The Homeschool Sanity Show

Special Replay: Why You’ve Fallen Behind In Your Homeschool Plan

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:00:57 +0000

How to Get Back on Track in Your Homeschool When You’ve Fallen Behind

A sanity-saving plan for overwhelmed homeschool moms

Have you fallen behind in your homeschool plan and now avoid opening your planner because it feels too discouraging?

You’re not alone.

In this episode of The Homeschool Sanity Show, Dr. Melanie Wilson explains why so many homeschool moms fall behind—even when they start the year with the best intentions—and what to do when your homeschool plan no longer matches real life. If you’ve ever looked at your lesson plans and thought, There is absolutely no way we’re getting all of this done, this episode is for you.

If you’ve been feeling behind, discouraged, or quietly tempted to pretend your planner doesn’t exist… this episode will help.

Listen now

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Sponsored by CTCMath.com

Why Homeschool Moms Fall Behind

One of the biggest reasons homeschool plans unravel is something called the planning fallacy.

The planning fallacy is a common human thinking error that causes us to underestimate how long things will take, even when we’ve done them before and should know better. In homeschooling, that might look like:

assuming a science experiment will only take 30 minutes
believing you can finish two full language programs in one year
thinking you can get to co-op faster “this time”
forgetting how long math or writing lessons actually take

Dr. Wilson points out that many homeschool moms also deal with optimism bias—that tendency to believe that this time things will magically go more smoothly than they have in the past. And while optimism can be helpful, it can also lead to unrealistic homeschool planning.

Why Your Homeschool Plans Keep Falling Apart

If you’ve ever wondered, Why do I keep doing this to myself?—there are actually some understandable reasons.

According to the episode, homeschool moms often fall behind because they:

1. Plan using the best-case scenario

You assume every light will be green, no child will melt down, and the printer will behave.

2. Want to believe the plan will work

It feels better to make a hopeful plan than to admit you probably cannot do everything on your wishlist this year.

3. Misremember how long things took last time

You remember the math lesson taking 10 minutes when it actually took 20.

4. Assume this year will be different

You tell yourself:

I’m more organized now
The kids are older
This curriculum is easier

Maybe. But maybe not.

5. Plan too far ahead

It’s much easier to plan a realistic week than an idealized full school year.

6. Forget about interruptions

Homeschooling rarely happens in a vacuum. Life happens:

kids get sick
appliances break
dogs escape
people need help
emotions show up

That doesn’t mean you’re bad at homeschooling. It means you’re homeschooling in real life.How to Get Back on Track in Your Homeschool

The good news? You do not need to throw out your homeschool plan completely.

You just need a better one.

Here are the key strategies Dr. Melanie Wilson shares for getting back on track:

1. Plan Using the Worst-Case Scenario

Instead of assuming everything will go perfectly, estimate based on what usually happens on a normal or difficult day.

A simple way to do this:

estimate how long something should take
then double it
or at least split the difference between best case and reality

If a science experiment “should” take one hour, plan for two—or at least one and a half.

That may feel pessimistic, but it’s actually more honest and much more useful.

2. Accept That You Can’t Do Everything This Year

This one stings a little—but it’s freeing.

Sometimes the best way to get back on track is to stop trying to fit everything into this school year.

Instead:

make a list of “not this year” ideas
save great projects or extras for later
choose what matters most right now

That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re prioritizing.

3. Start Timing Your Homeschool Activities

One of the easiest ways to plan more realistically is to stop guessing.

Try timing:

your math lessons
science labs
writing assignments
read-aloud time
transitions between subjects

This gives you actual data instead of wishful thinking.

And yes… it may be mildly humbling
But it’s incredibly helpful.

4. Learn From Last Year Instead of Ignoring It

Ask yourself:

What consistently slowed us down last year?
What took longer than I expected?
What parts of our day always felt harder than planned?
What routines still aren’t working?

If your homeschool day still tends to start late…
If your kids still dawdle…
If you still hate setting up science supplies…

That matters.

Past patterns are often better predictors than future hopes.

5. Plan for the Short Term

If yearly planning keeps overwhelming you, try shifting to:

quarterly planning
monthly planning
weekly planning
even daily planning if needed

Short-term planning can feel more manageable and more realistic.

It also gives you a chance to adjust before things spiral too far off course.

6. Build Margin Into Your Homeschool Plan

This may be the most sanity-saving strategy of all.

Dr. Wilson encourages homeschool moms to leave margin in their plans—intentional open space for the unexpected.

That might look like:

leaving one hour unscheduled each day
keeping one lighter day each week
leaving one week open each month
creating “catch-up” space instead of packing every day full

This is so important because real life always shows up eventually.

And when it does, margin helps you recover without feeling like the entire year is ruined.

What to Do If You’re Already Behind in Your Homeschool

If you’re already behind, here’s your gentle reset plan:

Start here:

Open the planner
Don’t panic
Don’t try to catch up on everything at once

Then:

Ask:

What absolutely still needs to happen this year?
What can be simplified?
What can be dropped?
What keeps getting in the way?

Then do this:

revise your expectations
shorten your planning window
add margin
move forward from today, not from where you “should” be

That’s how you get back on track.

Not with guilt.
Not with overloading tomorrow.
But with a better plan.

Final Encouragement

Falling behind in your homeschool plan doesn’t mean you’re failing.

It usually just means your plan was built for an ideal life… and you’re living a real one.

The goal is not to create a perfect homeschool year.

The goal is to build a homeschool life that actually works.

And that starts by planning with reality, grace, and a little more margin.

Have a happy homeschool week!

Be sure to subscribe to the show for regular updates and planning resources!

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Special Replay: How To Teach Grammar In High School

Melanie Wilson — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:00:08 +0000

How do you teach grammar in high school homeschool?

The best way to teach grammar in high school homeschool is through short, practical instruction that connects directly to real writing. High school students are often more developmentally ready to understand grammar than younger students, and they are more motivated to improve because grammar now affects essays, communication, and future academic or career goals.

Do you have a high school student who struggles with grammar? Or do you have a soon-to-be high school student and no idea how to approach grammar at this stage?

This is the Homeschool Sanity Show, the episode where I share a sane approach to teaching grammar in high school.

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Hey, homeschoolers! If you’ve struggled to help your high schooler use correct grammar in writing or if the thought of teaching it in the high school years gives you the heebie geebies, I have good news.

This episode is sponsored by CTCMath.com

The high school years are the perfect time to learn grammar.

First, high school students have the abstract reasoning ability required to truly understand and implement grammar.

As I’ve explained to parents of elementary students many times, these younger students simply aren’t developmentally prepared to master the abstraction of grammar. It’s similar to the abstract reasoning ability required to master algebra. Sure, some students develop this reasoning ability earlier, but most don’t. Up until this point in their development, they were working hard to decode and pronounce words and determine the meaning of words given the context of the sentence. Asking them to determine the role of the word in a sentence as well is extra challenging.

That’s why I made Grammar Galaxy a fun, confidence-building introduction to grammar and other language arts in the elementary years. I didn’t want them avoiding grammar once the were developmentally ready to use it in their writing.

The second reason high school is the perfect time to learn grammar is because they have begun to care about it.

When students are in classes with other students and sharing in speech or writing, they will want to avoid the embarrassment of poor grammar. I capitalized on this peer pressure with my own kids with great results. In the English classes I taught, students read their writing aloud and passed it to a friend to read aloud. This performance pressure rapidly improved my students’ grammar and spelling. High school students also begin to use messaging and email and do not want to have poor grammar and spelling for their friends to see. Some of them will be interested in learning grammar for the first time as a result.

Finally, high school is a great time to teach grammar because these students can learn independently.

With the developmental ability and new motivation, students can use grammar curriculum to learn more quickly than they could have in elementary school. With instruction, they will learn to make better use of automatic editors like Grammarly. Like all writers, they will still require another human editor–whether that’s you, an outside instructor, or a friend with good grammar. I have found high school students learn from this editing feedback very quickly.

I hope I’ve convinced you that your teen isn’t behind or incapable of growing as a writer if they still need to master grammar.

But now the question becomes how to teach it.

The first step is to encourage your student to continue reading for pleasure.

Studies indicate that high school students tend to spend more time with friends than reading as much as they did in their earlier years. They also tend to use reading time for study instead of leisure. But reading for enjoyment is the key to developing your student’s vocabulary, grammar, and writing. Invest time helping your student find enjoyable books and making time to read them in their schedule.

The next step in teaching high school grammar is to reinforce the purpose of it.

Reluctant students want to know why they should care. Using prescreened, funny grammar memes and examples is a great way to do this. Because I write grammar curriculum, my high school student loves pointing out grammar errors he finds. You can have fun with this, too. Consider having a competition to find grammar errors.

Many of the principles of teaching high school grammar are the same as teaching younger students.

- First, keep grammar instruction short. I think of grammar like a tennis drill. When I take a tennis lesson, I enjoy doing a short drill on volleys. But doing an hour of it without playing the game would be a buzz kill.

- Make grammar memorable. When grammar concepts are taught using relevant humor, multimedia, games, and with adequate repetition, students will remember it. (Grammar teaching podcast).

- Limit the corrections to a student’s writing. Correcting all the grammar and spelling mistakes at once can be demoralizing for a budding writer. Tell your student ahead of time which grammar issues you’ll be looking for. Consider limiting your first review to the content. Give as much positive feedback as possible. Then go over the specific grammar skills you’re working on. If your student asks for more feedback, then give it. But otherwise limit your editing to those skills.

How to Choose a Grammar Curriculum for High School

When choosing a grammar curriculum for high school, you haven’t had many options. There are worksheet drills indistinguishable from elementary and middle school curriculum. There are the thoroughly dry English curricula that have sentences unrelated to story or to teens’ lives. And then there are brief reviews that are optional. My students didn’t learn anything from these.

The number one request I get from Grammar Galaxy booth visitors at Great Homeschool Conventions is a curriculum for high school. I knew that the Grammar Galaxy story line wasn’t well suited to older teens, so I created a new fictional curriculum. Kirk English, the programming whiz kid in Grammar Galaxy, has developed a program to deal the failure of autocorrect. His Fast Grammar training is for human autocorrectors. These trainees will get to know clients’ intentions so they can correct their grammar in real time through the power of science fiction.

The client in the training is a high school student who has typical teen troubles as well as high school writing assignments. Students who use Fast Grammar correct the client’s grammar while learning it themselves. Trainees will look forward to getting the client’s updates in each lesson.

Fast Grammar is a supplemental, secular curriculum that can be used with any high school literature or writing program. The brief lessons can be completed in one sitting or preferentially, spread out over the week. Like Grammar Galaxy, much of the lesson can be completed with a highlighter. Homophone graphics are included each week because choosing the wrong homophone is a common and embarrassing problem for writers.

The curriculum is completely independent, with the solutions at the back of the student book. At the end of each unit, teachers can administer a test that is available in a separate PDF download. The solutions will help you score the test and give a grade that can contribute to the English grade for the year.

Click here to download a complete lesson. If you’ll be joining me at the Great Homeschool Conventions this year, you can see it in person. The week of this broadcast, the curriculum is 20% off in print or digital.

Whether you try Fast Grammar or not, I hope I’ve given you hope that high school can be the time that your student grasps grammar. Give some of these strategies a try, and I feel confident that you’ll see your high schooler’s writing improve.

Have a happy homeschool week!

FAQ’s

Is high school too late to teach grammar?

No, high school is often the ideal time to teach grammar because teens are more developmentally ready to understand abstract grammar concepts and more motivated to apply them in writing.

Do homeschool high schoolers need grammar curriculum?

Many homeschool high school students benefit from a grammar curriculum, especially if they struggle with writing mechanics, punctuation, sentence structure, or common usage errors.

What is the best grammar curriculum for homeschool high school?

The best grammar curriculum for homeschool high school is one that is age-appropriate, practical, and easy to apply in real writing rather than just isolated drills.

How often should you teach grammar in high school?

Grammar is often most effective when taught in short, consistent lessons rather than long, infrequent sessions.

The post Special Replay: How To Teach Grammar In High School appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: The Importance Of Music In Child Development

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:48 +0000

The Importance of Music in Child Development

Why does music matter in home education? Is it just so we can have junior show off for grandparents at recitals? Is it just a nice elective to fill out the kids’ transcript? Or is it an underappreciated medium for the development of multiple skills? That’s what I’ll discuss with my guest Adrian Edward.

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Visit our sponsor: Now Programs, Neuro Development of Words

Podcast Guest: Adrian Edward

I met Adrian the way I meet many of my podcast guests and eventual friends—at a Great Homeschool Convention. One of the first things I noticed about Adrian and his wife Maria was how much friends who greeted them at their booth loved them. Like adored them. After seeing him at five conventions, I’ve realized it’s because that’s how much they love other people. They have both made me feel special. But that’s not all they have going for them. Their Color Me Mozart materials are ingenious and professional. I can’t wait to use them with future grandchildren.

Adrian is a music educator, but it was during his work at The Guild for Exceptional Children in Brooklyn that he saw just how powerful music could be—especially for children with special needs. But he also noticed a troubling truth: in many early education programs, music was treated as an afterthought. Adrian set out to change that.

Through innovative teaching methods and a deep belief that music should be accessible to every child, Adrian has helped families and educators bring joy, connection, and growth into their homes and classrooms—whether their children are neurotypical or have special needs.

We discuss:

How preschoolers can learn real music—even if you aren’t musical The brain science behind music as a language The surprising reason most music curriculums fail young learners

Music Resources Discussed

https://colormemozart.com

https://www.instagram.com/colormemozartmusic

https://www.facebook.com/ColormeMozartMusic

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: The Importance Of Music In Child Development appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Your Child Wants To Keep Everything: Here’s What to Do

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:00:59 +0000

Your child wants to keep every rock, every toy, every piece of packaging. And saying “this is trash” just creates power struggles.

Dana K. White (decluttering expert and author of “Winnie’s Pillows”) shares a better way.

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Learn: • The biggest mistake parents make when decluttering with kids • Two powerful questions that help kids make their own decisions • How the Container Concept works even with strong-willed kids • Why the “five-minute pickup” is your secret weapon • How “Winnie’s Pillows” gets kids to voluntarily declutter

**Key insight:** You don’t have to convince kids something is “bad” to let it go. Just help them face the reality of space.

Parents report: After reading “Winnie’s Pillows,” their kids asked to declutter their own rooms!

Book: Available anywhere books are sold Connect: @DanaKWhite or @ASlobComesClean

Training Aliens: https://funtolearnbooks.com/product/training-aliens-level-2-kit/

Thank you to our sponsor, CTCMath.com

The post Your Child Wants To Keep Everything: Here’s What to Do appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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The College Model Is Broken; What To Do Instead

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:38 +0000

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Jonathan is a homeschool graduate who became the youngest director of admissions in Virginia. He spent 11 years on the inside of traditional higher education. Now, as CEO of Unbound and father of eight homeschooled kids, he’s challenging everything we think we know about preparing young adults for life after high school.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER:

- Why the traditional college model is fundamentally broken

- The crisis Jonathan faced: “I’m making a living asking people to make a bad financial decision”

- Why we’re asking 18-year-olds to make decisions we would never make ourselves

- How education has shifted from answers-based to questions-based

- Why failure needs to be an option (not catastrophic) for real-world success

- The real definition of success (not fame, fortune, or power)

- How homeschoolers already have an enormous advantage

RESOURCES

Unbound: http://beunbound.us

Call and ask for Jonathan directly (yes, really!)

Today’s episode sponsor: CTCMath.com

Is the College Model Broken?

“I came home and my 11-year-old daughter opened the door. And I thought: I wouldn’t send her to the college where I’m working.”

That moment changed everything for Jonathan Brush—and led him to create a completely different approach to post-high school education.

Read the Transcript

Watch on YouTube

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER:

- Why the traditional college model is fundamentally broken

- The crisis Jonathan faced: “I’m making a living asking people to make a bad financial decision”

- Why we’re asking 18-year-olds to make decisions we would never make ourselves

- How education has shifted from answers-based to questions-based

- Why failure needs to be an option (not catastrophic) for real-world success

- The real definition of success (not fame, fortune, or power)

- How homeschoolers already have an enormous advantage

RESOURCES

Unbound: http://beunbound.us

Call and ask for Jonathan directly (yes, really!)

Today’s episode sponsor: CTCMath.com

The post The College Model Is Broken; What To Do Instead appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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How To Teach Leadership

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:00:41 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! I used to be of the mind that leaders were born, not made. What I mean is, I thought you needed to be a Type A extrovert to be a leader. There didn’t seem to be much point to teaching my introverted kids how to lead.

But my opinion has changed as I’ve watched my introverted, Type B child become a leader. I’ve also changed my thinking after interviewing Kerry Beck for the podcast. Her definition of leadership motivates us to teach every child these skills.

I’m thrilled to be joining Kerry for the Raising Leaders, Not Followers conference starting February 25th. You can sign up now for free if you know you’ll be able to watch live or register for the VIP option at homeschoolsanity.com/leaders. I’ll be sharing how to help your child make and keep friends. I would love to have you join me.

Kerry Beck helps you get past the perfect Instagram image & move on to real-life ways to raise your kids to lead, instead of follow. She offers practical tips to encourage your kids to love learning, think critically and influence those around them as adults. She inspires moms with her personal & spiritual stories of moving from overwhelmed to peace & resting in God.

Kerry homeschooled her three (now adult) children for 10 years. She has a free homeschooling ebook for you at HowToHomeschoolMyChild.com.

Watch on YouTube

CTC Math.com

Leadership Resources

Homeschool Coffee Break Podcast: https://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/podcast2024/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/HowToHomeschoolMyChild

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/howtohomeschoolmychild/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpuF_qVYrSVUUZrL8mWhYfA

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/howtohomeschool/

Leadership Summit http://homeschoolsanity.com/leaders

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post How To Teach Leadership appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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How To Teach Your Kids To Make Wise Decisions

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 11:00:19 +0000

How do you teach your kids to make wise decisions in a world that feels increasingly morally gray? As homeschool parents, many of us worry about striking the right balance. We don’t want to be too controlling on one hand, but we also don’t want to just let our kids “figure it out” on their own. So how do we help them develop godly wisdom without micromanaging every choice?

In this episode, I talk with Dean Zuleger—a father of four, grandfather of seven, and someone who has spent decades mentoring kids through coaching, teaching, and ministry. Dean homeschooled his own children in Wisconsin, and now his son and daughter-in-law are homeschooling their five kids in Minnesota. Dean has developed a biblical framework for teaching decision-making to children that gives them structure and security in an uncertain world.

His approach? Use classic literature and powerful questions to help kids move from observing characters’ choices to owning wisdom themselves. Whether you have wiggly elementary boys, decision-averse teens, or kids somewhere in between, this conversation is packed with practical tools and biblical wisdom for raising wise decision-makers.

Sponsored by CTCMath.com

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

- Why structure and order are essential

- How to use classic literature to teach decision-making

- The natural progression of independence

- How to correct without labeling as failure

- What to ask when choosing between two good alternatives

- The difference between God’s moral will and sovereign will

- Why teaching kids to “think ahead” matters

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Read the Transcript

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

- The Wolf Story by Williams McCleery

- The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

- Watership Down by Richard Adams

- Think Ahead by Craig Groeschel

- Decision-Making and the Will of God by Gary Friesen

- The Warrior’s Way by Jocko Willink

- Great Homeschool Conventions

- Training Aliens

- CharisDynamics.com and Dean @ Charisdynamicsllc.com

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post How To Teach Your Kids To Make Wise Decisions appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Homeschool Mom: You’re Not Alone

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:00:27 +0000

Feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or like you’re the only one struggling? This conversation will remind you that you’re not alone.

Annette Vaughn, author of Dear Homeschool Mom, shares early warning signs of burnout, the difference between healthy reflection and unhealthy guilt, and practical ways to refuel your tank before you hit empty.

Sponsored by CTCMath.com

The best part? Her book features encouragement from 50+ ordinary homeschool moms who’ve been there—written specifically for different struggles and seasons you’re facing.

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Read the Transcript

Learn:

Warning signs you’re heading toward burnout

How to tell the difference between a bad day and burnout

Why feeling isolated is normal (you’re doing something countercultural!)

Practical ways to fill yourself with encouragement

Why you have value to offer other moms (even if you’re brand new)

Book: Dear Homeschool Mom

Connect: @DearHomeschoolMomBook (Instagram/Facebook)

You’re doing better than you think. Your kids will be okay. You don’t have to have it all figured out.

The post Homeschool Mom: You’re Not Alone appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Faith In Family Health

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:00:45 +0000

Tired? Fearful about your family’s health? Overwhelmed by conflicting health information and not sure who to trust? You’re not alone. And this conversation is going to help.

In this episode, Dr. Melanie Wilson talks with Dr. Dusty Hess, founder of Upstream Health and publisher of Upstream Magazine, about how to realign your family’s health back to God’s original design—without fear, without overwhelm, and without needing to become a health expert.

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To The Homeschool Mom Who Feels Like She’s Failing

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:00:18 +0000

Do you feel like you’re failing because your kids’ character, or math skills, or writing aren’t where they should be? Did you plan to read more books, finish more lessons, and make more healthy meals than you did? Or do you feel like you’re failing personally in your faith, organization, or health? If so, know that I can relate. I’m Dr. Melanie Wilson and this is The Homeschool Sanity Show where I will share three reasons you think you’re failing and how you can just stop that already. Seriously, I want you to feel better after listening to this episode. So grab a cup of coffee, some laundry to fold, or some sneakers and let’s get over this failure fixation, shall we?

Sponsored by CTCMath.com

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The first reason you feel like you’re failing is because you’re focused on your weaknesses.

I have always thought I homeschooled six kids in spite of my weaknesses in organization, patience, and focus. Then I watched a video clip of Pastor Emmanuel Iren discussing Jonah’s impact on Nineveh and my whole perspective changed. I was likewise focused on Jonah’s weaknesses. He was bitter and disobedient. But he was the perfect prophet to accomplish God’s purposes. Before Jonah arrived, the people of Nineveh believed in a god that was a man who emerged from a fish.

You’re going to catch on to this quickly, so I will just say it. God chose Jonah because he knew he would run to the boat to avoid preaching to the Ninevites. He didn’t choose Jonah in spite of this weakness. Jonah did have a very good prophet characteristic, however. He told the truth. The men said, “What up?” and he told them he was running from God. The men apparently thought this God was just an average God that was no concern to them. Until the storm threatened them. They cast lots to see who was responsible, and who made the lot fall on Jonah? God. I love that Jonah continues to be honest and says, “Yep, it’s me. I’m responsible for the storm. Throw me overboard.” That was no kind of honesty that these men were used to and they were scared. They threw out everything else but Jonah to survive the storm, but as you know it didn’t work. They threw Jonah out and prayed to the one true God for mercy.

A big fish swallows Jonah and delivers him to the shores of Nineveh where the people can see him being spit out. Can you imagine? They’re rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Jonah is in a much more obedient state of mind after his time out in a fish. He tells the people to repent and they are willing to listen to anything this man from God has to say.

Now what does this have to do with why you feel like you’re failing? If you are focused on your weaknesses as a source of failure, you’ve missed the boat. God may very well have chosen you to homeschool your children at this time BECAUSE of your weaknesses. God knew I was disorganized. He knew that I was drowning in a mess until a flyfisherwoman called the FLYLady pulled me in and taught me about routines. She set me free so I could homeschool and handle more kids. Like Jonah I was ready to preach! I shared my story with other homeschool moms in The Organized Homeschool Life.

God used a disobedient prophet to save a ship full of sailors and an entire city. So God can surely use your weaknesses to teach your children. I ask you now to consider how God has used your weaknesses for good. And throw the idea of weaknesses meaning failure overboard.

The second reason you think you’re failing is because you’re comparing.

You know it’s wrong, but you keep sneaking peeks at what your homeschool neighbor is doing. I did that at my son’s homeschool kindergarten graduation. I agreed to participate before I knew any better. I thought it was a photo op with cake. But no, apparently it was an exhibition for homeschool talent scouts.

I was shocked that several kindergarteners provided the music for the graduation. I didn’t even have my son in lessons yet. Clearly, I was already years behind. While a couple of these youngsters spoke for the ceremony, my son wasn’t even paying attention. There was more of this to come.

I put my son in soccer in second grade. He would look everywhere but the field during games and slowly jogged behind the players moving the ball. His coach left him on the bench most of the time, and even my husband concluded he wasn’t athletic.

When he started high school, I didn’t even consider putting him in leadership activities some of the other homeschooled boys were in. He just didn’t have the personality they had.

When it came time for my son to go to college, he entered with an undeclared major. His best friend knew exactly what he wanted to do.

Comparing had me thinking I had failed. But here’s the end of the story. This son of mine learned to play multiple instruments, mostly on his own. He asked to be part of our church’s worship team. In college he started playing handball and excelled at it. He also started playing in pickleball tournaments and winning. He convinced his younger siblings to join the handball team and started a book club with friends and siblings as a working adult. He decided to become a physician’s assistant while in college. He arranged to get the patient hours he needed, was accepted to PA school, graduated, and got a job he loves.

Now, I am not responsible for this young man’s success. But neither did I fail him. Instead of comparing yourself to other moms or your kids to theirs, compare where you and your child are now to where you started. No doubt you’ve made progress.

The third reason you think you’re failing is because you’re depending on your own strength.

I recently began working on being able to do a pull-up. To build my strength, I was going to do negative pull-ups. You jump up to a bar and slowly lower yourself. I jumped up to the pull-up bar, only I didn’t slowly lower. I very quickly landed flat on my back because the bar wasn’t secure. I’m thrilled to say that I was okay. Thanks be to God.

But this is how I started my homeschooling journey too. I thought I was strong enough and disciplined enough to do it. And pride goeth before a fall. My pull-up training WAS a fail, but that was my first effort. After throwing the pull-up bar in the trash, I went to the gym and used a pull-up machine. I stood on a step that provided the support I needed when my strength wasn’t up to the job. Since then I have been doing negative pull-ups at home. At first I asked my husband to spot me.

God is our strength and support for everything we do in this homeschooling life. He bears the burdens. He makes things work even when we mess up. All we have to do is ask Him. If we could do it in our own strength, we would be filled with pride. We wouldn’t depend on Him.

God also provides support through a spouse, family, and friends. I could not have finished the job of homeschooling without their help and encouragement. Ask yourself if you’ve been trying to do homeschooling with no support. If so, ask for help. One thing I have learned about other homeschoolers in particular is they LOVE to help.

Conclusion

If you felt like you were failing when you started this podcast because you were focused on your weaknesses, comparisons, or doing it all yourself, I hope you’re beginning to see the shore come into focus. You will land on your feet when you see that everything is working out exactly as God planned.

And one more thing. Although Jonah’s failure is in print for thousands of years, your children are unlikely to remember your shortcomings. What will be a lasting memory is your faith in God and your love for them.

Be sure to subscribe for more encouragement. Have a happy homeschool week!

The post To The Homeschool Mom Who Feels Like She’s Failing appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Overcoming Perfectionism As A Homeschool Mom

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:00:57 +0000

Do you feel like you’re only as good as your last perfect homeschool day? Do you struggle with the exhausting cycle of trying to prove your worth through achievement? In this powerful conversation, Pamela Good shares her journey from childhood survival mode to adult perfectionism—and how she finally broke free.

Pamela grew up with three siblings in a home where their mother struggled with paranoid schizophrenia. To cope, she learned to push herself relentlessly in sports, work, and eventually motherhood. But that survival strategy that served her as a child became a prison as an adult. She shares how she crashed and burned trying to be perfect, and how she discovered God’s love and grace in the midst of her brokenness.

