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The Homeschool How To

Cheryl - Host

I don't claim to know anything about homeschooling, so I set out on a journey to ask the people who do! Join me as I chat with homeschoolers to discuss; "why are people homeschooling," "what are all the ways people are using to homeschool today," and ultimately, "should I homeschool my kids?"

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  • #195
    Today · 44 min

    #195: At 12, Her Kids Take Over Dinner: Are We Teaching Our Children to Be Independent?

    What if your 12-year-old was responsible for making dinner once a week? Not just helping in the kitchen. Actually planning and preparing the meal. That's exactly what Katie Kimball does with her children, and it's one of the many practical ideas we get into during this conversation. Katie is the founder of Raising Healthy Families and Kids Cook Real Food. Her work helps parents teach children the practical skills they need to become healthy, confident, independent adults. We talk about why cooking is so much more than preparing food, how to get children involved in the kitchen, and why teaching kids practical life skills should be an important part of their education. In this episode, we discuss: Why Katie hands over full responsibility for one family dinner per week when a child turns 12. How to teach children to cook without overwhelming yourself. Why learning cooking skills is also learning science, math, and problem-solving. How to approach picky eating without turning mealtimes into a battle. Why children should learn how food affects their bodies. How to gradually teach children independence in the kitchen. Why frozen vegetables aren't necessarily inferior to fresh vegetables. How cooking together can create opportunities for deeper conversations with your children. We also talk about something I think many parents can relate to: growing up without learning how to cook and then having to figure it all out while raising our own children. You don't have to be a perfect cook or a homesteader to teach your children these skills. You can learn alongside them. Because eventually, we want our children to leave home knowing how to take care of themselves. Find Katie at https://raisinghealthyfamilies.com/ Host of The Healthy Parenting Handbook Podcast TEDxBismarck: What if Kids Never Learn Critical Thinking Skills? TEDxHartford: Picky Eating Isn't About the Food Helping families raise confident, capable future adults with practical life skills that start at the kitchen table Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? Your First 30 Days; A Guided Walkthrough 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If this episode helped, follow the show and leave a quick review. It helps other parents find us. Find homeschooling resources and support at https://thehomeschoolhowto.com/ Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #194
    November 7 · 50 min

    #194: What a Former Teacher Did When Her Own Daughter Refused Homeschool Lessons

    What happens when a former teacher can't get her own five-year-old to learn the alphabet? Katie Vieira is back (she was on episode 157, where she shared why she left teaching to homeschool). This time we're talking about what homeschooling has actually looked like since. Spoiler: her first year was unschooling, and her daughter turned down every lesson Katie tried, even "let's just find the letter A." For someone who taught whole classrooms, that was hard. She had to decide whether to push or to wait. She waited. You'll hear what that same daughter is doing now, at eight, and why Katie calls it a risky game that doesn't always work out. We also get into: Why a former literacy teacher uses no reading curriculum (and the pushback she gets for it) Literature vs. Pinkalicious, and why kids should be allowed to put a book down The screen meltdowns that sent her to the book Glow Kids, and how that became her own children's book, Into the Field: Tennessee Summer My eight-year-old writing a persuasive essay to earn a bigger dirt bike The bingo board that changed her homeschool mornings with little ones underfoot Free field trips you probably don't know about, and how to find them Her advice if you're not a teacher and think you can't do this If you've ever panicked because your kid won't do the lesson, or wondered whether you're doing enough, this one's for you. Find Katie on Instagram @intothefieldbook and at katieviera.com. Check out episode 157. And if you're in your first month of homeschooling, my guided walkthrough, The Homeschool How To: Your First 30 Days, is coming soon. Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If this episode helped, follow the show and leave a quick review. It helps other parents find us. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #193
    October 31 · 56 min

    #193: ADHD, Meltdowns, a Small Apartment and Four Boys: The Homeschool Story Most Parents Won’t Tell

