Homeschool HQ App

Homeschool HQ App. Episode #40 – Do you ever wish you could find all the homeschool resources you need all in one place? Look no further than the HomeschoolHQ App, created by a military spouse and her husband after they began homeschooling during the Covid pandemic.

Homeschool HQ App. According to new Census data, there are currently five million homeschooled students across the United States. With the rise of new homeschoolers comes a greater need for resources and tools for families. HomeschoolHQ is an innovative homeschool resource app developed specifically with the needs of new and veteran homeschoolers in mind.

On this episode, Crystal chats with Lauren Bordeaux, Chief Marketing Officer for Homeschool HQ, who shares about this fantastic resource for homeschooling families created by homeschooling families. This app provides families with secure sign-in and will not sell your information to anybody. It’s easy to navigate with resources at your fingertips; you can even create your own events. Listen in to learn more!

 Guest Bio:

Lauren Bordeaux is a homeschooling mom of three children, ages 3, 6, and 7. She grew up in an Air Force family, moving to multiple bases across the U.S. Her husband, André, is a former Marine and is currently an officer in the Naval reserves. Their family enjoys exploring their new home of Tennessee after a career of living in and traveling Europe with the State Department. Lauren and André are the co-founders of HomeschoolHQ, a new app for homeschooling families.

The HomeschoolHQ app is a user-populated homeschool resource platform. It was built by homeschoolers for homeschoolers to find learning opportunities and community! Users can add resources in multiple categories like co-ops, activities, camps, conventions, and field trip ideas. There is also a discount section for exclusive user discounts! Built-in location services enable homeschoolers to find nearby resources that suit their family’s needs. Lauren, André, and their team are thrilled to share this needed resource with the homeschooling community!

Resources:

HomeschoolHQ

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go it alone; tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

1. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher
2. Subscribe on your favorite podcast listening app
3. Or listen right here (just scroll down)

Got questions, comments, or show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

 Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

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Homeschooling a Rebellious Child with Deborah Wuehler

Episode #39 – As homeschool parents, there are days when we struggle to get our children to concentrate on their studies and do their best. However, what if a child fights against us in nearly everything? Is it even possible to homeschool a rebellious child?

Special guest Deborah Wuehler was excited to start homeschooling her children and knew they belonged at home with her. She had seen the fruit of homeschooling in the lives of other children and wanted that for her own.

However, her middle child was strong-willed, and every day was a struggle. But Deborah, with the Lord’s help, discovered ways to work with her daughter through her rebellion and home-educate her. As a result, her daughter is now a well-adjusted, happy, godly young woman, and they are blessed to have a close relationship. In today’s episode, Deborah shares how we, too, can homeschool a rebel.

Guest Bio:

Deborah Wuehler is the Senior Editor and Director of Production of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. She is wife to Richard and has been homeschooling their eight children since the birth of their firstborn 32 years ago. They have graduated seven children so far and have one high school student. Deborah is an author, speaker, and devotional leader. Her most popular workshop is Homeschooling the Rebel.

She has written several Bible reading plans for the Bible App on YouVersion.com called Homeschool Moms Teach the Psalms and writes regularly for The Homeschool Minute. Her editorials are on Crosswalk.com, Homeschool Compass, and many state homeschool newsletters. Deborah’s passion is to encourage homeschool families to keep their focus on Christ and His Word and to let them know they are making the best educational choice possible when they choose to keep their children Home, Where They Belong. 

Resources:

• The Old Schoolhouse®
• Homeschool Moms Teach the Psalms
• The Homeschool Minute
• Crosswalk.com
• Youth With A Mission Biographies

TWO FREE eBooks:

• Homeschooling the Rebel, Part 1 (Homeschooling the Rebel, Part 1 – The Old Schoolhouse®)
• and Homeschooling the Rebel Part 2, (Homeschooling the Rebel, Part 2 – The Old Schoolhouse®)

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go alone; tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

1. Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher
2. Subscribe to your favorite podcast listening app
3. Or listen right here (scroll down)

Got questions, comments, or show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

 Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

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Finding Your Military Homeschool Tribe

Episode #37 –  Moving is a fact of life for homeschooling military families. Still, making connections with like-minded homeschoolers can be challenging. This week, Crystal talks about ways to find your homeschool tribe wherever the military sends you and your family.

