Today Tripp Almon and I are going to be talking about the benefits of a gap year program for your graduate. A gap year is time taken off from school in exchange for experiences. There are different kinds of gap year programs. What we will be talking about today is one that will help solidify your graduate's faith and ground them in Christian theology, worldview, and apologetics before they fully immerse themselves in college or the job market. Resources mentioned in this episode: The Unhurried H...
Oct 07, 2022•35 min•Ep. 364
There is nothing wrong with being proactive and responsible regarding our habits and mindset (this is biblical). However, we need to be sure that we are approaching everything from a biblical perspective, and often even Christian self-help books can lead us astray not necessarily intentionally, but because the author isn’t biblically informed and instead may very well base much of their perspective on pop psychology and humanistic/secular thinking. I invited Wes Johnson back to help us understan...
Oct 03, 2022•35 min•Ep. 362
I've noticed that there seems to be an increase in the number of trials and afflictions that many faithful Christians I know are experiencing. Our family is no different. Today I'm sharing a bit of an update on our family along with some encouragement to find courage in the midst of storms. Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day The Unhurried Homeschooler Mentoring Course Courage and Steadfastness by Rachel Jankovich (this is th...
Sep 30, 2022•31 min•Ep. 363
Biblical submission are words that can bring up a range of emotions and opinions because many of us have heard or experienced the abuses that have surrounded this topic. As believing women who strive to walk in obedience to God and do our best to live out His standards in our home it’s essential that we have a biblical definition of submission, one that is informed by God’s word and not the culture and we must remember that the family is instituted by God and therefore HE is the only one who get...
Sep 26, 2022•38 min•Ep. 361
In the last 2 episodes, I’ve been talking about the importance of nurturing sibling relationships and practical ways to do that. Today I want to talk about ways to nurture those relationships through conflict because goodness knows, there can be plenty of that, especially in a house with 8 kids! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day The Unhurried Homeschooler Mentoring Course Drive Through Talking: An Effective Communication To...
Sep 23, 2022•39 min•Ep. 360
Last week I talked about the importance of nurturing sibling relationships because, in my experience raising/homeschooling 8 kids, it's one of the best investments I made into their education! Today I want to share some practical tips on ways to nurture sibling relationships! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Simple Personality Test (Gary Smalley) The Love Language Quiz (5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chap...
Sep 19, 2022•35 min•Ep. 359
One of the things I think most of us don't expect when we start to homeschool is the amount of time we will spend navigating our kids' relationships with each other. It can often feel like an obstacle to getting "real" schoolwork done, but the truth is that learning to have healthy relationships IS an essential part of our kids' education! Today I'm going to share why it's so important to nurture sibling relationships in our home. Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace f...
Sep 16, 2022•30 min•Ep. 358
Fall is such an amazing time of year and there are so many fun and free things to do with our kids! Today my friend Sara is joining me again to share some ideas that you may or may not have thought of! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Previous podcasts with Sara: A Conversation with 2 Veteran Homeschool Moms Finishing the School Year Well Considering Your Kids' Personalities in Your Approach Planning Yo...
Sep 12, 2022•27 min•Ep. 357
Today we're going to be talking about simple meal planning! I know for our family of 10 I had to simplify our meals, but also the way that I planned them. I couldn’t be reinventing the wheel every single week. I invited my friend Sara to join me again today as we discuss several different options for simple meal planning! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Previous podcasts with Sara: A Conversation with 2 Veteran Homeschool...
Sep 09, 2022•32 min•Ep. 356
Today my friend Sara and I are talking about basic family budgeting. One of the reasons that I wanted to cover this topic is that most families have to live on a budget. Many of us are single-income families and some of us have large families. My husband and I lived on a modest single income for our family of 10 for many years and I can honestly say that I actually love the freedom of being on a budget. That may sound strange, but there is such peace knowing that you are staying within your inco...
