Called To Homeschool: Recent Episodes
Meg Thomas
Become a Paid Subscriber: https://anchor.fm/calledtohomeschool/subscribe
Are you feeling the call to homeschool and you're not sure what to do? Or maybe you are already homeschooling and it doesn't look like what you hoped it would. My name is Megan Thomas and I'm a certified Life Coach, a mother of seven and a homeschool pro with more than a decade of experience. I can show anyone how to create success in their homeschool, and I'd love to show you how. Are you ready? Learn more at www.coachmegthomas.com.
I tried to share a parenting tip a few weeks ago in a reel, and it was met with so much hate.
But interestingly enough, it was also met with a whole lot of love.
I want to talk to you in today's podcast episode, Nobody Else's Business, about how letting other peoples' judgements needs to stay out of your home and your homeschool.
Click the link in my bio to listen.
My 4th baby has graduated from homeschool!
I have interviewed each of my kids when they graduated and I love hearing their perspective on how did they like homeschooling.
In today's episode, I ask my son some of his favorite things about our homeschool, and some of his least favorite things.
We also cover how my son really struggled with anger and depression, and what he did to help him through those times.
You are not going to want to miss this episode.
You asked for a free guide to start homeschooling, so here it is!!
I cannot wait to share this with you and help you as you transition into homeschooling, or to help your current homeschool function a bit better.
You can grab the guide here: https://purple-bird-127.myflodesk.com/lklbu0xgl4
I am so excited to have Brandy Coffin from the Revival Homeschool on today's podcast episode.
She is sharing four strategies to help you with time management.
If you have ever felt frustrated with "not having enough time" then you need to check out this episode.
You can check out Brandy at www.revivalhomeschool.com
Why is it that some people say that homeschooling is so hard while others say they love it and it's so fun?
I believe that those who are struggling in their homeschool don't have a strong foundation, so every time their child doesn't do their work, or something doesn't go as planned, it's hard for Mom to stay calm and show up how she wants to show up.
That's why in today's episode I am sharing with you how to create that strong foundation in your home. With summer right around the corner, now is the perfect time to focus on creating that foundation, so homeschool gets to be amazing this September.
Link to sign up for a discover call: https://forms.gle/2eoXXd98T2x8pPUL6
Link to register for the course: www.coachmegthomas.com/restore
Have you ever worried if you should quit homeschooling? Whenever I have a big change in our home, I start to doubt myself and my ability, and wonder if I should quit homeschooling. This fall I will only have three kids living at home, and two of those kids are mostly independent in their education. That means that I will be only be homeschooling one kid at times. Something that I have never done before. When I started homeschooling, I had five kids, so to go down to one feels foreign and challenging. I want to share with you of what I have been worrying about and if I am going to keep homeschooling or quit.
I don't think we spend enough time celebrating our wins.
I know we all have room to improve, but noticing how you are winning can help you keep that momentum going.
In today's podcast episode, Looking for Your Wins, I want to share a recent win of mine and some ideas of how to notice all your wins.
Sibling Success Class: https://www.coachmegthomas.com/product-page/class-sibling-success-practical-tips-to-help-your-kids-get-along
How does one create a culture in your home where a sibling is more excited for someone else's success than their own? How do you help siblings get along?What do you do with the fighting and contention?If you have kid who are fighting in your home, you need to check out this week's episode.Go here to register for the online class: https://www.coachmegthomas.com/product-page/class-sibling-success-practical-tips-to-help-your-kids-get-along
I want to give you an early Mother's Day Present.I am giving a free download of May's Lesson Plans to everyone.
I talk about it in the podcast, and then click this link to download them: https://purple-bird-127.myflodesk.com/ycdbsytxnuHappy early Mother's Day!!
Super exciting news!! I have a brand new website.
It is beautiful, super user friendly, and it has all new videos!!
And the best news, the doors to the membership are now open!!
Go to www.coachmegthomas.com to check it out!
The domain name had to get transferred over the new site, so if it isn't working, come back the next day and check.
I was at the playground a few weeks back, and I watched a little girl run crying to her mom about a group of kids being mean to her.
Little did the mom know that the little girl had started the whole thing.
Instead of getting curious, the mom got after the other kids.
I want to share some ideas with you on how to help your kids to not be a victim.
Do you feel like you are losing your mind with trying to homeschool and your kids fighting?
I have been there too. I know you want to help them get along, but how do you do it without yelling at them?
In today's episode, I am going to give you three tips of how to help your children to get along.
Do you ever feel like you don’t know what to do?
Maybe your kid isn’t understanding a subject, and you don’t know what to do.
Maybe you had a new baby, and you don’t know how to homeschool with a newborn.
Whatever it is that you feel like you don’t know what to do, I invite you to listen to this short and sweet episode, I don’t know what to do.
In today's podcast episode, I am sharing with you April's Lesson Plans.
I go over each topic, and give some ideas of what you can do in each of them.
Click the link in my bio to listen to the episode, and to download the full lesson plan.
I received a question on Instagram about why is public school so much longer than a homeschool day?
Why do homeschoolers say they only need an hour or two to teach their children, but a public school needs 6-7?
I am going to be diving into the history of the public school model and why public school days are so much longer.
You are not going to want to miss this episode.
The whole reason why I do what I do is because I am on a mission to restore the family.
I think we are losing the art of being together as a family. Between daycare and public schools, it's hard for people to be with their kids more than the evenings and weekends.
If family is important to you, then you need to check out this week's episode.
Here is the link to fill out if you would like to do a discovery call with Meg: https://forms.gle/vhiw9qePCzhuNo36A
Raise your hand if you have ever said the phrase, "Homeschooling is so hard!"
I know I have.
In today's episode, I want to share with you about why it feels so hard, and if there is anything you can do about it.
You are not going to want to miss this one!
One of the ways that I found to help you in your homeschool is with creating lesson plans!
Each month includes 16 lessons. They have habit training, the arts, science, and history.
I also include book ideas for read aloud and for your younger and older teens.
In this week's podcast episode, I am sharing with you March's lesson plans.
Link for Homeschool Summit of Northern Utah: https://therefinedschoolhouse.org/summit
How will your kid succeed in life if they don't know how to take a test?How will they get into college, provide, or take care, of a family?How do you know where your kids are if they are not being tested?These are some of the questions I am answering in today's podcast, Thoughts on Testing.
Usain Bolt trained for four years for a race that lasted for 9 seconds.
Yet people try something for a month or two, don't see results and give up.
In today's podcast episode, The Secret to Creating Easy Kids, I am going to let you know 2 simple things you can do to create easy kids, have better relationships, have an amazing homeschool, or anything else you want.
Our lives are a collection of stories, each chapter filled with experiences that shape who we are. Whether it's sharing our own journey or listening to others, storytelling connects us on a profound level.But what if you're not very good at storytelling? The great news is that storytelling can be learned. You just need someone to help you.On today's podcast, I am interviewing, Tanner Duncan, who is a master storyteller, and he is telling you how to become a great storyteller.You can check out his course here: https://www.theterribleteacher.co/a/2147775492/azWwbuLJAnd his No Yelling Video here: https://youtu.be/pioYBt-ddwc?si=6jVxcOQ-dhYv1PBq
There once was a lady who would cut the ends off her roast, and one day her husband asked her why.
She said she didn't know. It was the way her mom always did it.
So she called her mom and asked her why she cut the ends off of her roasts, to which she replied, "I don't know. That's what my mom always did."
So she called her grandma and asked her why she cut the ends off her roast, and she said it was because she didn't have a big enough pot, so she had to cut it off so it would fit.
Are you teaching certain subjects just because someone else told you to? Have you taken the time to ask why?
How do you know what level your child is on?
How do you know when to push them and when to go slower?
In today's podcast episode, I am talking about scaffolding, and how it can help you know what pace to go at.
How do you help your child become a lifelong learner?
In today's episode, I want to share with you two very simple things you can do to help your child.
Just because it's the beginning of the year doesn't mean that you have to go after any big goals.
It also doesn't mean that you just give up and do nothing.
In today's podcast episode, I want to share with you a third option. A simpler way to go after your goals and dreams without the overwhelm.
If you don't know this about me, family is the most important thing to me.
Everything I do and teach is to help restore the family.
That is why I am so excited to share with you in today's podcast episode, the 30-Day Family Challenge.
My amazing daughter, Tess, created this challenge, and I am so excited to share it with you.
Check out what we are learning in January:
Habit- Mental/Critical thinking
Art- Winter Poems/Composer-Francis Hopkinson/Artist-Thomas Gainsborough
Science- Simple machines/Archimedes
History- Leading up to the American Revolution
Winter book of poetry.