One great aspect of military life is that we know our time in any given community is limited, so we tend to work to get connected and make friends quickly. However, you may currently be in a season where you’re struggling to find your homeschool tribe or a tribe for your kids. Or you may find yourself facing that at some point in the future.

If this rings true for you, Crystal shares some tips to make like-minded homeschool connections, both within the military community and outside of it.

Start searching before you move!

 Orders are in hand; you know where you’re headed, but you’re still weeks or even months out from your PCS. Not much you can do tribe-wise at this point, right? Well, I’m sure you already know that there is a LOT you can be doing to prepare for a PCS well before moving day comes. You can even begin searching now for homeschool connections.

Virtual Reconnaissance Mission. Upon receiving PCS orders and even before your move, you can begin searching for your homeschool tribe via the internet.

• Google search– conduct a Google search of homeschool organizations, associations, and groups in the area. It’s super easy to do and so much information is right at your fingertips with just a few keywords typed in the search bar.
• State homeschool associations. Associations often have a database of homeschool groups and co-ops throughout the area. They may even assist in connecting you with a contact person for a group you’re interested in.
• Homeschool Facebook groups, Online Communities, and forums. These are great resources for getting a jump start on making connections before you move.
• Contact the school liaison for the military base located where you’ll be PCSing. The school liaison is an amazing resource for homeschoolers with loads of information about homeschooling, including homeschool groups and co-ops both on base and in the surrounding community.
• Military spouses! We, military spouses, are quite possibly one of, if not THE BEST, source of information for nearly anything of interest to a military family! Military spouses have been my best source of duty-station info and networking throughout all my years as an Army wife. We truly are family and want to help each other any chance we get.

Once you are settled into your new community, here are some additional ways of finding your homeschool tribe:

Check out on-base groups that may not be specific to homeschoolers, but can be a good way of networking and making connections, like:

• PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) or CWOC (Catholic Women of the Chapel)
• MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers)
• Spouses Clubs
• Chapel & Religious Services
• Child & Youth Services
• MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation)
• Library

Off-Base and in your local community, and in addition to homeschool groups and co-ops, you may also be able to find your tribe and your kids’ tribe through:

• Churches
• Parks & Recreation
• YMCA
• Some states allow homeschoolers to take part in sports & other after-school activities with the public school

Tips for making connections:

• Show up and keep showing up
• Volunteer

Last but not least, if you’re still struggling to find a homeschool tribe,

• Start a homeschool group yourself. Keep it simple and start small. In fact, it can be super easy and informal. If you know some other homeschoolers from your church or spouses’ group, organize a field trip or get-together and be the one facilitating the connection. Through word of mouth, your group will grow and in the meantime, even if it’s just you and one other homeschool family, you and your kids will be learning, having fun, and making connections with others.

So, now I would love to hear from you! How do YOU find your homeschool tribe in a new community?

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go it alone; tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

1. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher
2. Subscribe on your favorite podcast listening app
3. Or listen right here (just scroll down)

Got questions, comments, or show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

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History of Homeschooling: Oh, How Far We’ve Come!

Episode #36 –  Crystal shares the remarkable journey of homeschooling in the United States from colonial days to modern day, legal to illegal, and back again. You will come away grateful for the homeschool freedoms we enjoy today! 

At this point in American history, especially in the wake of mass shutdowns in 2020, homeschooling seems to most people as though it’s just another viable and obvious option when it comes to educating our children. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see school-aged children out and about with Mom or Dad while public schools are in session, and rarely does anyone even notice anymore. However, this has not always been the case.

Today, with an estimated 3.7 million children nationwide homeschooling at the end of 2022, it is obvious that homeschooling is quickly becoming a seriously considered and desired option for American parents, and even more so for military families. Thankfully, it’s an option available to parents in all 50 states. And military homeschoolers can usually homeschool while stationed abroad.

Is Homeschooling Legal?

It almost seems a bit odd now to think about homeschooling being anything but legal and welcomed in the United States, but the history of homeschooling has a long journey. It has not always been legal or allowed, and many families in the 70s and 80s even had to consider moving their families to a different state to hide the fact that they had children that would not be enrolled in the public school system. Parents who homeschooled their children during this time could get in trouble for “contributing to the delinquency of a minor.” It was a serious infraction that could even lead to jail time. Can you imagine? It seems like a different world!

