This episode emphasizes the importance of working as a couple as you raise your children. Come together and talk about what you're seeing respectively, what you're hearing. Compare notes and consider each others perspectives. You have to work together as opposed to pulling in opposite directions. After all, nothing less than the welfare of your children hangs in the balance.

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Resources 

Find a Great Homeschool Convention near you!

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Subscribe to our YouTube channel | YouTube

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

This episode emphasizes the importance of working as a couple as you raise your children. Come together and talk about what you're seeing respectively, what you're hearing. Compare notes and consider each others perspectives. You have to work together as opposed to pulling in opposite directions. After all, nothing less than the welfare of your children hangs in the balance.

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Resources 

Find a Great Homeschool Convention near you!

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Subscribe to our YouTube channel | YouTube

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

It feels like there is so much opposition to homeschooling. Though today there is a far greater degree of acceptance, plenty of voices remain which not only question but blatantly oppose our efforts to raise our children at home. That said, the greatest opposition probably comes in our own self doubts and even resistance to what homeschooling requires of us. And what does it require? Just about everything. But if we learn to yield to the requirements, to the sacrifice, we learn the secret - giving is receiving, losing is reclaiming. Death is life. 

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Resources 

The Well Ordered Homeschool Planner - Undated Edition

Find a Great Homeschool Convention near you!

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Subscribe to our YouTube channel | YouTube

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

If you've ever said your kid is half a freshman or in 3rd-ish grade, you might be a homeschooler. But should we adhere to grade levels more strictly? Or ignore them entirely? How should we respond when asked about our kids' grade levels, graduation requirements, and future plans? In this episode we'll discuss the pros and cons of labeling our kids with grade levels and expectations. I'll share what my surveyed homeschool readers had to say, and some suggestions for polite but confident responses.

About Jennifer

Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate life's work.  She is also the author of Socialize Like a Homeschooler: A Humorous Homeschool Handbook and Revolting Writing, a hilarious writing, vocabulary, and illustration journal for reluctant writers.  She is a featured speaker with Great Homeschool Conventions and her memes and witty insights are widely shared on social media.

Connect

Jennifer Cabrera | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Whether you're just getting started or have been schooling for a while, there are a few basic things to know that might make your life easier. When I started homeschooling, I was lucky enough to have done enough reading and non-traditional learning so I knew that the "school-at-home" model wasn't what we wanted. That helped. However, I started out expecting that I'd be able to make perfect plans and schedules and keep exactly on track every year. As you might guess, that was — well, let's just say that it was overly optimistic. Here are a few of the things I wish I'd known — I hope they help you!

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

7 Habits of Highly Successful People by Stephen Covey

"One of the Family" by Frederick George Cotman

Charlotte Mason Introduction

Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Guides

Music History Courses

Lyrical Life Sciences

Homeschooling articles

Connect

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Our lives consist of an innumerable series of "Yes's" and "No's". Our job is to make sure we're giving the right answers to the right questions and this certainly applies to our homeschools. Are we saying "Yes" to things that are proving a distraction to our homeschool and ultimately our family? Are we too often saying "No" to simple requests on the part of our children to spend time with them? Our homeschooling efforts are made up of such questions and our respective answers determine their ultimate success or failure.  

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Recently I found myself in a season of complete stress and mental overwhelm. In God's grace, I found two books that completely changed how I live my day-to-day life as a homeschool mom. I am sharing them in this episode in the hopes that they are helpful to you as well!

About Jessica

Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud.

Resources 

Essentialism

Getting Things Done

Things 3 App

Simply Convivial

Connect

Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Do we need a laminator and some chickens? Asking random nervous questions is part of becoming a homeschool parent. No need to flail about in an ocean of possibilities. Ask away! We veterans won't laugh (out loud). Allow me to tackle a few that may have popped into your head. Though someday you may look back and laugh too, every obvious answer you need to hear now will placate your fears and insecurities, and show you... You got this!

