I got an email this morning that almost made me break out into hives. It was from a popular homeschool planning company that was touting their ready-made homeschool plans. Now having done this homeschool mentor thing for a number of years I know that people really want plans that are already made — after all we sell ready-made Morning Time plans for just those folks (and I use them myself!!). Listen or read more at https://pambarnhill.com/lists-for-homeschool/...
Jun 15, 2018•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Most days I feel like my brain is a sieve. Can anyone else relate? It is full, absolutely full to the brim, and I am hustling like crazy to plug all the little holes and keep everything from running out of it. Remember to pay the bills. Remember to make the dental appointment (I have a referral for my son to get a tooth pulled. It is dated 2-5-18 and that appointment is still not made.) Remember to give the dogs their heartworm medication. Switch the laundry before it sours. Stir the chili befor...
Jun 08, 2018•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast My kids piled out of the mini-van and chatted happily, heading in the door of the donut shop. It was hot — almost 100 degrees on this mid-July day. But it was the first day of school and that means donuts. This was not some spontaneous decision made in the moment, but instead, a planned (and beloved) tradition that makes the first day of school something we anticipate instead of dread. We always start school on a Wednesday. We always start with just a handful of subjects. We always start with a ...
Jun 01, 2018•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Last week I told you all about Laura and how her homeschool plan actually created more stress in her life than it did peace. It happens. A lot. This week I am back, as promised, to give you four important keys you can use to create a plan that doesn’t feel like a guess, but instead, a tool to help you homeschool strong for the entire year. This is how to get it done. Listen or read more at https://pambarnhill.com/four-keys-homeschool-plan/...
May 25, 2018•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ah summer. Swimming pools, ice cream, and hours free to get bored do what you want. I loved summer because our days are more relaxed. I love a break from the structured school time and the feeling of needing to get a litany of school work accomplished each day. But if I am not careful our summers turn into a marathon of cartoons, video games, and YouTube (Does anyone else’s kids like to look up their current passion on YouTube and watch all the videos?) Listen or read more at https://pambarnhill...
May 18, 2018•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Not all Fridays are great. Sometimes they bring out Friday Mom. You know the kind of Fridays I mean. They should be fun. But they turn into stress. For example, on a recent Friday morning, we had one hour before we had to leave home for a field trip. Of course, you know what happened—chaos. Listen or read more at https://www.sonlight.com/blog/four-day-homeschool-week.html
May 11, 2018•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Laundry sits in piles upstairs. There are two loads waiting to be folded and two are sitting in the washer and dryer. Campfire scented top sheets are tossed haphazardly on the floor so I don’t forget to wash them next. None of these piles include my own laundry which is overflowing in a basket down the hall. I have only tackled the towels and the boys’ clothing so far and I can’t seem to even finish that task. Listen or read more at http://www.notbefore7.com/2017/09/24/things-wont-work/...
May 04, 2018•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Isn’t it interesting that a homeschool parent’s qualifications or lack thereof can cause objections to homeschooling? For whatever reason, there’s this notion that only those with a background in education are truly capable of teaching and training children and teenagers. Here’s the thing, I am that homeschool mom without an education degree . I am that parent in question and I want to shout it loud that it can be done and done well. Listen or read more at https://tablelifeblog.com/homeschool-wi...
Apr 27, 2018•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast I always feel pulled in two different directions in February. One on hand, the Fun Mom in me wants to live large. She wants to shake up the daily routine, toss out the boring old schoolbooks, and spend February setting the kids’ enthusiasm afire with fascinating hands-on projects from Pinterest. But on the other hand, the Responsible Mom in me would really like to get the math book done by the end of May. (And she’s not so sure she can pull off that watermelon clipper ship .) Fortunately, you ca...
Apr 20, 2018•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ask any veteran homeschool mom whose kids have already graduated from high school, and she will reassure you: She had the same fears you have now. She realizes now how pointless most of those fears were. What a difference 10-15 years of hindsight makes! But you don't have to wait that long. Let's look right now at ten of the biggest and most common homeschool fears so you can face—and more importantly, conquer —them. Listen or read more at https://www.bookshark.com/blog/homeschool-fears/...
