We're popping in your feed mid-week to throwback to an episode we recorded last year at this time all about our favorite Christmas books. This is a quick listen we wanted you to have in time for the season. We will put links here in the show notes to all of these books but they're all also in one place in our Amazon Page at https://www.amazon.com/shop/homeschoolunrefined We'd love to hear from you. What are your favorite Christmas books? Come find us on social media and let us know. An Orange Fo...
Dec 07, 2017•17 min•Ep. 52
We all know that stress can have negative effects on our lives, bodies and consequently our homeschools. We want to create a culture where it's normal to take measures to prevent stress and also to take care of ourselves during those inevitable stressful times. In this episode, we talk a lot about what's going on in our lives personally and how we manage stressful seasons. Homeschool Unrefined Bonus Ep #2: Favorite Christmas Books Homeschool Unrefined Ep 50: What We Don't Do: Holiday Edition Nor...
Dec 04, 2017•49 min•Ep. 52
If we got to register for gifts upon becoming homeschool parents, these are the things we'd register for. These things have made our lives easier as parents whose days are full parenting, teaching and living life. You don't need to be a homeschool parent to benefit from listening - this is for all parents, grandparents and regular people looking for hacks to help ease stress. All of these items would be great gifts for any parent or child in your life (or yourself, of course!). Today's podcast i...
Nov 27, 2017•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 51
The holidays are coming! And we're here to give you all the permission you need to skip out on the things that drain you. The holiday season should be enjoyed and not tolerated. For that to happen, you literally cannot do all the things. Listen in as we tell you what makes our Don't Do lists and be encouraged to create a Don't Do list of your own. Cee Lo's Magic Moment Michael Buble's Christmas Harry Connick Jr's What a Night! Third Day's Miracle Taylor Swift Holiday Collection Episode 23: What ...
Nov 20, 2017•45 min•Ep. 50
Do you need to simplify your days? Or do you need something easy to get you through a stressful day, week or season? Today Maren and Angela talk about the idea of Autopilot and how they use it to lower stress and simplify their days. When you use Autopilot, much learning happens and it's easy on the homeschooling parent and child. There are so many benefits, we wonder why we're not using it more often. Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free t...
Nov 13, 2017•41 min•Ep. 49
In today's episode, we bring back Vanessa Wright to chat all about raising tweens! Vanessa is a homeschool mom of 3 (yes, 3) tweens living in North Carolina. Today we chat about tweens, what makes them special and how to try and make your homeschool fit to their needs and abilities. You may remember Vanessa from Episode 31 where she talked about homeschooling through hard times. We're so glad she's back! @wrightathomeschool on Instagram Wright at Homeschool Facebook Page Daily Grams Handwriting ...
Nov 06, 2017•48 min•Ep. 48
On today's episode, we are celebrating our first podcast anniversary and it's full of surprises! Join us as we reminisce about taking a leap and starting a podcast and chat about what has surprised us this past year in our homeschools. Then, we review our past Loving This Weeks and tell you both what we're still loving and what we've given up on. We end the show with some fun giveaways for you, our listeners! We've loved making this show for you and feel honored that you listen every week. Episo...
Oct 30, 2017•43 min•Ep. 47
In today's episode we chat all about the Four Tendencies framework by Gretchen Rubin. We talk about each of the Four Tendencies - Upholders, Obligers, Questioners and Rebels - and how they tend to show up in people's lives and in our lives specifically. We would love to hear from you! What is your tendency and how does it play a part in your life? The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin Gretchen Rubin's Website Happier Podcast with Gretchen Rubin - Upholders , Questioners , Obligers , Rebels Lovin...
Oct 23, 2017•59 min•Ep. 46
In a world where something big and scary happens almost daily, talking to your kids about world events can be unsettling, nuanced and a challenge. We invite you in to this conversation where we talk all about what we do, what we don't do and our own questions and fears. Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/homeschoolunrefined . Over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player. O...