Four writing activities-Poetry, compound words, simple paragraph, creative writing & storytelling
You will also get a book list for your younger and older teen for their independent reading. They will have a book on mindset, science, history, biography, and literature.
Today's episode is a short and sweet tip of how and why you need to go with the flow of your homeschool.
I am so excited to have my coach on the podcast today.I have worked with Kami Banks for the last couple of years. She helped me cross the finish line for an Ironman 70.3 when I didn't think that that was possible.Kami and I talk about the importance of taking care of yourself and having your own goals and dreams.It not only helps you, but it inspires your kids too.
All month long I have been I have been focusing on tools to help you to stop yelling at your kids.
I am wrapping up the last podcast for November with your questions about how to not yell in certain situations.
From what to do when feeling overstimulated, to what to when your kids don't listen after you have already asked them multiple times.I am answering these questions, and more in today's podcast episode.
Sonya Carson was one of 24 children.
She had a third grade education, and couldn't read. She was married at 13, and was later divorced with two young children.
She cleaned homes and noticed that the successful people all had one thing in common, a library.
She came home and turned off the TV and told her sons that they had to go to the library and read two books a week and give her a report.
This simple act completely changed her son's life. Instead of failing classes, he was at the top of his class and eventually became an amazing Dr.Ben Carson's life was changed from an intentional mother.
In today's podcast, I want to talk more about being an intentional parent, and how you can do that in your own home.
Are you worried about the upcoming holiday season?
How will you do all the things you feel like you need to do, AND homeschool?
Well, I can’t do your Christmas shopping for you, but I can help you with your homeschool.
I created the Christmas Curriculum that is a full curriculum for the whole family.
Not only does it give you lesson plans for each day, but it has writing activities for your kids, a book of poems, and so much more!
You are not going to want to miss this!
You get to choose how you show up, but you don't get to choose the consequences from that choice.
If you choose to be patient with your children, it will often create openness and connection with them.
If you choose to yell, it will often create fear from your children.All month long I am helping you to stop yelling for good, and help you have the homeschool you want.Check out this week's podcast episode to get yelling help.
I recently had the opportunity to explore parts of Germany with my daughter.We went to several sites from World War II and the Cold War.I came away with ideas that help us to not repeat mistakes from the past.
This line is from one of my favorite poems, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle is the Hand that Rules the World by William Ross Wallace.
I have a lofty goal to help restore the family, and in today's episode, I am sharing with you four ways that I plan on doing that.
I am so excited to share what I am doing when this episode comes out.
I am currently living my homeschool dream that I had three years ago.
I want to talk to you about what I am doing right now, and what you need to be willing to do to achieve your dream.
On the podcast today, I am sharing some highlights of my schedule for Unit 2!!
I will share with you some of the books we will be reading and some of the games.
I am hoping that this helps others to make homeschool easy and doable.
I went down a rabbit hole of what complaining does to you.Did you know that it not only affects your mindset, but did you know it also affects your body as well?I want to dive into what complaining does to you and the person you complain to.I also want to share what to do instead.
Have you ever felt anxious or depressed?Maybe you have kids who have struggled with it and you're not quite sure the best way to help them?If you answered yes to either of those then you need to listen to this week's episode.Click here to join the Rocktober challenge
Have you ever looked at your homeschool or your kids and have just felt lost?
You keep trying to make things work, and it feels like nothing you do matters.
Or maybe, you tell yourself that you have tried everything and nothing is working.
In today's podcast episode, I Have Tried Everything, I want to help you with what to do next when you feel like there is nothing else you could do.
Do you ever wonder how someone is able to pick the right curriculum for a kid, but you are left scrambling and nothing seems to work?
I want to share with you the secret to picking the right curriculum for your kid.
I recently just got to live one of my dreams of traveling with my family. I wanted to share some of my thoughts from the trip, and what I think is the most important thing in homeschool.
Today is a day to celebrate homeschooling.
I want to share with you some of the benefits of homeschoolers nationwide, and some of the benefits I have seen in my own home.
What is narration?
Simply said, narration is the ability to tell something back in your own words.
In today's episode, I want to talk about narration, why you should consider having it in your homeschool, and how to implement it.
Why can't homeschool just be easy?
You have the desire to teach your kids, and now you are feeling overwhelmed, you are wondering how to get your kids to do their work without screaming at them, and you are also running a house on top of teaching your children.
It's easy to see why so many people are struggling.
I want to show you how you can make homeschool easy. Yes, that really is a possibility. I am giving you three simple things you can do, so you can enjoy your school, your kids, and your life.
Doors to the membership are currently opened and will close Friday, August 18th at midnight. Click here to learn more about the membership.
Sometimes we get so worried about our kids getting messy or making mistakes, that would forget to look at the good.
I recently had an experience with my son who went to church a bit messy. Some people made jokes about it to me, and it made me think about why are we so worried about these things?
Not only do we worry about our children looking messy, but we can get worried about messy handwriting, or messy spelling.I want to share with you my thoughts on is your kid a mess in this week's podcast episode.
Click here to register for webinar.
It's that time of year again. Time to share my homeschool schedule for 2023-2024.
These are some of my most listened to episodes, so I am so excited to share it with you.
I am also going to do a live webinar where I will be giving you six weeks of curriculum. All the books, the activities, and so much more!
Click here to register for the live webinar August 14th.
Have you ever wondered what is your homeschool dream?
I have had a homeschool dream for years now and it is finally happening this summer, and I cannot wait to tell you all about it!
I also want to challenge you to find your homeschool dream and how can you actually create it.
Do you ever feel afraid in your homeschool?
Maybe you are afraid that you aren't smart enough to teach your kids? Or maybe you are afraid of what other people say or think about your homeschool?
Whatever you are afraid of in your homeschool, I want to give you some help to get over your fears.
This weekend we will be celebrating our 23rd year of marriage!!
It had me thinking of what advice I would give to my kids before they got married and what things to do (or not do) to have an amazing marriage.
I want to share with you 5 tips for marriage in this week's podcast episode.
Have you heard the expression of you only get 18 summers with your kids?
Does that statement make you panic?
I know when I thought about that with my oldest, I started to worry that I had not done enough.
I want to share with you my thoughts about that phrase, what how to thought that brings you peace instead of panic.
We studied Korea last school year and I wanted to share with you some of the books we loved.
I have ideas for younger kids, tweens, and your mature teen.
I also share some ideas of things we did as we studied Korea.
You can check out the book list here.
I want to start giving you some short and sweet episodes with a tip to help you in your homeschool.
Today's tip is what to do with a child with a lot of energy. I know it can be frustrating when a child won't sit down and just do their school. I want you to try out this tip and see if it will help your energetic child.
I want to address three things today in this episode.
What do you do if your husband doesn't think that homeschool is a good idea?
How to include your husband into homeschool.
And ways to stay connected with your husband even with homeschooling.
I am excited to interview the amazing Kelsey Sorenson today (bio below). She is putting on a spectacular event, Educate and Rejuvenate, (which yours truly will be speaking) and I wanted her to share more about the event.
Kelsey is a homeschool mom and I also wanted her to share how she has time to work and homeschool. She also shares why finding wins in your homeschool is important, and how to find them.
Click this link to check out the event.
Kelsey Sorenson is a former third grade teacher and substitute teacher. She is now a homeschool mom to 3 kids and owner of Wife Teacher Mommy, where she and her team serve Pre-K through 6th grade teachers. She is also a certified life coach with The Life Coach School. Wife Teacher Mommy has been featured on We are Teachers, Teachers pay Teachers, Jane, Etsy, Food Network, CBC, Fox, and NBC. Kelsey and her team have helped hundreds of thousands of educators cut down planning time and balance the many roles in their lives with her time-saving resources, blogs, teacher life coaching program, Educate & Rejuvenate events, and Wife Teacher Mommy: The Podcast. Kelsey is addicted to Coke Zero and loves reading and listening to audiobooks.
Who else has ever felt overwhelmed?
I have seven kids, I homeschool, I work, I run the house and yard, and I have a husband who often travels for work. How could I not feel overwhelmed?
This was a story I held onto for years until I had a coach question my story. She asked me what if overwhelm was optional?I sat back for a while and just thought about. Is overwhelm truly optional?
I want to talk more about overwhelm and if it is optional, how do you stop feeling it, and is it a problem to feel overwhelmed sometimes.
Are you worried about what is the worst that could happen in your homeschool?Do you worry that your kid will never learn to read, or that they will never get into college?I want to share with you about what is the worst that could happen, and why you should stop letting fear lead in your homeschool.