Apr 13, 2018•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast I hear it all the time. We’re having self-editing issues. For some reason, my children believe they are perfect writers! They can never find any spelling or grammar mistakes. Surprise, surprise! Most children simply don’t get the whole editing thing. They like what they wrote and can’t understand why you want them to— gasp!— look for ways to improve it. Listen or read more at https://writeshop.com/why-self-editing-is-hard-make-it-easier/
Apr 06, 2018•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Do you ever have bad attitudes in your homeschool? I love homeschooling and my children usually do, too. But, sometimes the homeschooling attitudes in our house just stink. Have you ever wanted to wring the necks of grumpy kids who whine about every single task set before them. Or dole out about a hundred chores every time you run up against obstinate behavior? Me, too. Listen or read more at https://ourjourneywestward.com/bad-attitudes-in-your-homeschool/
Mar 30, 2018•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast In my earliest days of homeschooling, I had ideas about what our homeschool would actually look like. You know what I mean… right? And then we actually started homeschooling. And it just never looked quite like that initial vision. Listen or read more at https://readaloudrevival.com/jbwc/
Mar 23, 2018•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast About five years ago the days in our homeschool were simply learning math facts, phonics, and letter formation. Yawn. Sure we read a picture book or two, but I had a two-year-old who sapped all the energy I used to have for putting together elaborate unit studies. In addition my kids had informed me in no uncertain terms that they wanted nothing to do with making another lapbook thank.you.very.much. Listen or read more at https://ihomeschoolnetwork.com/homeschool-morning-time-2/...
Mar 15, 2018•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast I am not a morning person. My kids are not morning people. Unfortunately, my husband IS a morning person. This became very apparent when we all went on a week-long homeschool field trip. My husband would wake early, run to the gym, and return to the hotel very chipper — and talkative (ugg!). Listen or read more at https://www.hidethechocolate.com/homeschool-morning-meeting/
Mar 09, 2018•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Long before I was asked to speak at the Great Homeschool Conventions I was an attendee. In fact, convention time each year made me rather giddy. I almost always went with friends. We would make a road trip and a weekend of it. I would plot my speaker schedule like a general manages an attack, walk every single aisle of the vendor hall just to make sure I didn’t miss anything, and I still have my rolling cart which held everything from water bottles to emergency snacks. And I just learned so much...
Mar 02, 2018•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast When my daughter was two years old she had the cutest habit of picking up her toy cell phone, holding it to her ear, and making a noise somewhere between a growl and disgusted sigh. “Look,” we would laugh. “Where did she learn that?” Until one day I was driving down a stretch of rural highway we often traveled and my phone dropped a call yet again. The noise of disgust was barely out of my mouth when I realized exactly where Olivia picked up that little habit. Whoops. Listen or read more at http...
Feb 23, 2018•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast “Everyone was up late and needs just a quiet day.” “We’ve been working so hard, a day off is just what we need. “ “We missed lessons yesterday, I’m not motivated today." Do any of these sound familiar to you? They used to be all-too-familiar to me. Not only that, some of them are still tempting from time to time. But now I know a truth: schooling consistency breeds consistency. Listen or read more at https://pambarnhill.com/benefits-homeschool-consistency/...
Feb 16, 2018•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast The morning light was thin, blue, and cold. It was cozy under my blanket though as I sipped my coffee. I had an edifying book in my lap — who am I kidding — I was scrolling Facebook on my phone. One kid was asleep, two were upstairs watching “educational” cartoons, and frankly, I was in no hurry to start my school day. Listen or read more at https://pambarnhill.com/sabotage-your-homeschool/
Feb 09, 2018•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast I have been a somewhat lonely homeschooler for the past several years. It began when we chose to homeschool high school — and most of our homeschooling friends did not. True story: out of the 20-30 families we knew who homeschooled back when our children were in the early elementary grades, I can think of only a handful of them that continued homeschooling through the high school years. I confess that this bothers me.
