February 21, 2026 • 42 mins
What happens when you stop measuring “success” by convenience—and start building your family life around your deepest values?
In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, Cheryl sits down with homeschool dad Todd Marchand, founder of Be Whole Do Good, to talk about what it really looks like to raise kids with resilience, emotional tools, and a strong sense of identity—without turning your home into a lecture hall.
Todd shares how their family found a hybrid homeschool rhythm, why “a good education” often just means “what we’ve always known,” and how he made the leap from software sales to entrepreneurship so his work could align with his family’s mission.
You’ll also hear about the new text-message-based program Todd is launching—designed to help parents teach skills like emotional regulation, gratitude, growth mindset, and resilience in tiny daily moments (without adding more to your plate).
In this episode, we cover:
- Why “good schooling” isn’t always the same as a meaningful education
- Hybrid homeschooling: how it works and why it fits some families best
- Values over convenience (and why that changes everything)
- Teaching emotional skills before the meltdown happens
- Simple gratitude practices that actually rewire perspective
- From corporate ladder to calling: building a life with autonomy
- What Todd wants his kids to know by age 18 (hint: it’s not just academics)
Resources & Links
- Be Whole Do Good: bewholedogood.com (spelled: be whole do good)
- Night Zookeeper (free trial + 50% off yearly subscription)
- Cheryl’s eBook- The Homeschool How To: Complete Starter Guide- a compilation of everything she's learned from interviewing 150+ homeschool families
- Cheryl’s FREE 30-Day Homeschool Quick Start Guide: thehomeschoolhowto.com
If this episode encouraged you, follow the show and leave a review—it’s the best way to support the podcast.
Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast
Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:02):
I didn't plan to homeschool.
I started asking hard questions,realized how little control
parents actually have, and madethe hard decision to leave a
government job to homeschool mykids.
Now I interview otherhomeschooling parents to learn
how this all works.
I'm Cheryl, and this is theHomeschool How-To podcast.
Let's learn this together.
(00:24):
Welcome.
And with us today, I have ToddMarchand.
Todd, thank you for being here.
SPEAKER_00 (00:28):
My pleasure.
It's just an honor.
Thank you, Cheryl.
SPEAKER_01 (00:30):
And so, Todd, are you a homeschool dad?
SPEAKER_00 (00:32):
Uh, I am.
Yes.
Proud homeschool dad.
SPEAKER_01 (00:35):
Awesome.
So, how many kids do you haveand what are their ages?
SPEAKER_00 (00:38):
So, we have four kiddos.
Well, I should crooked that.
We have five kiddos, and we havefour here with us.
So we have we have an angel sonas well.
Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And he's still such a gift tous.
But yeah, there's a whole storybehind that.
But we've got a 12, 12-year-oldson, a 10-year-old daughter, an
eight-year-old son, and then uhour angel son Joseph was next.
(01:00):
And then we have athree-year-old son.
SPEAKER_01 (01:02):
Oh my goodness.
So is it all boys?
SPEAKER_00 (01:04):
Four boys, one girl, or 10-year-olds a girl.
Four boys, one girl.
SPEAKER_01 (01:07):
Okay, okay.
So it's a busy household.
SPEAKER_00 (01:09):
It is.
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (01:11):
What motivated you and your wife to homeschool in
the first place?
Had you always thought abouthomeschooling?
SPEAKER_00 (01:16):
We did.
Yeah.
It was really my wife still.
She she took lead in that.
You know, we both just wentthrough the public school system
and and both had relativelypositive experiences.
But I also think it's alwaysinteresting.
My measuring stick for apositive experience at the time
was based off of what I knew,right?
And what's been interesting iscertainly, you know, times have
(01:36):
changed and things are differentthan, you know, maybe they were
as I was in school.
But more importantly, thecontrast was starting to have a
vision for what the schoolingand education experience could
be.
Uh that created a contrast thatprovided that much more
motivation to desire to do it.
I think that started early onwhen our kids were little,
preschool age.
(01:57):
My wife was actually anelementary school teacher
previously, but she she juststarted reading a lot of
different books.
The Jefferson books, you know,was a big, big kind of initial
influence and some of theclassical education, you know,
stuff.
And uh it just started to reallyhit home that the the types of
values that we wanted to pass onto our kids, the type of
(02:21):
lifestyle, uh, that there'sthere's just a lot of alignment
with with homeschooling.
And so, you know, right from thestart, as our first son went
into kindergarten, we've alwaysdone some version of homeschool.
I will say that our family'skind of needs are such that we
have found more of a hybridapproach, tends to be our jam.
(02:42):
And so we've usually done someversion of a hybrid homeschool
where you know they go somewherefor a couple of days in the week
and we do a couple of days athome.
And that has looked differentyear to year.
We've actually moved quite abit.
And so that also um has had toadapt as we go to new places and
try to figure out well, whatresources are available.
But just uh, you know, we'vewe've always liked that very
(03:03):
well supported homeschool.
But um, regardless of the levelof that balance, which has gone
back and forth from full-timehomeschool to uh a almost a
hybrid that's a little more ledby the school versus by us.
So we've experimented with allof that.
And I think in the end of theday, like our mindset always is
(03:24):
across any of those experiences,we we are the ones that want to
take lead in uh who our childrenare becoming and education, the
academic education is onecomponent of that.
SPEAKER_01 (03:36):
Yeah.
And I love what you said tooabout like your meter for what
was a good education and youknow, a good experience in
public school is is only goingto show you what you already
know, right?
Like even I, you know, even whenmy kids complain about, you
know, I can't believe we have topause the TV to go brush our
teeth.
I'm like, you don't even realizewe didn't have paws on a TV
(03:59):
before.
But like in their lives, that'sall they know.
So, you know, like you you don'tknow ridiculous if you've never
experienced it.
So yeah, we can look we can lookat our education and think,
like, yeah, I had a good timebecause I remember like the prom
was fun.
But is that really the definingmoment of your 18 years?
(04:21):
I mean, come on.
So what did that what did thatlook like when you know your
wife was like, okay, I know Iwent to school to be a teacher,
but now I'm going to quit my jobto homeschool.
And like, did you have to takeon more financial burden or how
did how did that work out foryou guys?
Because that is the hard parttoo.
SPEAKER_00 (04:40):
Yeah, no, there's there's certainly no question on
that.
And we we had actually made thatmove a little bit earlier when
we had our first three kids uhwithin a four-year period.
And uh my wife just uh felt likeI I want to be home, uh, at
least during you know, whateverphase that ends up being.
But uh and so she she had madethat decision earlier
(05:03):
pre-getting to where we werehomeschooling, that transition
had to be made.
And we certainly financial allof that, that that came down to
to you know my responsibility toto work through.
And and again, uh that hasalways been changed at the time.
Um my our lifestyle and mycareer were such that that was
(05:24):
that was really easy.
That was simple.
But as as time goes on, youknow, things evolve, and one of
the things that ultimately wedecided to do is orient more and
more of our life, including theway we earn income, toward the
the outcomes that we want forour family.
And so that meant going intoentrepreneurship, uh investing
(05:44):
even our working time and energyinto the types of things that
will contribute to our familyculture, our family well-being,
our thriving as a family.
And uh that has had all sorts ofups and downs uh along that that
road.
But uh it is it's interesting tosee that there really is,
struggle included, um, adifferent level of satisfaction
(06:07):
and fulfillment the more youalign your life with your core
deepest values.
And I know that's notnecessarily always true, but for
a lot of us homeschool families,that's that's part of it, is
like, man, it is not easy.
It is hard.
And there's a lot of effort andstruggle that goes in to
homeschooling, but there's alsoa degree of, I would say there's
(06:30):
a higher degree of discontent inlife when we live out of
alignment with our values thanif we just have it a little bit
easier or more comfortable,right?
SPEAKER_01 (06:39):
Yeah, and you know, I think society has us so busy
that most people don't sit andsay, What are my values?
to even know that they need toalign anything with it.
I know I never thought about it.
You know, I had I worked for thegovernment when I had my son at
six months.
I sent him to daycare and I wastold, Oh my god, you're so lucky
you got to stay home for sixmonths.
(07:01):
Now looking at it, I'm like,that's nothing.
Poor kid.
Shuffled him off to daycare, andI spent my days in a cubicle,
twiddling my thumbs.
And man, thinking about leavingthe that job and the pension I
would be getting and the income.
I'm like, I can't leave all thismoney and stuff that I was
promised.
And it really took likeunraveling things in my brain to
(07:22):
be like, but what about on yourdeathbed, man?
Are you really gonna care aboutyour pension?
What if you die at 54 and younever see that pension anyway?
You know you have your kids heretoday.
You don't know what 20 yearsfrom now is gonna bring, or they
invest the money wrong and wedon't have a pension.
I don't know, who knows?
But anything could happen.
So yeah, why don't you talk alittle bit about the company
(07:42):
that you founded, Behold DoGood?
Because I I'm really interestedto hear how you implemented
this.
SPEAKER_00 (07:48):
Oh, yeah, thank you.
And thank you for giving thatchance, Cheryl.
So yeah, going back to just someof the things that we value, I
think our own journey and a lotof us in this generation are
experiencing this.