A hobby is an activity that is done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure. The research shows that spending time on an activity that you enjoy can improve your mental health and wellbeing. Research shows that people with hobbies are less likely to suffer from stress, low mood, and depression. Activities that get you out and about can make you feel happier and more relaxed.
That all sounds beautiful, but how in the world does one have time for a hobby AND homeschool?
That's what I want to cover in today's podcast episode. How to have a hobby and homeschool.
Also, if you want to hear how my Ironman went (training is my current favorite hobby) then make sure to listen to the last half of the episode.
What do you do when homeschool feels too hard?
How do you move forward when you have no idea of what is the next step?
I want to share with you how having faith can help you through any challenge that you may face.
Are you feeling the homeschool burn out?
It's May and I know many of you don't want to think, talk, or even do school right now. In today's short and sweet podcast episode, I talk about feeling burnt out, why it's ok, and what you can do.
I am so excited to have you listen to today's episode.
I got to interview my friend, Andee Martineau, about her book, Connect Method Parenting.
Andee is an amazing parenting coach who has done a brilliant job of helping you parent without using bribing, punishments, grounding, or time outs. She went from traditional parenting (using punishments and rewards) and now teaches her connect method parenting.
You are going to want to check out today's episode where we cover consequences, meltdowns, and lying just to name a few.
My absolute favorite parenting book has to be from the scriptures. My goal is to parent like my Heavenly Parents and my Savior.
I found this gem in the scriptures the other day, and I think it shows a great way for us to run our homes.
Check out this episode to hear.
I remember how challenging it was to have so many little babies in such a short amount of time.
I would think about how much easier things would get when they got older.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but things don't get easier when kids get older. The hard just changes.
In today's podcast episode I share with you how to stop wishing away the days and hoping for things to get easier, but instead to have a life that you like now.
Are you worried that you need to teach your children everything?
Do you worry about what will happen if you haven't done enough by the time they are 18?
If so, you need to check out this episode from a mother who has three adult children who have graduated from homeschooling.
Did you know that learning to play an instrument is so good for your brain? Playing an instrument recruits almost every part of the brain, including regions that process vision, sound, movement, and memory.
It's easy to see why so many homeschool parents are encouraging their kids to play one.
However, if you are fighting with your kid, is it worth it?
Check out today's episode to see if your kid should play an instrument.
We just finished studying about WWII and I wanted to do a book review of all the amazing books we read. I have suggestions on books for younger kids and older kids.
History really does come alive and can be a very enjoyable subject when you are studying it from really good books.
I put together a list of all the books; you can check them out here.
To celebrate my 200th episode I put decided to answer your questions!!
Some of the questions were:
How do I start homeschooling?
How do I homeschool through High School?
Do I need a transcript for college?
How do I homeschool challenging behaviors? ADHD and disrespect.
Check out today's episode to hear what I had to say.
What is a family culture and why do you need one?
I adapted this from the book How Will You Measure Your Life, When you have a a supportive family culture, children don’t even need to ask how to behave, how to make decisions, or how to make this trade-off against that one, your family has become self-managing thanks to it’s culture. Parents don’t need to dive into the details of every decision, because they culture of the family is present in the details of every decision.
Having a family culture makes your home easier and creates a flow and rhythm.
Listen to today's episode to learn how to create a family culture.
This is an incredibly powerful interview with Lyissa Anderson. She is the most amazing teen that I have had the privilege of knowing for a long time.
Lyissa was a typical amazing teen. She loved her family, was incredibly kind and helpful, and she got addicted to porn. She is probably the last person that you would think that would struggle with pornography, but now she goes around helping others who have found themselves addicted and she is teaching moms of how they can best help their teens.
It is a message of hope and I absolutely love her courage of being willing to share her experience so that she can help other people.
You can find out more about here at her website: https://www.lyissaanderson.com/
Have you ever wondered what yelling does to your kid, or how do they feel when they are getting yelled at?
I interviewed several teens and asked them what they thought about themselves, the parent, and many other questions about yelling. I also asked them how they wish their parents would show up instead.
Listen in to today's episode to see what yelling is doing to your kid, and what can happen to your family when you stop.
Click here to check the no yelling course.
Do you want your children to listen to you more?
Do you want to stay more calm and patient when something at home doesn't go the way you planned?
Then you need to listen to today's episode of why taking care of your fundamentals will help you so much. Taking care of your fundamental needs helps you to feel less anxious and depressed and more calm and loving. Check out the episode to hear what the fundamentals are and how they will be incorporated into this year's no yelling course.
Check out this year's No Yelling Course HERE.
Who wants a step by step guide of how to create something?!?
I know I do.
That's why in today's episode I am going to be giving you a step by step guide of how to create something by using the law of creation.
Check out this year's No Yelling Course.
What does nature do during the winter? It sleeps.
Then when spring comes, it starts to wake up. Animals become more active and it's the perfect time to plant seeds.
This year, I want to help you plant seeds this springs to become a calm parent. I want to help you grow all summer long, so that when harvest time comes, you'll be able to reap the harvest and no longer yell at your kids.
Find out more about planting your seeds here.
Do you remember when they used to list clothing as one size fits? Then they realized that one size does not fit all.
Education has been a one size fits all model for a long time, and people are realizing that one size does not. But what do you do if you feel like you don't have the time, money, or energy to homeschool your kids?
I am interviewing Allison Sorenson today who is helping those in Utah to have more options with their education. Even if you don't live in Utah, this is a great episode to see what you can do with your state to get more choice with your child's education.
www.utahfitsall.com
Not too long ago I wrote a post in my No Yelling group and I had someone comment that my message came across as toxic positivity.
I had to look that phrase up because I had no idea what it meant, and I was surprised that someone would say that about me.
I want to share with you a very raw and real episode of where I came from, and how much I have struggled with depression, and how I feel about someone telling my message is toxic.
I am so excited to share this interview with you!
Tanner & Alisa documented their experience with last year's No Yell November challenge. It was so amazing to be able to see the day to day struggle they went through. I was so impressed with their video that I wanted to have them on the podcast and talk about their experience.
You can also check out his video on YouTube by going to The Terrible Husband and find their video, I tried not yelling at my kids for 30 days.
Have you ever worked with your teen and their goals? Maybe you sat down with them and helped them create an actionable plan of how to achieve that goal, and even put it in easy to manage steps.
Then, a few weeks, or even a few days later, your teen completely gives up on that goal.
What do you do?
Get after them? Push them harder?
Check out this week's podcast episode to hear how to help your teen and their goals.
A few weeks ago I was upset that my favorite music app has sexual content. I was angry and mad that the world seems to feel like it continues to get dark and evil seems to be everywhere.
I want to end this year's podcast with challenging you to be the light. Light always chases away the darkness.
I would love to hear from you how you plan on being a light in 2023.
How does one become a great homeschool mom?
Do some people just have it, and others don't?
I don't think so.
I think anyone can become a great homeschool mom, and I'd love to show you how in this episode.
Also, here is the link to join my annual membership and receive your Family Planner as a thank you gift!
I know that there are days that you are wondering if it is worth it.
Days where kids are crying and screaming, and you feel like school was chaotic and no one learned anything.
I now have three adult children, and recently one of them sent me a letter telling me what they thought about my parenting them. Listen to today's episode to hear what the letter said and if working on connection is really worth it.
I watched The Hunger Games recently with my daughter and I couldn't help but think that the whole rebellion could have been avoided if the president would just stop trying to use force and fear to control them.
It made me wonder how many parents are using fear and force with their kids and then wondering why their kid is rebelling?
If you want to put the odds in your favor to not have a kid rebel, or if you currently have a kid who is rebelling, and you're not sure what to do, you need to check out this episode.
I had a few interesting conversations over the last few weeks with two different women who each had two children.
One woman told me why she thought having more kids made it easier to not yell at your kids, and the other women told me why it was easier to have independent kids when you have more kids.
The truth is that it doesn't matter how many kids you have. Whether or not something is easy or hard, is all in the way you think about it.
Tune in to today's episode, to hear what are some of my thoughts about having seven kids.
Do you want to know how I make sure I enjoy the holidays?
I do what I want.
Maybe that sounds selfish, but doing what I really don't like doing doesn't sound very kind to me.
I want to empower you to do the holidays the way you want to do them. Not the way you think you should do them.
I am always on the hunt for ways to make my life and homeschool easier, and one of the ways to do that is to create a rhythm for your home.
A rhythm helps build connection and cooperation, it helps children to know what is expected, and it helps to simplify your family.
Listen to today's episode to hear more about why you need a rhythm in your home and how to create one.
