise guides through the ups and downs of homeschooling. Featured in this article: Jessica Anderson’s story Living life when life does not behave The Messy Middle Tips for the Messy Middle Some Messy Middle Times But homeschooling has its gifts Long-term goals for relationships with our kids To get there, remember Jessica Anderson’s story Jessica is the mom of three boys. She is living in all stages of homeschooling: a high schooler, an almost-middle-schooler, and an elementary-aged child. Vicki, Sabrina, and Kym met Jessica at their beloved 2:1 Conference when the elementary-aged son was in a baby carriage. We have warm memories of our 7Sister Kym on hands and knees chatting with the baby! Living life when life does not behave One thing we appreciate about Jessica is that she doesn’t pretend every day of motherhood or homeschooling will be perfect. In fact, perfect might be boring for year after year. The Messy Middle Jessica and her family have navigated a lot of changes and chaos in their world. Jessica calls these years the Messy Middle. The Messy Middle is all part  of the process of it all! Tips for the Messy Middle: Jessica has learned some things to help her hold onto encouragement: Stay connected to the Lord Have a word or two for the year (either actual words or Scriptures that can be sources of meditation, calibrations, and prayer to guide your year) Seek out and pray with other homeschool moms. We all need to encourage one another. Make sure that you have your children’s hearts; prioritize your relationship with them: Of course, they must know how to read and write and do all the things academics and practical life require, but relationship is foundational. Stay intentionally invested in listening to them, especially if you are in a Messy Middle, stressful or sad time. They need to feel safe coming to you and sharing their struggles. Occasionally, ask them questions like: “What’s going on for you?” “How have you been feeling?” “Is there anything you have questions about what’s happening?” “I know we’ve been through a lot.” Help build your children’s faith. Each family does this differently, which is lovely! Jessica has found that a foundation of faith is important preparation for life. As Jessica says: “They can’t fly without faith.” Some Messy Middle times Jessica’s family has experienced some deaths in the extended family. They have also moved between states several times. It’s not easy when you’re homeschooling and going through hard things. But homeschooling has its gifts. For instance: You can homeschool anywhere! (Geography happens when you are traveling to a new state!) Homeschoolers can learn in many different ways, not just textbooks! (In times of grief, young people learn how to be part of a family during sad times, or how to help.) Homeschool your way! (Some families like schedules. Jessica’s family prefers rhythms and routines, finding schedules are too rigid for them.) The long-term goal in relationships with our kids Jessica echoes a desire many of us share: when our children grow up and start their own families, they will still want to call us, have friendly conversations, or ask for advice. To get there, remember: When you are homeschooling, you are in a building stage. You are building on a firm foundation for your children. Think about your legacy: What you want to leave behind with your kids as they go through life is their faith. Some people see legacy as wealth. That’s the legacy that we want to leave behind: faith! Model faith by your life and by listening to and following guidance and discernment from God. Model filtering information through prayer, Scripture, and talking things out with trusted people. So remember: Put your emphasis on those precious relationships. Try to stay grounded in wisdom and intentionality. Most importantly, remember this: You CAN do this! (Hey, if you want an online parent’s course from 7SistersHomeschool on homeschooling high school, check out You Can Do It!) Connect with Jessica at: Intentional In Life (Be sure to sign up for her encouraging newsletter.) Visit 7SistersHomeschool Facebook group if you haven’t done that yet. Lots of 7th Sisters are there to encourage you and share homeschooling advice. (BTW- there are 6 of us 7Sisters: Vicki, Kym, Marilyn, Sara, Allison, and Stacey. So who’s the 7th Sister? YOU are! So, join us on the Facebook group!) Thank you to Seth Tillman for editing. Keep the encouragement going with these Homeschool Highschool Podcast episodes: How to have good conversations with your teen From overwhelmed to encouraged with Suzie Lubbers Encouragement for the mid-year with Felice Gerwitz Encouragement for homeschool moms with Misty Bailey And this post from 7SistersHomeschool: How to help a friend in crisis: Encouragement for homeschool moms PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER Follow this link to our iTunes page. IMPORTANT STEP: Under our Homeschool Highschool Podcast logo, click on View in iTunes This will take you to iTunes and our own podcast page. Click SUBSCRIBE. Click RATINGS AND REVIEW. (Please take a minute and do this. It helps others find us. Thanks!) Thanks! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE VIA iPHONE Tap the purple Podcast icon on your phone Tap the search icon on the bottom-right of your screen In the search bar type: Homeschool Highschool Podcast Tap the Homeschool Highschool Podcast icon Tap *Subscribe* Please tap *Ratings and Review* and give us some stars and a comment to help others find us more easily. Thanks!