You know, there's been such a uhan evolution of learning and
awareness and the removing ofstereotypes around mental health
and just overall kind ofwell-being and wellness, and
(08:09):
what are the things thatcontribute to that?
Um, and yet our modern culturein so many ways is counter to
those things that lead tothriving and to happiness and
well-being.
And, you know, we we have been,my wife and I, both on our own
kind of different journeys of uhour own struggles and hardships
(08:30):
and then together.
And over time, you know, both ofus are are kind of of the
personality of we we want tofind answers, right?
And we search and we seek andwe're kind of love the continual
learning mindset.
And so we've we would learnsomething and it would give us
kind of a tool that would helpour own kind of personal
well-being.
And then we'd learn somethingelse, and it just felt like so
(08:52):
all over the place, and all thedifferent ways to get support
and knowledge, you know, frompodcasts to books to therapy to
uh coaching programs to whateverit might be, right?
And man, we're like, how do wehow do we give this to our kids
earlier?
Like, can we do this actually athome in their formative years to
where by the time they leave ourhome, they have the mindsets,
(09:14):
the tools, the skills, thehabits that will just arm them
to navigate life really well andto thrive.
And there is never a point wherewe can eliminate them not going
through hard things, right?
They're going to we're all gonnaexperience difficult things in
life.
Um, but it's more so can we armthem that when those things
happen, there's a resiliencebecause they have the tools and
(09:38):
the tool belt to pull and drawon.
And so, you know, we justdesired that.
And and and you know, certainlythat's kind of long-term vision,
but some of us see this rightnow, like, oh man, the one child
just really struggles withanger, you know, and and like
and and emotional outburst, andand another, you know, child
really uh struggles with socialanxiety.
And, you know, there's just allthe little things that cause
(10:02):
this friction in the home or inlife uh are also aided by
learning and practicing thesetools.
And so, you know, we desiredthat, and you know, certainly we
were doing our best to try topass on these things that we've
we've learned over the yearsthrough all this education and
programs.
But the lectures, it felt toooften like lectures or felt like
too often in the moment that ourkids were needing the tool,
(10:25):
we're trying to teach it, whichis not the time that they can
actually learn it and receiveit.
And so eventually there's justthis sense of we we need a more
systematic way that helps usfeel like we're we're fulfilling
our role in helping them betruly whole, their whole self
showing up.
Um, and so, you know, what whatcan we do to create more
(10:45):
intention around that?
And, you know, we had a hardtime finding all the resources
we wanted and we ended updeciding to create it.
And so, you know, Behold Do Goodis is a program where uh and
it's had to evolve over theyears as we experimented with
stuff, but uh we're just nowreleasing a text message version
of the program where it issimple, daily, encouraging, warm
(11:07):
uh text that are supports to youon your phone, right where you
need them on a daily basis,where you're already looking to
guide you as a parent on how toteach and cultivate these
principles.
And it starts all with amazingcontent.
So we have just these fantasticvideos that teach different
tools, so anything or anythingacross the board from active
listening skills to selflessnessand service to growth mindset to
(11:30):
discovering your strengths tonaming your emotions to
reframing setbacks.
These types of things, uh,families will go a whole month
focused on practicing anddeveloping one of those skills
or mindsets.
And and the parents are guidedafter you watch this, you know,
really engaging, age-appropriatevideo that teaches it, gives
this shared language andfoundation.
(11:51):
There's these simple textmessages you get as a parent
every day that some days it's ascript.
Hey, when this hard thinghappens, it happens all the time
with your kids.
Here's something you can saythat helps to bring back and
reinforce that principle.
Sometimes it's a question thatyou discuss at the family dinner
table that helps to reallydigest this concept in your life
more.
Sometimes it's a uh again, aword of uh inspiration and
(12:15):
encouragement.
Sometimes it's an intentionalactivity you can do during that
day that only takes a fewminutes on a car ride or on a
walk or something that againhelps to deepen the
understanding in your heart, ourkids, our kids' hearts of that
principle.
So it's all and there's manyhabits that you practice on a
weekly basis throughout those.
(12:35):
So it's just this guide to beyour kind of warm, encouraging
friend and coach to to teach ourkids the things that matter
most.
And each month, you know, it'snot like you can master a skill
in a month, but what it's reallyhelping to achieve is you're
finding what works for yourfamily.
Like what are the littlephrases, the little tools that
actually like really stick andthat that resonate?
(12:56):
And the other rest you don'thave to worry about.
And you just keep those things.
And they it's like adding everymonth a little bit to our family
culture and our family languagethat ultimately over the long
haul brings a consistency thatcultivates these skills and
mindsets within our children asthey grow up.
SPEAKER_01 (13:13):
Love that.
I I definitely need that becauseI actually I was just putting
together, like I had written amemoir a long time ago about my
childhood and that, but I kindof never felt like nah, I don't
know where to finish it.
And then the other day I came upwith the idea, I'm like, well,
let's finish it that like intothe homeschool life, like
despite what your childhood was,you can learn to do better as an
(13:34):
adult.
And I'm like, well, I don'treally know how to do better.
I just I tell him a lot, like,sorry, I I didn't mean to say
that, I didn't mean to do that.
I had a messed up childhood.
But it's like, I think half thebattle is being like realizing,
hey, it wasn't done right forme.
I want to do better so that heeither stopped the cycle or, you
(13:54):
know, it's just I I was thinkingof it too.
I was like, well, I don't wanthim to treat his my my grandbaby
like that someday, you know, ifI just like fly off my hand of
like, why are you acting likethis, you know?
Because that's just how mymother was.
And I'm like, I don't want himto yell at my grandchild, so I
shouldn't yell at him.
But it's really hard to do,especially when you're in the
moment and you commented onthat, you know, that oh, well,
(14:15):
you it's not really the righttime in the moment.
And I love that having the ideaof the text messages and the
tools that you just have in yourback pocket for when you need
them.
And also what came to mind toois you know, we're seeing
things, we're home with our kidsall day when they are
homeschooling.
So, like it is added things likeI'm watching how he interacts
with other kids, right?
(14:36):
I'm noticing the things thatlike he shouldn't do that, or
you know, but it adds more tothe parents' plate.
Like if they're at school allday, you don't really know how
they're treating other kids.
You get home and you hear theirstory, like that kid's a bully,
and oh yeah, that kid's awful.
But like, well, what did yourchild do to make them make the
bully, quote unquote, react in away that your child didn't like?
Because I know I've seen for myson, I'm like, well, dear, you
(14:59):
annoyed the crap out of them.
That's why they all turnedaround and left you.
SPEAKER_00 (15:02):
That's right, that's right.
SPEAKER_01 (15:04):
If you're homeschooling or even just
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They're building characters,completing challenges, playing
(15:25):
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(15:46):
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Having like safe, good ways tobecause sometimes I feel like
I'm just so negative to him andtelling him, well, no, this is
how you should act.
And I'm like, I really wish Idid have a guidebook on like how
(16:08):
to handle these things becausewe are with them all day, and
none of us came from a perfectupbringing to have that perfect
example of what to do.
So this sounds like an amazingprogram.
SPEAKER_00 (16:18):
Oh, well, thank you.
Yeah, it's been it's been a lotof work and we've gone it wrong,
I think, a bunch on how it needsto look.
And you know, we uh we've donelike these full curriculums that
have been so good.
And and when parents like andfamilies go through the full
kind of curriculum, they're likegushing about just how powerful
this material is, and yet likeit was hard to adopt, like it
(16:41):
was hard to actually beconsistent with.
And so there's this recognitionof of and and actually the
interesting thing, Cheryl, islike we're the creators of it,
right?
And and we have so much passionaround it.
And even our family, it was hardto be consistent with this full
curriculum type approach.
And so that that's where thelearnings came of like this,
this has to like be distilleddown to be so simple, so easy
(17:05):
that it just like it just flowsas a part of daily life, but you
just have this help, thissupport and in it.
And and that I think has beenwhat has been the big uh
innovation that that has madethe difference for us and and
you know, we're seeing theimpact for for families is just
it removes some of the the guiltand and the worry that we have
(17:26):
of you know, are we are we doingwhat we can to help help our
children?
But I think the other thing Iwould just comment on what you
were saying, Cheryl, and this isso hard to do.
Man, we just need to giveourselves a lot of grace because
yeah, this life is hard andparenting is hard, and all we
can do is try to do a littlebetter, you know, than maybe
(17:47):
what we had and received.
And I I think that um, you know,in the long run, it's amazing
how much good can come fromimperfect people making
imperfect efforts, but that havethe good desires and are just
trying and continually trying todo the best.
And I think part of what we needto have modeled for our kids is
(18:08):
self-compassion in theimperfection because they're
gonna struggle with the sameimperfection in different ways
than than us because we're alljust human.
And so I I, you know, I I needthe support too because this is
a struggle for me.
I I have constantly things thatI'm modeling that I don't want
to model for my kids.
And so having ways to help getbetter in the way I'm modeling
(18:30):
and to have a guide and a coach,you know, there side by side
with me.
But also in the midst of all ofthat, man, it is so powerful
when we can just say to ourkids, no, this is what it should
look like.
And this is what we're strivingfor as a family altogether.
And I just, I just mess that up.
