What if I told you there was a skill that would help prepare your child for any job he might pursue in the future? And what if this skill was so attainable, that you wouldn’t have to purchase a fancy curriculum or join an elite co-op to access it? The pandemic that rocked 2020 has thrown us many curveballs but one positive consequence has been a rise in homeschooling. Parents all over the world are realizing that they can provide their children with opportunities and experiences that are not onl...
Sep 23, 2021•54 min•Season 4Ep. 57
When you ask a seasoned homeschooler about structuring the day, you will often hear the same refrain: "combine as many subjects as you can." Academics can generally be broken into two categories: skill-based subjects and non-skill-based subjects. Anything that is skill-based really is best taught 1-on-1 or in a very small group of kids at a similar level of skill. Some examples are math, reading, spelling, or writing. A non-skill-based subject would be something everyone can learn together no ma...
Aug 24, 2021•31 min•Season 4Ep. 56
I have no doubt that when my children are grown people, making their way in the world, they will hear the faint refrain of my voice when they roll out of bed and get ready for their day: “Attitude-dressed-bed” And again after they have breakfast: “Teeth-face-hair-deodorant-zone” These have been the anthems of our mornings for years and my goal has been to create habits for them to help them (and myself) get the day off to a right start. If the phrase “get ready” sounds reminiscent of “on your ma...
May 11, 2021•25 min•Season 4Ep. 55
Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart. It requires endurance and initiative. It requires sacrifice and diligence. But it also requires something you might not realize…a sense of humor. We homeschool moms can be so serious; the stakes are high! We’re going against the grain! What if we mess up…this is our kids we’re talking about, after all?! But, but, but…we were never meant to completely reinvent the wheel, and one of the best things we can do for ourselves, our families, and our homescho...
Mar 09, 2021•31 min•Season 4Ep. 54
If there is a quintessential practice in Charlotte Mason’s approach to education, it is the act of narration. You can pick and choose which living books you want to read, you can use watercolors or not in your nature journaling , and you can dictate your own routine in a way that best fits your family, but you simply cannot reap the full benefits of Charlotte Mason’s approach without narration. WHAT IS NARRATION? Narration is the art of knowing. Simply stated, it’s the act of telling back what y...
Feb 23, 2021•19 min•Season 4Ep. 53
“Morning time” is a phrase coined by the great Cindy Rollins . She may not be the first person to ever put those two words next to each other, but the idea that it represents, the “coming together”-ness of it, can largely be attributed by the homeschool community to her. Pam Barnhill calls it “Morning Basket” and has an entire website dedicated to the practice. In episode 46 of this podcast, Melissa McMahan referred to it as their “together time.” Others call it “symposium” or “daily basket” rem...
Jan 13, 2021•18 min•Season 4Ep. 52
If given the option, would you choose for your child to have dyslexia? Dyslexia is widely thought of as a challenge that gets in the way of learning but what if we’ve got it wrong? What if dyslexia is a gift? What if dyslexia helps your child to think in a way that many people cannot, therefore, providing an angle of creativity that this world really needs? What if dyslexia is actually…. a strength? Rich Sanchez grew up struggling with his dyslexia but as an adult, he has found a way to harness ...
Jan 06, 2021•43 min•Season 4Ep. 51
Christmas is no ordinary time of year. It intoxicates our senses; the air smells of pine and sugar. The days are filled with music and stories. The soft, warm sleeves on our arms and thick mittens on our hands, and hat on our head triggers our mind to think cozy thoughts despite the biting cold. Our taste buds crave cocoa and peppermint. Our children’s eyes glow with the sparkle of twinkle lights reflecting in them. And our hearts yearn for something…something more…something transcendent…somethi...
Dec 09, 2020•40 min•Season 3Ep. 50
Over the years, "autism" has gone from being virtually unheard of to a buzz word to, nowadays, a word a part of the common vernacular. Most people have at least heard of autism or have a personal connection to the disorder. Many people tend to think of a younger child, perhaps preschool - elementary age when they think about a person with autism. But teenagers and adults experience the joys and challenges of autism, too, along with their families. How does autism change in the teen years? What s...
Nov 25, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 39
Childhood is a unique growing time for our children; educators, parents, and experts have known this for years and yet childhood often gets swept under the rug at the expense of rigorous academics and a schedule full of structured activities. Children are, for the first time in history, busy. Schedules have largely replaced curiosity. Organized programs have taken priority over free play. And if we're really honest, I think us mamas can admit...it's just too much. What would happen if we embrace...