Mike Tyson once said, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face."
Months ago I created my dreamy homeschool plan. I had visions of what it would look like, and I couldn't wait to do school with my kids. Life has a funny way of punching you in the face sometimes and forces you to adapt.
In this episode, I talk about some of the ways I have had to adapt my schedule, and I want to challenge you to look at your own schedule and see if there is something you could adapt.
I am so excited about this episode.
I had the opportunity to interview Daniel Harmon. You may know him from the Harmon Brothers and his viral videos from Squatty Potty, Chatbooks, and Purple just to name a few.
He has taken his passion and talent for creating and has joined forces with Connor Boyack, the creator of the Tuttle Twins, and has made the Tuttle Twins TV show.
I do not promote TV shows lightly, so that is saying something about how much I have enjoyed this. Also, as an added bonus, they are completely free to watch!!
If you don't want to watch the show, they do have graphic novels instead. They are a cartoon style book that goes right along with the show.
Check out the show here.
Check out the graphic novels here.
Want to know a really quick way to shut someone down? Criticize what they are doing.
So many of you have experienced being criticized whether about your homeschool or other choices you have made, and so far, I haven't heard that anyone likes it. Then why do so many people criticize their children?
I want to dive into that in today's episode, and give you some help of what to do instead.
Want help to stop the criticism for good? Click here to join Mama's Members and get access to the No Yelling Bootcamp.
This week I have a confession to make.
I did a full episode of how to create an amazing birthday and/or holiday, and then guess what? I ended up getting upset over my husband's actions about my birthday.
I am trying to embrace my humanness, and I want you to do the same. So today, I want to share with you what you can do when you show up in a way that you wish you wouldn't have.
Here are the journal questions from today's episode:
- After you have written your thought download, circle what are the facts.
- What is your thought about the facts?
- How did you feel when you thought that?
- What actions or in-actions did you take when felt that way?
- How do you wish you would have shown up instead?
- What would you need to be feeling in order to do that?
- What thought would create that feeling?
I hear a lot of parents concerns about their teens. One of the concerns I hear is the worry that their teen isn't planning for their future. That their teen won't be able to provide for a family, or do anything with their life.
But what if you're wrong?
What if your teen is going to make some awesome choices and some dumb choices, and they will learn a lot from all of them?
In today's episode, I want to give you some journal questions to ask yourself if you are struggling with your teen and choices they are making in their life.
- Why am I afraid of my teen’s plans?
- What would happen if I trusted in them to make the best choice for them?
- How do I keep a connection with them no matter what they decided?
- How could their plan be amazing?
Guess what, it's my birthday today!! So I wanted to talk about what you can do to enjoy your birthday, anniversary, or any other special day.
This is the final tip I'll be giving in this series. This one is a skill. I wanted to leave you with something you can do when your child isn't listening.
If you struggle with your kid not listening to you, then you need to check out this episode.
Also, the last day to sign up for the No Yelling Boot Camp is September 30th, so don't miss out!
https://www.coachmegthomas.com/no-yell-november-bootcamp
This week I am focusing on what to do instead of yelling. Did you know that about 85% of the energy in the home is used to correct weakness? What if you used that energy differently? What if you used that same amount of energy and put it into pointing out what your kids are doing right? Can you imagine what a difference that would make? Check out today's episode to hear more about how to point out what your kids are doing right. Click here to learn more about the No Yelling Bootcamp
Welcome to tip #3!! In this episode, I talk about how to feel your feelings without reacting to them. I give you the tool to stop and take a BREATH, so that you can give yourself more time between the stimulus and the response.
If you are wanting more help to stop yelling, you have to come and check out the No Yelling Bootcamp.
Welcome to tip #2!! This week I'm talking about quick fixes and why they don't work.
If you are ready to stop yelling for good, then you need to check out my No Yelling Bootcamp.
Welcome to part one of tips to stop yelling.
In this episode, I share with you why having the skills to yell isn't enough. Yes, skills are awesome, but you your mindset is what helps you to actually make the change.
When you start to homeschool, it's like having a new baby. It may take more of your time and some things may fall the side as you are adapting to your new lifestyle.
But eventually your homeschool baby grows, and homeschool doesn't feel as challenging anymore.
Your homeschool will go through different phases, just like children do. I want to give you one simple thing you can do when your homeschool starts feeling hard and challenging.
Join me for the free no yelling class.
Did you know that over 15 years ago I gave up eating desserts and treats?
In the beginning, it was super hard. I didn't know what to do when I was upset because treats were my go to. What do I do at a party that has treats there? It was really hard for me.
Now here we are 15 years later and I don't want treats anymore.
Yelling can become the same for you. It may be hard in the beginning, but eventually you will not desire to yell anymore.
Check out today's episode to hear more!
Your example speaks so much louder than your words.
Have you ever asked your kid to do something, or not do something, like check out on their phone, and then you go and do the same thing?
What about talking to your kids about not fighting or yelling at their siblings, but then you yell at your kids?
I am on a mission to help Mamas be the example that they want to see in their kids. If you are yelling, and you want to stop, you need to listen to today's episode for help.
Did you feel inspired to homeschool? Did it seem like a crazy idea?
When I felt inspired to homeschool, I had five small children, had been hospitalized for health issues, and was still battling severe depression. It seemed like a really terrible thing to add into my life.
And yet, the Lord inspires people to bring about His purpose. I can now look back and see that if I hadn't followed that inspiration, that I wouldn't have the family that I have now. I wouldn't have the connection that I have with my children, and I wouldn't have grown so much myself.
Just because you felt inspired, doesn't mean that it will be easy, but through faith the Lord will help you succeed beyond your fondest dreams.
Do you keep buying new curriculum hoping that the next one will magically solve all your homeschool problems?
If you do, then your curriculum is probably not the problem.
Check out today's episode to know when to switch the curriculum or not.
Did you know that in the early 1900s only 7% of Americans were brushing their teeth? In fact, in the 1600s the 5th reason for death was tooth decay.
We have come a long way from those days and now most people understand the importance of brushing their teeth everyday.
As we grow and progress as humans, we continue to find ways to improve our lives and our health.
I would love to see people start little habits, like brushing their teeth, to their lives to improve their emotional and mental health.
In today's episode, I share with you three simple things you can do, to start improving your emotional and mental health.
Is your teen feeling stuck and doesn't quite know what to do?
Maybe they are going through something and they just want someone to talk to that isn't emotionally involved.
In today's episode, I share with you some of the things that I have had the opportunity to coach teens. Whether it is about breaking up with a boyfriend or feeling anxious, I have coached it all.
Check out today's episode to hear some of the things that teens have wanted coaching on.
The sun and the wind had a competition to see who could get a child to take off their jacket. The wind blew hard, but despite its best efforts, the child only held onto the jacket tighter.
The sun then took a turn and simply warmed up the child, and the child naturally took off their jacket.
When you want your child to do something, do you get angry and yell like the wind, or are you patient and gentle like the sun?
If you want your child to listen to you, then you will need to become like the sun.
Tune into today's episode to hear more.
I recently bought a random pack of books from Costco and I decided to try them out for our read aloud. After having spent so much time reading beautiful, heart warming stories, it became painfully obvious that not all books are created equally.
In today's episode I share with you some ideas of where to find some heart warming books.
Do you like a house full of noise or do you prefer it being quiet?
Do you recharge by being alone or do you recharge by being with a group?
There is no right or wrong answer to this, but by understanding your personality it can help you in your home and in your homeschool. Listen to today's episode to get some questions to help you better understand you and what supports your personality.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Did you know that the average student who attends public school will spend over 100,000 hours in school? That is over 100,000 hours of being influenced with strangers beliefs and values.
I have no problem with someone having different beliefs and values than me, but I want to make sure my children are influenced by what my husband and I believe and value.
This is one of the reasons why you are more than qualified to teach your own children. You get to be an influence for good to them in a chaotic world. You are doing a marvelous work, so keep going.
Do you find yourself getting hung up on your check list? Do you see all the things you haven't done and start to feel inadequate or that you aren't doing enough?
Then you need to listen to today's episode to hear a different way you can do your check list that will help you gain momentum to keep going.
Babylon and Zion cannot coexist.
Has public school become a modern day Babylon? Babylon is used as a symbol of the wickedness and evils of the world. Babylon is known for being a center of sin, carnality, and worldliness. More and more schools are coming out with wicked and evil teachings. Children as young as four are being allowed to choose their gender, and parents are where LGBT activists are telling parents that they cannot protect their kids from transgender ideology.