And and I want you to know thatum I'm sorry, you know, and and
I love you and will you forgiveme?
(18:51):
It's like there's somethingabout that that um I don't know.
Uh the more we can offerourselves grace, the more our
kids will offer themselves gracetoo.
SPEAKER_01 (18:59):
I love that.
That is, I mean, what a quoteright there, man.
Because yeah, I you want yourchildren to be able to forgive
themselves and move on and justdo better instead of dwelling.
And when we look at, you know,depression and anxiety these
days, I mean, that's huge.
And I think a lot of that has todo too with like the breaking
apart of the family unit.
You know, what you're speakingon is a lot of it is to bring
(19:22):
the family together, make astronger bond.
And the public school system,it's just breaking it apart from
every way possible between thethe longer hours and then making
them do homework and all theextracurriculars you throw in
there.
The extracurriculars, tell mewhat gender you want to be, I'll
keep that from mom and dad, giveyou injections and drugs and all
(19:44):
that, and won't tell mom anddad.
And it really, like, I don'tknow.
It that's a huge reason rightthere to just homeschool because
it's just you can't do worsethan the school system.
And the worst that's gonnahappen is your family is gonna
be closer.
So, how did you come up withlike the expertise on, you know,
oh, this is what you should do,the guidance on telling other
(20:06):
parents, you know, this is howyou can handle this.
Is it through experience or areyou getting information from
other experts?
SPEAKER_00 (20:13):
Both.
Yeah, there's both.
So part a part of our journeyhas been training with receiving
education from some of theleading people out there.
So one of my mentors is a guynamed Talbin Shahar.
So he's a positive psychologistout of Harvard and uh has been
kind of the an advocate of thisfield he calls happiness
studies.
And so it's it's looking acrossall disciplines and all research
(20:36):
from biology to to psychology toyou know, even philosophy.
And what is everything we'velearned that really contributes
to a whole life and a wholeperson?
And so I've learned a lot fromhim, and there's a lot from his
content that is a guide for whatwe do.
Um I've studied with andreceived training and
certifications with the leadingbehavioral scientists of habit
(20:59):
formation out of Stanford, uh,BJ Fogg.
So there's some really goodstuff from that that we use to
guide some of the things thatare being recommended.
But then just hire great people.
One of the core people thatreally influences um some of our
content writing uh does a lot ofresearch for every topic we do.
There's a bunch of the researchwe'll do of gathering together
(21:19):
what's all the proven, you know,type of well-validated studies
on stuff.
And then we base the familyexperiences based off of those
and what's been shown to have areal impact.
Like really simple stuffsometimes.
You know, one of the suggestionswe give on a month focused on
cultivating gratitude, which isinteresting because it's so much
more than just saying thank you.
It's actually the real heart ofgratitude is this practiced, um,
(21:44):
it I mean, it it takesreinforcing neural pathways in
the brain, but it's thispracticed way of looking at life
where you have an ability toacknowledge hard things, but you
don't stay there.
You move past it and you scanand identify the positive that
you can focus on.
Like that's the Right.
And so, you know, one study thatwas done is the whole gratitude
(22:06):
letter thing.
Like if you if you think ofsomeone that's made a difference
in your life and you write agratitude letter and then you
actually give it and deliver itto them, it has been shown not
for like just that day or for acouple of days or even a couple
of weeks.
It literally impacts yourhappiness level for several
months.
Like that's what the researchshows.
And it's been validated multipletimes, right?
(22:26):
So, you know, so simple thingslike that.
So we find what are the thingsthat really have been validated
or and so yeah, yeah, we wegather that material and then we
fit it into this structure forthese day-to-day kind of
suggestions.
And we also are a faith-basedprogram.
And so, you know, we we take youknow principles from scripture
and we integrate and show howall of this is is truth, you
(22:48):
know, that there's just thisability to uh receive.
Um what do we sometimes do thatblocks what God is trying to
give us?
And let's break through that andopen it up to receive you know
more of um what he's alreadytrying to give us anyway.
SPEAKER_01 (23:02):
So boy, I would imagine writing gratitude
letters, you would probably bewriting some to people who you
have gratitude for, but who havealso maybe hurt you or made you
mad in the past, and you're kindof making yourself vulnerable to
surpass that, which probablyhelps yourself more than
anything.
But wow, that's a really cool.
I've never thought about doingthat.
(23:23):
I can imagine that that wouldreally change your perspective
for for a a little while atleast.
SPEAKER_00 (23:27):
Yeah.
And and you know what?
It that's not something that youjust like make a regular part of
your life.
So most things, uh, and that'skind of on the highest level of
effort required, that would bekind of the highest level of the
invitations you receive, youknow, and what we do.
Most things are you know so muchmore simple and small.
Um, and uh, you know, whether itbe just uh again, hey, every day
(23:49):
this week during dinner, what isthe top thing you want to
celebrate that day?
You know, and everyone goesaround and shares that.
Or, you know, uh every day thisweek, write down three things as
a part of your bedtime thatyou're grateful for from that
day, right?
So those things are also thingsthat have been like, you know,
they're or actually there's oneeven that month that's on as you
eat a meal, everyone you focuson savoring.
(24:11):
There's a lot of research aroundsavoring, which is connected to
gratitude of how do you savorthings in the moment more?
And so when you eat a meal,everyone they they kind of take
a bite, they close their eyes,and they like just savor every
bit of that bite and thendescribe it.
And even even an extra size sizelike that, you know, is has some
great research behind just whatit does for helping you see the
(24:33):
power being present in themoment.
SPEAKER_01 (24:35):
So anyway, yeah, for us, that would look like my
children.
I don't want to eat this.
SPEAKER_00 (24:40):
That's right, that's right.
SPEAKER_01 (24:42):
Let's if you put that in your mouth that I slaved
over.
SPEAKER_00 (24:45):
Oh, we would we would have to have some good
prep to a meal to actually haveevery child willing to savor
what is on the table.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:54):
That puts a lot of pressure on the cook.
SPEAKER_00 (24:56):
That's that's more the dessert that we do that
exercise with, you know.
Let's all savor the dessert.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (25:01):
So and then me.
There are children in othercountries that don't get any
food at all.
SPEAKER_00 (25:06):
That's right.
SPEAKER_01 (25:07):
That's still good, right?
That line is still good.
Jeez.
Oh, all right.
So this is really cool.
How did you make the leap fromlike what was your job before?
SPEAKER_00 (25:17):
Software sales.
SPEAKER_01 (25:18):
Oh, all right.
So then you're gonna be like,well, I was a motivational
speaker.
SPEAKER_00 (25:22):
Total, total, huge, huge job.
SPEAKER_01 (25:24):
Okay, software sales.
So how does this like can youwalk us through that?
Because I left a career too.
And you know, I mentioned thatbefore, but like not only like
we still have my husband'scareer though to fall back on
for like mortgage payments.
How do does one go from like, Iam leaving software sales to
start this company?
You obviously have to pay peoplelike you know, you're working
(25:47):
with experts and everything.
You've got to get this softwareup and going.
Like, can you walk us throughhow that even happens?
Because I think first peoplewe're just so set in our ways.
We don't think that it's evenpossible to take that leap of
faith into starting our ownbusiness that we actually care
about.
SPEAKER_00 (26:02):
Yeah, I mean, it it was um it was a lot of moments
that built up to that decision.
Yeah, it certainly wasn't a fastthing, uh, it was years in the
making, but there's a few keymoments.
So if I look at kind of keymilestones on that, that journey
that led to that leap, and itwas a big leap of face.
Uh at times we've wondered if itwas worth it.
(26:22):
Yeah, but you get there.
You in fact, I've seen thisactually really interesting
graphic.
It's for entrepreneurs, but theywere really, I think it's
creators in general.
And I can't remember all thedetails, I'm gonna butcher it,
but it's like this like dip, andit has like these little marks
in in kind of this, this, thisprocess.
And on the way down, it's like,yeah, this is gonna be awesome.
It's gonna go so great.
And this is good, I think thiswas a good idea, into like a pit
(26:45):
of total despair.
And then on your way out, wait,actually, it is kind of working.
And oh, this is really good.
I'm so glad I did this.
My life is, yeah.
And we have traveled that wholething, you know.
Um, but how did we get there tomake make that decision uh and
do that leap of faith?
I remember one moment where Iwas actually on a morning run
and it was it was like up onthis mountainside and it was
(27:07):
beautiful, and there's thisview, but um, where I just had
been doing it for, you know,eight or nine years, uh this
kind of software sales job.
It was a super fast growingcompany, really amazing
experience.
Uh, but yet um, and my careerjust kept growing.
You know, the company wasgrowing so fast that like, you
know, those who were involvedgot to take on new things
(27:28):
quickly and grow quickly.
And so, you know, it was doingthings earlier in my career than
that I really deserved,honestly, because of the just
great opportunity being a partof.
And and um, and yet there wasjust this deep feeling, this
this moments where you kind ofcan really hear your inner voice
more clearly.
And and there was this moment oflike, I want my life to mean
(27:51):
more.
And I want like, if I'm gonnaspend decades in a career, I
want it to like contribute tothings that I care more deeply
about.
And so that was one moment thatjust stuck with me.
