This week my oldest and youngest children are joining me to talk about how they managed to live together and make it work…really well! They are both graduates of Wild Flower Academy and Collin College in Plano, Texas. Ian wanted me to do college with him but ended up going to the College of Santa Fe for two years to complete his BA in Film Production. He has worked as a free lance assistant editor at Reel FX which is a post production house, he has been an editor at Tocroc and the Dailies Assist...
Jul 04, 2014•52 min
My guest this week is renowned concert pianist, Calvin Jones. Calvin is also a homeschooling Dad, composer, orchestrator and producer. This is the final show in my short series about careers and I know you’ll be as delighted as I am with this remarkable artist. In the words of one critic, "If brilliant piano performance could be likened to a painting, Calvin Jones routinely executes a 'musical Mona Lisa.'" Aggressively contemplative, Calvin is quite a performer. Highly accessible, Calvin's music...
Jun 27, 2014•1 hr 1 min
Joining me this week is self described, lifelong unschooler Peter Kowalke. Peter has been on my show several times and we have talked about his passion for unschooling and how much it has influenced his life. His highly praised documentary “Grown Without Schooling” followed ten unschooled graduates into the world and recorded how they fared in their individual life choices. Peter lives in New York City and has consulted as a homeschool expert for media outlets such as the BBC, the New York Times...
Jun 20, 2014•58 min
I am welcoming Dawn Franks, to my show this week to talk about her unusual and very entrepreneurial career. I was introduced to Dawn through my husband who met with her while we were in East Texas, about one of his projects. Dawn is President of Your Philanthropy, a coaching and consulting firm and works with the philanthropic donor and nonprofit community. During our conversation you will learn exactly what that means! She has 33 years of experience in nonprofit and philanthropy work in the Tyl...
Jun 13, 2014•57 min
This week my show is the second in a short series of careers advice where I bring on guests from interesting walks of life that may be of help to young people searching for possible career opportunities. Andrei Constantinescu has always loved film and television. His mom says he loved television even when he was very little and that around two or three years of age he was quoting lines from shows and recognizing actors. One of Andrei’s earliest memories is entertaining his extended family with s...
Jun 06, 2014•58 min
This week my guest Stephanie Langford is returning to tell us all about how her 54 weeks of world travel has impacted her family’s lifestyle, marriage and view of the world. She describes herself as the blessed wife to Ryan. She is also Mum and homeschooler to her four favorite little people, and the grateful recipient of undeserved mercy and love from her Heavenly Father. Stephanie and her husband have spent the last year travelling and hack-schooling on a monumental journey around the world to...
May 30, 2014•1 hr 1 min
This week I am welcoming to my show Katharine Grubb. Katharine was born in northeastern Oklahoma. She was raised in the Tulsa suburbs, attended the University of Oklahoma, taught school, wrote stories and then shocked everyone by moving to Boston, Massachusetts to be with a man she had been e-mailing for nine months. She married that man, and with him had five boisterous children ages 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16. Nowadays, she still lives in Massachusetts, homeschools her children, bakes bread, does ri...
May 23, 2014•58 min
This week I’m delighted to welcome back to my show, where I dispel many homeschooling stereotypes, Carol Topp who has joined me a couple of times to talk about co-oping and finances. We are going to be talking about the 3 major careers in her life, besides Mum and homeschooling, so tune in to learn more! Carol and her husband live in West Chester, Ohio and have two grown daughters, both homeschooled through high school who are now looking forward to their first careers. Carol worked from home th...
May 16, 2014•58 min
Mike Donnelly, from the Home School Legal Defense Association, returns to my show this week wearing his legal and dad hats. When he’s not talking to me Mike serves as Staff Attorney and Director of International Relations for member affairs and is Adjunct Professor of Government at Patrick Henry College, in Virginia. Mike and his wife teach their seven children at home and he is a frequent speaker and writer on many home school related topics some of which he has shared with us over the years on...
May 09, 2014•54 min
Brenda Nixon is joining me again this week on my show where I dispel the stereotype of homeschoolers! Brenda has been a fellow host here on Toginet radio with The Parents’ Plate. where she blended practical parenting tips with child development. She is an unusual and popular keynote speaker at events and workshops in more than 10 states. Today her family has taken on a different dynamic with the inclusion of ex-Amish teenagers whom she has adopted. She is now known as the "Mom to the Ex-Amish" w...