Zion is the opposite of Babylon. Zion is based on righteousness and holiness. Being of one mind and one heart.
Babylon and Zion cannot coexist.
Create an Awesome Homeschool Online Event
Do you look forward to summer with your kids or dread it?
I have found that by doing four simple things that you can create a successful summer that you and your kids can all enjoy.
Listen to today's episode to hear more.
Are you wrapping up your school year? If yes, I invite you to do a year end review. I want you to go through the questions on the podcast so you can see what is working in your homeschool and find any areas that you want to change. I go over my year with you, so you can hear what is working and what isn't working in my school.
Check out the private podcast here.
Check out the online homeschool event here.
Why don't more people change? Why do they keep habits that aren't serving them and even creating contention?
Because change is uncomfortable.
Listen to this week's episode to hear about why change is worth it and the law of creation to create the change you want.
There is one thing that I can guarantee in your homeschool and that is that at one point you will face some type of obstacle. Whether that is health, a strained relationship, or even not knowing what to teach a certain child.
Do you know what to do when an obstacle hits?
You can just throw your hands up and give up, but if you want to keep going then you need to listen to this week's episode to hear what you can do to get past the obstacle and continue in creating an amazing homeschool.
You are capable of so much more than you think you are. When you start to believe that, you will be able to do amazing things.
In today's episode, I am giving a race recap from my recent Ironman, and talking to you about the power of belief.
Everything we do is driven because of the way we think it will make us feel.
Sometimes we choose to feel good now, knowing that we will feel the discomfort later. And sometimes we are willing to feel discomfort in one area of our lives over another.
What if we were more intentional of what we were willing to feel?
Listen to today's episode to see what are you willing to feel?
How many of you worry about your curriculum? Do you stress if you are using the right books or method to teach your child?
Spoiler alert, that isn't where your focus should be in your homeschool.
If you are wanting to create an amazing homeschool that flows, you need to listen to this episode to hear the one thing you can do to help your homeschool succeed.
Today is my Brigham's 11th birthday!
This kid is an absolute joy, but when he was little he was quite the challenge. He destroyed anything and everything his path. Whether it was painting his sisters with nail polish in their sleep or running away in the night when we were all asleep.
How do you navigate life when you have a child that you don't know what to do?
Check out today's episode to hear how.
Have you ever struggled with anxiety?
So many Mamas and even children struggle with anxiety.
I want to share with you today one thing you can do that can start to help you with your anxiety. You are not going to want to miss this!
Do you ever feel like the odd one out because you homeschool? I know I have. So often we don't want to be the odd one out because we want to be a part of the tribe. We want to belong. And we are afraid that if we are different than other people then something bad will happen.
What if being the odd one out wasn't a problem? What if by you being willing to be the odd one allowed other people to do the same?
Tune in to listen to why it's ok being the odd one out.
Ticket for the live event:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/274574207847
What is some bad advice you have received? One of my favorites was about a way to keep my runaway toddler in the house. Needless to say, the advice wasn't helpful and didn't work.
I recently heard some advice at a bridal shower and instantly knew that it was some really bad advice. It is a quick ticket to causing contention and force into your marriage and/or home. The thing that surprised me was that so many people thought it was great advice.
Listen to today's episode to hear some really bad advice and what you can do instead.
Sign up for the Create an Amazing Family Event
The world feels chaotic and crazy. We've gone from pandemics to war, and sometimes it feels like the problem is too big and we are too small. What can anyone do?
If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.
Change happens in our homes, and then they ripple out into the community and the world.
Listen to today's episode to hear what you can do to change the world.
Click here to check out: Create an Amazing Family Online Event
Are you tired of feeling like your family is barely surviving? Are you tired of the complaining, the meltdowns, and the messes? I was too.
I am taking over two decades of studying about families and sharing with you how to create an amazing one. I will be hosting a webinar to give you the steps to create the family of your dreams. In the webinar, you will learn:
- The one simple thing to do each week that creates huge momentum
- How to get rid of tattle telling
- How to solve problems as a family
- And so much more!!
Click here to sign up for the webinar.
I am so excited to have Karyn Tripp on the podcast this week. She and I started Called to Homeschool together and we recorded episodes for two years. Since leaving the podcast, she has gone on to publish another amazing book. Science Art + Drawing Games for Kids.
In today's episode, you can hear all about easy ways to make science even more fun with art. You can also go to my Instagram page and enter the giveaway to win your own signed copy!
Faith is a hope in things unseen. Homeschooling your children and believing that everything will work out is a leap of faith.
I used to have a lot of the same fears that you do with homeschool.
Am I teaching my kids enough?
Will they be able to provide for themselves when they are older?
How do I teach so many kids at different levels?
As I learned to have faith, I started to see the miracles, and it was amazing.
In today's episode, I share scripture references about faith, miracles, and that with God nothing is impossible.
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. -Mike Tyson. You can plan the most beautiful homeschool, you can have supplies ready and activities planned, but what are you going to do when life punches you in the face? Things like getting sick, power outage, or even a crying baby can throw a punch right into your plan.
I want to share with you ideas of what you can do when things don't go as planned. Take time to evaluate, set floors and ceilings, and get curious if you need a day of rest. Life is unpredictable, so it's great to have a plan when things don't go as planned.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Did you know that screen time is linked to behavior issues in children? It can create children feeling anger, anxiety, depression, and troubles concentrating to name a few. But what do you do? We live in a world of screens and technology and you probably aren't going to be able to hide under a rock and avoid screens.
In this episode I want to show you a way to teach your children how to manage their screen use, and how to help empower your kids to be in charge of screens instead of screens being in charge of your kids.
Do you have a hard time making school a priority? Do you find that you just don't have enough time to teach your children and do all the things you want to do? Listen to today's episode and hear four tips of how to make school a priority.
www.coachmegthomas.com
How do you teach your children to have an extraordinary life? You show them how it's done. I have Levels of Liberty for your children, and now it's time to have it for you! Join me as I share with you ideas of how to create an amazing life by using the Successful Six.
https://www.coachmegthomas.com/work-with-me
YouTube: Levels of Liberty
It's one thing to post about your four year old having a tantrum, but it's another to show your teen having different struggles and going through a trial. Just because I don't post about my teens and their trials, doesn't mean that they are perfect. I want to share my thoughts with you today about being worried about if your children appear perfect or not.
Want to a private coaching session? Click here to book a session today
What is a closet homeschooler? It's what I was for many years. I was afraid to tell people I homeschooled, so I hid. As I reflect on my past, hiding is something that I do all too often. I hide my fails and I even hide my wins. I become afraid of what people may say about me either way. I am now embarking on a new journey and I am done hiding. I want to share with you as I am on the journey.
www.coachmegthomas.com
I know a lot of people have found it helpful when I share what we are studying for our school. We have finished up term 1 and we are now moving into term 2, so I wanted to share what books my kids will be reading for this term.
You can check out our current schedule here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/thehippiemama?listId=3CGN8700K2OPN&ref=idea_share_inf
www.coachmegthomas.com
Are any of you dreading to go to holiday parties this year because of what other people may say about you and homeschooling? Maybe you dread your aunt questioning your kids on what they know and don't know. I remember feeling that way too. I was nervous that people would think I was doing a bad job, or that maybe my kids weren't getting a good education. I want to give you some ideas of how you can navigate family and homeschooling this year during the holidays.
www.coachmegthomas.com
In the book Mere Christianity, CS Lewis tells about how if we get a little worse over time, it won't really really matter in 70 years. But if you believe in eternity, and you continue to get a little worse over time, you will eventually create an absolute hell. Our daily actions determine what path we are currently taking. Do you like the end of your path? Will your path bring you joy or put you in hell? Check out today's podcast episode to see what path you are currently taking.
www.coachmegthomas.com
The word foundation means: the lowest load-bearing part of a building. Sometimes we often feel that we are bearing a heavy load. A heavy load built upon a weak foundation will crush us. In the scriptures, we learn that in order to within stand the storm we need to build on a solid foundation. The foolish man built on sand, and his house washed away. You are going to face storms and heavy burdens, but if you can learn to be like the wise man, you will be able to weather the storm. Check out today's podcast to hear more.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Back in 1839 Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail facing a lot of difficulty. The conditions were poor and the trial seemed to be more than he could take. He asks God where is He, and why is He not helping him. Everyone has probably had their own Liberty Jail moment when the trial seems so hard and we ask God where is He, and why is He not helping. I want to share with you from the scriptures what God's answer was. How He really is always with us and how our trials shall be for our good.