Nov 11, 2020•48 min•Season 3Ep. 48
To understand the importance of heritage, we must first make sure we're all working with the same definition. In regards to heritage, the Bible says, "Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him" (Psalm 127:3, NIV). Dictonary.com defines it as "something that is handed down from the past, as a tradition;" "something that comes or belongs to one by reason of birth; an inherited lot or portion;" or "something reserved for one." The tone is one of joy and sacredness; a passin...
Oct 26, 2020•42 min•Season 3Ep. 47
Homeschooling High School...what is it about this phrase that makes even the most confident homeschool mama shake in her boots a little? The expectations seem to go through the roof. The pressure from the elusive yet always present critics "out there" seems to double. And the group of moms who've gone ahead of you who have the credibility to cheer you on seems to thin out drastically the longer you homeschool. Melissa McMahan - YouTube host and mother of five lovely daughters - has homeschooled ...
Oct 05, 2020•56 min•Season 3Ep. 46
Keeping a nature journal is a big part of a Charlotte Mason education. Miss Mason had plenty to say about nature study and spending time in the great outdoors. If you’re looking for a way to encourage nature study, My Nature Journal: One Year of Observation is just the resource you need to gently guide your child in this delightful habit. Maybe you're like me and you love the planning process of homeschooling. I revel in laying out our routine, putting in those curriculum orders, and organizing ...
Sep 24, 2020•22 min•Season 3Ep. 45
What thoughts and feelings come to mind when you think of foreign language study? Conjugations? Vocab charts? Drudgery? Awkwardly trying to piece together a sentence with the few words you've learned? For many of us, the topic of studying a language brings back unpleasant memories from high school or college in a class we took to meet a certain requirement for graduation and nothing more. Adelaide Olguin - homeschool mom and creator of TalkBox.Mom - had a similar experience but she wanted more f...
Aug 26, 2020•58 min•Season 3Ep. 44
'Tis the season for back to school! With the ever-present COVID-19 pandemic and mask mandates, a large number of parents will be looking at homeschooling as an option for the first time this fall. If you have a child with special challenges, this can be a particularly daunting decision-making process…but it doesn’t have to be. I’d like to share 10 tips for homeschooling a child with autism. Ditch the textbooks Education is best acquired through stories and those stories can be found in living bo...
Aug 10, 2020•44 min•Season 3Ep. 43
Stories have been a part of human history from the very beginning and have been used as a powerful teaching tool throughout the centuries. Teaching through stories is a wonderful way to approach lessons in your homeschool, as well. Jim Weiss is a household name among many homeschoolers and he made his mark by doing this very thing - teaching through stories. His seamless delivery and enchanting ability to tell a great tale allows him to weave important character development and historical fact i...
Jun 25, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 42
How do you raise a good man? And come to think of it...what exactly does it mean to be a "good" man? Nathan Clarkson explored this very idea in his new book, Good Man , and he was kind enough to come back on the show and talk to us about what that looks like. There is a shortage of good men in our culture these days but not for lack of want from their mothers. I know if you have boys, you probably feel like me and want them to grow into men who are kind and wise and honorable...into a good man. ...
Jun 10, 2020•45 min•Season 3Ep. 41
Is record keeping something you've been keeping up with? Or is it something that keeps slipping from your mind? Or, have you decided to roll up your sleeves and do it but when faced with the amount of paperwork you get too flustered to deal with the decisions - what to keep? What to toss? What do you need for transcripts one day? And what should you hang on to just in case you want a trip down memory lane? Record keeping can get especially complicated when you've got an outside-the-box child wit...
May 27, 2020•35 min•Season 3Ep. 40
I may have already lost you with the title... Charlotte Mason did exams ? She sure did. But to make peace with this, you're going to have to first let go of what you probably think of when you think of "exams" in the traditional sense. I'm not talking about a high-pressure, stress-filled situation postured to see what your kiddos don't know. I'm talking about celebrating the growth and discovering what is taking root in your child's heart. Exams are a great way to evaluate how your child is prog...
May 19, 2020•49 min•Season 3Ep. 39
Do you have a plan to help you teach your kids about money? I’m not talking about coin and dollar amounts - your math curriculum has that covered. I mean how to use money in real life. Do you have a system in place to help you handle trips to the store that provoke the question, "Can I get this, mom?" Last time we talked about Zone Work and I mentioned that we do not pay our children to do that work. That doesn't mean our kids don't have a stream of income, though. Listen today to find out why i...