About Jennifer

Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate life's work.  She is also the author of Socialize Like a Homeschooler: A Humorous Homeschool Handbook and Revolting Writing, a hilarious writing, vocabulary, and illustration journal for reluctant writers.  She is a featured speaker with Great Homeschool Conventions and her memes and witty insights are widely shared on social media.

Resources 

Home School Legal Defense Association

Rainbow Resource Center

Christianbook

Cathy Duffy Reviews

Connect

Jennifer Cabrera | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Sometimes life changes abruptly in ways we can't control, and it can leave us feeling tired, anxious, or sad. As I've read the daily newspaper over the last few months with its grim news of weather disasters, fires, political instability, and war, I thought it might be time to revisit some thoughts I shared at the beginning of the Covid-19 event that changed many of our lives for at least a year or two. I hope you find these thoughts helpful as you navigate whatever uncertainty has touched your life. 

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Historical Fiction for Young Readers

Books Boys Like

AmblesideOnline

Sonlight

10 Books that Influenced C. S. Lewis

How to Change a Tire life skills journal

Khan Academy

Charlotte Mason on Copywork

What You Need to Teach

The Green Ember Series by S. D. Smith

Connect

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Another school year is before us. This year, as with so many year's past, you probably have high hopes for how the school year will unfold, and that's wonderful; but have you counted the cost? In other words, are you prepared to not only start but finish strong? Let this episode serve as a pep talk or, if you like, a rally cry for all the potential and all the possibility that lies in the year ahead.

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Some days resistant learners spend more time complaining about what must be done than it would take them to just do the work in front of them. Sigh. Chug more coffee. In this episode I share my tips for enticing those seemingly uninterested kids and how to reach them by providing interest and purpose. 

*Plus I've got a special Hifalutin August offer from HomeScienceTools.com!    

About Jennifer

Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate life's work.  She is also the author of Socialize Like a Homeschooler: A Humorous Homeschool Handbook and Revolting Writing, a hilarious writing, vocabulary, and illustration journal for reluctant writers.  She is a featured speaker with Great Homeschool Conventions and her memes and witty insights are widely shared on social media.

Resources 

Home Science Tools August Promo Code: HIFALUTINHST 

Revolting Writing and Gross-Out Grammar Language Arts Program

Connect

Jennifer Cabrera | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Is it imaginable that freedom of speech and freedom of religion could be suppressed where we live at some time in our future? History would indicate so. How do we prepare ourselves and our families for such a contingency? What curriculum might best prepare us for persecution, even martyrdom? How do we cultivate necessary virtues without sparking burdensome fears? Listen in as Janice Campbell and Andrew Pudewa explore this challenging subject.

About Andrew

Andrew Pudewa is the director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) and a father of seven. Traveling and speaking around the world, he addresses issues related to teaching, writing, thinking, spelling, and music with clarity, insight, practical experience, and humor. Although he is a graduate of the Talent Education Institute in Japan and holds a Certificate of Child Brain Development from the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia, PA, his best endorsement is from a young Alaskan boy who called him "the funny man with the wonderful words." He and his wonderful, heroic wife, Robin, have homeschooled their seven children and are now proud grandparents of fourteen, making their home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Raising them Right by Theophan the Recluse

Live Not by Lies by Rod Dreher

Connect

Andrew Pudewa of Institute for Excellence in Writing | Website | Podcast | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest | Vimeo | LinkedIn

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

A while back, I came across an interesting comparison of two middle school reading lists — one from 1908 and one from a bit more than 100 years later. The original article compared the lists based on time period, thematic elements, and reading level, and I'll share that comparison along with a few ideas for interesting middle-grade reading.

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Layne Longfellow reading excerpt from Longfellow's Evangeline 

Excellence in Literature 

Free K-12 Charlotte Mason curriculum 

Connect

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Looking for a fresh start for your year? In this episode, Jessica shares her family's homeschool daily schedule -- for each member of her family. She will explain what led her to schedule everyone's day to fifteen-minute increments and what it taught her. Jessica hopes this will be an encouragement as you see a very normal, real-life schedule for a homeschooling family!