And it looked kind of like gavethis lens that I think got my my
mind thinking more about it.
And then there's there's anotherreally key moment I remember
where as I continued to climbthat corporate ladder, it was
(28:14):
like the amount of demand on me,which then turned into the
amount of demand and burden onour family, just continued to
grow.
And I remember this moment whereI realized that next jump, that
next big promotion, uh, it onlygets worse, actually.
It doesn't get better.
And and I just remember my wifeand I sitting on our bed one
(28:36):
night and just really talkingthrough like, if we look forward
at where this path leads us,like our kids will leave the
home and our family life willhave been far different than
what we actually wanted it toreally be.
And so it was that moment thatwas just like, okay, we got to
figure out something different.
And and I think we we were ofthis sense of like, let's design
(28:58):
our life to be the way weactually want it to be, and what
would that take?
And we realized if we trulywanted to design it the way we
want it to be, we have to have alot of autonomy.
And that autonomy uh requireshaving more ownership over and
being our own boss, in essence.
And so I think that's that ledus down the road of
entrepreneurship.
I ended up getting an executiveMBA and got it in
(29:21):
entrepreneurship and was doingthat while I was working on the
side, and so I got a lot ofbusiness planning there, a lot
of mentorship and support.
Um, and then after that, we hadbuilt up some savings to live
off of, and we just jumped inwith both feet and said, let's
do this.
And like I said, it's been ithas been quite the ride, but
what it is doing and creatingand what it's I guess showing to
our kids is something we'reproud of.
SPEAKER_01 (29:41):
That's that's awesome.
After three years ofinterviewing homeschooling
families, I realized howoverwhelming it can be to piece
everything together.
So I took the best advice, tips,questions, and resources that
I've learned along the way andput them into one practical
ebook.
If you're looking for a clearstarting point, you'll find the
link in this show's description.
(30:04):
And are your kids a part of it?
Like, do they learn as part oftheir homeschooling through this
business?
SPEAKER_00 (30:10):
Uh yeah, both uh, of course, as a family, we're the
first customers of it, right?
Or the first members, and so we,you know, use all our own stuff.
Uh, but what is actually reallycool, and this was part of why I
wanted it to do it this way, sowe have different, uh, I
mentioned we have different ageappropriate videos.
So we have two primary likegroupings, uh, kind of your five
(30:32):
to eleven year olds, and thenyou know, 12 and up or 11 and
up.
And uh, and so the upper onesare like these kind of teen
masterclass versions.
Uh, so there's this 12 to 15minute video for the month, and
they're just packed with humorand inspiration and stories,
powerful stories, and andthey're they're great.
But the younger kid ones arethese more animated, digital,
(30:53):
illustrated, child, childstorybook style videos, and my
kids are the voices for thecharacters and uh yeah.
So we have our whole recordingstudio set up and and uh and so
uh you know, whenever we recorda new topic, you know, they we
all get in the room together andand you know I'm the narrator in
in those ones, and my kids arethe kids' voices, and so anyway,
(31:15):
it's it's it's really cooltogether to do to do together
and they take real ownershipover it, and but it also
reinforces it that much more.
They're not only watching it,they're like helping to teach
it, and so it's teaching it tothem at a whole new level.
SPEAKER_01 (31:28):
That's cool.
So is this would you call it youyou said it's not a course
because your other one was thecourse.
This is like, is it an app?
What is it?
Program?
SPEAKER_00 (31:37):
Yeah.
So and again, we're just aboutto launch the text message
version publicly.
Okay.
And so when you look on ourwebsite, the date of this
recording, and I don't know howmuch how much after this will be
edited and published, it stillreflects some of the all the
workbooks and the posters andyou know, these more physical
materials.
We are just waiting for onefinal kind of approval from
(31:57):
carriers.
It's probably about two weeks,and then we'll press live on the
website.
But uh the way that the textmessage version of it works is
um, yeah, you just use as partypurchase, you just opt in, you
know, for the text messages, andthen it just texts it to you
every day, and then it gives youon the beginning of the month a
link to watch the video.
(32:20):
And so it's you don't have tohave any logins, you don't have
to have any apps, you don't haveto do any downloads.
Again, uh the goal was how do wemake this as simple and as easy
as possible?
And so it's it's literally justa daily little text message that
is designed to make you smile orto feel encouraged.
Uh it's never um, you know, partof our simple rules we follow
(32:41):
for everything is it never hasto feel like we're just adding
task onto a plate.
And so it always has to feelsupportive and additive to your
day rather than uh you know,enhancing your your what you're
already doing that day versusadding something to to you.
So it's just that.
And again, you'll have some textat the beginning that are like,
here's the link, just pull it upand watch with your your family,
(33:03):
find 10 minutes today.
And you know, when's that time?
And give yourself a littlereminder, you'll thank yourself
and you know, watch that thereand so yeah, that's how it
works.
Uh again, the new version that'sgoing live here um in the next
two weeks.
SPEAKER_01 (33:13):
Okay, awesome.
So uh I guess what are yourgoals for your kids, for their
education?
Like, what do you envision whenthey turn the age of 18?
What do you want them to know?
What do you want for them?
SPEAKER_00 (33:26):
It's a great question because we don't we
don't really talk in our homeabout um necessarily as an end
objective, a certain mastery ofmath or of their language arts
um or of their science or youknow, those those types of
things.
Um, all of that is important,really important.
And we don't, you know, wecertainly value and emphasize it
(33:47):
a lot, right?
Um, but all of that is just moreimportant is who are they
becoming?
How clearly do they know andhave a sense of identity, that
they are an individual of worththat can literally positively
impact the world.
And that there's a there isthere is a unique makeup to them
that allows for a uniquecontribution to the world.
(34:08):
How, you know, what is our goaland objective to help them to go
through that self-discovery, toidentify what they truly are
passionate about and care about,and to cultivate the skills and
the knowledge and the mindsetsand the things they need to then
go out into the world and makethat impact, make that
difference.
And so that's what we want forthem.
(34:29):
And there's lots of things thatgo into that, including the way
they practice independence intheir and their learning of
math, the way they haveresilience in how they respond
to their setbacks and mistakesthey make in their science work.
Or so the academic learning is areally great environment in
which these things can bepracticed and learned.
But ultimately it's so much moreabout who they become and their
(34:51):
readiness to go out into theworld, ready, ready to to you
know, do good.
That's the whole behold do goodpiece, right?
Is that uh our own personalwholeness is more about um the
capacity it gives us to do ourgreatest good.
And that good, the scope of theimpact on the world may
primarily be in our own home,you know, uh within the walls of
(35:12):
our own home, um, or the impactin one person's world.
Yeah, the scope of that doesn'tmatter so much is is that you
you kind of find your personalcalling in life and and you
pursue it.
SPEAKER_01 (35:22):
Yes.
And if you're not on that path,have the courage to jump on the
path or at least try a few pathsout.
That's so good.
That's so good.
Uh what would your advice be tothe parents who maybe aren't
homeschooling yet and might wantto um are thinking about it, or
even that are in jobs like I wasa government job, or you know,
(35:44):
it it it seems like you enjoyedyour job too.
It just wasn't your life'spassion, what you were meant to
be doing.
So, what advice would you giveto the people that are like the
me five years ago sitting in acubicle while my son is in
daycare, thinking, all right, 24more years till my pension?
SPEAKER_00 (36:03):
Yeah, yeah.
Oh, that is a good question.
Um, one of the thoughts thatcomes to mind right away, and
we'll see what else comes.
Again, I I I think sometimes todo the things we care most
about, the path isn't alwayseasy, but the things that are
most important to us, there isalways a way.
And the first step is to havethe faith and belief and
(36:24):
commitment, and then the way canopen.
So the more you just sit backand perceive the impossible
nature or the impractical natureof being able to make that step,
or all the reasons why, youknow, that you shouldn't or it
would be a bad idea, the moreyou stay stuck there, the more
you'll stay stuck there, right?
(36:44):
Um and hopefully this is makingsense.
But I think the first step is itand this is enough for
everybody, by the way.
I I I don't know that hellschooling is for everyone.
But if it is something that inuh your heart feels like that is
what I want, then then I thinkit's more a matter of the first
step is you truly have to committhat you're gonna find a way to
(37:07):
make it happen.
And that may take some time.
Uh, it can't always be doneright away.
But what is so powerful uh withdepending on your belief system
from a standpoint of faith in areligious context to to uh you
know just the power of the mindis that when you have made that
commitment and you said, I amdoing this, I don't know how,
(37:29):
and I don't know what it whatyou know, things will need to
occur to break through thebarriers, the mountain that
stands in front of me.
But if you know you want it,commit to it and commit to
finding the way and theresources, the people, the
opportunities will be drawn toyou to open up the path to make
it possible.
And so that that would be Imaybe one thought that comes to
(37:50):
mind.
SPEAKER_01 (37:51):
Um yeah, and I definitely think that's true.
I think, I mean, I know I didn'tI remember it was when I started
the podcast, it was just kind oflike, oh, let me see what other
homeschooling lives look like,because I'm just picturing us
whittling and sewing andcandlelight.
And I'm like, I don't know if Ican do that.
