December 6, 2025 • 44 mins
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 too. We talk about co-ops, jujitsu, piano lessons, state requirements, and why “freedom” is the first word that comes to mind when she thinks of home education.
As an OT, Tiffany also dives into reflex integration—how primitive reflexes can affect things like handwriting, reading, attention, picky eating, emotional regulation, and why some kids “can’t sit still” no matter how hard they try. If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this just a phase, or does my child actually need help?” this conversation is for you.
In this episode, we cover:
- Homeschooling energetic twin boys with totally different strengths
- Navigating co-ops, church life, and daily rhythms in West Virginia
- How vaccine mandates and religious convictions pushed some families toward homeschooling
- The difference between classical education and programs like Classical Conversations
- West Virginia vs. New York homeschool requirements (portfolio reviews, testing, paperwork)
- What pediatric occupational therapy actually is for homeschoolers
- Reflex integration 101 and how unintegrated reflexes can show up as
- Poor handwriting
- Trouble sitting still
- Visual scanning issues when reading
- Picky eating, chewing on clothes/pencils
- Big emotions and meltdowns
- Why it’s okay to ask for help and build your “village” as a homeschool parent
Connect with Tiffany:
Facebook: The Homeschool OT, Tiffany Parsons
Other therapy resources:
Facebook: The Homeschool OT, Sarah Collins
Harkla (parent trainings): https://harkla.co/?rfsn=8716597.365cfae
Learn more about Green Ember: Helmer in the Dragon Tomb—the new prequel book from S. D. Smith—and explore the companion video game now available on Steam: sdsmith.com/helmer
Perfect for parents seeking meaningful, courage-building stories for kids ages 8–12.
📘 The Homeschool How To Complete Starter Guide
Thinking about homeschooling but don’t know where to start? Cheryl created this comprehensive guide, compiling insights from interviews with over 120 homeschooling families across the country. From navigating state laws to balancing work and home life — this eBook covers it all. Stop feeling overwhelmed and start feeling confident on your homeschooling journey.
Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast
Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to this week's episode of the Homeschool
House To.
I'm Cheryl, and I invite you tojoin me on my quest to find out
why are people homeschooling?
How do you do it?
How does it differ from regionto region?
And should I homeschool mykids?
Stick with me as I interviewhomeschooling families across
the country to unfold theanswers to each of these
(00:26):
questions week by week.
Welcome.
And with us today, I haveTiffany from West Virginia.
Welcome, Tiffany.
Thank you for being here.
Speaker (00:37):
Hello.
Thank you so much for havingme.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
So how long have you been homeschooling?
Speaker (00:42):
So this is our second official year.
I have almost seven-year-oldtwin boys in first grade.
So homeschooling is fairly newto us.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Oh my God.
I have one seven-year-old boy,and I cannot imagine him being a
twin.
Like I I was just thinking atthe dinner table a moment ago,
like, man, I wanted a boy sobad.
And I mean, two hours ago, helike flew himself off of a swing
that we have in our basement.
I had a mat under it, but thatit was not there.
(01:12):
So we did something to itbefore that.
Slammed his face onto thecement floor, the train that was
sitting next to my bloodeverywhere.
I'm like on a phone call.
My can you imagine if there'stwo of them?
Are yours tame or are they likeabsolutely insane like mine?
Speaker (01:28):
No, not tame.
Um, and they they are likemagnets to each other and they
want to constantly fight andpick.
So you can imagine how that is.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
No, I can't even, I can't even.
God bless you.
Speaker (01:44):
They are in jujitsu, and that helps tremendously.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, that might be an avenue I should explore.
Speaker (01:51):
I keep saying that we're going to, but um, I'm a
huge, huge advocate for that.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Okay, alright, awesome.
So, what even got you intohomeschooling in the first
place?
Did you always know that youwanted to do it?
Speaker (02:01):
Yes.
Ever since I was pregnant, Ijust knew that I wanted to
homeschool.
And uh my husband wasn't alwayson board initially just because
we went to public school and weturned out okay.
But just the more, you know,that I just saw and heard from
friends.
COVID was really a big catalystfor homeschool, as you know.
And I have two olderstepchildren who were in private
(02:25):
school at the time that COVIDhit, and they were pulled and
homeschooled, which we thoughtwas gonna be temporary, and then
it became just how how it was.
They never went back.
So when I had my twin boys, Iwas like, that's what I want to
do when the time comes.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
You know what I love about this story?
Because so you said yourstepkids, and I was just getting
my hair done the other day, andthe hairdresser, she was
telling me that she's gonnahomeschool her son, but her
older daughter, who is nine, shesaid, I can't homeschool her
because I'm not with the fatheranymore, and he doesn't approve
of it.
So I'm like, man, that would beso tough.
Like I haven't really thoughtabout that.
(03:04):
I a couple people havementioned, you know, being in
the parents aren't together andtrying to work it out, not work
it out, but that's gotta behuge.
So was it your stepkids, themother wanted to homeschool, and
your husband was like, okay, Iagree with it.
Or was there any pushback?
Or are you guys thinking likethis is a crazy idea?
Speaker (03:21):
No, it it was her idea to homeschool.
And like I said, initially myhusband was kind of like, Yeah,
I don't think this was gonna beuh like a full-time thing or a
or a futuristic thing.
And then we just realized howbeneficial it was, and just why
not?
When you actually think aboutit and think about when schools
were developed and and what didpeople do for school back then?
(03:44):
It just makes sense.
And just over time, it waslike, yeah, we couldn't imagine
doing it any other way.
And we are very blessed to havea wonderful co-parent
relationship, but that issomething that um both families
have to be on board for.
So I really couldn't imaginehaving that difference.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, that would be tough.
That's definitely tough.
What kind of differences didyou see in the kids?
Like as you startedhomeschooling them, you know,
the older ones, like were thereissues with social media or
bullying or anything like thatbefore?
Speaker (04:16):
No, not that we had experienced.
And again, they were in aprivate Christian school before,
but they were only in maybekindergarten and second grade.
So it wasn't, you know, theyweren't that far along.
But it just in general, I feellike kids are super tired when
they get out of school.
And, you know, if the mom's notworking and it's like you're
away from your kids, and for forwhat?
(04:38):
You know, we're there and we'rehelping with school and doing
all the things, but there's justso much valuable time that
you're missing, and you know,for what?
I I just now that I'm lookingat it through the lens that I
see it in, I can't even imagineit any other way.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah.
So I'm with you on that when Ihear people like complaining
about the school did this andthe school did that.
And I'm like, Well, you don'thave to put up with it, but it
was never in my purview tohomeschool either.
So I mean, I I would have beenthe last person.
I you know, I met myself 10, 20years ago, I wouldn't recognize
(05:15):
it.
Absolutely.
Speaker (05:17):
Yes, for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
So, okay, so you decide to homeschool the boys,
they are obviously very active.
You have them in jujitsu.
What other types of things doyou do with them throughout the
week?
Because, like, I know my son,it's like we gotta be, we can't
just be like sitting at homeevery day.
What are what is yourday-to-day look like?
Speaker (05:34):
Yeah, so we are involved in um co-ops.
So we've got a co-op that meetstwice a week.
We do a lot of play dates, alot of play dates, local parks,
um, trails.
We live in West Virginia, sothere are lots of state parks,
lots of outdoorsy things to do.
And then I have I have twins,but they are completely
opposite.
While one is very into jujitsu,and I make them both do it
(05:56):
because there's benefits, um,but the other one's not as into
it as as as one.
So his hobby is piano.
So we go to piano lessons andjust involved in a lot of church
activities as well.
So they have they get to getdrug along with moms at choir
practice and all the things.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
So well, yeah, but that's great learning experience
for you too.
That's so awesome.
And yeah, so all right, I guesslike looking at academically,
you've got two boys.
I'm trying to think of likewhen I try to like get my son,
he's at seven years old, and youknow, that is the age that a
lot of kids in school arereading.
That's been a very big hurdlefor us.
(06:35):
Cause of course I startedtrying at like age four and five
with you know a lot of pushbackand or not even pushback, it's
just like you didn't just didn'twant to.
It was just boring, you know?
Or let's sit and read a book.
So, how do you do that with thetwo boys?
Have you like fallen into thetotally unschooling approach
where like we're just gonna getto it when you guys are ready,
or have you diligently beentrying to like make this
(06:58):
seven-year-old reader happen?
Speaker (07:00):
So, like I said, they're totally opposite,
whereas one's strengthacademically is reading and the
other one's strength is math.
I do try to be a little morestructured versus unschooling,
but it's hard when they'relearning at different rates,
even in the same grade.
So, you know, as as easy as itwould be to just do one school
(07:23):
lesson for both of them, I findit more beneficial to work
one-on-one with each one,depending on what we're working
on at the time.
So, yes, reading is comingalong quicker for one than the
other, but we try to make surethat we're reading every night
before bed.
Um, either me or my husbandreading to them or having them
(07:43):
read to us, because there'sseveral benefits, even being
read to.
And uh I feel like, you know,we've gotten away from that as a
whole.
You know, we're all scrollingon our phones, so we make it a
point to read a couple pages ofa chapter book a night, and and
that's been really fun for us.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
And that's really important too.
And I I was just talking on oneof my podcasts the other day
that I'm like, you know what, Ifelt like so overwhelmed with
things that I wanted justsomething for myself.
So I was like, okay, I'm gonnaread before bed, but we all go
to bed at the same time.
So I was like, okay, what?
What can we do?
Because sometimes we like towatch Little House on the
(08:21):
Prairie as a family, but then atthat point, everyone's falling
asleep on the couch, and we'rejust like, oh my god, I gotta
get to bed.
And then by the time I get tobed, I'm like, well, I could
read a couple pages of my book,but it's hard because I'm like,
I should be reading to the kidsright now.
And so I tried to make it apoint, like, all right, let's
I'm gonna read to them in thedaytime when I know it's like
not my time, you know.
If they're this is my time toread to them, but it's funny
(08:42):
because you know, I I guess I'mtrying to think if people who
send their kids to public schoolhave this inner battle that
like us homeschooling moms do,right?
Because I'm like, we should bereading uh every single night
together and making these, youknow, memories like that.
But I'm like, well, we aremaking other memories, but it's
still right a battle.
I mean, do you find that withyourself too?
Speaker (09:01):
Absolutely.