Why You’re Doing Too Much And How To Stop

If you’re worried, hurried, and exhausted, there’s a good chance you’re doing too much in your homeschool. You may be homeschooling too many hours, teaching too many subjects, or carting kids to too many activities. When we hoped to escape the traditional school rat race, why do we so often overdo it in our homeschools? I’ll share three common reasons with practical steps for recovering your homeschool happiness. Watch on YouTube Resources for Doing Too Much Grammar Galaxy 5 Signs You’re Doing Too Much Podcast Network Sweet 13 I’ve been a homeschool publisher since 2015 and recently hit a wall. I didn’t want to do anything. I thought I just needed to buck up and work harder. I created a detailed, packed schedule for myself that didn’t even last a day. The problem wasn’t that I didn’t have a good work ethic; it was attempting to do too much for too long. The reasons I did are the same reasons homeschool moms do it. First, I was using activity to manage fear. In my case, I thought if I didn’t publish a new book every year that my business would fail. So I published at least one a year in addition to publishing podcast episodes, managing customer service, and speaking at conferences. It meant that I had no time to improve other aspects of my business. I could only respond to urgent tasks like making dinner, cleaning the house for company, and my family’s needs. In the same way, homeschool moms try to teach long hours, including many subjects, classes, and activities because they’re worried their kids won’t have a good education, have good social and emotional skills, get on a good sports team, or get a good scholarship. In the middle of my burnout, a good writer friend asked me, “What if you stopped writing for a couple of months?” I stammered. Stopped writing? You mean not have a new curriculum ready for spring conference season? Umm, I couldn’t do that. Could I? I’m not sure what I would be sharing with you today if my friend hadn’t suggested I get off the writing treadmill. Because she did, I’m going to suggest this alternative to managing fear with more activity: talk to a homeschool mentor. She doesn’t have to be an official coach—just someone who’s further down the road than you. Share your homeschool schedule, routine, and curriculum list with her. If she laughs, you’ll know for sure you’re doing too much. But the best thing a homeschool mentor can do for you is reassure you that you don’t have to do all the things to have happy, successful kids. I don’t even have to see your list to tell you that it’s true. A mentor can help you determine the priorities. I’ve spoken before about a precious mom who wrote me to say she was dying. She wanted to homeschool her kids with the time she had left so she had more time with them. She asked me what approach she should use to teach her kids. When I thought about it, I realized it was the approach I think all homeschool moms should use. First, teach the most important information and skills. For me as a Christian mom, teaching my kids the Bible and apologetics was vital. Teaching my kids the basics of language arts, math, history, and science was also important. After the essentials were covered, I recommended that she teach what she enjoyed and make memories. Reading historical fiction to my kids, researching aspects that were of interest to them, and doing fun related activities with friends were the delight of our homeschool. So many other activities were nice but not necessary. What is most important and most joyful to you? Focus on those things. The second reason I was doing too much is because I was using a deadline for motivation. Every year the thought of the conference season in March had me writing furiously to have books done in time. The deadline kept me writing when I was tired and frankly didn’t feel like writing. If I had to miss a day or two of writing, I felt that I had to make it up. Distractions and changes in plans became more annoying the closer conference season loomed. I couldn’t enjoy the writing process because I was on a deadline. When the project was done, I was busy traveling and speaking. I wasn’t able to rest, especially because everything else I’d put off to finish the book needed to be handled. Before I knew it, it was time to start the next book project. Deadlines do work for motivation. I’ve published 17 different books in 10 years. But there’s been a cost. Homeschool moms often want to finish their curriculum books by the end of their homeschool year too. In that desire, getting off schedule can become an annoyance that makes us irritable and robs us of the joy of learning. I think it’s important to say here that few traditional teachers complete an entire curriculum by the end of the year. Instead of deadlines, I wish I had just had a realistic routine. Writing curriculum four hours a day wasn’t realistic for me if I wanted to be a happy, balanced writer. As a homeschool mom, determine how much time is realistic for you to spend on the most important and joyful activities. You might try doing these activities in the same basic order on regular school days and calling what you accomplish at the end of the year a success. Even if the book isn’t done. Unless you’re part of a program that requires you to finish by a certain date, you can choose to finish later. Amazing, right? The third reason I was doing too much is reliance on self-control. As I neared the deadline on a new book, I would try to eliminate distractions. I wouldn’t chat with my friends before I got my four hours of writing in. I would tell myself “no” to doing anything other than writing curriculum for months. My fear of failure and the deadline allowed me to exert a lot of self-control. Like a power lifter, I forced the weight of the project to completion. But because self-control is like a muscle, I had very little strength left for other temptations. I was more likely to be rude when interrupted. I would eat junk after I finished my writing time. And when my book was finished, I continued to put off unpleasant work that needed to be done. I didn’t have the self-control I needed to tackle it. Homeschool moms may push themselves to get through the curriculum, complete their co-op commitments, and take their kids to all the activities, sure that when the regular school year is over that they can finally get organized, plan a better homeschool, or start a fitness journey. But they have nothing left in the tank to do those things. They’ve burned through their self-control. Instead of relying on self-control, I wish I had relied on the Sabbath to renew me so I could be more fruitful. I have not worked on Sundays generally. But I needed a more extensive rest. Like the farmers described in Exodus, I am going to let one field of my life rest this year while I work elsewhere. I believe that my business will actually improve as I focus my time on areas other than curriculum writing–areas I’ve neglected like social media and marketing. Homeschool moms don’t have to quit homeschooling for a year to experience renewal. You could switch to unschooling for a season. You could drop a subject or activity you’ve always done. You could cut way back on the amount of time you dedicate to formal schooling. Whatever you consider, your first response may be like mine. You mean stop? Yes, stop. If you do stop doing too much, you can experience peace and joy once again like I have in creating this content. Which reason for doing too much resonates? Please comment and let me know. If this was helpful, I’d love to have you subscribe.

Streptococcinum Tilch: One Remedy for the Whole Family with Dr. Andreas Tilch

In this episode, Sue Meyer interviews Dr. Andreas Tilch, a German physician, homeopath, author, and educator who has spent more than 30 years caring for individuals and families—some now spanning three generations. Dr. Tilch first discovered homeopathy as a medical student in 1984. A central focus of his work is the homeopathic remedy Streptococcinum. Streptococcinum Tilch is a strep nosode made with five hand-done lactose triturations (a “C5” trituration) before liquid potentization. Dr. Andreas Tilch developed it with John Morgan of Helios Homeopathy in the UK. In this episode of Homeopathy for Mommies, Sue Meyer talks with Dr. Tilch about how the remedy came to be, why he gives it to the whole family at once, and what to expect when old, swallowed-down emotions start to surface. If you’ve followed the conversation in Members Corner, you know our moms have been talking about this remedy for months. Now you can hear it from the doctor whose name is on the label. What is Streptococcinum Tilch? Streptococcinum is a nosode, a homeopathic remedy prepared from a disease product, in this case streptococcus bacteria. Dr. Tilch learned about it from Dr. Jayesh Shah of Mumbai about eleven years ago. Over the next three years he gave the original Streptococcinum to more than a thousand people. He saw real changes, but felt something was missing, especially on the physical level. So he asked John Morgan, head of Helios Homeopathy, how the remedy was made. Morgan checked his records and found it had never been triturated at all. It had been liquid-potentized from the start, as many pharmacies do now. At Dr. Tilch’s request, Morgan made it again by hand over several weekends: five lactose triturations, then liquid potentization. That is the version that now carries Dr. Tilch’s name. “This new remedy works a lot better than the old one,” Dr. Tilch says. “Because of these triturations, it makes it very, very powerful.” Download a special handout from Dr. Tilch here Why C5 trituration? Hahnemann triturated remedies in lactose up to the 3C, then switched to liquid potentization. Dr. Tilch’s longtime teacher, Jürgen Becker, worked with pharmacist Witold Ehrler, who came to believe that remedies today need a fourth trituration (C4), and that remedies with a strong collective meaning need a fifth (C5). Dr. Tilch describes the C5 trituration as what “grows our roots into Mother Earth.” Streptococcus is an ancient organism, and in his view it helps us feel rooted, safe and at home in our own bodies. The potency ladder: 10C to 46.66M The potencies follow a formula Ehrler worked out: powers of six, plus four. Step Formula Potency 1 6 + 4 10C 2 6² + 4 40C 3 6³ + 4 220C 4 6⁴ + 4 1.3M (1,300C) 5 6⁵ + 4 7.78M (7,780C) 6 6⁶ + 4 46.66M (46,660C) Dr. Tilch compares the series to a tree. The 10C is a small plant, the high potencies are “a ladder climbing up into the heaven,” and the whole set covers “the whole vertical axis of life.” Families start low and move up slowly. “The better sulfur”: one remedy for the whole family In Hahnemann’s last ten years in Paris he saw 50 to 60 patients a day. According to Dr. Tilch, Hahnemann gave about 90% of them Sulphur, his anti-psoric remedy for the underlying tendency to fall ill, repeated daily for months. He used individualized prescribing only when Sulphur alone didn’t finish the job. Dr. Tilch calls Streptococcinum Tilch “the better sulfur,” or “living sulfur.” In his practice he gives it to everyone in the family system: mother, father, children, grandparents, “also to the cats and dogs.” Everyone starts with lower potencies and moves up over time. Individual remedies can still be added alongside it, “but you should not stop the streptococcinum.” Swallowed-down emotions: release, not aggravation Strep throat makes swallowing painful. Dr. Tilch sees the same pattern on an emotional level: we swallow down anger, grief, jealousy and sadness because we fear we’ll be pushed out of the group if anyone sees them. Sue shares her own experience. She muscle-tested and started with the 40C, and that night she was full of rage, slamming doors and yelling at her husband without knowing why. Dr. Tilch explains that this was a release, not an aggravation. Sue went back to the 10C and kept going. His advice is to give it to both partners. When only one person is releasing, the other tends to take it personally. He compares it to using the toilet in the morning: “Your husband will not say, oh my God, you should not have done that… He will say, very good that it’s out.” The order, he says, is always connection first, then release. Releases come in episodes. Some are anger or grief, but many are laughter, spontaneity, and a new willingness to go out and try things. A case from Dr. Tilch’s practice Dr. Tilch describes a man in his fifties with autism who lives in a care home and spends weekends with his sisters. After his mother died, he avoided every photo of her. The whole family, and his nurses, gave him the 10C. About two months later, his sisters reported that he was steadier in his moods, more willing to go to work, and ready to spend a weekend with someone new. When he saw his mother’s picture, he walked straight to it, pointed and smiled: “Here she is.” Why this remedy fits mothers and babies Dr. Tilch points out that streptococcus lives in symbiosis: it needs a safe host in order to grow. Sue adds that strep is a normal bacteria in the body, and the trouble starts when it gets out of balance. Dr. Tilch believes that when a mother takes the remedy during and after pregnancy, mother and baby bond more deeply, and that siblings grow together as a family. (If you’re pregnant, work with your own practitioner.) “Homeopathy for Mommies and Streptococcinum,” he says, “is just like made for each other.” Where to get Streptococcinum Tilch in the US Streptococcinum Tilch C5 Remedies Bundle: all six potencies (10C, 40C, 220C, 1.3M, 7.78M, 46.66M) in Helios original quality. Streptococcinum Tilch Video Course: Dr. Tilch’s 13 hours of lectures for families and homeopaths. Use code Strep-Tilch-Mommies for a discount. Book: From Primal Fear to Connectedness: Streptococcinum, the Homeopathic Pathfinder (English edition of Von der Urangst zur Verbundenheit). Coming soon to The Outpost Mercantile. Dr. Tilch’s English newsletter: case stories, news, and English Q&A sessions, which he plans to start in 2027. Related episodes Understanding Strep Throat: Homeopathic Insights and Remedies for Parents and Caregivers Homeopathy: Tuberculinum and Bacillinum Nosodes About Dr. Andreas Tilch Dr. Andreas Tilch is a German medical doctor who studied medicine in Munich and practices in Freiburg. He trained in classical homeopathy with Jürgen Becker and has worked as a family homeopathic physician for about 35 years. He is the author of Von der Urangst zur Verbundenheit, now being published in English, and teaches the Streptococcinum Tilch video course. Learn more at dr-andreas-tilch.com. This episode is for educational purposes and isn’t a substitute for care from your own practitioner.

