The Homeschool How To

What happens when a former public school teacher decides she won’t send her own kids to school?

In this episode of the Homeschool How To Podcast, Cheryl sits down with Ashley Martinez—a former teacher turned homeschooling mom of two—who shares what she saw inside the classroom, why she chose a different path, and how her family makes homeschooling and working actually work.

This conversation goes beyond curriculum and schedules. Ashl...

In this episode, we step outside the traditional conversation around education and take a deeper look at something bigger—how we’re raising our kids in today’s world.

Cheryl sits down with Doug Evans, founder of The Sprouting Company, to talk about self-sufficiency, food, environment, and why more families are questioning the systems we’ve always relied on—from school to the food we eat.

They explore:

•  Why play-based learning may ...

What if the biggest problem with education isn’t your child… but the school system itself?

In this episode of the Homeschool How To Podcast, Cheryl sits down with Dr. Peter Gray, author of Free to Learn, to talk about what schools get fundamentally wrong about how children actually learn.

They discuss the hidden history of schooling, why shame and obedience are still built into the system, how kids learn to read and do math when they...

What if the problem isn’t your child—but the environment they’re expected to learn in?

In this episode, Cheryl talks with Corianda “Corey,” a homeschooling mom of six living in Spain, about raising neurodivergent kids and what happened when traditional school stopped working for her family. With three sons on the autism spectrum and experiences with ADHD, Corey began questioning whether the system was actually designed to help child...

In this episode of The Homeschool HowTo Podcast, Cheryl sits down with Stephany Rios — a homeschooling mom of five — to talk about building a business from home, navigating dyslexia, and learning to let go of school timelines.

Stephany shares:
 • The preschool bus moment that made homeschooling non-negotiable
 • Running a jewelry business while homeschooling
 • What to do when curriculum isn’t working
 • Discovering ...

What if the biggest education question isn’t “public vs. private”… but who is shaping your child’s worldview?

This week on The Homeschool How To Podcast, I’m joined by documentary filmmaker Spencer Taylor, creator of The Death of Recess (streaming on Angel Studios). Spencer shares what sparked the film—when his school eliminated recess—and how that change connected to a bigger story: the erosion of childhood, creativity, and parenta...

What happens when you stop measuring “success” by convenience—and start building your family life around your deepest values?

In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, Cheryl sits down with homeschool dad Todd Marchand, founder of Be Whole Do Good, to talk about what it really looks like to raise kids with resilience, emotional tools, and a strong sense of identity—without turning your home into a lecture hall.

Todd shares ho...

Cheryl sits down with Katie Vieira — a former 4th grade teacher turned homeschool mom — to talk about what surprised her most when she stepped outside the traditional school system. They unpack how early academic pressure has changed, why many kids feel burnout younger than ever, and how standardized testing and school accountability can shape what happens in the classroom (and the stress teachers carry).

They also dive into the rea...

What does homeschooling look like after the kids are grown — and what advice actually holds up over 25 years? This week, I bring back a favorite episode of mine to help remind me what's really important while taking this homeschooling journey. 

In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, I talk with Rosemary, a New Jersey mom of four who homeschooled all the way through high school and is now on the other side: kids launc...

I’m re-releasing this episode because it’s still one of my all-time favorites—and honestly, one of the conversations that stayed with me long after we hit stop on the recording. 

In this episode, I’m joined by Kiri Jorgensen, a former public school teacher in rural Montana and mom of four. Kiri shares what she saw changing inside the school system—from Common Core and high-stakes testing to increasing bureaucracy—and why her family ...

A former public school teacher never planned to homeschool — until COVID forced a hard reset. In this episode, Cheryl talks with Janae Daniels from the School to Homeschool Podcast about the moment everything changed: the “magical” 2020 shutdown, the surprising nudge to homeschool, and the first day that completely fell apart… until a piano tuner accidentally delivered the best real-life science lesson her kids had ever experienced...

You’ve heard it a thousand times: “But what about socialization?” “What if my kid falls behind?” “What if they only want screens?”
In this episode, I’m joined by Courtney (former teacher + school psychologist, now a private evaluator/advocate) to break down what unschooling actually is — and what it looks like in real life.

We talk about the fear parents carry when they step outside the school system, and why so many families n...

What happens when you stop accepting the “official story” and start asking better questions—about education, parenting, freedom, and the systems we’ve all been told to trust?

In this week’s episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, I’m joined by Tim (ANCAPTim)—a homeschooling dad, songwriter, and outspoken advocate of voluntary exchange, individual responsibility, and a truly free market. We talk about what anarcho-capitalism means ...

What happens when a homeschooled kid grows up, skips the “missing out” narrative, and builds a real community of motivated teens who want to create, lead, and launch?

In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, I’m joined by Malcolm—a homeschooled graduate who spent years in Classical Conversations (CC) and is now the founder of Teen Mastermind, a fast-growing entrepreneurship community for teens that’s already reaching beyond...

You know your child better than any teacher, curriculum, or system ever could — but trusting that instinct can feel scary.

In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, I’m joined by Leanne, a former classroom teacher, homeschool mom of two grown kids, and Unfold History co-creator, to talk honestly about what homeschooling really looks like over the long haul.

We dive into:

• How to know when a curriculum isn’t working — and wh...

What if one of the biggest homeschooling wins isn’t curriculum… but protecting your kids from modern pressures and modern “food”?

In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, Cheryl sits down with Patrick & Ashley—homeschool-connected entrepreneurs and the team behind Jigsaw Health—to talk about:

• Patrick’s experience being homeschooled in 7th–9th grade (and why it mattered)
• The myth of “socialization” vs. what homeschool ...

Homeschooling isn’t just about math lessons and reading charts—it’s about who gets to shape how your kids see the world.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Jonathan Newman from the Mises Institute, a homeschooling dad, economist, and libertarian who breaks down why he and his wife chose to keep their kids out of government schools, how they approach reading and “adulting” skills at home, and why there’s really no such thing as a “ne...

What happens when vaccine mandates, school regulations, and a mama’s intuition collide? In this episode, I sit down with Tiffany, a homeschool mom of almost-seven-year-old twin boys in West Virginia and an occupational therapist who now serves the homeschool community.

Tiffany shares how COVID, vaccine requirements, and a strong Christian conviction opened the door to homeschooling—not just for her twin boys, but for her stepkids to...

In this episode, I’m joined by Jem from Australia, a homeschooling mom of four navigating autism, ADHD, sensory needs, school refusal, and neurodivergent learning—and doing it all with honesty, humor, and so much heart.

Jem shares why her family left the traditional school system, how her kids went from daily meltdowns and sensory overwhelm to peaceful mornings and learning at their own pace, and why unschooling naturally became the...