Even the time that I'm spendingdoing cooking and laundry and
cleaning, I'm like, oh, I shouldbe spending more time with them
doing this.
But when in the grand scheme ofthings, when you look at it,
it's like I'm I have so muchmore time with them, but you do
want to make it count, make it,you know, something that they're
gonna remember.
And there's learningexperiences, even in all of
(09:24):
that.
So I am appreciative of allthat time that I've gained.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
So yeah, and I try to, you know, balance it with
that too.
Like, okay, I am getting upearly, I'm trying to get stuff
done before they wake up, butsomebody always wakes up early
and lay with them asleep.
And it's definitely hard, youknow.
It was yeah, it was almosteasier for me in that aspect
when I did go to work with anine to five and I sent my son
to daycare.
I didn't have like the guilt ofyou know, I did read to him
(09:51):
every night then because it wasjust kind of like that's the
routine that we were in.
Where now, because we do havelike the leisure of the day,
almost I find it I feel moreguilty.
But yeah, I think I had a postabout that a while ago.
Like, we have to let it gobecause the mom that you know
works and sends her kids toschool feels the guilt that
she's not with them.
The mom that doesn't work atall and is just with her kids
(10:12):
all day long feels bad that shedoesn't contribute financially
to the house.
The mom with 10 kids feels badthat she can't have one-on-one
attention with her kids, the momwith one kid feels bad that she
doesn't have siblings for thekids.
So it's like there's a wholeyeah, you gotta let the go go,
right?
Because like we're not we'renot totally gonna send them all
to therapy when they're older.
They might just need you know,a couple doctors.
(10:33):
I pray we don't.
So, all right, how how do youwork it out then when you're
doing a lesson with one?
How do you keep the other oneoccupied?
And like, are you doing thesame curriculum or do you
actually switch up thecurriculums that you do because
their learning styles are sodifferent?
Speaker (10:47):
Yeah, for now we're doing the same curriculum, but
that's always an option in thefuture to try to switch it up.
I think we can get away with itnow, with them being, you know,
so young, but definitely,definitely an option in the
future.
But yeah, like you know, onewill go play piano while I'm
working with the other, butthat's a whole other thing.
One is really sensitive tosounds, so he's got his
(11:08):
noise-canceling headphones onbecause he doesn't want to hear
his brother counting out loudwhen he's trying to do math or
whatever it is.
So sometimes we're we're allover the place.
Sometimes he locks himself inthe pantry to finish his
worksheet or isolate himself.
But yes, they are sent off todo something.
I try to keep them together asmuch as possible just because
(11:28):
that makes sense that we canjust do it all at the same time.
But it's nice to have thatfreedom to be able to pull one
aside and focus one-on-one withthem in that area and move on.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Yeah, what curriculums are you using?
Speaker (11:41):
So I'm using Memoria Press.
I've heard that one.
Yes, yeah.
And then um, like all aboutreading, all about spelling, um,
Rod and Staff for math.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
So I have not heard of that one.
Rod and Staff?
Okay, yeah.
Why don't you tell us a littlebit about the Memoria Press?
Speaker (11:59):
So it's a classical education.
Um, I really like it becausethe creator had children of all
abilities that she taught, somewith special needs, some with
disabilities.
And so it is set up in a waythat is very easy to understand,
and it moves at their pace.
(12:19):
So we don't move on until wehave completed mastery in that
area.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
And what what subject is it actually?
Speaker (12:27):
Like phonics and reading.
I'm trying to think what else.
Phonics and reading, there'sliterature, there's art.
Eventually, it gets into Latinand Greek.
So it's really focused on, youknow, historical art, classical
music, things like that.
So it is a really beautifulprogram, and I've thoroughly
(12:48):
enjoyed it.
And I know I've heard the termlike redeeming your education as
a homeschool parent.
And I feel like I'm gettingthat.
Like in first grade, I'mlearning why our grammar does
certain things that I never knewbefore.
I'm like, wow, this is amazing.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Do you remember any of them?
Because I'm always curious.
I, you know, I had that realwith Gallagher comic that was
like Dom D-U-M.
No, D-U-M-B.
And so then he framed anotherword, and yeah, and there's just
like, who came up with theserules?
Speaker (13:18):
I know.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
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Speaker (14:24):
So, like the one we're doing now is um like the soft
and hard C.
So a C is soft if it's followedby an E I or Y, like as in C T
or Scent, like the coin scent.
And then same for G, soft G, ifit's followed by an I E or Y,
like as in gym, going to the gymto work out.
(14:46):
And then the other one um thatwe were working on are the
different Y sounds.
So if it's a one-syllable wordends in Y, it says I, like as in
sky.
But if it's a two or moresyllable word, it ends in E,
like in penny.
I didn't know that.
Yeah, I just memorized thewords.
I didn't know the rules behindit.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
There is a formula.
There's a formula, it's there.
Speaker (15:12):
We just were never told.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Yeah, I was my son is actually learning that stuff
right now with uh he's usingReading Horizons, and I I kind
of threw him in the towel forteaching him to read because it
was yeah, we tried everythingand I'm like, all right, let's a
podcast guest recommendedReading Horizons.
It is online.
I was like, let's give it atry.
Whatever, it's a free trial.
And he actually didn't like it.
So I'll sit with him, or maybeI'll go get in the shower, wash
(15:37):
some dishes, and he'll just callme when he needs help, or I'll
sit with him and hear how it'sgoing.
And I'm sure it's not the bestway to do the reading
assignment.
But my husband was working in aschool the other day and he
said, Yeah, it was like a firstor second grade class, and the
teacher says, Okay, everybody,look at the screen.
And she turned on a video, anda video was teaching the kids in
the classroom how to read.
So I was like, Oh, I guess Idon't feel too bad.
Yeah.
But yeah, they were teachingthose rules too.
(16:00):
So I was wondering if you hadany like uh extras that I but
that is good that this sort ofstuff is and I wonder if he
retained that.
I should I should quiz him whenwe're done with this.
Do you find that your boys arein competition with each other?
Or do they just like they'relike, I'm I'm good that you're a
reader and I'm not, and I'mgood that you can do math?
Speaker (16:18):
Yeah, yes and no.
So it's usually like quitshowing off, or I know you're
better, but you know, leave mealone kind of thing.
But I think that's to beexpected and probably gonna be
the rest of their life.
unknown (16:32):
Yeah.
Speaker (16:32):
But I try to tell them, I'm like, listen, you two have
strengths in different areas.
So if you work together, I meanyou're gonna be strong
everywhere.
So hopefully, hopefully they'lllearn that and and utilize it
as they get older.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah.
So are you doing any of thehomeschooling with the your
stepkids?
Speaker (16:50):
So when we get um, sometimes we'll get like
spelling lists, which my husbandabsolutely loves to help them
with their spelling.
They'll quiz us first to see ifwe know the words, and they're
very difficult, even for likefifth grade.
I'm like, I cannot believeyou're already learning this.
Now they use the Becca.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
That's that's a very rigid curriculum.
Speaker (17:11):
Yes, yes.
So um, yeah, they went adifferent route, but it's it's
neat to see like the traditionalhomeschool versus the classical
homeschool and just kind of howthose are different, anyways.
So, yeah, that's usually whatthey'll bring, or they'll bring
a science or history book, butthey're old enough to where they
just read it on their own, andthere's not much hands-on
involved from us in that aspect.
(17:32):
But I know they do a lot athome on their computer several
uh hours a day.
So it is it is pretty rigid,but they're they're doing great
and they're excelling and itworks for them.
So I'm happy for that.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Oh, that's so cool.
Now, West Virginia, do you aredo you keep up with any of the
vaccine stuff that's going on?
Because I know like they theywere, let's see, they had a rel
no, they did not have areligious exemption, which
neither do I in New York.
And then like you had a newgovernor come in that gave the
religious exemption back, andthen it got ripped back from
(18:06):
them, and they're trying to getit back.
Like, do you follow any of thatstuff?
Speaker (18:10):
Yeah, so um I don't follow it super closely, but I
have friends who are affected byit.
Um, in fact, someone hadreached out to me regarding like
our co-op, and um, you know,and they actually pulled their
kids from public school over allof this because they um, you
know, they originally hadvaccines and then then decided
(18:33):
with their younger kids theyweren't doing vaccines, and
their older one that was alreadyin school had to have a booster
to stay in public school, andthey said we're not doing it,
and their religious acceptanceform was originally accepted and
then denied.
And so then they were at thestandstill.
He had already started school,established the relationships
with peers and teachers, and anddoing well, and they were like,
(18:55):
We're not gonna do the booster,so you know, can you help us?
Can you point us in the rightdirection of homeschool and
co-ops and things like that?
So that's when I was reallyeven brought aware of the issues
going on.
And I was like, Oh my goodness,I had no idea.
And I'm sure they're not theonly family who went through
that, but they had to make thedecision to pull their children
in homeschool.
(19:16):
And I think that they're soglad that they did.
Sometimes we need that littlenudge just to to do it because
we're you know, fearful ofthings that we've never
experienced before.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Yeah, a thousand percent.
I definitely lived that when Istarted going down that rabbit
hole, and I was like, Oh, Idon't, I don't think I want to
get any more of these.
And then it was like, we're ina we're in one of the five
states that you can't use anexemption form.
And I never even heard of thatbefore.
So it was like, what do youmean?
What's an exemption form?
What's a the religiousexemption?
What if I'm not religious?
(19:47):
What if I am you know whatreligion do you have to be?
How religious do you have tobe?
And it's but just thinking, Ithink we all kind of assume uh
it's mandated that all thevaccines are mandated in every
single state, and it's reallyonly five that they are.
And then it was like, okay, Iguess I guess we're gonna have
to homeschool, or we could drivethem to Vermont.
Maybe we're not too far fromthere.
(20:07):
But now that we'rehomeschooling, I'm like, oh my
God, that was just one smallreason for like way more, way
more reasons.
And I mean, I can get into allof them.
Like, even just, you know, theone that you never really hear
talked about, but the shelter inplace drills.
I can't get over how traumaticthat is.
Like the trauma that that'sgiving a child to let it all
(20:30):
have shelter in place, notbecause there might be a
hurricane.
I mean, that's scary enough asit is, but it's like yeah, but
because your peers might comeand shoot you, like that's
freaking terrifying.