But you know, someone said tome, Well, what's your goal for
the podcast?
I'm like, I don't know, I don'treally have a goal.
(38:11):
I really like Del Bigtree on thehighwire.
I'd like to know him.
That's my goal.
And then, like, lo and behold,I've met him three times now.
He's been on the podcast, likeit's and in a weird series of
events, too.
Like that, like, you know, itwas at a a rally for medical
freedom.
And I didn't know he was gonnabe there.
I've been at that one before.
He was never there, the highwirewas never there, and I'm like,
(38:32):
he's oh, he's here.
Well, I'm just gonna walk to thefront.
Oh, he's looking at me.
Hey, can I come up and talk tohim?
Like, and and then another time,like, oh, he's two hours away at
a at a conference thing.
It's just like, yeah, thosethings, and and then, you know,
and then that sparks theInstagram page or the podcast to
go a little elsewhere, and thenyou meet other people.
And you know, it's like it'sit's it's not that I'm gonna
(38:54):
take a leap of faith and be, youknow, financially sound in six
months, but it's every littlething is a teaching lesson and
experience for your life and thenext step forward.
So I think too, the measure islike like you said in the very
beginning of the podcast.
What was your measure of of offine education or a happy
(39:14):
childhood in the public schoolsystem?
Like, where is your gauge forthe happiness part?
And it's the same thing withsuccess.
Like, where's your gauge forsuccess?
Like 10 years ago, I would havebeen like, oh, it would have
been to make, you know, sixfigures in my government job.
But now I'm like, oh, it wouldbe that my kids look back on
their childhood and think it wasreally fun.
SPEAKER_00 (39:33):
Yes.
I love it.
Yeah, and that's a perfectexample.
SPEAKER_01 (39:37):
Yeah, that is what your your program really sounds
like it brings to the home in amuch needed time.
SPEAKER_00 (39:42):
Yeah, well, I you know, and again, I I think um
every you mentioned this rightat the beginning.
No one homeschools the same.
And I think that that isimportant.
It is important to recognizethat um how it looks for others
doesn't have to be the way itlooks for you, you know, and and
um that that can evolve overtime and yeah, it can evolve
(40:04):
year from year to year.
That's been our experience islike the needs of our family as
we've done different moves, aswe've done had different things
going on in life, as our kidshave been in different places.
It um can it can look differentand evolve.
But the first step is to stepinto it and you only learn what
those needs are and how toevolve when in motion.
You know, you you can adjustthings at when you're at zero
(40:27):
miles per hour, turning a car,it doesn't happen.
You know, when you're going oneor two miles per hour, you
really gotta crank.
But if you're cruising at agood, you know, kind of cruise
control on the freeway and youneed to make an adjustment, you
can tweak and you can makeadjustments, right?
And so I I think there'ssomething to say for, you know,
I love your example of startingthe podcast and what that has
(40:47):
led to.
And it's when we feel drawn tocalled to a certain path that
takes faith and trust.
Just know that as you get on thepath, you may not know what step
two, three, four, five, or sixis gonna be, but those things
get clear as you take step oneand that helps you know step
two, and then you just continueto find your way and all of our
(41:08):
imperfect way.
SPEAKER_01 (41:09):
Oh, that's awesome.
Todd, I want to thank you forbeing here today.
And where can people find you ifthey would like to check out Be
Whole Do Good?
SPEAKER_00 (41:16):
It's Behold Dogood.com.
Yeah.
So pretty, pretty simple.
Please in W-H-O-L-E.
So be whole dogood.com.
Uh and again, I'm not sure whenthis will air, but by
mid-February, the the newoffering will be live.
We're really excited about it.
It's that's tested really well.
And so um excited for thesupport that'll offer.
(41:37):
And yeah, just anyone we canserve, uh, we would be so happy
to provide that support to.
SPEAKER_01 (41:42):
Well, I'm gonna link that in the show's descriptions.
Head there to check that out,easy click, and you're probably
gonna change your life becauseI'm I'm pretty excited about
this.
We need some new dinnerconversation.
Thank you, Todd, for being heretoday.
SPEAKER_00 (41:57):
Thank you, Cheryl.
SPEAKER_01 (41:58):
Thank you for listening to the Homeschool How
To Podcast.
If today's episode helped you,please be sure to follow the
show and leave a review.
It's the best way to support thepodcast.
And if you're just gettingstarted or need a reset, head to
thehomeschoolhowto.com and grabmy free 30-day homeschool quick
start guide.
Until next time, keep learning,keep questioning, and thank you
for your love of the nextgeneration.
I didn't plan to homeschool.
I started asking hard questions,realized how little control
parents actually have, and madethe hard decision to leave a
government job to homeschool mykids.
Now I interview otherhomeschooling parents to learn
how this all works.
I'm Cheryl, and this is theHomeschool How-To podcast.
Let's learn this together.
(00:24):
Welcome.
And with us today, I have ToddMarchand.
Todd, thank you for being here.
SPEAKER_00 (00:28):
My pleasure.
It's just an honor.
Thank you, Cheryl.
SPEAKER_01 (00:30):
And so, Todd, are you a homeschool dad?
SPEAKER_00 (00:32):
Uh, I am.
Yes.
Proud homeschool dad.
SPEAKER_01 (00:35):
Awesome.
So, how many kids do you haveand what are their ages?
SPEAKER_00 (00:38):
So, we have four kiddos.
Well, I should crooked that.
We have five kiddos, and we havefour here with us.
So we have we have an angel sonas well.
Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And he's still such a gift tous.
But yeah, there's a whole storybehind that.
But we've got a 12, 12-year-oldson, a 10-year-old daughter, an
eight-year-old son, and then uhour angel son Joseph was next.
(01:00):
And then we have athree-year-old son.
SPEAKER_01 (01:02):
Oh my goodness.
So is it all boys?
SPEAKER_00 (01:04):
Four boys, one girl, or 10-year-olds a girl.
Four boys, one girl.
SPEAKER_01 (01:07):
Okay, okay.
So it's a busy household.
SPEAKER_00 (01:09):
It is.
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (01:11):
What motivated you and your wife to homeschool in
the first place?
Had you always thought abouthomeschooling?
SPEAKER_00 (01:16):
We did.
Yeah.
It was really my wife still.
She she took lead in that.
You know, we both just wentthrough the public school system
and and both had relativelypositive experiences.
But I also think it's alwaysinteresting.
My measuring stick for apositive experience at the time
was based off of what I knew,right?
And what's been interesting iscertainly, you know, times have
(01:36):
changed and things are differentthan, you know, maybe they were
as I was in school.
But more importantly, thecontrast was starting to have a
vision for what the schoolingand education experience could
be.
Uh that created a contrast thatprovided that much more
motivation to desire to do it.
I think that started early onwhen our kids were little,
preschool age.
(01:57):
My wife was actually anelementary school teacher
previously, but she she juststarted reading a lot of
different books.
The Jefferson books, you know,was a big, big kind of initial
influence and some of theclassical education, you know,
stuff.
And uh it just started to reallyhit home that the the types of
values that we wanted to pass onto our kids, the type of
(02:21):
lifestyle, uh, that there'sthere's just a lot of alignment
with with homeschooling.
And so, you know, right from thestart, as our first son went
into kindergarten, we've alwaysdone some version of homeschool.
I will say that our family'skind of needs are such that we
have found more of a hybridapproach, tends to be our jam.
(02:42):
And so we've usually done someversion of a hybrid homeschool
where you know they go somewherefor a couple of days in the week
and we do a couple of days athome.
And that has looked differentyear to year.
We've actually moved quite abit.
And so that also um has had toadapt as we go to new places and
try to figure out well, whatresources are available.
But just uh, you know, we'vewe've always liked that very
(03:03):
well supported homeschool.
But um, regardless of the levelof that balance, which has gone
back and forth from full-timehomeschool to uh a almost a
hybrid that's a little more ledby the school versus by us.
So we've experimented with allof that.
And I think in the end of theday, like our mindset always is
(03:24):
across any of those experiences,we we are the ones that want to
take lead in uh who our childrenare becoming and education, the
academic education is onecomponent of that.
SPEAKER_01 (03:36):
Yeah.
And I love what you said tooabout like your meter for what
was a good education and youknow, a good experience in
public school is is only goingto show you what you already
know, right?
Like even I, you know, even whenmy kids complain about, you
know, I can't believe we have topause the TV to go brush our
teeth.
I'm like, you don't even realizewe didn't have paws on a TV
(03:59):
before.
But like in their lives, that'sall they know.
So, you know, like you you don'tknow ridiculous if you've never
experienced it.
So yeah, we can look we can lookat our education and think,
like, yeah, I had a good timebecause I remember like the prom
was fun.
But is that really the definingmoment of your 18 years?
(04:21):
I mean, come on.
So what did that what did thatlook like when you know your
wife was like, okay, I know Iwent to school to be a teacher,
but now I'm going to quit my jobto homeschool.
And like, did you have to takeon more financial burden or how
did how did that work out foryou guys?
Because that is the hard parttoo.
SPEAKER_00 (04:40):
Yeah, no, there's there's certainly no question on
that.
And we we had actually made thatmove a little bit earlier when
we had our first three kids uhwithin a four-year period.