About Jessica

Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud.

Resources 

Have A Happier Homeschool Podcast episode 

Connect

Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Discipline (or the lack thereof) can make or break your homeschool. Helping your children build good habits cannot help but make your homeschool more enjoyable and successful. In this episode we emphasize the importance of helping your child experience a sense of ownership over their tasks and the transformative feeling of a job well done. If you start with some simple tasks and stick with it, your child will be well on their way to building character qualities that will serve them for a lifetime. 

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Resources 

The Well Ordered Homeschool Planner

Character Badges

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

In this episode Jessica interviews Lyndsey from Treehouse Schoolhouse about all sorts of things related to homeschool mom life. They chat about why Lyndsey and her husband decided to move from Florida and buy land to build their dream home as well as how to balance physical health goals, homeschooling, and running two businesses from home!

About Lyndsey

Lyndsey is a homeschool mom of four and the founder of Treehouse Schoolhouse. Before motherhood, Lyndsey had a career in children's ministry and special needs education. Her home education centers around living books and ideas, hands-on learning, nature exploration, and biblical discipleship. She shares experiences and home education inspiration through her Instagram and blog, as well as creates curriculum and resources for families around the world. Her most popular curriculum titles are An Expectant Easter, A Connected Christmas, and Treehouse Nature Study.

About Jessica

Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud.

Resources 

Save 15% on your purchase in Lyndsey's shop at TreehouseSchoolhouse.com.  Use code HOMESCHOOLSOLUTIONSSHOW15 for 15% off your total order. One use per customer. Cannot be combined with other promos. Expires January 7, 2024.

Memory-Making Mom by Jessica Smartt 

Let Them Be Kids by Jessica Smartt

Jessica's Homeschool Bootcamp

Connect

Lyndsey Mimnagh of Treehouse Schoolhouse | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest

Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

A homeschooling mom of nine years, Jessica has tried quite a few types and kinds of curricula. Here she shares her family's favorites, as well as a few they've tried and ended up ditching.

About Jessica

Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud.

Resources 

Jessica's Curriculum Reviews (Blog Post)

Connect

Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

If you're planning a family road trip, you might enjoy adding a literary element to it by visiting an author's home or the site of a famous story. Here are suggestions for finding and enjoying literary sites without spending a lot of extra time or money on your vacation.

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Laura Ingall's Wilder

For the Love of Wanderlust

Mark Twain House

Green Gables

Beatrix Potter's home

Peter Rabbit Garden

The Brontë Parsonage Museum

New Zealand

Add Literary Context to Travel

Family Travel on a Budget

Little House on the Prairie

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn

Anne of Green Gables

Beatrix Potter Animal Tales

Bronte Sisters' Books

Chronicles of Narnia

Where the Wild Things Are

Connect

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Something wonderful happens when your purpose for homeschooling reaches outside the four walls of your home. Sure, your main focus is, and should be, your children; but if you'll allow the Lord to give you a heart, not just for the welfare of your children, but for the welfare of all that your humble efforts at home might affect for good, that's when you realize that homeschooling is for everyone.

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Resources 

The Well Ordered Homeschool Planner

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

"Dear Hifalutin… High School Approaches…Help!" In this episode I'll share the details of tackling high school with confidence and discernment. It's a Hifalutin how-to on choosing courses, assigning grades, keeping records, and keeping it purpose driven and individualized. We just graduated twins from high school and junior college in the same month, and though we didn't know how we would do it when we started, God provided.

About Jennifer

Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate life's work.  She is also the author of Socialize Like a Homeschooler: A Humorous Homeschool Handbook and Revolting Writing, a hilarious writing, vocabulary, and illustration journal for reluctant writers.  She is a featured speaker with Great Homeschool Conventions and her memes and witty insights are widely shared on social media.