Oct 16, 2017•44 min•Ep. 45
This is a good one everyone! We are so honored to have Casey O'Roarty of Joyful Courage on the podcast today talking all about Positive Discipline. Casey gives lots of encouragement and practical ideas for connecting with your kids and finding solutions to common problems. Jane Nelson, Positive Discipline Alfred Adler The Whole-Brain Child by Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson Joyful Courage Podcast Episode 100 with Tina Bryson Sproutable with Julietta Skoog A Mother's Journey to Joyful Courage Wh...
Oct 09, 2017•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 44
What happens after you scale back and lower your expectations? What about when you come off of a period of deschooling? This episode is all about what comes next. How do we decide what to add and when? How do we know when we or our kids are ready for more?Where do we start? If you haven't listened to our Episode 41: Where We Stage an Intervention , you might want to start there. Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial...
Oct 02, 2017•55 min•Ep. 43
Sometimes, the homeschool curriculum or philosophy you envisioned isn't working for you or your child. We give you permission to change it up! In this week's episode, we bring you an interview from our friend, Melissa Schoenberger, who has lots of experience making changes. She tells her story and also explains what she has gained from going through many different homeschool curricula and philosophies. Loving This Week Angela - Glacier Point Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle Maren - ...
Sep 25, 2017•40 min•Ep. 42
Are you disappointed in the start of your homeschooling year? Are you not getting as much done as you'd hoped? Are your kids resistant to doing work? Do you have a toddler getting in the way of teaching time? Are there tears from anyone involved? Then we are here to stage an intervention! And trust us, we need one too. We created this message because it's the one we need to hear (over and over again). So relax and join us for a message designed to make you feel better about doing less. Today's p...
Sep 18, 2017•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 41
In this episode we talk all about the ways we can get perfectionistic in homeschooling and parenting. Striving for excellence is one thing but that can easily slide into perfectionism. We talk about our own perfectionistic tendencies and their consequences. We also talk about why it's actually a good thing to not complete the curriculum or have a messy house, for example. Warning: this episode has some serious borderline obnoxious laughter at the beginning when Maren and Angela reminisce about t...
Sep 11, 2017•46 min•Ep. 40
In this episode, we dive in to chatting about everything we're using for curriculum this year. You'll hear what exactly we're using, why, how and how often for all the subjects. This episode is a bit longer than normal and is jam-packed with lots of information. We would love to hear from you! What are you using for curriculum this year? Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/homeschoolunrefined . Over 180,000 ti...
Sep 04, 2017•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 39
This is the last episode in our summer chat series where we talk about what's going well, what needs tweaking and answer a listener question. Today's listener question is all about how to handle homeschool skeptics. We'll give you our best advice for how to think about and answer those curious questioners. As always, we end the show with what we're Loving This Week. Curried Sloppy Joes in Sweet Potato Bowls Citiblocs Loving This Week Angela - Panasonic Facial Hair Trimmer for Women Maren - Ecova...
Aug 28, 2017•49 min•Ep. 38
In this episode, we challenge the notion that homeschool parents need to do loads of planning. We encourage you to know yourself and do what works best for YOU. Do you love to plan? Then go for it! Does the thought of planning overwhelm you? Do you like to plan differently than other homeschool parents you know? It's ok - embrace your style because everything will go more smoothly if you do. Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www...
Aug 21, 2017•56 min•Ep. 37
This episode is another in our Summer Chat Series where were are talking about what's going well, what needs tweaking and we answer one listener question. This week's listener question is all about how we handle transitions, large and small. We thought it was an appropriate week to tackle the topic since many of us are transitioning back into school. Of course, we also chat about what we are Loving This Week. Loving This Week Angela - Death Sex & Money Podcast Episodes: I Killed Someone. Now...
Aug 14, 2017•44 min•Ep. 36
Today is a fun one! Maren's husband Sean joins our show to talk all about how he and Maren met, his background, his views on education and why he thinks the world needs homeschooled kids. This would be a perfect episode to share with a reluctant homeschooling partner because they talk all about how they came to the decision to homeschool together and the many reasons why it's a good fit for their family. LTW Sean - Delta Skymiles Medallion Program Maren - Airpods Connect with Sean on Twitter or ...