• Transcript

Why Homeschooling Still Works

Why homeschooling works is simple: do you realize that the worst day of homeschooling beats the best day of traditional school? In this podcast, Felice Gerwitz shares the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling. Why Homeschooling Works I began homeschooling in the early 90’s, and it was not as popular and well-known then. In fact, the children and I rarely went to do errands before 3:00, or we’d be asked many questions such as, “Oh, do the kids have the day off?” When I said I was homeschooling, some people asked, “What is that?” Thanks to our sponsor! Eden’s Table What is Eden’s Table? Eden’s Table is a Scripture-rooted homeschool herbalism curriculum built around a simple rhythm: one healing plant a week. It comes from The Eden Institute, founded by Camila Johnson in Clarksville, Tennessee, and it is the first Bible-rooted herbalism curriculum written for children rather than adapted down from adult herbalism training. The weekly pattern is easy to picture. As Camila puts it, the study is “scripture-anchored on Monday and hands-on at the kitchen table by Friday.” One plant. Five days. Then the next plant. Homeschooling Works Vintage Homeschool Moms Episode One ~ Homeschool Lifestyle How to Begin Homeschooling Perfect Homeschool Greatest Homeschool Tips Creation Study Guides Science Fair Review Teaching Science Review Homeschooling Struggle Why does anyone care if a parent decides to homeschool? Consider this… I believe parents are the best teachers for their children based on the simple premise that parents love their children more than strangers in a classroom. As a single woman and teacher, I really liked my class. I cared about the kids, but if you asked me if I loved them, I’d answer, “Probably not!” I wanted my students to excel because, selfishly, it reflected on my ability to teach. There are great teachers who care, but no one cares as much as a mom or dad cares for their kids. Why was there such a block to homeschooling? I believe (this is my opinion) because it would be a loss of state and federal dollars and spending. Believe me, the teachers were not the recipients of these funds! There were horror stories of neighbors calling social services or reporting children as truant when they went outdoors to play after they finished their school work. Not only that, but some states made it extremely difficult to homeschool. While I was blessed that the laws were already in place legislatively when I began, it was still disheartening that there were other battles to fight, such as the ability of homeschooled kids to play sports in public and private schools. Homeschool leagues were started, and then the laws changed once again, which was in our favor. I feel like an old soul recounting a better time in my life, but truthfully, the beginning of my homeschool journey was a bit stressful. I had a learning-challenged child, and it took a long time to teach some of my children to read well and independently. I had different types of learners, all very bright, but some took educating outside of the box. The upside is that I homeschooled for thirty-two years, and all five children benefited. Praise God, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states. Here is an interactive map detailing each state’s laws and regulations. Why Homeschooling Is Important I have advocated for homeschooling, speaking for many years at state and local conferences and writing homeschool books, but I didn’t truly believe that all people had to homeschool. It was and should be a personal decsision made by the adults in the family. Lately, however, I think homeschooling is more important than ever. Instead of fighting for the right to homeschool, we watch as some of the parents who have chosen public or private schools fight for the right to be parents with authority. Parental rights are in jeopardy, and it is just beginning. I believe a society that does not care about our faith, values, morality, or sovereignty is pushing for the hearts and minds of our children. I’ve heard some horror stories within the space of a week. These horror stories included unruly kids in the classroom who went unchecked. Discipline in the classroom works to an extent, and if a student is sent out to the office and nothing is done, it is a detriment not only to the teacher but also to the other kids. It got so bad that my friend told me her husband wanted her to resign. If you are wondering if it was a public or private school, she said it was a private Christian school. She took the job because the website said there was zero tolerance for bad behavior. The other was tremendously worse. It was a mother in a hearing saying that her twelve-year-old was… (listen for details on air.) I know that parental permission is not required in some states. That is horrible and dangerous to families and children, but that is the issue at hand. Some bad actors in some states want control of our children, and often, it is blamed as a failure on the part of the family. The true blame lies in all of us doing nothing and sitting back while our rights are destroyed. Parental rights are at the forefront of the battle for homeschool families, with the idea of vouchers and schools that accept them. I’m happy there are options out there for parents who can’t afford to homeschool and must work, but we did without for many years so that we could continue to homeschool our children. Why Homeschooling Works – Here’s Why If I had to create a list of reasons why homeschooling works, it would look something like this, and you are welcome to add to it. Ability to teach your Faith. Ability to teach your Family Values Family First and Family Time Control over your Homeschool Decisions/ Books/Curriculum Control over your Education Choices / Subjects, etc. Ability to Discipline Adjusting School to Your Child’s Needs and Pace One-to-One Instruction Flexible schedule Happy Family – less stress Cheaper Addition of field trips – greater opportunities Time for practice, lessons, and sports Hands-On Instruction No (or less) peer pressure or conforming/limits or banning social media What would you add? Years ago, in fact, one of the first podcast topics was on the homeschool lifestyle. The topic revolved around the fact that homeschooling was more than what we did, it became a lifestyle that my five graduated and now adult children believe was well worth it. It was okay that they didn’t know the latest movies, the latest songs, or what the “stars” were doing at any given moment. It was okay that they dressed comfortably but were not swayed by what was currently at the peak of fashion. It was okay if we were joining a prayer vigil or combatting a bill that was before our legislature that we disagreed with. It was okay if we celebrated the fall harvest vs. Halloween or celebrated All Saints Day or each child’s patron saint. Our homeschool journey had ups and downs, and that was also okay. We worked out our differences as a family. No one went to bed angry, and “I’m sorry” and “Will you forgive me?” were often verbalized. Our home was a safe place, as my husband often reminded our children, where they could grow up with parents who loved and cared for them and surrounded by family. I could go on for another hour about the merits of homeschooling. I’ve spent the last eleven years first creating this Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network and, in particular, this podcast teaching you the merits of homeschooling—all for free! So friends, if you have a minute, I hope you stop by and share why homeschooling works in your family on this post, and I pray you continue your journey successfully! 🎓 Resources from Media Angels: Go deeper with the complete Creation Science for Homeschoolers guide — or explore the Creation Science Bundle.