And uh my wife just uh felt likeI I want to be home, uh, at
least during you know, whateverphase that ends up being.
But uh and so she she had madethat decision earlier
(05:03):
pre-getting to where we werehomeschooling, that transition
had to be made.
And we certainly financial allof that, that that came down to
to you know my responsibility toto work through.
And and again, uh that hasalways been changed at the time.
Um my our lifestyle and mycareer were such that that was
(05:24):
that was really easy.
That was simple.
But as as time goes on, youknow, things evolve, and one of
the things that ultimately wedecided to do is orient more and
more of our life, including theway we earn income, toward the
the outcomes that we want forour family.
And so that meant going intoentrepreneurship, uh investing
(05:44):
even our working time and energyinto the types of things that
will contribute to our familyculture, our family well-being,
our thriving as a family.
And uh that has had all sorts ofups and downs uh along that that
road.
But uh it is it's interesting tosee that there really is,
struggle included, um, adifferent level of satisfaction
(06:07):
and fulfillment the more youalign your life with your core
deepest values.
And I know that's notnecessarily always true, but for
a lot of us homeschool families,that's that's part of it, is
like, man, it is not easy.
It is hard.
And there's a lot of effort andstruggle that goes in to
homeschooling, but there's alsoa degree of, I would say there's
(06:30):
a higher degree of discontent inlife when we live out of
alignment with our values thanif we just have it a little bit
easier or more comfortable,right?
SPEAKER_01 (06:39):
Yeah, and you know, I think society has us so busy
that most people don't sit andsay, What are my values?
to even know that they need toalign anything with it.
I know I never thought about it.
You know, I had I worked for thegovernment when I had my son at
six months.
I sent him to daycare and I wastold, Oh my god, you're so lucky
you got to stay home for sixmonths.
(07:01):
Now looking at it, I'm like,that's nothing.
Poor kid.
Shuffled him off to daycare, andI spent my days in a cubicle,
twiddling my thumbs.
And man, thinking about leavingthe that job and the pension I
would be getting and the income.
I'm like, I can't leave all thismoney and stuff that I was
promised.
And it really took likeunraveling things in my brain to
(07:22):
be like, but what about on yourdeathbed, man?
Are you really gonna care aboutyour pension?
What if you die at 54 and younever see that pension anyway?
You know you have your kids heretoday.
You don't know what 20 yearsfrom now is gonna bring, or they
invest the money wrong and wedon't have a pension.
I don't know, who knows?
But anything could happen.
So yeah, why don't you talk alittle bit about the company
(07:42):
that you founded, Behold DoGood?
Because I I'm really interestedto hear how you implemented
this.
SPEAKER_00 (07:48):
Oh, yeah, thank you.
And thank you for giving thatchance, Cheryl.
So yeah, going back to just someof the things that we value, I
think our own journey and a lotof us in this generation are
experiencing this.
You know, there's been such a uhan evolution of learning and
awareness and the removing ofstereotypes around mental health
and just overall kind ofwell-being and wellness, and
(08:09):
what are the things thatcontribute to that?
Um, and yet our modern culturein so many ways is counter to
those things that lead tothriving and to happiness and
well-being.
And, you know, we we have been,my wife and I, both on our own
kind of different journeys of uhour own struggles and hardships
(08:30):
and then together.
And over time, you know, both ofus are are kind of of the
personality of we we want tofind answers, right?
And we search and we seek andwe're kind of love the continual
learning mindset.
And so we've we would learnsomething and it would give us
kind of a tool that would helpour own kind of personal
well-being.
And then we'd learn somethingelse, and it just felt like so
(08:52):
all over the place, and all thedifferent ways to get support
and knowledge, you know, frompodcasts to books to therapy to
uh coaching programs to whateverit might be, right?
And man, we're like, how do wehow do we give this to our kids
earlier?
Like, can we do this actually athome in their formative years to
where by the time they leave ourhome, they have the mindsets,
(09:14):
the tools, the skills, thehabits that will just arm them
to navigate life really well andto thrive.
And there is never a point wherewe can eliminate them not going
through hard things, right?
They're going to we're all gonnaexperience difficult things in
life.
Um, but it's more so can we armthem that when those things
happen, there's a resiliencebecause they have the tools and
(09:38):
the tool belt to pull and drawon.
And so, you know, we justdesired that.
And and and you know, certainlythat's kind of long-term vision,
but some of us see this rightnow, like, oh man, the one child
just really struggles withanger, you know, and and like
and and emotional outburst, andand another, you know, child
really uh struggles with socialanxiety.
And, you know, there's just allthe little things that cause
(10:02):
this friction in the home or inlife uh are also aided by
learning and practicing thesetools.
And so, you know, we desiredthat, and you know, certainly we
were doing our best to try topass on these things that we've
we've learned over the yearsthrough all this education and
programs.
But the lectures, it felt toooften like lectures or felt like
too often in the moment that ourkids were needing the tool,
(10:25):
we're trying to teach it, whichis not the time that they can
actually learn it and receiveit.
And so eventually there's justthis sense of we we need a more
systematic way that helps usfeel like we're we're fulfilling
our role in helping them betruly whole, their whole self
showing up.
Um, and so, you know, what whatcan we do to create more
(10:45):
intention around that?
And, you know, we had a hardtime finding all the resources
we wanted and we ended updeciding to create it.
And so, you know, Behold Do Goodis is a program where uh and
it's had to evolve over theyears as we experimented with
stuff, but uh we're just nowreleasing a text message version
of the program where it issimple, daily, encouraging, warm
(11:07):
uh text that are supports to youon your phone, right where you
need them on a daily basis,where you're already looking to
guide you as a parent on how toteach and cultivate these
principles.
And it starts all with amazingcontent.
So we have just these fantasticvideos that teach different
tools, so anything or anythingacross the board from active
listening skills to selflessnessand service to growth mindset to
(11:30):
discovering your strengths tonaming your emotions to
reframing setbacks.
These types of things, uh,families will go a whole month
focused on practicing anddeveloping one of those skills
or mindsets.
And and the parents are guidedafter you watch this, you know,
really engaging, age-appropriatevideo that teaches it, gives
this shared language andfoundation.
(11:51):
There's these simple textmessages you get as a parent
every day that some days it's ascript.
Hey, when this hard thinghappens, it happens all the time
with your kids.
Here's something you can saythat helps to bring back and
reinforce that principle.
Sometimes it's a question thatyou discuss at the family dinner
table that helps to reallydigest this concept in your life
more.
Sometimes it's a uh again, aword of uh inspiration and
(12:15):
encouragement.
Sometimes it's an intentionalactivity you can do during that
day that only takes a fewminutes on a car ride or on a
walk or something that againhelps to deepen the
understanding in your heart, ourkids, our kids' hearts of that
principle.
So it's all and there's manyhabits that you practice on a
weekly basis throughout those.
(12:35):
So it's just this guide to beyour kind of warm, encouraging
friend and coach to to teach ourkids the things that matter
most.
And each month, you know, it'snot like you can master a skill
in a month, but what it's reallyhelping to achieve is you're
finding what works for yourfamily.
Like what are the littlephrases, the little tools that
actually like really stick andthat that resonate?
(12:56):
And the other rest you don'thave to worry about.
And you just keep those things.
And they it's like adding everymonth a little bit to our family
culture and our family languagethat ultimately over the long
haul brings a consistency thatcultivates these skills and
mindsets within our children asthey grow up.
SPEAKER_01 (13:13):
Love that.
I I definitely need that becauseI actually I was just putting
together, like I had written amemoir a long time ago about my
childhood and that, but I kindof never felt like nah, I don't
know where to finish it.
And then the other day I came upwith the idea, I'm like, well,
let's finish it that like intothe homeschool life, like
despite what your childhood was,you can learn to do better as an
(13:34):
adult.
And I'm like, well, I don'treally know how to do better.
I just I tell him a lot, like,sorry, I I didn't mean to say
that, I didn't mean to do that.
I had a messed up childhood.
But it's like, I think half thebattle is being like realizing,
hey, it wasn't done right forme.
I want to do better so that heeither stopped the cycle or, you
(13:54):
know, it's just I I was thinkingof it too.
I was like, well, I don't wanthim to treat his my my grandbaby
like that someday, you know, ifI just like fly off my hand of
like, why are you acting likethis, you know?
Because that's just how mymother was.
And I'm like, I don't want himto yell at my grandchild, so I
shouldn't yell at him.
But it's really hard to do,especially when you're in the
moment and you commented onthat, you know, that oh, well,
(14:15):
you it's not really the righttime in the moment.
And I love that having the ideaof the text messages and the
tools that you just have in yourback pocket for when you need
them.
And also what came to mind toois you know, we're seeing
things, we're home with our kidsall day when they are
homeschooling.
So, like it is added things likeI'm watching how he interacts
with other kids, right?
(14:36):
I'm noticing the things thatlike he shouldn't do that, or
you know, but it adds more tothe parents' plate.
Like if they're at school allday, you don't really know how
they're treating other kids.
You get home and you hear theirstory, like that kid's a bully,
and oh yeah, that kid's awful.
But like, well, what did yourchild do to make them make the
bully, quote unquote, react in away that your child didn't like?
