Little by Little Homeschool - Homeschooling, Motherhood, Homemaking, Education, Family

When you were little and thought about what you wanted "to be" when you grew up, homeschool mom probably wasn't top of the list. Or maybe not even on the list!

But, here you are: a homeschool mom. Not only are you responsible for all the regular motherhood duties, now you've got education on your to-do list.

I totally get it. It was never a part of my plan. And yet, here I am, a homeschool mom who wouldn't trade this role for anyth...

You're probably totally on board with your homeschool not needing to resemble a public school schedule. But, you have curriculum, goals, and great ideas that you want to make sure you actually get to.

Do you need to buy a planner? Get super organized with a calendar? Write out detailed plans? Wing it every day?

Well, it really depends.

I'm sharing five options with you today. Take a few notes and then think about what you've learne...

What does it look like to change your view of learning? Most likely, you went to school. And that helped to shape your understanding of education.

But now, you're hearing people talk about school and education and how it can look different. The benefits sound just like what you'd like for your children. And you're ready to take those next steps.

You're in luck! I've got that very thing for you in today's episode.

Let's make some bi...

Every day as a homeschool mom can be full with the regular to-do list, home education, activities, experiences, meeting personal goals, and so on and so on. This requires you to be fully present and on for all that is happening in your day.

But, with a full day and many needs to meet, it can easily and quickly deplete even the most energetic homeschool mom.

To be honest, I failed in this area of having enough energy each (or most) ...

We don't have to homeschool alone. Yes, it's just mom doing the day in and day out of mothering and home educating the children.

But we can learn so much from each other. None of us will homeschool exactly the same way, but some of the best things happened in my homeschool when I learned from other moms.

Today's guest, Katie Hedrick from Joy at Home podcast is truly an encouragement to mothers. She and her husband felt the call to ...

Eek! Today is the day that I can finally spill the beans! And invite you to the very first Little by Little Homeschool Conference.

This announcement has been a year in the making when my heart first began to stir with this desire to gather together. There have been ups and downs and a lot of God telling me to wait on his timing.

And now here we are today...inviting you to join me, some amazing speakers, and other incredible homesch...

What if homeschool is also about learning how to navigate the world? I think many families are starting to realize this.

Sure, there is much to gain from curriculum, but kids are so open to learning and we can open the world to them by being intentional about teaching them life skills.

Most of us went to school and our days were filled up for all of those formative years. And then, poof...we were expected to navigate the real world...

Normally, I keep my opinions about most homeschool topics to myself because we all need to come to our own conclusions. We each need to do what is best for our child, knowing there is no right or wrong way to homeschool, as long as each family is being true to their vision and goals.

But now that we've been chatting here on the podcast for over 2 years, I thought a little candid breakdown of my thoughts on a few "controversial" hom...

As a homeschool mom, it can often feel intimidating to hear the jargon of the academic world. It can make you feel like you don't know enough to home educate your child.

I felt that same way too. And it's my goal in today's episode to give you clear explanations for skill and content subjects. Then, we'll talk more in-depth on what this looks like in your homeschool family.

Why does this matter? Because I know that your confidence ...

The first question most homeschool families ask is something about curriculum and the academic part of home education. Sure, that has it's place. But, what if it isn't the most important thing about these years with your children at home?

Today's guest, Yvette Hampton, of Schoolhouse Rocked is sharing what she discovered on her journey as a new homeschool mom. Her encouragement of shifting your why and focus, along with her candid ...

So much about homeschool has to do with our children. And rightly so. But, did you know that when homeschool parents have the right perspective, it trickles down to their children? And then homeschool becomes more enjoyable for the entire family!

One of the major sticking points for moms and dads is the relearning of what education really can be. We have years of indoctrination and conditioning to work through. But, today's episode...

24 hours in a day, 7 days a week for 365 days a year and that is a lot of time to fill up, but also not a lot of time as a homeschool mom. 

The home education of your children is a priority, but how can that fit into a family's daily life? And how does it become a center block to the day?

If we fail to plan, we plan to fail. And this is so true for homeschool. Without a plan, you simply could easily neglect and forget about your ed...

Being a stay at home homeschooling mom is a lot of fun, but it isn't without it's challenges. One of those being the keeping up with all of the chores and housework. It is never ending and can make us feel like giving up altogether.

There is hope though! And it doesn't have to be all or nothing. A manageable chore system is within your reach.

And today's episode in the back to homeschool series is all about helping you create reali...

One of your top concerns, if not the top one, is which curriculum should you use to homeschool your children? And there are a ton out there to choose from, which I'm sure you have discovered.

In this week's series all about back to homeschool, let's tackle the elephant in the room: curriculum. I have a very specific method for choosing curriculum and resources for your family and we're going to scratch the surface of that today.

Gr...

It's well known how important reading is for your homeschool children. But, as a parent, you know that each of your children is different and an individual, which comes with challenges as you home educate.

You really want them to learn to read well and enjoy reading so that they continue with it beyond their homeschooling years. But, there is also the question of what to read, when to read it, and how to go about getting better wit...

From the outside looking in, most people {homeschoolers included}, look at just the academics and measure success by that standard. But, really, homeschooling is an entire lifestyle. Every part of your life can be knit together with the home education of your children.

Sure, homeschoolers can go to college, be entrepreneurs, get great jobs, achieve levels of success. But what if, at the same time, there were lifelong benefits to th...

Ah, the age old question all moms ask themselves. Sometimes it's out loud. And other times, it's a little voice in the back of your mind.

"Is it possible to do it all?"

Homeschooling kicks this question up a notch and often leaves moms feeling defeated. And you know that isn't the right mindset to have day in and day out with your family.

Let's examine this question and I'm going to give you my honest answer. But, I promise to foll...

The concern over patience...and the lack of enough of it...holds parents back from homeschooling all the time. And once you begin homeschooling, it's what makes you question if it really is best for your children to be home with you all day.

Is it possible to grow in patience as a stay at home homeschool mom? I think it definitely is as I've seen my own level of patience increase over the years.

And I'm sharing 5 tips to help you g...

Do you ever wonder if your homeschool kids are going to turn out okay? You're on the "road less traveled," so it's easy to wonder what the outcome will be. 

Monica Swanson had a similar thought when she began homeschooling her boys. And now, she's graduated 3 from high school and is enjoying continuing the journey with her 13 year old.

From all the years of homeschooling, she has grace and wisdom to encourage the next generation of...