Aug 07, 2017•1 hr•Ep. 35
This is the last episode in our summer book club series where we'll be talking about chapters 5 & 6 of the book, How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. Today we talk all about praise and freeing children from playing roles. Join us! Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/homeschoolunrefined . Over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android...
Jul 31, 2017•53 min•Ep. 34
Welcome to the next episode in our Summer Chat Series. In these episodes, we will be talking about what's going well, what we need to tweak and we'll answer one listener question. Today our listener question is all about what to do with younger children when you are trying to homeschool the older kids. If you have more than one child, chances are you've struggled with this! Additionally, there is some talk about personality types, homeschool planning and what we are Loving This Week. Ep 31: Wher...
Jul 24, 2017•56 min•Ep. 33
We are continuing our Summer Book Club with the book How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. We're chatting about Chapters 3 & 4 today and we'd love to have you join us whether you've read the chapters or not. We talk specifically about alternatives to punishment and encouraging autonomy in children. Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/homeschoolunr...
Jul 17, 2017•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 32
We are super excited to welcome Vanessa Wright to our show today. Vanessa is a long-time homeschool mom of three tweens whose family has endured some considerable challenges in the past couple years. We hope her story encourages you whether you are going through a tough time right now or not. Stephanie Elms Five in a Row Brave Writer Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions by Lysa TerKeurst Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson One Tho...
Jul 10, 2017•56 min•Ep. 31
This is the week when we dive in to our summer read, How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, where we'll be covering chapters 1-2. Do not feel like you need to have read the book to listen in on our conversation. You'll still get a lot of great tips to put into practice right away. We'll review information in each chapter and chat about our experiences within our own families. Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audi...
Jul 03, 2017•51 min•Ep. 30
Today we are continuing our Summer Chat Series where we talk about what's going well, what's currently a challenge and one listener question. Our listener question this week is all about quiet time. Do you have a daily quiet time? What does it look like? Our summer book club starts next week! We'll be reading How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. Grab the book from your library and join us on July 3rd for our discussion of the first two c...
Jun 26, 2017•53 min•Ep. 29
Feelings on homeschool co-ops can be complicated. In this episode, we discuss all of those feelings as well as what's going well and what is a challenge for us right now. We chat about all of this along with our Loving This Week! Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/homeschoolunrefined . Over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player. Today's episode is the first in our Summer...
Jun 19, 2017•37 min•Ep. 28
Today we dive in to a topic that is very personal to both of us, the Highly Sensitive Person. We talk about: What is a Highly Sensitive Person? How are adult and children HSPs alike and different? How to find out if you or your child is an HSP. Things HSPs need to do to take care of themselves. What modifications your child who is an HSP may need. The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive in a World That Overwhelms You by Elaine Aron The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When ...
Jun 12, 2017•48 min•Ep. 27
We are spreading the love of ear reading and audiobooks! This episode is packed with reasons you should give ear reading a try and reasons it is sometimes more beneficial than eye reading. Listening to stories is a great way to connect your kids to the love of literature and great books giving them the confidence to try eye reading on their own. Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/homeschoolunrefined . Over 18...
Jun 05, 2017•52 min•Ep. 26
Need some help figuring out some easy things to do with your kids this summer? Maren and Angela share some simple* and fun summer projects** for kids of all ages. *emphasis on simple **holding the term project very loosely Today's podcast is brought to you by audible - get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/homeschoolunrefined . Over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player. Our Audible suggestions: Ramona Quimby Audio Coll...
May 29, 2017•51 min•Ep. 25
Want to hear the actual books we read with our kids this year? Tune in for a conversation filled with book talk. We'll each talk about the picture and chapter books we enjoyed the most with our kids this year. The Hatchet , The River , Brian's Winter , Brian's Return , and Brian's Hunt by Gary Paulson The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis The Magician's Nephew by CS Lewis Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue P...
May 22, 2017•52 min•Ep. 24
