Life can be so busy that it's hard to focus on the things that really matter. Although Cal Newport's book, Deep Work, isn't written specifically for homeschooling families, his ideas are surprisingly compatible with Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education, and can help you discover ways to create focused, peaceful, and productive habits in every area of life. About Janice Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds ...
Mar 10, 2025•27 min•Ep 449•Transcript available on Metacast Whether you're just getting started or have been schooling for a while, there are a few basic things to know that might make your life easier. When I started homeschooling, I was lucky enough to have done enough reading and non-traditional learning so I knew that the "school-at-home" model wasn't what we wanted. That helped. However, I started out expecting that I'd be able to make perfect plans and schedules and keep exactly on track every year. As you might guess, that was — well, let's just s...
Mar 07, 2025•26 min•Ep 445•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever begrudged your family for under-appreciating your homeschool efforts? If so, you then probably felt guilty for feeling neglected. For the love of homeschooling and our families, we do all we can to show it. Having these thoughts and emotions could be homeschool burnout. Or could you be overdoing it and wearing out your audience? About Jennifer Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler , is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration. Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas wi...
Mar 06, 2025•19 min•Ep 469•Transcript available on Metacast Nobody ever said that homeschooling would be easy (and if they did they must be lying). How could it be? It's one of the most self-sacrificing endeavors that you could ever attempt. In this episode, we'll discuss how this often discouraging struggle against our selfish nature is the very thing our children need to see played out before them so that they too may be inspired to struggle against their lesser selves. And though this nature is constantly striving to press us into a rut, we'll discuss...
Mar 05, 2025•44 min•Ep 468•Transcript available on Metacast In this personal and insightful episode Jessica shares what she's learned about how to make homeschooling sustainable for the mom, including specific self-care ideas and tips for moms in all stages. About Jessica Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud. Resources Jessica's Weekly Review Favorite Things TuttleTwins.com The Tuttle Twins: American History Tuttle Twins TV Co...
Feb 21, 2025•23 min•Ep 465•Transcript available on Metacast One of the most important things you can do for your children (and yourself) is to help them build good habits. And one of the most important elements of the habit building process is consistency. In this episode we'll discuss some strategies to help encourage your child to become consistent in their daily tasks. About Sean Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool , husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic desi...
Feb 12, 2025•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's a new year and God has gifted you 525,600 minutes! How will you invest them to ensure you have the most fruitful, life giving homeschool year ever? By beginning with the ENDS in mind! What were your gains last year? What do you want to gain by the end of this year? Join Shiela as she shares a simple framework to help you reflect on the gains you had last year in order to plan for the ones you desire this year. Be inspired to create a vision and concrete plan that will bring clarity, confide...
Jan 29, 2025•24 min•Ep 463•Transcript available on Metacast Anyone else experiencing the winter doldrums? As the saying goes, the days are long but the years are short. Well, winter homeschooling days get reeeeally long. But the end is coming - both the end of your year and the end of this initial leg of your parenting journey (that is, when you send your children off into the world). Will you feel as if you deserve to cross the finish line when it arrives? Or will you cross slowly, laden with regrets? It's all a matter of whether or not you've discovere...
Jan 28, 2025•41 min•Ep 462•Transcript available on Metacast Reasons and help letting go of comparison and intimidation from publishers and professionals, unrealistic expectations, other homeschool families. About Jennifer Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler , is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration. Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys. She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate life's work. She is also the author of Socialize Like a Homeschooler: A...
Jan 09, 2025•17 min•Ep 461•Transcript available on Metacast How do we muster the will to rise and get dressed and get back a life of learning in the cold and winter months? Much less entice our teens to do the same? With new resolve and new fleece pajamas, homeschooling in winter is a privilege filled with opportunities for getting ahead academically, productive family time, and remembering why we homeschool in the first place. About Jennifer Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler , is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration. Jennife...