It’s been a long journey in the U.S., but it’s been worth it as all families now have the ability to choose the best method of educating their children, including the option to homeschool. As military families, we know that freedom isn’t free. The same is true for our homeschooling freedoms. Moving forward, may we never forget the words of educator and homeschool proponent John Holt, “It is the duty of a citizen in a free country not to fit into society, but to make society.”

Listen to today’s episode to learn about the remarkable journey of homeschooling in the United States from colonial days to modern day, legal to illegal, and back again. You will come away grateful for the homeschool freedoms we enjoy today!

Resources:

National Home Education Research Institute

Better Late Than Early: A New Approach to Your Child’s Education

Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go it alone; tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

1. Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher
2. Subscribe to your favorite podcast listening app
3. Or listen right here (just scroll down)

Got questions, comments, or show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

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Homeschool Grades: How to Assign and Track Your Learner’s Progress

In this episode, Crystal discusses the ins and outs of homeschool grades. And hopefully, by the end of the show, you’ll better understand how to grade your homeschooler and come away with a few tips to keep it all organized.

How to Assign and Track Your Learner’s Progress

Episode #35 –  So, you’ve decided to homeschool your kiddos. Everything is ready- from the best homeschool curriculum to the perfect learning space in your home.  You’ve got all your bases covered! Or, you thought, until someone asks how you’ll grade your homeschooler. That’s when it hits- how are homeschoolers graded? If this sounds familiar, or you just want to be sure you’re doing things correctly- then you’re in the right place!

A perspective on homeschool grades

Any experienced homeschooling parent will tell you one main perk of homeschooling is its flexibility.  Yes, there are requirements in each state that may direct how many hours you have to educate your child, and there may even be requirements specific to what grading system you must use; however, most often, parents are free to decide what best suits their family’s needs.  So, evaluating your homeschooler’s progress comes down to one central question: to grade or not to grade?

Why does grading matter?

The answer to this question depends on a couple of factors.  First, if your state requires letters or percentage grades for homeschooled students, there is no way around it; you must grade your homeschoolers.  If there are no specific requirements, whether to grade or not becomes more of a personal choice.

What about college?

Many homeschooling families choose to wait until high school before introducing a structured grading system, and this is because their students will be entering college in a few short years.  Implementing grades at this level helps colleges assess the student’s competency and readiness for college-level learning.  However, for those not keen on switching over to formal grades, a grading system is not necessarily the “golden standard” for homeschoolers entering college.

The ‘how and when’ of grading

As highlighted above, grading your homeschooler is often a personal choice.  If grading is what feels right, then go for it.  But it is essential to find a grading system that works best for you and your students.

Luckily, there are several different grading systems to choose from.  Some options include:

• Grading percentages: This system is a 0-100 percent grading scale, often used along with letter grades.
• Letter grades: This option includes using grades from A to F.
• Standard-referenced grades: This system compares students with other students using a letter grade (this system may be more difficult with smaller groups of students).
• Mastery level: This grading system uses terms such as “masters” or “passers” to show students’ comprehension of a subject.
• Standard scale: This option uses pass or fails only.
• Absolute standards: Parents can compare their student’s learning and work against the established competency levels (most school districts provide expected learning goals for each grade level, which parents can use for this grading system).
• Narrative grading: This system includes a written assessment of student learning and allows for personalized tracking.

For grading art and other subjective assignments, options include:

• Focus on other concepts like art appreciation or comprehension of a topic, which may include additional parts to an assignment, such as narratives and oral presentations to demonstrate knowledge.
• Grade according to effort and following directions.
• Simple rubrics that include the student’s input to encourage self-reflection on learning.
• Standard grading using a 1-4 scale (4= exceeds expectations, and 1 basic).

How to record and track your homeschooler’s grade

Fortunately, as with grading systems, there are plenty of options for logging and tracking grades:

• Journals
• Flow sheets
• Rubrics
• Spreadsheets
• Websites

Listen in to learn why grading matters and options for grading. Some examples include percentage and letter grades, pass or fail, standard, and narrative grading.  And while these grading systems are easy to apply to subjects such as English and math, a different approach is often needed for more subjective lessons, such as art. Fortunately, there are many options for grading subjects like art as well.  Lastly, once you’ve decided which way to go for grading, there are great options for tracking your student’s progress.  From journals to websites, there are plenty of choices to keep everything organized, making it easy to find when you need it.