Sponsored by CTCMath.com

Watch on YouTube

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• How childhood trauma can lead to perfectionism in adulthood

• Why trying to prove you’re not broken only makes things worse

• How perfectionism affects our children (even when we think we’re hiding it)

• The lies Satan tells us when we’re discouraged

• Three truths that help us break free from performance-based living

• Why it’s important to give ourselves grace for survival strategies that no longer serve us

• How worship music and Scripture helped Pamela renew her mind

• The difference between being a perfectionist and being a recovering perfectionist

Key Quotes:

“I wanted people to think I was worthy. I didn’t want people to see me as broken. So I was going to be the perfect mother, even though I never had one.”

“I realized the voices telling me ‘you need to do this’ or ‘this isn’t good enough’ weren’t me—it was Satan, the ruler of darkness.”

“Only Jesus is perfect. You will never be perfect. But you just feel you can achieve it. And you keep on that little wheel going round and round.”

“I’m a child of God. And if the Son sets you free, you’re free indeed.”

About Pamela Good:

Pamela is the author of “He Never Let Go: Overcoming Childhood Trauma with the Love of God.” She and her three siblings survived a chaotic childhood and all went on to raise beautiful families of their own. Pamela’s book recently won an award for transformative stories.

Connect with Pamela:

• Website: pamelawaggonergood.com

• Facebook: Pamela Waggoner Good

More from Homeschool Sanity:

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend who needs to hear this message!

Subscribe to the podcast

Follow on Instagram: @homeschoolsanity

Remember, friend: You are not defined by your productivity. You are not measured by how perfectly your homeschool runs. You are a child of God, loved just as you are.

The post Overcoming Perfectionism As A Homeschool Mom appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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PRAYER AS YOUR SECRET WEAPON: Transform Your Homeschool with Biblical Prayer Practices

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:00:26 +0000

Feeling overwhelmed by homeschool decisions? Struggling with patience? You’re not alone—and there’s a powerful solution hiding in plain sight.

Join Dr. Melanie Wilson and author Danika Cooley for an inspiring conversation about how prayer can ground your daily life, reduce overwhelm, and create a peaceful rhythm for your homeschool year. This isn’t about adding another “should” to your list—it’s about discovering simple, repeatable prayer practices that actually work for busy homeschool moms.

Danika shares powerful stories of answered prayer (including an incredible 15-year journey of seeing God transform an entire city!), practical insights from biblical prayer patterns, and why conversational prayer throughout your day might be exactly what you need instead of a rigid quiet time routine.

Sponsored by CTCMath.com

Watch on YouTube

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER

Why prayer isn’t boring (and what to do when it feels that way)
The three types of biblical prayer most essential for homeschool moms
How to pray throughout your day without sitting still for an hour
Real stories of answered prayer that will strengthen your faith
What we can learn from Hezekiah’s prayer when he was surrounded by enemies
A stunning testimony of how persistent prayer transformed an entire city over 15 years
Why God doesn’t shame us for our lack of faith before answering our prayers

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Introduction: Trading Overwhelm for Prayerful Rhythm
00:57 – Welcome Danika Cooley
01:12 – Family Updates & New Resources
03:15 – Why Prayer Feels Boring (And Why It Shouldn’t)
03:49 – Three Essential Prayer Types for Homeschool Moms
07:07 – Learning from Biblical Prayers
10:07 – The Hezekiah Story: God’s Grace When We Mess Up
12:19 – Why We Can Always Come to God
15:00 – Making Prayer Practical (Not Perfect)
20:00 – Conversational Prayer Throughout Your Day
22:00 – The Power of Praying Scripture
24:00 – An Incredible 15-Year Answered Prayer Story
29:51 – God’s Perfect Timing in Answered Prayer
30:21 – Where to Find 60 Scriptures You Can Pray

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Danika’s New Book: 60 Scriptures You Can Pray
Learn more & download FREE resources: http://prayerinthebible.com

Letter and reading schedule for groups
Journal pages
Women’s Bible study materials

Special Replay: Wisdom For Raising Boys

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 11:00:12 +0000

Sharing this special replay in honor of Durenda Wilson, who is spending this Christmas with her Savior, leaving behind family and friends who will miss her terribly.

Hey, homeschoolers! I never thought I would have five boys, but I am so glad I do. I love them to the moon and back and judging by the response my episode on homeschooling boys got, so do you.

That’s why I was excited to read Durenda Wilson’s new book on the topic and to hear her thoughts on why it’s so important to think about how we are raising our boys. In Raising Boys to Men: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on Raising and Homeschooling Boys, Durenda shares her almost three decades of experience raising and homeschooling her five boys. She brings wisdom and perspective that will inspire moms to see their sons in a fresh and hopeful way, so they can raise the next generation of boys to be courageous men of faith and action. I know you’ll love our conversation.

Watch on YouTube

Episode Summary

Durenda Wilson, a homeschooling mother of eight boys, discusses the importance of raising boys and the challenges they face in today’s culture. She emphasizes the need for understanding and appreciating the unique characteristics and nature of boys, while also setting clear boundaries and instilling a strong work ethic. Wilson shares personal anecdotes and insights from her book, which aims to equip mothers with a better understanding of their sons and provide practical guidance for homeschooling and parenting boys. In this conversation, Durenda Wilson discusses her book ‘Raising Boys to Men’ and shares her insights on motherhood and parenting. She emphasizes the joy of raising children and the satisfaction that comes from hard work. Durenda also highlights the importance of shared responsibility in parenting and the role of fathers in raising sons. She concludes by providing information on how to get a copy of her book and hints at future conversations on homeschooling.

Raising Boys Resources

Link to redeem your purchase for a free audiobook

Durenda’s website

Homeschooling boys episode

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: Wisdom For Raising Boys appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: Why You May Not Need To Get Caught Up

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:00:31 +0000

It’s the end of the traditional school year here and you may be trying to get caught up before summer. This is The Homeschool Sanity Show–the episode where I’ll give you permission to stop trying.

I cover three key steps to abandoning the quest to get caught up:

- Ask yourself how behind you really are

- Ask yourself how important it really is to get caught up

- Start fresh

5 Ways to End the Endless Game of Catching Up

Checklist for completing this quarter (a fresh start)

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: Why You May Not Need To Get Caught Up appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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How To Have Happy Holidays As A Homeschool Mom

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 11:00:45 +0000

Listen to the podcast

Deal with Disappointment

The first reason George and you and I find it hard to be happy through the holidays is disappointment. Maybe your homeschool year hasn’t been going the way you hoped. The kids don’t love their classes or curriculum. You’re already behind schedule. A learning challenge has been indentified. Maybe your finances are stretched even tighter than you thought. You’ve been ill. Or maybe you’ve experienced a loss. A loved one won’t be joining you for the holidays. A relationship has ended. Or you or your spouse lost a job. George experienced many disappointments like these. He lost his father, a chance to go to college, and the income he hoped for.

Thinking about disappointments is depressing, so we may try to avoid thinking about them. Yet they intrude upon our happiness anyway.

That leads me to the first step we can take to be happy through the holidays: Deal with the disappointment. Instead of eating or doom scrolling over it, acknowledge it. You’re disappointed. You hoped and prayed that things would be different, better. But they’re not.

The quickest way out of disappointment depression is through, not around. Sit by yourself with no noise and no distractions. Allow yourself to think about the disappointment and feel the feelings. If you cry, you cry. If you get mad, you get mad. Give yourself as much time as you need to think and pray about it. Journaling works too. Write out everything you’re thinking and feeling, without worrying about anyone else seeing it. When you’re done writing, you can delete it, destroy it, or password protect it.

When you’ve had the time to process it privately, you can then deal with the disappointment by talking to someone you trust who isn’t a part of the disappointment. You don’t want to worry about hurting someone’s feelings as you share your own emotions, unless you’re trying to resolve a conflict. Sometimes you’ll want to make it clear to the listener that you’re not asking them to fix the disappointment for you, just to listen. Talking it out can make a huge difference in your happiness.

Invest in People

The second cause of unhappiness at the holidays is people. People are hard. They disappoint us. We’ve already covered that. People also annoy us. Maybe we expect the bad behavior, so it’s not as disappointing as it is frustrating. We may struggle to know what to say or do when they’re around. Maybe we feel bad about something we’ve said or done in the past, so we have a serving of guilt to go along with our frustration. George had a challenging relationship with Mr. Potter, who was a constant thorn in his side. He also had to deal with selfish bank patrons and an irresponsible uncle.

While we sometimes avoid thinking about disappointments, we will often ruminate about people problems. We replay the negative things people said and did in the past over and over. We fantasize about what we should have said or done in response. And then we worry about what awful things people will do in the future. George Bailey’s ruminations led him to complete despair.

What should we do instead of ruminating about people? Invest in them. The first time I bought a stock, I followed it closely and my mood was up and down with its price. I tried to time the market and cash out at just the right time. If you know anything about stocks, you know that behavior is laughable. Yet it is what we often do in volatile relationships. We say or do something, hoping to see an immediate payoff. We watch the person like a hawk for signs that they are responding to our investment. That’s not what serious investors do. They’re in it long-term. They keep reinvesting and they don’t watch the price. They believe that what they’re giving will pay off. Of course there are times when it makes sense to sell. But if you value the relationship, you’ll want to keep investing for the long haul without worrying if you don’t see the payoff from each interaction.

George Bailey invested in people. He believed in people. He gave them a chance. He sacrificed so they could have full lives. But because he hadn’t seen the value he’d accummulated, he was ready to cash out completely.

Investing in people means that we continue being kind, loving them, and sharing the reason for the hope that we have. Investing in people means that we help people like themselves when they’re with us. We compliment them and express interest in them. We offer them the gift of hospitality and make them feel welcome. We refuse to stop believing in them.

Express Gratitude

The third reason it can be challenging to be happy during the holidays is our experience of injustice. We’re doing everything for our family, but the kids keep complaining. We are the ones hosting or helping or changing our schedule again to accommodate everyone else. We’ve been doing the right things for years, but we aren’t as successful or wealthy as people we know who do the wrong things. George felt that way. He did everything right but was wronged. He expected a punishment he didn’t deserve.

Our experience of injustice can lead to self-righteousness. Self-righteous people are not happy. Instead of focusing on our experience of injustice, we want to express our gratitude. The gift of children or grandchildren to teach is so precious. The fact that we can legally homeschool them is a gift. The extra time we have to be with our children and learn alongside them is worth more than the extra income we could have were we not homeschooling. And having to deal with imperfect people is a blessing compared to being alone.

Gratitude isn’t just something we should express because it’s the right thing to do to honor God. It’s a focus that can make us happier immediately. We can consider every good and perfect gift we have now. That’s the easiest gratitude list to make. But what about gratitude for gifts we experienced in the past? We can express gratitude for the good times we had in relationships and seasons that have ended. I’m thankful that I had family members and friends that were so wonderful that I miss them now that they’ve passed. We can also express gratitude for the good we know God will work together in the future. We don’t know that our circumstances will change the way we want them to in this life, but we know we can look forward to God’s perfect plan and presence in eternity. If you need some encouragement on that topic, I suggest listening to the episode I recorded with Jordan Raynor. We can express gratitude daily in prayer, in writing, and in relationships.

George was focused on the injustice he experienced until his eyes were opened to the many gifts he had to be grateful for. He wanted to go back to the old life he had so bitterly complained about.

Conclusion

The three steps to being happy through the holidays we’ve covered today are dealing with disappointent, investing in people, and expressing gratitude. I recently learned that Jimmy Stewart was in a very similar situation to George Bailey. He was demoralized after serving in the war and was ready to give up acting to run his family’s hardware store when director Frank Capra offered him the role of George Bailey. Although the film wasn’t a box office hit and it didn’t win any of the academy awards it was nominated for, it has become one of the most loved films of all time. Referring to director Capra, Jimmy Steward said, “He not only saved my career; he saved my life.”

I’m so grateful to God for the same reason. He saved my life and gave me the most fulfilling career–first homeschooling my kids and then writing and speaking for homeschool families. I’m also grateful for people like you who listen and read the materials I write. In gratitude, I am offering 20% all materials excluding bundles at FunToLearnBooks.com/shop with code BLACKFRI through Cyber Monday. My prayer is that you will be blessed with happy holidays. And if you haven’t watched It’s a Wonderful Life, I encourage you to watch it soon.

Have a happy homeschool week!

Hey, homeschoolers! We wish each other happy holidays, but sometimes it’s hard to be happy through the holidays. I have three reasons it can be hard that lead to three steps we can take toward happier holidays.

But first I’d like to thank our sponsor for the podcast: NOW Programs.

If you’re homeschooling a student with special needs, check out http://NOWPrograms.com

Listen to the podcast

My favorite Christmas movie is It’s a Wonderful Life. When I find out that someone hasn’t seen it, it’s all I can do to keep from dragging them to my couch and playing it because, of course, I own it. George Bailey found it to challenging to be happy through the holidays. That’s an understatement if you know the movie.

Deal with Disappointment

Thinking about disappointments is depressing, so we may try to avoid thinking about them. Yet they intrude upon our happiness anyway.

Invest in People

Express Gratitude

George was focused on the injustice he experienced until his eyes were opened to the many gifts he had to be grateful for. He wanted to go back to the old life he had so bitterly complained about.

Conclusion

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post How To Have Happy Holidays As A Homeschool Mom appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Combatting Family Consumerism

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:00:52 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! Pushing back against a consumerist culture is an issue all year but is on our minds even more during the holidays. My guest today has experience in teaching kids to combat consumerism with good old-fashioned hard work. I’ll introduce him after this message from our sponsor. Now programs.

Watch on YouTube

http://NOWPrograms.com

Podcast Guest: Keith Phillips

Keith Phillips is a former US Army helicopter pilot who, along with his wife Becky and their six children, is dedicated to building productive families and enduring Christian legacies. He introduces BUNKEYS, small DIY linked log cabin kits to America, promoting family unity through shared meaningful work. Keith believes in the power of family and community with work as the cornerstone and advocates for living a life of biblical producerism. I so enjoyed our conversation.

Takeaways

- Consumerism thrives on neglecting our inherent call to produce.

- Family work fosters cooperation and contributes to family unity.

- Saying no to passive entertainment encourages creativity in children.

- Boredom can lead to innovative play and activities.

- Fear of missing out drives consumerist behavior in children.

- Creating space for meaningful activities is essential for family bonding.

- Overcoming societal pressure is crucial for resisting consumerism.

- Hard work can replace addictive behaviors and foster fulfillment.

- Engaging in family projects teaches valuable life skills.

- Reading together strengthens family connections and shared experiences.

Resources

Keith’s Substack article on consumerism

Bunkies

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/5gBadT2mixwLThvz8GqI7z

Apple

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-stay-at-work-home/id1762916088

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheStayatWorkHome?sub_confirmation=1

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/stayatworkhome

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/stayatworkhome

Read Aloud List

https://stay-at-work-home.ck.page/b3004580e4/index.js

The post Combatting Family Consumerism appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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How To Close The Complaint Desk In Your Homeschool

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 11:00:04 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers!

Are you dealing with complaining when it’s time to start school, or time to do chores, or time to do anything your kids don’t like to do? If so, you will want to listen to this episode of the homeschool sanity show. I have six ideas for you that will result in a complaint-free homeschool.

Subscribe to the podcast

Before we dive in, I would love to have you subscribe to the podcast. You’ll get links to new episodes, but I also provide a weekly sanity saver newsletter and a monthly fun homeschool sharing calendar. Simply go to Psychowith6.com/subscribe. I would love to connect with you..

Podcast sponsor

I want to think my sponsor for this episode: the Overcomer movie.

Special Thanks to Our Network Sponsor -Overcomer Movie

Life changes overnight for coach John Harrison when his high school basketball team’s state championship dreams are crushed under the weight of unexpected news. When the largest manufacturing plant in town suddenly shuts down and hundreds of families begin moving away, John must come to grips with the challenges facing his family and his team. Urged by the school’s principal to fill-in and coach a sport he doesn’t know or like, John is frustrated and questioning his worth… until he crosses paths with a student struggling with her own journey.
Filled with a powerful mix of faith, a twist of humor, and a ton of heart, the Kendrick Brothers return to theaters with OVERCOMER, their newest feature following FACING THE GIANTS, FIREPROOF, COURAGEOUS, and the #1 box-office hit, WAR ROOM. The inspiring family film stars Alex Kendrick, Priscilla Shirer, Shari Rigby, Cameron Arnett, and introduces Aryn Wright-Thompson.

Opening nationwide on August 23, OVERCOMER dares to leave you filled with hope, inspired to dream, and asks the question: what do you allow to define you?

Click here to learn more!

Complaint Resources

Read the blog post

Contentment Bible Study from NotConsumed

Memlok Scripture memory

How to overcome parental anger

How to deal with dawdlers

Complaint or compliment box

Complaint-free week challenge

Thanks again to the Overcomer Movie for sponsoring the podcast.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post How To Close The Complaint Desk In Your Homeschool appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Using Fantasy To Teach Scriptural Truth

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:00:17 +0000

If you’ve ever wondered whether you should introduce your child to the fantasy genre, you’ll want to listen to today’s episode. And if you feel discouraged about training up young men and women of God, you’ll want to meet my inspiring guest that I’ll introduce in a moment.

Watch on YouTube

Read the Transcript

The sponsor of today’s episode is Fun to Learn Books, the publisher of story-based curriculum like Grammar Galaxy and Training Aliens. Kids love this fantasy-based learning for its funny, short lessons and parents love it because it’s low prep, screen-free learning. Learn more at FunToLearnBooks.com.

Podcast Guest: Wilson Hickman

Wilson Hickman is a follower of the Lord Jesus with a strong passion for storytelling. He was homeschooled and from a young age, began writing books in a variety of genres. His passion for creativity led him to the visual medium of storytelling. When crafting a film, he often draws inspiration from his own life, vicariously learning and growing with the characters he creates. His latest project is an award-winning proof of concept episode for a Christian-themed fantasy TV series called The Lost Healer. Inspired by real-world spiritual warfare, the series is designed to transport viewers to an exciting new world while inspiring them to navigate the struggles of this one. Recognizing the power of stories to shape the culture, Wilson seeks to make compelling, God-honoring entertainment that can be enjoyed by a broad audience.

I loved our conversation and hope you do too.

Using Fantasy to Teach Scriptural Truth Resources

The Lost Healer

The Lost Healer series on Facebook

The Lost Healer series on Instagram

Entertainment to Build Relationships

Self-Publishing for Homeschoolers

Helping Teens Through Loss

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Using Fantasy To Teach Scriptural Truth appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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How To Get A College Degree Debt-Free

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 10:00:45 +0000

If your student wants to attend college but doesn’t want to be loaded down with debt, I have a treat for you. This is The Homeschool Sanity Show, the episode where guest Kara Walker shares uncommon but practical tips for saving money on a college education.

Hey, homeschoolers! I absolutely love chatting with homeschoolers. That’s just one reason I wanted to interview Kara Walker. Kara graduated from college debt-free, and is now on a quest to help other students do the same with her podcast, “Money and Mental Peace,” and her online course “The Debt-Free College Blueprint”! She is a twenty-something Christian entrepreneur, amateur snowboarder, and recovering over-achiever. Kara enjoys goal-setting, budgeting, and living a debt-free lifestyle, and wants to help YOU do the same!

Kara is absolutely delightful. If you have a college-bound or finance-interested teen, have them listen to this episode with you. You won’t be disappointed.

College Degree, Debt-Free Resources

Dave Ramsey personal finance courses

Dave Ramsey podcast

Modern States Study Guides

Homeschooling for College Credit

Money and Mental Peace – Kara’s website and podcast

How we manage college

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post How To Get A College Degree Debt-Free appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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The Future Of Home Education

Melanie Wilson — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 10:00:49 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! Homeschooling has changed so much since I started teaching my kids. I wonder what it will look like if and when my kids start homeschooling their children. I wanted to talk with someone who is on the cutting edge of education. I know you’ll be interested in what my guest has to say because it can change the way you homeschool now.

For over 30 years, Matt Bowman has been reimagining education for the digital age. As a former sixth-grade teacher turned tech executive and education entrepreneur, Matt saw firsthand how the traditional education system often fails to meet the unique needs of individual learners.

Together with his wife Amy, Matt founded OpenEd (formerly My Tech High), which has served more than 100,000 student enrollments across multiple states, including many military families worldwide. Their approach focuses on blending personalized learning with technology and entrepreneurship skills, giving students the flexibility to learn in ways that work best for them.

Matt holds multiple degrees in education and is an alumnus of Stanford’s Executive Business Management program.

He lives in the mountains of Utah, where he and Amy enjoy spending time with their five married children and four grandchildren (and counting!)

Watch on YouTube

Read the Transcript

Before I share our discussion, I want to thank CTC Math for sponsoring this episode.

Future of Home Education Resources

https://opened.co/book

https://opened.co

https://opened.co/blog?type=podcast

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post The Future Of Home Education appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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How To Help A Child Who’s Hurting

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 10:00:38 +0000

We know what to do when our child gets hurt – a skinned knee, a bruise, a cut. But we may feel ill equipped to help when our child’s heart is hurting. Teasing, feeling different, even bullying can cause woundedness. I have written Training Aliens Social & Emotional Skills curriculum because I am passionate about kids and parents having tools to build confidence. That’s why I wanted my guest to share her unique approach to helping parents and kids respond to hurts. Listening will encourage you as you guide your child.

Ruth Wilkey is an educator, musician, and storyteller with a heart for nurturing the souls of children and families. Raised in a generous German-Lutheran family known for their hospitality and faith, Ruth learned early the power of love shared through stories, songs, and community. After earning her teaching credential from Christ College Irvine, she taught English, Spanish, music, and drama before founding Creative Cottage Piano Studio, where she inspired students for over thirty years. Today, through Sonflower Press and her new children’s book series at SociableBunny.com, Ruth continues to shine God’s light, helping families grow in love and joy through story and song.

Watch on YouTube

Read Transcript

Before I share our chat, I want to thank CTC Math for sponsoring the podcast.

Resources for Children Who Are Hurting

Training Aliens

Sociable Bunny books and questions

Sociable Bunny on Facebook

Sociable Bunny on Instagram

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post How To Help A Child Who’s Hurting appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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12 Homeschool Hacks That Changed Everything

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 10:00:02 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! I love hacks. A hack is a simple, creative strategy or shortcut that makes homeschooling easier, more effective, or more enjoyable. In my case, there are 12 hacks that changed everything for me as a homeschool mom. I hope you’ll listen to them all and will find one or more than will change everything for you too. I’m recording this episode in honor of the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network’s birthday celebration. Take a moment to visit the website this week and download free gifts we’ve provided at ultimateradioshow.com.

Watch on YouTube

Sponsor:

Thank you to the NIV Application Bible for sponsoring this episode. We love our sponsors who help us bring you hacks like these.

Hack #1: Daily Devotions

The first hack that changed everything for me is daily devotions. I wrote about my experience with establishing a devotional habit in my book The Organzied Homeschool Life. The short version is speaker Becky Tirabassi convinced me to commit to having an appointment with the King daily. I read the entire Bible in a year and prayed daily, even in the hospital after giving birth. At the time I thought the great blessing of my devotional practice was it educated me about the faith I professed. I knew only stories and Scriptures here and there before reading the entire Bible. I also recognized that I had more peace as I prayed. I would wake up overwhelmed with everything I needed to do. I would pray and God would often supernaturally manage my schedule or supernaturally manage me. But I now understand that the most powerful change that occurred is I learned that God was trustworthy. I did not have a lot of experience with trustworthy people before that time. After that first year, my devotional habits changed as my life changed. I still read the Bible and prayed most days, but sometimes I spent time with God in the middle of the night, nursing an infant. Other times, I prayed as I cleaned the kitchen. I listened to devotionals and sermons as I got ready in the mornings. I had a time of legalistic devotions too that blessedly became a grace-filled time that I look forward to. I give God my worries, record connections with the Scripture I read, and pray for myself and others. I don’t believe I would have succeeded in my homeschooling without this practice or at least with my sanity intact. I was recently asked about where to start if you’re new to Scripture reading. If you are in a challenging season, I suggest starting with the book of John. If you want to get the full story, start with Genesis. If you really don’t have much time to yourself, read the Bible with your kids for school. You’ll have more quiet time as your kids get older.

Hack #2: Routines

Hack #2 that changed everything is routines. If you’re a regular listener, you’ve heard me say it dozens of times. When I started homeschooling, or should I say when I said I was starting homeschooling, I had no routines. I got up at all different times and did nothing in a particular order. I put out fires all day, usually not getting dressed. I accomplished nothing other than taking care of my three kids. With this kind of chaos, I wasn’t able to teach my preschooler using any of the books or materials I had purchased. I was ready to quit and stop having more kids. Then a friend told me about a woman named FLYLady. Like me, she was a messy, disorganized person. But she began to string together simple habits into routines. The first habit was shining her sink–making sure the dishes were in the dishwasher and that everything else was clean. It seems crazy to me now that I used to go to bed with a sink full of dirty dishes. Waking up to that was demoralizing. Beginning with that simple habit changed my life because it kept expanding. Soon my whole kitchen and home was tidy before I went to bed. My clothes were laid out and I was ready for the next day. An evening routine became a morning routine which became a school routine. I wrote about my experience for Woman’s Day Magazine and my dream of being a freelance writer was realized. This disorganized woman went on to help homeschool moms establish routines of their own. My interview with FLYLady on routines.

Hack #3: Praying with Kids

As part of our morning routine, the kids and I would do chores together. That’s a bonus hack, but I include it in routines. Having their help cleaning and picking up was essential for my sanity. BUT invariably there were kids who weren’t doing the chores they were assigned or they were doing them poorly. There were squabbles and delays so that by the time we started school I was NOT happy. But we had a practice of beginning with prayer. First, each of us would say what we were thankful for. It was nice to hear gratitude from the kids. But the second part of our group prayer is the hack that changed everything. We would go around and say what we were sorry for. Invariably, the child I was most miffed at would confess their poor behavior. I was usually humbled about my own reaction to it. The final part of our prayer was asking for help from God for yourself or someone else. Usually the child would say they needed help with the thing they were sorry for. Understandable as that’s usually how I pray too. If you’d like to start this prayer routine, I recommend modeling it for the kids by going first.

Hack #4: Reading Historical Fiction / Biographies Aloud

After our prayer time, I felt the closest to the kids as I read aloud to them. We used Konos and then Mystery of History for our history lessons. Konos incorporated read alouds automatically. When I started using Mystery of History, I would look up recommended titles to go along with the time period we were studying on Sonlight’s website. Stories not only make history more memorable, they are also key in teaching character and social and emotional skills. My kids loved our read alouds and usually begged for another chapter. I was happy to oblige. Our success with learning through story prompted me to create language arts and social and emotional skills curriculum using stories. You can learn more at FunToLearnBooks.com.

Hack #5: Independent Work with Supervision

I talk to new homeschoolers whose schedules with work and other commitments require independent learners. We now have computerized curriculum and online classes that can make independent work possible, even for kids who aren’t yet reading fluently. My caution concerns kids’ need for relationship and interaction. Most adults don’t want to stare at a screen all day. Kids are the same. The younger the child, the more they need that interaction and the less maturity and attention they have for sustained work. Having to give six kids’ individual attention, I did them to have periods of independent work. After finding out that some of my kids were struggling to accomplish anything on their own, I had them all sit at our school table to do independent work on the same subject. So everyone had their math in front of them. Then for 20 minutes, they would all get to work while I walked around the table. They had no opportunity to mess around, but they had every chance to ask for help. It worked brilliantly. I allowed my sophomores and up to work completely independently. By this point, they were mature enough to handle it.