Dec 31, 2024•22 min•Ep 460•Transcript available on Metacast It feels like there is so much opposition to homeschooling. Though today there is a far greater degree of acceptance, plenty of voices remain which not only question but blatantly oppose our efforts to raise our children at home. That said, the greatest opposition probably comes in our own self doubts and even resistance to what homeschooling requires of us. And what does it require? Just about everything. But if we learn to yield to the requirements, to the sacrifice, we learn the secret - givi...
Dec 28, 2024•42 min•Ep 458•Transcript available on Metacast January is the perfect time for a mom's personal retreat. In this episode Jessica will share tips and tricks of hosting your own personal homeschool mom retreat. With a little bit of creativity, you can benefit from taking the time to rest, pray, plan, and goal-set for the second half of the school year. About Jessica Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud. Connect Jess...
Dec 19, 2024•29 min•Ep 457•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever thought how odd it is to have children move from grade to grade in lockstep with other children, even though they develop and learn at different rates in different subjects? Did you know that this idea of grade segregation is relatively new in the history of the world? Homeschoolers usually figure out how illogical the whole idea is, but I thought this excerpt from one of my favorite old books, Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, might give you a glimpse of how learning le...
Dec 14, 2024•14 min•Ep 456•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode Jessica interviews Lyndsey from Treehouse Schoolhouse about all sorts of things related to homeschool mom life. They chat about why Lyndsey and her husband decided to move from Florida and buy land to build their dream home as well as how to balance physical health goals, homeschooling, and running two businesses from home! About Lyndsey Lyndsey is a homeschool mom of four and the founder of Treehouse Schoolhouse. Before motherhood, Lyndsey had a career in children's ministry and...
Dec 04, 2024•39 min•Ep 439•Transcript available on Metacast A while back, I came across an interesting comparison of two middle school reading lists — one from 1908 and one from a bit more than 100 years later. The original article compared the lists based on time period, thematic elements, and reading level, and I'll share that comparison along with a few ideas for interesting middle-grade reading. About Janice Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree fro...
Dec 02, 2024•24 min•Ep 429•Transcript available on Metacast In this brief episode you'll learn why penmanship, including cursive, is important for learning, and you'll get practical tips for helping your children master this useful art. About Janice Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You’ll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Clas...
Nov 29, 2024•17 min•Ep 425•Transcript available on Metacast Everything, and I mean everything that is right and true is under assault today. For instance, we've moved far beyond questioning whether a woman's rightful place is in the home rearing her children. Today, the world and all her emissaries of confusion question whether such a thing as a woman even exists. For decades we've been told that women are just as capable as men, no matter the field, no matter the task. Predictably (and at the same time inconceivably) we are told today that men are just ...
Nov 22, 2024•46 min•Ep 455•Transcript available on Metacast Homeschooling science is often frustrating and impossible, easily replaced with videos, or neglected altogether. Don’t let it be! I’ve got help and great offers! Science can be hands-on, exciting, edible, and dangerous! And can create lasting family memories. Like when you almost burn the house down for the science fair. True, hilarious story here…. About Jennifer Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler , is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration. Jennifer lives in Salado, T...
Nov 19, 2024•25 min•Ep 454•Transcript available on Metacast Long before textbooks and workbooks were invented, students kept notebooks and commonplace books to help them think, understand, and remember what they learned. Learning journals are a tool your student can use to do the same — here's how to begin using them! About Janice Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You’ll fi...
Nov 15, 2024•25 min•Ep 422•Transcript available on Metacast Although there are many practical reasons to read daily, the list of the benefits of reading begins with delight. There are few things more soul-nourishing than a great book. However, reading can reduce stress, improve communication skills, increase empathy, build vocabulary, and so much more. It's no surprise that reading builds brains; what’s surprising is how little reading time is built into most people’s day. You don’t have to read for hours a day to benefit. According to at least one study...
Nov 12, 2024•10 min•Ep 453•Transcript available on Metacast Join Jessica Smartt for a conversation about building your community as a mom! About Jessica Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud. Resources Memory-Making Mom by Jessica Smartt Let Them Be Little by Jessica Smartt Homeschool Bootcamp with Jessica Smartt Connect Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website Thank you to our spo...