Connect

Jennifer Cabrera | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

In this episode I decided to bring on an expert. She's a second generation homeschooler and is currently educating 7 children at home. She's constantly researching curriculum as well as various schooling methods and she's passionate about bringing her children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. She also happens to be my wife. In the interview I'm able to ask her about her homeschool experience growing up, what she might say to mothers who are struggling with homeschooling or who don't think themselves equal to the task of educating their children, and much more.

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Resources 

Beautiful Feet Books

Notgrass History

The Good and the Beautiful

Apologia

Homeschool Bravely by Jamie Erickson

Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie

Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Have you ever thought how odd it is to have children move from grade to grade in lockstep with other children, even though they develop and learn at different rates in different subjects? Did you know that this idea of grade segregation is relatively new in the history of the world? Homeschoolers usually figure out how illogical the whole idea is, but I thought this excerpt from one of my favorite old books, Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, might give you a glimpse of how learning levels used to work. 

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher 

Article - What Grade Are You In?

AmblesideOnline

Charlotte Mason's Education Books

Connect

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

In part one of this series, I discussed how important it is to maintain a healthy balance between helping our children grow and mature and extracting all the joy that can be found in their present age. In this episode I will offer some practical suggestions on how you can actually put this into practice in your child's day to day life.

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

This episode includes a discussion about building a summer daily routine, helping kids to work, creative ways to make memories as a family, goal-setting over the summer, and how to help parents truly rest without letting the household structure disintegrate!

About Katie

Katie Clark has worked in non-profits and prison ministries and now is a homeschooling mom of four children, passionate about encouraging and helping families thrive and grow together. She lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband and four kids and they love reading, studying the Bible, being outdoors, enjoying family meals and having people in their home.

About Jessica

Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud.

Resources 

The Vanishing American Adult by Ben Sasse

Summer Goals Kit

Sewing School by Andria Lisle and Amie Petronis Plumley

Connect

Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

In this episode, we dive into a powerful conversation with Cindy LaJoy of Blue Collar Homeschool about creating meaningful educational paths for kids who aren't headed toward the traditional college track. Cindy shares how to help children discover their strengths, explore careers and trades, and build skills that get overlooked in traditional schooling. From certificate programs to apprenticeships, she shows how learning can be tailored without being "less than." We also discuss the importance of relationship at the heart of homeschooling and celebrating every kind of excellence. This episode is full of practical ideas and encouragement for parents seeking alternatives to the college-only path.

About Cindy

An unexpected homeschooler, after a dozen years Cindy is entering her final year of homeschooling with her youngest of five kids. Her children, now young adults, were all adopted from orphanages in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and presented her with the unique challenge of educating learners with numerous learning disabilities, no English, and giftedness in the mix as well! Three years ago Cindy founded the Facebook group and website "Blue Collar Homeschool" to help others find the support and encouragement she couldn't find for her own family. College is not the only path to a successful future, and Cindy's kids are proving that as they operate their own pizzeria and tech businesses. Her online group has grown to a membership of almost 9000 and is a haven where families with kids who are not college-bound can post questions to find resources for everything from business start-ups to barn building to creative arts pursuits...and not be bashed for having children whose gifts may be discovered outside the academic arena. Blue Collar Homeschool is helping many discover "A different kind of homeschooling excellence!

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Penn Foster Career School 

Stratford Career Institute

ITPRO.TV Online tech training for numerous certifications

Lynda.com for a wide variety of training in everything from graphic design, programming, photography, social media marketing, general marketing, small business, accounting, videography and more

EdX

Coursera

Amazon Web Services

Scoop School

Mike Rowe

Books Cindy would share with every child:

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch 

Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Connect

Cindy LaJoy | Website | Facebook Group | Email

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Subscribe to our YouTube channel | YouTube

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Listen, laugh, and relate to this list of 101 homeschool lies. Lies we tell ourselves with the best intentions. Fibs and complete baloney caused by the pressure for perfection and desire for the outside world to pat us on the back. Dreams of educational success can lead to grand expectations and impossible goals we can't begin to complete with when life gets in the way. Saying them out loud reveals the ridiculousness and frees your efforts to be awesome at this!