Ep 4: Read Aloud Longer Than You Think You Should

Ep 4: Read Aloud Longer Than You Think You Should Most parents stop reading aloud the moment a child can read alone. It is almost exactly the wrong moment to stop. This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. In this episode Why listening comprehension runs years ahead of reading ability The three things a child who hates reading is usually telling you How to tell whether it is still physically hard Why comics, repeats and audiobooks all count What to do when reading has become a daily fight Go deeper on the network Late Reader? When To Wait And When Not To Our Sweet 13 sponsors This show is part of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network — homeschool podcasters who have been doing this on the air for thirteen years. Whatever you are walking through, somebody on this network has an episode about it. This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to. It is our 13th birthday all month long. More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four. Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

Ep 3: Buy Less Curriculum Than You Think

How Much Curriculum Should I Buy? Here is a sentence that may save you several hundred dollars this year: you do not need a curriculum for every subject. You need one for the subjects that build in a strict order. This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. In this episode The two subjects worth real money, and why Where your library genuinely covers it Three questions to ask before you buy anything Why you should ask what a program needs from you on a bad week, not a good one Permission to stop using something that is not working Go deeper on the network Questions You Should Ask When Choosing Curriculum Our Sweet 13 sponsors Thanks to CTCMath for supporting this show. Every lesson is taught on video, so you are not the one explaining long division at eight in the morning. One membership covers every child in your house at every grade level. This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to. It is our 13th birthday all month long. More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four. Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

Ep 2: The Day Is Shorter Than You Think

Your six-year-old finished everything in ninety minutes and you are standing in your kitchen feeling like a fraud. That feeling is the most common feeling in a first-year homeschool, and it is aimed at completely the wrong thing. This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. In this episode Why a six-hour school day was never six hours of teaching Rough hours by age, from early elementary through high school Why one-on-one instruction is so much denser than a classroom The real risk: stretching a good twenty-minute lesson into an argument What to do with the rest of the day, and why it may be the most educational part Go deeper on the network Teaching English Doesn’t Have To Take All Day Our Sweet 13 sponsors This episode is sponsored by Eden’s Table — Biblical herbalism for the elementary grades. One plant a week, with science, history, art, reading and handwriting running through it as a single unit study. Open and go, no prep the night before. The first nine weeks are $39. This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to. It is our 13th birthday all month long. More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four. Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

Tips for Completing the FAFSA: What Parents Need to Know

392: Tips for Completing the FAFSA: What Parents Need to Know Completing the FAFSA can feel intimidating, but the process has become much simpler than it used to be. In this episode, Meryl talks with Robert Farrington, founder of The College Investor, about what families need to know when completing the FAFSA. Robert explains why almost every college-bound student should complete the FAFSA—even families who assume they won’t qualify for federal aid. The FAFSA can also be required for state aid, college scholarships, and other financial aid opportunities. Robert also shares how the FAFSA has changed. Much of the information is now imported directly from your tax return, and the form uses smart logic to ask only the questions relevant to your family. The average completion time is now around 12 minutes. In this episode, we discuss: Why almost every college-bound student should complete the FAFSA How the FAFSA can unlock federal, state, and university financial aid Why students and parents each need a StudentAid.gov login Why families should aim to complete the FAFSA by Thanksgiving Common FAFSA mistakes when reporting assets Assets you generally do not report, including your primary residence and retirement accounts Changes affecting family-owned businesses and farms How 529 plans can affect FAFSA calculations Why joint bank accounts with children or aging parents can create problems What happens after you submit the FAFSA Understanding the Student Aid Index (SAI) When families may also need to complete the CSS Profile Robert recommends completing the FAFSA early because some state and college financial aid programs operate on a first-come, first-served basis. He also shares planning strategies families can consider before their children reach college age, including where assets are held and how 529 plans are treated for financial aid purposes. After submitting the FAFSA, students should watch for their Student Aid Index (SAI) and check whether any colleges on their list also require the CSS Profile. Resources The College Investor thecollegeinvestor.com Look for Robert’s article: “The 2027–28 FAFSA Is Now Open to Every Family.” StudentAid.gov Use this site to create student and parent accounts and complete the FAFSA. Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network Birthday Giveaway Find the giveaway here Where to find Robert Website: http://thecollegeinvestor.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecollegeinvestor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollegeinvestor/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thecollegeinvestor Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies. Join our Facebook Group, especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode.

