Homeschool Success with Kami Wanous

A mom posted, worried about her 6 year old and socialization. It's not a question I hear as often anymore, but it hasn't gone away, so this episode finally gives it a full conversation.

We walk through what socialization actually means (it's simpler and less scary than you think), and how that goal shifts depending on what season of homeschooling you're in.

Inside this episode:

• The real definition of socialization, and why it chan...

If you've ever assumed test prep is something you deal with junior year, this episode is going to shift that.

Test prep expert Leia LeMaster Horton joins us to explain why the real starting point is much earlier than most families think, why the most common tutoring method actually holds students back, and what it takes to raise a score by hundreds of points.

Inside this episode:

• Why test prep should start spring of 10th grade

• What...

Summer can feel like nothing "real" is happening in your homeschool, but this episode makes the case that it's actually showing you something important.

We talk about what happens when structure disappears for a few weeks and what that reveals about how your child thinks, learns, and engages when nobody's assigning it.

Inside this episode:

• Why structure hides what your child would choose on their own

• What their interests actually t...

Most kids will pick up basic computer skills just by living life. But there's a whole layer underneath that, problem solving, logic, design, that only comes from real computer science, and most of us were never taught it ourselves.

In this episode, Curtis Grover, a homeschool dad and computer science teacher with 11+ years of experience including AP Computer Science A, walks through what computer science actually builds in kids, how...

You chose homeschool because something about the traditional system wasn't working for your kid. But what happens when the pressure, the box-checking, and the constant pushing follow you home anyway?

This episode is about homeschool freedom — what it actually means, why fear quietly rebuilds the system you left, and how mentored ownership changes the emotional tone of your entire homeschool.

This isn't about letting kids roam f...

You've wondered it. Most homeschool moms have.

Is what I'm doing enough? Or does my child need something I can't give them?

In this episode, I'm joined by Kimberly Bennett — Licensed Professional Counselor, homeschooling mom, and founder of the Homeschool Counseling Network — to talk honestly about when outside professional support makes sense, what to look for in a provider, and why finding someone who actually understan...

Google's AI search change has been making the rounds in homeschool communities — and a lot of parents aren't sure what to make of it.

In this episode I sit down with my son Kenyon, an AI researcher and author writing a book on AI safety, to separate what's actually changed from what hasn't — and what homeschool families specifically need to do about it.

The short version? It's not the crisis some parents fear. But there a...

If writing is the subject you've been quietly skipping over, assigning without much confidence, or just hoping your kid figures out eventually… this episode is for you.

Melissa Webb — founder of Write On Webb and a teacher with 30 years of experience — joins me to talk about why writing feels so hard to teach at home, why it matters more than most moms realize, and what a clear, structured approach actually looks ...

If May wiped you out and the couch has been winning lately — this episode is for you.

The natural response to a hard season is to retract. Rest. Coast. Wait until you feel ready.

But blah has gravity. And the longer you stay in it, the harder it becomes to rebuild love of learning, energy, and momentum — before a new season even starts.

In this episode we talk about what a Love of Learning Reset actually is, why it's diffe...

If you've ever sat down to teach reading and wondered if you were doing it right — you're not alone. A lot of homeschool parents are working hard and still feel uncertain about whether their approach is actually building the foundation kids need.

In this episode, I talk with Alyssa Althouse, reading specialist and founder of Learn with Alyssa, about how reading actually works — what the brain needs, what gets in the way,...

If summer feels like an escape from homeschool… this episode is going to feel very familiar.

Most moms think they need a break from learning. But what they're actually exhausted from is managing learning — the pushing, the reminding, the carrying of motivation that should belong to their kids.

This episode is about what happens when you stop managing and start mentoring. And why summer is the perfect reset to make that s...

If reading lessons in your homeschool have started to feel like a daily battle — resistance, frustration, tears — this episode is going to feel very familiar.

I sat down with Kathy Cousineau, a Learning Disabilities Specialist with over 30 years of experience, to talk about dyslexia: what it actually looks like, why so many parents feel lost in the sea of resources, and how to find support that genuinely helps.

Inside thi...

It seems like a good plan.

Work during the day. Homeschool in the evenings. Use great resources. Stay consistent.

So why does it start to feel so hard?

In this episode, we walk through what’s really happening for working parents who are trying to “fit learning in”… and why it often leads to resistance, disconnection, and frustration over time.

Because the problem usually isn’t your effort.

It’s that ...

If you’ve ever felt like your homeschool depends on you managing everything… this episode will give you a different perspective.

After my son didn’t pass his black belt pretest, his response revealed something powerful about ownership, motivation, and what mentoring actually produces over time.

We’re breaking down the difference between managing vs mentoring—and why that shift matters if you want to rai...

If you’ve ever wondered whether screen time is helping or hurting your child’s creativity, this episode will give you a clear way to think about it.

In this conversation with STEM educator Beth Mylott, we talk about what it actually looks like to raise creative kids in a screen-filled world—without losing the hands-on learning that makes it all stick.

You’ll hear how to help your kids move from simply consumin...

Most conversations about homeschooling focus on curriculum, schedules, and academics.

But what if the most important benefits… are the ones no one is talking about?

In this episode, I’m sharing a personal story from my son’s black belt pretest—and how it revealed something deeper about what homeschooling can create over time.

We’re not just teaching subjects.

We’re shaping who our kids become.

Inside...

Learning doesn’t have to feel like a daily struggle.

If your child is having a hard time focusing, staying engaged, or remembering what they learn, it’s easy to assume it’s a motivation issue.

But sometimes, it’s something else entirely.

In this episode, I sit down with Bryan Green, from Infinite Mind, to talk about how brain health and activation impact learning—and what you can do to make learning feel ...

If your homeschool feels like school… even a little… you’re not alone.

Many parents start homeschooling to create something different—more freedom, more connection, more joy in learning.

But over time, it can slowly start to look and feel like the very thing you were trying to step away from.

In this episode, we explore why that happens—and what actually works instead.

You’ll discover the differenc...

If you’ve been wondering what classrooms are like today—or questioning whether you’re making the right choice for your child—this episode offers a clear, grounded look inside.

I’m joined by my husband, Eric Wanous, a veteran middle school teacher with nearly 30 years of experience, to talk about what’s actually happening in classrooms right now.

From screen use and attention challenges to changing ...