Hack #6: Homeschool Co-op

When I decided to use Konos curriculum, I also wanted to find other families to participate in a co-op. One day a week we would complete the group activities and field trips related to the topic we were studying. Originally, we met in a church basement. The kids had a blast doing the hands-on activities, crafts, and games together. When one family moved, I suggested that we meet at my house. I had little ones that still napped in the afternoons. I also had the most kids and it was easier for me to stay home. Forming this kind of co-op had unexpected benefits. First, it made my kids love homeschooling. They said it was their favorite part of it. Next, they built close friendships. This kind of co-op as opposed to a class or two in a learning center, is most likely to help your child form close friendships. It helped me build close friendships too. I made no friends when I later had my kids enrolled in a learning center. Finally, a co-op in which all the moms were responsible for the activities created much-needed accountability for me. I could not blow off the preparatory lessons. The kids had to have their papers or projects done. And because I was hosting it, my house had to be clean. My kids would have learned far less if we had not participated in a co-op.

Hack #7: Exercise as Part of the School Day

My husband and I have always been committed to fitness. Exercise is the #1 way of promoting physical and mental health, so we wanted to emphasize it for our kids. We had them in sports with practices and games. They played outside and rode bikes, but it wasn’t a regular fitness routine. That’s when I realized I could make fitness a part of our school day. We had times when we would lift weights together. I had many light dumbbells and we would lift in a slow and controlled fashion that is safe for kids. Then we started doing video workouts together before lunch. I got a workout in and my husband would join us when he was home. The workouts went by quickly and we laughed a lot. Today our kids are all committed to fitness. I highly recommend including it in your school day.

Hack #8: Loop Scheduling

I have always been someone who tries to do it all. As a homeschooler, that created stress for me. An introduction to loop scheduling helped me fit more things in without frustration. If you aren’t familiar, a loop schedule simply means that on a given day or during a specific time period, you will loop or rotate through a set of options. If you want to do baking, calligraphy, and nature study on Fridays, but you can’t do all three, you bake the next Friday you’re home. In a traditional schedule, you would have calligraphy on the schedule for the second Friday. But if you have a field trip that Friday, you’d miss your calligraphy day. With a loop schedule, you’ll do calligraphy the Friday after your field trip. An unexpected benefit of loop scheduling is you will learn what really matters to you. If you are set to do calligraphy, for example, and you realize you’d really like to do nature study instead, you can drop calligraphy from the loop. You’ve trimmed your activity list without much fuss.

Hack #9: Delegating Difficult Subjects

I believe that we are capable of teaching any subject to our kids at home. There are so many resources out there that we can DIY it all. But do we want to? I tried and tried to teach my kids piano, but I kept avoiding it. I think part of it was that I didn’t feel confident in teaching it, despite many years of piano lessons. But the other issue is I didn’t want to teach it. I was teaching all the other subjects and teaching piano wasn’t enjoyable for me. I paid an excellent piano teacher to come to our home and teach it instead, and it was worth every penny. As a side note, I took lessons with my older kids and seeing me practice motivated my kids. I did the same thing with science labs. I could do it, but I didn’t want to. I had my friend who enjoyed science labs and was excellent at leading them teach them. I taught her kids literature, writing, and speaking which I love to teach. If a subject is difficult or not enjoyable for you to teach, consider delegating it.

Hack #10: Interest-Led Afternoons

Unschooling was fringey when I started homeschooling. I didn’t know people like Karla Marie Williams, who has shared how to provide a quality unschool education on this podcast. But I did fall into a bit of unschooling in the afternoons when I found myself worn out. I would work on my own projects and allow the kids to do independent work and hobbies in the afternoons. Some amazing things happened as a result. One son started creating with paper and started a YouTube channel about it. My daughter wrote a paper to convince us to let her get guinea pigs. I felt guilty for not providing more structure in the afternoons than I did. Now I know that it was a blessing I didn’t.

Hack #11: Apprenticeship

My son applied for a job running slides for our church. He learned the program and was the leader for that aspect of worship. But most importantly, he was being mentored by the pastors and other leaders at church. Another son worked closely with the youth leader at church and grew in his faith and leadership ability. I taught yet another son how to edit my podcast. All of our kids have helped my husband and me exhibit and sell books at conferences. My kids have helped me with proofreading and shipping books over the years, too. This summer, my youngest, a computer programming major, was an apprentice with me in multiple aspects of my business. It was a wonderful experience for me to share dilemmas and get his help. I think it was excellent experience for him as well. If I were starting over in homeschooling, I would start my kids as apprentices at even younger ages.

Hack #12: Community College in High School

If you have this option where you live, I commend it to you. One semester college course is a full year’s high school credit. These courses will limit the studies you have to supervise at home. Community college classes in our area are half the cost of homeschool learning center classes. The credit they earned was transferred to the four-year university they attended. Going to community college gave my kids a chance to further develop their study and writing habits and gain confidence. They learned that they could handle college-level work and it wasn’t just mom saying they were doing well. I also had the opportunity to talk through the worldview of secular coursework with them before they left home. Even if you plan to send your student to a Christian college, they will encounter views that don’t mesh with your family’s. It is also a good trial if your student isn’t sure what they want to do after high school. Daily devotions, routines, prayer with the kids, historical read alouds, independent work with supervision, co-op, exercise in school, unschooling afternoons, loop scheduling, delegating difficult subjects, apprenticeship, and community college. I would love to hear which one of these hacks you’ll try next. Comment on this post. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Have a happy homeschool week!

Your Golden Takeaway:

Small, intentional changes can transform your homeschool. Whether it’s starting the day with devotions, creating peaceful routines, or learning side by side, every little “hack” builds toward something bigger — a home filled with grace, growth, and connection.

There’s a golden clue hidden in the podcast for today’s featured episode! Visit Making Biblical Family Life Practical: Rules and Relationship to find your next piece of Podcast Gold.

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Homeschooling Through A Season Of Discouragement

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 10:00:47 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! If you’ve been discouraged lately, know that I can relate. I’ve been through a season that has diminished my courage to keep podcasting, writing, and building relationships. I went through similar seasons while homeschooling.

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There are three lies the enemy tells us that can deflate us and three responses that can get us homeschooling courageously again. Before I share them I want to thank the NIV Application Bible for sponsoring the podcast.

I am taking the three lies from a biblical account that is well known to you if you’re familiar with Scripture. In Luke 4:1-12, we read that Jesus fasted for 40 days and was hungry. Hungry seems like an understatement, but I like the word for our purposes. We are often hungry for things in our homeschooling: hungry for order and organization, hungry for our children’s hearts to be turned toward us and the Lord, hungry for our husbands to be our partners in every sense of the word. We can be hungry for so many other desires that have gone unsatisfied–a return to health for us or our family members, financial provision, healing in relationships.

Lie #1: There is no help.

When we are hungry, the devil comes calling. To Jesus, the devil said, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” I’ve read excellent theological commentaries on this statement, but when the devil tempts me this way, he is saying, “There is no help. Meet this need yourself. God hasn’t provided and He won’t. It’s time for you to do something.” And with my classic “If it is to be, it’s up to me” attitude, that’s what I so often do.

I research. I consult. I buy books, courses, supplements. And when I remain hungry, I spend even more time trying to find the answer to my need. Never mind the fact that most of the time the food that will fill this aching need of mine is not what I’m shopping for. The food that fills me comes from the Lord often unexpectedly, subtley, gradually.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with looking for the equivalent of bread when we’re hungry, Jesus tells the devil that we need more than what’s available in this world to live. In fact, it’s been when I have stopped trying to fill my own gnawing need that it seems my needs are attended to as they were for Jesus.

The devil says to us: “Meet your own need because God won’t.” Our response can be to repeat to ourselves Psalm 27:14: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

A book that has helped me so much in waiting on the Lord is Hind Feet for High Places. I have read a chapter a day and it feels like I am journeying with the main character Much-Afraid every step of the way.

Lie #2: There is no Holy One.

When we are in a discouraging season, the devil comes back with lie number 2. There is no Holy One. The devil shows Jesus the kingdoms of the world and says, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” In this, the devil shares a partial truth. The Bible calls him the prince of this world with some power and control. That is true.

In times of vulnerability, we can start to believe that he’s the ultimate authority. Worldly steps to success may seem better than waiting on God to meet our family’s needs in homeschooling or our personal needs. The worldly way can seem like a sure thing–Door #1 that’s open to reveal what’s inside versus Door #3 that holds an unknown future.

Most of us when tempted in this way don’t become atheists. Instead, we make some compromises. We give a little here and a little there because maybe God isn’t as good as we thought. That’s why Jesus’ response is so powerful. He says, ““It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

I pray most days for a nation using the Operation World app. One of the most common descriptions of a nation with a church in crisis is that its believers have mixed aspects of their pagan religion into their theology. Whenever I’m tempted to judge, I realize how well this describes our own culture. We can compromise and justify a little bit every day until we are nearly indistinguishable from our unbelieving neighbors.

When the devil says, “There is no Holy One,” we can answer with 1 Samuel 2:2: “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” Although the devil has some power, he is certainly not holy. If you need a reminder of that and you’ve been off the grid for a long time, read the news for just one day. Otherwise, I advise reading a Christian hero’s biography. One of my favorites is If I Perish by Esther Kim.

Lie #3: There is no hope.

For the final temptation the devil took Jesus to the top of the temple. He said, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here…” Because the devil also tells him that God and the angels will protect Him if He jumps, I didn’t realize that he was suggesting Jesus kill himself. This is the final lie the devil tells us in a season of discouragement: There is no hope.

Hopelessness is not just a symptom of depression but a warning sign that the depression is severe. We are more likely to be hopeless when we have tried to help ourselves and we have tried worldly prescriptions for getting what we need to no avail. Jesus hadn’t bought the devil’s first two lies and so answered with more truth: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’

As discouraged believers we don’t put God to the test by jumping off a tall building, but we might be giving Him ultimatums: If this tutor doesn’t help; if my husband doesn’t get this job; if this medication doesn’t work… The unspoken end to that sentence is I am giving up hope.

When we are tempted by this lie, we can say Romans 5:5: “…and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Why would our loving God who lives in our hearts disappoint us? When I am wondering why God isn’t giving me what I ask, I remember Matthew 7:11, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” The only reasons we refuse to give gifts to our children is because the thing they’ve asked for is not good or we have something better in mind.

When we are tempted to give up hope, we can list the unanswered prayers we are grateful for. This current prayer of ours may one day be added to the list. As we wait, we can know for certain that God will either answer our prayer as requested or He will give us the grace to accept His will. I love the song “Sometimes He Calms the Storm” for reassurance of this.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I want to point out that Luke Chapter 4 begins this way: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil.” If you’re in a season of temptation to discouragement and you’ve been tempted with the lies of there is no help, Holy One, or hope, it is not punishment but preparation. You cannot guide your children through a similar season if you have not been in the wilderness. You cannot mentor other homeschool moms in the future as I am now doing if you have not been in the wilderness. I don’t think we can even fully serve God if we have not been in the wildnerness. Another favorite book I want to commend to you for this season is Sidetracked in the Wilderness by Michael Wells.

If this podcast encouraged you, please share it with others. Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Homeschooling Through A Season Of Discouragement appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: What Are You Trusting In?

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 10:45:50 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers!

In 2019, I started a monthly podcast series I called the Trust Project. I wanted us to focus on how to trust God in multiple areas of our lives.

Today, though, I’d like to check in with you–not by asking whether you’re trusting God in your homeschool, for your kids, for your health, and so on–but by asking you WHAT you’re trusting in. Life can be very difficult when we trust in something other than God. We may live in constant fear. We don’t have peace or joy. And we are unlikely to be successful in what we undertake.

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I want to begin our discussion of trusting God with the account of King Asa from 2 Chronicles 15. If you end up believing that you’re like Asa and not putting your trust in God, I’ll have a suggestion for changing that.

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2 Chronicles 15:1 reads, “The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. ²He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. ³For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law.”

The Israelites were not following God at this time. Homeschooling also became popular again at a time when fewer people were following God. Certainly fewer were following God in public education. And parents like me were distressed about it.

2 Chronicles 15 continues…⁴But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. ⁵In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. ⁶One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress. ⁷But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

When we first begin homeschooling, we need that encouragement to be strong and not to give up because it rarely goes the way we hope and expect. Those of us who persevere believe that our work will ultimately be rewarded.

Continuing with 2 Chronicles 15:

⁸When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of^[a] Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the Lord that was in front of the portico of the Lord’s temple. ¹⁵All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side. ¹⁷Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. ¹⁸He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated. ¹⁹There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.

When we made the decision to keep our kids home, where we could teach them God’s Word, I was relieved. Like Asa, I felt a lot more secure because of God’s blessing of our family. But as time went on, a temptation entered.

2 Chronicles 16 reads: In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah. ²Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. ³“Let there be a treaty between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”

King Asa had to deal with a rebellious king of Israel. Sometimes when we have a rebellious child or another challenge that God doesn’t seem to be handling, we think we have to take control. We need to lean on our own understanding. We are willing to let go of what should be sacred in our homes. Continuing with 2 Chronicles 16:

⁴Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim^[a] and all the store cities of Naphtali. ⁵When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work. ⁶Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.

It seems like King Asa succeeded in his efforts. And often when we rely on something other than God to help us, we see initial success. But what’s the long-term implication? We read in 2 Chronicles 16, beginning in verse 7.

⁷At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. ⁸Were not the Cushites^[b] and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen^[c]? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. ⁹For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.”

Uh-oh. It honestly didn’t seem like a foolish thing at first, did it? And so often our choices in response to trouble seem wise. But if we aren’t trusting in the Lord, we will likely live to regret it.

Like Asa, we may trust in political power rather than God. We may put our trust in our country’s bill of rights, our state’s favorable homeschool laws, or a pro-homeschooling leader. But even though these are blessings we want to support, they are not what we want to put our trust in. This election season, we want to remember that God is ultimately in control. Romans 13:1-2 reminds us: “There is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” and Proverbs 21:1 explains, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”

Politics aren’t the only foolish choice for our trust. We can place our trust in classes in curriculum. We may believe if we just choose the right ones, our kids will be sure to succeed. We want to consider the options and pray over them, of course, but there is no class, curriculum, or college that will guarantee our kids’ success. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

We may also trust our alternative healthcare approach, our money, or our prepping for our health and safety in these tumultuous times. Yet Psalm 4:8 encourages us: “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Despite the truth that we should trust God with every aspect of our lives, we are constantly being tempted to trust in other things. From the beginning, our enemy Satan has questioned whether we can trust God. Now we are bombarded by media with the same message.

When what we are truly trusting in is gone, we may panic as Asa did. That’s how we know we were trusting in it. Ask yourself what besides God gives you security for the future. Of course, we don’t have to eliminate these things! But we do need to put more trust in the One who can truly deliver us from any disaster.

How can we do that? My number one tip is what I’ve already demonstrated in this episode: spend time in God’s Word. Asa quickly forgot how the Lord had delivered him despite being outnumbered. Had he often reviewed God’s character and actions, he likely would have sought the Lord first and avoided war in the future.

How much time do we need to hear from God? Consider the ratio. How often are you hearing from the enemy? I know for me it’s constantly. Here are some practical tips for increasing your time in the Word.

1. Read or listen to the Bible in short sessions throughout the day. Start by reading Titus 3. It’s a wonderful reminder for such a time as this.

1. Meditate on and memorize Scripture as you drive or drift off to sleep.

1. Write out Scripture with your kids for handwriting practice.

1. Follow social accounts that share Scriptures.

1. Sing hymns and Scriptural songs.

1. Read devotionals as a break after completing a task.

1. Do Bible studies online or with family and friends.

1. Listen to sermons and biblical podcasts as you cook, clean, or exercise.

1. Attend church regularly.

1. Tell others about God’s faithfulness in your life. I always want you to know that every blessing I’ve had in my homeschooling life is from the Lord. It’s certainly not my doing.

This single approach of spending more time in God’s Word is simple to implement, but we will experience resistance to it. We will be interrupted, too tired, or just bored. But at these times, pick up a dollar bill and read our country’s motto that is still In God We Trust. We must fight the good fight to keep living that motto out.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: What Are You Trusting In? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: How To Help Your Child Manage Emotions

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 10:00:25 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! How to help an anxious, frustrated, or bored child is the most common question I get. In this episode, I’ll share a three-step approach you can use to help your child manage any negative emotion.

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Summary

In this episode, Melanie Wilson addresses the common concern of homeschooling parents regarding their child’s ability to manage emotions. She emphasizes that emotional struggles should be seen as skill deficits rather than character flaws. Melanie highlights the lack of emotional management education in schools and the need for explicit teaching in this area. She introduces a three-step framework for teaching emotional skills: prevention, recognition, and substitution. The chapters cover topics such as the importance of sleep, diet, and environment in preventing negative emotions, teaching children to recognize signs of frustration, and finding constructive responses to boredom. Melanie encourages parents to provide practice and grace as children learn to manage their emotions and emphasizes the role of prayer and faith in this process.

Previous Episodes on Emotions

Helping the Anxious Child

Helping the Frustrated Child

How to Deal with a Troublemaking Child

Homeschooling a Child with ADHD

The post Special Replay: How To Help Your Child Manage Emotions appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Out Of Overwhelm: 3 Steps For Homeschool Moms

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 10:00:55 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! Are you overwhelmed? Is it embarrassing to be overwhelmed this early in the year? I can empathize. I’ve been feeling the same way, even though I’m a homeschool business owner and not teaching this fall. I asked the Lord for wisdom and I wrote down three steps we can take to get out of overwhelm now. I already feel so much better after taking them, and I pray that you will too.

SPONSOR: NOW Programs

Before I share more, I want to thank NOW Programs for sponsoring the podcast. Be sure to check out their resources if you have a student with a learning difference. Watch on YouTube

What Overwhelm Really Is

To begin, let’s clarify what we mean by overwhelm. First, it’s not a true crisis. If you’ve just been in a car accident or your parent just had a heart attack, your response to that is stress and shock that may feel overwhelming, but that’s not the kind of overwhelm I’m talking about. Plus, if you’re in a true crisis, I doubt you’re listening to me now!

Instead, overwhelm is when we respond to life circumstances as though they were a true crisis. Our kid hates the Spanish class we signed them up for. The kids keep arguing. We didn’t get through the 20 different curricula we thought we could cover in a day. We forgot to put dinner in the crockpot and the dog just rolled in mud.

Overwhelm feels like everything is going wrong, but it is really garden-variety anxiety. I didn’t realize that overwhelm is just anxiety until I felt overwhelmed myself this week. But I am well aware of how we tend to respond to anxiety. When we’re anxious, we avoid. If crowds make us anxious, we avoid them. Elevators, avoid. Algebra, avoid. Obvious, right? So what does that look like with overwhelm?

We avoid the anxiety of overwhelm in multiple ways. First, we distract ourselves. We doomscroll, watch a show, or eat chocolate. If you’re like me, you do all three. Next, we try something new to avoid the anxiety of overwhelm. We research new curriculum. New curriculum will fix everything, we are sure. We may think that a whole new approach to homeschooling is the answer, so we start reading and watching YouTube videos. Or we decide that now is the pefect time to start a business and we spend time working on that. When the anxiety of overwhelm is severe, we may decide that we have to stop something. We may think we aren’t cut out for homeschooling. We start looking into other options. We may consider dropping out of a co-op or leadership role.

And it’s possible that some of these avoidance responses could create positive change, but they are all reactions to anxiety and not carefully considered. I finally understand why I start a new hobby, dive head first into a new business idea, or try a new productivity approach when I’m already overwhelmed. It’s my way of avoiding anxiety.

If you’ve ever heard me talk about anxiety, you know what I always say: avoiding makes anxiety worse, not better. If crowds make you anxious and you avoid them, pretty soon you’ll consider your in-laws and even your church a crowd that you need to avoid. Fortunately, there is another way out of overwhelm.

Step 1. Do the next thing.

You’ve likely heard the poem by the same title made popular by Elisabeth Elliott. I’m going to read it for you again so we can truly take it in.

From an old English parsonage down by the sea There came in the twilight a message to me; Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven, Hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven. And on through the doors the quiet words ring Like a low inspiration: “DO THE NEXT THING.”

Many a questioning, many a fear, Many a doubt, hath its quieting here. Moment by moment, let down from Heaven, Time, opportunity, and guidance are given. Fear not tomorrows, child of the King, Trust them with Jesus, do the next thing. Do it immediately, do it with prayer; Do it reliantly, casting all care; Do it with reverence, tracing His hand Who placed it before thee with earnest command. Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing, Leave all results, do the next thing. Looking for Jesus, ever serener, Working or suffering, be thy demeanor; In His dear presence, the rest of His calm, The light of His countenance be thy psalm, Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing. Then, as He beckons thee, do the next thing.

Ah. I feel better just saying it. I hope you feel better hearing it.

Many times the next thing is obvious. The baby needs changing. It’s time to make lunch. Trash pick up is this morning, so we have to get the cans out.

Other times, we aren’t sure. I have some suggestions for the other times.

First, take a walk. When I was overwhelmed recently, walking outside, getting some exercise, and listening to praise music via my earbuds. Many homeschool days when I was overwhelmed, I would get the kids outside to walk with me and I felt better. The kids are less likely to argue and fuss if they’re outside walking. That’s a bonus.

My next suggestion for do the next thing is clean up. A cluttered environment contributes to the feeling of overwhelm. Every misplaced object seems to cry for our attention. Set a timer for five minutes and have the kids race to see if you can get the whole room picked up before the timer goes off. Play some upbeat music while you work. An uncluttered space will help you feel more in control.

Finally, doing the next thing may be to rest. Like our kids, we often struggle with overstimulation. If you haven’t gotten enough quality sleep, if you’re hormonal, or if you’ve had lots of stress, rest is key to getting out of overwhelm. Mercifully, short naps are even more effective than longer ones. If you can’t nap, give the whole family a quiet time. If you need to use an electronic babysitter for a short time, do it. Your mental well being is worth it.

Step 1 is do the next thing.

Step 2 is do what you know to do.

When I’m overwhelmed I start thinking about all the things I’m confused about. In my homeschool years, I wondered what to do about foreign language, whether I should teach a speech class, and whether or not I should be blogging. I would be paralyzed by my indecision.

Many years ago our pastor shared our church’s philosophy on the Bible: “We focus on the parts of the Bible that are clear, not the parts that aren’t.” That made so much sense to me.

In the same way, we can focus on the things in our homeschool lives that are clearly something we should be doing. Practically speaking, here’s what we can do.

First, stick with your routine. I wasn’t clear about foreign language, teaching a class, or blogging. But the rest of our routine of Bible, memory work, read alouds, etc. was clearly on point. Not only that, but staying on routine as much as possible makes me feel less overwhelmed. The anxiety may tell us that we need to stop everything until we make decisions, but we will feel worse, not better. Continue using your workable routine.

Second, stay with your calling. There were many frustrating days when I felt that I was failing. But one thing I knew for sure: God had called me to homeschool. But that’s not all. I wasn’t sure about teaching a class or blogging, but at the time, I knew God had called me to write for a parachurch ministry and to speak for women’s retreats. I wanted a five-year plan, but God wasn’t ready to reveal the future to me. And truthfully, I wasn’t ready to hear it. Continue in your current calling and you will feel less overwhelmed.

A third way to do what you know to do is to do what you did at first. This admonition is straight out of Revelation. Whether you had a practice that worked when you first began homeschooling or worked when you began the new school year, return to it. Often we don’t have a good reason for abandoning a positive practice. We may have gotten distracted, lazy, or bored, but when we are overwhelmed, we are well served to return to what we did well at first instead of researching a perfect alternative for hours. Consider the schedule, habits, or ideas that you were excited about early on and use them again.

Planning my day the night before was working for me. I then got out of the habit, leaving me overwhelmed by a vague list of tasks in the morning. I’m recommitting to this practice now. What will you do that worked for you at first?

Do What Jesus Is Doing

After doing the next thing and doing what you did at first, the third step out of overwhelm is to do what Jesus is doing. I’ve been reflecting on the overwhelm that Jesus’ disciples must have experienced. They left their occupations and families, dealt with large, demanding crowds, and were then tasked with being traveling missionaries. Instead of looking for a different Savior, researching good recipes to feed a crowd, or checking napsack reviews on Amazon, these men dealt with overwhelm by following Jesus and doing what He did.

Whenever they stopped following and imitating, they were right back in overwhelm. Of course, we can’t see Jesus the way they could. But we can do what Jesus is doing first, by staying in the present. The disciples wanted to know the future. And while Jesus often gave glimpses of what to expect, He was crystal clear in saying we weren’t to worry about tomorrow.

If worry is overwhelming you, I recommend the book Stop Worrying; Start Living by Dale Carnegie. I also recommend a practice that helps me. I ask myself, “Am I okay right now?” If the answer is yes, I know my overwhelm is based in the future. If the answer is no, I know I need to ask for help.

Stay focused on the present to do as Jesus did. Next, welcome the unexpected. We all feel more secure in routine. We even have less of a tendency to be overwhelmed. But we also have a need for something new. Fortunately, God is a fan of new too. Often we think the knock on the door, our child’s insistence that we watch a particular video, or the power outage are distractions from our real life. I have learned that these interruptions are often God’s way of spicing up my life. We chatted with an interesting person at the door, laughed until our stomachs hurt at the video, and made memories reading by the window during the power outage.

Imagine the disciples trying to keep Jesus on a schedule. It’s laughable! Instead, they could be open to experiencing what He did each day. We can be the same.

After staying present and welcoming the unexpected to get out of overwhelm, we can stay connected to the Father as Jesus did. When overwhelmed, the tendency is to think that we don’t have time for relationships. Unfortunately, our relationship with our Heavenly Father is one of the first to be sidelined.

In the Garden, Jesus dealt with overwhelm by spending even more time in prayer. We probably don’t have the bandwidth for formal prayer. The Bible says that at these times the Holy Spirit will pray for us without words. What that often looks like for me is just to sit quietly. It’s a struggle not to pick up my phone. Avoidance, remember? But if I stick with it, I will often feel the tears come–a release of stress hormones. I make myself present and vulnerable to my Father, who already knows I am struggling. In fact, at one of these times recently, I told God that I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t manage the overwhelm. I was out of tricks.

You won’t be surprised that I immediately felt better. I pray that when you do the next thing, do what you know to do, and do what Jesus is doing that you too will come out of overwhelm to feel His peace.

If this episode spoke to you, I would love to hear from you. Email me, message me, or tag me on social media.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Out Of Overwhelm: 3 Steps For Homeschool Moms appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: How To Have A Better Homeschool Year

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 10:00:58 +0000

How to Have a Better Homeschool Year

Want a better homeschool year—but without buying a new curriculum, rebuilding your schedule, or starting over from scratch?

Sometimes the biggest homeschool changes don’t begin with a planner or a new routine. They begin with a mindset shift.

In this episode of the Homeschool Sanity Show, Melanie Wilson shares a simple but powerful strategy called “What’s Better” to help homeschool moms improve self-image, reset negative thinking, and move through challenges with more peace and perspective. If your homeschool year has felt heavy, frustrating, or just not quite what you hoped, this encouragement may be exactly

Listen to This Episode

Want encouragement you can listen to while you fold laundry, prep lunch, or reset your homeschool mindset?

Listen to How to Have a Better Homeschool Year from the Homeschool Sanity Show and discover how one simple question can shift the tone of your homeschool days.

what you need.

Enjoy this Episode? Keep

Why So Many Homeschool Moms Feel Discouraged

It doesn’t take much for homeschool moms to start feeling like they’re falling behind.