Yeah.
Like they have to do them allthe time.
I've had resource officers onthe podcast before talk about
like who homeschool their kidsand they're like, Yeah, we have
to do this in school, it'sterrible.
(20:52):
But yeah, and the food in thesystem.
Did you have like any onereason that really stuck out to
you before they all startedsnowballing?
Speaker (21:00):
No, no specific reason that I can think of that stuck
out.
But like you said, once youstart researching and it's like
you you gain that knowledge, youyou can't unsee the things that
you see.
And it's like, like I said, Ican't even imagine putting my
kids in public school now.
Um, yeah, it's just all thethings like I don't want
(21:21):
somebody else educating my childand telling them what to
believe as far as religion doesgo about uh creation, about you
know, that's my job, and I am,you know, just putting them out
there for like spiritual warfarethat they're they're not
they're not supposed to do thatat that age, you know.
(21:42):
That's not school's not likethe evangelism field for for a
young Christian child.
So just those religious reasonswere really big for me.
Like I wanted to protect mychildren and their innocence.
And I guess one big thing wouldbe just the access to um the
internet that other children mayhave and expose my children to.
(22:04):
Yeah.
Um, that's that's a big one forme.
That's something we didn't havewhen I was growing up.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Just so they could just be on the bus or at lunch
time.
Yeah, I agree.
And yeah, that's a big evenwith family members, you know,
cousins and stuff, it's like athing, uh my son was at the
neighbor's the other day, andI'm like, I don't even know.
Like, I can't be a helicopterparent, but I don't know what
they're doing there.
It's it was a very weirdfeeling because at seven, I
(22:32):
mean, it's kind of like the agewhere they want, you know, I'm
going to the neighbor's house.
It's right there, going in hishouse, and the neighbor comes
here all the time.
So it's like, yeah, whywouldn't I let him go?
But there was that feeling oflike, what is he getting exposed
to?
And yeah, exactly.
And now it's it doesn't evenhave to be like, hey, we're
going on to a nude site oranything.
(22:54):
It's just an ad that pops up orthe next thing you scroll.
Speaker (23:00):
Yeah, even not being in public school, it's happened to
us from an ad that just pops upand you know, or a video that
just rolls into the next one.
Yeah, literally, yeah, causethem nightmares.
And I'm like, my goodness, andyou know, we're doing the best
that we can.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Well, yeah, you make a good point because we watch
Little House on the Prairie onthe Peacock app, and it's like
it's come on, this is a familyshow, and the first commercial
on the commercial break is somehorror movie with like, oh, the
predator.
It's not even just like a scarypredator, it's like all these
scary things in it with eyesgouging out, and I'm like, oh my
(23:36):
god, my kids are shieldingtheir eyes.
Yes, it's like what is goingon?
And then every other commercialis just for a drug and all the
symptoms that that drug is goingto give you.
Yes, that sums it up.
It's it's interesting too whenyou brought up like being
religious and sending your kidsto school, because when I think
about like what is acceptable inschool today, too.
(23:58):
I mean, you know, you can be acat, you can be the opposite
gender, yeah.
Everybody will go along withit, everyone's sensitive to how
you feel.
But if you're a Christian intoday's day, we can't talk about
God.
If we're gonna have Christmasstuff up, it can only be of like
a reindeer or a snowman.
It can't or no, not evenreindeer, it can only be of a
snowman, it can't be anythingthat is like Jesus, you know,
(24:22):
representing.
Why do you think that is?
Like, what is going on?
Speaker (24:25):
Well, because the world is ran by the God of this age,
lowercase g, and he hates thetruth.
So I feel like this target justgets put on us.
Like everyone's welcome exceptChristians, and and that's you
know, for anywhere, like at theschool, at Starbucks.
It's like, you know, we're allinclusive, but when a Christian
(24:45):
comes in or speaks up, you're nolonger included because we get
tagged as exclusive.
And there's just thatmisconception because you know,
people don't like the truth, andyou know, we're the only
religion that's the truth, soit's tough.
And I feel like when you'reputting them out there in a in a
world of you know, of mixedbeliefs, that's only gonna make
(25:09):
it worse.
That target on you, it's hardto to stand firm when you're
surrounded by by darkness.
It's easier to be drugged downthan brought up, honestly.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
Yeah, and when you think about your kids struggling
with the questions of life andwho they're around all day,
they're around the teachers,they're around their friends,
and you don't know what is goingon in the homes of those kids.
So it's like, what are theygetting?
And yeah, we really don't thinkabout that a whole lot, but
it's huge.
That is huge, right?
Speaker (25:37):
Yeah, and my husband always says, we can't unsee what
we've seen, we can't unhearwhat we hear.
And if you think about it,seven, eight hours on a bus and
uh on the playground at lunch,they're just being filled with,
you know, who knows what.
And um, you know, like I said,we went through it and we
survived, but um, there's justso much evil out there, and uh,
(26:00):
if if I can do anything toprotect my children and I'm in a
position to, I'm I'm gonna dothat.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Yeah, absolutely.
So you were talking about howyou did classical conversations
and and um, or no, I'm sorry, aclassical education, but that's
different than classicalconversations.
Somebody explain that for me.
Okay, so can you kind of youyou did break down, you know,
that it was getting into theLatin and the Greek and lots of
art history and stuff, but howare the two of them different?
(26:28):
The classical education versuslike I know classical
conversations is more like maybea group that gets together and
does a lot of people.
Speaker (26:36):
I believe so.
Okay, yeah.
Um, I so I looked intoclassical conversations.
We never did go that route.
It sounds like you do your owncurriculum for major subjects,
but there's certain ones thatthey cover when they meet.
And yeah, I don't know thedetails to answer that question.
They are different than whatyou're talking about.
(26:56):
Yes, they are different.
They they do learn.
I think there's certain liketiers that you go through, and I
think it's based on your grade.
Um, but there's certain songsthat they sing, there's lots of
memorization, it builds on eachother.
It goes along with theclassical concept, but um, yeah,
it's it is a structured entityof its own that we never got
into, but yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Oh, nice.
All right, so then what sort ofreporting do you have in West
Virginia for homeschool?
Speaker (27:23):
So we have to do a portfolio every year, but you
only submit it after secondgrade, fifth grade.
I can't remember the others.
Or in those specific grades,you have an option to test.
So then you have to test andsend in the test results.
So one or the other, you haveto do a portfolio review through
a certified teacher or do testthe testing and send that into
(27:45):
the board of education.
But every year we get portfolioreviewed and we have to keep
that for so many years, three.
I think.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
What do you mean you get portfolio?
Like, do you you do submit itevery year?
Speaker (27:55):
Um, you only submit it on certain years, like second
grade and fifth grade, but uhwe'll do one every single year
and just have it on file in casewe were audited, but we do not
have to submit it until thosecertain grades.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Gotta love that.
Do it in case you're audited.
Yeah.
Okay, so what does theportfolio look like?
Like, is it literallyeverything you do all year long
or is it a summary?
Speaker (28:17):
So um we I keep everything we do all year long
because we have to prove that wecompleted 180 day days of
instruction.
So we keep all the worksheets,we put the date on them because
again, if we were to be audited,we would have to prove that we
did instruction for 180 days outof the year.
So that's how I personally doit.
(28:39):
And I just have three ringbinders for each child, like the
thick three-inch ones, and justany worksheet I have, I just
whole punch it and put it inthere.
But some people like if you dida more unschooling approach and
you don't have the worksheets,I think some people would take a
picture of their scienceproject or their artwork or
whatever to have that availablefor their portfolio.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Gotcha.
Okay.
It's vastly different than whatwe have to do in New York,
honestly, because we have tosubmit in the beginning of the
year a letter of intent.
I intend to homeschool, andthen you have to submit your
IHIP, which is an individualizedhome instruction plan.
And you have to like kind ofask about what you plan to do
for the year, and then each andwhat days you are going to
(29:24):
submit your report.
Then when your report is dueevery quarter, you have to kind
of say what you did and how wellthey did in it.
Are they progressing or needimprovement?
Um end of the year, you have todo a written evaluation of your
child.
I mean, it sounds morelaborist, I guess, than it is.
It's more remembering thedates.
Like I I did mine this morningand I'm talking into Chat GPT,
(29:47):
going through my pictures in myphone, and they're going through
our library, like the app thatsays what books we've checked
out the last three months, andreading that.
I'm like, okay, this is theseand and they actually write down
like 17 subjects that we haveto do.
It's it's insanity.
It's like some of them are likepatriotism.
I'm like, they don't even learnthat in school.
(30:08):
What are you talking about?
There's a patriot in school,but uh mic safety, fire safety,
and geography and US history,and like it's it's really
bizarre.
I'm like, where did I come upwith this stuff?
But and then at the there aregrades that you will have to
take a test at the end, or Ithink you can have a like a
certified teacher, like yousaid, do an evaluation for
(30:30):
those, but I think it's everyother year in middle school and
every year in high school thatyou have to start submitting
test scores or that evaluationfrom a certified teacher.
So they really try to not getyou to homeschool, and yeah, and
they take took away thereligious exemption.
So yeah, they don't wanthomeschoolers, but I think it's
made more homeschoolers, right?
Speaker (30:48):
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah, that's that's crazy.
I didn't realize until I gotstarted that every state had
different regulations.
I had no idea.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Some have nothing, some states you don't even have
to tell the school that you'rehomeschooling, or that's all you
have to do is just tell them,hey, we're homeschooling, we're
alive, and that's it.
Speaker (31:08):
Wow, yeah.
We did we did have to send anotice of intent upon entering
kindergarten.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
But that's a kindergarten too, huh?
Speaker (31:15):
Yeah.
When they started, I sent thenotice notice of intent, and
that was it.
Now I'd imagine if you pulledout from public school, you
would have to do the same.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
Thinking about homeschooling, but don't know
where to start?
Well, I've interviewed a fewpeople on the topic, actually
120 interviews at this pointwith homeschooling families from
across the country and theworld.
And what I've done is I'vepacked everything I've learned
into an ebook called TheHomeschool How to Complete
Starter Guide.
From navigating your state'slaws to finding your
homeschooling style, fromworking while homeschooling to
(31:46):
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This guide covers it all withreal stories from real families
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I've taken the best insights,I've had the best resources, and
put them all into this guide.