How to Have Good Conversations with Your Teen- Special Replay

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: How to Have Good Conversations with Your Teen. How to Have Good Conversations with Your Teen Communication is key with teens! Join Vicki for tips on strengthening relationships with your homeschool high schoolers by having meaningful conversations. Featured in this post: Strategies for having good conversations with teens Approaches for having good conversations with teens Pick the right time and place Talk with food Be judgment-free Don’t try to fix it- just let them talk Use conversation starters We homeschool moms wear multiple hats, from teachers to mentors, referees, and counselors, and naturally, we want to have those kinds of connections with our teens. But let’s be real – some teens open up like books, while others need a whole invitation to get past “fine” when you ask them how their day was. Strategies For Having Good Conversations with Teens First things first, it’s important to remember that not every teen is the same. Some are natural-born chatterboxes, while others are more introspective and observers. It’s important to recognize that each teen has their own personality and preferred way of communicating If your teen is not the type to pour out their thoughts right away, try not to take it personally. It does not necessarily mean they do not want to talk. It might just means they might need a different approach. Let’s try some of these approaches: We at 7Sisters had all kinds of teens. Here are some of the different approaches that we found worked with various teens. Pick the Right Time and Place That leads to the first strategy – pick your time and place. For instance, trying to engage a night owl teen at 7:30 AM is a recipe for disaster. And if your early bird is ready for a chat, 10 PM might not be the best time. Likewise, sometimes a neutral setting, like grabbing a coffee or taking a car ride, can make all the difference. Car rides, in particular, can be magical because no one has to make eye contact, and the movement seems to ease the pressure. Vicki found car rides were the number one location for deep and meaningful conversations with her teens. Talk with Food Another helpful tip? Let food facilitate a fun conversation! It’s funny, but sometimes sitting down with snacks creates an atmosphere where teens feel more comfortable. It’s like sharing food levels the playing field and makes even tough conversations feel less formal. You do not have to go all out – a simple snack at the kitchen table or a stop at a drive-thru can help facilitate a smoother exchange. Plus, if it’s an especially challenging conversation, food can offer a little comfort to both of you. Be Judgment-Free When talking with teens, it’s crucial to make them feel safe in expressing themselves without fear of judgment. Sometimes teens may assume we already have all the answers or are not genuinely interested in their thoughts, but a simple question like, “What did you think about that?” or “I wonder why you feel that way?” can unlock deeper conversation. It’s essential to approach these talks with an open mind, giving them the space to share, even if their perspective challenges your own. Remember: relationship is the emphasis! Don’t Try to Fix it – Just Let Them Talk If your teen has an opinion that you do not fully agree with, resist the urge to jump in and “fix” it. Let them talk it out, and then ask follow-up questions that show you are genuinely curious. Encouraging them to explain their thought process not only makes them feel heard but also helps develop critical thinking skills. And hey, sometimes they might surprise you with a new perspective you had not considered. Remember, adolescence is the time our offspring need to try on different ideas and goals. The more you listen and hold back from quickly jumping in, the more they can grow under your loving, watchful and prayerful eyes. (Also, let them make some mistakes… unless those mistakes are too dangerous, of course.) Use Conversation Starters Lastly, do not underestimate the power of using shared experiences as conversation starters. Whether it’s discussing a book, a movie, or even something seen on social media, these external sources can be gateways into deeper topics. They take the pressure off the teen to come up with something to talk about on their own and can make tricky subjects feel more approachable. How to Have Good Conversations with Your Teen The bottom line is this: Conversations with your teen are not just about exchanging information; they are about connection. It’s about creating a space where your teen feels seen, heard, and valued. So next time you’re facing a conversation that feels complex, take a deep breath, grab some snacks, and remember—it’s all about heart. BTW- Also, we can extend conversations into the way we homeschool- check out Sabrina’s talk on conversational homeschooling. Thank you to Seth Tillman for editing this podcast and to Richie Soares with Homeschool and Humor for writing this blog post! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER Follow this link to our iTunes page. IMPORTANT STEP: Under our Homeschool Highschool Podcast logo, click on View in iTunes This will take you to iTunes and our own podcast page. Click SUBSCRIBE. Click RATINGS AND REVIEW. (Please take a minute and do this. It helps others find us. Thanks!) Thanks! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE VIA iPHONE Tap the purple Podcast icon on your phone Tap the search icon on the bottom-right of your screen In the search bar type: Homeschool Highschool Podcast Tap the Homeschool Highschool Podcast icon Tap *Subscribe* Please tap *Ratings and Review* and give us some stars and a comment to help others find us more easily. Thanks!

MBFLP – Beginning Homeschooling

News from the government and public schools has been disturbing recently, and homeschool organizations are reporting an increase in inquiries from families who are now considering moving away from the public school option. There are always questions though – is this legal here? Will my kids be able to get into college or a job one day? Will my family turn out weird? This episode, we’ll share some of our own observations from over twenty years of homeschooling our own family – and maybe encourage you to take a serious look at homeschooling your own! Thinking About Homeschooling? Every Question You’re Afraid to Ask (Sweet 13 Replay) Thirteen years of this network, and some questions never change. Hal and Melanie Young sat down in 2015 to answer the four things every parent asks before they pull the trigger on homeschooling: Is this legal? Will my kids turn out weird? Will they get into college? And the quiet one underneath all of them — am I qualified to do this? Their answers have held up. We’re replaying it for the network’s 13th birthday. Show notes The question behind the question (01:10) Families start asking about homeschooling when something in the headlines unsettles them. That was true in 2015 and it is true now. Hal and Melanie’s point: whatever drives you to look, the questions you ask next are the same ones every homeschool parent has asked. “Is it even legal?” Legal in all fifty states and most countries. Every state recognizes home education under some structure, and nobody is being asked to take a constitutional stand anymore — HSLDA’s attorneys already fought those cases. hslda.org → click your state → read exactly what your law requires. “Will my kids turn out weird?” Hal on what twelve years of classroom conformity did to him — the teasing, the pressure to not lift your head above the crowd, and how long it took in adult life to shake off. Melanie’s counter: homeschooled kids don’t get told that the way God made them is wrong. The socialization answer “The best kind of socialization is socialization for the adult world.” Followed by the line that reframes the whole argument: you are preparing a young person for the grown-up world by sitting them in a room with twenty-five fourth graders exactly like themselves — and hoping they pick it up by osmosis. Homeschooled kids learn it the natural way, standing beside you at the town office and in the neighbor’s driveway. “Will they get into college?” The question dads ask when their child is three. The answer from the Youngs’ own house: three graduated, all admitted, all on academic scholarships. Many of the colleges they visited have an admissions officer specifically assigned to recruit homeschoolers. “Am I qualified to teach?” Teaching twenty unrelated fifth graders at twenty-two years old is a different job than teaching the child you have known since birth. Most of what happens in a classroom is crowd management. You are not doing that job. “I don’t have the patience” “There are days I feel like jerking myself baldheaded.” And then: stop, take a break, go outside, go to the grocery store, start over. Every job has days you hate. This one just lets you reset. The line that should be on a poster “Potty training a child is way harder than teaching them to read.” No PhD required. No teaching certificate. Either you learned it once yourself or you learn it a chapter ahead of your student — which, Hal points out, is what a scripted classroom curriculum has the teacher doing anyway. “Can I afford it?” One of the best phonics review programs available costs under $20 for a full year. Others cost hundreds. You choose what fits your budget and your teaching style. Plus: tutors, co-ops, video courses, online classes — you are not inventing this out of your own head. “Where would I find the time?” “Most homeschoolers can do most of their work before lunchtime.” A couple of hours for second grade and under. Three to five in the middle years. Then it drops again in high school, because by then they are working largely on their own — which is the opposite of what most people fear. No child left behind, actually When you teach one child, you can see whether she got it. If she did, move on. If she didn’t, explain it another way. No child left behind and no child sitting around waiting. Oxford, at the kitchen table Their son called home from Oxford to say the tutorial system felt like homeschooling at the college level — small rooms, real conversation, no lecture hall with two hundred freshmen in it. The biggest advantage, and it isn’t academic “You are regaining hours and hours and hours of their lives every single week.” Thirty or forty hours a week that would have gone somewhere institutional. The schoolwork gets done — probably better, certainly faster. What you actually bought is the hours around it. When the hard questions come The thirteen-year-old wrestling with her faith, the twelve-year-old asking who am I. Those questions are coming either way. They can surface between classes at the consolidated high school, or in health class, or they can surface in your kitchen while you’re there. “The Bible doesn’t say a whole lot about academics, but it says reams about discipleship.” Give it a year “The reason you start homeschooling is often overwhelmed by the reasons you continue.” Wondering whether to homeschool next year? Give it a full year. That’s the whole ask. It’s our 13th birthday on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and a free Sweet Treats resource bundle for everyone who enters. One entry puts you in all four. Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway Our Sweet 13 sponsors This series is sponsored by Eden’s Table and the podcasters of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. This episode’s sponsor is Eden’s Table — Biblical herbalism for the elementary grades. One plant a week, with science, history, art, reading and handwriting running through it as a single unit study. Open and go, no prep the night before. The first nine weeks are $39 at edeninstitute.health/homeschool. This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we’d point our own families to. Loving Making Biblical Family Life Practical? A rating and review in Apple Podcasts takes 20 seconds — and it helps another family find Hal and Melanie’s biblical wisdom for building a Christ-centered home. Leave a quick review on Apple PodcastsAlready reviewed? Share this episode with a family walking the same road.