www.coachmegthomas.com
You are imperfect and you have made mistakes and you will probably make more mistakes in the future. What do you do when you make a mistake? Do you sit in guilt and think that you should never make mistakes, or do you learn and grown from them? I want to teach you a simple tool to help you grow from your mistakes.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Why do so many people love watching sports? Because they love to see someone have an aim and succeed. We love seeing people run a marathon or lose extra body weight. But every now and then we find people who don't like to see people succeed. They comment negative things and try to hurt the one who has succeeded. This happened to me recently with a picture I posted, and it has made me think of everything about the picture and what those people said. Listen in to this week's episode to hear my thoughts and thoughts of having an aim.
www.coachmegthomas.com
It's getting cold here in Utah and I have been making a lot of soup. In the beginning, I needed to follow a recipe step by step to figure out how to make the soup until I felt comfortable creating my own recipes. Homeschool is the same way. Sometimes you want a recipe of curriculum that will walk you step by step of what to do. I give two suggestions for curriculum that you may like that will help those of you who are wanting more help on what to do in your homeschool.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Have you ever felt mom guilt? Feeling guilty that you work or don't work. Feeling guilty that you didn't spend enough time with your kids. Feeling guilty that you didn't teach your kids to be more independent. There are so many thoughts we have that create mom guilt. In this episode, I want to get to the root of where the thought comes from that creates mom guilt. If you ever felt mom guilt, you need to listen to this episode.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Are you ready to dive into this year's No Yell November challenge?!? I want to help as many people as possible to complete this year's challenge so I will be adding in extra videos and bonus calls to help everyone conquer the habit of yelling and learn tools of what to do instead.
www.coachmegthomas.com
My son thought that doing home MTC was going to be a negative experience, and it ended up being absolutely wonderful. How often do we think our homeschool is going to be terrible? What if instead of focusing on the negative, we thought of all the ways that it might be great?
www.coachmegthomas.com
Are you tired of yelling, but you are not sure what else to do? Do you want a deeper connection with your kids, but yelling and contention keep getting in the way? Then you need to check out this week's episode where I talk about starting on the journey of kicking the habit of yelling.
www.coachmegthomas.com
A few weeks ago a High School chemistry teacher went on a rant while a student filmed her. She threatened them and told them how their parents are dumb. More and more stories like this are popping up into the news. This episode is a little bit of me going on a rant, but also, I want to empower you to show you that you have options for your child's education.
www.coachmegthomas.com
News story: HERE
My son is leaving for his mission next week and I have been feeling all the feelings. I want to show you how to ride the wave of emotions for yourself and then teach it to your kids.
www.coachmegthomas.com
I have often said that you are not powerful enough to mess up your kid. To believe that, is to take away your child's agency. But even though you cannot mess up your child's life or ruin it, you can be their greatest obstacle.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Singing program, click HERE. Discount code: HipMama40
When you look up the word discipline you find synonyms like: punish, control, or rebuke. But did you know the origin of the word discipline is to teach? How different would your homeschool look if you used your child's behavior as an opportunity to teach instead of punish? What would you relationship look like? How would it change the mood in your home? Check out today's episode to see how you can switch from punish to teach.
www.coachmethomas.com
I thought it would be helpful to do a full episode dedicated to what we are studying this year and term in our homeschool. I also included a link to see all the books we are using. Check out the books here.
www.coachmegthomas.com
I had someone ask me the other day how do I plan to teach my four year old social skills if I don't send him to preschool? I still find this to be a ridiculous question, but I still get questions about the social so much that I feel like it needs a full episode. Get ready for me to get on my soap box and talk about social skills.
www.coachmegthomas.com
What is the first thing you have to do before you plant a garden? Prepare the soil. If you are trying to plant seeds (positive thoughts) in your garden (brain) and you haven't cleared out the weeds (negative thoughts) then your seeds can't grow. Listen to today's episode to help you learn why it's important to clear your garden and some ideas.
www.coachmegthomas.com
How do you measure your success as a parent? If your kid does something you like, are you successful? What about if they dress in clothes you don't like, did you fail as a parent? I want you to listen to today's episode to see what makes a parent successful?
www.coachmegthomas.com
My husband and I are celebrating our 21st wedding anniversary and I wanted to give you five tips to stay connected even while homeschooling.
www.coachmegthomas.com
So many of you have felt the call to homeschool, but now you aren't receiving guidance from above of what curriculum to use or what a specific child might need. If that is you, you are going to want to listen to today's episode.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Today I want to share with you all the reasons why I should have never homeschooled. You are not going to want to miss this.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Today I am interviewing my friend and client, Lizzie Langston. I wanted her to share her experience of homeschool. She has been homeschooling for 18 months and I thought it would be good to hear of some of her fears with homeschooling and what successes she has already had in those 18 months. If you are feeling overwhelmed, scared, or that you're never going to figure it out, you need to check out this episode.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Are you wondering about how long you should be doing school each day? Are you nervous if you're not doing enough or are you doing too much? Listen to today's episode to learn how long your school should be.
www.coachmegthomas.com/join
Do you want to know some of the tips to creating an amazing homeschool year?!? Of course!! Creating your homeschool year can be simple and fun when you know what it is you're trying to create. Listen to today's episode to hear tips of how you can create an amazing school year.
www.coachmegthomas.com/join
You read the title right; I have decided to leave my co-op. After an amazing experience of being with my co-op for so many years why would I ever leave it? You'll find out in today's episode.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Last week you got to listen to me interview my daughter Bella and her experiences with her homeschool. This week I was able to interview my son, Porter. I interviewed him and his experience of homeschool and heard his thoughts. I also asked him about Levels of Liberty and whether or not he thinks it's a good idea.
www.coachmegthomas.com/join
Two of my kids just graduated!! Listen in today to hear my daughter Bella's experience. Her favorite memories, and even her least favorite memories. You are not going to want to miss this!
www.coachmegthomas.com/join
Love is just a vibration in the body. However, love runs at a higher frequency which is why it feels so good. How would you show up in your homeschool day if you felt more love? You would be patient, kind, understanding, and gentle. We all could use a little more love in our lives. Listen in to today's episode to hear how you can feel more love.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Can you imagine what would happen on a plane if the flight attendants started freaking out every time there was turbulence? Most of the passengers would probably start freaking out too. Instead, the flight attendants are usually calm, and peaceful. They are trying to make sure that everyone else is ok. They are able to be a creator or peace instead of chaos in that turbulence. What would your school look like if you responded like a flight attendant instead of the panicked passenger? You are going to want to listen to today's episode to see how you can become the flight attendant.
www.coachmegthomas.com
Spoiler alert, how to be an awesome mom, tell yourself that you are an awesome mom!! Seriously, it is usually by small and simple things that great things are brought to pass and the story we tell ourselves is no different. In this episode, I am giving you five tips to really believe that you are an awesome mom.
www.coachmegthomas.com
This is a common question that I get when I am coaching. Am I doing enough? First, what does enough look like? How will you know when you've arrived? Come listen to this episode to help you get past the worry and fear if you are doing enough. www.coachmegthomas.com
I'm going to teach you the model. The most amazing tool that will give you the ability to solve any problem. Curious to see if it can work for you? Then I invite you to sign up for a free session at https://www.coachmegthomas.com/free-session and I'll walk you through it.
Big announcement in this episode!! As we all are willing to following our callings, sometimes our calling puts us on a different path. You are not going to want to miss this episode to hear about Karyn's new path.
Is your kid not liking school? Are you feeling frustrated with their lack of excitement with school? Then listen today to hear some ideas to get the spark back in your school. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/102
Are you curious what our co-op looks like? What about wanting to know what options are out there for different co-ops? In this episode, you will hear all about homeschool co-ops. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/101
Can you believe that we are on episode 100?!? We wanted to have some fun today and share some homeschool bloopers we have had. Listen in to have a good laugh at some of our bad homeschool days. See show notes at www.calledothome.com/100
You have probably heard of the hero's journey, but have you heard of the heroine's journey? This episode is inspired from Sarah Grace Live's episode, The Heroine's Journey, where she talks about the journey with being an entrepreneur. Today, we want to show you what the homeschool heroine journey's look like, and see where you on this journey. See show notes at www.calledothome.com/99
Stories help us understand things in our heart that our eyes alone cannot understand. Listen to this week's episode to be inspired of why to includes stories in your school. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/98
Detox from public school? This episode dives into what the detox phase is, what it could look like, and how to create your homeschool instead of creating public school at home. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/97
Has your kid ever told you that they hate a certain subject? Or are you worried because they aren't as excited about learning as you would hope they would be? Then you are going to want to listen to today's episode where you will learn four great tips of what to do when you start to feel that it's a problem. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/96
If your kids are struggling with anxiety, this is a great episode to listen to. Karyn's husband, Rich, a mental health therapist, gives some great advice to help you through this challenge! See show notes at calledtohome.com/95
Did you know that scientist have been able to prove that when you force learning, that it doesn't make it into your long term storage? Not only that, but as you try to force learning, it effects you as well. You are not going to want to miss this episode diving into why to stop forcing learning and what to do instead. See show notes at www.calledothome.com/94.