Resources:

Psychological Effects of Grades on Students – Edsys Blog

Applying to College as a Homeschool Student: What to Know | Applying to College | U.S. News (usnews.com)

Art Teacher Tips: How do you grade art? (artclasscurator.com)

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go it alone, tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast, and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

1. Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher
2. Subscribe to your favorite podcast listening app
3. Or listen right here (just scroll down)

Got questions or comments, or have show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

 Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

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Raising Readers: Reading Aloud Past the Kinder Years

Episode #34- On this podcast episode, Crystal talks about the importance of reading to children of all ages and how to make your family read-aloud time a fun adventure for everyone, Mom and Dad included!

Parenting is one of those things that come with a never-ending list of “research suggests you should ______.” Opinions, studies, best practices, and ever-evolving philosophies abound when it comes to how to raise your children successfully and, at the very least, how to avoid messing them up! You don’t have to look far to find the latest unsolicited advice, from never saying no to your children to not letting them eat even one grain of sugar.

Much of the advice, as well-meaning as it may be, is speculative, highly debated, and “trendy.” You can find conflicting evidence everywhere that suggests there isn’t a single universal “truth” in how to best navigate the world of child-rearing outside of the Bible. Yet, aside from this, it is universally agreed that reading with your children is important. Reading with your children is the simplest and most effective way to support your children’s education and raise healthy, well-rounded children.

Raising Readers:

Making Read Alouds an Everyday Part of Your Homeschool

So, how do you incorporate reading out loud into your homeschool routine?

●      Start small. Take it one simple step at a time. Start by picking a book you will enjoy.

●      Don’t expect an hour of attention, even from your older children.

●      Quite hands don’t need to be still hands. Your kids may need to keep their hands busy in order to keep their ears open. Have a sketchbook where for kiddos to draw what you’re reading about. This allows them the freedom to engage with the story and encourages them to build their narration skills as they listen for little details they can add to their picture.

●      Your read-aloud doesn’t have to be “age-appropriate.” Read a book that is above your child’s reading or comprehension level. Reading aloud is a time to expand your child’s capacity for critical thought. It is a time to bring a big world into your living room and engage them in dialogue about possibly “tricky” subjects. Having books that stretch them to pay attention, listen carefully, and consider what they hear carefully is an important lesson for young learners.

So, if I can encourage you today to raise readers, start reading out loud with your kids. Make it a daily part of your homeschool (even if it is the only thing you accomplish on the days that go off the rails). Start with living literature, classic stories that bring the world and the human experience to life. Engage in adventures with your children through stories that challenge and shape us.

“… they risked everything they loved, and maybe even their own lives, for the true magic. It’s our books. Our language, our culture, and our identities are inscribed in every word. As long as we have our books, we cannot be crushed or forgotten. Because of our books, we cannot be erased from our own history.” Words on Fire, Jennifer A. Nielsen

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go it alone; tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

1. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher

2. Subscribe on your favorite podcast listening app

3. Or listen right here (just scroll down)

Got questions or comments, or do you have show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

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Episode #33 – On this episode, guest Wendy Baird Packard talks about how military homeschooled teens can start now being intentional about activities that build skills for their future career plans. 

Middle school and high school homeschoolers, and even younger students, can begin being intentional about activities that build skills for their future career plans. Even if your teen has yet to decide what career path they wish to take, many soft skills and life skills are universal for all education levels and job positions. Additionally, Wendy shares specific ways military teens can find skill-building opportunities wherever the military sends their family.

Vital Soft Skills to Develop:

• Reliable – on time, show up to work
• Dependable – do the job you are asked to do, do it well
• Communication – correct, cooperative, communication with team members,
• managers, and customers
• Interpersonal skills – how do you build relationships or interact with people at
• all levels of your job
• Adaptability – easily dealing with change

Wendy also goes into detail about ways military homeschool teens can be intentional about finding and utilizing activities for skill and resume building, even while still in school, as well as pitfalls to avoid.

 . . . . . .

Wendy met her spouse when he was in the Navy; per her request, he ended his Navy career after eight years. They settled into normal life, had their son, bought a house, and were civilians for nine years. However, her husband never really lost the call of the military, and after a strong sign from God, he reenlisted in the Army. Stationed at Fort Carson, she became very involved in spouse programs mentoring spouses in the expectations of military life, career, and family. She followed a long-time dream and completed her associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in communication. Wendy will begin her master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology this year at the University of Maryland. 