A hard day can quickly turn into a hard week. A rough subject, a resistant child, or a plan that isn’t working can make it feel like the whole year is off track.

But what if a better homeschool year didn’t require a full reset?

What if one simple shift in perspective could help you move forward with more peace and confidence?

That’s exactly what Melanie Wilson shares in this encouraging episode.

What Is the “What’s Better” Strategy?

The “What’s Better” strategy is a simple mindset tool that helps you look for improvement instead of perfection.

Instead of asking:

Why is this still hard?
Why aren’t we farther along?
Why can’t I get this right?

You begin asking:

What’s better than it used to be?
What’s going better than last week?
What is working, even if it’s small?

That question changes everything.

It helps you notice growth, progress, and small wins that are easy to miss when you’re overwhelmed or discouraged.

How This Mindset Can Improve Your Year

A better homeschool year often begins with a better lens.

When homeschool moms focus only on what is lacking, it becomes easy to feel defeated. But when we begin noticing what’s improving, even slowly, we create room for hope.

This strategy can help improve:

your self-image as a homeschool parent
your mood and emotional resilience
your response to difficult days
your family’s overall homeschool atmosphere

And the best part? It doesn’t require adding anything new to your plate.

Examples of the “What’s Better” Strategy

Here are a few simple ways to use this mindset in real homeschool life:

Instead of:

“We’re always behind.”

Try:
“We finished more this week than we did last week.”

Instead of:

“My child hates writing.”

Try:
“She wrote two sentences today without tears. That’s better.”

Instead of:

“This year is a mess.”

Try:
“We’ve found a rhythm in the mornings that is working better.”

Instead of:

“I’m not doing enough.”

Try:
“I’m showing up, adjusting, and growing. That’s better.”

These small reframes can have a powerful effect over time.

How to Start Using This in Your Homeschool Today

You can begin using the “What’s Better” strategy today by creating a short list at the end of each homeschool day or week.

Ask yourself:

What went better today?
What is easier now than it used to be?
What has improved in my child?
What has improved in me?

You may be surprised by how much progress is happening—even in a season that feels messy.

A Better Homeschool Year Doesn’t Require a Perfect Plan

If you’ve been tempted to scrap everything and start over, this is your reminder:

You may not need a brand-new homeschool year.
You may just need a better way to see the one you already have.

Growth doesn’t always look dramatic.
Sometimes it looks like patience.
Sometimes it looks like consistency.
Sometimes it looks like noticing what’s better.

And that is worth celebrating.

Resources

How to Make Your Dreams Come True by Mark Forster

Grammar Galaxy, Training Aliens, The Organized Homeschool Life, A Year of Living Productively

Great Homeschool Conventions

Watch on YouTube

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: How To Have A Better Homeschool Year appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Homeschooling Preschool While Keeping Your Sanity

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 14:11:09 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! Will you have a preschooler this year or next? Do you know someone who wonders how to homeschool a preschooler? If so, this episode is for you or your friend. I’ll be sharing how I started teaching preschool, how I changed my approach with experience, and what I would do if I were homeschooling my preschool grandchildren.

Watch on YouTube

Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum?

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Favorably reviewed in Cathy Duffy’s 102 Top Picks and The Old Schoolhouse Crew Review, the lessons are short and concise to help your children break down concepts and appreciate math in a whole new way!

The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

Each one of the video tutorials is taught by an internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, who is renowned for teaching math concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand way (and in only a few minutes at a time). CTC Math uses a multi-sensory approach, having the combination of effective graphics and animation synchronized with the voice of a friendly teacher together with practical assessment. This three-pronged attack makes learning so much easier and more effective. Even students who struggled with math are getting fantastic results! And ones who were doing OK before are now doing brilliantly.

Visit ctcmath.com today to start your free trial.

__________________________________

How I Taught Preschool at First

Homeschool preschool has a special place in my heart because that’s where I started. I thought it was a perfect testing ground for determining if homeschooling would work for me. The short answer to that question was a resounding no. It didn’t work for me! I thought I just wasn’t cut out for it, but the real problem was I had no routine. I went to bed at different times, got up at different times, and wasn’t getting any homeschooling done. That wasn’t because I had such a clean home or because I was working from home; I wasn’t. Instead, I had grand plans for teaching my preschooler that all fell flat.

Granted, I had a baby and a toddler in addition to my preschooler. But all I was able to do at that point in my life was keep them alive.

Let’s talk about my preschool plans at the beginning. I had a preschool curriculum book that focused on a letter at a time. So far, so good. I do think that teaching kids letters and numbers is a great foundation for later learning. I also bought a preschool craft book. Because of my all-or-nothing craving for complete preparation, I literally bought every craft supply needed to complete every craft in the book. You heard that right. I had enough craft supplies to supply a neighborhood of preschoolers with activities. That’s because you can’t buy a couple of tongue depressors—you have to get a box of 500.

I was so excited to do the activities with my son, and this is where it gets silly. I don’t even really like doing crafts with kids. Kids are very messy with glue and especially with the the brainchild of Satan—glitter. When my child would begin using the watercolor paints I bought him and mixing colors without cleaning out his brush, my anxiety would build to the point that I needed a nap even if he didn’t.

Because I had this all-or-nothing mentality, I felt like I had failed if I didn’t do our lesson from the book or make one of the crafts early in the day. So I would delay our studies “until the next day” when I could do them perfectly. With three boys three and under, the perfect day never arrived.

It is true that I read to my preschooler constantly. But because I had been reading to him from birth, I didn’t give myself credit for actually homeschooling him. If you’re familiar with my story, you know that I felt like a failure at homeschooling and mothering. Neither my husband nor I thought that I could handle home educating our kids long-term or adding another child to the family.

That’s when someone recommended FlyLady to me. I began building routines that allowed me to get up at the same time roughly and do the same tasks in the same order. The best part of that was waking up to a clean kitchen. I had run the dishwasher the night before and washed the larger dishes, so I didn’t feel like a failure at the beginning of the day. I added other habits like laying my clothes out the night before, and preparing things for the day ahead.

Running my dishwasher the night before allowed me to have my preschooler unload the kid-friendly dishes. This became a chore routine that made my home and life feel manageable. It also taught my son an important life skill.

If you’d like to build an organizing routine, check out my guide The Organized Homeschool Life.

With the chore habit established, I was able to add preschool lessons to our routine. I was finally teaching! I also got the kids into preschool activities for homeschoolers and for the community. The boys went to playdates at the park, gymnastics, and swim lessons. And that leads me to how I taught preschool later on.

How I Taught Preschool Later

I continued to do chores at the beginning of the school day as we added more kids to the family. I would keep my youngest kids with me and help them do their chores while the older kids worked independently—or at least claimed to be working independently.

Once I had elementary students, I had to decide when to work with my preschoolers. I took the advice to spend time with my preschoolers first, then allow them to play in an adjacent room. This was effective; however, I had a long day to fill. This is when I started using the Managers of Their Homes scheduling approach. The idea that was most valuable to me from this approach was to pair a younger child with an older one for a short session. Usually this involved reading to them or playing with them.

I began to feel that I was shortchanging my preschoolers, however. I was focused on teaching more advanced skills to my older kids. That’s when I heard about creating preschool activity packs. The concept was that you would create multiple packs of a couple of different educational activities for preschoolers and would then exchange them with other moms who had made different activity packs. I thought this was brilliant!

However—and you knew that “however” was coming, didn’t you?—I barely used the activity packs. I wondered why on earth I had invested the time and money into creating them when there are so many inexpensive preschool activities that I already owned or could purchase. Things like letter puzzles and games that I already had.

I also heard Steve Demme’s excellent advice based on his notion that curriculum book time at back-to-school is a preschooler’s version of Christmas without me. I decided to purchase books for my preschoolers to spend time in while the older kids did their independent work. Most of them were activity books like Kumon books that help them learn to write.

The best curriculum I found for homeschoolers around this time was from a company called Dakota Publishing. As a South Dakota native, I loved that the company was headquartered there, but I loved the approach of Little Hands to Heaven even more. The preschool curriculum was broken up into little—what I call—missions. Short teachable moments that could be completed before the other kids were fighting or the dog escaped the yard. Even though I never finished a complete lesson, I felt successful because I had completed parts of it.

As my younger kids became preschoolers, though, I simply allowed them to participate in our reading and activities as their interest and ability allowed. To keep them engaged when I was working with the older kids, I tried rotating toys and books that were for school time only. But because the kids seemed to enjoy throwing small toys around the playroom more than using them as intended, I had limited success with this.

That leads me to how I would homeschool preschool with my grandkids.

How I Would Teach Preschool with My Grandkids

I survived homeschooling preschool for all six of my kids. Not one of them is in a mental institution because I failed to teach them their letters, numbers, or shoe-tying at the optimal time.

Given my experience and my 20/20 hindsight vision, here is how I would homeschool preschool now:

First, I would continue reading to them. I would read picture books with them and take them to the library as I did with my kids, treating it like the gift and adventure that it is. I would also have them raid Grandpa’s bookshelves. My husband is a sales rep for school library books, so we have a literature-rich home. We would read picture books to address social and emotional skills as well as academic topics. I would relish telling them about their parents’ bad behavior when they were little. Just kidding. Kind of.

Second, I would use a more by-the-way, unit study approach to teaching. For example, if there were a class or field trip that appealed to preschoolers, we would go and would then do reading and activities related to it. I would make ample use of the internet to find videos, recipes, experiments, and easy art projects that don’t involve glitter. The most important aspect for me would be not having an overly planned schedule that could make me feel behind.

Third, for curriculum, I would use a children’s Bible, Little Hands to Heaven, Color Me Mozart and other easy, engaging resources to teach specific topics. We would start off with these resources before reading and pursuing other activities.

Finally, I would use lots of board and active games to teach academics and social skills. I used the Phonics Game, Jr. to teach my kids to read and I would use it again. I would leave the computer games for the parents to use when they need down time. I would rely on lists of games that are easy to play and set up when I wanted to cover a particular subject like math or vocabulary or just to let the kids burn off steam.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I know I didn’t do a perfect job teaching preschool. But the good news is I didn’t have to. My kids enjoyed their early homeschool years and benefited from them. Yours will too. I hope my experience will help you create a realistic and enjoyable plan for educating your little learners.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Homeschooling Preschool While Keeping Your Sanity appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: How To Handle Homeschool Detours

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:00:23 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! If you’re not where you expected to be in your homeschool, I’ve got you. In this episode, you’ll learn why we find ourselves on a detour, how we can get even more off track, and 5 tips for reaching our destination quickly.

Watch on YouTube

First, let’s define a homeschool detour.

Detours for our purposes can be taking the same route we planned, but it’s taking far longer than we thought. This was the most common detour for me. I experienced a version of it every one of my 25 years of homeschooling. We didn’t get through the curriculum as quickly as we thought we would. Or we didn’t even start it. That happened more times than I’d like to admit, too. The character issues that I thought my kids would master right away were still being learned in high school.

A classic detour, though, is taking a different route to the destination because the intended route wasn’t available or workable. Homeschool detours can be anything new that you weren’t planning: classes, schedule, approach, baby, job, home.

Why do we find ourselves on these detours?

One obvious reason that applies in the wake of Hurricane Helene is events out of our control. Illness, a facility closure, a job loss.

Other detours are more the result of a family member’s choice: your spouse needs you to work, your teen wants to go to school, your child wants to compete at an elite level.

Finally, there are detours that are the result of our choices. I do think detours can have all three characteristics at once. Something happens that’s out of your control. Your spouse wants to do something about that. And your choice solidifies your direction.

Years ago, I was driving my family home from the beach, a 12-hour drive with stops. I entered our home address into my phone’s GPS and was on my way. My husband was in the back of our van, watching movies with the kids. After the movie was over, he said, “I don’t recognize this town.” I waved him off, telling him that I was taking the route the GPS told me. But the truth was I didn’t recognize it either. I figured I just hadn’t paid attention on our last trip or the GPS was taking me on a better, faster route.

The first reason we find ourselves on a detour of our own making is because we aren’t paying attention. I wasn’t looking at the surroundings as I drove. I also didn’t check my son’s math homework for weeks, only to realize he hadn’t been doing it. I wasn’t checking my son’s laundry, so I didn’t realize he’d been putting his clean laundry in his dirty clothes hamper just so he wouldn’t have to put it away.

I was on a coming-home-from-vacation detour primarily because I wasn’t paying attention. But the second reason we find ourselves on a detour of our own making is because we trusted but didn’t verify. I trusted my GPS to navigate me home but I didn’t verify that it was giving me the fastest route. I trusted my kids to do the right thing and didn’t verify. But I also trusted homeschool and parenting experts that if I did everything they said to do that my kids would be giants of the faith with full-ride scholarships. You won’t be surprised to hear that I haven’t yet arrived at that destination.

The third reason we find ourselves on a detour of our own making is our pride. “I know what I’m doing!” I thought, as my husband expressed doubt in our direction. He didn’t know what was going on, I thought. He’s too busy watching a movie! When someone questions our homeschooling or parenting, we may dig our heels in and do even more rather than admit to our weakness.

A few more hours went by on our drive home and my husband piped up again. “I don’t recognize this town either. Are you sure we’re on the right route?” Actually, I think he was a lot more forceful than that, but I’m giving him grace in the retelling of it.

“Uhhh,” I stammered. I couldn’t study the map as I was driving and my husband didn’t know how to use my app. I kept driving.

How can we get even more off track?

The first way we can get even more off track on a detour is avoidance. I got on a detour home by not paying attention. I got even further astray by avoiding the issue. I didn’t look at the route GPS had mapped out for us. When something in our homeschool isn’t working, it can be frightening to think about. So we may choose to do anything else but think about it. Meanwhile we’ve gone even further off track. You might avoid discussing a child’s learning disability or what you’ll do if a potential layoff happens. Meanwhile the fear gets bigger and the potential consequences worse. You want to avoid dealing with the issue even more than before.

The second way we can get even more off track is blaming others. In my mind, the only problem with our route home was my husband complaining about not recognizing it. He didn’t understand GPS like I did. If he wanted to drive, then he could choose the route! When the doctor, the co-op teacher, or your child is to blame for your detour, you can continue avoiding it. It’s someone else’s problem to solve. But if that person doesn’t act to get you back on track, the problem will grow.

The third way we can get even more off track is guilt. I secretly felt guilty that I had not looked at the route my GPS chose before I took off. I hadn’t verified it and to make matters worse, I had ignored my husband’s concerns. I worried about what it would mean if I was responsible for making our long ride home even longer. And even though I blamed the boys for their dishonesty with math and chores, I felt responsible. If I had allowed my guilt about it to make me fearful and avoid the issue, the problem would have continued and gotten worse.

Homeschool moms often feel guilt about every aspect of their family’s lives because they feel overly responsible. In addition to more avoidance, guilt can also lead to rash course correction. Turning around and heading back to the beach so I could take a better route would have been crazy, but so would dropping our math curriculum that had been working well and choosing to put away all my kids’ laundry myself.

I’ll share what happened when I finally admitted I was on a detour after this message from our sponsor: CTC Math.

Before we dig in, I want to thank our sponsor: CTC Math.

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The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

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How to Get On Track After a Detour

I finally pulled over and studied the route GPS had me on. I couldn’t deny that I didn’t recognize the route any longer. The shocker was realizing that it had me go two hours out of our way on top of a 12-hour trip. I would love to say it was because of a road closure or an error in the app. But the truth was I wasn’t paying attention, blamed my husband out of pride, and avoided dealing with the issue out of guilt.

When you realize you’re on a homeschool detour, here’s what to do to get to your destination quicker.

- Take stock of where you are. Sometimes it won’t be pretty. It certainly wasn’t for me. I had added two hours to an already long trip. But often it’s not as bad as you fear. You’ll never be able to course correct until you admit where you are. Get an assessment. Gather data. See how much has to be done to get up to speed. It can be painful but not as painful as continuing on the same path.

- Determine the best way forward. Don’t look back. It was tempting for me to fantasize about going back in time to take a different route. Instead I looked at the map to see how we could get on the fastest route home. Given your current circumstances, what can you do to meet your goals in the quickest, most reasonable way?

- Ask for help. The truth is I am directionally challenged. I can follow verbal directions from my app, but navigating from a map is much harder. I showed my husband the map and he gave me his advice for getting back on the best route. It’s humbling to ask for help, but it also builds the helper’s confidence. My husband doesn’t like not being tech savvy. He loved feeling smarter than the GPS. Talk to veteran homeschoolers, teachers with experience in a particular area, and homeschool-friendly professionals about the challenge. You’ll build them up and help yourself at the same time.

- Trust God. God alone knows how natural disasters, other people’s choices, and our own weaknesses will interact to put us on a detour. What’s even more incredible is that He uses these circumstances to get us where He wants us. Was there a reason I ended up driving two hours out of our way? Maybe! But I know that He is my Guide and yours. He doesn’t want us to worry about our homeschool or our family. Trust in Him and follow His leading. Of course, we can and should ask Him for help in the first place. I did not pray for GPS guidance I’ll admit.

- Finally, have a sense of humor. I was amazed that my husband and kids weren’t furious with me when I broke the news. I shouldn’t have been. Even at that time, I had a long history of them giving me grace and not thinking a thing of my failings that I imagine are so monumental. I apologized and took responsibility for it and it was over. Except we laugh about this detour often. I hope you can laugh at some of the minor detours you’ve taken in your homeschool journey, too.

Conclusion

We get on homeschool detours when we don’t pay attention, trust but don’t verify, and are prideful. We can get on an even longer detour when we avoid dealing with the issue, blame others, or feel guilty about it. The quickest way to get back on track after a detour is to take stock of where you are, determine the best way forward, ask for help, Trust God, and have a sense of humor.

I have a postscript to this. Last year I was driving four hours to visit a friend and then continuing on a couple hours to stay with my mom. I had driven more than three hours when my husband called. He asked me if I had seen the new bridge on the drive. “No,” I said. “You know I don’t pay attention to that stuff.” My ADD is in high gear when I’m driving. He asked me

I would love to hear about any funny detours you’ve taken. Screenshot this podcast and tag @homeschoolsanity on social media. Thanks again to CTC Math for their sponsorship. Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: How To Handle Homeschool Detours appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: How To Have More Confidence As A Homeschool Mom This Year

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 10:00:33 +0000

Do you lack confidence as a homeschool mom? A number of moms on the Homeschool Sanity Facebook page have commented that they do. This is The Homeschool Sanity Show, the episode where we discuss how we can have more confidence as homeschool moms this year.

Hey, homeschoolers! Before we dive into the topic of mom confidence, I’d like to thank CTC Math for sponsoring this episode.

Sponsor

Finding a math curriculum that works for your family can be a challenge! With CTCMath, all of your kids from K-12 can learn at their own pace with one family subscription. That’s right! With a CTCMath membership, you have access to all grades and lessons, which means your children can work at whatever level is best for them. Whether your kid needs to catch up, keep up, or move ahead, with CTCMath they can finally understand math and work at their own pace. CTCMath is offering listeners a half-price discount plus a bonus 6 months when you register for a 12-month membership. Yep. That means you have access to a complete online homeschool math curriculum for all your kids for 18 months!

Why We Lack Confidence

Before we can talk about building confidence, let’s talk about why we lack it in our homeschooling.

The first reason is fairly obvious: we haven’t homeschooled before. Even classroom teachers can be intimidated by the prospect of teaching all subjects to multiple students–especially their own. It’s normal to lack confidence without experience.

The second reason we lack confidence is we are aware of our shortcomings. I was keenly aware of my lack of organization–something I’ve written and spoken about extensively, and which troubles many a would-be homeschool mom. And it wasn’t just messiness I was worried about. I’d been excited about a lot of projects in the past that I’d lost interest in. What if I did that with homeschooling?

Many homeschooling moms didn’t get good grades in general or in particular subjects, causing them to worry about their ability to teach their own children.

The third reason we lack confidence is because of messaging from other people. We may have family members or friends who disapprove of homeschooling and tell us about homeschool horror stories. From childhood, we may have heard about our shortcomings repeatedly. Or we were mistreated, causing us to wonder who we are to take on this important responsibility. Finally, other homeschoolers can make us feel less than confident by presenting an unattainable picture of homeschooling. Engineers in your support group who lead a championship robotics team. Homeschoolers who pay for expensive private tutoring and classes to ensure their child’s success. Mothers with supportive family who have lots of time to plan and implement an enriched education. You may feel like you’re not qualified.

How to Homeschool with New Confidence This Year

Inexperience, shortcomings, and others’ messaging can make us feel ill-equipped to homeschool successfully. But here is how we can overcome and take on homeschooling with a new confidence this year.

First, we can begin seeing ourselves as co-learners rather than professors. I learned more about child development and education by homeschooling my kids than I ever did in school or my work as a psychologist. We don’t want to fail in our homeschooling and parenting, but failing is the only way we learn. There are no homeschooling parents who haven’t made mistakes. There are also no classroom teachers who have been perfect.

The only way to grow in confidence as a homeschool mom is to do it. If we are so terrified of making mistakes with our kids that we never try homeschooling or quit at the first sign of challenge, that is the real failure. I’m not saying that everyone is called to homeschool. But if you feel called and you don’t take that call because of fear of messing up your kids, I think you will live to regret it.

These are the things I was afraid of when I began homeschooling: being too disorganized to follow through; having a child who couldn’t read; having an impulsive, immature child who would get hurt; choosing the wrong discipline strategy; having a child behave inappropriately online; having a child who couldn’t write well; having a child rebel; having a child embarrass me. I experienced ALL of these things. And praise God that I did. I’m not afraid of them anymore. The Lord got me through every single one of them.

The second way we can grow in confidence is to focus on our strengths. Organization wasn’t my forte’, but making learning fun and exciting was. As long as our homeschool was reasonably organized, my kids would focus on the fun unit studies, field trips, and co-op activities we did. And that’s what my kids remember.

I disliked gathering the supplies needed to do experiments only to discover that something didn’t work. What I loved doing was teaching literature, writing, and speaking. So my friend and I swapped those responsibilities based on our strengths. She was organized with the labs and I was organized with language arts. Teach your kids from your strengths and share responsibilities with a friend or co-op in your weaker areas.

We also focus on our strengths when we pursue our passions. Teaching world history wasn’t my strength because I had no background in it. But that’s why I was so excited about the topic. I would have read the lessons even without my kids. Even if you’ve struggled with a subject in the past, you can be an exceptional teacher because you’re passionate about learning and teaching it now.

The third way we can grow in confidence is to make the right comparisons. You’ve probably heard that when we feel we are falling short, it’s because we are comparing the inside of our homeschool (and what’s really going on) to the outside of someone else’s homeschool (where it’s carefully curated to present the best image).

But don’t get me wrong. There will be areas that another homeschool mom is further ahead than you are. She’s been doing it longer, has different abilities, has a supportive family, or kids with different strengths. Before you wish you were her, realize that she has made choices that you wouldn’t make. I used to feel inadequate with a mom who was constantly planning fun outings for the kids down to healthy snacks for them to enjoy afterward. But I couldn’t be her and didn’t want to be her. I placed a higher priority on academics and cleaning at home. Yet, what a blessing it was to enjoy her gift for planning activities that my kids enjoyed!

The Bible describes the kinds of comparisons we make as being as foolish as a foot comparing itself to an eye in importance. We are all part of the same body. We can all help one another as homeschoolers so we can achieve our unique goals.

When a friend or family member who doesn’t approve of homeschooling questions your ability to homeschool because of some shortcoming, you can say, “Oh, there are bigger issues than that to prevent me from doing a good job at homeschooling.” You’re likely to surprise a homeschool hater that way.

We can stop worrying about what another mom we know or what a social media influencer is doing because that’s not our role. But we can also stop the comparisons by comparing ourselves to Jesus. Are we as loving and faithful and just as He is? No? Then we should give up. Really. We can stop trying to be great homeschool moms and realize that we can’t do it. Instead, we need Jesus to take over. We need Him to use our unique combination of weaknesses and strengths to be the homeschool mom He planned all along.

Instead of worrying about whether we are going to ruin our kids for life, we can give the responsibility back to Jesus, trusting that He will work everything together for their good and ours. In that sense, we can be confident as homeschool moms because we are confident in Him. What a relief it is for me to know even now that I don’t have to worry about what I did or didn’t do. God had it under control and He still does. Philippians 1:6 is a verse we can hold on to: “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Conclusion

We can grow in confidence this year as we continue to homeschool, focusing on our strengths, and making the right comparisons. Ultimately, we can be confident that we don’t have what it takes to homeschool our children successfully, but Jesus working through us does. Amen?

I pray this episode has been a blessing to you. Thanks again to CTC Math!

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: How To Have More Confidence As A Homeschool Mom This Year appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Teaching Kids Confidence with Homeschool Theater

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:00:16 +0000

If you have a child whose creativity and confidence you’d love to encourage, this episode is for you! I chat with Bethany Baldwin of MAD Society Inc. about her ingenious approach to homeschool theater:

The surprising benefits of theater—even if your child isn’t a “theater kid”

How to start a homeschool drama club with zero experience

Why student-led performances can spark confidence and creativity in every child

Ready to be inspired? Watch or listen now!

Watch on YouTube

Read the Transcript

Melanie Wilson

Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum?

The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

Visit ctcmath.com today to start your free trial.

__________________________________

Get your free lesson on making friends here:

https://funtolearnbooks.com/product/training-aliens-level-1-kit/

//WHAT TO WATCH / LISTEN TO NEXT

~ How to Start a Drama Club

~ Parent-Child Book Clubs for Homeschoolers

~ Family Entertainment for Building Relationships

~How to Teach Leadership

____________________________________

//RESOURCES

https://madsocietyinc.com

Bethany’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mad_society_inc/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D

Bethany’s TikTok

Bethany’s Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/people/MAD-Society-Inc/100094518963381

Follow Melanie on Instagram to get regular tips and encouragement: https://instagram.com/homeschoolsanity

Find sanity-saving, story-based curriculum kids love and productivity/organizational helps for you at Fun to Learn Books:

https://funtolearnbooks.com

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Teaching Kids Confidence with Homeschool Theater appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Meal Planning For Homeschoolers

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 10:00:55 +0000

There are three words that can ruin your day: What’s for dinner?

We make a decision, shop for a meal, prepare it, and almost before the kitchen is cleaned, these family members of ours are back for more. For help with meal planning, you’ll want to listen to my discussion with guest Allison Schaaf.

Allison is the founder and CEO of Prep Dish, a meal-planning service that helps busy individuals and families save time while enjoying healthy, stress-free meals. As a registered dietitian and trained chef, Allison combines her expertise in nutrition and culinary arts to create practical, delicious meal plans designed for real life. With a passion for simplifying mealtime, she has helped thousands of subscribers reclaim their evenings and enjoy meal time. Allison and her husband have 4 kids and enjoy living in the Texas Hill Country with their chickens, goats, cats and bees.

We discuss meal planning with:

Special dietary needs

Batch cooking

Getting kids involved Ready to start meal planning for homeschool sanity? Listen, watch, or read now.

Watch on YouTube

Read the Transcript

Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum?

The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

Visit ctcmath.com today to start your free trial.

Melanie Wilson

__________________________________

//RESOURCES

https://prepdish.com/sanity

https://youtube.com/prepdish

https://instagram.com/prepdish

As a new homeschooling mom of three, I knew I would benefit from meal planning, but I found the process overwhelming. If you can relate, I encourage you to grab your copy of The Organized Homeschool Life. I break the challenge of meal planning up into four 15-minute missions that will get you started. In the Organized Homeschool Life Planner, you’ll find a weekly meal planning page and grocery list plus a space to remind yourself what you’re making on the daily page. You’ll have time to get your ingredients in the crock pot before you even start school. Best of all, you’ll have a ready answer for the dreaded question.