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Get your copy of the HomeschoolHow to complete starter guide
today and discover thathomeschooling isn't just about
education.
(32:06):
It's about getting what youwant out of each day, not what
somebody else wants out of you.
You can grab the link to thisebook in the show's description
or head on over tothehomeschoolhowto.com.
So, what are your long-termgoals for your sons?
Like, do you see them stickingwith homeschooling the whole
way?
Are you thinking about likecollege and how would you
(32:27):
prepare them for that in thisever-changing world of AI and
all that stuff?
Like, what does that look likefor you?
Do you do you think thatthey'll ever resent you for
keeping them home?
Speaker (32:36):
No, they understand, even at, you know, they're six,
there'll be seven this month.
We're very open about, youknow, the options of public
school and you know, privateschool.
And they're like, we are gladthat we don't have to get up in
the morning and we are, youknow, at a certain time and be
away from home for six and sevenhours because we explain that
(32:58):
to them.
Oh, this is what it would looklike if we didn't choose this
route.
And we love you so much thatthis is what you know we're
gonna do.
So yeah, they understand, butthat's my goal is to have them
homeschooled all through highschool.
And I think it's there's thisfear in my mind, like I'm not
gonna be able to teach them wellenough, despite the fact that I
have my master's degree and Iwent through high school and I
(33:21):
went through, you know, allthese things.
But again, there's resourcesout there.
There's, you know, there'sonline classes, even through
like say Memoria Press.
Um, they have a Latin school inKentucky, I believe, and
there's online courses, and samefor college.
And I'm not even going to pushcollege on them unless they have
(33:41):
a desire to further theireducation through college.
But we see the benefits ofknowing a trade and starting
your own business.
That is absolutely going to bean option because my even my
husband said, I wish I wouldhave learned a trade or
something that would have beenuseful.
He works at a hospital and he'san MRI technician.
And even though, you know,that's a good job, it's it's
(34:04):
just, you know, it's notpractical, it's not something he
can come home and do, run anMRI machine.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Like you're you don't have an MRI machine at home
that's gonna break.
And but yeah, you're right.
No, you're definitely right.
My husband has been in thetrades for over 20 years, and
I'm like, well, then you need tostart your own business.
That's beside the point.
But I'm like, we should bebuying investment properties to,
you know, because you can fixeverything.
(34:30):
Because once you know onetrade, you kind of know them all
because they do all necessarilyyou don't excel in them all,
but you're familiar with themall because they all integrate.
And I'm like, We could like beflipping houses.
He's like, Okay, you mean Icould be flipping the houses and
you're like telling me what todo.
I was like, the world needsmore of this.
Speaker (34:49):
Yeah, 1000%.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
I agree with you.
You know, I think the collegething is it's gonna look so
different when our kids are 18years old, people are waking up
to it.
Speaker (35:00):
Right.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
So, what else is going on?
What um made you kind of wannalike come on the podcast and
share your story withprospective homeschoolers,
current homeschoolers?
Speaker (35:10):
So um, when I started homeschooling the boys last year
for kindergarten, I quitworking in my outpatient job.
Um, I'm an occupationaltherapist.
So then I switched gears and Ifelt like I have a lot of
knowledge that would really helpthe homeschool community
because oftentimes when you arehomeschooling and your child
(35:31):
needs help, we don't really seeit.
You don't have those extra eyesto say, so-and-so is struggling
with sitting or with reading orwhatever.
Um, that's just how it is thatyou know, you make adaptions as
needed at home, but you don'tunderstand what is out there
that could actually help themwith their learning.
So, anyways, I just I was like,you know what?
(35:51):
I'm gonna be the homeschool OTand I'm going to um, you know,
just help everybody.
That was kind of my goal.
I had big goals when I firststarted.
And so as I started um myFacebook page and just putting
things out there, I believe yourpodcast just kept popping up
because we had that homeschoolin general in our even in our
(36:13):
names.
So I was like, I think I mighthave reached out like before
summer, and I know everyone'sschedules are so busy.
So that's you know, I've kindof just been out there trying to
promote like what occupationaltherapy is because initially I
thought I'm gonna treateveryone, and then I realized no
one knew why they needed treatit.
So I had to back up and switchgears and say, okay, now I'm
(36:36):
gonna educate everyone on whatOT is and how it can benefit.
And, you know, hopefullysomething will take off
eventually.
Um, I do a lot of in-servicetrainings for parents at co-ops.
I've actually popped into a lotof private Christian schools to
educate the teachers on whatthey can do in a classroom
setting to help students, butthere's just limited resources
(36:58):
for the homeschool community ingeneral.
So that's kind of been my goal.
And even as a practitionerindependently, I only do cash
pay.
I don't go through insurancebecause I don't want them to
tell me how to treat the child.
Yeah.
So that's a whole nother thingin and of itself.
But it's been really nicebecause I can, you know, be very
(37:19):
flexible in my schedule.
My main goal is to be home andto homeschool my children.
But when I'm given theopportunity to educate someone
on what occupational therapy isand how it can help um their
child and their family, it isjust it's so rewarding.
And uh, I don't think I canever fully give that up.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
So, yeah, explain to me then like how would I know if
my child needed occupationaltherapy?
Because what I'm thinking ofwhen you say that is okay, if I
had a stroke, you would help melearn how to walk and talk
again.
Yeah.
Speaker (37:52):
Yeah.
So there is that misconceptionoftentimes because you hear
occupational, you think of a jobor you know, daily living, like
for an adult being independent.
But a child's occupation as aninfant and even as a toddler,
it's to survive, it's to meetdevelopmental milestones.
And then when they get toschool age, it's to be a
student.
And so if there's ever anystruggles in anything that
(38:14):
occupies your time, it wouldwarrant occupational therapy.
So if they're struggling withattention, with um sitting
still, with uh being a pickyeater, that's a big one I see
with reading, writing,handwriting is always a big one.
Those are all reasons why achild would benefit from
occupational therapy.
Honestly, I think every childshould get OT.
(38:37):
I think I need OT.
There's, I mean, thepossibilities are just endless.
Um, and it's just it's a gamechanger, honestly, for for these
kiddos.
Even just little details thatyou could change about your
routine or about a piece ofadaptive equipment that helps,
you know, school go better oremotional regulation.
Yeah, every area of lifeliterally can be affected and we
(39:00):
can treat because you know, welook at a person as a whole.
So yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
That's so interesting.
Yeah, I mean, there there'sdefinitely so many people
probably that would never eventhink, you know, with the
handwriting, especially, likewell, it'll just come one day
and no, yeah, maybe there'ssomething you could do to fix it
now, and then it would makeeverything easier.
What are some like tips ortricks for the handwriting or
even the sitting still?
Speaker (39:24):
Yeah, so I actually specialize in what's called
reflex integration.
So our reflexes are actuallydeveloped and formed in utero to
help with the birthing processand then to help with survival,
and then they help with meetingdevelopmental milestones.
And in meeting the milestones,you're maturing the reflexes,
(39:44):
the primitive ones, lifelongones.
But if babies skip a milestone,sometimes they'll have an
unintegrated reflex that lateraffects their visual scanning or
their ability to cross midlineto read and write.
There's Reflexes on the backthat if immature, they're
sensitive.
So the back of the chair oryour clothing set them off.
(40:08):
So now we're not able to sitstill.
There's reflexes in our handsthat are directly tied in with
our mouth.
We see this because infantsneed the breasts to get milk.
Okay.
So if that reflex is immature,we see a lot of putting non-food
objects in our mouth, chewingon pencils, chewing on our
shirt.
Those are the kiddos we seewhen they're using scissors.
(40:29):
Their mouth will mimic whattheir hands are doing.
So they're going, okay, we seespeech delays when this reflex
is not integrated properly.
We see very picky eaters.
There is just so much, so much.
And um, yeah, I just want totell the world.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
So, what should we do if we have these concerns?
Tell us where we can find you.
Speaker (40:49):
So I'm um on Facebook is probably the best place you
can find me under the homeschoolOT Tiffany Parsons.
I try to post um just anythinghelpful.
I'll share some local thingshere in West Virginia.
I'll share tips and tricks thatyou can do at home.
I am an affiliate for a companycalled Harkla, and they do a
(41:12):
lot of education for parents aswell as teachers and therapists,
and that you can actually takethe courses and learn about
these reflexes and implementthem at home.
So you don't have to go to anoccupational therapist if you
don't want to.
And so that's like a nice, youknow, little educational thing
you can do at home from yourphone.
(41:34):
If therapy's not a resourcearound you, obviously not
everyone's going to feelcomfortable and would rather go
to a therapist.
Even for me, I know that my ownchildren don't let me treat
them.
I had to send them to mycoworkers at the time.
So I get that it's not idealfor everybody.
But if you can find an OT inyour area, especially one that
(41:55):
specializes in reflexes, becausewhen you address the reflex,
you are addressing the childfrom the inside out.
Your reflexes are thefoundation to your central
nervous system.
It's the pathway in which wetake in information and get a
response.
So when something's off, ifthere's a detour, something's
blocked, we're gonna getreactions we don't want to see,
(42:17):
which is not sitting still,which is big emotional outburst,
things like that.
So if we can address theinside, it will help them
forever.
Whereas places that don't lookat reflexes and just treat you
superficially, like you like toswing, we're gonna swing you,
and it helps them, but they'regonna need swung again next week
(42:38):
and the week after.
That's more of a moresuperficial treatment because
we're just we're giving the bodywhat it needs, but we're not
fixing why it needs that, ifthat makes sense.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
Yeah, totally.
I never thought about thatbefore.
So now you've opened the doorhere.
You've opened the game.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Well, I'm gonna put all ofthose links in the show's
description so people can findyou on Facebook, they can find
the Harkla that you work withand be able to check that out on
their own.
So thank you so much.
Is there anything else that youwanted to leave us with?
Speaker (43:10):
No, I just um I really encourage people to look into
why they're homeschooling, thethe why behind it, and just
realize the freedom that theyhave behind it.
That's just the word that comesto mind when I think of
homeschool.
The freedom to um just explorethe world.
I love going places in themiddle of the day, and we have a
(43:30):
whole place to ourselves.
It's just so liberating.
So, anyways, I just wouldreally encourage people to look
into that and don't hesitate toreach out if you feel like your
child might need help with umsomething.
If they're if they're having astruggle or challenge, it's
okay.