Biblical Herbalism for Kids: Teaching God’s Design One Plant at a Time

Have you heard of herbalism? What about Biblical Herbalism? If you’ve ever wondered whether herbs belong in a Christian home—or worried that “natural remedies” somehow tip into New Age territory—this conversation is for you. Felice Gerwitz sits down with Camila Johnson of The Eden Institute to talk about reclaiming plant knowledge for the glory of the Creator. Learn about the curriculum she built so moms can learn right alongside their children, one plant at a time. Biblical Herbalism: Learning God’s Design with Your Kids I raised five kids across a wide age span. I’ve reached for simple kitchen remedies when medicine made me feel worse. And I’ve watched too many science videos that never once named the Designer. Camila’s approach puts the glory back where it belongs. It is important to teach our children that they are important to and the world they belong to has so much to offer. Biblical Herbalism ~ Episode 588 Camila is a former middle-school English teacher, a mom of four (two still at home), and the creator of a K–12 biblical herbalism curriculum. She grew up with Brazilian grandmothers who reached for peppermint tea and honey-lemon without calling it anything fancy. Later, she spent years studying plants on her own because the formal courses she found either ignored spiritual health entirely or leaned heavily into Far Eastern mysticism. She decided to build something different: a curriculum that names the Holy Spirit, honors the Designer, and treats plants as provision rather than objects of worship. Why This Matters for Homeschool Families Most of us were never taught how our bodies actually work or how the plants growing nearby can support them. Schools aim at tests. Life requires stewardship. Camila’s curriculum starts with that gap. Each week focuses on one plant. The history lesson shows who used it and how. Geography shows where it grows and why the climate shapes its “energetics.” Science is pure observation—smell it, draw it, label the parts. Bible opens the week (sometimes a short original story about the Eden family, sometimes straight Scripture). Character grows through waiting for longer preparations, such as glycerites and tinctures. Art, language arts, and even a little Latin show up naturally because everything circles the same plant. Younger children (Sprouts, K–2) make same-day teas and cold infusions. Third through fifth (Seedlings) begin the slower medicines. Middle and high school levels go deeper into constitutions and matching plant patterns to people patterns. The whole thing is designed so mom learns too. You do not have to arrive as an expert. You Do Not Have to Grow a Garden Camila has turned her backyard into a food forest, but she is clear: you can source every herb in the curriculum from reputable suppliers. She partners with Mountain Rose Herbs. The lessons work whether the plant is growing in a pot on your windowsill or sitting in a mason jar on the pantry shelf. Start with one plant. Smell it. Ask what the scent might tell you. Read the short history. Draw it. Make a simple tea together. By the end of the week the children (and you) know that plant well enough to recognize it again. That is how real knowledge sticks—not through five disconnected subjects, but through one living thing studied from every angle. The Heart Behind the Work Camila’s online foundations course and her book Back to Eden: A Biblical Foundation for Herbal Healing (available on Kindle) lay out the same framework: five basic tenets of healing that Scripture already names—rest, nutrition, hydration, and so on. A fever is not the enemy; it is the body doing what the Creator designed it to do. A headache can be the body asking for salt and water. The curriculum teaches children to notice those signals and respond with wisdom rather than automatically suppressing them. A free first week for both elementary bands and a simple body-pattern quiz are available at her site so families can try before they commit. Pre-orders for Sprouts (K–2) are open; Seedlings (3–5) follows closely. She is also an approved ClassWallet vendor for families who can use education dollars. Visit edeninstitute.health and the homeschool page at edeninstitute.health/homeschool. See Eden’s Table Up Close Eden’s Table is Camila’s Bible-rooted herbalism unit study for elementary students (Sprouts, K–2, and Seedlings, 3–5). Every subject runs through one plant a week. Start with the nine-week Starter Unit as an instant download, or get the full year in three printed books. Try one week free first. Camila will send you the complete first week — five lessons on lavender for Sprouts (K–2) or elderberry for Seedlings (3–5). Print it, teach it, see how your children respond before you spend anything. Get Week 1 free → Listener gift: use code EDEN13 for 10% off the $39 Starter Unit or the $249 printed set, either level, through October 31, 2026. Shop Eden’s Table at edeninstitute.health/homeschool. Enter the Sweet 13 Birthday Giveaway The Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network turns 13 this October, and Eden’s Table is our presenting sponsor. We’re celebrating all month with more than $1,500 in prizes for homeschool families, including a CTCMath annual family membership and $250 to spend at Media Angels. Drawings happen on four Fridays, and your entries carry forward, so one sign-up keeps you in every drawing. Earn bonus entries by following a show, leaving a review, or sharing the birthday page with a friend. Enter the Sweet 13 giveaway here Resources from Media Angels Creation Science Bundle — faith-based science materials that help families explore God’s design while building a solid worldview. Creation Anatomy: Study Guide to the Miracles of the Body — a natural companion when you are teaching children that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. More at MediaAngels.com/store. More Listening Should You Consider Homeschooling? Research, Real Fruit, and Clearing the Noise (Episode 582) Science Labs That Actually Work at Home Teaching Creation Science (Episode 362) Start Your Homeschool Day Right: Morning Routines That Set the Tone for Success (Episode 565) Homeschooling Uncovered: Research, Funding, and Surprising Facts! (Episode 559) Have a happy homeschool week. About the Guest Camila Johnson is the Founder and Executive Director of The Eden Institute, where she develops Bible-rooted herbalism curriculum designed to help homeschooling mothers teach science alongside their children. With a passion for showing that the created world is evidence of a Designer, Camila creates resources that integrate history, character, and the natural sciences with rigor and reverence. She is a mother who believes that moms don’t need to be experts before they begin; they simply need to be willing to learn alongside their children.