May 05, 2020•22 min•Season 3Ep. 38
Are you looking for a better way to teach your child to do chores? I'm talking about throwing away the sticker charts, being done with the bribery, and ending the arguments when you ask them if they've done their chores. I'm talking about reframing the whole concept of how and why you are teaching them to do chores and thinking about it in a new way (you might even say this is an "outside-the-box" approach ;)). Zone Work is like the cooler, friendlier, more enjoyable cousin of chores. He's still...
Apr 29, 2020•54 min•Season 3Ep. 37
Do you consider music lessons a priority in your homeschool? There are so many possibilities when it comes to curriculum and we've got to make sure the basics are covered...is music really worth teaching, too? When you've got multiple kiddos in multiple stages of development the thought of dragging everybody to a lesson just isn't very practical. Then there's the cost, the time commitment, and oh yeah...the fact that we're all under quarantine right now and we couldn't leave the house for a musi...
Apr 18, 2020•47 min•Season 3Ep. 36
Do you have a plan to help you steer clear of survival mode? I'm not talking about the temporary survival mode; the "new baby/new home/new job/death in the family" type of survival mode. That happens. That is circumstantial. We've all been there. I'm talking about when something happens (like...a pandemic breaking out worldwide...) and we just can't seem to get it together and survival becomes our new normal. Join me today as I talk about handling grief (we just had to say good-bye to our sweet ...
Apr 08, 2020•31 min•Season 3Ep. 35
Are you an "accidental homeschooler?" Many schools have shut down in an effort to keep people safe during the pandemic leaving the parents of those children "accidental homeschoolers." Parents who had no intention of homeschooling have now been called to do that very thing...with very little time to prepare for the change. Join me today as I share some tips to help encourage and equip parents in this situation as well as give some practical ways to gauge "success" in your homeschool. You may be ...
Mar 25, 2020•39 min•Season 3Ep. 34
Does your child struggle with anxiety? Whether it’s an ongoing struggle or situational, helping your child with anxiety can be a difficult thing. During this time where the entire world seems to be a little more than anxious, it's important to equip yourself with some tools that can help you and your child navigate stressful topics. Join me today as I share from my heart some of the struggles we've been dealing with in our home. Over the last few years, my husband and I have learned various ways...
Mar 16, 2020•25 min•Season 3Ep. 33
Are you ready to homeschool? Whether you’re a newbie starting from scratch or a veteran wanting to be sure you’ve built a firm foundation, I want to encourage you on your homeschool journey. I’m not sure what led you to this decision to educate your child at home but I am pretty sure of one thing – you want to do your best. You want to give this thing your all and provide your child with the best possible learning experience. Last time I helped you decide which subjects to choose and how to choo...
Mar 16, 2020•25 min•Season 3Ep. 32
Are you ready to homeschool? Whether you’re a newbie starting from scratch or a veteran wanting to be sure you’ve built a firm foundation, I want to encourage you on your homeschool journey. I’m not sure what led you to this decision to educate your child at home but I am pretty sure of one thing – you want to do your best. You want to give this thing your all and provide your child with the best possible learning experience. Last time I helped you to choose your homeschool method, teaching spac...
Jan 16, 2020•26 min•Season 3Ep. 31
Do you ever feel like your homeschool - and life - are falling apart? Whether it's a big move, a long holiday, a new baby, or an accumulation of "off days," we all have seasons where our homeschool - and life - seem to be completely falling apart. Doubt, guilt, and pity can overtake us but there's a better way to handle these seasons. Join me today as I talk about a season in my life (when we made two out of state moves in ten months...) when things began to spiral. If you're in a season like th...
Jan 11, 2020•10 min•Season 3Ep. 30
Do you consider poetry to be a staple of your homeschool? Oftentimes when the subject of poetry comes up with other parents, even the most enthusiastic homeschoolers will admit that they shy away from this subject. When I press to understand why that is, the answer is usually that they themselves are not excited about poetry - they consider it either intimidating or boring or have had such a bad experience with poetry that they loathe it entirely. Join me today as I talk with Julie Bogart of Bra...
Dec 01, 2019•54 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Are you ready to homeschool? Whether you’re a newbie starting from scratch or a veteran wanting to be sure you’ve built a firm foundation, I want to encourage you on your homeschool journey. I’m not sure what led you to this decision to educate your child at home but I am pretty sure of one thing – you want to do your best. You want to give this thing your all and provide your child with the best possible learning experience. Last time I helped you to begin with some very foundational steps and ...
Nov 08, 2019•19 min•Season 2Ep. 28