It's okay to ask for helpbecause we all need a village
and um there are resources outthere.
(43:51):
Sometimes you gotta look alittle harder than others, but
um, there are resources outthere and there's people that
are willing to help.
So I hope that you know thatthat's an encouragement to
somebody to to do that.
Speaker 1 (44:02):
Thank you so much, Tiffany.
Thank you for being here today.
Sharing meaningful information.
Speaker (44:07):
Of course.
Bye.
Speaker 1 (44:12):
Thank you for tuning in to this week's episode of the
Homeschool How To.
If you've enjoyed what youheard and you'd like to
contribute to the show, pleaseconsider leaving a small tip
using the link in my show'sdescription.
Or if you'd rather, please usethe link in the description to
share this podcast with a friendor on your favorite homeschool
group Facebook page.
Any effort to help us keep thepodcast going is greatly
(44:34):
appreciated.
Thank you for tuning in and foryour love of the next
generation.
Welcome to this week's episode of the Homeschool
House To.
I'm Cheryl, and I invite you tojoin me on my quest to find out
why are people homeschooling?
How do you do it?
How does it differ from regionto region?
And should I homeschool mykids?
Stick with me as I interviewhomeschooling families across
the country to unfold theanswers to each of these
(00:26):
questions week by week.
Welcome.
And with us today, I haveTiffany from West Virginia.
Welcome, Tiffany.
Thank you for being here.
Speaker (00:37):
Hello.
Thank you so much for havingme.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
So how long have you been homeschooling?
Speaker (00:42):
So this is our second official year.
I have almost seven-year-oldtwin boys in first grade.
So homeschooling is fairly newto us.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Oh my God.
I have one seven-year-old boy,and I cannot imagine him being a
twin.
Like I I was just thinking atthe dinner table a moment ago,
like, man, I wanted a boy sobad.
And I mean, two hours ago, helike flew himself off of a swing
that we have in our basement.
I had a mat under it, but thatit was not there.
(01:12):
So we did something to itbefore that.
Slammed his face onto thecement floor, the train that was
sitting next to my bloodeverywhere.
I'm like on a phone call.
My can you imagine if there'stwo of them?
Are yours tame or are they likeabsolutely insane like mine?
Speaker (01:28):
No, not tame.
Um, and they they are likemagnets to each other and they
want to constantly fight andpick.
So you can imagine how that is.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
No, I can't even, I can't even.
God bless you.
Speaker (01:44):
They are in jujitsu, and that helps tremendously.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, that might be an avenue I should explore.
Speaker (01:51):
I keep saying that we're going to, but um, I'm a
huge, huge advocate for that.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Okay, alright, awesome.
So, what even got you intohomeschooling in the first
place?
Did you always know that youwanted to do it?
Speaker (02:01):
Yes.
Ever since I was pregnant, Ijust knew that I wanted to
homeschool.
And uh my husband wasn't alwayson board initially just because
we went to public school and weturned out okay.
But just the more, you know,that I just saw and heard from
friends.
COVID was really a big catalystfor homeschool, as you know.
And I have two olderstepchildren who were in private
(02:25):
school at the time that COVIDhit, and they were pulled and
homeschooled, which we thoughtwas gonna be temporary, and then
it became just how how it was.
They never went back.
So when I had my twin boys, Iwas like, that's what I want to
do when the time comes.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
You know what I love about this story?
Because so you said yourstepkids, and I was just getting
my hair done the other day, andthe hairdresser, she was
telling me that she's gonnahomeschool her son, but her
older daughter, who is nine, shesaid, I can't homeschool her
because I'm not with the fatheranymore, and he doesn't approve
of it.
So I'm like, man, that would beso tough.
Like I haven't really thoughtabout that.
(03:04):
I a couple people havementioned, you know, being in
the parents aren't together andtrying to work it out, not work
it out, but that's gotta behuge.
So was it your stepkids, themother wanted to homeschool, and
your husband was like, okay, Iagree with it.
Or was there any pushback?
Or are you guys thinking likethis is a crazy idea?
Speaker (03:21):
No, it it was her idea to homeschool.
And like I said, initially myhusband was kind of like, Yeah,
I don't think this was gonna beuh like a full-time thing or a
or a futuristic thing.
And then we just realized howbeneficial it was, and just why
not?
When you actually think aboutit and think about when schools
were developed and and what didpeople do for school back then?
(03:44):
It just makes sense.
And just over time, it waslike, yeah, we couldn't imagine
doing it any other way.
And we are very blessed to havea wonderful co-parent
relationship, but that issomething that um both families
have to be on board for.
So I really couldn't imaginehaving that difference.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, that would be tough.
That's definitely tough.
What kind of differences didyou see in the kids?
Like as you startedhomeschooling them, you know,
the older ones, like were thereissues with social media or
bullying or anything like thatbefore?
Speaker (04:16):
No, not that we had experienced.
And again, they were in aprivate Christian school before,
but they were only in maybekindergarten and second grade.
So it wasn't, you know, theyweren't that far along.
But it just in general, I feellike kids are super tired when
they get out of school.
And, you know, if the mom's notworking and it's like you're
away from your kids, and for forwhat?
(04:38):
You know, we're there and we'rehelping with school and doing
all the things, but there's justso much valuable time that
you're missing, and you know,for what?
I I just now that I'm lookingat it through the lens that I
see it in, I can't even imagineit any other way.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah.
So I'm with you on that when Ihear people like complaining
about the school did this andthe school did that.
And I'm like, Well, you don'thave to put up with it, but it
was never in my purview tohomeschool either.
So I mean, I I would have beenthe last person.
I you know, I met myself 10, 20years ago, I wouldn't recognize
(05:15):
it.
Absolutely.
Speaker (05:17):
Yes, for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
So, okay, so you decide to homeschool the boys,
they are obviously very active.
You have them in jujitsu.
What other types of things doyou do with them throughout the
week?
Because, like, I know my son,it's like we gotta be, we can't
just be like sitting at homeevery day.
What are what is yourday-to-day look like?
Speaker (05:34):
Yeah, so we are involved in um co-ops.
So we've got a co-op that meetstwice a week.
We do a lot of play dates, alot of play dates, local parks,
um, trails.
We live in West Virginia, sothere are lots of state parks,
lots of outdoorsy things to do.
And then I have I have twins,but they are completely
opposite.
While one is very into jujitsu,and I make them both do it
(05:56):
because there's benefits, um,but the other one's not as into
it as as as one.
So his hobby is piano.
So we go to piano lessons andjust involved in a lot of church
activities as well.
So they have they get to getdrug along with moms at choir
practice and all the things.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
So well, yeah, but that's great learning experience
for you too.
That's so awesome.
And yeah, so all right, I guesslike looking at academically,
you've got two boys.
I'm trying to think of likewhen I try to like get my son,
he's at seven years old, and youknow, that is the age that a
lot of kids in school arereading.
That's been a very big hurdlefor us.
(06:35):
Cause of course I startedtrying at like age four and five
with you know a lot of pushbackand or not even pushback, it's
just like you didn't just didn'twant to.
It was just boring, you know?
Or let's sit and read a book.
So, how do you do that with thetwo boys?
Have you like fallen into thetotally unschooling approach
where like we're just gonna getto it when you guys are ready,
or have you diligently beentrying to like make this
(06:58):
seven-year-old reader happen?
Speaker (07:00):
So, like I said, they're totally opposite,
whereas one's strengthacademically is reading and the
other one's strength is math.
I do try to be a little morestructured versus unschooling,
but it's hard when they'relearning at different rates,
even in the same grade.
So, you know, as as easy as itwould be to just do one school
(07:23):
lesson for both of them, I findit more beneficial to work
one-on-one with each one,depending on what we're working
on at the time.
So, yes, reading is comingalong quicker for one than the
other, but we try to make surethat we're reading every night
before bed.
Um, either me or my husbandreading to them or having them
(07:43):
read to us, because there'sseveral benefits, even being
read to.
And uh I feel like, you know,we've gotten away from that as a
whole.
You know, we're all scrollingon our phones, so we make it a
point to read a couple pages ofa chapter book a night, and and
that's been really fun for us.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
And that's really important too.
And I I was just talking on oneof my podcasts the other day
that I'm like, you know what, Ifelt like so overwhelmed with
things that I wanted justsomething for myself.
So I was like, okay, I'm gonnaread before bed, but we all go
to bed at the same time.
So I was like, okay, what?
What can we do?
Because sometimes we like towatch Little House on the
(08:21):
Prairie as a family, but then atthat point, everyone's falling
asleep on the couch, and we'rejust like, oh my god, I gotta
get to bed.
And then by the time I get tobed, I'm like, well, I could
read a couple pages of my book,but it's hard because I'm like,
I should be reading to the kidsright now.
And so I tried to make it apoint, like, all right, let's
I'm gonna read to them in thedaytime when I know it's like
not my time, you know.
If they're this is my time toread to them, but it's funny
(08:42):
because you know, I I guess I'mtrying to think if people who
send their kids to public schoolhave this inner battle that
like us homeschooling moms do,right?
Because I'm like, we should bereading uh every single night
together and making these, youknow, memories like that.
But I'm like, well, we aremaking other memories, but it's
still right a battle.
I mean, do you find that withyourself too?
Speaker (09:01):
Absolutely.
Even the time that I'm spendingdoing cooking and laundry and
cleaning, I'm like, oh, I shouldbe spending more time with them
doing this.
But when in the grand scheme ofthings, when you look at it,
it's like I'm I have so muchmore time with them, but you do
want to make it count, make it,you know, something that they're
gonna remember.
And there's learningexperiences, even in all of
(09:24):
that.
So I am appreciative of allthat time that I've gained.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
So yeah, and I try to, you know, balance it with
that too.
Like, okay, I am getting upearly, I'm trying to get stuff
done before they wake up, butsomebody always wakes up early
and lay with them asleep.
And it's definitely hard, youknow.
It was yeah, it was almosteasier for me in that aspect
when I did go to work with anine to five and I sent my son
to daycare.
I didn't have like the guilt ofyou know, I did read to him
(09:51):
every night then because it wasjust kind of like that's the
routine that we were in.
Where now, because we do havelike the leisure of the day,
almost I find it I feel moreguilty.
But yeah, I think I had a postabout that a while ago.