February is around the corner and we want to help you connect with your kids on a deeper level. We're giving you fun things you can do throughout February to help you. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/93
Are you having multiple bad days, and it feels like those days won't ever end. You are going to want to listen to this episode to hear about some ideas of helping you get through even the hardest of days. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/92
If you want something a little extra in your homeschool, check out some of the fun educational subscription boxes that Karyn recommends. It's a great way to change things up in your homeschool and make things a little more fun. Plus, it takes some of the stress of teaching off of you!
See the show notes for links at www.calledtohome.com/91
Do you ever get in the comparison trap? Do you worry that your homeschool doesn't look like it should? In this episode we talk about ways to get out of the comparison trap. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/90
Setting goals for the new year? Knowing what you want to create helps you know what path to take. If you don't know where you want to go, then it doesn't matter what you do. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/89
Charlotte Mason taught that we should educate the whole child, but how does one do that? Tune in this week to hear some helpful tips. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/88
We are diving into the Well-Educated Heart philosophy. We'll tell you what it is and how to implement it into your family. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/87
If you are looking for a great way to make learning fun AND include the holidays, you are going to want to check out today's episode!! See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/86.
We are giving away an awesome calendar full of ideas to bring your family closer this holiday season. Tune in to find out how you can #LightYourFamily. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/86
This awesome episode brings in special guest Elizabeth Little the creator of Covenant Land. Karyn worked with Elizabeth (and an amazing team of people) to create Covenant Land, a family study guide to teach families about principles of liberty, the Constitution and faith. Plus it is all a non-profit company donating all proceeds to help stop child sex trafficking. You won't want to miss this!
See show notes at http://www.calledtohome.com/84
Tune in this week to hear some great ideas of different art curriculum ideas. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/83
We're headed back to giving curriculum ideas and this week we are diving into geography. Listen in to hear ideas of how to make your geography more exciting. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/82
Recently Karyn found a journal entry from her first year of homeschooling. She realized how much she has grown and changed and we wanted to share how we have both changed from homeschooling. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/81
Your family is your business. a successful business reviews, plans, and works as a team to solve problems. Listen to this episode to learn how to apply those same principles to your family. See show notes at www.calledtohomeschool.com/80
We interviewed some of our favorite Moms to find out what curriculum they have loved and some they haven’t loved with science. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/79
We interviewed some of our favorite Moms to find out what curriculum they have loved and some they haven’t loved with math. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/78
We interviewed some of our favorite Moms to find out what curriculum they have loved and some they haven’t loved with Language Arts. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/77
We interviewed some of our favorite Moms to find out what curriculum they have loved and some they haven’t loved with history. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/76
This is a meaty episode. Karyn and Meg share some of their curriculum they have used over the years. They cover History, Language Arts, Science, and Math. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/75
The next few weeks we'll be talking about different options of curriculum. Today's guest, Maren, tells us her experience with an online option from the Family School from American Heritage. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/74
The biggest question we have received this summer is about curriculum. What is the best curriculum? What are the different homeschool styles? Listen to this episode to see if your curriculum is all wrong. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/73
We are excited to have another guest on the podcast today, Connor Boyack, who is a freedom fighter and the author of the Tuttle Twins series. He tells us why he decided to write the Tuttle Twin series, and how you can easily teach your children about government and economics. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/72
This week we get a taste of Meg's presentation for the HECOA.com conference. She talks about the importance of educating the mind, the heart, the body, and the soul. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/71
Karyn is sharing some amazing ideas of how to make your homeschool more fun, and the best part, most of her ideas are free!! See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/70
Are you concerned about your children coming across pornography? Want some tips to combat it? This episode will help you through all of your questions! Today's podcast features Rich Tripp a Licensed Professional Counselor who works with many clients struggling with these issues. He details tips for parents to help their kids avoid or overcome pornography in their lives. See show notes at http://calledtohome.com/69
There is so much chaos going on in the world right now. How do you teach your children to stand up for what they believe? See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/68
When you don't know what it is you want, then it doesn't matter what you do. Creating a homeschool vision helps you to know what to keep in your life and what it is that you can throw out. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/67
Are you ready to get your homeschool year planned? Then this is the episode for you!! Listen in to hear some great ideas of how to plan your homeschool year. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/66.
This week I am interviewing the CEO of Praxis, Cameron Sorsby. Praxis is an alternative to college. It is a year long program that mentors people to be successful in their career. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/65
Traditional schooling may not look the same this fall. Are you one of the Moms who are thinking that they may want to homeschool instead of distance learning or send your kid to school with all the CDC restrictions? If so, this episode is for you. We cover all the basics for the forced homeschooling Mom. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/64
What is it that you need? A lot of times we are struggling or overwhelmed and we forget to ask. You're going to want to listen in to hear some ideas to give you confidence to ask for what you need. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/63
This episode is in response about to the article, The Risk of Homeschooling, written in the Harvard Magazine. To say the least, we couldn't disagree with the article more. Listen in to hear our rebuttal to the article. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/62
Summer time is a perfect time to break out the games. We love mixing school up with different educational games. Listen to this week's episode to hear some of our favorites! See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/61
Today we are talking to the amazing Brooke Snow. Brooke is a habits and identity coach. She has an amazing tool called floors and ceilings. Helping you to feel successful while homeschooling, and to create momentum to become better and better. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/60
If you are homeschooling a child with dyslexia and trying to figure it all out, this is the episode for you! In this episode, Karyn is joined by her friend Paige Anderson who has dyslexia and is raising several of her own kids who also have it. She shares some amazing tips and advice to help parents out. See the show notes with resources mentioned at http://calledtohome.com/59
How to teach your kids obedience, that is the million dollar question. This episode is perfect for any mom with children. You don't want to miss it. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/58
Do you want to know a trick to make your school day go smoother? Help your kids develop a love of learning. It is a skill that will bless their entire life. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/57
This is a special episode with Meg and her oldest son, Ethan. Ethan is graduating this year, and Meg interviewed him to see what his thoughts were of his homeschool experience. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/56
Sometimes among the dirty diapers and dishes the job of motherhood can feel like an unappreciated task. We want to remind you the power of your influence in your home. You are doing amazing things!! See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/55
Homeschooling with a child with ADHD? Then you need to listen to this episode. We have different opinions of whether to medicate or not, so you'll get to hear both sides, and we hope that this episode will help you make the best decision for your family. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/54
Everyone is going to go through something hard during their homeschool journey. Whether it's a new baby, illness, or pandemic!! Listen in to some ideas of how to keep homeschooling even through hard times. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/53
A lot of us understand the importance of taking care of our physical health, but do we understand how important it is to take care of our emotional health as well? Listen in to this episode to hear how you can teach your kids about their emotional health. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/52
In this episode Karyn shares some simple science activities kids love! She also explains why science experiments are great for kids and the importance of using multiple senses in learning! See show notes at calledtohome.com/51.
When did boredom become a bad thing? In this episode, we share with you the art of being bored. Why boredom is a good thing, how to transition off of so much technology, and what to do when your kids come to you and say, "I'm bored!" See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/50
Sometimes it gets tricky to homeschool when it starts to warm up outside. Listen to this episode to find some fun ways to keep doing school with a spring/Easter theme. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/49
Connection is everything. Having a connection with our kids helps them to feel safe and helps us to homeschool without so many tears. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/48
This week we're going over some ideas if your spouse isn't on board with homeschooling. We give ideas to help if your spouse has concerns, and how you can address them. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/47
Teaching your kids great habits is going to help your homeschool run much smoother. We share five habits from Charlotte Mason, and how and why to incorporate it into your school. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/46
If you are ready to really dive into creating an amazing home, and giving your kids some skills that will bless them throughout the rest of their lives, then Levels of Liberty is for you! It's a system of teaching your kids how to govern themselves, and giving them step by step skills to reach their potential. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/45
St. Patrick's Day is coming up! In this episode we share some fun ideas of great activities you can do with your kids. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/44
This is a special episode about connecting with your spouse. It's so easy in the hustle and bustle of homeschooling to forget about dad. In this episode we're giving you four tips on how to have a happier marriage AND 14 ways to say I love you. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/43
Do you worry that your kids will miss out with extra curricular activities because they're not in the school system? Homeschoolers have tons of opportunities to get out and try different activities. Sometimes it can almost feel overwhelming because there are so many choices. Listen in as we share some ideas, and some help for you as you make the choice of how much extra curricular you want in your life. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/42
Do you get stuck in the winter blues, or need a little extra help with your school during those long, cold months? Listen in as we share some fun ideas to help make your winter a little more fun. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/41
Perfection doesn't exist. Trying to make your homeschool perfect is an easy way to get burned out. Just try to be consistent. Listen in as we give you ideas on how to get over the perfectionist trap, and why consistency will serve you over perfection. See show notes at www.calledothome.com/40
Are you feeling lost with your homeschool? In this episode we share with you Meg's new program, Mama's Members, that is a great resource for all your homeschool needs. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/39
This is a listeners request to hear about Meg's end of the term Battle of the Brains. We share what it is, why it got started, and what it looks like. See show notes www.calledtohome.com/38
We're ending the year by preparing you for the next one. This episode is a great resource of a different way to look at goals, and how to make them a lasting change. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/37
How in the world do you homeschool all December AND create a magical Christmas? You don't. In this episode, we give you permission to keep the holidays simple, and centered on Christ. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/36.
