The Homeschool Sanity Show

Whether you think politics is a boring or intimidating topic to teach in your homeschool, you'll want to hear my interview with Lynn Schott of Founders Academy. Her enthusiasm for the topic is infectious and the resources she provides for students of all ages (many of them free and very inexpensive) are amazing. Listen in to learn: * How Lynn got involved in politics (it's a neat story) * How she imparted patriotism and a willingness to participate in the political process to her children * The amazing project she has her government students do (that adults should do, too) * How your high school students can complete semester-long classes in just eight weeks this summer You can find free online classes at Founders Academy and follow Lynn on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+. Play Podcast

Homeschool mom of six, Katheryn Foudray of The Healthy and Fit Homeschool Mom, shares down-to-earth tips for getting into and staying in shape while homeschooling. You'll want to listen to: * Hear about Katheryn's fitness transformation * Learn what Katheryn did while nursing that made me laugh * Discover how you can find the time, space, and resources you need to start getting fit today, and much more! You may notice the sound of kids playing at the pool in the background. We are real moms!  Be sure to check out the free workouts at The Healthy and Fit Homeschool Mom and like her Facebook page for regular encouragement on your fitness journey. You may also enjoy my fitness transformation story at Psychowith6. What is your biggest obstacle to getting and staying fit? Play Podcast

I think I've tried every method of homeschool planning available and never found homeschool sanity until I developed my own forms. I call them The Easiest Homeschool Record System and I still think it's great. However, it takes me quite a bit of time to customize the forms and put them in a binder for each of my five children that I'm still homeschooling. So when I found the customizable planners from APlaninPlace.net, I was excited. I invited the owners to share how to make summer and school year planning simple with podcast listeners. You won't be disappointed! You will learn: * the importance of planning for the summer months * where to start planning and when for the school year * the big mistake many homeschool moms make in planning (I've definitely made it!) * how much time to plan, and more You'll also learn about the unique features of the planners available at APlaninPlace.net. If you order a student addition through June 15, 2014, you can order the summer edition for half price. That's just $5! I have a summer planner for each of my children and I can tell you, that's a steal! I am not an affiliate with A Plan in Place; I'm just very enthusiastic about these planners that make life easy for homeschooling moms like me. You can follow a Plan in Place on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and Pinterest. What other advice do you have for homeschool planning?   Play Podcast

I have helped other people parent their children, but that didn't keep me from having blind spots in my parenting -- blind spots that did put our homeschool family at risk. I thank God for opening my eyes to the truth and using the wisdom of Reb Bradley to make it less painful. You'll want to listen to learn: * Why some homeschoolers may be predisposed to parenting blind spots * What blind spot parents of young children are most likely to have * What you can do to quickly turn your home around * How you should speak to teens, and more Resources mentioned in this podcast FamilyMinistries.com - ministry website where you can purchase Parenting Teens with the Wisdom of Solomon, Child Training Tips, and much more RebBradley.net - political commentary Solving the Crisis in Homeschooling - mp3 of this message Ultimate Husband - a site for Christian men that is life-changing, with a free MP3 on understanding a woman's mind Be sure to follow me on Pinterest so you don't miss any of these great resources! Play Podcast

I've been the recipient of Carol's wit and wisdom for years, but I was still inspired by my interview with her. If you have a can't-sit-still kiddo or you're a what-did-I-come-in-this-room-for mom like me, you'll love this episode. Carol explains: * The kind of activity active children need while homeschooling * How to work with a child who takes forever to finish a lesson * How to help your kids remember how to add and subtract fractions * A simple way to make workbook problems fun * An advantage of being a distractible mom, and lots more! Resources we mentioned in the show include, How to Get Your Child Off the Refrigerator and on to Learning, If I'm Diapering a Watermelon, Where'd I Leave the Baby?, and Sizzlebop.com, a community for parents of distractible kids. Be sure to follow The Homeschool Sanity Show board on Pinterest and leave a review on iTunes so other families can find us. Thanks in advance! Play Podcast

I am still homeschooling today because Marla Cilley (aka FLYLady) coached me into developing routines. Although I have come such a long way in the 13 years since I've been the beneficiary of Marla's wisdom, I still found myself inspired by my interview with her. If you could use some inspiration to establish simple routines in your housework and homeschooling, you'll love this episode. Here are some of the great resources described in the podcast: Sink Reflections - the book that explains it all Weekly Home Blessing - Get the house clean 10 minutes at a time Control Journal Freebies - use these to create a planner that includes your routines Saving Dinner - homeschooler Leanne Ely's site to help you get dinner on the table Cozi  and the I'm FLYing Calendar - find out where FLYLady posts her calendar! Be sure to read my review of the power of routines and the iPhone app that works perfectly with FLYLady's approach on Psychowith6. Listen by clicking the arrow button below.      