    What does homeschooling look like when you have four boys under 10, a two-bedroom apartment with no yard, and a son who melts down every time it’s time to stop doing something he loves? This week, Josh and Jess Tirado from Ventura, California, get honest about homeschooling a child with ADHD. Their oldest wasn’t struggling with focus. He was doing great academically. The hard part was transitions, big feelings and impulsive moments that affected his little brothers. They tried parenting classes and every strategy they knew from working in mental health. Then they made a decision a lot of families wrestle with quietly, and they share why, and what changed for the whole house. We also get into: Why they never planned to homeschool, and how COVID, a kindergarten lottery and one book changed everything How they teach a third grader with toddlers around (hint: get out of the house half the day) Why they only do one to two hours of actual school a day, and why the curriculum that looks boring works The dad question: will homeschooled kids have friends? Josh shares an idea about teens and secrets that will make you rethink what’s “normal” How grandparents can be a homeschool “cheat code” And stay until the end, because a broken-down chicken coop at a retired farmer’s ranch turned into something none of us saw coming. Books mentioned: Family Revision by Jeremy Pryor and Hold On to Your Kids. Follow Josh & Jess on IG: @anotherwayfamily Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If this episode helped you, follow the show and leave a quick review. It helps another parent on the fence find us. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #192
    October 24 · 43 min

    #192: Why This Momma With a Doctorate in Education Chooses to Homeschool

    What makes someone with a doctorate in education decide to homeschool her own children? And why would an education researcher who understands the concerns around screen time choose online curriculum for her kids? Those are just two of the questions I get into with Dr. Kelly Cagle, former high school teacher, education researcher, homeschooling mom of three boys, and host of the Parenting IQ podcast. Kelly didn't originally set out to homeschool. Four years ago, her oldest son's soccer training schedule made their previous school arrangement impossible. What started as a practical decision turned into something their family has continued to choose, year after year. We talk about what Kelly learned from her professional background in education, why she believes children need room to develop their individual strengths, and how homeschooling has allowed her oldest son to pursue soccer while continuing his education. But one of the most interesting parts of our conversation is her current curriculum choice. Kelly's boys are using an online program they've enjoyed more than the alternatives they've tried. They're getting started without the usual battles, and she's seeing benefits. At the same time, she's wrestling with her concerns about screen time and trying to find the right balance for her family. We also talk about navigating ADHD and dyslexia, why her son can learn while moving around, what happened when she spent $1,200 on curriculum before understanding how her children learned, and how she approaches resistance to schoolwork. And when it comes to preparing kids for adulthood, Kelly has two priorities that go beyond textbooks: knowing how to make money and knowing how to communicate. This is an honest conversation about the decisions behind one family's homeschool—not a claim that there's one right way to educate every child. Connect with Dr. Kelly Cagle: The IQ Network Mom IQ Resources & Parenting IQ Podcast Helping parents find their rhythm and raise confident ADHDers. 10 Simple ADHD Strategies for Tired Moms Acellus Deschooling Society Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If you're trying to figure out what homeschooling could look like for your family, follow The Homeschool How To Podcast for more real conversations with homeschooling parents. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #191
    October 17 · 56 min

    #191: Rigid Structure vs. Unschooling: What a Homeschool Grad Chose for Her Own Kids

    What if the reason your homeschool days feel chaotic isn’t your curriculum, your kids, or you, but the belief that because you’re home, you should be able to do it all? This week I sat down with Luke and Liss Hammond, parents of four who homeschool on a farm in rural southeast Missouri. Liss was homeschooled in the ’90s, one of eight kids, and she’ll be the first to tell you she resented her parents for it as a teenager. Then she went to college on a volleyball scholarship, earned a master’s degree, worked as an investigator with the Department of Child Safety, and quit the day she looked at her newborn son and thought, “with everything I know about children, there is no way I can do this.” Now she runs one of the most structured homeschool days I’ve heard on this show, and she explains exactly why. We talk about: Why it takes about three years to settle into homeschooling (and why switching methods every five weeks is the worst thing you can do) Her real block schedule: self-start block, play block for the preschooler, protected teaching time, and garden block Why kids actually want structure, from her years in psychology Saying no to co-op events during school hours, and why “every no I say is a successful yes somewhere else” What homeschool kids bring to college that others often don’t Luke’s take as a public-school kid: “I’m not anti-public school. I’m pro-intentional parents.” Dirt Academy Kids, their 30-lesson gardening curriculum And if you’re the parent who knows you want to homeschool but is scared to walk away from the income, stay for the end. Liss’s answer is one I needed to hear when I left my job, too. Check out https://www.dirtacademykids.com/ to teach your kiddos HOW to garden and grow their own food! Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If this episode helped you, follow The Homeschool How To and leave a quick review. It really does help other parents find the show. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #190
    October 10 · 1 hr 10 min

    #190: He Pulled His Son 3 Days Before High School. Now Math Class Is the Stock Market.