//WHAT TO LISTEN TO NEXT

~ Working and Homeschooling

~ Chicken Keeping in Your Homeschool

~Teaching Your Kids to Cook Independently

____________________________________

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Meal Planning For Homeschoolers appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Family Entertainment

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 10:00:43 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! I recently chatted with a guest about the conflict Christian homeschoolers can have with Hollywood’s content.

But we can also use the media we consume as a family to deepen relationships and teach our values. This week my guests are Nathan and D’Lytha Myers. Nathan is a set designer for The Chosen, and D’Lytha is a trained musical theater performer. Together they have created a God-honoring kids’ film that combats today’s culture of confusion, rebellion, and moral drift—not with lectures, but through story, music, and truth. Aria Appleton Shines has already won a prestigious award from International Christian Visual Media.

We discuss several topics I am passionate about, including:

The significance of family movie nights

Using storytelling to teach values and lessons

The need for open conversations about difficult topics Ready to use movies to grow closer to your kids? Listen or watch now!

Watch on YouTube

Read the Transcript

Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum?

The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

Visit ctcmath.com today to start your free trial.

Family Entertainment Resources

https://www.ariaappleton.com/

https://www.ariaappleton.com/trailer/

https://www.facebook.com/ariaappletonfilm/

https://www.instagram.com/ariaappleton/?hl=en

http://funtolearnbooks.com/shop Use code PRIME 7/8-7/11/25 to save 15%

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Family Entertainment appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: How To Gamify Your Homeschool

Melanie Wilson — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:00:05 +0000

A homeschool mom wrote to ask me where my episode on gamifying your homeschool was. The problem is I don’t have one! But I thought it was a fantastic idea. This is The Homeschool Sanity Show, the episode where we talk about making our homeschooling more like a fun, motivating game.

Sponsor

Gameschooling

You might have heard of gameschooling. There are some excellent online influencers who share games for teaching just about every topic. I’ve shared games for teaching language arts as well as holiday games. I’m a huge fan of games as a break from traditional teaching. Kids love them and depending on the games, we parents do too. Not only are games fun learning, but they can create family memories you will cherish.

I incorporate games into Grammar Galaxy as well. I particularly like active games because they’re a welcome break for active kids. The fun involved in a game releases dopamine in the brain which aids in retention of the material.

Language Arts Board Games

Free Grammar Games

Free Vocabulary Games

Gameschooling: The Waldock Way

Gameschooling: My Little Poppies

Gameschooling: The Mulberry Journal

Gameschooling is great. But there is more to gamifying your homeschool than simply adding educational, fun games to your curriculum.

Gamifying Your Homeschool

Gamification means adding game principles to your homeschool life so that you and your family are more motivated.

Let me share an example to explain. Imagine that you were invited to play a card game. There are many rules: you must play certain cards for points but there are other cards that will cost you points. You begin trying to play to earn points. But you forget and play some cards that cost you points. There aren’t any written rules to refer to.

After some time goes by, you ask how you’re doing in the game. Are you ahead, behind, winning, or losing? You’re told to just keep playing the game and you’ll figure it out. New rules seem to be added to the game every turn that cost you points. When you make what you think is a play that will earn you lots of points, you’re told that you can’t make that play now.

My kids have had me play a card game just like this. I reminded them of this game over Thanksgiving and asked them for the name of it. They couldn’t remember. Maddening! I hated the game and never wanted to play it again.

Sometimes our homeschooling is just like this. Our kids do some schoolwork. They feel good about it. But they made some mistakes. They didn’t show their work. They didn’t put enough effort into it. And we let them know. We make them redo the work. We may even give them extra practice work if they didn’t understand a concept.

Or they did very well. They did the work so quickly that we worry we aren’t challenging them. So we ask them to do more advanced work. We ask them to read more or to move on to another subject. We might even add a curriculum to their workload.

The same process can happen with chores. Didn’t do them well enough? Do them again. Get extra chores added on. Do them well but fast? You can handle more chores.

Are you getting the picture? Our kids may feel like they’re playing a game where the rules aren’t clear but what is clear is that there’s no way to win. That isn’t motivating. For anyone.

So how can we fix this to properly gamify our homeschools?

First, the rules for winning at school and chores need to be limited, clear, and preferably posted. We aren’t motivated by a game that tells us to “play cards,” so our kids won’t be motivated to “do school.” They need to know exactly what must be done to earn credit.

If you’re worried that what I’m sharing contradicts with getting kids to take initiative, please don’t. When kids know exactly what is expected of them, they’ll be more likely to take initiative to learn or help more.

But for that to happen, the rules have to be limited and winning has to seem possible. If there are so many rules to remember that I don’t know who to do first, I’m going to want to quit the game before I even get started. If our students have so many assignments that they can’t remember them all, they will feel defeated before they begin.

In addition, winning has to seem achievable. I have started to play video games where the high scorers are listed as motivation for us to compete. I just have to play once and get a paltry score to realize that I will never reach that level, nor would I want to spend the time necessary.

When we have students who are underperforming, our tendency is to want to fill up their lesson plan with work to help them catch up. What happens instead is they feel hopeless and don’t want to even try. Instead, we want to help our kids see that they are winners in school and life. We want to do what we are good at–even if that thing requires time and effort.

In my How to Motivate Any Student class, I share that the first time I played on a part-3 golf course, I hit a flag with my ball on the drive. I was convinced I was a great golfer, and I wanted to keep playing. That was true even though golf is a time-consuming game. We see people spending consider time and effort developing skills in all sorts of areas of life, most likely because they initially believed they had some talent or ability in it.

We can give our kids that initial confidence by making the work easy enough and quick to complete. We know this when it comes to habits and life changes for ourselves. We know we can’t run a 5K without first walking and jogging short distances. We won’t be motivated to organize if it’s going to require weeks and hours of effort. That’s why we work in short, timed bursts.

To use that gamification strategy of making winning possible for our kids, we may have to do some experimenting. Keep cutting down the workload or reducing the level until your child is agreeable. Grammar Galaxy‘s mission steps take just 10-15 minutes each to complete. Some homeschool parents are concerned that this just isn’t enough time. But what happens when you require just 5 minutes of reading a day or 10-15 minutes of language arts a day is kids think it’s doable, so they’ll start. They’ll keep reading because they enoy it. They’ll want to do a second and even a third step in their mission because it was easier than they thought.

Third, a gamified homeschool requires visible progress. Imagine playing a board game where you can’t see how close you are to winning. You have no idea where your marker is. Sometimes our homeschooling is like that. We’re just “doing school” and not even a calendar date indicates the end of the work because Mom feels we need to continue into the summer. I am not suggesting there is a problem with schooling year-round. I AM saying that kids need a finish line to be motivated. I’ve mentioned before how my kids became super motivated to finish their work at the end of the school year when they had a list of everything needed to do before having a long break.

Quarterly Checklist

Have a chart posted in a visible spot (like on the refrigerator) that shows progress in books read, math lessons completed, or chores done. Research shows that without any rewards (even without praise), public progress charts improve performance.

Kids also need to know that their work is meaningful and can’t be minimized in an effort to get them to do more. Here’s what I mean. The games of Sorry and Candyland can be so frustrating to play specifically because all your forward progress can be wiped out in one turn. Homeschooling shouldn’t feel like that for our kids. To that end, we should avoid having them redo a whole curriculum. Instead, we might consider switching to a new curriculum or adding supplementary work to shore up the learning. The only reason I would ignore this advice is if your student is on board with redoing the curriculum. We also don’t want to add chores for a student who finishes work quickly and thoroughly.

The final thing a gamified homeschool requires that I’ll discuss today is the unexpected. If you knew you would never win or would win at Solitaire every time, you would not want to play. Variety is the spice of life and it’s what makes games fun. I’m a big believer in routine. We do our best work and are likely to be well rested with a predictable schedule.

But we all need some spontaneity too. Instead of having a regular game day, you could announce that you’re going to spend the afternoon playing board games. Cut your student’s workload in half after assigning it. Go on a surprise field trip. Watch educational movies instead of doing the scheduled lessons. Do fun science experiments. Invite friends over to play. Do your school routine backwards. Even have kids put their clothes on backwards if you like. Put one of your students in charge for the day. Use shopping and cooking as school. Turn your chore list into a randomized game. Roll the dice and do the chore with that number. List some topics your kids are interested. Roll the dice and study the subject that comes up for the day. Have slips of paper with surprise activities or breaks in a jar and let your child choose one when the mood strikes. You can also use a randomizer app on your phone for this purpose.

As long as these surprises don’t become routine, kids will feel like they are playing a game in being homeschooled. Of course, learning is its own reward. But some of our habits can minimize the natural motivation of homeschooling.

Conclusion

When we make the rules for winning clear; when winning seems achievable; when kids see visible progress; and when they regularly experience the unexpected, we have gamified our homeschools and will likely have more homeschool sanity.

Thanks again to CTC Math for sponsoring the podcast.

Have a happy homeschool week and a very merry Christmas to those listening this third week of December.

The post Special Replay: How To Gamify Your Homeschool appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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The Power Of Parent-Child Book Clubs

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 10:00:07 +0000

Thank you to the Harper Collins NIV Application Bible for sponsoring the podcast.

Hey, homeschoolers! So often I learn about great ideas that I wish I’d had when I was still homeschooling. Today’s topic of starting or joining a parent-child book club is no exception. If you’re using Grammar Galaxy or would like to, starting a Grammar Galaxy book club is a fantastic idea. Make sure you’re subscribed to FunToLearnBooks.com so you’re notified of our Prime Days sale for significant savings on Grammar Galaxy, July 8th-11th.

Today, my guests will tell us the many benefits of parent-child book clubs and how to make them work with creative ideas for multiple ages. Stefanie Hohl has been a guest on this podcast before. Along with her sister Meghan Voss, she is the author of Mother-Daughter Book Club Guide. They both join me for this inspiring and practical conversation.

Watch on YouTube

Read the Transcript

Book Club Resources

Mother-Daughter Book Club Guide

https://amzn.to/44hVUcM

Stefanie’s reading website

http://abcseeheardo.com

Stefanie’s website

http://stefaniehohl.com

Stefanie’s Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/abcseeheardo

Meghan’s Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/meghanvossstudio

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post The Power Of Parent-Child Book Clubs appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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My Top 5 Homeschool Challenges

Ultimate Homeschool — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 14:57:26 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! As we are solidly into the school year, you may be experiencing some challenges. I want to share the top five struggles I dealt with in my 25+ years of homeschooling and how I dealt with them or would deal with them today. My hope is that you will feel normal if a psychologist and mother of six had the same issues that you do. My hope is also to encourage you that you can overcome these difficulties. You absolutely can!

Watch on YouTube

1. Keep the house in order

My first struggle, as most of you know, was keeping my house in order while actually homeschooling. When I started I was accomplishing neither. I cared for my three kids, but it seemed like that was all I could handle.

I knew I couldn’t homeschool or have any more children the way it was going. That’s when FLYLady changed the way I thought about routines. I thought they were enslaving when they were really liberating. Doing the same things in the same order in the morning and evening in particular helped me feel on top of my house and my homeschool. I’ll put links to some episodes on this topic in the show notes.

But today I want to stress one aspect of our routine that helped me keep our home in order over the years: kids doing chores. I don’t have a specific chore system to recommend to you. I tried them all–chore boards, badges, apps and various approaches. And they all worked for a while. What I learned was that it wasn’t the specifcs of the chore plan that mattered as much as expecting and needing my kids to help. Without their help, our house would have been a disaster and I would have been stressed out. But with their help, everything else in our homeschooling went more smoothly. I reminded them constantly that I needed their contribution.

Did they do the chores perfectly or even well every time? No. Did they ever complain about their chore assignments for the day? For sure. But having the kids help carry the load allowed me to overcome this challenge in my homeschooling life. It had other benefits including preparing my kids for a job, living with a roommate, and running their own home in the future.

A routine and having my kids do chores enabled me to focus on teaching. For help with this, I recommend the Organized Homeschool Life. After getting my home in order, I ran into another challenge:

2. Fit it all in

Trying to fit it all in. I wanted to teach everything in part because I wanted to learn everything. Learning along with your kids was one of the unexpected blessings of homeschooling for me. I wanted to learn how to make new kinds of bread. I wanted to learn how to code. I wanted to revisit calligraphy. And I wanted to learn all of these things on top of the core subjects this year. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t fit it all in. Can you relate?

At first, I thought we had to do school longer. That was a separate challenge I’ll discuss in a minute. Loop scheduling was a big help. I could do multiple subjects by not trying to do them all every day. I had a block of time devoted to three subjects. We would do the next subject in line, rotating through them.

But I needed more than that. I couldn’t loop schedule 20 subjects! I had to accept that I couldn’t do everything this year. One thing that helped was realizing that some subjects like science and history don’t have to be explicity taught every year. You’ll always be learning science and history along the way, but you may not have to have a formal curriculum if you have other priorities this year.

Hindsight allows me to see that we only accomplished a fraction of what I wanted to do, but it was enough. With God as our Guide, it will be enough books read, enough skills practiced, enough experiences had. I’m still accepting that I won’t be able to learn all the things, but as I grow in this area, I have more peace and joy.

One way to fit math in to your school day is using CTC Math, the sponsor of this podcast.

Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum?

The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

Each one of the video tutorials is taught by an internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, who is renowned for teaching math concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand way (and in only a few minutes at a time). Using a multi-sensory approach having the combination of effective graphics and animation synchronized with the voice of a friendly teacher together with practical assessment. This three-pronged attack makes learning so much easier and more effective. Even students who struggled with math are getting fantastic results! And ones who were doing OK before are now doing brilliantly.

Visit c-t-c-math.com today to start your free trial.

3. School in the afternoons

As I tried to fit more school and activities in, I tried extending our school hours. With more kids in our family and more commitments, we would just have to add more to our afternoon schedule, I thought. When I was homeschooling two kids with a little one who napped, I could fit a science experiment or a craft in the afternoon. But as our family grew, I found I was able to do less and less formal schooling after lunch.

On days we had outside classes in the mornings, I would be determined to get afternoon lessons in, and it just never happened. I would tell myself it was because I was pregnant or it had been a particularly busy morning or because I was lazy. I would surely fit afternoon school in the next time. But it rarely worked.

I finally realized that with young students in particular, we needed to get our critical work done in the morning. Our attention and energy didn’t support doing book work in the afternoons. What we could do in the afternoons was co-op. The social energy kept the kids motivated. We could also do field trips and educational videos.

When my kids became independent learners, they chose to do more work in the afternoons. Even with my own work today, I find that if I keep hitting resistance to working in the afternoon, I need to make a change. I now do my creative work in the mornings and leave easier tasks for afternoons.

Instead of berating yourself and trying harder, my advice is to experiment with different schedules. Be curious about how you and your children respond and you’ll achieve more with less stress. For help with this, I recommend A Year of Living Productively.

4. Deal with sibling squabbles

Getting chores and school done was often impeded by my children’s arguing over whose turn it was to have the easy chore or get the preferred blanket for school time. Precious time was taken discussing this, which in hindsight I see was probably my children’s attempt to delay work.

I not only struggled with the lost time but I found it demoralizing. I wanted an orderly home and educated kids, but even more than that, I wanted them to love one another. Their squabbles were evidence that I was failing in this most important goal.

I used practical approaches to deal with these issues and they were successful in large part. I either rotated sets of chores through all the kids or randomly assigned them to stop the “it’s not fair” grumbling. Of course, the kids would complain that one child wasn’t really doing their chore which I will discuss as a next challenge. The other thing I did was assign my kids a day of the week to have as their priority day. That meant they got to choose a seat, a blanket, and even a restaurant if we were going out. One of my favorite memories is of my daughter as a preschooler. When she woke up on Friday, she would gleefully announce, “It’s ma day.” If I were doing this again, choice of restaurant would not have been part of a child’s day. Too often we went out on the same day of the week.

Next, a child’s day was when I spent special time with them in an activity of their choice. We often played a game. One child loved having me play a racing video game with him because I was so bad at it. Another wanted me to play Typer shark because I’m a fast typist. He just enjoyed watching me win! Having time alone with me during which we could discuss how things were going with siblings was a big help to reducing sibling rivalry.

But the most important way I dealt with this particular challenge was to surrender to it. I wanted to get to our Bible time, our math, our history. But my children obviously needed social, emotional, and character training instead. We would discuss it, air grievances, and brainstorm possible solutions. And while I know I was not perfect in this area, I also don’t regret focusing our school time on these skills when the situation called for it. I do wish I had had a curriculum like Training Aliens as an organized approach to teaching them. But you can grab a free sibling rivalry sample of it at FunToLearnBooks.com/siblingrivalry.

5. Review kids’ work

Another challenge for me in homeschooling was my reluctance to review my kids’ work. I did not like going over their homework with the exception of their writing. To me it was boring busywork. So I put it off. You heard me describe in previous episodes how not checking resulted in my son not doing his math for months.

Homework wasn’t the only thing I didn’t review. I absolutely hated checking the kids’ chores. In this case it wasn’t just because I felt it was boring. The truth is I didn’t want to be unhappy when I saw that chores were skipped or not done well. If they were, I would have had to take more time to supervise my child and train him or her to do it correctly.

I tried using willpower to get myself to review their work and sometimes I was successful. Making it a part of my routine worked even better. But this is a challenge that I would handle differently if I could. Here’s how. I would have rewarded my kids for coming to me to have their work reviewed. I used an app on my phone to give kids a spin for a randomized reward. You can set this up too, using a randomizer app. That would have been very effective. It would have had two positive effects. First, the kids would have pestered me to check to get the reward, so I would have been prompted to do it. Second, they would not have asked me to check unless the work had been done and done well. I could have made this more rewarding for myself by giving myself points every time I checked a child’s work. What I wanted most at this time in my life was personal time to do what I enjoyed. The added advantage of this is my personal time would have been guilt-free because I knew I had checked my kids’ work.

Conclusion

Today I discussed five challenges I had in homeschooling: keeping the house in order, fitting it all in, school in the afternoons, sibling squabbles, and reviewing kids’ work. I shared with you how I dealt with those challenges or would deal with them now. What I didn’t share is that I’m thankful for these challenges. They taught me to be more organized and productive. They grew my character, my parenting skills, and my dependence on God. And they also allowed me how to serve homeschoolers like you. Do you have a challenge I didn’t mention? Screenshot this podcast episode and tag me at homeschoolsanity on social media. I’d love to chat about it.

To find the links to CTC Math and the resources I mentioned, visit the show notes page at homeschoolsanity.com/5challenges.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post My Top 5 Homeschool Challenges appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Christian Parenting Of Tweens: What You Need To Know

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 10:00:10 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! If you have a tween son or daughter, you may wonder what happened to your baby! I know I had that experience. If you need wisdom and encouragement for parenting tweens, there is no better place to turn after praying than my friend Tara Lee Felix. Lee is a champion of others, a certified conversion copywriter, and a hybrid homeschooling mom of five. As the founder of Created Social and Like Minded Musings, she blends nearly two decades of parenting with over a decade of experience in authentic marketing, writing, and relationship-building to help others lead with purpose, connect deeply, and communicate with clarity.

As a passionate youth group leader and curriculum writer/editor, she serves 400+ teens each week, infusing biblical truth and relational discipleship into everything she does. Through Like Minded Musings, she also empowers moms with Christ-centered encouragement and practical tools to navigate the beautiful, messy, meaningful work of imperfect parenting.

Lee and I discussed:

The critical mindset shift you need to make

The impact of technology and social media on your tween

Why hiding your parenting challenges isn’t a good idea

Your next Bible is the Harper Collins NIV Application Bible. Learn more here.

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Parenting Tween Resources

Whether you’re growing a business or raising the next generation, Lee’s mission is simple: to help you build what truly lasts. Ready to create a life or business filled with purpose? Explore her free resources for clear steps, practical tools, and inspiring encouragement.

- Visit her Private Imperfect Moms Facebook Community

- Get access to her FREEBIES Hub of Biblical Resources

- Connect on Social Media! Facebook I Pinterest I Twitter I Instagram

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Christian Parenting Of Tweens: What You Need To Know appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Hebraic Bible Study For Homeschoolers

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 10:00:24 +0000

Hey homeschoolers! I knew that reading the Bible in the context of its Hebrew roots could make it come alive. But I was still surprised by my reaction to what I learned from my guest on this topic. If you long for you and your kids to be more engaged with scripture, you’ll want to hear from him too. David Necruitman is the founder of Biblical Excavations.and an advisor to The Chosen. He is a renowned speaker, author, and teacher, bringing a fresh and insightful perspective on the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith.

Watch on YouTube

Resources for Hebraic Bible Study

Bible Excavations

Free Bible Study

David @ theIsaiahProject.com

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Hebraic Bible Study For Homeschoolers appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Children Grandparent Relationships

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 10:00:29 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! Are your kids connecting with their grandparents and other elders? There is so much to be gained from intergenerational relationships as my guest can attest to.

Grandparent Podcast Guest: Isabel Tom

Isabel is a mother of three, the author of The Value of Wrinkles, and a professional serving the older adult population. She was raised in an intergenerational home and is passionate about improving these family relationships.

I loved our chat and wished I had met Isabel when my kids were younger. I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you to Judson College for sponsoring this episode of The Homeschool Sanity Show. If your student is interested in a biblical college education, click to learn more.

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Grandparent Resources

Grandparent Investigator Kit

Grandparent Kit & Opt-in for Free Mission

Isabel on Instagram

Isabel on Facebook

The post Children Grandparent Relationships appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Homeschooling As Life

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 10:00:17 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! It’s finally summer here. If you’re anything like me, you use the summer to review your homeschooling approach. What worked, what didn’t, and what will you do this year?

One approach that I was interested in (and I know many of you are too) is homeschooling along the way, less dependent on curriculum. If you are interested in unschooling, I know you’ll enjoy hearing from my guest, Danielle Papageorgiou.

Podcast Guest: Danielle Papageorgiou

Danielle is married to Jon and together they have two homeschool graduates and a 13-year-old. She has been homeschooling, or “lifeschooling,” for 23 years and has a passion for helping other moms learn how to homeschool in a way that enhances rather than competes with family life. Through her Lifeschooling book, blog (www.LifeAsALifeschooler.com), resources, and community, she helps parents see the educational value in everyday life and focus on developing their child’s God-given gifts, so they can raise world-changers. You can find her book, Lifeschooling: Learning to Think Outside the Curriculum Box, at www.LifeschoolingBook.com. Here’s our chat.

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Have your student prepare for their calling in biblical community at Judson College.

Summary of Discussion of Homeschooling As Life

In this episode of the Homeschool Sanity Show, Melanie Wilson interviews Danielle Papagiorgio about her approach to homeschooling known as life schooling. Danielle shares her journey into homeschooling, the philosophy behind life schooling, and how it differs from traditional educational models. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing children’s God-given gifts and nurturing them through real-life experiences. The conversation also addresses common critiques of unschooling and offers practical advice for parents looking to adopt a life schooling approach. Danielle shares personal stories and insights, encouraging parents to embrace flexibility and faith in their homeschooling journey.

Homeschooling As Life Resources

Lifeschooling Book

Lifeschooling Blog

Lifeschooling Group

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Homeschooling As Life appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Mom Friendships

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 27 May 2025 10:00:18 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! Last week my guest and I talked about finding a homeschool community. Often our biggest concern is helping our kids make friends. But what about us? We need friends too. I might not have made it without the homeschool mom friendships I had.

If you’re interested in developing new friendships, you’ll love my chat with Kristen Strong. Kristen, whose authored books include Girl Meets Change and When Change Finds You, also compiled the 90-day devotional, Praying Through Loneliness. Her new book is titled Desperate Woman Seeks Friends. Kristen writes as a friend walking alongside you in your lonely season to a more helpful, hopeful destination. She loves sharing laughs, long talks, and meaningful stories with family and friends while holding a cup of strong black tea. She and her US Air Force veteran husband, David, have three beloved adult children.

I found her delightful. Here’s our conversation.

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Mom Friendships Episode Summary

In this conversation, Melanie Wilson and Kristen discuss the unique challenges that homeschooling moms face in building and maintaining friendships. They explore themes of isolation, the importance of deep versus casual friendships, and practical strategies for overcoming obstacles such as busyness and fear of rejection. Kristen shares insights from her book ‘Desperate Woman Seeks Friends,’ emphasizing the need for vulnerability and the value of creating rituals to prioritize friendships. The discussion highlights the emotional benefits of connection and the importance of understanding different personality types in friendship dynamics.

Mom Friendships Resources

Kristen Strong’s website

Kristen on Instagram

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Mom Friendships appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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New Homeschool Community

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 20 May 2025 10:00:33 +0000

Thank you to NOW programs for sponsoring this episode of the Homeschool Sanity Show.

Hey homeschoolers, you can homeschool apart from a community, but why would you want to? Although online communities have helped connect homeschoolers around the world, most of us desire a local community.

Local communities can answer our questions about activities and services, and they provide a source of friendships for us and our kids. My guest today is Morgan Bergstrom, founder of BaseCampEd, a new app that is helping homeschool parents make connections in their area. We have an interesting discussion of how community building has changed in homeschooling and how families like yours can connect today, even if you aren’t an extrovert. Here’s our chat.

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Morgan on Facebook

Morgan on Instagram

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post New Homeschool Community appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Moms And Anger

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 13 May 2025 10:00:33 +0000

Thank you to NOW Programs for sponsoring this episode of the Homeschool Sanity Show.

Hey, homeschoolers! One of my most popular talks at Great Homeschool Conventions was “The Anger Antidote for Homeschool Parents.” I understand why. My anger was a stronghold in my life that I just couldn’t seem to overcome. Although I believe this talk is chock full of inspiration, it’s light on tools.

That’s why I was excited to connect with Amber Lia. Amber is a certified independent health coach, a homeschool mom, and the author of multiple bestselling books including Food Triggers and Parenting Scripts. Her newest release is Untrigged: 60 Days of Transformation for Moms Who Struggle with Anger. I won’t blame you if you push pause to grab your copy of this devotional right now. But I hope you’ll return to hear the wisdom and grace Amber has to share. Be sure to listen to the end because I have a free gift just for podcast listeners.

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If you struggle with anger, I want to gift you The Anger Antidote class for free. Use code PODCAST to make it free.

Amber Lia’s Resources

Amber’s Books

Amber’s Blog

Amber’s Instagram Amber’s Facebook

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Moms And Anger appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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The Easy Way To Teach Life Skills

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 06 May 2025 10:00:44 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! It should be easy to teach life skills in our homeschools. The kids are cooking with us, cleaning with us, and even doing home repairs with us. But sometimes academics, activities, and daily life get in the way. We have good intentions, but before we know it, Junior is on his own driving the car with no oil in it. Don’t ask why I’m using that as an example.

My guest today, Katie Kimball of Kids Cook Real Food, has joined me before to talk about teaching cooking skills. But today she is sharing:

- motivation for teaching life skills if you’ve been putting it off

- strategies for incorporating them into daily routines

- how to balance independence with safety

You’ll want to listen to the end to hear about an exciting free resource your kids will love. Here’s Katie.

YouTube

I would have loved this resource for my kids! To register for camp now (before you forget), go to kidscookrealfood.com/lifeskillssanity. Then get a head start on teaching one life skill this week.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post The Easy Way To Teach Life Skills appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Help For Self-Control Struggles

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:00:16 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! Does your child struggle with self-control? Judging by the response to my session on self-control at the Great Homeschool Conventions, I’m going to guess that the answer for many is yes. Self-control is an overarching concept that includes emotion management and control of what we say and do. It means that our child can say no to their desires that can have immediate or long-term negative consequences–especially when in challenging situations.