About Jennifer

Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate life's work.  She is also the author of Socialize Like a Homeschooler: A Humorous Homeschool Handbook and Revolting Writing, a hilarious writing, vocabulary, and illustration journal for reluctant writers.  She is a featured speaker with Great Homeschool Conventions and her memes and witty insights are widely shared on social media.

Resources 

Against My Will: Becoming a Homeschool Mom

101 Lies I Tell Myself About Homeschooling

Connect

Jennifer Cabrera | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Although there are many practical reasons to read daily, the list of the benefits of reading begins with delight. There are few things more soul-nourishing than a great book. However, reading can reduce stress, improve communication skills, increase empathy, build vocabulary, and so much more. 

It's no surprise that reading builds brains; what's surprising is how little reading time is built into most people's day. You don't have to read for hours a day to benefit. According to at least one study, stress is reduced after only six minutes of reading. Just imagine what longer periods might accomplish! Here are seven tips to help you find more reading time.

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Connect

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Adult life is so hectic, particularly for the homeschooling parent, that we can easily gloss over the unique beauty that is to be found in each season of our child's life. So often we are found urging them into adulthood to make life easier for us, but it often has the opposite effect (and it only serves to discourage them). In this episode I'll discuss how important it is for us as parents to help our children extract all the joy they can from each age while simultaneously helping them reach forward to the beauty of the age to come. 

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

A fun and informative look at the common fallacies we fall for and the practical tips to avoid them when curriculum hunting for the bouquet of courses and material guaranteed to bring homeschool success and possible college scholarships.

About Jennifer

Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate life's work.  She is also the author of Socialize Like a Homeschooler: A Humorous Homeschool Handbook and Revolting Writing, a hilarious writing, vocabulary, and illustration journal for reluctant writers.  She is a featured speaker with Great Homeschool Conventions and her memes and witty insights are widely shared on social media.

Connect

Jennifer Cabrera | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

What goes into your homeschool is as important as what surrounds it. Today's episode focuses on how important it is to create an atmosphere of learning in your home. This atmosphere is made up of many things including organization, discipline, attitude and even decor. If you find that your homeschool just seems to be dragging along, let this episode serve as a call to stop and take a day (or a week!) to address the environmental factors that may be keeping you from creating the homeschool you've always wanted.

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Resources 

The Character of the Holidays Bundle

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

With the ease of copy and paste in the online writing environment, plagiarism has become a real problem for students, teachers, and homeschooling families. Join me for some simple tips on how to avoid plagiarizing as you research and write great papers.

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Handbook for Writers by Excellence in Literature

Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL)

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Turnitin Plagiarism Checker

Grammarly Plagiarism Checker

Connect

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

We meet hundreds of parents every year at homeschool conventions across the country. We are often approached and asked what advice or counsel we might give regarding difficulties many of these parents may be facing with their children. Sometimes we feel like we have a very clear answer to give, but more often than not, the best advice we can offer them is also, perhaps, the most obvious. In this episode I'll discuss what this bit of advice is and, despite it being hidden in plain sight, why it is ultimately superior to any counsel I may be able to offer.

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Resources 

The Well Ordered Homeschool Planner

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Are you evaluating education for your kids? Are considering (or re-evaluating) homeschooling? Looking at part-time or full-time school? Considering a co-op? Online classes? Activities? No matter what choices you face, this episode will give you new, effective tools to make these decisions for your family, making the choice that you will feel best about!

About Jessica

Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud.