    What if your kid's math class was the stock market? Robert Grego pulled his 15-year-old son out of public school three days before 9th grade. He had no plan. So he asked his son what he actually liked, and built the year around it: Latin because he loves the Roman Empire, American and military history because he's obsessed with World War I, and no Shakespeare. This year, his son's math is a YouTube channel the two of them run together called The Hostile Takeover. They break down stocks, read charts and solve for X with real dollar signs in front of it. His son makes the thumbnails, does the research, and they just got monetized. Robert is a lawyer, hotel owner and dad of three. In this conversation we get into: Why schools teach Shakespeare (his answer: "Because they do") How much math a kid actually needs to make a living Why school teaches kids to memorize instead of think, and what that means with AI in their pocket The email he sent his school district about AI, and the reply he got How a professor making $300 during office hours got him into the stock market Whether 8 is too young to start learning about investing Paying your kids through your business and putting it in a Roth IRA (which, it turns out, I already did) If you've ever worried that skipping the "normal" curriculum will leave your kid behind, listen to this one. Robert's son is learning digital marketing, business and algebra at the same time, and none of it came from a textbook. Links: The Hostile Takeover on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHostileTakeoverTV Market From Scratch playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNqyGrAdjjQE Robert's hotels on Lake George- the Sundowner, the Lake Haven, the Montreal and the Lake George Inn Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If this episode got you thinking, follow The Homeschool How To and leave a review. It helps another parent find it. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #189
    October 3 · 49 min

    #189: "It Must Be Me": The Signs of Dyslexia Every Homeschool Mom Should Know

    Her son could recite Goodnight Moon word for word at two years old, but he couldn't learn his letter names. He couldn't rhyme. He could read "redeemer" in scripture but not "an." Liz from Idaho never planned to homeschool. Her husband wasn't sold on it either, so they made a deal: try kindergarten at home for a year, and if it didn't work, he'd go to school. After that year, her husband became the biggest homeschool advocate in the house. Then came the reading. Five reading curriculums. Every Orton-Gillingham program she could find. Speech therapy, OT, an endless line for the neuropsychologist. When nothing worked, Liz figured, "it must be me," so she got trained herself. Today she's a dyslexia therapist, certified in EBLI, and in grad school for speech-language pathology. In this episode, Liz explains the 3 D's in plain language: Dyslexia: reading Dysgraphia: handwriting and getting thoughts onto paper Dyscalculia: understanding quantity, time and counting She also covers: The early signs she wishes more parents knew Why speech to print finally clicked for her son, who came up three grade levels in spelling in nine hours of instruction How audiobooks gave him a college-level vocabulary while he was still decoding at a 2nd-grade level Where to start with a kindergartner, and when to stop pushing Three-cueing, the "Reading Wars," and why she calls teaching kids to read her "civil disobedience" Then the honest part. This year her son started school in 6th grade, and Liz gets emotional talking about it. If you've ever felt like putting your child in school means you failed, this conversation is for you. It isn't failure. It's paying attention to what your kid needs right now. If your child is fighting you on reading, remember Liz's line: there's a difference between not being interested in reading and not being able to do it. Resources mentioned: For Speech to Print and Structured Linguistic Literacy, check out this page Reading Simplified Truth About Reading EBLI Sold a Story Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons Epic App Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more homeschooling families find us! Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #188
    September 26 · 1 hr 2 min

    #188: Your Child Doesn't Need to Read by 5: What a Former Teacher Wants Homeschool Parents to Know

    What if you're homeschooling your child and you're constantly wondering, Am I doing enough? What if they're not reading yet? What if you didn't get through all five subjects this week? What if your child spent most of the day playing, helping around the house, going outside, asking questions—and you still feel like you didn't “do school”? That's exactly the kind of pressure we talk about in this episode. My guest, Kiely Modiri, spent 10 years working in public education. She earned a master's in educational leadership, was on the path toward becoming a principal, and then became a mom and started questioning almost everything she had been taught about education. Eventually, she created Alpine Village School and began working with parents to rethink what children actually need. And one of the things that really stopped me was hearing that her daughter didn't really begin reading until around 8½ or 9—and Kiely wasn't worried about it. Instead, she was paying attention to what her daughter actually needed at that point in her life. We talk about homeschooling without recreating public school at home, why parents become so anxious about reading and academic benchmarks, what children can learn through free play and everyday life, and why Kiely believes connection should come before correction. We also get into something I think a lot of homeschool moms will recognize: how much of our children's behavior can bring up our own childhood experiences, insecurities and fears. If you've ever looked at your homeschool day and thought, We didn't get enough done, I think you're going to want to hear this conversation. Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more homeschooling families find us! Connect with Kiely: Website & Online Store: alpinevillageidaho.com Instagram: instagram.com/alpinevillageschool School website: www.alpinevillageschool.com Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • September 19 · 53 min