Like, we have to let it gobecause the mom that you know
works and sends her kids toschool feels the guilt that
she's not with them.
The mom that doesn't work atall and is just with her kids
(10:12):
all day long feels bad that shedoesn't contribute financially
to the house.
The mom with 10 kids feels badthat she can't have one-on-one
attention with her kids, the momwith one kid feels bad that she
doesn't have siblings for thekids.
So it's like there's a wholeyeah, you gotta let the go go,
right?
Because like we're not we'renot totally gonna send them all
to therapy when they're older.
They might just need you know,a couple doctors.
(10:33):
I pray we don't.
So, all right, how how do youwork it out then when you're
doing a lesson with one?
How do you keep the other oneoccupied?
And like, are you doing thesame curriculum or do you
actually switch up thecurriculums that you do because
their learning styles are sodifferent?
Speaker (10:47):
Yeah, for now we're doing the same curriculum, but
that's always an option in thefuture to try to switch it up.
I think we can get away with itnow, with them being, you know,
so young, but definitely,definitely an option in the
future.
But yeah, like you know, onewill go play piano while I'm
working with the other, butthat's a whole other thing.
One is really sensitive tosounds, so he's got his
(11:08):
noise-canceling headphones onbecause he doesn't want to hear
his brother counting out loudwhen he's trying to do math or
whatever it is.
So sometimes we're we're allover the place.
Sometimes he locks himself inthe pantry to finish his
worksheet or isolate himself.
But yes, they are sent off todo something.
I try to keep them together asmuch as possible just because
(11:28):
that makes sense that we canjust do it all at the same time.
But it's nice to have thatfreedom to be able to pull one
aside and focus one-on-one withthem in that area and move on.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Yeah, what curriculums are you using?
Speaker (11:41):
So I'm using Memoria Press.
I've heard that one.
Yes, yeah.
And then um, like all aboutreading, all about spelling, um,
Rod and Staff for math.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
So I have not heard of that one.
Rod and Staff?
Okay, yeah.
Why don't you tell us a littlebit about the Memoria Press?
Speaker (11:59):
So it's a classical education.
Um, I really like it becausethe creator had children of all
abilities that she taught, somewith special needs, some with
disabilities.
And so it is set up in a waythat is very easy to understand,
and it moves at their pace.
(12:19):
So we don't move on until wehave completed mastery in that
area.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
And what what subject is it actually?
Speaker (12:27):
Like phonics and reading.
I'm trying to think what else.
Phonics and reading, there'sliterature, there's art.
Eventually, it gets into Latinand Greek.
So it's really focused on, youknow, historical art, classical
music, things like that.
So it is a really beautifulprogram, and I've thoroughly
(12:48):
enjoyed it.
And I know I've heard the termlike redeeming your education as
a homeschool parent.
And I feel like I'm gettingthat.
Like in first grade, I'mlearning why our grammar does
certain things that I never knewbefore.
I'm like, wow, this is amazing.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Do you remember any of them?
Because I'm always curious.
I, you know, I had that realwith Gallagher comic that was
like Dom D-U-M.
No, D-U-M-B.
And so then he framed anotherword, and yeah, and there's just
like, who came up with theserules?
Speaker (13:18):
I know.
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Speaker (14:24):
So, like the one we're doing now is um like the soft
and hard C.
So a C is soft if it's followedby an E I or Y, like as in C T
or Scent, like the coin scent.
And then same for G, soft G, ifit's followed by an I E or Y,
like as in gym, going to the gymto work out.
(14:46):
And then the other one um thatwe were working on are the
different Y sounds.
So if it's a one-syllable wordends in Y, it says I, like as in
sky.
But if it's a two or moresyllable word, it ends in E,
like in penny.
I didn't know that.
Yeah, I just memorized thewords.
I didn't know the rules behindit.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
There is a formula.
There's a formula, it's there.
Speaker (15:12):
We just were never told.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Yeah, I was my son is actually learning that stuff
right now with uh he's usingReading Horizons, and I I kind
of threw him in the towel forteaching him to read because it
was yeah, we tried everythingand I'm like, all right, let's a
podcast guest recommendedReading Horizons.
It is online.
I was like, let's give it atry.
Whatever, it's a free trial.
And he actually didn't like it.
So I'll sit with him, or maybeI'll go get in the shower, wash
(15:37):
some dishes, and he'll just callme when he needs help, or I'll
sit with him and hear how it'sgoing.
And I'm sure it's not the bestway to do the reading
assignment.
But my husband was working in aschool the other day and he
said, Yeah, it was like a firstor second grade class, and the
teacher says, Okay, everybody,look at the screen.
And she turned on a video, anda video was teaching the kids in
the classroom how to read.
So I was like, Oh, I guess Idon't feel too bad.
Yeah.
But yeah, they were teachingthose rules too.
(16:00):
So I was wondering if you hadany like uh extras that I but
that is good that this sort ofstuff is and I wonder if he
retained that.
I should I should quiz him whenwe're done with this.
Do you find that your boys arein competition with each other?
Or do they just like they'relike, I'm I'm good that you're a
reader and I'm not, and I'mgood that you can do math?
Speaker (16:18):
Yeah, yes and no.
So it's usually like quitshowing off, or I know you're
better, but you know, leave mealone kind of thing.
But I think that's to beexpected and probably gonna be
the rest of their life.
unknown (16:32):
Yeah.
Speaker (16:32):
But I try to tell them, I'm like, listen, you two have
strengths in different areas.
So if you work together, I meanyou're gonna be strong
everywhere.
So hopefully, hopefully they'lllearn that and and utilize it
as they get older.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah.
So are you doing any of thehomeschooling with the your
stepkids?
Speaker (16:50):
So when we get um, sometimes we'll get like
spelling lists, which my husbandabsolutely loves to help them
with their spelling.
They'll quiz us first to see ifwe know the words, and they're
very difficult, even for likefifth grade.
I'm like, I cannot believeyou're already learning this.
Now they use the Becca.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
That's that's a very rigid curriculum.
Speaker (17:11):
Yes, yes.
So um, yeah, they went adifferent route, but it's it's
neat to see like the traditionalhomeschool versus the classical
homeschool and just kind of howthose are different, anyways.
So, yeah, that's usually whatthey'll bring, or they'll bring
a science or history book, butthey're old enough to where they
just read it on their own, andthere's not much hands-on
involved from us in that aspect.
(17:32):
But I know they do a lot athome on their computer several
uh hours a day.
So it is it is pretty rigid,but they're they're doing great
and they're excelling and itworks for them.
So I'm happy for that.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Oh, that's so cool.
Now, West Virginia, do you aredo you keep up with any of the
vaccine stuff that's going on?
Because I know like they theywere, let's see, they had a rel
no, they did not have areligious exemption, which
neither do I in New York.
And then like you had a newgovernor come in that gave the
religious exemption back, andthen it got ripped back from
(18:06):
them, and they're trying to getit back.
Like, do you follow any of thatstuff?
Speaker (18:10):
Yeah, so um I don't follow it super closely, but I
have friends who are affected byit.
Um, in fact, someone hadreached out to me regarding like
our co-op, and um, you know,and they actually pulled their
kids from public school over allof this because they um, you
know, they originally hadvaccines and then then decided
(18:33):
with their younger kids theyweren't doing vaccines, and
their older one that was alreadyin school had to have a booster
to stay in public school, andthey said we're not doing it,
and their religious acceptanceform was originally accepted and
then denied.
And so then they were at thestandstill.
He had already started school,established the relationships
with peers and teachers, and anddoing well, and they were like,
(18:55):
We're not gonna do the booster,so you know, can you help us?
Can you point us in the rightdirection of homeschool and
co-ops and things like that?
So that's when I was reallyeven brought aware of the issues
going on.
And I was like, Oh my goodness,I had no idea.
And I'm sure they're not theonly family who went through
that, but they had to make thedecision to pull their children
in homeschool.
(19:16):
And I think that they're soglad that they did.
Sometimes we need that littlenudge just to to do it because
we're you know, fearful ofthings that we've never
experienced before.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Yeah, a thousand percent.
I definitely lived that when Istarted going down that rabbit
hole, and I was like, Oh, Idon't, I don't think I want to
get any more of these.
And then it was like, we're ina we're in one of the five
states that you can't use anexemption form.
And I never even heard of thatbefore.
So it was like, what do youmean?
What's an exemption form?
What's a the religiousexemption?
What if I'm not religious?
(19:47):
What if I am you know whatreligion do you have to be?
How religious do you have tobe?
And it's but just thinking, Ithink we all kind of assume uh
it's mandated that all thevaccines are mandated in every
single state, and it's reallyonly five that they are.
And then it was like, okay, Iguess I guess we're gonna have
to homeschool, or we could drivethem to Vermont.
Maybe we're not too far fromthere.
(20:07):
But now that we'rehomeschooling, I'm like, oh my
God, that was just one smallreason for like way more, way
more reasons.
And I mean, I can get into allof them.
Like, even just, you know, theone that you never really hear
talked about, but the shelter inplace drills.
I can't get over how traumaticthat is.
Like the trauma that that'sgiving a child to let it all
(20:30):
have shelter in place, notbecause there might be a
hurricane.
I mean, that's scary enough asit is, but it's like yeah, but
because your peers might comeand shoot you, like that's
freaking terrifying.
Yeah.
Like they have to do them allthe time.
I've had resource officers onthe podcast before talk about
like who homeschool their kidsand they're like, Yeah, we have
to do this in school, it'sterrible.
(20:52):
But yeah, and the food in thesystem.
Did you have like any onereason that really stuck out to
you before they all startedsnowballing?
Speaker (21:00):
No, no specific reason that I can think of that stuck
out.
But like you said, once youstart researching and it's like
you you gain that knowledge, youyou can't unsee the things that
you see.
And it's like, like I said, Ican't even imagine putting my
kids in public school now.
Um, yeah, it's just all thethings like I don't want
(21:21):
somebody else educating my childand telling them what to
believe as far as religion doesgo about uh creation, about you
know, that's my job, and I am,you know, just putting them out
there for like spiritual warfarethat they're they're not
they're not supposed to do thatat that age, you know.
(21:42):
That's not school's not likethe evangelism field for for a
young Christian child.
So just those religious reasonswere really big for me.
Like I wanted to protect mychildren and their innocence.