This interview with Lee Binz, the Home Scholar, should really be titled The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Your Way to College. Lee offers so much valuable information that you'll want to pin or bookmark this show for later. Be sure to share it with friends! They'll thank you. Learn: What a college-prep curriculum looks like Where you can find help creating a high school transcript When you need to start the college selection process Why Lee says her two sons received full tuition scholarships Lee's tip for increasing SAT/ACT scores, and much more! If you are nervous about college prep education, you'll love this show! If you know someone who isn't sure they can homeschool high school, I hope you'll share the show with them. My favorite quote from the interview is: Every child deserves a college-prep education. Want to hear more from Lee? Attend one of her sessions at the St. Louis Homeschool EXPO 2014. Here are the many invaluable resources mentioned in this podcast: Scheduling: The Secret to Homeschool Sanity (available on Amazon) The Home Scholar's Guide to College Admission and Scholarships Lee's Freebies (a list of free resources on TheHomeScholar.com that includes the webinar that will help you create a transcript) FREE Ebook! Finding a College You Love By Lee Binz, The HomeScholar, www.TheHomeScholar.com You have cared, nurtured, loved and protected your child for 18 years. Now comes the hard part! You need to somehow find a college that you love, and that will love your child. Colleges love homeschoolers for their academic preparation, socialization, and specialization. They love us and they want us at their school. Right now, colleges and universities around the country are salivating at the chance of getting their hands on your kids AND your money. Today’s wise parent MUST learn to discern high pressure sales tactics embedded in today’s “big business” universities, smooth-as-silk marketing claims that mix the truth with lies, and moral and ethical lingo which hides a “Christian-in-name-only” reality. One essential strategy for finding a college you love is to VISIT. Plan ahead, and arm yourself with knowledge! You only get one chance to do this right and the stakes couldn't be higher. Learn to find a college you can love! Download Finding a College You Love! What's the biggest concern you have with helping your homeschooled child get into college?

I did a review of Classical Conversations on my blog and explained how I use it at home. It remains one of my most popular posts. Because many people love Classical Conversations as much as I do, I thought I would invite two friends who have been involved in CC to share with the Homeschool Sanity Show listeners what they love about it and some tips for making it work for families. I asked the ladies to: * Explain what Classical Conversations is * Describe at a typical day in a CC community program * Tell us why they got involved in CC * How they make CC work with Sonlight and Story of the World * What the advantages are to participating in CC * Share what it's like being a CC tutor * Give us a parent's role in CC * Explain how notebooking can enhance CC * Tell us their plans for using CC in the future Be sure to follow my Classical Conversations board on Pinterest for more great ideas. I apologize for the feedback that is noticeable in a few sections of the podcast. Thanks in advance for your understanding. The content is well worth the listen!   Resources referenced in the podcast: Classical Conversations website Sonlight books for Classical Conversations - this list is for Cycle 2, but you will be able to find other cycles through this pin Notebooking Fairy Homegrown Learners Classical Conversations resources Squilt music lessons CC Connected (musical Mary) Kelli Graf, St. Louis realtor

If you watched the creation vs. evolution debate with Ken Ham and Bill Nye and wanted more, you'll love this episode. (If you haven't yet, I highly recommend it). I am a Christian who was trained in secular science. I always believed that creation and evolution somehow coexisted. My exposure to the fantastic materials and presentations by Answers in Genesis changed that. I became confident that the Bible could be trusted in its descriptions of origins, but I still had unanswered questions. That was until I met Dr. Carl Werner, an ER physician who began a worldwide quest to determine if the evidence supported evolution. After he shared his research with me and my family, I am forever changed. I can't wait for him to share it with you and yours, too. This is an episode for the whole family! You can find Carl's books, videos, and teaching materials at TheGrandExperiment.com. Be sure to drop by Psychowith6 to enter the giveaway for a copy of Carl's book, Evolution: The Grand Experiment.

My interview with psychologist and homeschooling dad, Dr. Don McCulloch, is one you'll want to listen to with your spouse! After you listen, be sure to take The Marriage of Your Dreams Challenge at Psychowith6. Until 11:58 in the interview, Dr. McCulloch and I discussed his research on homeschooling. * What are college admissions counselors' opinion of homeschoolers? * What was his surprising finding? We then had an inspiring discussion on marriage based on his superb book, Perfect Circle: A Husband's Guide to the Six Tasks of a Contemporary Christian Marriage. * What is a simple, profound question for Christian husbands to ask their wives? Why don't husbands ask it? * What do wives often do that doesn't work to improve a marriage? * Why will your book and website, ChristianMarriageCoach.org, appeal to husbands? * What do you suggest for homeschoolers' biggest marriage challenges (hint: it's not a date night)? * Which partner is most resistant to planning intimacy? * What is your opinion on celebrating Valentine's Day? * What is your take on the 5 Love Languages? * What advice do you have for wives? In addition to Perfect Circle, you may want to pick up a copy of His Needs, Her Needs. How will you approach Valentine's Day after listening to Dr. McCulloch's advice?