Parents who want to talk to me about their child’s self-control are often concerned with how their child’s words or actions create sibling conflict, or they’re concerned about their child spending a lot of time spent in rewarding activities like gaming in lieu of doing chores or studying. These same parents admit that they too are struggling with some aspects of self-control. I have been there with both children’s struggles and my own.

In this episode, I want to spend time discussing why your child might be struggling and some solutions based on those root causes. In particular, I want to challenge the association we often make that can prevent us from choosing an effective solution.

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Before we dive in though, I am happy to announce the release of the second level of Training Aliens, the story-based curriculum I created to help parents like you teach self-control and other vital social and emotional skills. For a limited time, you’ll save 20% on either level of the curriculum designed for K-8th graders. Level 2 has the alien siblings returning to space camp, learning how to turn acquaintances into friends, how to deal with worry, how to respond to someone who’s teasing them, how to help someone who’s grieving, and 12 more intermediate skills. As with Level 1, the curriculum includes a 5-minute story about the aliens struggling with a skill and two choices for dealing with it that are common but ineffective. The training manual includes discussion questions, dramatizations, games, and STEM activities in addition to the course where I am teaching the skill in a short, engaging video. As before, you need just one copy for your family or co-op group. Sara had this to say about Level 1:

I cannot recommend Training Aliens enough! Managing emotions is tough but Melanie makes it super fun and engaging for the kids. We are using this curriculum with a group of friends, doing one lesson a week. We chose to do the faith-based book. The kids have loved acting out the Bible passages, movement activities, and the show and tell. I’ve seen super shy kids coming out of their shell, some being more mindful of others, and overall have seen so much growth this year. It is great for families but even more fun with friends. We have been so blessed by Melanie and Training Aliens. We cannot wait to dive into Training Aliens 2 next school year. Thank you for creating a curriculum that has been so helpful in training up our children.

Back to our topic. You’ve been practicing self-control, waiting for me to share the causes of self-control struggles. Thank you for that!

Spiritual Roots of Loss of Self-Control

The first cause we’ll discuss is spiritual because that’s what we as Christian homeschoolers often default to. Galatians lists self-control as one fruit of the spirit. So if our child isn’t demonstrating self-control, we may wonder if they have the Holy Spirit. Even more commonly though, we wonder if our child just lacks character. Perhaps they just aren’t trying hard enough!

My first response to this way of thinking, which I have also had, is that God also gives musical and artistic talents to His people. Yet those talents take time and practice to develop into usable skills. Self-control is like that. Younger children will exercise less self-control and this immaturity is not related to their character. They will develop more self-control as they grow and practice.

If, however, you see other areas in which your child is lacking character like not being kind, you have more reason to believe that poor self-control is a spiritual issue. Spiritual training is a lifelong endeavor, so it doesn’t hurt to continue to provide it for self-control struggles.

Spiritual training includes discipline, which the Bible says produces a harvest of righteousness. Firm and loving discipline teaches children struggling with self-control the consequences of poor choices. Ignoring lack of respect or disobedience can prolong the struggle. Along with giving consequences, expressing our belief in our children’s ability to develop their self-control is most likely to help our child.

Let’s say you told your child to turn off the screen and put his laundry away. When you come back, he is still on the screen and the laundry is where you left it. You can calmly remind him of the assignment and ask for the device that you’ll be keeping for a while. You can then say, “I know you’ll make a better choice next time.” You might even recognize the difficulty in saying no to yourself when you’d prefer not to do a chore. You could then discuss some strategies for getting work done quickly and more enjoyably. Listening to music or using a timer come to mind.

Physical Roots of Self-Control

Sometimes self-control does have a spiritual cause. But many times it is physical. Children that have neurodevelopmental issues that affect the prefrontal cortex will have more difficulty with self-control. My autistic adult nephew was texting me late at night. When I asked him not to, it was like I had pushed the “more” button. He began texting me late at night even more often, while apologizing for doing so. I just muted notifications for his texts and learned that ignoring the behavior worked better with him.

Children with ADHD can also have difficulty with impulse control–likely because they think and move so quickly that they haven’t considered the consequences before acting.

Self-control is more challenging for all our kids when they’re tired or overstimulated. Self-control requires energy and kids are easily tempted when they don’t have a good night’s sleep. Stress from illness, change, or conflict also drains kids’ energy.

When our kids have a physical basis for poor self-control, it makes sense to tailor our response to the individual child. We have to experiment to see what works best. While some children thrive on an early bed time, for example, others have more self-control when allowed to sleep late. Allowing a child who’s been ill or stressed more down time also makes sense.

Movement and some form of physical exercise are excellent strategies for promoting self-control for most children. Children with ADHD do well with movement interspersed throughout the day. Adequate xercise can also help children sleep more soundly at night.

When a child has a physical basis for self-control struggles, we want to remove temptations as much as possible. A tired child who has a screen in their room at night is probably going to choose it over sleep, for example. Having a child work in a quiet space alone for a short period can help as can using headphones or a screen to limit visual distractions.

Mental Roots of Loss of Self-Control

A child can have both spiritual and physical sources of self-control struggles, but most children have mental sources.

Some research suggests that self-control works like a muscle in that it can be fatigued. In other words, if our children have to exercise self-control on tasks earlier in the day, there will be less strength available for later tasks. I don’t go to the gym on the days I play tennis. I don’t want to wear my body out so I’m not tired that evening. That just makes sense.

But many of us as parents are wearing our kids out mentally or not noticing that they’re being worn out by a variety of tasks and situations throughout the day. Some of the most common mental situations that wear out children’s self-control are sitting still, being quiet, and obeying. A huge benefit of homeschooling is our children generally aren’t asked to sit still and be quiet in a classroom for six hours a day. Even so, we may be insisting that our children do this while we’re teaching, when it isn’t required. We can allow kids to move around, discuss what they’re learning, and be hands-on, even more than we are now. When we are more interactive with them during the day, they’ll have more self-control when dealing with brother or sister’s annoying behaviors.

The second way we can encourage a child who’s self-control struggles are mental is to limit the number of rules we give them. Rules that our kids don’t like require them to be respectful and obedient–things that require a tremendous amount of self-control, especially for strong-willed children who loathe rules. We want to make sure that the rules we insist upon are worth the loss of self-control power later. Does it really matter which order your child does her tasks? Does your child have to hand write, or could they dictate or use the keyboard?

The good news about self-control behaving like a muscle is that it means our kids can develop more strength and tenacity. As we keep training them and they mature, you’ll see it happening. For now, when your child has a self-control issue, talk with them about what was draining their self-control before the problem, so they can be prepared next time. By the way, this way of thinking of self-control helps us too. I found myself wanting to inhale chocolate after a difficult conversation. I realized that I was using a lot of self-control not to say when I really thought! Next time I have a challenging talk, I’ll know that I need some time to rest and recharge. Kids need these breaks too–time to rest, move, be loud, and enjoy playing. After a break, they’ll be better prepared for the next challenge.

If you want to begin training your children to grow in self-control now, I have a treat for you–almost as good as chocolate. I am giving you the self-control lesson from Level 2 of Training Aliens for free.

Whether your children have spiritual, physical, or mental roots for their self-control struggles, I know they’ll get stronger as they complete the lesson and benefit from your example. And if you don’t feel that you’ve been the best example lately, the good news is that God gives us strength for our weakness. He certainly has for me.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Help For Self-Control Struggles appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Countering The Culture Of Hollywood With Craig Dehut

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 10:00:02 +0000

We know that Hollywood is not our friend when it comes to raising the next generation, but Craig DeHut is. He is the co-founder and COO of Appian Media. What sets Appian Media apart is their three-pronged approach, accuracy, professional production, and free accessibility. This commitment reflects their mission to remove barriers to the gospel. Appian Media’s success is evident not just through awards and views, but in its profound impact on individuals. With nine million YouTube views and global support for funded projects. Their recent endeavor in Egypt showcases the widespread international reach and community backing they have gained. Craig is fervently dedicated to making the Bible more accessible and meaningful, particularly for homeschool families, faith-based individuals, and those intrigued by the historical and geographical aspects of biblical stories. Their content strikes a chord with Bible believers seeking a renewed perspective. I know you’ll enjoy my chat about equipping the next generation to counter the culture of Hollywood. And if you’re attending the Great Home School Convention in Columbus this week, please stop by our booths to say hello.

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Takeaways

Craig Dehut shares his family’s homeschooling journey. The influence of Hollywood on family values is pervasive. Parents must be aware of the messages in media. Appian Media aims to provide high-quality biblical content. Quality content can counter Hollywood’s storytelling power. Homeschooling allows for a tailored educational experience. Media literacy is crucial for children in today’s world. Appian Media is a non-profit funded by community support. Future plans include creating a comprehensive biblical curriculum. Finding family-friendly content is essential for positive media consumption.

The post Countering The Culture Of Hollywood With Craig Dehut appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Discipline In One Minute With Felice Gerwitz

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 10:00:28 +0000

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Before I introduce her and our chat, I want to thank CTC Math for sponsoring the podcast. Learn more at CTCMath.com.

Felice is an author and the founder of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network and the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network. Felice is a life-long Catholic Christian who loves and serves the Lord, Jesus Christ.

She is a graduate of Florida Southern College and a former teacher with a degree in Elementary Education, Learning Disabilities and Early Childhood Education.

Felice hosts the Vintage Homeschool Moms Podcast, A Few Minutes with God Podcast, Writing and Podcasting Advice and the One More Child Podcast.

What I can tell you about Felice that isn’t part of her formal bio is that she is an incredibly supportive and generous person. She cares about homeschoolers and is passionate about serving them. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. I hope our discussion helps you find a discipline approach that is just right for your family.

In this engaging conversation, Felice Gerwitz shares her journey into homeschooling, the challenges she faced, especially with special needs children, and her unique approach to discipline. She introduces the One Minute Discipline Method, emphasizing the importance of self-control and prayer in parenting. Felice offers valuable insights and advice for parents navigating the complexities of homeschooling and discipline, highlighting the need for authenticity and connection in family life.

Hey, homeschoolers! I was intrigued when I saw the title of Felice Gerwitz’s podcast episode about one-minute discipline. After checking it out, I knew I had to invite her on The Homeschool Sanity Show to talk about it.

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Before I introduce her and our chat, I want to thank CTC Math for sponsoring the podcast. Learn more at CTCMath.com.

She is a graduate of Florida Southern College and a former teacher with a degree in Elementary Education, Learning Disabilities and Early Childhood Education.

Felice hosts the Vintage Homeschool Moms Podcast, A Few Minutes with God Podcast, Writing and Podcasting Advice and the One More Child Podcast.

The post Discipline In One Minute With Felice Gerwitz appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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AI For Homeschooling Parents: What You Need To Know

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 10:00:19 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! Are you wondering how AI can make homeschooling easier or are you concerned about using it? In either case, I have you covered. I have been using AI more and more in my business and personal life. I talk to people who are confused or curious about it, so I thought it would be fun to create a podcast on the topic using AI as much as possible to create the episode. AI generated the title, the script, and the b-roll or background video for the YouTube version you can check out at YouTube.com/melaniewilson. Just an aside that melanie is spelled m-e-l-a-n-i-e and not melon with a y–which is Chick-fil-a’s favorite spelling.

In this episode, I’ll be sharing the top three misconceptions about AI, the top 3 advantages of using AI in your homeschool, and the top 10 ways homeschoolers are incorporating AI. Finally, I’ll share a day in the life of a homeschooled student before and after AI. The script has been generated by AI, but I’ll be adding my commentary.

Before we get started, I’d like to thank CTC Math for sponsoring the podcast. Learn more at CTCMath.com.

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Top 3 Misconceptions About AI

1. AI Thinks Like a Human

Misconception: AI has independent thoughts, emotions, and consciousness like a human brain. Reality: AI processes data and follows patterns but does not “think” or “understand” in a human way. It analyzes information and generates responses based on patterns, not personal experiences or emotions.

2. AI is 100% Accurate and Objective

Misconception: AI always provides correct, unbiased information. Reality: AI models are trained on human-created data, which can include biases and inaccuracies. AI can also generate errors or misleading information, so users should fact-check its responses.

3. AI Will Replace Humans Completely

Misconception: AI will take over all jobs, leaving humans with nothing to do. Reality: AI automates repetitive tasks but still requires human oversight, creativity, and ethical decision-making. Instead of replacing people, AI is more likely to enhance productivity and create new job opportunities.

AI is a powerful tool, but it’s important to use it wisely and understand its limitations!

3 Advantages of Using AI in Your Homeschool

1. Personalized Learning for Every Child

AI adapts to your child’s unique learning style, pace, and strengths.

It can provide extra practice in weak areas or accelerate lessons for advanced learners.

AI-powered tutors and lesson generators make customized education easier for parents.

2. Saves Time for Parents

AI can generate lesson plans, quizzes, and worksheets in minutes.

It helps with grading, scheduling, and organizing learning materials.

Parents can focus more on teaching and engaging with their kids instead of spending hours on prep work.

3. Makes Learning More Engaging

AI-powered interactive lessons, virtual field trips, and educational games make learning fun.

Kids can use AI tools for creative projects like storytelling, coding, and science simulations.

It introduces students to real-world tech skills they’ll use in the future.

AI isn’t a replacement for hands-on homeschooling, but it’s a powerful tool that makes learning more efficient, personalized, and engaging!

AI is becoming a valuable tool for homeschoolers, helping parents and students with learning, organization, and creativity. Here are 10 top ways homeschoolers are using AI:

1. Personalized Learning Plans

- AI-powered tools help create customized lesson plans and adapt to a child’s learning pace, strengths, and weaknesses. I asked ChatGPT for example tools and it suggested Curipod, MagicSchool.ai, and LessonPlans.ai. Homeschool-specific options include Homeschool Panda and ScribeList.ai.

2. AI Tutors & Homework Help

- Apps like ChatGPT, Khan Academy’s Khanmigo, and Google’s Socratic provide instant explanations, answer questions, and guide students through tough concepts. If you use an AI search that provides video options, you’ll want to look for the option that is clearest for your student.

3. Writing Assistance & Grammar Checkers

- AI tools like Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and ChatGPT help students improve their writing by checking grammar, suggesting better word choices, and even generating essay outlines. A basic understanding of grammar and writing is necessary to make best use of these tools. That’s why we still want to teach our kids language arts with curricula like Grammar Galaxy and Fast Grammar.

4. Generating Lesson Plans & Activities

- Homeschool parents use AI to create worksheets, quizzes, discussion questions, and interactive activities tailored to their curriculum. You’ll have to edit the options you get. Some are dry, repetitive, or not appropriate for your student’s level.

5. Enhancing Creativity in Projects

- AI helps generate creative writing prompts, story ideas, art inspiration, and even music compositions for homeschool assignments. I often combine a couple of ideas I get from AI for the best results.

6. Foreign Language Learning

- AI-based apps like Duolingo, Google Translate, and ChatGPT help homeschoolers practice new languages through interactive conversations and instant translations.

7. STEM Learning & Coding

- AI-driven platforms like Scratch, Code.org, and AI-assisted coding tutors help kids learn programming, robotics, and problem-solving skills.

8. Time Management & Scheduling

- AI planners like Notion, Trello, and homeschool-specific apps assist parents in organizing lesson schedules, setting reminders, and tracking progress.

9. Virtual Field Trips & Research Assistance

- AI-powered search tools and virtual tours let students explore historical sites, outer space, and museums without leaving home. Three sites to try are Google Arts & Culture, Smithsonian Learning Lab, and Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Cams.

10. Educational Game Creation

- AI-powered platforms allow parents and students to generate custom quizzes, flashcards, and even board games to make learning fun. Keep track of common errors your kids make to generate these. Some tools to try include Quizlet, Kahoot, Wordwall, and Ankiweb.

AI is making homeschooling more efficient, interactive, and tailored to each child’s unique learning style!

A Day in the Life of a Homeschooled Student: Before & After AI

Before AI: A Typical Day Without AI

8:00 AM – Morning Routine & Planning

- Mom spends an hour organizing lessons and printing worksheets.

- The student struggles to find motivation and takes a while to start work.

9:00 AM – Math Lesson

- Mom explains a new concept (fractions), but the student still doesn’t quite get it.

- They spend extra time searching for explanations in a textbook.

10:00 AM – Writing Assignment

- The student gets frustrated trying to come up with ideas for an essay.

- Mom gives suggestions, but the process is slow.

11:00 AM – Science Experiment

- They set up an experiment, but it’s hard to predict results without extra research.

- Mom looks up additional explanations online to clarify the lesson.

12:00 PM – Lunch & Break

1:00 PM – History & Research

- The student needs to research ancient Egypt but struggles to sift through articles online.

- Mom helps find reliable sources, which takes extra time.

2:00 PM – Reading & Comprehension

- The student reads a book but struggles to summarize it in writing.

- Mom helps guide them through comprehension questions.

3:00 PM – Wrap-Up & Chores

- The student finishes the day but still feels tired from all the extra searching and struggles.

After AI: A More Efficient & Engaging Homeschool Day

8:00 AM – Morning Routine & AI-Assisted Planning

- AI generates a daily lesson plan based on the student’s progress.

- The student logs into a homeschool planner that suggests activities and schedules breaks.

9:00 AM – Math Lesson with AI Tutor

- The student uses an AI-powered math app that explains fractions step by step.

- If they don’t understand, the AI provides another explanation or practice problems.

10:00 AM – Writing Assignment with AI Help

- The student uses an AI writing assistant to generate topic ideas and an outline.

- They still write the essay, but AI helps refine sentences and check grammar.

11:00 AM – Science Exploration

- AI provides an interactive simulation of the experiment before they do it.

- The student predicts results more confidently and understands the science better.

12:00 PM – Lunch & Break

1:00 PM – History & Research with AI

- Instead of searching the entire internet, AI summarizes key facts about ancient Egypt.

- AI suggests primary sources and interactive videos to deepen understanding.

2:00 PM – Reading & Comprehension

- The student reads a book and uses AI to generate comprehension questions.

- AI summarizes the book’s key points, helping the student understand it better.

3:00 PM – Wrap-Up & Independent Study

- AI suggests a fun educational game based on what they learned that day.

- The student ends the day feeling accomplished and less frustrated.

The Big Difference?

Faster Learning: AI speeds up research, explanations, and assignments.

More Engagement: Interactive AI tools make subjects more interesting.

Less Stress: Mom spends less time prepping, and the student works more independently.

AI doesn’t replace homeschooling—it enhances it, giving parents more time for meaningful teaching and connection!

That’s the end of AI’s podcast notes. I have to say that I’m impressed and excited about the benefits of using AI in homeschooling. What do you think?

Thanks again to CTC Math for their sponsorship. Again, you can find the links on the show-notes page at homeschoolsanity.com/ai.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post AI For Homeschooling Parents: What You Need To Know appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: 6 Signs You’re Trying To Do Too Much

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:00:58 +0000

Introduction: In this episode, I address the common concern of homeschooling parents trying to juggle too many tasks, curriculum, and activities in their homeschooling journey. I outline six telltale signs that indicate you might be taking on more than you can handle and provides valuable insights for finding a healthier balance.

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SPONSOR: NOW Programs

Visit Now Programs to learn about their resources for specials-needs students.

Visit funtolearnbooks.com/samples to try a free lesson and discover the joy of learning with Grammar Galaxy.

Signs You’re Trying to Do Too Much:

1. Worried Overload: If you find yourself constantly worried about how everything will fit into your homeschooling plans, it’s a clear indication that you might be trying to do too much. Trusting in your ability to manage your schedule is important.

2. Friends’ Reactions: When you share your homeschooling plans with friends and their reactions involve raised eyebrows, laughter, or exclamations of disbelief, it’s time to reconsider if you’ve taken on more than you can handle.

3. Lack of Margin: Having every moment of your schedule accounted for without any unscheduled time can lead to stress and burnout. Allowing room for unexpected events is crucial for maintaining a healthy balance.

4. Neglecting Self-Care: If your plan doesn’t include time for essential self-care activities, such as adequate sleep, hobbies, exercise, and quality time with your spouse, you’re likely trying to do too much. Prioritizing self-care ensures your well-being and effectiveness as a homeschooling parent.

5. Falling Behind: Not being able to complete your planned tasks, lessons, or activities consistently is a sign that you’ve overcommitted. Struggling to keep up can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction.

6. Resistance from You and Your Kids: Feeling resistance or reluctance to start your homeschooling routine indicates that your expectations are too high. If both you and your kids are resisting, it’s time to reevaluate your approach.

Finding Balance and Solutions: To regain balance, reflect on your motivations and goals for each activity in your homeschooling plan. Seek guidance from trusted friends or family members who can provide honest feedback. Embrace the idea of trusting in God’s plan for your homeschooling journey and prioritize the essential aspects that align with your purpose.

Conclusion: Remember that homeschooling is a unique journey, and finding the right balance between curriculum, activities, and self-care is essential for a successful and fulfilling experience. By recognizing and addressing the signs of overcommitment, you can create a homeschooling routine that brings joy, growth, and meaningful learning to your family.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: 6 Signs You’re Trying To Do Too Much appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: Why Charlotte Mason Would Love Grammar Galaxy

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 10:00:29 +0000

Do you love Charlotte Mason’s approach to education? This is the Homeschool Sanity Show, the episode where I explain why I think Charlotte Mason would approve of my unique approach to teaching language arts and why you might want to consider adding it to your studies this year.

Sponsor: NOW Programs

Learn more about how NOW Programs can help you homeschool a special-needs student.

Charlotte Mason Approach

If you love a Charlotte Mason approach to homeschooling, I’m not surprised. Charlotte thought education should be a lifestyle that should engage the whole person. She wanted children to appreciate nature and fine arts. And she wanted them to have a love of learning.

I wasn’t acquainted with Charlotte Mason’s approach when I created Grammar Galaxy, but I believe she would approve. I was motivated to create a new approach to teaching language arts, and grammar in particular, because my kids hated it. They begged me not to teach it. I didn’t understand this because I’ve always loved English. I started paying closer attention to the curriculum I’d used over the years and discovered the main reason my kids were so bored with it: it was taken out of the context of story.

Grammar Galaxy uses story to teach

The first reason I believe Charlotte Mason would approve of Grammar Galaxy is because it uses story to teach. Rather than a dry, textbook approach of stating that a noun is a person, place, or thing, the nouns in Grammar Galaxy begin disappearing. The king is able to get the nouns returned to planet Sentence, but they need help getting back to their homes. Students are guardians of the galaxy who help return the nouns to Person, Place or Thing Street where they live.

The stories in Grammar Galaxy hold students’ attention and are far more memorable than textbook material. It is what Charlotte called a living book written by someone who is passionate about the topic. That’s me!

Grammar Galaxy encourages fiction reading

The second reason I think Charlotte Mason would approve of Grammar Galaxy is related. Charlotte wanted students to read fiction. Grammar Galaxy encourages daily reading in multiple genres and does not dictate which books are read. The emphasis is on developing a love of reading through print and audiobooks that appeal to students. We now know that reading fiction for enjoyment is the key to expanding students’ vocabulary—the best predictor of school and life success.

Grammar Galaxy can be used with narration

The third reason I believe Charlotte Mason would approve of Grammar Galaxy is how well it lends itself to narration. At the end of each story are some questions to check for comprehension. A great follow-up for Charlotte Mason homeschoolers is for students to retell the story orally. This rehearsal will allow you to check for thorough understanding and will allow your student to better retain the information.

Grammar Galaxy includes copywork, dictation, and journaling

The fourth reason I think Charlotte Mason would approve of Grammar Galaxy is its inclusion of copywork, dictation, and journaling lessons. These practices are known to improve students’ handwriting, grammar, spelling, and even enjoyment of writing. Free, monthly language arts calendars sent to subscribers frequently include additional copywork and writing exercises.

Grammar Galaxy uses short lessons

The fifth reason I believe Charlotte Mason would approve of Grammar Galaxy is its short lessons. Charlotte wanted children to have time to play and learn outside. She didn’t want them spending the day at a desk. Each step in a mission of Grammar Galaxy takes just 10-15 minutes to complete on average, allowing students time to read a book in a hammock, sketch what they think the Gremlin looks like, or write their own funny stories. I’ve also included active mission steps whenever possible like going on an adjective hunt.

Grammar Galaxy encourages a love of learning

The sixth reason I think Charlotte would approve of Grammar Galaxy is her desire for children to love learning. That was my top goal for the curriculum because I know if students enjoy reading, writing, and even grammar, they’ll do more of it. As they do more of it, they’ll improve their skills and grow in confidence. My favorite comment to get from Grammar Galaxy families is that their child’s new favorite subject is language arts and they beg to do it!

Conclusion

Of course, Charlotte can’t weigh in on Grammar Galaxy, but you as a Charlotte Mason homeschooler can. You can download a complete lesson of any volume to try with your student for free at FunToLearnBooks.com/samples.

If you’re attending Great Homeschool Conventions this summer, stop by the Grammar Galaxy books booth to see the books in person. I’d love to chat with you.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: Why Charlotte Mason Would Love Grammar Galaxy appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: Can Your High Schooler Homeschool Themselves?

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 10:00:50 +0000

Have you ever wondered if it’s possible (or legal) for your high school student to homeschool themselves? This is The Homeschool Sanity Show — the episode where guest Karla Marie Williams answers our questions about self-directed homeschooling.

Karla Marie Williams has been a guest on this podcast before. She’s the author of multiple books, an international speaker, and a global advocate for children and families. She is also the President of BeBold Publishing, a publishing company that launches inspirational books, journals, and courses to impact moms around the world. I was curious about one of her recent titles Unschool Urself 4 Teens, so invited her back to chat about it. I was newly inspired and I know you will be too.

Sponsor: Judson College

http://judsoncollege.com

Unschooling for Lifelong Learning

Unschooling is a type of homeschooling that emphasizes student-led learning and learning through everyday life experiences. In this podcast episode, Melanie Wilson interviews Karla Marie Williams, an experienced unschooling parent and author of several books on homeschooling and unschooling.

Williams emphasizes the importance of setting annual goals for unschooling children and building a deep, layered understanding of topics through a variety of resources such as books, online classes, mentors, and real-life experiences. She also recommends keeping a journal to record a child’s learning journey and using pictures as evidence of their learning. This journal can be an excellent resource for creating transcripts when it comes time for college applications.

Williams encourages parents to be confident in their child’s learning, reminding listeners that learning does not have to look one way and that unschooling does not look the same way for each child. She also emphasizes the value of unschooling education for post-secondary education, as colleges and universities are recognizing the value of an unschooling education, especially for students passionate about specific areas.

Overall, unschooling is a lifestyle of lifelong learning that allows children to pursue their passions and interests while building a broad, deep understanding of various topics. With the right resources and mindset, unschooling can lead to success in post-secondary education and beyond.

Resources for Teen Unschooling

Evernote

Instagram

Unschooling episode Unschooling Teens episode

Find links for more of Karla’s book here. Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: Can Your High Schooler Homeschool Themselves? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Teaching Media Literacy In High School

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 10:00:31 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! I think media literacy is a course we should consider including in our high school curriculum plan. When I learned that friend Nate Noorlander was teaching a class on it, I asked him to rejoin me on the podcast to discuss it. Nate gave me a new perspective that I hope blesses you as it did me.

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Sponsor: Judson College

JudsonCollege.com/Visit

Takeaways

- Media literacy is an important skill for high school students to navigate the internet safely and critically evaluate information.

- Determining source reliability, bias, and perspective is crucial in media literacy.

- Epistemological humility, the willingness to doubt oneself and be open to different perspectives, is a valuable skill in media literacy.

- Finding accurate information in the age of social media and the 24-hour news cycle can be challenging.