Resources 

Jessica's Homeschool Bootcamp

Connect

Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Seasons of anxiety and depression are difficult but can be even more challenging for the homeschool mother. In this episode Jessica shares her experiences with anxiety, highlighting tips for "emergency-level" anxiety as well as chronic, background anxiety.

About Jessica

Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud.

Resources

20 Things to Do When You're Anxious

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Dr. Daniel G. Amen

Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow

Dr. Oz's Anxiety Diet

Connect

Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

In this brief episode you'll learn why penmanship, including cursive, is important for learning, and you'll get practical tips for helping your children master this useful art.

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Penmanship Matters, an article and video with links to many studies on the benefits of handwriting

Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter 

Writing to Learn by William Zinsser

How to Hold a Pen or Pencil

CursiveLogic penmanship curriculum

What's Lost as Handwriting Fades

Connect

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

In this episode, Janice Campbell sits down with Professor Carol Reynolds to explore the powerful role music and the arts play in a child's education. Together, they unpack how music isn't just a "nice extra," but an essential part of helping kids connect with history, science, and even math. Carol shares how rhythm, sound, and story all work together to shape not only knowledge, but also confidence and joy in learning. If you've ever wondered how to integrate music and literature more fully into your homeschool, or you're looking for encouragement that it's not too late to begin, this conversation will inspire you. By the end, you'll be reminded that education is about more than checking boxes—it's about nurturing the soul through beauty, rhythm, and story.

About Carol

Professor Carol Reynolds is a much sought-after public speaker for arts venues, homeschool conferences, and general audiences. She combines insights on music history, arts, and culture with her passion for arts education to create programs and curricula, inspires concert audiences, and lead art tours. Never dull or superficial, Carol brings to her audiences a unique blend of humor, substance, and skilled piano performance to make the arts more accessible and meaningful to audiences of all ages.

Carol has led art tours to Russia, Poland, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia, San Francisco, and Broadway on behalf of several arts organizations and has recently teamed with Smithsonian Journeys for cruises to the Holy Land, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Baltic Sea, Indian Ocean, and across the Atlantic. Her enthusiasm and boundless energy give tour participants an unforgettable experience.

For more than 20 years, Carol was Associate Professor of Music History at the Meadows School of the Arts, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She now makes her home in North Carolina with her husband, Hank, and her daughter and grandchildren. Hank and Carol maintain a second residence in Weimar, Germany — the home of Goethe, Schiller, Bach, and Liszt, and the focal point of much of Europe's artistic heritage.

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Saul by George Frideric Handel

The Creation by Joseph Haydn

https://www.professorcarol.com/2011/08/20/the-biggest-page-turn-in-music/

Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev

The role of music in a Hitchcock movie soundtrack

Hurrah and Hallelujah: 100 Songs for Children

Excellence in Literature curriculum (Grades 8-12)

Connect

Carol Reynolds | Website | Facebook | Instagram 

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Subscribe to our YouTube channel | YouTube

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Nobody ever said that homeschooling would be easy (and if they did they must be lying). How could it be? It's one of the most self-sacrificing endeavors that you could ever attempt. In this episode, we'll discuss how this often discouraging struggle against our selfish nature is the very thing our children need to see played out before them so that they too may be inspired to struggle against their lesser selves. And though this nature is constantly striving to press us into a rut, we'll discuss some simple but effective solutions to ensure that we don't stay there.

About Sean

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

Connect

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Interests can lead to learning, but kids don't always follow them past fun and convenience. Career dreams can only become reality through work and meeting requirements. Requirements only parents may fully understand and need to push behind the interests. But what if they have no interests? There's a spark for learning in all kids that we want to kindle but not put out. But how do we find the perfect balance?   

ABOUT JENNIFER

Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate life's work.  She is also the author of Socialize Like a Homeschooler: A Humorous Homeschool Handbook and Revolting Writing, a hilarious writing, vocabulary, and illustration journal for reluctant writers.  She is a featured speaker with Great Homeschool Conventions and her memes and witty insights are widely shared on social media.