Happy Birthday, Route 66

In “Happy Birthday, Route 66,” Episode #263, Meredith Curtis celebrates America’s favorite vacation road. First came the Model T, and then came road trips. Route 66 became the road to adventure and family togetherness in 1926. Decommissioned in 1985 due to the Interstate, it has been restored as a US Scenic Highway. From the big city of Chicago through the desert to the ocean, come along on America’s Iconic Road Trip.

Why Consequences Aren’t Working

What do you do when consequences just don’t work? You’ve taken away screen time. You’ve removed privileges. You’ve tried increasingly serious consequences—and your child does the same thing. It’s frustrating, and it can leave you wondering whether you’re being too lenient, too strict, or simply missing something. As a clinical psychologist and mom of six grown children, I’ve learned that when consequences repeatedly fail, there’s often a reason—and adding more punishment may not be the answer. RESOURCES: Sweet 13 Celebration Goldilocks Discipline for Christian Parents: https://funtolearnbooks.com/product/goldilocks-discipline/ Training Aliens Social & Emotional Skills Curriculum: https://funtolearnbooks.com/product/training-aliens-level-1-kit/ Discipline Balance Episode WHAT YOU’LL LEARN In this episode of The Homeschool Sanity Show, I share three reasons consequences may not be changing your child’s behavior and some surprising approaches you can try instead. If you’re tired of repeating consequences without seeing real change, watch now for a different way to think about your child’s behavior—and what may actually help. Subscribe to the channel for more encouragement to help you homeschool and parent with less frustration and more confidence. Watch on YouTube

School at Home Doesn’t Work (And What To Do Instead)

Thirteen years ago, on the very first episode of this show, Felice Gerwitz said something out loud that most people would have edited out: “When I had this idea to create this radio network, I had no idea if it would even work.” Within three weeks, the shows launched anyway. HomeschoolingIRL on September 13th. The Homeschool Sanity Show on the 14th. Vintage Homeschool Moms on the 17th. Two more by the 25th. Every one of those episodes is still on this website. So it worked. And to mark thirteen years, we’re doing thirteen short episodes — thirteen things we’d tell a brand-new homeschool mom. This is the first one, and it’s the mistake nearly all of us made. We tried to build a school in the dining room. Desks. A bell schedule. A wall calendar with somebody else’s year printed on it. And it lasts about three weeks — then one Tuesday nobody comes to the table, and you sit down certain you’ve failed. You haven’t failed at homeschooling. You’ve failed at being a school, which was never the assignment. In this episode: Why a school is an answer to a problem you don’t actually have — one adult, thirty children, a building, a bus schedule, a fire code How much of what looks like “school” is really crowd management Why copying that form into your house makes everything feel so heavy The difference between structure (good, necessary) and institutional machinery (not yours to carry) The one question to answer in writing today: what problem are we actually solving? Why you give yourself a one-year trial with a date on the calendar — and why week three is when everybody wants to quit Timestamps 00:54 — Felice Gerwitz, August 2013, on the first episode of this show 01:50 — The three weeks in September 2013 when the network actually launched 02:14 — Why thirteen short episodes instead of a retrospective 02:47 — The mistake: building a school in the dining room 03:26 — A word from Eden’s Table 04:21 — A school is an answer to a problem you don’t have 05:30 — Structure is good. It just comes from your family. 06:06 — Write down the problem you’re actually solving 06:49 — Give yourself one year, then judge it 07:11 — Why week three is the worst of it 07:59 — Next time: the day is shorter than you think Go deeper on the network Before you commit to a year, listen to Should You Consider Homeschooling? — it walks through the decision honestly, including the reasons not to. It’s our 13th birthday More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and a free Sweet Treats resource bundle for everyone who enters. One entry puts you in all four. 👉 Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway Our Sweet 13 sponsors This series is sponsored by Eden’s Table, CTCMath, True North Academy, and the podcasters of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. This episode’s sponsor is Eden’s Table — Biblical herbalism for the elementary grades. One plant a week, with science, history, art, reading and handwriting running through it as a single unit study. Open and go, no prep the night before. The first nine weeks are $39 at edeninstitute.health/homeschool. This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we’d point our own families to.