    #187: My Child Didn't Read Until Age 10. Why I Stopped Worrying About Grade Levels.

    What if your child isn't reading when you thought they would? What if they're not keeping up with the curriculum? What if you're starting to wonder whether you're actually doing enough? That's exactly where this conversation goes. Becky from Homeschooling Olympians homeschooled her five sons for more than 25 years. And one of those sons didn't learn to read until he was 10. Instead of giving up on homeschooling, Becky learned to look at education very differently. In this episode, we talk about the pressure homeschool parents feel to follow grade levels, check every box, finish every curriculum, and make sure their kids are “on track.” Becky shares how an incredibly overwhelming season — pregnancy, a child needing major surgeries, multiple grades, and too much curriculum — forced her and her husband to step back and ask a much better question: What do we actually want our kids to know by the time they graduate? That question became the foundation for their homeschool. We talk about delayed readers, reading aloud, picture books, curriculum pressure, raising five boys, homeschooling through difficult seasons, and what Becky learned after looking back at 25 years of homeschooling. And then there's the part I think every homeschool parent needs to hear: what happened to those five boys. Their paths ended up looking completely different — from history and machining to filmmaking, music, science, business, and rowing — despite the fact that Becky says there were years when they did very little curriculum. If you've ever wondered “Am I doing enough?”, “Is my child behind?”, or “What are my kids actually supposed to know?”, this conversation will give you a very different way to think about those questions. Listen to the full episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, and if it helps you rethink something in your homeschool, share it with another parent who needs to hear it. From the episode: Connect with Bekki: https://www.instagram.com/abetterwaytohomeschool/ 13 Teeny Tiny Truth Bombs About Homeschooling Honey for a Child's Heart Sonlight Booklists Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more homeschooling families find us! Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #186
    September 12 · 59 min

    #186: What Happens When You Stop Making School the Center of Childhood?

    My guests this week, Owen and Christina, have five kids—and their family's answer to that question took them much farther than they ever expected. It started with something surprisingly simple: their son wanted another thing.. "to be happy." Around the same time, Christina watched a video about families who didn't have access to clean water. So Owen and Christina did something most of us would probably never consider. They shut off the water in their house. For 10 days, their family walked to collect water, carried it home, washed clothes in buckets, and experienced firsthand how much of life we take for granted. And then something unexpected happened. When it was time to turn the water back on, they didn't want to. That experience eventually led them to leave Canada and move their family to rural Guatemala, where their children have learned Spanish through immersion, worked alongside their parents, taken risks, made mistakes, participated in real community life, and learned skills you probably won't find on a traditional report card. We talk about homeschooling, worldschooling, entitlement, purpose, community, raising capable kids, letting children fail, and why Owen and Christina don't see education as something that only happens in a classroom. If you've ever looked at your homeschool and wondered, "Is this enough?" This episode might make you rethink what education actually means. Connect with Owen & Christina: website: https://www.culturechalk.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culture_chalk_travel/ Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more homeschooling families find us! Follow The Homeschool How To Podcast for weekly conversations with families who are doing things differently—and figuring out what actually works. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #185
    September 5 · 39 min