Because I know I've seen for myson, I'm like, well, dear, you
(14:59):
annoyed the crap out of them.
That's why they all turnedaround and left you.
SPEAKER_00 (15:02):
That's right, that's right.
SPEAKER_01 (15:04):
If you're homeschooling or even just
thinking about it, language artscan feel like one of those big
intimidating subjects writing,grammar, spelling, all the
things.
That's why we have loved usingNight Zookeeper.
It's designed for kids ages sixto twelve, and it turns reading
and writing into this uhcreative, interactive world
instead of just worksheets.
They're building characters,completing challenges, playing
(15:25):
games, but at the same time,they're covering spelling,
grammar, punctuation,vocabulary, all of it.
And if you're like me and youstill want to know what's
actually getting done, there's aparent dashboard where you can
see progress, set assignments,and even grab printable
resources.
It can work as your fulllanguage arts curriculum or just
something that you layer in tokeep writing fun.
If you've been nervous aboutteaching writing at home, this
(15:46):
might be the one thing thatmakes it click.
Click on the link in the show'sdescription for a free seven-day
trial and a 50% off a yearlysubscription.
Having like safe, good ways tobecause sometimes I feel like
I'm just so negative to him andtelling him, well, no, this is
how you should act.
And I'm like, I really wish Idid have a guidebook on like how
(16:08):
to handle these things becausewe are with them all day, and
none of us came from a perfectupbringing to have that perfect
example of what to do.
So this sounds like an amazingprogram.
SPEAKER_00 (16:18):
Oh, well, thank you.
Yeah, it's been it's been a lotof work and we've gone it wrong,
I think, a bunch on how it needsto look.
And you know, we uh we've donelike these full curriculums that
have been so good.
And and when parents like andfamilies go through the full
kind of curriculum, they're likegushing about just how powerful
this material is, and yet likeit was hard to adopt, like it
(16:41):
was hard to actually beconsistent with.
And so there's this recognitionof of and and actually the
interesting thing, Cheryl, islike we're the creators of it,
right?
And and we have so much passionaround it.
And even our family, it was hardto be consistent with this full
curriculum type approach.
And so that that's where thelearnings came of like this,
this has to like be distilleddown to be so simple, so easy
(17:05):
that it just like it just flowsas a part of daily life, but you
just have this help, thissupport and in it.
And and that I think has beenwhat has been the big uh
innovation that that has madethe difference for us and and
you know, we're seeing theimpact for for families is just
it removes some of the the guiltand and the worry that we have
(17:26):
of you know, are we are we doingwhat we can to help help our
children?
But I think the other thing Iwould just comment on what you
were saying, Cheryl, and this isso hard to do.
Man, we just need to giveourselves a lot of grace because
yeah, this life is hard andparenting is hard, and all we
can do is try to do a littlebetter, you know, than maybe
(17:47):
what we had and received.
And I I think that um, you know,in the long run, it's amazing
how much good can come fromimperfect people making
imperfect efforts, but that havethe good desires and are just
trying and continually trying todo the best.
And I think part of what we needto have modeled for our kids is
(18:08):
self-compassion in theimperfection because they're
gonna struggle with the sameimperfection in different ways
than than us because we're alljust human.
And so I I, you know, I I needthe support too because this is
a struggle for me.
I I have constantly things thatI'm modeling that I don't want
to model for my kids.
And so having ways to help getbetter in the way I'm modeling
(18:30):
and to have a guide and a coach,you know, there side by side
with me.
But also in the midst of all ofthat, man, it is so powerful
when we can just say to ourkids, no, this is what it should
look like.
And this is what we're strivingfor as a family altogether.
And I just, I just mess that up.
And and I want you to know thatum I'm sorry, you know, and and
I love you and will you forgiveme?
(18:51):
It's like there's somethingabout that that um I don't know.
Uh the more we can offerourselves grace, the more our
kids will offer themselves gracetoo.
SPEAKER_01 (18:59):
I love that.
That is, I mean, what a quoteright there, man.
Because yeah, I you want yourchildren to be able to forgive
themselves and move on and justdo better instead of dwelling.
And when we look at, you know,depression and anxiety these
days, I mean, that's huge.
And I think a lot of that has todo too with like the breaking
apart of the family unit.
You know, what you're speakingon is a lot of it is to bring
(19:22):
the family together, make astronger bond.
And the public school system,it's just breaking it apart from
every way possible between thethe longer hours and then making
them do homework and all theextracurriculars you throw in
there.
The extracurriculars, tell mewhat gender you want to be, I'll
keep that from mom and dad, giveyou injections and drugs and all
(19:44):
that, and won't tell mom anddad.
And it really, like, I don'tknow.
It that's a huge reason rightthere to just homeschool because
it's just you can't do worsethan the school system.
And the worst that's gonnahappen is your family is gonna
be closer.
So, how did you come up withlike the expertise on, you know,
oh, this is what you should do,the guidance on telling other
(20:06):
parents, you know, this is howyou can handle this.
Is it through experience or areyou getting information from
other experts?
SPEAKER_00 (20:13):
Both.
Yeah, there's both.
So part a part of our journeyhas been training with receiving
education from some of theleading people out there.
So one of my mentors is a guynamed Talbin Shahar.
So he's a positive psychologistout of Harvard and uh has been
kind of the an advocate of thisfield he calls happiness
studies.
And so it's it's looking acrossall disciplines and all research
(20:36):
from biology to to psychology toyou know, even philosophy.
And what is everything we'velearned that really contributes
to a whole life and a wholeperson?
And so I've learned a lot fromhim, and there's a lot from his
content that is a guide for whatwe do.
Um I've studied with andreceived training and
certifications with the leadingbehavioral scientists of habit
(20:59):
formation out of Stanford, uh,BJ Fogg.
So there's some really goodstuff from that that we use to
guide some of the things thatare being recommended.
But then just hire great people.
One of the core people thatreally influences um some of our
content writing uh does a lot ofresearch for every topic we do.
There's a bunch of the researchwe'll do of gathering together
(21:19):
what's all the proven, you know,type of well-validated studies
on stuff.
And then we base the familyexperiences based off of those
and what's been shown to have areal impact.
Like really simple stuffsometimes.
You know, one of the suggestionswe give on a month focused on
cultivating gratitude, which isinteresting because it's so much
more than just saying thank you.
It's actually the real heart ofgratitude is this practiced, um,
(21:44):
it I mean, it it takesreinforcing neural pathways in
the brain, but it's thispracticed way of looking at life
where you have an ability toacknowledge hard things, but you
don't stay there.
You move past it and you scanand identify the positive that
you can focus on.
Like that's the Right.
And so, you know, one study thatwas done is the whole gratitude
(22:06):
letter thing.
Like if you if you think ofsomeone that's made a difference
in your life and you write agratitude letter and then you
actually give it and deliver itto them, it has been shown not
for like just that day or for acouple of days or even a couple
of weeks.
It literally impacts yourhappiness level for several
months.
Like that's what the researchshows.
And it's been validated multipletimes, right?
(22:26):
So, you know, so simple thingslike that.
So we find what are the thingsthat really have been validated
or and so yeah, yeah, we wegather that material and then we
fit it into this structure forthese day-to-day kind of
suggestions.
And we also are a faith-basedprogram.
And so, you know, we we take youknow principles from scripture
and we integrate and show howall of this is is truth, you
(22:48):
know, that there's just thisability to uh receive.
Um what do we sometimes do thatblocks what God is trying to
give us?
And let's break through that andopen it up to receive you know
more of um what he's alreadytrying to give us anyway.
SPEAKER_01 (23:02):
So boy, I would imagine writing gratitude
letters, you would probably bewriting some to people who you
have gratitude for, but who havealso maybe hurt you or made you
mad in the past, and you're kindof making yourself vulnerable to
surpass that, which probablyhelps yourself more than
anything.
But wow, that's a really cool.
I've never thought about doingthat.
(23:23):
I can imagine that that wouldreally change your perspective
for for a a little while atleast.
SPEAKER_00 (23:27):
Yeah.
And and you know what?
It that's not something that youjust like make a regular part of
your life.
So most things, uh, and that'skind of on the highest level of
effort required, that would bekind of the highest level of the
invitations you receive, youknow, and what we do.
Most things are you know so muchmore simple and small.
Um, and uh, you know, whether itbe just uh again, hey, every day
(23:49):
this week during dinner, what isthe top thing you want to
celebrate that day?
You know, and everyone goesaround and shares that.
Or, you know, uh every day thisweek, write down three things as
a part of your bedtime thatyou're grateful for from that
day, right?
So those things are also thingsthat have been like, you know,
they're or actually there's oneeven that month that's on as you
eat a meal, everyone you focuson savoring.
(24:11):
There's a lot of research aroundsavoring, which is connected to
gratitude of how do you savorthings in the moment more?
And so when you eat a meal,everyone they they kind of take
a bite, they close their eyes,and they like just savor every
bit of that bite and thendescribe it.
And even even an extra size sizelike that, you know, is has some
great research behind just whatit does for helping you see the
(24:33):
power being present in themoment.
SPEAKER_01 (24:35):
So anyway, yeah, for us, that would look like my
children.