Nov 07, 2024•21 min•Ep 450•Transcript available on Metacast This is the last episode in a 3 episode series. What do you say to your child when a simple "yes" or "no" just don't seem to meet the demands of the hour? The answer? Nothing at all. For most parents, though, saying nothing is simply not an option. They're afraid it might communicate weakness or concede too much ground to their children. But here's the thing - clear answers regarding how to deal with parenting problems are hard to come by. We often need a bit of time before we can more accuratel...
Nov 05, 2024•40 min•Ep 452•Transcript available on Metacast Ample time for discussion of knowledge and learning from elders truly invested in their future are major advantages for homeschoolers. However, most important to note is...Why your effort and interaction as homeschool parent must equal or exceed the expectations you have for your student in order to capitalize on these advantages. About Jennifer Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler , is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration. Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husba...
Oct 22, 2024•23 min•Ep 451•Transcript available on Metacast The second part of a 3 part series, in this episode we focus on when it's appropriate and necessary to say "no" to your child. The truth is, no one is more appropriately positioned to say this word to our children, but it is also true that no one can more inappropriately wield the power it possesses in their lives. We have to make sure that we're not issuing a "no" when the response should be "yes", or nothing at all. About Sean Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool , husband ...
Oct 10, 2024•38 min•Ep 448•Transcript available on Metacast This is the first episode of a 3 part series followed by "When to Say No" and "When to Say Nothing at All". In this episode we focus on a simple word that is often so difficult for parents to say to their children - "yes". Whether it's in answer to a request to go on a bike ride or in response to an act of obedience, so often our answer is "no" or nothing at all. Children are always probing, though, searching to discover the true quality of our love for them. We have to be careful that our respo...
Oct 09, 2024•37 min•Ep 444•Transcript available on Metacast What is it like to home school in high school? In this episode Jessica offers her experience so far with the nitty gritty honest feedback about what's hard, what's great, and what she recommends! About Jessica Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud. Resources Schole Academy TuttleTwins.com The Tuttle Twins: American History Tuttle Twins TV Connect Jessica Smartt | Insta...
Oct 07, 2024•22 min•Ep 447•Transcript available on Metacast A new homeschool year is upon us and there may be no better time to speak to all the homeschooling dads out there. As most of you recognize, your wife is doing critical work. In fact, few other occupations in the world can compare with it. Why, then, do we as husbands find it so difficult to be involved in it? This episode of the Homeschool Solutions Show is my humble attempt to address all the husbands of homeschooling households out there in the hopes that they will take a more active interest...
Sep 17, 2024•44 min•Ep 446•Transcript available on Metacast Don't let anyone shame you for sheltering your kids. The true argument is not about creating open minds, but about who gets to them first. This episode is about why Old School Homeschooling is the best way to ensure continued homeschool freedom for truth and reason! About Jennifer Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler , is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration. Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys. She is a licensed Physician Assistant...
Aug 27, 2024•18 min•Ep 443•Transcript available on Metacast Join curriculum expert Cathy Duffy and me as we talk about the art of choosing homeschool curriculum. You'll learn about goals, learning styles, types of homeschooling, and more. I think you'll come away feeling much more comfortable about making choices that fit your family. About Cathy Cathy Duffy has been reviewing homeschool curriculum and resources since the 1980s, and is the author of several books, including her most recent volume, 103 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. Cathy began educ...
Aug 20, 2024•45 min•Ep 442•Transcript available on Metacast You pretty much know where you are and where you'd like to be in your homeschool, but the space between those two places can be terribly frustrating. You've probably tried many times to build a habit or acquire a discipline that you believe would benefit your homeschool and have failed just as many times to the point that you may have given up altogether. Well, this episode is here to encourage you to keep trying. Keep trying, not only for yourself, but that your children can see the increasingl...
Aug 19, 2024•49 min•Ep 440•Transcript available on Metacast 