    #185: What 200 Homeschool Families Taught Me About How Kids Really Learn

    What does your child actually need to learn—and how much formal homeschooling do they really need? When I started The Homeschool How To Podcast, I wasn't even sure I was going to homeschool my own kids. I had a lot of the same fears so many parents have: Would my kids miss out? Would they have friends? Would they fall behind? Would I actually be capable of educating them? More than 200 homeschool family interviews later, I've changed my mind about a LOT. In this episode, I'm sharing what I've learned about homeschooling, socialization, curriculum, learning readiness, and what children actually need from us. I'm talking about the fears I had when I started, why I no longer worry nearly as much about whether my kids are “on track,” and why I don't believe homeschooling has to mean sitting at the kitchen table with textbooks every morning. I also share what homeschooling actually looks like in our house—including my son's completely unexpected opportunity to learn about horses several times a week because he wanted to. That experience has become one of the clearest examples of what I hoped homeschooling could be. If you're considering homeschooling, you're a new homeschool parent, or you're constantly wondering “Am I doing enough?”, I hope this episode gives you a little more peace and confidence. And remember: there is no one right way to homeschool. Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more homeschooling families find us! Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #184
    August 22 · 1 hr

    #184: How Teaching Public & Private School Led Her to Homeschool

    Her son was all set to graduate from her homeschool and become a master mechanic — and then he enlisted in the Marines a month before he turned 18. Christina Franco from Rooted Home Life joins Cheryl this week. She's a former public and private school teacher turned homeschool mom of five, and she gets real about the moment she realized it wasn't public school she had a problem with — it was school itself. They talk about her oldest son's surprise decision to join the Marines, the "mother's intuition" story from speaker Amber O'Neill Johnston that changed how Christina parents, why she doesn't believe in college for college's sake, and how family-style unit studies shape her very relaxed homeschool days. You'll hear about: How a public school teacher ended up distrusting the entire system, not just one school The real story behind her son enlisting in the Marines right after graduating homeschool How being a blended family can affect homeschooling A mother's intuition story about a medical procedure gone wrong Why she doesn't believe in going to college "for the experience" How family-style unit studies work across five kids at different ages Her honest answer on putting her kids' faces online Connect with Christina: Instagram YouTube Podcast Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #183
    August 15 · 51 min

    #183: Leaving It All for Life on a Bus... Three Years Later, Do They Regret It?

    What happens when a former public school teacher sells everything to homeschool from a bus? Three years after her first appearance on the podcast, Jennifer Gossett is back with an incredible update. Since we last spoke, her family has traveled to 47 states, sold the bus, bought a home, and discovered that homeschooling doesn't have to fit inside one box. In this episode we discuss: • Why she left public education • What roadschooling really looked like day to day • Why they decided to stop living on the bus • Raising children with different learning styles • Dual enrollment and graduating with college credits • Whether homeschoolers really miss out on prom, sports, and friendships • Traveling America as part of your child's education • Why she believes it's okay to change your mind Whether you're just beginning your homeschool journey or dreaming about traveling with your children, this episode is full of encouragement and practical ideas. Connect with Jen: https://www.instagram.com/un_hustled/ https://www.facebook.com/theunhustlebustle https://www.tiktok.com/@unhustled jens.a.cooker on TikTok Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #182
    August 8 · 45 min

    #182: They Left Germany Because Homeschooling Was Illegal | Worldschooling Across Europe

    Can you really homeschool while traveling the world? What if homeschooling was actually illegal where you lived? In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, Cheryl sits down with Stacy, a homeschooling mom, worldschooler, and resilience coach whose family made the life-changing decision to leave Germany after discovering homeschooling wasn't legally allowed there. Today, their family travels throughout Europe while homeschooling their three children through a blend of worldschooling, roadschooling, self-directed learning, and unschooling. They share what daily life really looks like, how they afford long-term travel, why they chose this lifestyle, and what their children have gained by learning from the world instead of a traditional classroom. We also discuss: ✔️ Why homeschooling is illegal in Germany ✔️ What worldschooling and roadschooling actually look like ✔️ Waldorf (Steiner) education vs. homeschooling ✔️ How WWOOF and Workaway help families travel affordably ✔️ Helping children discover their strengths through interest-led learning ✔️ Building resilience in homeschooling families ✔️ Finding community while living a nomadic lifestyle ✔️ Common fears parents have before homeschooling — and why it doesn't have to be all or nothing If you've ever wondered whether homeschooling could look completely different than the traditional model — or if you've dreamed of traveling with your kids while giving them an incredible education — this conversation will inspire you to think outside the box. Resources mentioned: WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) Workaway Stacy's resilience coaching information-Instagram- @resiliencewithstacy www.resiliencewithstacy.com Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who's considering homeschooling. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #181
    August 1 · 46 min

    #181: It's Not the Curriculum, It's the Brain: A Cognitive Psychologist on Why Reading Programs Fail