And I guess one big thing wouldbe just the access to um the
internet that other children mayhave and expose my children to.
(22:04):
Yeah.
Um, that's that's a big one forme.
That's something we didn't havewhen I was growing up.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Just so they could just be on the bus or at lunch
time.
Yeah, I agree.
And yeah, that's a big evenwith family members, you know,
cousins and stuff, it's like athing, uh my son was at the
neighbor's the other day, andI'm like, I don't even know.
Like, I can't be a helicopterparent, but I don't know what
they're doing there.
It's it was a very weirdfeeling because at seven, I
(22:32):
mean, it's kind of like the agewhere they want, you know, I'm
going to the neighbor's house.
It's right there, going in hishouse, and the neighbor comes
here all the time.
So it's like, yeah, whywouldn't I let him go?
But there was that feeling oflike, what is he getting exposed
to?
And yeah, exactly.
And now it's it doesn't evenhave to be like, hey, we're
going on to a nude site oranything.
(22:54):
It's just an ad that pops up orthe next thing you scroll.
Speaker (23:00):
Yeah, even not being in public school, it's happened to
us from an ad that just pops upand you know, or a video that
just rolls into the next one.
Yeah, literally, yeah, causethem nightmares.
And I'm like, my goodness, andyou know, we're doing the best
that we can.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Well, yeah, you make a good point because we watch
Little House on the Prairie onthe Peacock app, and it's like
it's come on, this is a familyshow, and the first commercial
on the commercial break is somehorror movie with like, oh, the
predator.
It's not even just like a scarypredator, it's like all these
scary things in it with eyesgouging out, and I'm like, oh my
(23:36):
god, my kids are shieldingtheir eyes.
Yes, it's like what is goingon?
And then every other commercialis just for a drug and all the
symptoms that that drug is goingto give you.
Yes, that sums it up.
It's it's interesting too whenyou brought up like being
religious and sending your kidsto school, because when I think
about like what is acceptable inschool today, too.
(23:58):
I mean, you know, you can be acat, you can be the opposite
gender, yeah.
Everybody will go along withit, everyone's sensitive to how
you feel.
But if you're a Christian intoday's day, we can't talk about
God.
If we're gonna have Christmasstuff up, it can only be of like
a reindeer or a snowman.
It can't or no, not evenreindeer, it can only be of a
snowman, it can't be anythingthat is like Jesus, you know,
(24:22):
representing.
Why do you think that is?
Like, what is going on?
Speaker (24:25):
Well, because the world is ran by the God of this age,
lowercase g, and he hates thetruth.
So I feel like this target justgets put on us.
Like everyone's welcome exceptChristians, and and that's you
know, for anywhere, like at theschool, at Starbucks.
It's like, you know, we're allinclusive, but when a Christian
(24:45):
comes in or speaks up, you're nolonger included because we get
tagged as exclusive.
And there's just thatmisconception because you know,
people don't like the truth, andyou know, we're the only
religion that's the truth, soit's tough.
And I feel like when you'reputting them out there in a in a
world of you know, of mixedbeliefs, that's only gonna make
(25:09):
it worse.
That target on you, it's hardto to stand firm when you're
surrounded by by darkness.
It's easier to be drugged downthan brought up, honestly.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
Yeah, and when you think about your kids struggling
with the questions of life andwho they're around all day,
they're around the teachers,they're around their friends,
and you don't know what is goingon in the homes of those kids.
So it's like, what are theygetting?
And yeah, we really don't thinkabout that a whole lot, but
it's huge.
That is huge, right?
Speaker (25:37):
Yeah, and my husband always says, we can't unsee what
we've seen, we can't unhearwhat we hear.
And if you think about it,seven, eight hours on a bus and
uh on the playground at lunch,they're just being filled with,
you know, who knows what.
And um, you know, like I said,we went through it and we
survived, but um, there's justso much evil out there, and uh,
(26:00):
if if I can do anything toprotect my children and I'm in a
position to, I'm I'm gonna dothat.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Yeah, absolutely.
So you were talking about howyou did classical conversations
and and um, or no, I'm sorry, aclassical education, but that's
different than classicalconversations.
Somebody explain that for me.
Okay, so can you kind of youyou did break down, you know,
that it was getting into theLatin and the Greek and lots of
art history and stuff, but howare the two of them different?
(26:28):
The classical education versuslike I know classical
conversations is more like maybea group that gets together and
does a lot of people.
Speaker (26:36):
I believe so.
Okay, yeah.
Um, I so I looked intoclassical conversations.
We never did go that route.
It sounds like you do your owncurriculum for major subjects,
but there's certain ones thatthey cover when they meet.
And yeah, I don't know thedetails to answer that question.
They are different than whatyou're talking about.
(26:56):
Yes, they are different.
They they do learn.
I think there's certain liketiers that you go through, and I
think it's based on your grade.
Um, but there's certain songsthat they sing, there's lots of
memorization, it builds on eachother.
It goes along with theclassical concept, but um, yeah,
it's it is a structured entityof its own that we never got
into, but yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Oh, nice.
All right, so then what sort ofreporting do you have in West
Virginia for homeschool?
Speaker (27:23):
So we have to do a portfolio every year, but you
only submit it after secondgrade, fifth grade.
I can't remember the others.
Or in those specific grades,you have an option to test.
So then you have to test andsend in the test results.
So one or the other, you haveto do a portfolio review through
a certified teacher or do testthe testing and send that into
(27:45):
the board of education.
But every year we get portfolioreviewed and we have to keep
that for so many years, three.
I think.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
What do you mean you get portfolio?
Like, do you you do submit itevery year?
Speaker (27:55):
Um, you only submit it on certain years, like second
grade and fifth grade, but uhwe'll do one every single year
and just have it on file in casewe were audited, but we do not
have to submit it until thosecertain grades.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Gotta love that.
Do it in case you're audited.
Yeah.
Okay, so what does theportfolio look like?
Like, is it literallyeverything you do all year long
or is it a summary?
Speaker (28:17):
So um we I keep everything we do all year long
because we have to prove that wecompleted 180 day days of
instruction.
So we keep all the worksheets,we put the date on them because
again, if we were to be audited,we would have to prove that we
did instruction for 180 days outof the year.
So that's how I personally doit.
(28:39):
And I just have three ringbinders for each child, like the
thick three-inch ones, and justany worksheet I have, I just
whole punch it and put it inthere.
But some people like if you dida more unschooling approach and
you don't have the worksheets,I think some people would take a
picture of their scienceproject or their artwork or
whatever to have that availablefor their portfolio.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Gotcha.
Okay.
It's vastly different than whatwe have to do in New York,
honestly, because we have tosubmit in the beginning of the
year a letter of intent.
I intend to homeschool, andthen you have to submit your
IHIP, which is an individualizedhome instruction plan.
And you have to like kind ofask about what you plan to do
for the year, and then each andwhat days you are going to
(29:24):
submit your report.
Then when your report is dueevery quarter, you have to kind
of say what you did and how wellthey did in it.
Are they progressing or needimprovement?
Um end of the year, you have todo a written evaluation of your
child.
I mean, it sounds morelaborist, I guess, than it is.
It's more remembering thedates.
Like I I did mine this morningand I'm talking into Chat GPT,
(29:47):
going through my pictures in myphone, and they're going through
our library, like the app thatsays what books we've checked
out the last three months, andreading that.
I'm like, okay, this is theseand and they actually write down
like 17 subjects that we haveto do.
It's it's insanity.
It's like some of them are likepatriotism.
I'm like, they don't even learnthat in school.
(30:08):
What are you talking about?
There's a patriot in school,but uh mic safety, fire safety,
and geography and US history,and like it's it's really
bizarre.
I'm like, where did I come upwith this stuff?
But and then at the there aregrades that you will have to
take a test at the end, or Ithink you can have a like a
certified teacher, like yousaid, do an evaluation for
(30:30):
those, but I think it's everyother year in middle school and
every year in high school thatyou have to start submitting
test scores or that evaluationfrom a certified teacher.
So they really try to not getyou to homeschool, and yeah, and
they take took away thereligious exemption.
So yeah, they don't wanthomeschoolers, but I think it's
made more homeschoolers, right?
Speaker (30:48):
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah, that's that's crazy.
I didn't realize until I gotstarted that every state had
different regulations.
I had no idea.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Some have nothing, some states you don't even have
to tell the school that you'rehomeschooling, or that's all you
have to do is just tell them,hey, we're homeschooling, we're
alive, and that's it.
Speaker (31:08):
Wow, yeah.
We did we did have to send anotice of intent upon entering
kindergarten.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
But that's a kindergarten too, huh?
Speaker (31:15):
Yeah.
When they started, I sent thenotice notice of intent, and
that was it.
Now I'd imagine if you pulledout from public school, you
would have to do the same.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
Thinking about homeschooling, but don't know
where to start?
Well, I've interviewed a fewpeople on the topic, actually
120 interviews at this pointwith homeschooling families from
across the country and theworld.
And what I've done is I'vepacked everything I've learned
into an ebook called TheHomeschool How to Complete
Starter Guide.
From navigating your state'slaws to finding your
homeschooling style, fromworking while homeschooling to
(31:46):
supporting kids with specialneeds.
This guide covers it all withreal stories from real families
who've walked this path.
I've taken the best insights,I've had the best resources, and
put them all into this guide.
Stop feeling overwhelmed andstart feeling confident.
Get your copy of the HomeschoolHow to complete starter guide
today and discover thathomeschooling isn't just about
education.
(32:06):
It's about getting what youwant out of each day, not what
somebody else wants out of you.
You can grab the link to thisebook in the show's description
or head on over tothehomeschoolhowto.com.
So, what are your long-termgoals for your sons?
Like, do you see them stickingwith homeschooling the whole
way?
Are you thinking about likecollege and how would you
(32:27):
prepare them for that in thisever-changing world of AI and
all that stuff?
Like, what does that look likefor you?
Do you do you think thatthey'll ever resent you for
keeping them home?
Speaker (32:36):
No, they understand, even at, you know, they're six,
there'll be seven this month.
We're very open about, youknow, the options of public
school and you know, privateschool.
And they're like, we are gladthat we don't have to get up in
the morning and we are, youknow, at a certain time and be
away from home for six and sevenhours because we explain that
(32:58):
to them.
Oh, this is what it would looklike if we didn't choose this
route.