Seeing the difficulty service members and family members who may move often have, Wendy, found her niche in helping service members and spouses to find employment. She jumped in with every move and studied employment every step of the way. Taking a job with the Department of Labor Working with thousands of service members by teaching the mandatory Department of Labor employment readiness classes, then also providing training to staff and service members of the Wounded Warrior Army and Airforce programs, assisting as a subject matter expert for the USO employment office and Hiring Our Heroes Job fair in Hawaii, and volunteering with the Army Community Services employment office. When her family moved again, she became the Military Spouse Liaison for the Workforce Solutions office in San Angelo and the volunteer lead for the Military Spouse Professional Network chapter for Goodfellow Airforce Base.

In May 2022, Wendy launched her own consulting business that assists clients in the art of communication, potentially focusing on career change or development, public speaking, and small business employee retention. She works one-on-one with clients, facilitates group classes, and speaks at events on these topics. Wendy has developed an exceptional understanding of employment from both the job seeker’s perspective and the employer’s. She provides clients with a detailed process in career development and change. She continues to work with businesses to bring awareness to the talent pool of potential employees, military spouses, and family members can be. She loves to recreate resumes and get people on the correct path to a wonderful career despite frequent moves or job changes.

Wendy has been married to her spouse for 21 years and has a 20-year-old son. She can often be found on an adventure with her two fur babies, Rocket and Carl.  

Connect with Wendy:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Speakingupwithwendybairdpackard/ 
• Email: wpackard4@gmail.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendybairdpackard/ 

Resources:

• https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip
• https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/questionnaires/strength-Survey-children 
• Sign up for Wendy’s upcoming class for teens on Outschool: I Need A Job, How Do I Get A Job?  Parents can find all of Wendy’s classes at Outschool.com and search for classes by Wendy Packard.

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go it alone; tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

1. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher
2. Subscribe on your favorite podcast listening app
3. Or listen right here (just scroll down)

Got questions, comments, or have show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

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Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Android | iHeartRadio | RSS

Episode #32- On this episode, Crystal and guest Stepheny Seabolt chat about the turn of a new calendar year being the perfect time to freshen up your homeschool and give it a restart, giving tips on implementing changes and how to handle the dreaded mom guilt.

As we look ahead to a new calendar year, many homeschool moms find themselves feeling the need to do things a little differently in their homeschool. There may be aspects of your homeschool routine and curriculum that are working well. But others, not so much. Or perhaps you’re a bit behind academically from where you would like to be at this point in the school year. You may even be feeling a little burned out.

If you feel that you need to rethink how you homeschool or are altogether burned out, be sure to tune in to this episode as Crystal discusses using the new year as a fresh start or restart for your homeschool with special guest Stepheny Seabolt!

Stepheny Seabolt is the wife of one amazing husband and the mama to three very interesting kiddos, ages 12, 13, and 16. She’s a West Virginia gal through and through, even though she is currently stuck in North Carolina. Stepheny has been homeschooling for ten years now. She went back to school in 2016 and received her associate’s degree in business administration. She also runs a homeschool bookstore from home and works with The Old Schoolhouse to help other parents get started homeschooling. In her free time, she loves to cook from scratch, read, sing, and add to the list of places where she doesn’t have to wear shoes!

Resources:

Interview with Stepheny Seabolt: I Don’t Have to Look Like the Public School

Seabolt’s 2nds Homeschool Curriculum Consignment

SchoolhouseTeachers.com

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go it alone; tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

1. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher
2. Subscribe on your favorite podcast listening app
3. Or listen right here (just scroll down)

Got questions, comments, or have show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

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Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Android | iHeartRadio | RSS

Episode #31- No matter what style of homeschooler you are, there comes a time when you just need to change things up, re-evaluate what you’re doing, and dig in with some new intentionality. What better time to do that than the turn of a new calendar year?

As the hustle and bustle of the holiday season draws to a close,homeschool moms begin to turn their attention back to the business of homeschooling, which feels much like a hustle and bustle of its own kind. On this episode, Crystal hopes to help calm some of the chaos with a quick run-down of how to ready yourself to start fresh this new year!

Winding-up the Year

The new year is a great time to do an inventory check and get a read on what life’s been like for the last few months. It’s the perfect time to put to bed what isn’t working for you and really pour into the things that are most important in your children’s education.