    What do you do when the school waits until the night before the last day of school to tell you your child is failing — and it turns out they broke his own IEP to do it? Dr. Amy Moore joins Cheryl this week. She's a cognitive psychologist and former teacher who left the classroom to research why struggling kids kept getting missed. She's also raised three sons — now 27, 25, and 21 — all neurodivergent, all homeschooled differently based on what they actually needed. They get into the real story behind pulling her oldest out of school in 6th grade after a last-minute email about 20+ missing assignments his 504 plan should have flagged much earlier. From there, Dr. Amy breaks down the difference between neurodiverse and neurodivergent, why social-emotional learning programs in a classroom of 30 can't replace what happens one-on-one at home, and how to tell if your child is dealing with a content gap or a skill gap when something isn't clicking. You'll hear about: The night her son's school broke its own legal accommodation — and what she did the next morning Why co-regulation (not curriculum) is the missing piece in most SEL programs How dual enrollment programs like Colorado Early Colleges let homeschoolers earn college credit for free Why a major meta-analysis found a leading reading approach wasn't moving the needle — and what she says actually is Her advice for any parent who's terrified an IEP means they can't homeschool If you're staring down a diagnosis, an IEP meeting, or a kid who just isn't clicking with the curriculum you picked — this one's for you. Connect with Dr.Amy: www.thebrainymoms.com www.amymoorephd.com www.instagram.com/thebrainymoms Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who's considering homeschooling. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #180
    July 25 · 41 min

    #180: Why This Former Teacher Had to Unlearn Everything

    What if the best thing you could do for your homeschool is put the worksheet down? In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, Cheryl sits down with Kaitlin Zara, former public school teacher, homeschool mom of two boys, and host of the Homeschool Connections podcast, to talk about what she saw from the inside of a classroom that changed how she teaches her own kids now. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Kaitlin had to unlearn her formal teacher training to homeschool her own kids How hands-on experience — like dissecting squid — teaches more than a worksheet ever could What changed in classrooms over the last decade, and why she didn't want that for her own kids Why she stopped turning every outing into a unit study Why letting your kids see the everyday chaos of family life is part of their education How the more you enjoy your own homeschool days, the more your kids enjoy learning Whether you're brand new to homeschooling or years into it, this conversation is a reminder to stop overplanning and let the learning happen naturally. Connect with Kaitlin: Instagram: KaitlinMZara Facebook: KaitlinZara Youtube (podcast) Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Wanna Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who's considering homeschooling. Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #179
    July 18 · 52 min

    #179: You DON'T Need to Have It All Figured Out to Homeschool | Chad Hufford

    What if the biggest thing standing between you and homeschooling isn't your ability...it's your belief that you have to get everything right? In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, Cheryl sits down with Chad Hufford, homeschool graduate, father of six, biochemist, financial advisor, and speaker, to talk about what homeschooling looked like in the 1980s versus today—and why parents don't need to have all the answers before they begin. Chad shares how his mom openly admitted she was figuring homeschooling out as she went, yet still raised children who became independent thinkers, lifelong learners, and successful adults. Together, Cheryl and Chad discuss why intentional parenting matters more than perfect curriculum, how homeschooling teaches children to think instead of memorize, and why comparing your family to others is one of the fastest ways to lose confidence. In this episode, you'll learn: Why you don't have to be a certified teacher to homeschool. How to stop comparing your homeschool to everyone else's. The difference between teaching children what to think and how to learn. Why letting your child explore their interests builds confidence and independence. How homeschool communities, co-ops, tutors, and hybrid learning can support your family. The mindset shift that helps parents stop fearing they're "failing" their kids. Whether you're thinking about homeschooling, brand new to homeschooling, or years into your journey, this conversation is packed with encouragement and practical wisdom that will leave you feeling far more confident about the path you're on. Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start? 📘 Grab my book, So You Wanna Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start 🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool 📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject. If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who's considering homeschooling. Connect with Chad, Financial Planner and SmartVestor Pro: chad@veritasalaska.com veritasalaska.com Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #178
    July 11 · 52 min