And we love you so much thatthis is what you know we're
gonna do.
So yeah, they understand, butthat's my goal is to have them
homeschooled all through highschool.
And I think it's there's thisfear in my mind, like I'm not
gonna be able to teach them wellenough, despite the fact that I
have my master's degree and Iwent through high school and I
(33:21):
went through, you know, allthese things.
But again, there's resourcesout there.
There's, you know, there'sonline classes, even through
like say Memoria Press.
Um, they have a Latin school inKentucky, I believe, and
there's online courses, and samefor college.
And I'm not even going to pushcollege on them unless they have
(33:41):
a desire to further theireducation through college.
But we see the benefits ofknowing a trade and starting
your own business.
That is absolutely going to bean option because my even my
husband said, I wish I wouldhave learned a trade or
something that would have beenuseful.
He works at a hospital and he'san MRI technician.
And even though, you know,that's a good job, it's it's
(34:04):
just, you know, it's notpractical, it's not something he
can come home and do, run anMRI machine.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Like you're you don't have an MRI machine at home
that's gonna break.
And but yeah, you're right.
No, you're definitely right.
My husband has been in thetrades for over 20 years, and
I'm like, well, then you need tostart your own business.
That's beside the point.
But I'm like, we should bebuying investment properties to,
you know, because you can fixeverything.
(34:30):
Because once you know onetrade, you kind of know them all
because they do all necessarilyyou don't excel in them all,
but you're familiar with themall because they all integrate.
And I'm like, We could like beflipping houses.
He's like, Okay, you mean Icould be flipping the houses and
you're like telling me what todo.
I was like, the world needsmore of this.
Speaker (34:49):
Yeah, 1000%.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
I agree with you.
You know, I think the collegething is it's gonna look so
different when our kids are 18years old, people are waking up
to it.
Speaker (35:00):
Right.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
So, what else is going on?
What um made you kind of wannalike come on the podcast and
share your story withprospective homeschoolers,
current homeschoolers?
Speaker (35:10):
So um, when I started homeschooling the boys last year
for kindergarten, I quitworking in my outpatient job.
Um, I'm an occupationaltherapist.
So then I switched gears and Ifelt like I have a lot of
knowledge that would really helpthe homeschool community
because oftentimes when you arehomeschooling and your child
(35:31):
needs help, we don't really seeit.
You don't have those extra eyesto say, so-and-so is struggling
with sitting or with reading orwhatever.
Um, that's just how it is thatyou know, you make adaptions as
needed at home, but you don'tunderstand what is out there
that could actually help themwith their learning.
So, anyways, I just I was like,you know what?
(35:51):
I'm gonna be the homeschool OTand I'm going to um, you know,
just help everybody.
That was kind of my goal.
I had big goals when I firststarted.
And so as I started um myFacebook page and just putting
things out there, I believe yourpodcast just kept popping up
because we had that homeschoolin general in our even in our
(36:13):
names.
So I was like, I think I mighthave reached out like before
summer, and I know everyone'sschedules are so busy.
So that's you know, I've kindof just been out there trying to
promote like what occupationaltherapy is because initially I
thought I'm gonna treateveryone, and then I realized no
one knew why they needed treatit.
So I had to back up and switchgears and say, okay, now I'm
(36:36):
gonna educate everyone on whatOT is and how it can benefit.
And, you know, hopefullysomething will take off
eventually.
Um, I do a lot of in-servicetrainings for parents at co-ops.
I've actually popped into a lotof private Christian schools to
educate the teachers on whatthey can do in a classroom
setting to help students, butthere's just limited resources
(36:58):
for the homeschool community ingeneral.
So that's kind of been my goal.
And even as a practitionerindependently, I only do cash
pay.
I don't go through insurancebecause I don't want them to
tell me how to treat the child.
Yeah.
So that's a whole nother thingin and of itself.
But it's been really nicebecause I can, you know, be very
(37:19):
flexible in my schedule.
My main goal is to be home andto homeschool my children.
But when I'm given theopportunity to educate someone
on what occupational therapy isand how it can help um their
child and their family, it isjust it's so rewarding.
And uh, I don't think I canever fully give that up.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
So, yeah, explain to me then like how would I know if
my child needed occupationaltherapy?
Because what I'm thinking ofwhen you say that is okay, if I
had a stroke, you would help melearn how to walk and talk
again.
Yeah.
Speaker (37:52):
Yeah.
So there is that misconceptionoftentimes because you hear
occupational, you think of a jobor you know, daily living, like
for an adult being independent.
But a child's occupation as aninfant and even as a toddler,
it's to survive, it's to meetdevelopmental milestones.
And then when they get toschool age, it's to be a
student.
And so if there's ever anystruggles in anything that
(38:14):
occupies your time, it wouldwarrant occupational therapy.
So if they're struggling withattention, with um sitting
still, with uh being a pickyeater, that's a big one I see
with reading, writing,handwriting is always a big one.
Those are all reasons why achild would benefit from
occupational therapy.
Honestly, I think every childshould get OT.
(38:37):
I think I need OT.
There's, I mean, thepossibilities are just endless.
Um, and it's just it's a gamechanger, honestly, for for these
kiddos.
Even just little details thatyou could change about your
routine or about a piece ofadaptive equipment that helps,
you know, school go better oremotional regulation.
Yeah, every area of lifeliterally can be affected and we
(39:00):
can treat because you know, welook at a person as a whole.
So yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
That's so interesting.
Yeah, I mean, there there'sdefinitely so many people
probably that would never eventhink, you know, with the
handwriting, especially, likewell, it'll just come one day
and no, yeah, maybe there'ssomething you could do to fix it
now, and then it would makeeverything easier.
What are some like tips ortricks for the handwriting or
even the sitting still?
Speaker (39:24):
Yeah, so I actually specialize in what's called
reflex integration.
So our reflexes are actuallydeveloped and formed in utero to
help with the birthing processand then to help with survival,
and then they help with meetingdevelopmental milestones.
And in meeting the milestones,you're maturing the reflexes,
(39:44):
the primitive ones, lifelongones.
But if babies skip a milestone,sometimes they'll have an
unintegrated reflex that lateraffects their visual scanning or
their ability to cross midlineto read and write.
There's Reflexes on the backthat if immature, they're
sensitive.
So the back of the chair oryour clothing set them off.
(40:08):
So now we're not able to sitstill.
There's reflexes in our handsthat are directly tied in with
our mouth.
We see this because infantsneed the breasts to get milk.
Okay.
So if that reflex is immature,we see a lot of putting non-food
objects in our mouth, chewingon pencils, chewing on our
shirt.
Those are the kiddos we seewhen they're using scissors.
(40:29):
Their mouth will mimic whattheir hands are doing.
So they're going, okay, we seespeech delays when this reflex
is not integrated properly.
We see very picky eaters.
There is just so much, so much.
And um, yeah, I just want totell the world.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
So, what should we do if we have these concerns?
Tell us where we can find you.
Speaker (40:49):
So I'm um on Facebook is probably the best place you
can find me under the homeschoolOT Tiffany Parsons.
I try to post um just anythinghelpful.
I'll share some local thingshere in West Virginia.
I'll share tips and tricks thatyou can do at home.
I am an affiliate for a companycalled Harkla, and they do a
(41:12):
lot of education for parents aswell as teachers and therapists,
and that you can actually takethe courses and learn about
these reflexes and implementthem at home.
So you don't have to go to anoccupational therapist if you
don't want to.
And so that's like a nice, youknow, little educational thing
you can do at home from yourphone.
(41:34):
If therapy's not a resourcearound you, obviously not
everyone's going to feelcomfortable and would rather go
to a therapist.
Even for me, I know that my ownchildren don't let me treat
them.
I had to send them to mycoworkers at the time.
So I get that it's not idealfor everybody.
But if you can find an OT inyour area, especially one that
(41:55):
specializes in reflexes, becausewhen you address the reflex,
you are addressing the childfrom the inside out.
Your reflexes are thefoundation to your central
nervous system.
It's the pathway in which wetake in information and get a
response.
So when something's off, ifthere's a detour, something's
blocked, we're gonna getreactions we don't want to see,
(42:17):
which is not sitting still,which is big emotional outburst,
things like that.
So if we can address theinside, it will help them
forever.
Whereas places that don't lookat reflexes and just treat you
superficially, like you like toswing, we're gonna swing you,
and it helps them, but they'regonna need swung again next week
(42:38):
and the week after.
That's more of a moresuperficial treatment because
we're just we're giving the bodywhat it needs, but we're not
fixing why it needs that, ifthat makes sense.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
Yeah, totally.
I never thought about thatbefore.
So now you've opened the doorhere.
You've opened the game.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Well, I'm gonna put all ofthose links in the show's
description so people can findyou on Facebook, they can find
the Harkla that you work withand be able to check that out on
their own.
So thank you so much.
Is there anything else that youwanted to leave us with?
Speaker (43:10):
No, I just um I really encourage people to look into
why they're homeschooling, thethe why behind it, and just
realize the freedom that theyhave behind it.
That's just the word that comesto mind when I think of
homeschool.
The freedom to um just explorethe world.
I love going places in themiddle of the day, and we have a
(43:30):
whole place to ourselves.
It's just so liberating.
So, anyways, I just wouldreally encourage people to look
into that and don't hesitate toreach out if you feel like your
child might need help with umsomething.
If they're if they're having astruggle or challenge, it's
okay.
It's okay to ask for helpbecause we all need a village
and um there are resources outthere.
(43:51):
Sometimes you gotta look alittle harder than others, but
um, there are resources outthere and there's people that
are willing to help.
So I hope that you know thatthat's an encouragement to
somebody to to do that.
Speaker 1 (44:02):
Thank you so much, Tiffany.
Thank you for being here today.
Sharing meaningful information.
Speaker (44:07):
Of course.
Bye.
Speaker 1 (44:12):
Thank you for tuning in to this week's episode of the
Homeschool How To.
If you've enjoyed what youheard and you'd like to
contribute to the show, pleaseconsider leaving a small tip
using the link in my show'sdescription.
Or if you'd rather, please usethe link in the description to
share this podcast with a friendor on your favorite homeschool
group Facebook page.
Any effort to help us keep thepodcast going is greatly
(44:34):
appreciated.
Thank you for tuning in and foryour love of the next
generation.
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