CONNECT

Jennifer Cabrera | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

There are many different reasons why people decide to homeschool, but not all reasons carry the same amount of conviction. Regardless of whether you're just starting out or have been homeschooling for years, getting clear about the "why" behind your homeschool is critical to its longevity. Now is the perfect time to consider again why you're schooling your children at home and whether that reason is convicting enough to see you through to the end.

ABOUT SEAN

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

CONNECT

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Long before textbooks and workbooks were invented, students kept notebooks and commonplace books to help them think, understand, and remember what they learned. Learning journals are a tool your student can use to do the same — here's how to begin using them! 

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Writing to Learn by William Zinsser

Formation of Character by Charlotte Mason

Learning Journal Examples 

The Sketchnote Handbook by Mike Rohde

Drawing with Children by Mona Brooks

Connect

Janice Campbel | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | LinkedIn

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Join Jessica Smartt for a conversation about building your community as a mom!

About Jessica

Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud.

Resources 

Memory-Making Mom by Jessica Smartt

Let Them Be Little by Jessica Smartt

Homeschool Bootcamp with Jessica Smartt

Connect

Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Are you in need of a mid-year homeschool pick-me-up?  In this audioblog episode, we revisit a beloved episode with Janice Campbell at the exact time we all need to hear this encouragement!

About Janice

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

Resources 

Read Janice's blog post

Connect

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

ABOUT JANICE

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin

Daily Rituals by Mason Curry

American Literature (Excellence in Literature English 3)

Connect

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Homeschool worries can keep parents up with insomnia or restless with nightmares of ruining their child. Listen and laugh as I recount a couple of restless nights of valid concerns and mostly ridiculous worries. Know you're not alone and that things look different in the morning. 

About Jennifer

Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate life's work.  She is also the author of Socialize Like a Homeschooler: A Humorous Homeschool Handbook and Revolting Writing, a hilarious writing, vocabulary, and illustration journal for reluctant writers.  She is a featured speaker with Great Homeschool Conventions and her memes and witty insights are widely shared on social media.

Resources 

Homeschooling a Hard Head: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Connect

Jennifer Cabrera | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

About Jessica

Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud.

Resources 

Memory-Making Mom by Jessica Smartt

Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

Jotham's Journey by Arnold Ytreeide

One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham

Hallelujah: Advent Traditions by Cindy Rollins

Connect

Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

When your student finishes a literature class or curriculum with the firm determination to never read again, what happened? These three tips provide a bit of ironic insight into ways that a good book can be ruined. Perhaps they'll help you avoid some pitfalls as you guide your students in reading and the joyful study of literature. 

ABOUT JANICE

Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You'll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her websites, EverydayEducation.com, Excellence-in-Literature.com, and DoingWhatMatters.com.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry 

An Experiment in Criticism by C.S. Lewis 

Home Education by Charlotte Mason

Toward a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason

CONNECT

Janice Campbell | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Jeannie Fulbright and Shiela Catanzarite discuss the benefits and the beauty of a Charlotte Mason education, sharing experiences from the years of educating their own children using Charlotte Mason's model. You'll hear how it brought beauty to their homeschool days and how it prepared their children for college and career. You'll see how employing the Charlotte Mason method equips children for success in the real world. Jeannie and Shiela share the importance of deprogramming from the standardized system of education that is failing our children. By employing the methods Charlotte Mason taught, methods that research confirms effective, you will provide for your children a peaceful, joyful, quiet growing time that honors their uniqueness and gives room for them to discover their gifts and talents. The simplicity of using the Charlotte Mason model enables children to become strong thinkers, writers, communicators, and leaders in their generation.

About Shiela

Shiela Catanzarite is an author, speaker, editor, and communication coach. She's a 20-year Charlotte Mason veteran homeschooler and has worked as Jeannie Fulbright's editor and designer for 20 years helping develop Jeannie's award-winning Apologia science curriculum and most recently her Charlotte Mason products published through Jeannie Fulbright Press. Shiela is the author of the newly published Living Verse Language Arts in Poetry and is finishing up her second book in the series Living Verse Language Arts in Scripture, to be released spring 2024.