Feb 02, 2018•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast There’s a common adage that says if you lose your why, you lose your way. In other words, if you forget why you’re doing what you’re doing, you’re not going to get very far. You’ll be easily sidetracked by distractions, discouragement, and disappointments. If you don’t have a firm grasp on your reason for following your chosen path, you can get derailed. This is part of why I believe in purposeful living, which includes purposeful homeschooling. Listen or read more at https://embracingdestinyblo...
Jan 26, 2018•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Being a mom is tough work. Being a homeschool mom is crazy tough work! Whether you are a newbie or a seasoned homeschool mom, these 25 practical tips and words of encouragement will keep you trekking along in your homeschooling journey with your chin up! Listen or read more at http://rulethisroost.com/25-ways-to-rule-your-homeschool/
Jan 19, 2018•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Did you recently meet a homeschooler for the first time? Did a friend or family member just shock you by announcing they will be homeschooling their children? Are you concerned but don’t know just what to say? Look, I get it. When we decided to homeschool I knew exactly one homeschool family. It’s different. It’s weird. You don’t quite understand it. I mean, why would anyone want to do this ? It seems so… hard. But what do you say? Listen or read more at https://thehomeschoolresourceroom.com/201...
Jan 12, 2018•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast I think my family has entered the golden age of Morning Time. My three kids range in age from 6 to 10. We have no toddlers to disrupt us (though don’t be fooled in thinking things are too quiet) and we have no teens who need to rush away to complete a list of requirements to earn credits. It is just us, together, learning to love beauty. Listen or read more at https://pambarnhill.com/morning-time-all-ages/
Jan 05, 2018•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Somehow over the years I have become the pie cook for our family holiday gatherings. I would like to think it is because I make the best pies. More likely it is because my mom thinks there are always other deserts around if I happen to ruin the pies. If I ruined the cornbread dressing? Well that's another story, isn't it? My secret to perfect pie crust? I buy it from the little doughboy in the freezer section -- two frozen 9" deep dish at a time. What I have come to learn from years of making pi...
Dec 29, 2017•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Repetitio mater memoriae. This Latin motto, which apparently is used within the Latin classroom primarily and not embraced as a defining motto like the others so far, means Repetition is the mother of memory. This is supposed to spur you on to chant those declensions, but I think the truth contained therein should spur us on in much more than language acquisition. Listen or read more at https://www.simplyconvivial.com/2014/education-is-for-life-repetitio-mater-memoriae-or-repetition/...
Dec 22, 2017•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Out of control. Disorganized. Fly by the seat of my pants. Does the start of the school year always feel this way? I don’t think it does. I am pretty sure that our past school years have followed the plan a bit more closely. But I can’t be sure. What I am sure of is that the kick-off for this 2016 school year was far from a touchdown. It feels more like life intercepted the ball and ran the other way with it and I am watching the ball leave my side of the field without a plan to get it back. Rea...
Dec 15, 2017•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast As the holidays descend upon us, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the tasks that fill your to-do lists each day. You might question whether it’s all worth it in the end, but rest assured that the extra work surrounding this time of year really does pay off, since these traditions have an extremely positive impact on a preschooler’s life. Listen or read more at https://pambarnhill.com/blessings-holiday-traditions-preschoolers/...
Dec 08, 2017•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Recently we had a great time by having friends over for our very first picture book Christmas cookie exchange. We had a few good friends over on a balmy December afternoon to share some of our favorite picture books and picture-book inspired cookies. This party was so easy to plan and hold. All we did was invite a few friends over and ask them to bring their favorite Christmas picture book, plus a treat inspired by that book. That was it. We didn’t need any other food, drink, and with it being C...
Dec 01, 2017•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you’ve been around the Homeschooling With Dyslexia web site or Facebook page for long, you know how I love to learn about learning. Since I learn completely differently than 7 of the 8 kids that I homeschool, you could say it is a bit of a necessity. Good thing I have learned to enjoy it! Listen or read more at https://homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com/motivate-kids-growth-mindset/
Nov 24, 2017•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