- Having conversations about media literacy with children is important, and parents can take media literacy courses alongside their children.

- The Nomadic Professor offers courses on media literacy, American history, free speech, and world history.

Media Literacy Resources

Teaching History on Location

Media Literacy on Nomadic Professor.com

Media Literacy through Aim Academy

NomadicProfessor.com

Instagram.com/nomadicprofessorcourses

YouTube Nomadic Professor

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Teaching Media Literacy In High School appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Math Motivation

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 11:00:46 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! I experienced a few types of math motivation problems with my kids: reluctance to learn math, reluctance to memorize math facts, and reluctance to prep for the math portion of college entrance exams. If you’re struggling with math motivation, I have a guest who can help. Dennis DeNoia is better known as Mr. D., the math teacher. Several of my kids had him as an instructor and adored him. I met him in person at a Great Homeschool Convention eight years ago. He is one of the most positive people I know. I’ll share our conversation about math motivation after this word from our sponsor: NOW Programs.

Listen to the podcast

Watch on YouTube

Got a special needs student? See how NOW Programs can help.

Resources

Mr. D Math

Mr. D on Instagram

Mr. D on YouTube

Have a happy week and if you’re at a Great Homeschool Convention, be sure to tell us you heard us on the Homeschool Sanity Show.

The post Math Motivation appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: Self-Publishing For Homeschoolers

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 11:00:39 +0000

At a recent Great Homeschool Convention, a mom asked me for the best way to have her son’s books published. This is the best time in history to become a published author. That’s because you no longer have to convince a publisher that receives thousands of manuscripts a year to choose your book. Neither do you have to pay thousands of dollars to publish the book yourself.

My guest today is Grace Walker, a homeschooled student who self-published her first book, Stardust, at just 14. You’re going to want to get your copy of this space-themed adventure novel that’s perfect for teens. But if you are interested in self-publishing for yourself or your student, you’ll want to listen to our conversation.

Sponsor

Hey, homeschoolers! Before we dive into the topic, I want to thank CTC Math for sponsoring this episode of The Homeschool Sanity Show.

Self-Publishing Resources

Stardust (on Homeschool Sanity)

Kindle Direct Publishing

Canva

Self-publishing group on Facebook

Tips for Aspiring Writers

The post Special Replay: Self-Publishing For Homeschoolers appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Do’s And Don’ts Of Teen Rebellion

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:00:25 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! This weekend I met a fellow homeschooler who was down about her homeschooled child’s rebellion. She wondered if homeschooling had even been worth it because of what was happening. I did my best to encourage her because I have been there. Because I haven’t addressed this topic on the podcast before, I wanted to share what I told her and even more if I had had the time.

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Introduction

Before I start by sharing three key do’s and don’ts for teen rebellion, I want to say that I’m sorry if you’re experiencing this. Few things can be more demoralizing to a homeschool mama. I remember the day my normally compliant teen walked into homeschool gym class, eating a granola bar. I said, “You know we can’t eat in the gym. Go to the breakroom to finish that.” And right in front of my homeschool friends, he smirked and continued to eat it right where he was. Don’t worry if your teen’s behavior is far worse. That wasn’t the full extent of my teen’s rebellion, either.

Rebellion hurts our feelings for sure. Before this day, I had a great relationship with my child. But in addition to hurt feelings, we are also terrified about the potential consequences of serious rebellion like lying, stealing, drinking, using drugs, having sex, refusing to cooperate, being violent, or rejecting Christ. We’ve all heard the horror stories, so when our teen defiantly eats a granola bar in the gym for all the homeschool world to see, it can feel like we’re going to be someone else’s cautionary tale.

If and when your teen rebels, I believe God will guide you. I didn’t know the mom or her daughter, so the counsel I gave had to be generic. That is the case on this podcast too. If something I say feels right, wonderful. If it doesn’t, dismiss it. You won’t hurt my feelings. With that caveat, let’s dive in.

Don’t Blame Yourself

My first DON’T is don’t blame yourself. All loving mothers take too much responsibility for their teen’s choices, but homeschool moms take this to a whole new level. That first bite of granola bar after I sent my teen out of the gym was evidence of my failure as a mom. We only studied obedience as a separate unit study once. We should have done more! We should have memorized more Scripture! I hadn’t used enough consequences or the right ones. And on and on.

What is funny to me is that my strong-willed son takes after his father, yet I didn’t blame my husband. I blamed myself. I’m not suggesting that we pass the buck. But why (if we are co-parenting) do we tend to think it’s entirely our responsibility to raise godly kids?

That aside, the problem with blaming ourselves is we feel like failures. We can get depressed. We may want to quit homeschooling. We may surrender to the rebellion and fully expect the rest of our children to behave likewise. And they just might if we blame ourselves.

The worst problem with blaming ourselves, however, is that we take the burden of responsibility from our teen–where it belongs. Imagine if you stole something from a store and the store owner chased you down to say that it was all her fault for not making it clear that stealing wasn’t allowed or making it too easy for you to steal. You would be astonished! But that is the insanity we engage in when we take the blame for our teens’ poor choices. Now, I’m fully aware that parents are usually blamed in our culture for kids gone wrong. It hurts when that blame is misplaced. But our focus must be on helping our teen, not worrying what others think.

DO Give Your Teen Responsibility

The first DO is to make it clear to our teen that he or she is fully responsible for the choice they made. Despite anyone else’s behavior or the circumstances, they made the choice and they will own it. The mama I spoke to wanted to know how old a teen has to be to be fully responsible. While the Bible doesn’t give an age of accountability, 13 is the age of accountability by Jewish custom and 20 is the age of maturity given in Scripture. But some 12-year-olds are accountable whereas some 16-year-olds may not be depending on special needs. I will say that I would err on the side of saying your teen is responsible.

When a police officer on On Patrol Live (a new favorite show of mine) pulls a driver over, one of the first things they say is what they were doing wrong. You didn’t stop at the light. You were doing 40 mph in a 25. You were crossing the center line. That’s what we want to do with our teen. Calmly state what the misbehavior was. Unfortunately, many of the drivers on the show On Patrol Live will deny they did anything wrong, will make excuses, or will verbally attack the officer. If your teen behaves this way, stay calm and restate what they did wrong.

http://NowPrograms.com for special-needs students

DON’T Go Full Authoritarian Mode

Many times parents panic when they see signs of rebellion. All privileges are revoked. No socializing is permitted. The teen is essentially in solitary confinement. This might be called for in cases of chronic rebellion, but not for a first offense. It is especially common for parents who have done little disciplining in the early years to respond this way to rebellion. But in this case, the approach could be called too much, too late. I didn’t go authoritarian on the granola-bar incident, but I did go authoritarian later on.

There are three problems with an authoritarian approach to teen rebellion. Teens are learning about life just as you are learning about parenting teens. If they test the boundaries and discover that they can create chaos with one misstep, they will want to do some more experimenting–not less. If our teen lacks attention, excitement, or a challenge, they’ve discovered a powerful new way of getting it. If you haven’t been paying as much attention to your teen, now your child can act out any time she wants to be the star of the show. If your child is bored, telling friends and even other family members about your draconian response to a minor infraction and seeing your reaction can be very entertaining. If you have a strong-willed child, adding new rules will be a challenge this child cannot resist. If you have an especially smart strong-willed child, you will be exhausted trying to block every exit from your solitary confinement.

DO Talk To Your Teen

Ask them what led them to the choice they made without the angry, hysterical tone. The officers with On Patrol Live generally ask calm questions like, “Where were you going? Why were you in a hurry?” Although they are often lied to, officers usally respond calmly with an accepting attitude. With teens, we can respond in kind with “Okay,” and a restatement of what they’ve said.

Stage two of the officers’ conversations with drivers is to say, “Honesty will go a long way. Am I going to find anything illegal in your car?” In the same way, we can encourage our teen to tell us the truth for a more lenient response. After getting a response and doing a search, the officers take some time to make a decision on consequences. Minor infractions are allowed to go after a stern warning. Moderate offenses earn a ticket. We want to respond likewise to our teen. Take some time to think, pray, and discuss potential responses. I prefer logical consequences. For more on this, check out the book Parenting Teens with Love and Logic.

DON’T Spy On Your Teen

The On Patrol Live officers let drivers who haven’t committed serious crimes go. They may follow them a little way, but they don’t follow them all the way back to their house or pull them over every time they see them out driving to give them a breathalizer test.

There may be situations where spying is warranted. But as a rule, this approach is destined to fail. Tailing your teen is exhausting. How long will you be your teen’s security detail? Will you continue when they’re in college or living in their own apartment? Your teen will sense your mistrust and may begin to internalize the idea that they aren’t trustworthy.

Spying also fosters more rebellion. Your teen will be motivated to be even more secretive and to break more rules. Your teen can also easily get friends and extended family on their side as they relay your intrusiveness.

The mom I talked with mentioned not wanting her teen to make the mistakes she and her husband made. Her husband had had us laughing with tales of his high school antics. This fear that our kids will rebel in the same way we did is a key driver of spying. However, we want to remember there are differences between how we were raised and the way we raised our kids. There are differences between our faith as kids and our teens’ faith. It isn’t fair for our teens to be suspects because of our poor choices.

DO Coach Your Teen

A coach uses influence and teaching to help people make better choices. A coach doesn’t spy on her clients. She expresses her belief that her clients can and will be successful. We want to do this too. What a coach does not do is take full responsibility for clients’ choices.

To coach a rebellious teen, we want to help them consider the consequences of various choices. Teens generally lack the maturity to consider how their actions may affect them in the future. Helping them acquire this skill protects them in every situation, where rules and consequences can only manage limited situations.

Let’s consider a teen who wants to attend a party. You may want to have the address and talk to parents to make sure there will be adult supervision before you say okay. But understanding that teens have a way of making poor choices despite supervision, you might ask your teen: “What will you do if you are offered alcohol?” Most likely your teen will parrot back the required response that they won’t drink it. You can warn your teens that they should only drink beverages that they have prepared and kept in their possession so drugs and alcohol cannot be added without their knowledge. Then you can say, “Let’s say you decide to have a couple of drinks. You feel the effects much more than you expected. What will you do?” You can lay out the options and potential consequences, while sharing what you are willing to do to help your teen. For example, you could say that if your teen ever asks you for a ride home, they will not be punished. It’s that important to you that they are safe. I am not saying you have to adopt these principles. I’m only using them as examples.

Coaches use stories to warn and inspire clients. Use them liberally with your teens. Tell your own story, the stories of people you know, and stories you have read. I have shared the story of a friend’s relative going to prison for killing someone after driving under the influence and the story of George Mueller, a rebellious teen who ended up caring for 10,000 orphans through faith alone.

As your coach, I encourage you to read the story of Samson in the book of Judges. Samson was a rebellious teen who gave his godly parents grief. While he experienced severe consequences for his foolish actions, he also led Israel for 20 years and was listed in Hebrews 11, the faith hall of fame.

My rebellious, granola-bar chomping teen was surprised when I said he wouldn’t be joining us at the trampoline park later that day. I made sure he knew what he had done, and I don’t think the consequence was draconian. Over the next couple of years, we did a lot of talking, and we did a lot of coaching. That teen is now a grown man and while imperfect like us, the positive impact of our homeschooling and our coaching on him is obvious.

The last thing I said to the mama with the rebellious teen was to pray and trust God. We are not in this alone. God is giving our teen the responsibility for choices, is talking with our teen (even if he or she isn’t always listening), and is coaching our teen through the Holy Spirit (even if they haven’t yet made a profession of faith). After all, her husband who was a rebellious teen himself, is now a committed Christian and a homeschool dad. There is hope.

Thanks again to NOW Programs for their support of the podcast. If you have a friend with a rebellious teen, please share this episode with them. You can find it and the books I mentioned at homeschoolsanity.com/rebellion.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Do’s And Don’ts Of Teen Rebellion appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Jesus And Your Messy House

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 11:00:21 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! I loved having Dana K. White of A Slob Comes Clean on the podcast to discuss the container concept for clutter. If you missed that one, it’s gold.

When I heard she had a new book coming out, I jumped at the chance to have her back. I was especially intrigued because the book adds a faith-based perspective she hasn’t shared before.

Watch on YouTube

Visit NOW Programs for special-needs resources.

Jesus Doesn’t Care About Your Messy House

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Jesus And Your Messy House appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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How To Upgrade Your Homeschool Style

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 11:00:48 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! Are you happy with your homeschool style or approach to education, or could it use an upgrade? In this episode, I’m going to share why we should up our homeschool style and three simple ways to do it.

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What is Homeschool Style?

Although I’m not talking about your wardrobe, I will be using fashion as a metaphor. Homeschool style is the educational philosophy that guides the way you teach. Unit studies is the homeschool style I used at the beginning of our homeschooling journey with 5 in a Row and then Konos. Because subjects are related in the real world, I felt it made sense to study all aspects of a topic. We studied kings and queens with music, art, drama, literature, and even food. I’ll never forget eating a meal off a trencher or plate made from bread. We had a blast learning with unit studies.

But as my older kids started high school, the unit study style wasn’t working as well. I could have chosen from many popular styles to improve our homeschool: textbook, online, hybrid, Charlotte Mason, classical, unschooling, or eclectic.

You might wonder how important homeschool style is if you’re a newer homeschooler. That’s a fair question. Referring to the fashion metaphor, I’ve interviewed two fashion stylists for the podcast. Both women shared that while style isn’t the most important thing in life, it is important. When you are comfortable and confident in your clothing, you are happier. When you’re happier, your relationships improve, and you have more success.

Homeschool style is similar. If you are happy to start a day of school using the approach you’ve chosen, everything homeschool will be so much easier. Your kids will be happier; you’ll spend less money; and you’ll get more done.

If that sounds good to you, I have three steps that will help you up your homeschool style.

First, I want to thank NOW Programs for sponsoring the podcast.

3 Steps for Improving Your Homeschool Style

The first step in improving your homeschool style is an edit. Like a pair of pants with a snug waistband, your educational materials that don’t fit stay in the closet. Same with high heels when most of your time is spent at home or at kids’ sports practices.

If we were going to upgrade your wardrobe, we would have you look at the unworn pieces in your closet. We will do the same with your homeschool style. Make a list of curriculum you don’t or quit using or activities you skipped or dread. With a closet edit, I make a list on my phone of clothing I should not buy in the future: ribbed sweaters, colored boots. Some things that ended up on my don’t-buy list for homeschooling were: Latin, foreign language curricula, and lab-heavy curricula. When it came to these things, it didn’t matter if my friends or online influencers were loving them–like chunky boots they were going to gather dust in my closet.

Doing a homeschool style edit can save you time and money. You won’t buy books or sign up for extracurriculars you won’t use and enjoy.

When you’re decluttering clothes, you can choose to give them away or sell them. You have the same options when it comes to physical curriculum. There are local and online sales outlets to consider. Just a note that most digital curriculum is copyrighted and cannot be resold.

Sometimes you have to make the difficult decision to stop participating in activities. I’ve been there. This is really tough when other families are involved. You may have to stick things out for a semester or a year. But at least you’ll know a change is coming.

After doing an edit, the second step in upgrading your homeschool style is to choose guide words. A popular strategy for determining a personal style for fashion is to choose three words that characterize how you want to look. My current words are classy, chic, and striking. I get to define what those words mean for me. Some trends don’t feel chic to me, even if others think they are. My words help me eliminate outfits just like my edit list does. I tried on a pair of tall, chunky boots that are on trend and felt anything but classy. They were a no.

Looking back at my early homeschool years, I would say my guidewords were stories, fun, and faith. I wanted our learning to be grounded in good books; memorable, active activities; and a biblical worldview. Those guide words helped me make choices about curriculum, extracurriculars, and our schedule. Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to three words, but three words are easier to remember. I think choosing guidewords can be a family focus. We can ask our kids what words best describe their ideal homeschool. I think my kids would have chosen the words I use as the tag line for Fun to Learn Books: fast, easy, fun.

When it comes to determining our fashion style, women are usually encouraged to make a vision board. Collecting photos or pinning them on Pinterest can help us identify the common features we are most drawn to. When I did this originally, I found myself frequently pinning outfits with camel-colored belts. Buying a camel belt was an easy way to improve my style.

With homeschooling, we can save photos of homeschool approaches we see online that we’re drawn to. We can save the tea-party pictures, the gardening pics, or the experiment videos because they look just like what we want in our homeschool. Save them and then go back later and ask yourself what commonalities you see. Are there lots of nature photos? You might want to incorporate more nature study into your approach. Are you inspired by kids starting their own businesses? You might want to incorporate more unschooling into your style. Do you have pictures of parents and kids learning together? You may be more motivated if you’re taking the writing class or the cake decorating class with your child. Make a list of what you’d like to incorporate into your homeschool approach going forward.

After you’ve edited and gotten clear on what you’d like to incorporate into your homeschool style, it’s time to do what guest Jennifer Mackey Mary says: try it on. There’s nothing like giving a wardrobe piece a trial run and taking pictures of yourself in it. I love high-necked or spaghetti-strap tanks on other women. On me, not so much. Actually, not at all. The spaghetti-strap tops are not only unflattering but they’re not comfortable because I have to wear a strapless bra and feel it sliding down my torso the whole time.

What does this have to do with your homeschooling style? In the same way that I had this idealistic vision of me wearing a spaghetti-strap top, we tend to do this with homeschool approaches. Let’s use full-time RV homeschooling as an example. In my mind, I blissfully travel from one incredible location to another where we hike and learn all about the flora and fauna of the whole United States. And so little cleaning to do. Low stress with minimal belongings. This is what I was thinking when I told my teen daughter that I knew someone who was going to RV full time as a homeschooler. I asked, “What would you think of that?” She said, “I think it would be horrible!” “Yeah. You’re right,” I said, laughing. Now I am not saying that it would be horrible for everyone, just like spaghetti-strap tops aren’t. But the day-to-day reality of full-time RV schooling is not what I want. Fortunately, I don’t have to try it to know that.

But sometimes we do have to try it. Ask your friend to take your family through a day of Charlotte Mason homeschooling. See if you can shadow at Classical Conversations. Borrow curriculum. Plan an unschooling week. When you find something that isn’t comfortable, ask yourself how you can tweak it. I have a camisole with a built-in bra that isn’t bad.

As homeschoolers, we get to modify approaches to customize them to us and our kids. What a blessing that is! An eclectic approach as my kids entered high school was perfect for us. We used aspects of many different styles.

Most wardrobe upgrades don’t involve replacing all of a woman’s clothes. Homeschool style upgrades can also occur with some small changes. Wardrobe upgrades are also not one and done. I upgrade my clothing style quarterly. I am a member of Jennifer Mackey Mary’s Style Circle. I upgraded my homeschool approach twice a year–in January and in the summer.

Trying on new-to-me styles typically has me excited and getting compliments. My matching scuba-knit athleisure sets from Amazon are getting me the most compliments lately. I felt the same way when I tried on a new homeschool style. I was refreshed when I moved from a unit-study approach to history to using The Mystery of History. I found my kids were newly motivated by new styles too. That doesn’t mean you have to change everything. Some materials were like closet basics for us that we didn’t change–like Apologia Science. Ask yourself what your homeschool basics are and what you new materials or activities you could add this season.

Conclusion

Improving your homeschool style starts with an edit. You admit what you’re not using or loving. Next you choose your style guide words. What words define your homeschool. I would love to hear what you choose. Let me know on your favorite social media platform. Begin using your guide words to make choices for curriculum or activities. Finally, try it on. Try some new things on a regular basis that complement the homeschool basics you love.

Thanks again to NOW Programs for sponsoring the podcast. Have a happy homeschool week!

The post How To Upgrade Your Homeschool Style appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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How To Get Everything Done And Still Have Time To Play

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 11:00:41 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! I recently read Mark Forster’s book How to Get Everything Done and Still Have Time to Play and I absolutely loved it. It’s been another of his books that has been life-changing for me. In this episode, I want to share principles from the book that can help you accomplish your homeschool and other goals this year and have plenty of free time too.

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NOW Programs for students with special needs.

Defining Everything

How can we possibly get everything done? We can’t. Mr. Forster is very clear that by everything, he means everything we have decided we can and must do. Most of us are trying to do way too much–too many curricula, too many activities, even too many fun things. Until we limit the number of tasks and projects and commitments we take on, we will continue to struggle.

With that caveat out of the way, let’s talk about the struggle to get everything done. I would say that all my life I have had the same issue: I do a good job accomplishing a few top priorities, but everything else seems to get put on the back burner until it becomes a crisis. For example, when I create a task plan for the week, quarter, or year, writing curriculum like Training Aliens or preparing for a Great Homeschool Convention is the top priority. Publishing this podcast is the next highest priority. But what about social media? That gets pushed aside along with website changes and home projects and I don’t even want to talk about taxes! I have a feeling you can relate.

Approaches for Getting Everything Done

For you, maybe it’s math and English that are prioritized, meaning that science experiments, foreign language, or art get put off.

I’ve shared before about loop scheduling being a great option for this. You have a day or a time block that you assign two or more activities to. Then you loop or rotate through them in order. If last time you did a science experiment, then today you’d do foreign language.

Theme days are another way of dealing with these lower priorities. If you never get around to decluttering your art supplies, you might dedicate Saturdays to decluttering. Or you dedicate the last day of the month to deep cleaning.

These approaches have worked for me for a time. But when I missed enough of my looping or theme days, I would usually determine that I needed to give up the activity altogether and focus on my top priorities. The negative cycle would begin again.

Enter Mark’s book, which sets the stage with a fairy tale. Story-based inspiration? I’m here for it. This fairy tale has the hero, Hans, seeking wisdom for getting things done so he can focus on his top priority–winning the princess’s hand in marriage. I found myself relating to Hans as he tried many recommended approaches to getting things done. They worked for a while and then led to the same problem of lower priority tasks becoming a crisis. Poor Hans struggled to be successful AND win the princess.

The Get Everything Done Approach

Enter Mark Forster as our wise guide. He suggests an approach that reminds me of what I had recommended years ago in a blog post I called How to Homeschool in an Hour a Day.

The idea is that you make a list of the top projects or life areas that you want to give attention to. This should not exceed 10 areas or projects. Homeschoolers can include the subject areas you want to cover in your day. But you would also include a home category with things like organizing, and hobbies you want to make take time for. Those of you who want to start a business would list a project for it as well.

My initial list included Writing Training Aliens Curriculum, Podcast publishing, Business Administration, Other Work Projects, and Social Media. I had a home and family category and a personal one. Before beginning to use your list for the day, Mark recommends having a task or checklist that you want to accomplish for each project or area. I missed that recommendation when I began using the approach, however.

Once you have your list of areas or projects written, you will write the number 5 next to each. You will then set a timer for 5 minutes and dedicate that time to the first area on your list. Mark mentions that you may be using that first 5 minutes to clarify your plan for that project. I set a timer and looked over my notes for writing a Training Aliens lesson. When the timer goes off, you cross off the number 5 and write the number 10 next to it. You will then reset the timer and proceed to work for 5 minutes on the next area on your list.

When you have dedicated 5 minutes to each area on your list, you will go back to the top and will work for 10 minutes on each area. When you have finished what you want to do for that area, Mark recommends writing a 5 next to that area. If you still have work to accomplish, you will increase the time by 5 minutes for each pass you make until you hit 40 minutes. After working for 30 minutes total (and not after finishing a task), Mark tells us to stop what we’re doing and take a 5 minute break.

This may sound confusing, but the bottom line is that we do a short burst of work on multiple areas throughout the day, adding 5 minutes to the time we work on each pass through.

The advantages of this approach are:

- Resistance is minimized because we only have to do 5 minutes on a project to start. This is especially powerful if we have been putting off working on something.

- Every area of our homeschool and lives is given at least some attention during the day. The quick shifts to new activities keep our motivation high as opposed to having large time blocks on a schedule.

- We take advantage of the End Effect. By stopping when the timer goes off and not when we have finished a task, we feel the natural pull to return to it. When we do return to it, our resistance is further minimized because we feel the advantage of having already started it, even if for only a few minutes.

- This approach is effective when dealing with interruptions. If you’re interrupted for a long period, at least you’ve already accomplished something in multiple areas. If you’re interrupted for a short time, you simply return to the list where you left off.

One of the things that makes this approach so powerful is its adaptability. Mark gives many variations of the approach, using a smaller number of areas and different timing options. There isn’t a wrong way to do it.

Here is what I learned using this approach.

- First, I needed to return to using a focused time block for writing curriculum. Curriculum writing is still a top priority and I don’t struggle to dedicate a couple of morning hours to it. I decided that I wouldn’t use the Get Everything Done approach until I had finished writing a lesson. There may be areas of your homeschool that you don’t want to change. I likely wouldn’t include our Bible time or our read aloud time in this process because motivation wasn’t an issue for these.

- Second, I realized that my resistance to some other areas wasn’t so high that I needed a 5-minute burst to start. I had tried beginning the day by starting where I left off the previous day with 20-minute bursts. I didn’t like that, so I tried 10-20-30 minute daily bursts instead and I liked it a lot. I felt I was done with some areas after just two bursts and could limit the areas I was spending 30 minutes on. I recommend experimenting with different times for you and getting feedback from the kids.

- Third, I realized that I wanted to put the areas in a different order based on my current routine and also giving me a break. I am doing physical therapy exercises for shoulder pain and realized that doing those after a couple of computer-based projects made sense. I positioned the Personal category such that it would be another break for me. I wouldn’t have to take separate breaks after every 30 minutes of work.

- Fourth, I discovered by accident that I loved choosing the activity as I worked instead of preplanning them. Preplanning the activities could become a schedule that I might rebel against after a time. Instead, I have a separate list of potential tasks in my task manager for each area. For example, when the Podcast area is up, I might decide to invite someone who’s been on my wish list to be a guest. For the Home and Personal areas, I allow myself to work without a list. I ask myself what I feel like doing. It might be cleaning out my bathroom cabinet for Home and reading a book for Personal. I also counted interruptions as bursts in that area. Service calls were marked as a Home burst, even though it was out of order.

- Finally, this approach has helped break through my procrastination and has me feeling on top of everything I want to do. That’s remarkable. I do have a stopping time in the evening. But in the future, I may try continuing to use bursts with a limited or different list. It could help me engage in more productive pursuits than screen time in the evenings.

As you consider trying this, think about using it for skill practice for you or your kids. Practice piano or foreign language for 5 minutes and then 10 minutes until you’ve met the daily goal. This approach would also work beautifully for exercise. I am not using it for that purpose because it’s already a scheduled habit for me. But it would be a relatively painless way of building the habit.

Conclusion

How to Get Everything Done & Still Have Time to Play is a quick and engaging read. I highly recommend it and giving it a try. It would be an engaging experiment for kids and teens, and may be especially useful for those with ADD. I wrote about many approaches like this in my book A Year of Living Productively. Thanks again to Now Programs for sponsoring the podcast.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post How To Get Everything Done And Still Have Time To Play appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: Organizing Challenges for the New Year

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 11:00:09 +0000

Organizing is a popular goal for the new year. If you’re a homeschooler wanting to get organized, it can be hard to know where to start. Consider the six areas I share in this podcast episode.

SPONSOR: NOW Programs

Have a child with learning challenges? NOW Programs offers help.

Want to read the podcast as a blog post? READ HERE or SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES or ON STITCHER

Links

Airtable.com

a comprehensive post about the best places buy/sell used curriculum

Konmari method for folding clothes

Plan to Eat

Tastefully Simple’s 30 day meal plan

free meal planning book

The Organized Homeschool Life

Which area are you organizing first? Let’s chat about it on Facebook.