First Things First

If you want to start fresh, you need to finish well. As you look ahead to a new calendar year, this is a great take some time to review a few things.

This is the foundation if you will.

As you review your planner, consider how the year is going so far.

• Is everyone still engaged in the work? Have there been too many tears or tantrums as you pull out the bookwork?
• What books have captivated your children? What ones have you hated reading out loud?
• Have you participated in too many or not enough homeschool outings with children who help to shape your kids positively?
• Have you made enough use of your local resources?
• How are YOU feeling? Energized? Hopeful? Burnt-out?
• Have you threatened to send your kids to school more than once?
• Have you accomplished all that you should have by this point?

In homeschooling, there is no ahead or behind. There is only your own pace. There is really no point to homeschooling a certain way, just because it is “the best” if every day you’re met with tears and resistance. There is no success if you’re recreating school at home and pushing forward despite all signs pointing to FAILURE. That’s why a mid-year review is so important.

Homeschool Resolutions

Now that you have a clear sense of where you’ve been, what’s been working for you and your family, and you can confidently say that “yes, we want to continue this way,” or “no, we need to change this up because the joy is gone,” it’s time to start your New Year’s Resolutions of homeschool.

• First, resolve not to push forward for the sake of pushing forward.
• Second, set a plan based on what worked best.
• Lastly, remind yourself why you chose to homeschool in the first place.

There are so many reasons to homeschool. Remember why you chose to do homeschool. Remind yourself of all the things that you love about this lifestyle. Hold onto the things that set you on fire for teaching your children, and dive in with a renewed passion for those things.

No matter your reason, no matter the schedule you choose to follow in the coming year, no matter the subjects you’ll teach, the field trips you’ll take, or the number of coffees you will have to consume to get you through those difficult days, remember this …

Homeschooling is worth doing, and anything worth doing is worth doing well.

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go it alone; tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

1. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher
2. Subscribe on your favorite podcast listening app
3. Or listen right here (just scroll down)

Got questions, comments, or have show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Android | iHeartRadio | RSS

Episode #30- As military families, we move around a lot! And as a result, we must determine a new dedicated homeschooling area in each house or apartment we live in every few years. We may even find ourselves readjusting our homeschool area in the same place due to a new baby, growing kiddos, or just trying to freshen up and organize our space. On today’s show, Amber Smith from 200 Fingers and Toes joins Crystal to talk about making space to homeschool!

Homeschooling, and all the curriculum and supplies that go with it, can take up a lot of space in our homes. Many families don’t have an extra room to dedicate to school, and just finding an area for storage is a challenge. Every few years, we may also find ourselves homeschooling in the cramped confines of a hotel room or out of cardboard boxes after a PCS. Whatever the circumstance we find ourselves in, Amber offers tips and advice for creating a workable solution for your current homeschool situation.

Listen in to hear how Amber met the challenges of frequent moves and remodeling a farm while homeschooling a large family, what considerations to factor in when determining your homeschool space needs, and why education doesn’t always have to take place inside our homes!

 Amber Smith and her chef husband of 26 years raised ten wild children in southern Iowa. Her desire to help homeschool parents avoid burnout, build their best life, with strong relationships led her to start blogging at 200 Fingers & Toes. That is where you can find the latest articles, product reviews, new In Due Season Homeschool Podcast episodes.

 A second-generation homeschool grad herself with a public school background, Amber understands the experience of transitioning a family to homeschool living. Amber serves the homeschool community as a freelance writer, reviewing and contributing to popular homeschool blogs and magazines by sharing tips and tools used in their homeschool over the last eighteen years. Wherever she speaks, Amber offers practical examples to equip your homeschool, define your goals, dream bigger and build relationships that are vibrant and active.

Resources:

Homeschooling in Crisis or while Displaced

Tips for Quick Homeschool Set Up for Your 1st Year

Homeschool Space Ideas

Join Crystal and her guests each week as they bring relevant information to equip you, stories to encourage you, and content to inspire you. You don’t have to go it alone; tune in to the Military Homeschool Podcast and be energized in your military homeschooling journey!

How to listen:

1. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Stitcher
2. Subscribe on your favorite podcast listening app
3. Or listen right here (just scroll down)

Got questions, comments, or have show topic ideas? Contact Crystal via email at militaryhomeschoolpodcast@gmail.com or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Please subscribe, follow, and share with all of your military homeschooling friends!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Android | iHeartRadio | RSS