Earning a bachelor's degree in Special Education and a master's degree in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary, Shiela has been teaching language arts in some capacity for 40+ years. Her passion remains helping students understand the elements of language and how to use these elements artfully to communicate effectively. Shiela is currently a language communication coach, working one-on-one with students who have language learning and communication challenges. She also writes curriculum for her private middle and high school English language communication classes that focus on writing and speaking.

Both of Shiela's and her husband Bruce's daughters attended private universities on scholarship and went on to pursue graduate studies in medicine and global business. She attributes their love for learning and academic achievement to homeschooling with Charlotte Mason's philosophy and methodology.

About Jeannie

Jeannie Fulbright, a 24-year veteran homeschooler, is the author of the #1 best-selling, multi award-winning Apologia Young Explorer science series: Exploring Creation with Astronomy, Chemistry and Physics, Botany, Zoology, and Anatomy & Physiology. She is also the author of the action-packed historical time travel book series Rumble Tumbles Through Time, as well as preschool science books and activity kits, the Charlotte Mason Heirloom Planner, and many high-quality Charlotte Mason based products. Jeannie and her husband Jeff became empty nesters in 2019. All four of their children all went to the University of Georgia on scholarship (homeschooling works!). For more than 20 years Jeannie has traveled around the country speaking to homeschoolers at conventions, covering a plethora of topics from Charlotte Mason to marriage and prayer. 

Connect

Jeannie Fulbright | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group | TikTok | Pinterest

Shiela Catanzarite | Website | Instagram | Instagram

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site.

View full show notes on the blog.

Does it feel like each member of your family is pulling in his or her own direction? Is there a sense of disconnectedness to your homeschool? Would you like your children to feel more involved in the pursuit of your family goals? If you answered "Yes" to any one of these questions, you should be having regular family meetings. In this episode we'll explore the many ways that routine family meetings can bless your homeschool day, express love and appreciation to your children, and get your entire family pulling in the same direction. We'll also offer some practical suggestions on how to make your family meetings as engaging, memorable, and productive as possible.

ABOUT SEAN

Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a proud father of eight. He has a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and is passionate about creating materials to assist parents in the incredibly challenging, yet surpassingly beautiful, work of schooling and training their children at home.

CONNECT

Sean Allen | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

In this episode, Jessica chats with Amy Frank about how her family has adopted holiday traditions that are based in the liturgical year. In addition to some Advent and Epiphany traditions, they discuss some ways to celebrate throughout the rest of the year.

ABOUT AMY

Amy Frank lives in Grove City, Pennsylvania with her family. She is a longtime homeschooling mom who loves family traditions.

ABOUT JESSICA

Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud.

RESOURCES 

Celebrating the Christian Year by Martha Zimmerman

Memory-Making Mom by Jessica Smartt

CONNECT

Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.

Step away from the Yuletide unit studies! Put down the glitter and the glue guns. You can't add "making merry" to a homeschool transcript. Why try? One of the best things about homeschooling for the holidays is… you don't have to! But if you insist, listen in for Jennifer's Christmas tips for seasonal sanity, and ways to get the kids involved without ending up as nutty as a fruitcake.

About Jennifer

Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate life's work.  She is also the author of Socialize Like a Homeschooler: A Humorous Homeschool Handbook and Revolting Writing, a hilarious writing, vocabulary, and illustration journal for reluctant writers.  She is a featured speaker with Great Homeschool Conventions and her memes and witty insights are widely shared on social media.

Connect

Jennifer Cabrera | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Parler

Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website

Thank you to our sponsors!

Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance

Tuttle Twins: children's books to help you teach your kids how the world really works

Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there!

For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Charlotte Mason Show.

View full show notes on the blog.