Sep 05, 2022•36 min•Ep. 355
Today I’m going to talk about how knowing God’s character can help relieve anxiety and I’m going to do that by sharing the incommunicable attributes of God which are attributes that only HE possesses. These attributes are important because what we need and what we want is a God who isn’t us. We are not sufficient and we want a God who is. We need a God who is. We need a God who is powerful and independent of us. Listen in as I go through these attributes and share some meaningful applications wh...
Sep 02, 2022•42 min•Ep. 354
I've been sharing more simple, unhurried approaches to subjects like language arts and science because I want moms to know that homeschooling really IS doable! Today my guest, Dennis Janisse (college professor and homeschool dad) shares his thoughts on writing as well as a budget-friendly, non-intimidating approach to writing essays and research papers! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Fun-Schooling (P.S. Don't forget to ch...
Aug 29, 2022•36 min•Ep. 353
Today I have my good friend Sherri Seligson back with us!Sherri is a veteran homeschool mom who happens to love science and writes science curriculum. She will put your heart at ease as we talk about taking a more simple unhurried approach to science in the high school years. She will also share what it looks like to help our science-oriented kids prepare for college! REMEMBER YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO ADAPT ANY CURRICULUM TO YOUR CHILD’S NEEDS. IOW YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING! Resources menti...
Aug 26, 2022•30 min•Ep. 352
I'm excited because today I have my good friend Sherri Seligson with us. Sherri is a veteran homeschool mom who happens to write science curriculum. She will put your heart at ease as we talk about taking a more simple unhurried approach to science in the elementary years! REMEMBER YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO ADAPT ANY CURRICULUM TO YOUR CHILD’S NEEDS. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING! (The next podcast will be about taking a simple, unhurried approach to science in the high school ye...
Aug 22, 2022•35 min•Ep. 350
When we got married, my husband only wanted 2 kids. Today he joins me as we tell our story about how we ended up with eight and share some thoughts and questions about family size that you may not have considered! Resources mentioned in this episode: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Simply Unhurried Community Raising a Family of 10 on One Modest Income Yes, I Had 8 C-Sections! (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour Schoo...
Aug 19, 2022•54 min•Ep. 351
Language Arts includes such a broad array of topics that parents can become overwhelmed and doubtful that they are covering everything well enough. Years ago I was introduced to Learning Language Arts Through Literature. I loved how it gently covered all of the language arts pieces without being overwhelming. I didn't use it for all 8 kids, but it was one of the mainstays of our overall curriculum choices. Today, Ashley Wiggers joins me to talk about taking a simpler, unhurried approach to using...
Aug 15, 2022•37 min•Ep. 349
As moms, we set the tone in our homes. Joy is a key element to learning, but even more importantly, we are called to it as believers. God gives us tools to help recapture joy when it has waned or has been lost completely. Today Jennifer Pepito, owner of The Peaceful Press and author of Mothering By the Book, joins us to talk about the power of reading aloud to recapture joy! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Simply Unhurrie...
Aug 12, 2022•34 min•Ep. 348
God knows that we will face fear as humans and a particularly intense battle with fear when it comes to being a mom and He graciously gives us tools to help overcome fear. Join Jennifer Pepito (owner of The Peaceful Press and author of Mothering By the Book) and me as we have a great conversation about the power of reading aloud to help overcome fear! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Ways to connect wit...
Aug 08, 2022•24 min•Ep. 347
Many parents orient their homeschooling plans strongly around grade-level standards. But how crucial are grade levels and more importantly, where did this concept come from? Listen in for a bit of a history lesson along with some insight and encouragement toward the freedom that is ours in home educating our kids! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Simply Unhurried Community Here is the first in the series on Ecclesiastes ht...
Aug 05, 2022•39 min•Ep. 346
It seems as though we need more discernment than ever, especially as moms. We are raising the next generation of image bearers who will carry with them the values that we instill in them. We want those values to be solidly rooted in biblical truth and for them to not only be well-versed in them but to meaningfully apply them. But where do we start? What does discernment really mean? How do we walk out a life that practices discernment? How can wisdom change a person’s life and the lives of those...