The post Special Replay: Organizing Challenges for the New Year appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: Redeeming Your Time: How To Make The Most Of Every Moment As A Homeschool Mom

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 11:00:38 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers!

I’m a time management/productivity enthusiast, which you know if you have my book, A Year of Living Productively. That book is the result of my experiments with more than 80 different productivity approaches. I did the reading and the experimenting to make the process of creating your own productivity formula faster. What I’ve discovered about has enabled me to write, speak, run a business, homeschool, maintain relationships, keep a home, and enjoy hobbies. But I’m never done wanting to improve.

Sponsor: NOW Programs

If you have a special-needs learner, check out NOW Programs!

Introduction

Every season of our lives presents new challenges for using our time. I have just two high school students at home now and they both work. I’m done teaching public speaking at our local homeschool academy. Now I want to provide YouTube videos to help homeschooling parents. So it’s a good time for me to reevaluate how I’m doing things.

That reevaluation led me to read the book Redeeming Your Time by Jordan Raynor. Honestly, I was prepared to be disappointed. Most time management books are basic. You know: Your time is valuable. Have a morning routine. Plan your day. Christian books about time typically emphasize spending time in prayer about your priorities. These practices are so important, but they aren’t new to me after years of focus on productivity.

So I was surprised by Jordan’s book. I needed it. Maybe you do, too. So I’m going to share six lessons from Redeeming Your Time that will help you make the most of every moment as a homeschool mom.

#1 God will finish the work we leave unfinished

Too many time-management teachers imply that we can get it all done. Just say no to things, trim down your extracurricular activities, use practical curriculum and you’ll finish your homeschool plan early. Yeah, right!

This idea has left me feeling like a failure. Sometimes I give up. I quit putting effort into activities or I stop using the curriculum. Other times I try harder. I commit to getting up earlier, being firmer with my kids about meeting deadlines, or working faster through lessons. Because that’s a recipe for joy, right?

There are so many lessons and subjects I wanted to teach my kids before they went off to college but didn’t. I have honestly schemed about how I could talk them into doing the lessons when they’re home for college. “Hey, guys, let’s watch this amazing video together. Here’s a fantastic book that I’m going to read aloud to you.” Yeah, that won’t happen.

As a writer, I have so many ideas for books. I want to write them all! Truthfully, I’d like to write them all this year. But Jordan gently helped me see that I won’t write them all this year. I may not write them all in five years. I may not write them ever.

But it’s okay. God knows that we won’t get all the work done even if we’re still in denial about it. He will finish the work that He wants done. Our kids will learn the lessons they need to learn without us. Hard to believe, I know. They’ll hear a message in church, get it through experience, or will seek the knowledge themselves because we have taught them how to learn. I have seen this in my kids time and time again.

So, take a deep breath, and know that God will finish everything on your to-do list that He wants done, even if He uses someone else to do it.

#2 We aren’t obligated to be productive

Jordan didn’t put it quite this way. Instead, he said, “God loves us no matter how productive or unproductive we are in this life.” He isn’t sighing in disappointment when He sees me chatting with friends instead of teaching a lesson on research paper writing. He isn’t rolling His eyes when I’m looking at clothes on Pinterest instead of making a faith video to share on Instagram.

Jordan explains that no matter how much we accomplish, it isn’t possible for God to love us more. And no matter how much we mess up, it isn’t possible for God to love us less. He reminded me of a blog post I wrote years ago on obligation-based procrastination. We strong-types don’t like feeling like we have to do things. That’s why I never practiced piano when I had to practice for my teacher each week. As soon as my parents gave me permission to quit, I began playing an hour a day–simply because I wanted to.

What this means is that God doesn’t require us to check off a long list of tasks. We aren’t required to do them to earn His love. Suddenly, we are free to do them simply because we want to.

What tasks can you let go of that God isn’t requiring you to do? Let them go and rediscover what you’re passionate about.

#3 Take time to think

When I had severe shoulder pain, sitting in our hot tub was one of the few things that gave me relief. But that time had an added benefit. I had nothing to do but think. I already knew what a blessing thinking time was for me. I love driving long distance alone. I talk to God, work through emotions, and come up with my best ideas. I had the idea for Grammar Galaxy while driving.

But I needed the reminder to take this time even when I’m at home. The popular practice of meditation is not what I’m talking about here. Secular meditation is chasing thoughts away by focusing on the breath or repeating a phrase. I think that’s the opposite of what we need to do. We need to let the thoughts come so we can acknowledge them and learn from them.

Jordan makes the point that we have so little quiet time to think that the thoughts come in a rush when we step into the shower, are having a conversation, or try to go to sleep at night. We have blocked them by reading, listening, and watching constantly.

The first time I practiced this after reading Jordan’s book, the answer to a question I had about how to spend my time came to me so clearly that I was dumbfounded.

After having time to read God’s Word and praying, sit and think. Notice what comes to mind without trying to block the thoughts.

#4 You don’t need to know

I told you about the lessons I learned doing a social-media fast. So I was surprised to learn more on this topic.

Jordan called me out on some of my reading habits. He writes, “We love being the first to know something…There is ego in trying to stay up on everything…in trying to appear the most informed person in the room.” Ugh. Then he quotes Jen Wilkin: “Our insatiable desire for information is a clear sign that we covet the divine omniscience.” In other words, she’s saying I’m trying to be God. If I were God, I would need to know all the things.

After reading the book, I moved some things out of my inbox. What’s funny is that my husband and friends are always repeating what I read anyway. But I apparently really like being in the know and I’ve started reading them again. Preparing this podcast is a good reminder to me that I don’t need to know.

Jordan says that we weren’t created to take in information like it’s coming out of a firehouse. I remember getting a 75-page homeschool newsletter in my early homeschooling days. The number of decisions I had to make about homeschool activities each month was so overwhelming that I stopped reading it. Instead, I told my friends to tell me about anything I shouldn’t miss.

If you’re drowning in information you don’t need, consider having your friends and family keep you posted about what the critical and letting the rest go.

#5 Choose goals for your priority roles

Jordan’s roles as husband, father, and entrepreneur guide his goals. I believe in the priority of marriage and talk about it. But I realized after reading Jordan’s marriage goals that I don’t have any goals related to my marriage. That’s in part because we have a healthy marriage. My business is also doing well. Yet I have many goals for it. There is clearly a mismatch between my marriage priority and my goals.

Jordan has date nights as a goal. I don’t need that. My husband and I both work from home, go out on dates regularly, and spend focused time together morning and evening. Then I recalled what Sandy had said about doing good to her husband all the days of her life. I shared this in a previous episode that I’ll link in the show notes. Now I had a goal. Each day I would look for a day to do my husband good.

The first day my husband was asking me what I would make for dinner and he suggested pork chops. I wrinkled my nose. Pork chops are just okay for me. Then I remembered the goal. Making pork chops would be the good I would do him. But that’s it. That’s all he gets. I’m kidding!

What are your three top roles in life? Choose a goal that matches each role.

#6 Manage interruptions in batches

Most people check their email and text messages many times a day. Jordan’s metaphor shows us how ridiculous this is. He writes, “I want you to imagine something. Instead of delivering mail to your home once a day, the mailman has started making deliveries one hundred times a day. And he no longer stays at the curb. With each delivery, he rings your doorbell and you get up from whatever you’re doing, open the door, take the piece of mail, and open it…That would be insane, right?”

Yep, insane. I realized that although I had my phone on silent while I was writing, I kept being interrupted by the tap of my Apple watch. A friend sent a news article for me to read. Even when I didn’t stop to read it, I was distracted. It took time for me to focus on my writing again.

You may not have a problem with email or messaging but with children interrupting you. You’re tutoring one child and two more come to you asking for help.

After reading the book, I started using the Focus setting on my phone. I couldn’t believe the difference it made to get no digital interruptions during my writing. My next step is to put a “recording” sign on my door so my family knows not to interrupt my podcast and YouTube sessions.

Consider set times for checking your email, messages, and your kids’ schoolwork. Take advantage of apps that will block non-emergency interruptions.

Conclusion

There is so much more to Redeeming Your Time. He is writing to a business audience primarily, but it’s a worthy read for a homeschool mom. Let me know what you think of it and your results with the tips I shared.

Join me next time as we discuss how to homeschool if your child won’t listen.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: Redeeming Your Time: How To Make The Most Of Every Moment As A Homeschool Mom appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Special Replay: Say Goodbye To Emotional Eating With Barb Raveling

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 11:00:16 +0000

Do you ever eat because you’re bored, anxious, or excited? The is the episode where we learn how to say goodbye to emotional eating so we can stay focused on homeschooling.

Hey, homeschoolers! The problem with emotional eating for homeschooling parents is two-fold. We hate the consequences for ourselves and we hate even more the example it sets for our kids. But how can we get past it?

Sponsor: NOW Programs

http://nowprograms.com for your special-needs learners

Podcast Guest: Barb Raveling

My guest for this episode will help us! Barb Raveling has joined me on the show before. I’ll put links in the show notes. She is a retired homeschool mom, now a prolific Christian author you can learn more about at BarbRaveling.com. She has a soon-to-be-released book on this topic called Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating.

Barb and I discussed:

the definition of emotional eating and its effects
strategies for overcoming emotional eating
whether it’s possible to really break free from emotional eating or whether it’s something people will struggle with for the rest of their lives

Barb has shared on previous episodes you can listen to:

To preorder Barb’s book and claim valuable bonuses, go to SayGoodbyeToEmotionalEating.com.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Special Replay: Say Goodbye To Emotional Eating With Barb Raveling appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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How To Homeschool Through The Holidays

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 11:00:50 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! How will you homeschool through the holiday season? There are many approaches that can work for you, but you’re most likely to feel good about the season when you’re intentional about it. I invited guest Katie Trent back to share with us some ideas for adjusting our homeschooling during the holidays. I also asked her about her new book that is a must-add-to-cart title.

Watch on YouTube

Before I get to our interview, I want to thank NOW Programs for sponsoring the podcast.

http://nowprograms.com

Resources

How to Homeschool Through a Move with Katie J Trent

A Merry & Bright Adventure

KatieJTrent.com

Katie on Instagram

Katie on Facebook

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post How To Homeschool Through The Holidays appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Teaching Reading The Active Way

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 11:00:48 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! When I began homeschooling, I thought I would have to teach reading on the couch. That’s a lot more comfortable for kids than at desks, but I didn’t know that I could do better–especially for my boys. Before I introduce my guest, I want to share this message from our sponsor, NOW Programs.

https://www.nowprograms.com

Podcast Guest: Stefanie Hohl

Stefanie Hohl is an experienced educator specializing in early literacy and movement-based learning. She is passionate about finding innovative ways to save parents’ sanity while still engaging young learners. She developed a fun and effective program called ABC See, Hear, Do. This program is designed to help children develop essential reading skills through a multi-sensory approach that incorporates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles.

I really enjoyed hearing her ideas, and I know you will too.

Watch on YouTube

Resources

ABCSeeHearDo.com

Stefanie on Facebook, Instagram

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Teaching Reading The Active Way appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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Finding Homeschool Rest In The Gospel

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 10:00:42 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! When it comes to seeking a more relaxed homeschool, we can find numerous tips for adjusting our schedule and curriculum. But there is only one source for true rest. My guest today is going to share how we can find it.

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Before I introduce her, I’d like to thank our sponsor: CTC Math.

Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum?

The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

Each one of the video tutorials is taught by an internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, who is renowned for teaching math concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand way (and in only a few minutes at a time). Using a multi-sensory approach having the combination of effective graphics and animation synchronized with the voice of a friendly teacher together with practical assessment. This three-pronged attack makes learning so much easier and more effective. Even students who struggled with math are getting fantastic results! And ones who were doing OK before are now doing brilliantly.

Visit c-t-c-math.com today to start your free trial.

Guest: Amy Sloan

My guest for this episode is Amy Sloan. Amy is the host of the long-running Humility and Doxology podcast, where she shares her passion for classical homeschooling, family discipleship, and joyful, restful learning. As a second-generation homeschooler, Amy brings years of experience not only as a student but now as a mother of five, navigating the ever-evolving journey of home education.

Today, Amy will be sharing her insights on how we can find true rest in the gospel, especially in the midst of our busy lives. I know you’ll enjoy getting to know her as I did.

Takeaways

- Homeschooling can be a fulfilling yet challenging journey.

- Understanding our identity in Christ is crucial for homeschool moms.

- Our value is not based on our children’s accomplishments.

- God’s love for us is unconditional and eternal.

- We are called to respond to God’s love with obedience.

- Homeschooling should not be viewed as a vending machine for perfect outcomes.

- Family worship and devotions are foundational to a Christ-centered home.

- Humility is essential in recognizing our need for God’s grace.

- The Holy Spirit works in our children, not our efforts alone.

- Community and resources are vital for encouragement in homeschooling.

Resources

HumilityandDoxology.com

https://www.youtube.com/c/HumilityandDoxology

https://www.instagram.com/humilityanddoxology

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Finding Homeschool Rest In The Gospel appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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What To Teach Kids About Heaven

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 10:00:50 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! I was so excited about heaven as a little girl that I wasn’t afraid to die. My mother was freaked out and realized she needed to change her approach. What are you teaching your kids about heaven? As believers, we want what we teach to be biblical, but which aspects of heaven should we emphasize?

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I chatted about this topic with former guest Jordan Raynor, who has authored a new picture book for kids called The Royal in You. The YouTube version of our interview includes some beautiful artwork from the book. Before I share our discussion, I want to thank NOW Programs for sponsoring the podcast.

https://www.nowprograms.com

Takeaways

Many Christians dread the thought of heaven due to misconceptions.
Cultural views of heaven often misrepresent biblical truths.
The new earth will be filled with the best things from our current world.
We will work and reign with Christ on the new earth.
Understanding our future in the new earth gives us hope today.
The Bible emphasizes a physical resurrection and renewed earth.
Work in the new earth will be fulfilling and joyful.
Parents can cultivate hope for eternity in their children.
Scripture provides clarity on the nature of heaven and the new earth.
Engaging activities can help children understand their faith better.

Resources

The Royal in You

Jordan’s Podcast

Jordan on Instagram

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post What To Teach Kids About Heaven appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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My Top 5 Homeschool Challenges

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 10:00:33 +0000

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1. Keep the house in order

A routine and having my kids do chores enabled me to focus on teaching. For help with this, I recommend the Organized Homeschool Life. After getting my home in order, I ran into another challenge:

2. Fit it all in

One way to fit math in to your school day is using CTC Math, the sponsor of this podcast.

Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum?

The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

Each one of the video tutorials is taught by an internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, who is renowned for teaching math concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand way (and in only a few minutes at a time). Using a multi-sensory approach having the combination of effective graphics and animation synchronized with the voice of a friendly teacher together with practical assessment. This three-pronged attack makes learning so much easier and more effective. Even students who struggled with math are getting fantastic results! And ones who were doing OK before are now doing brilliantly.

Visit c-t-c-math.com today to start your free trial.

3. School in the afternoons

4. Deal with sibling squabbles

5. Review kids’ work

Conclusion

To find the links to CTC Math and the resources I mentioned, visit the show notes page at homeschoolsanity.com/5challenges.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post My Top 5 Homeschool Challenges appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Click the icon below to listen.

Is It Really A Motivation Problem?

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 10:00:51 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! September and all of its new-school-year excitement is behind us, leaving us to face a longer October. If you struggled to complete your plan (or to get your kids to complete the plan), you may be feeling a bit concerned. How will this month be better? Should you rely on push motivation? Do you need a new system? These are both issues I’ve discussed in recent episodes.

Today, though, I want to help you determine if you truly have a motivation problem. If not, the solution may be much, much simpler to implement.

Watch on YouTube

Before we dig in, I want to thank our sponsor: CTC Math.

Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum?

The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

Each one of the video tutorials is taught by an internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, who is renowned for teaching math concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand way (and in only a few minutes at a time). Using a multi-sensory approach having the combination of effective graphics and animation synchronized with the voice of a friendly teacher together with practical assessment. This three-pronged attack makes learning so much easier and more effective. Even students who struggled with math are getting fantastic results! And ones who were doing OK before are now doing brilliantly.

Visit c-t-c-math.com today to start your free trial.

If you didn’t get things done in your homeschool this month the way you hoped and planned, one of the first culprits to suspect is motivation. You’re just not motivated. Or your kids aren’t. You don’t wake up passionate to learn and create and clean. You’re not brimming with energy and enthusiasm and you can’t blame it on Seasonal Affective Disorder. And after you carefully chose curriculum and activities and a schedule, that’s just not acceptible. So…

You think you have a character problem. You need to study diligence in the Bible with the kids and memorize Scripture. And you need to actually read one of the many books you’ve purchased for yourself about self-discipline.

You may also suspect you chose the wrong activities or classes. They seemed great and the reviews were glowing, but they may not be a good fit for you and the kids after all. You have to go back to the drawing board and find new ones that will keep the motivation flying high beyond September at the least!

You probably also need to rework your schedule. You may need to start earlier since things tend to fall apart after lunch. Or you need to start with the least favorite subject. Or try loop scheduling. Maybe you should start school in the afternoon?

Or maybe you need to toss the curriculum and schedule and try Unschooling or Charlotte Mason or unit studies. You’ll want to watch some more YouTube videos on that to be sure.

It could also be that you or the kids have an undiagnosed condition or learning challenge that is the real culprit. You should have them take an online diagnostic quiz and talk to friends whose kids have learning issues so you aren’t missing anything. Maybe it’s ADD and you’re going to have to change everything about your homeschool to accommodate it.

My Experience

I’m not homeschooling right now, but I still went through this process. I am working on a reference book to go with Grammar Galaxy. Or should I say I wasn’t working on it. Obviously a motivation problem. I needed to listen to one of my books on self-discipline and meditate on related Bible verses.

But I also wondered if the book was the wrong project for me to work on right now. If it was the right one, I would be looking forward to it, wouldn’t I? I needed to look again at all the projects I could be working on and rate them all. I should ask my writer friends what they think.

Then again, maybe I wasn’t working on the reference book because I had it in my morning schedule when I’m working on Level 2 of Training Aliens. Perhaps I would get it done if I moved it to afternoon or evening.

I could also just wait until I felt inspired and passionate to work on it. Maybe the problem was that I was trying to force it. If I was inspired, I could get the project done quickly. I should wait for Pull Motivation like Mark Forster describes.

Then again, I am perimenopausal (yes, still at my age) and that is killing my motivation. Maybe it’s impossible to do this project until my hormones are in balance.

This is my real thought process. I am not trying to bore you to death, promise. I am trying to show you how focusing on motivation can lead us down many dead-end trails that don’t result in homeschool progress.

I am not saying that you don’t need to focus on any of these motivational issues. Perhaps you do. But before you do, allow me to share an alternative to motivation for your consideration.

I began planning the final quarter of the year, something you might want to do as well. You have three months to achieve your homeschool goals and that can give you a fresh start, even though you’re already a month or two into a new school year.

As I planned, I decided that I really did want to complete this reference book this quarter. Every quarterly planner will take a goal like that and ask you to break it down into smaller goals with deadlines. Uhhhhh. I had no idea what those smaller deadlined goals should be. I had to evaluate the project and get a rough estimate of what I had completed in the hours worked. I hadn’t worked many hours on it and the reference book is already organized into entries. I determined that I was completing ten entries per hour. That allowed me to estimate the number of days I would need to complete the entries. But that was based on a schedule with no missed days. I decided to add 20% more days than I needed to the deadline to account for the unexpected. I had to plan more than this to finish the project, but I came up with several intermediate milestones until the end of the quarter.

The day after creating the plan, I worked on the project in the morning as before. I wasn’t super inspired by the project. It is a reference book after all and not story-based like my curriculum. And my hormones have been as wonky as ever. But I accomplished three days’ work in one day. Now I should get the project done ahead of schedule, barring any major interruptions. How did that happen?

While I did not have motivation, I did achieve clarity. Unbeknownst to me, the project felt like a huge amorphous blob that would never be done. Anything I did accomplish felt like a drop in the bucket. When I thought about the project or even sat down to work on it, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do in that work session.

Clarity Instead of Motivation

When you or your kids lack clarity, you are likely to respond in the same way. If your child doesn’t know what “done” looks like or what a good school day looks like, they are unlikely to make progress. Imagine playing a video game that has no finish line and no indication of progress. Most people would quit playing that game very quickly. That’s why I had quit working on my project. I was spinning my wheels. I didn’t know when I would be done or how much, if any, progress I’d made.

Although you may have a motivation problem, I would argue that it isn’t fair to determine that until you’ve produced clarity. Do you know exactly what you have to accomplish today or this week in order to be on track? In order to finish your curriculum and activities by the end of the semester? If not, that is the first step.

Determine the number of school days you have this semester to achieve a particular goal. I recommend that you use 80% of this number to allow for unforeseen circumstances. Then divide the number of lessons or pages or minutes for the goal by that 80% number. To use a very clean example, say you have 100 potential school days left this semester. Using 80% of that means 80 days. If you have 80 pages of history to read together, that is one page to read per school day. Easy peasy. In fact, you’ll be done ahead of time if you happen to have an uneventful semester.

But let’s say it’s not easy peasy. Perhaps you have a very ambitious goal. When you do the math, you realize that your student has to read 100 pages of literature per day to get through all the books you’ve assigned. While you now have clarity about what has to be done, you don’t have confidence. Your student will likely feel overwhelmed. If I had struggled to complete ten entries an hour, I likely would have given up on the goal. The answer is to adjust the goal so it feels achievable. Adjusting can be disappointing. If I had to admit to myself that I couldn’t complete the project this semester, I wouldn’t like it. But I would get it done faster by moving my goal back three months than I would by expecting too much of myself.

Conclusion

Do you really have a motivation problem? If you’re unhappy with your progress, don’t automatically assign your kids and yourself diligence memory work. Don’t immediately research new curriculum, homeschool approaches, and WebMD. Instead, get clarity about what you want to accomplish this semester. Make sure you and your kids know exactly what they need to do to achieve the goal and that you and both feel confident you can do it.

If you use this approach, please screenshot this episode and tag me or email me at melanie at homeschoolsanity (dot) com. I would love to hear about it.

Thanks again to CTC Math for sponsoring the podcast.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Is It Really A Motivation Problem? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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In Search Of A System

Melanie Wilson — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 10:00:32 +0000

Hey, homeschoolers! I love systems. When I started my series for A Year of Living Productively, I thought I would come up with the perfect productivity system for me and my readers. I have also looked for homeschooling systems, parenting systems, and cooking systems to make my life easier.

I know I’m not the only one who loves systems. They sell. If you search for system and its synonyms like approach and program, you will find thousands and thousands of options that promise to deliver a blissful life of ease.

But I recently read an article that changed my mind about systems. In this episode, I want to share why we search for systems, why they so often fail, and what we should do instead.

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Why do we search for systems?

First, we want to change or improve. We want an easier way to homeschool. We want a meal-planning approach that takes less time. We want a step-by-step plan for getting into shape that guarantees success.

But what drives us to want to change or improve? The same thing that drove me to beg for an epidural for my first labor: We have some kind of pain that we want to do away with. We are struggling to motivate ourselves or our kids. We feel like we’re failing. We or our family members are unhappy. Or we feel that we lack in comparison. Our friend’s child got a college scholarship. Comparison may lead to fear of the future if we don’t change direction. If we don’t increase the rigor of our high schooler’s courses, study prep, or extracurricular activities, they not only won’t get a scholarship, they won’t be accepted, we fear.

So we seek out a system that promises to help us change or improve and alleviates the pain or our fear for the future.

But systems often fail—not always but often.

We think it’s the system’s fault. And sure, some systems aren’t realistic or sustainable. I’m thinking about the 75 Hard system that has you working out twice a day (once outside), eating clean, and drinking a gallon of water for 75 days in a row. Most systems we attempt, however, are not this obviously unrealistic. We’re pretty sure the system will work for us. But therein lies the problem.

As soon as we contemplate using a new, shiny system, we feel better. The pain decreases. That’s true even for my system—The Organized Homeschool Life. When you think about using the plan to get your homeschool and life in order (15 minutes at a time), your stress level goes down. You know what to do. And you can easily organize for an hour a week. Whew! You buy the book and that’s one more stressor you can cross off your list.

You don’t need to buy anything to make The Organize Homeschool Life system work for you. But many systems require products. You need the equipment, the apps, the books. When you purchase or acquire products, your anxiety goes down. You not only have a plan; you are putting it into action.

Sometimes when we choose a system, we feel we need to spend time planning how to implement it. We need to decide when and where to work out and with whom. We need to decide which area needs the most organizational help. We need to get the new curriculum lesson plans entered into our planner and our kids’ planners. We may spend time thinking about this and even working on it, with more stress relief as a result. Or we may wait for the perfect, uninterrupted time to work on our implementation time. I’ve had moms tell me they need to make time to read The Organized Homeschool Life at some time in the future.

The problem with this as with any system prep is that it isn’t meant to be read in one sitting. In our effort to eliminate pain by choosing a system and planning to use a system, we may find that we never actually use a system. Of course, no system works if we don’t use it. The bottom line is we decreased the stress of our situation without taking action.

Eventually though, the problem will reoccur and is likely to be worse. We look for a new system that will work this time and we begin the cycle all over again.

Before I share what we should do instead, I want to thank CTC Math for sponsoring this podcast.

Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum?

The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

Each one of the video tutorials is taught by an internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, who is renowned for teaching math concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand way (and in only a few minutes at a time). Using a multi-sensory approach having the combination of effective graphics and animation synchronized with the voice of a friendly teacher together with practical assessment. This three-pronged attack makes learning so much easier and more effective. Even students who struggled with math are getting fantastic results! And ones who were doing OK before are now doing brilliantly.

Visit c-t-c-math.com today to start your free trial.

I’ve shared why we look for systems and why they don’t tend to work. Now let’s talk about what we should do instead.

Let’s do that with some examples. If you want to get into shape, you can start researching fitness systems. That Couch to 5K one sounds interesting, you think. Off you go to the app store and to running shoe reviews. You can spend hours watching YouTube videos on the topic. OR you can go for a walk now. Today. As soon as possible. Perhaps you can only go 10 minutes. Maybe you won’t be able to fit it in tomorrow. But it sure felt good.

If you want to get organized, you can order The Organized Homeschool Life and look through the challenges to determine the very best place to start. You can look for the best bins to organize your school room and kitchen. OR you can look around you right now at something that could be decluttered and organized. Use Dana White’s approach and set a timer for 5-15 minutes. The gist is to throw away trash and put things away in our spaces as you pull them from the space. Don’t wait and make a mess. Maybe you’ll declutter again tomorrow or this weekend. But either way, you made an improvement.

If you want to prepare your child for college, you can sign up for a webinar on college prep to discover a system. Or you can have your student spend 15 minutes taking some test practice questions online or in a book you’ve likely already purchased. Maybe your student will practice again tomorrow or later this week. But either way, they are more prepared than they were before.

These examples bring up yet another reason we seek out systems that don’t work: perfectionism. We don’t think a 10-minute walk, a 5-minute declutter, or a 15-minute test practice session is enough. In order to succeed, we have to dedicate more, uninterrupted time. Of course, we have to wait to find the perfect system and the perfect time to do it. We wait, and we wait, and we wait and we have done nothing. Meanwhile the person who does 10 minutes here and 15 minutes there has run circles around us.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you don’t have to give up on your systems. You may have invested in one that will work for you if YOU work on it. Start today. Set a timer and spend just 5 minutes making an improvement in an area of your homeschool life that is causing you pain. If you do that, screenshot this podcast episode and tag @homeschoolsanity on social media. I would love to cheer you on.

Thanks again to CTC Math for sponsoring the podcast.

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post In Search Of A System appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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