This is a can't-miss episode for homeschooling parents who are interested in having their children learn piano. I interviewed Joseph Hoffman of Hoffman Academy (formerly freepianolessons4kids.com) and got answers to questions like: * What makes his method of teaching piano different? * Why did he decide to make his lessons free ? * Do you have to know how to play yourself to use his materials? * How much time is required to teach? * What is his ultimate dream for his online curriculum? My favorite quote from the interview: "Piano shouldn't feel like taking out the garbage." Be sure to check out my review of the curriculum at Psychowith6 that includes a video of my daughter playing and a giveaway for Unit 1's materials (a $19 value)! You'll also want to visit HoffmanAcademy.com and sign up for the parent newsletter. If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with friends.

Would you like your children to homeschool your grandchildren one day? Renée Gotcher is most homeschooling parents' dream -- a homeschool graduate now homeschooling her own children. I wanted to know: * Why her mother chose to homeschool when it wasn't as popular as it is today. * How Renée reacted to beginning homeschooling as a high school student * How she met her husband and decided to homeschool their own children * If her parents shared their desire that she would homeschool too * If she had anxiety about what homeschooling would mean for her career * If her mother gave her advice on curriculum * If she feels extra pressure because she's a next generation homeschooler * If she has homeschooled friends who've chosen not to homeschool themselves * If she hopes her own children will homeschool and how she encourages that Listen in for this inspiring interview, then visit NextGenHomeschool to read How We Manage Working While Homeschooling, the top homeschool encouragement posts of 2013, or Defending My Homeschool Rights in Oklahoma. Renée regularly pins can't-miss content to the What's Hot in Homeschooling Pinterest board. Follow it to stay inspired. Renée Gotcher is a wife, writer, entrepreneur & home-educating mother of three daughters: Audrey, Claire and Elise. A former journalist, Renée was homeschooled during her last two years of high school and started homeschooling in 2010. She is editor of NextGen Homeschool and blogs on personal topics at A New Chapter. Her family lives in Castle Rock, Colorado.    

If you have a passion for organizing or just need a passion for it, you won't want to miss this episode of the Homeschool Sanity Show. I feature fabulous tips from: * Vintage Homeschool Moms host and Ultimate Homeschool Network founder, Felice Gerwitz * Homeschooling Co-op Style host, Pat Wesolowski, and * Flourish at Home host, Mary Jo Tate These impressive ladies reference two books by Mary Jo Tate you'll want to get your hands on: How Do You Do it All and From Frazzled to Focused. My more microphone-shy friends shared their practical ideas with me, too. You'll love them! I put one of Pat's ideas to use immediately! If you aren't sure where to start with all these great ideas, don't worry. I have a new project I'm excited to share with you that will begin in the new year: the 52-Week Get Organized Homeschool Challenge. You'll want to be sure to read more about it and download the first month's printable calendar on Psychowith6. Do you have other sanity-saving organizing tips to share? Feel free to comment here or on the blog. I would love it if you would take the time to share this podcast with a homeschooling friend and rate it on iTunes (just click the iTunes icon at the top of this post). Organizing is always more fun with friends. Have a very merry Christmas and an organized 2014!

You won't want to miss this episode of The Homeschool Sanity Show where my guest, Deb Wolf, and I get real about: * what makes us insecure as women, moms, and homeschoolers * why we will only admit to so much * how to help our daughters find the source of real security Deb is the author of a beautiful book that will help you begin the conversation with your daughter about where our security comes from. The illustrator was just 12 when she created these lovely pictures that bring this allegorical fairy tail to life. The paperback version of Sarah's Garden would make a fantastic gift, but the Kindle version is free December 3rd and 4th, 2013 in honor of our listeners. Be sure to read Deb's guest post on Psychowith6, 10 Tips to Grow Gratitude and Increase Happiness in Your Children. Links mentioned in the podcast Counting My Blessings - Deb's personal faith, family, and friendship blog HomeGoods' Design Happy Blog - Where Deb shares design ideas & tips on a budget Sisters in Ministry Facebook group for women whose husbands are pastors World Vision - Deb's personal sponsorship page Pray4You.org - The international prayer ministry Deb started with her husband

I count it as a great blessing to have met Barb Raveling online. When she asked me to review her book, I Deserve a Donut, I didn't know what to expect. I have read dozens of "diet" books and have written about overcoming overeating myself. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement! Barb offers wisdom on this subject that is a challenge for so many of us in a peaceful, practical way. In my interview with her, she shares: * What truth journaling is and how it changed her life * What makes I Deserve a Donut different from other "diet" books * Several lies that keep us overeating * How her friend lost over 100 pounds * How this approach to weight loss works even if you give in to temptation * How to prevent overeating during the holidays Scriptures mentioned: 2 Corinthians 10:5, Romans 12:2 You won't want to miss Barb's guest post: 8 Lies That Lead to Holiday Weight Gain. While you're reading, be sure to enter to win a copy of I Deserve a Donut at Psychowith6 (you can also buy it on Amazon) and check out Barb's blog. You'll be blessed!