Aug 01, 2022•36 min•Ep. 345
The topic of humility can conjure up images of feeling restricted or in bondage to something, but as odd as it sounds this invitation to humility is incredibly freeing! It’s another one of those principles that are simple (not to be confused with easy) and surprisingly has a very direct impact on our level of anxiety and stress! This podcast is LOADED with encouragement! Listen in as Hannah Anderson answers questions like: How does humility free us from the stress of comparison, of always evalua...
Jul 29, 2022•41 min•Ep. 344
I recently made a big mistake in terms of what online mentoring can or should look like. It’s important to understand what role our online resources CAN play and what role they can NOT play so we aren’t expecting things that we shouldn’t. I’m also including some important counsel regarding the local church because our family found ourselves struggling for several years to find a church that was biblically sound. I know some of you are struggling with that as well. BE ENCOURAGED! Resources mentio...
Jul 25, 2022•42 min•Ep. 343
They say it can't be done, but clearly, it can. However, I have learned so much from my experience and I'm hoping to encourage you all through my story! Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four-Hour School Day Homeschooling Today Podcast mentioned: Children a Blessing, NOT a Burden Story mentioned: Celebrating Silas (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on...
Jul 22, 2022•50 min•Ep. 342
It's easy to feel the pressure to dive headlong into "school" once our kids reach the age of 5, but the truth is that a slow, more unhurried approach has proven to be far more beneficial. There are many reasons for that, many of which I share in my simple, mercifully short book, The Unhurried Homeschooler. Today my daughter, who has 4 kids 7 and under, joins me to talk about what a simple, unhurried, more natural, more effective, and WAY less stressful approach looks like! If you have little one...
Jul 18, 2022•35 min•Ep. 341
Last week I had our oldest daughter join me to talk about Tips for Life with Littles (0-6ish yrs old)reminding moms that although this season with our kids can feel repetitive and even mundane at times, there IS purpose in it! Today I wanted to share some tips on disciplining littles. I even open a can of worms that most believers aren’t willing to, not because I actually wanted to open it, but because I think it is necessary. Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a...
Jul 15, 2022•45 min•Ep. 340
Life with little ones is busy. Much of what we do can feel repetitive and mundane but make no mistake, there is purpose in this season! Today my oldest daughter joins me to talk about the importance of prioritizing during these years with our little ones. She currently has 4 kids 7 and under and at one point I had 6 kids 9 and under so we get it! The purpose of this episode is to encourage you and help you keep your eyes on what is important during these very special years with your kids! A grea...
Jul 04, 2022•41 min•Ep. 339
If you've homeschooled for more than 5 seconds you know that every kid has their own learning style! It's what makes them unique! However, it can also become problematic if we are trying to teach them in a more conventional way. Dianne Craft is back today to share about right-brain teaching strategies that go around the disconnection to help give immediate success and show our kids that they really are smart! (But we already knew that, right?) Resources mentioned: The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhu...
Jul 01, 2022•55 min•Ep. 338
Many of us are homeschooling struggling learners. It can be easy to feel like we are not qualified, but I firmly believe that we are in fact the best facilitators of our kids' education. No one loves and cares for our kids like we do and no one is more invested in their future. I also think that we can often make things more difficult than we need to. I believe that God can give us simple, effective strategies and resources that allow us to relax and enjoy our kids as we home educate them, wheth...
Jun 27, 2022•55 min•Ep. 337
Dr. Kathy and I talked about the importance of being in the word with our kids in the last episode and today we want to talk about a fun way that you can engage your kids in the word and help them learn to love it! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day The Importance of Being in the Word with Your Kids www.PictureSmartBible.com Code is “Durenda” (Price will then be $99 for the Bible which includes one set of participant sheets. The normal price is ...
Jun 24, 2022•29 min•Ep. 336
I've shared a communication tool called Drive Thru Talking in passing during several podcast episodes, but I thought I'd make it the main topic of today's episode! Listen in for a short, practical episode! The Unhurried Homeschooler Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart The Four Hour School Day Homeschooling Today (P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest book, The Four Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life on Amazon, durendawilson.com , or your favorite bookseller...
Jun 20, 2022•18 min•Ep. 335