In this episode we share some of ours and our teens favorite books. From classics to popular fiction, and some stuff in-between, we cover a bunch of different styles of books that your teen readers will enjoy! See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/35
Are you ready to hear another great list of book suggestions for your tween? We each share some of our favorite books that our kids have absolutely loved. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/34
You asked for it, and so here it is!! The next few episodes are going to cover some of our favorite books for your kids to read. In this episode we share some of our favorite books for kids in Kindergarten through fourth grade. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/33.
Are you ready to join us in the no yelling revolution? Heck yes you are! In this episode we are going to talk to you about why we yell, the downside of yelling, and how you can overcome this habit. As an added bonus you can join the support group on Facebook, just look up #NoYellNovember or send Meg an email to join. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com32
Does this feel like the impossible goal, making math fun? In this episode we are going to give you some simple tips to help any child find a way to enjoy math. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/31
We have another awesome guest on the show today, Meg's husband, Johnny. He is a financial guru and is sharing some of his wisdom. He shares a couple of simple principles of finances and then we share how we teach them to our kids. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/30
How do we study religion in our homes? In this episode we talk about how we start our day with our morning devotional. How we study scriptures, and ways to help even the youngest of kids understand gospel principles. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/29
In this episode we cover some simple ways to get outside and observe nature. It doesn't have to be grand or complicated to be successful. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/28
Have you heard Meg talk about Minute With Mom and you've wondered what in the world is that? Well today, all your questions will be answered. Listen in as we talk about many different ways that you can connect with your kids throughout the school day. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/27
We have recently had several listeners ask us whether you need a High School diploma. We not only answer that question, but we open up a lot more possibilities for your High Schoolers. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/26
This episode is a bit different from the normal ones. Karyn interviews a special guest, her husband! Rich Tripp is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Certified Sex Therapist. In this episode he walks through teaching kids about sex. This is a difficult subject for many parents to tackle! In this episode we cover the importance of you teaching your own kids so they learn based on your values. We discuss the messages given in the media vs. what we want our children to understand, miseducation that happens, and what to teach at different ages. Check the show notes for a bunch of book recommendations for parents. Find the show notes at http://calledtohome.com/25
We wanted to dedicate a whole episode to the working Mom. More specifically, the mom who works outside of the home. We interview our dear friend Candace, who has a thriving photography business, about juggling homeschool, career, and everything else that Moms do. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/24
How in the world does one have microscopes, papers, pens, and books lying around the house and stay organized? Do you have to have a school room to keep your sanity? We answer all these questions and more in this great episode of getting organized. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/23
Listen in as we discuss why we feel afraid, how it can help us, or hinder us, depending on how we use it. Most Mamas feel some fear with homeschooling; having faith helps navigate through those challenges. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/22
What do you do if you have a reluctant reader? In this episode we share some great tips on how to encourage your kids to get excited about reading. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/21
What do you do when you or your kids are sick? What about if Mom or kid has a chronic illness? It is possible to homeschool through both of these. In this episode we share Karyn's story of homeschooling through cancer and share ideas of what to do on sick days. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/20
Is it possible to homeschool with a newborn or toddler? We think it is, and we will tell you why and give you some tips on how to make it work in this episode. See show notes www.calledtohome.com/19
In this episode we share some of our favorite first day of homeschool traditions. It looks a little different each year, but we like to make it special, so they feel excited about starting their homeschool year. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/18
One of the things that has helped both of us on our journey with homeschooling, is our mom support group. In this episode we talk about what a mom support group is, why having one is so important, and how to start your own. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/17
We've learned a lot over the years of homeschooling, and we've made a lot of mistakes. We share with you some of the things that we would have done differently. See show notes at www.calledtohome.com/16
Do you want to know the easiest way to connect with your kids and help them reach their full potential? Read Aloud to them! It's really that simple. In this episode we cover the importance of reading aloud, tips to make it go more smoothly, and we give you some of our favorite books. Find show notes at www.calledtohome.com/15
This whole episode is answering your amazing questions! We cover some common concerns and give some practical tips of how to be a homeschool boss. To find show notes go to www.calledtohome.com/14
Let's get raw and real. Next to socialization, homeschooling through High School usually is the 2nd biggest fear. We get it because we used to have the same fear. Listen in as we share our perspective on High School and why we feel passionate about continuing to homeschool through High School. You can find the show notes at www.calledtohome.com/episode13.
In this amazing episode we talk about the hard topics of emotions and some of the challenges that come with teaching Jr. High aged kids. We cover some of our expectations with them and ways to help them contribute to the family. We also cover how we give them a deeper education. See the show notes at www.calledtohome.com/episode12
This episode covers the broad range of Kindergarten to 6th grade. We cover our routines, the skills we try to teach, and the relationships we work on building, so they are prepared for their teenage years. Find the show notes at www.calledtohome.com/episode11
Preschoolers are so much fun to teach because they are so excited to learn. On today's episode we will share with you some great tips for teaching preschoolers as well as some great curriculum ideas. You can find the show notes at www.calledtohome.com/episode10.
It's no surprise that sometimes you are going to have a bad day, or even a really bad day. In this episode we give four different tips to help you survive the worst days of homeschooling and empower you to keep going. Find our show notes at calledtohome.com/episode9
What does school look like during the summer? Listen in to Karyn and Meg as we share our summer schedule and ways to keep learning through those months. Show notes calledtohome.com/episode8
Homeschool doesn't have to look like the school system. It can be whatever you want to create. Learning can happen anywhere or at anytime through experiences or in books. Allowing your kids to learn while following passions is a great way to give them a love of learning instead of worrying about passing a test. Find the show notes at calledtohome.com/episode7
It's easy to be so involved with parenting and homeschooling that you forget about taking care of mom. In this episode we give permission to make you a priority. You can still have hobbies, have peace amongst the chaos, take a break when needed, and remember to treat yo'self!! If you're running on empty, you won't have enough in your own tank to be the best you could be. See show notes at calledtohome.com/episode6
Do you want how to avoid mom burn out? Keep it simple! This short and sweet episode gives you five tips to keep it simple.
If you ask 100 different homeschoolers what their day looks like, you would get 100 different answers. In this episode we talk about what a typical homeschool day looks like for each of us. We also go over some of the most common methods of homeschooling. Find show notes with resources at http://calledtohome.com/episode4/
Do you need a college degree to homeschool your children? Listen as we share Karyn's perspective, who has a teaching degree, and from Meg's perspective, who doesn't have a degree. This episode is all about helping you have confidence to teach your own children, no matter what your education background is. Think of all the things you have already taught your kids how to walk, talk, and so on. And what better way to learn than to learn right with your kids? You can do this.
Join us this week as we talk about the most common fear of homeschooling, socialization. A common question asked is will my kid be socially awkward if they're homeschooled? We've got your answer! We'll also cover the reality of negative socialization common in schools; why it's important to operate out of love instead of fear, so you'll be able to find solutions instead of focusing on the problem, and ways to find opportunities to be with other families. See show notes at http://calledtohome.com/episode2
Have you been called to homeschool? So have we! Listen in as we share our stories of why we started homeschooling all those years ago. In this episode we'll discuss the importance of finding your why. You'll definitely want to remember your why on those less than glamorous days. We also go over the logistics of how to take your kid out of school. Finally, we'll cover the detox or de-school phase and give you four practical tips to feel confident.