May 02, 2014•58 min
This week on my show, where I seek to dispel the pre-conceived ideas about homeschooling, I’m thrilled to welcome back Barbara Frank. We spoke at the end of January about preparing our teenage children to be sprung on the world as independent and contributing members of society. Barbara is a homeschooling mother of two boys and two girls. Her husband, Tim, worked from home and they were all together as a family for a long time and lived to tell the tale! Barbara is the author of, Life Prep for H...
Apr 25, 2014•58 min
This is Good Friday and true to form on this Solemn High Holiday I am taking you on a walk towards Calvary and beyond. Gretchen Roe, my friend for many years, is joining me on The Sociable Homeschooler, where I bust the stereotype of homeschooling, and together we are going to be looking at our lives through the eyes of God and exploring ways in which we can relate our day to day to the Cross of Redemption. Gretchen has some exciting news, both personal and professional, about her life recently ...
Apr 18, 2014•58 min
Jennifer Miller is back with me on The Sociable Homeschooler this week, to further support my philosophy that there is no stereotyping of this movement called homeschooling! Jennifer and her husband, Tony, with their four children, have taken a pause from their open ended tour of the world and are in New Hampshire until the end of May when they are all taking off on multiple adventures before reconvening for an Alaskan Cruise. If you know the Millers like I know the Millers, this will indeed be ...
Apr 11, 2014•55 min
The last time I spoke to Brenda Nixon on my show she was a fellow host here on Toginet Radio with The Parents’ Plate. Today I am welcoming her back to The Sociable Homeschooler ,where homeschooling is a unique lifestyle, to talk about how her family has taken on a different dynamic with the inclusion of ex-Amish teenagers whom she has adopted. She is now known as the "Mom to the Ex-Amish" with a son-in-law, 2 adopted sons, and relationships with those who've left the most insular Swartzentruber ...
Apr 04, 2014•59 min
I am thrilled to have Allison Bottke, bestselling inspirational author and speaker, join me on my show this Friday, where homeschooling is a unique lifestyle. Best known for her Setting Boundaries ™ series from Harvest House Publishers, and 6 Steps to Sanity, Allison is an innovative, risk-taking, entrepreneurial woman whose life changed drastically when she found God to fill the empty place in her heart. Captivating readers and audiences with a mesmerizing tale of hope and healing, Allison Bott...
Mar 28, 2014•58 min
This week on The Sociable Homeschooler, where homeschooling is a unique lifestyle, I will be talking once again to Suzanne Glover, author, motivational speaker, hypnotherapist, actress and personal development professional. Suzanne joined me on January 17th where we broke open the possibility of re-training our brains to think positively and to let go of deep-seated beliefs we may be carrying around with us that may not be true. Do you want to get more out of life? Do you want to be your best? A...
Mar 21, 2014•58 min
I’m delighted to welcome back, Kim de Blecourt as my guest this week. Kim came on my show last year to talk about her heart wrenching experience while adopting her son from Ukraine. Before Kim became involved with International Adoptions she spent over 13 years in corporate human resources and was a corporate trainer. She is now on staff with Food for Orphans as their Life Changing Mission Trips Manager. Kim's blog, Nourished Hearts, introduced me to an enterprising and remarkable community of p...
Mar 14, 2014•58 min
With me on my show this week, where I believe homeschooling is a unique lifestyle, are frequent visitors Tom and Julie Meekins. This remarkable couple have a heart for parents raising children who have challenges. In walking the talk they decided to dedicate their professional lives to helping families navigate the oft times scary world of parenting. Tom and Julie became certified in child development and health coaching and in March 2011 started a company called March Forth Family LLC to help o...
Mar 07, 2014•58 min
Greetings, I am Vivienne McNeny and I believe homeschooling to be a unique experience. This week I am bringing you Part 2 of my recorded conversation with Renee Tougas about her family’s upcoming thru-hike along the Appalachian Trail. Among other things we will be talking about the Video Series they will be making to bring the experience to our computer screens in the comfort of our homes! A virtual peek into their lives on The Appalachian Trail as they thru-hike as a family beginning in Georgia...
Feb 28, 2014•55 min
I’m thrilled to have Katie Sullivan join me on my show this week, where I believe homeschooling to be a unique lifestyle. Featured in both Hobby Farm Home Magazine and LuckyMag online, Katie Leigh Sullivan is an award winning blogger who has been curating inspired, online spaces since 2009. Katie has been with me before but it was so long ago her life has completely changed! She’ll tell you all about it I’m sure. What hasn’t changed is she is still a speech language pathologist with 19 years exp...