    #178: A Mother’s Wake-Up Call About Bullying And SEL

    When Ali Johnson’s teenage daughter started saying she didn’t want to go to school, Ali initially thought she was dealing with normal middle school conflict. Then everything changed. After a serious accusation from two students, the school required Ali’s daughter to undergo an outside evaluation before returning to class. Even after she was cleared to return, administrators continued pushing the family toward additional outside services and requested permission to communicate directly with those providers. Meanwhile, the bullying that started the entire situation continued. In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, Ali shares the story of the incident that ultimately led her family to leave traditional school and begin homeschooling. We talk about bullying in schools, school mental health policies, social emotional learning (SEL), parental rights, private Christian schools, teen social media, deschooling, homeschooling teenagers, and what parents may not realize their children are experiencing at school. Ali also shares what happened when she finally asked her daughter one life-changing question: “What if you never had to go back to school?” Two years later, Ali describes her daughter as a completely different person. “It’s like she lives in color now.” If your child is struggling with bullying, dreading school, or simply doesn’t seem like themselves anymore—or if you’ve ever wondered whether homeschooling could be an option for your family—this is a conversation you’ll want to hear. Connect with Ali: YT: @HoosierAli IG: @HoosierAli Resources from Cheryl: 🎓 New to homeschooling? Grab the free 30-Day Quick Start Guide 📚 Knowing exactly what to teach is the hard part, so I broke it down for you in plain English! Grab this today — What Do I Actually Teach? 💻 Want to Homeschool but still have to work? Check out my course on how to do just that: How to Work and Homeschool course Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #177
    July 5 · 46 min

    #177: The Truth About Leaving a Successful Career to Homeschool

    What happens when you've built everything you thought you wanted... and realize it's no longer the life you want? In this episode, I sit down with Ceci Washington, entrepreneur, business mentor, and homeschooling mom, to talk about the decision to walk away from a thriving business, leave behind financial security, and choose a completely different path for her family. We discuss the fears that stop parents from homeschooling, why so many families feel pulled toward a different way of raising their children, the grief that can come with leaving your old life behind, and why grief doesn't always mean you've made the wrong decision. We also talk about socialization, technology, homeschooling regulations, balancing work and family, and what it really looks like to build a life around your children instead of fitting them into your schedule. If you've ever wondered whether homeschooling could work for your family—or whether it's possible to redesign your life around what matters most—this conversation is for you. Cheryl on Ceci's podcast- YouTube Radically Real Podcast www.instagram.com/itsceciwashington www.instagram.com/getradicallyreal https://stan.store/CecileJWash Resources from Cheryl: 🎓 New to homeschooling? Grab the free 30-Day Quick Start Guide 📚 Knowing exactly what to teach is the hard part, so I broke it down for you in plain English! Grab this today — What Do I Actually Teach? 💻 Want to Homeschool but still have to work? Check out my course on how to do just that: How to Work and Homeschool course Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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  • #176
    June 27 · 51 min

    #176: What If Your "Imperfect" Homeschool Is Actually Enough? | Jennifer Pepito

    Are you constantly wondering... "Am I doing enough?" It's one of the biggest fears homeschool parents carry—and after nearly 30 years homeschooling seven children, Jennifer Pepito has a very different perspective. In this episode, Jennifer shares why perfect homeschool days aren't the goal, why family connection matters more than checking every academic box, and how her oldest daughter—despite what she describes as an "imperfect" homeschool experience—graduated summa cum laude, earned her law degree, and was preparing to take the bar exam. We also discuss: • Why many children don't need to read on the same timeline • How read-alouds, audiobooks, and rich conversations build lifelong learners • The surprising connection between movement, outdoor play, and learning • Homeschooling multiple children with family-style learning • Homeschooling a child with special needs • Why trying to recreate public school at home often creates unnecessary pressure • How to build a homeschool filled with curiosity, connection, and joy instead of comparison If you've ever worried that your homeschool doesn't look "good enough," this conversation might completely change the way you think about learning. Connect with Jennifer: Amazon LINK to book Website: thepeacefulpress.com Instagram: @jenniferpepito Facebook: @thepeacefulpress Pinterest: @thepeacefulpress Podcast: @restorationhome Resources from Cheryl: 🎓 New to homeschooling? Grab the free 30-Day Quick Start Guide 📚 Knowing exactly what to teach is the hard part, so I broke it down for you in plain English! Grab this today — What Do I Actually Teach? 💻 Want to Homeschool but still have to work? Check out my course on how to do just that: How to Work and Homeschool course Support the show Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

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Showing 1–20 of 31 episodes