Already Behind in Your Homeschool? What to Do When the Plan Falls Apart

Do you already feel behind? It doesn’t matter if this is week one, week three or even week twenty-three. Sometimes we feel like we’ve accomplished nothing when, in reality, homeschooling is so much more. Tune in for this episode of Vintage Homeschool Moms. Already Behind in Your Homeschool by Week Three? ~ Episode 587 I hear this every fall. A mom writes me, or it happened to me more often than I care to admit… It is week three and the school year does not look like the plan I made in the summer! Life happens. Sometimes unexpected company (I live in Florida) or someone was sick. Math books were lost more times than not or took forever. A well-meaning person at church asked how school was going, and I looked at my husband and thought, help! When he asked me what was wrong, I told him, we are already behind! Hey friends. Thanks so much for joining me. I homeschooled five children for more than thirty-two years. Some weeks were peaceful, and some not so much. There might be the threat of putting them on the next shiny yellow bus that stopped at the end of our street, and I am not proud to admit that. But, even that day was a good day. I’m looking at this from a long lens now, but building character is not just for our kids but for ourselves as well. Thanks so much to our sponsor for helping keep this show on the air. One-page printable: http://vintagehomeschoolmoms.com So – why are you behind? That is what I had to ask myself, after enough years of doing this. Behind the week I wrote when I planned my six week unit study, when I felt hopeful. Behind a close family friend with older kids and no toddler. Behind an imaginary goal I had for myself that didn’t account for my father, who moved in the year my daughter got married? I used to treat the planner like it was the boss. If I wrote math at a certain time and we missed it, I felt like I had failed. That is a hard way to live. And it is not how a home school works. Routine Rather Than Rigid Schedule. I am more routine rather than a rigid schedule. I have said that for years. After breakfast, we start school, and sometimes school in the form of a Bible story or a continuation of a read-aloud takes place. Then we do chores, the ones that take little time, and then school starts. If breakfast is late, we still start. If math happens after lunch because the morning fell apart, math still happened. Our goal was to get the kids’ check-off sheets completed in a week’s time, but if it took longer, the subject and page went to the following week. Did You Have School This Week? If you prayed, or you opened the Bible. If somebody read. If math got done even once. If you had a conversation with a child that was not about a missing pencil. Then you had school. It may not look like the week you planned. Yet it was still a week of school. I used to try to make up every page we skipped. All that did was make everyone miserable. If a skill matters, come back to it. Don’t invent extra work just to feel better. The shortcuts that worked for me were a selection of math problems. If the child had mastery, they could move on. Sure, practice makes perfect, and sometimes they need more practice, but we used math books that had a spiral approach; skills were retaught lesson to lesson, so if it was something they knew, we skipped those problems or added more if it was something that didn’t make sense to them or they found difficult. If you use a Morning Crate (I did a podcast about what to pack in it for multi-aged students), then pack it for the week you are in – if it is going to be a very busy week, make it short. Take things out or leave them in for another day. Ten minutes is still a start. Do not skip the activity just because you cannot do the long version. Consistency is important. I think that is the key. Skipping things makes us feel guilty, and truthfully, skipping is okay as long as it isn’t chronic. Tackling the hard subjects first is always a good thing, and my older teens did this before breakfast on their own! My second oldest and co-author on the Truth Seekers Mystery Series would rather write than do math. So, she did Math first thing in the morning before she came down for breakfast so that later in the afternoon she could devote herself to writing. Finding your child’s passion is another key. If You Feel Stuck Take a minute, with a nice cup of strong coffee if I have it, and reanalyze your curriculum. Look at what you are doing and ask, what is worth keeping? What can wait two weeks, and what may get tabled until the new year? What did I buy in August that is making it hard to complete my school day? One year I purchased a composer’s curriculum. I love Classical music, but I am not musical. I had grand ideas for teaching my children the classics: letting them listen to the music, pick out the instruments of the orchestra, and identify composers from their most notable pieces. A great idea, but the wrong time to implement. I decided this would be a great unit for Christmas break. Let’s just say it wasn’t. I ended up keeping this for an end-of-year activity when things were winding down, and it was the perfect lesson for when the math books were completed for the year and projects were finished. At different times, we had a four-day week. This shorter week was wonderful! It was a goal we could keep with one day to “make up school” or have an outing if we were caught up. Four days instead of five is a stretch; it made things go so much better, and yes, some days it was just three. The thing is, school still got done, and my kids learned differently than most. I had the high achievers and the high achievers who struggled to read, to spell, or to do math. Yet all my now-adult children are successful. Three graduated from college with top honors and my math-before-breakfast daughter graduated college in three years. The other two own their own business. I wish someone had told me that it was more important to spend time with my kids than to chase an elusive curriculum that isn’t going to get them to heaven! If Someone Asks About Standards Thankfully homeschooling is here to stay (please, Lord) and no one is as shocked about it like they were when I got started. You don’t owe anyone any details about how things are going, not at church or in the grocery line. I would say something like: we are covering what my child needs this year. We keep records. Thank you for caring. I was with my daughter, who had four little ones, and someone rudely asked if they were all hers. I closed my eyes, waiting for her to say something snarky like, “No, there is a sale on aisle five.” Instead, she smiled sweetly and said, “Yes, all mine, and we homeschool, too!” Friends, you homeschool for your kids, and it is a decision you and your spouse made together; it is no one else’s business. If you must, write down what your kids learned at the beginning of the year and what they know now at different times of the year. This is not for anyone but you. Every year I thought we accomplished nothing was a year we did the most ever. We compiled a sampling of the children’s work one time a year – and when we did I couldn’t believe all we’d done – the next year we saved special papers or pictures from events during the year so I didn’t feel that way again! Your life, your homeschool is your own. If that goal is weighing you down, move it back, you have my permission. Get rid of the busy work. Sometimes it is wonderful to have copy work, but other times it gets in the way. Focus on the most important things, family, relationship and God the rest will come into place. Scripture “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22–23, RSVCE God’s love never ceases, and our love for our children is why we, as homeschool parents, make sacrifices. The blessings way outweigh anything we put into it. Just watch: week four will be amazing, and the next day and the next? Why? Because you have a new attitude. Attitude sets the tone. It starts with you and with me. Join the Sweet 13 Birthday Giveaway The Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network turns 13 this October! We’re celebrating all month with more than $1,500 in prizes for homeschool families, drawn on four Fridays. One sign-up keeps you in every drawing. Enter the Sweet 13 giveaway here. Resources from Media Angels Organize It! Planners Checklists ~ 12 Monthly Planning Sheets More at https://mediaangels.com. More Listening Morning Time for Mixed Ages Time Boosters for the Busy Homeschool Mom Fine-Tune Your Homeschool Day The Best Homeschool Scheduling Advice Avoiding Homeschool Pitfalls If this helps, share it with a friend. Until next time, be blessed. Have a blessed homeschool week!

Sweet 13 Bonus: The Network Turns Thirteen

It’s Not About Money is part of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network — and the network has a birthday this month. This month the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network turns thirteen, and this is the birthday episode. The format is simple. Hosts from across the network each took one real question from a homeschool parent — the kind that actually lands in an inbox — and answered it. Thirteen questions, about half an hour, running on every feed in the network this week. Who you will hear: Felice Gerwitz on whether to homeschool at all · Hal and Melanie Young on boys who will not sit still · Dr. Melanie Wilson on why you are already behind · Sabrina and Vicki from 7Sisters on the high school transcript · Sue Myers on a fever and a two-year-old · Meryl van der Merwe on teenagers and AI · Meredith Curtis on getting the joy back · Lisa Nehring on life skills before they launch. Felice closes it herself, with the part she does not usually say out loud: what it cost to keep this network on the air for thirteen years, and why the people who podcast here are unsung heroes. If you have only ever listened to this one show, consider this your introduction to the rest of them. 🎂 The Sweet 13 Giveaway is open. More than $1,500 in prizes, four drawings across October, and a free party favor for everyone who enters. Enter at ultimateradioshow.com/sweet-13 — October 1 through 29. No purchase necessary, US residents 18+, official rules here. Presented by Eden’s Table. Use code EDEN13.

Sweet 13 Bonus: Thirteen Questions, One Network

The Crunchy Christian Podcast is part of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network — and the network has a birthday this month. This month the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network turns thirteen, and this is the birthday episode. The format is simple. Hosts from across the network each took one real question from a homeschool parent — the kind that actually lands in an inbox — and answered it. Thirteen questions, about half an hour, running on every feed in the network this week. Who you will hear: Felice Gerwitz on whether to homeschool at all · Hal and Melanie Young on boys who will not sit still · Dr. Melanie Wilson on why you are already behind · Sabrina and Vicki from 7Sisters on the high school transcript · Sue Myers on a fever and a two-year-old · Meryl van der Merwe on teenagers and AI · Meredith Curtis on getting the joy back · Lisa Nehring on life skills before they launch. Felice closes it herself, with the part she does not usually say out loud: what it cost to keep this network on the air for thirteen years, and why the people who podcast here are unsung heroes. If you have only ever listened to this one show, consider this your introduction to the rest of them. 🎂 The Sweet 13 Giveaway is open. More than $1,500 in prizes, four drawings across October, and a free party favor for everyone who enters. Enter at ultimateradioshow.com/sweet-13 — October 1 through 29. No purchase necessary, US residents 18+, official rules here. Presented by Eden’s Table. Use code EDEN13.