Feb 21, 2014•58 min
My guest this week was recommended to me by one of my regulars here on The Sociable Homeschooler where I believe homeschooling to be a unique lifestyle. Sandy Fowler of Heartfilled Holidays made the introduction and Tarla Gernert and I made it happen. Tarla earned her B.S. Degree in Elementary Education at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia. She has taught in public and private schools and later homeschooled her own children. The hats she has worn over the years include university academic ...
Feb 14, 2014•58 min
I am excited this week to be talking to Renee Tougas who lives on the side of a mountain in the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec in Canada. She and her husband, Damien, who has a site featuring barefoot and minimalist footwear, homeschool their three children ages 15, 13 and 11. They are location independent, which means they can both work from home wherever they are. Together they are a family of outdoors enthusiasts, artists, adventurers, programmers, homemakers, and followers in the way of Christ. R...
Feb 07, 2014•54 min
Here on The Sociable Homeschooler I believe homeschooling to be a unique lifestyle. This week Leigh Attaway Wilcox, Children’s Book Author, Freelance Editor & Writer, Small Business Owner and Homeschool Mum is joining me. Lots of proper nouns there to describe her unique lifestyle! Leigh’s love for crafting stories paired with the motivation to get them published led her to join groups, societies and workshops to further her enjoyment of networking with other aspiring and published authors. ...
Jan 31, 2014•58 min
Welcome to The Sociable Homeschooler, I'm Vivienne McNeny and I believe homeschooling is a unique lifestyle and invite you to join me this week with my guest Barbara Frank a homeschooling mother of two boys and two girls who have all graduated and are fully-fledged adults. Like our family they spent a lot of time together during the formative years. Barbara’s husband, Tim, worked from home and they were all together in the house for a long time and lived to tell the tale! Also, similar to my fam...
Jan 24, 2014•58 min
My guest this week on The Sociable Homeschooler is Suzanne Glover, author, motivational speaker, hypnotherapist, actress and personal development professional. That’s a mouthful when its at home isn’t it? Do you want to get more out of life? Do you want to be your best? Do you want to encourage your children to think positively about who they are? Are you worried about the path you have chosen for your family? Do you think you may single-handedly ruin your child’s life? Are you just too tired to...
Jan 17, 2014•58 min
Joining me on The Sociable Homeschooler today are a couple of writers who live in Austin, Texas. Betsy and George Christian have written two Texas History books that are as lively and irreverent as the characters found on their pages. You’ll find men and women you’d like to meet and some you’ll be rather glad you didn’t! If you think teaching History is dry these books are for you. Betsy is a writer, public affairs consultant, and community volunteer. George, a fifth-generation Texan, practices ...
Jan 10, 2014•52 min
My first guest of the New Year is Stephanie Langford who describes herself as the blessed wife to Ryan. She is also Mum and homeschooler to her four favorite little people, and the grateful recipient of undeserved mercy and love from her Heavenly Father. Stephanie and her husband have spent the last year travelling and hack-schooling on a monumental journey around the world to almost 30 countries in 12 months. While on the road Stephanie has kept up her blog Keeper of the Home, inspiring and edu...
Jan 03, 2014•1 hr 1 min
This week being the last Friday of 2013 I have invited a few friends along to join me as we look forward to the New Year. They will offer some inspirational ideas on what we can do to lead a more fulfilling and brilliant life with our families, encouragement to keep the homeschool fires burning, and to remind us that we are not alone and not to be afraid to accept love. Aadel Bussinger will be talking all the way from South Korea where she is spending her first Christmas and New Year abroad. She...
Dec 27, 2013•1 hr 1 min
Today is my 200th show and I have invited a few friends to join me and talk about Christmas, to offer some encouraging words for those who may be alone, or raising children who get bewildered by the change in schedule, to share local customs and some quick fix-its if you are behind with your preparations and to talk about the over arching meaning of this time spent thinking about one another, cooking together, enjoying the outdoors and one another’s company. My friend Renee Tougas who blogs at F...
Dec 20, 2013•1 hr 1 min
This week, what better than to wrap the year with a chat about church and corporate worship? My guest popped up on my Twitter as a follower so I nabbed him and we’re going to be exploring all kinds of good things to get the brain fired up during this season when we focus on the coming of Christ and how our house looks for the onslaught of family and friends in the coming weeks. Greg Barber is joining me to talk about his work multiplying churches, whether there’s a difference between sacred and ...
Dec 13, 2013•58 min