I don't want to eat this.
SPEAKER_00 (24:40):
That's right, that's right.
SPEAKER_01 (24:42):
Let's if you put that in your mouth that I slaved
over.
SPEAKER_00 (24:45):
Oh, we would we would have to have some good
prep to a meal to actually haveevery child willing to savor
what is on the table.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:54):
That puts a lot of pressure on the cook.
SPEAKER_00 (24:56):
That's that's more the dessert that we do that
exercise with, you know.
Let's all savor the dessert.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (25:01):
So and then me.
There are children in othercountries that don't get any
food at all.
SPEAKER_00 (25:06):
That's right.
SPEAKER_01 (25:07):
That's still good, right?
That line is still good.
Jeez.
Oh, all right.
So this is really cool.
How did you make the leap fromlike what was your job before?
SPEAKER_00 (25:17):
Software sales.
SPEAKER_01 (25:18):
Oh, all right.
So then you're gonna be like,well, I was a motivational
speaker.
SPEAKER_00 (25:22):
Total, total, huge, huge job.
SPEAKER_01 (25:24):
Okay, software sales.
So how does this like can youwalk us through that?
Because I left a career too.
And you know, I mentioned thatbefore, but like not only like
we still have my husband'scareer though to fall back on
for like mortgage payments.
How do does one go from like, Iam leaving software sales to
start this company?
You obviously have to pay peoplelike you know, you're working
(25:47):
with experts and everything.
You've got to get this softwareup and going.
Like, can you walk us throughhow that even happens?
Because I think first peoplewe're just so set in our ways.
We don't think that it's evenpossible to take that leap of
faith into starting our ownbusiness that we actually care
about.
SPEAKER_00 (26:02):
Yeah, I mean, it it was um it was a lot of moments
that built up to that decision.
Yeah, it certainly wasn't a fastthing, uh, it was years in the
making, but there's a few keymoments.
So if I look at kind of keymilestones on that, that journey
that led to that leap, and itwas a big leap of face.
Uh at times we've wondered if itwas worth it.
(26:22):
Yeah, but you get there.
You in fact, I've seen thisactually really interesting
graphic.
It's for entrepreneurs, but theywere really, I think it's
creators in general.
And I can't remember all thedetails, I'm gonna butcher it,
but it's like this like dip, andit has like these little marks
in in kind of this, this, thisprocess.
And on the way down, it's like,yeah, this is gonna be awesome.
It's gonna go so great.
And this is good, I think thiswas a good idea, into like a pit
(26:45):
of total despair.
And then on your way out, wait,actually, it is kind of working.
And oh, this is really good.
I'm so glad I did this.
My life is, yeah.
And we have traveled that wholething, you know.
Um, but how did we get there tomake make that decision uh and
do that leap of faith?
I remember one moment where Iwas actually on a morning run
and it was it was like up onthis mountainside and it was
(27:07):
beautiful, and there's thisview, but um, where I just had
been doing it for, you know,eight or nine years, uh this
kind of software sales job.
It was a super fast growingcompany, really amazing
experience.
Uh, but yet um, and my careerjust kept growing.
You know, the company wasgrowing so fast that like, you
know, those who were involvedgot to take on new things
(27:28):
quickly and grow quickly.
And so, you know, it was doingthings earlier in my career than
that I really deserved,honestly, because of the just
great opportunity being a partof.
And and um, and yet there wasjust this deep feeling, this
this moments where you kind ofcan really hear your inner voice
more clearly.
And and there was this moment oflike, I want my life to mean
(27:51):
more.
And I want like, if I'm gonnaspend decades in a career, I
want it to like contribute tothings that I care more deeply
about.
And so that was one moment thatjust stuck with me.
And it looked kind of like gavethis lens that I think got my my
mind thinking more about it.
And then there's there's anotherreally key moment I remember
where as I continued to climbthat corporate ladder, it was
(28:14):
like the amount of demand on me,which then turned into the
amount of demand and burden onour family, just continued to
grow.
And I remember this moment whereI realized that next jump, that
next big promotion, uh, it onlygets worse, actually.
It doesn't get better.
And and I just remember my wifeand I sitting on our bed one
(28:36):
night and just really talkingthrough like, if we look forward
at where this path leads us,like our kids will leave the
home and our family life willhave been far different than
what we actually wanted it toreally be.
And so it was that moment thatwas just like, okay, we got to
figure out something different.
And and I think we we were ofthis sense of like, let's design
(28:58):
our life to be the way weactually want it to be, and what
would that take?
And we realized if we trulywanted to design it the way we
want it to be, we have to have alot of autonomy.
And that autonomy uh requireshaving more ownership over and
being our own boss, in essence.
And so I think that's that ledus down the road of
entrepreneurship.
I ended up getting an executiveMBA and got it in
(29:21):
entrepreneurship and was doingthat while I was working on the
side, and so I got a lot ofbusiness planning there, a lot
of mentorship and support.
Um, and then after that, we hadbuilt up some savings to live
off of, and we just jumped inwith both feet and said, let's
do this.
And like I said, it's been ithas been quite the ride, but
what it is doing and creatingand what it's I guess showing to
our kids is something we'reproud of.
SPEAKER_01 (29:41):
That's that's awesome.
After three years ofinterviewing homeschooling
families, I realized howoverwhelming it can be to piece
everything together.
So I took the best advice, tips,questions, and resources that
I've learned along the way andput them into one practical
ebook.
If you're looking for a clearstarting point, you'll find the
link in this show's description.
(30:04):
And are your kids a part of it?
Like, do they learn as part oftheir homeschooling through this
business?
SPEAKER_00 (30:10):
Uh yeah, both uh, of course, as a family, we're the
first customers of it, right?
Or the first members, and so we,you know, use all our own stuff.
Uh, but what is actually reallycool, and this was part of why I
wanted it to do it this way, sowe have different, uh, I
mentioned we have different ageappropriate videos.
So we have two primary likegroupings, uh, kind of your five
(30:32):
to eleven year olds, and thenyou know, 12 and up or 11 and
up.
And uh, and so the upper onesare like these kind of teen
masterclass versions.
Uh, so there's this 12 to 15minute video for the month, and
they're just packed with humorand inspiration and stories,
powerful stories, and andthey're they're great.
But the younger kid ones arethese more animated, digital,
(30:53):
illustrated, child, childstorybook style videos, and my
kids are the voices for thecharacters and uh yeah.
So we have our whole recordingstudio set up and and uh and so
uh you know, whenever we recorda new topic, you know, they we
all get in the room together andand you know I'm the narrator in
in those ones, and my kids arethe kids' voices, and so anyway,
(31:15):
it's it's it's really cooltogether to do to do together
and they take real ownershipover it, and but it also
reinforces it that much more.
They're not only watching it,they're like helping to teach
it, and so it's teaching it tothem at a whole new level.
SPEAKER_01 (31:28):
That's cool.
So is this would you call it youyou said it's not a course
because your other one was thecourse.
This is like, is it an app?
What is it?
Program?
SPEAKER_00 (31:37):
Yeah.
So and again, we're just aboutto launch the text message
version publicly.
Okay.
And so when you look on ourwebsite, the date of this
recording, and I don't know howmuch how much after this will be
edited and published, it stillreflects some of the all the
workbooks and the posters andyou know, these more physical
materials.
We are just waiting for onefinal kind of approval from
(31:57):
carriers.
It's probably about two weeks,and then we'll press live on the
website.
But uh the way that the textmessage version of it works is
um, yeah, you just use as partypurchase, you just opt in, you
know, for the text messages, andthen it just texts it to you
every day, and then it gives youon the beginning of the month a
link to watch the video.
(32:20):
And so it's you don't have tohave any logins, you don't have
to have any apps, you don't haveto do any downloads.
Again, uh the goal was how do wemake this as simple and as easy
as possible?
And so it's it's literally justa daily little text message that
is designed to make you smile orto feel encouraged.
Uh it's never um, you know, partof our simple rules we follow
(32:41):
for everything is it never hasto feel like we're just adding
task onto a plate.
And so it always has to feelsupportive and additive to your
day rather than uh you know,enhancing your your what you're
already doing that day versusadding something to to you.
So it's just that.
And again, you'll have some textat the beginning that are like,
here's the link, just pull it upand watch with your your family,
(33:03):
find 10 minutes today.
And you know, when's that time?
And give yourself a littlereminder, you'll thank yourself
and you know, watch that thereand so yeah, that's how it
works.
Uh again, the new version that'sgoing live here um in the next
two weeks.
SPEAKER_01 (33:13):
Okay, awesome.
So uh I guess what are yourgoals for your kids, for their
education?
Like, what do you envision whenthey turn the age of 18?
What do you want them to know?
What do you want for them?
SPEAKER_00 (33:26):
It's a great question because we don't we
don't really talk in our homeabout um necessarily as an end
objective, a certain mastery ofmath or of their language arts
um or of their science or youknow, those those types of
things.
Um, all of that is important,really important.
And we don't, you know, wecertainly value and emphasize it
(33:47):
a lot, right?
Um, but all of that is just moreimportant is who are they
becoming?
How clearly do they know andhave a sense of identity, that
they are an individual of worththat can literally positively
impact the world.
And that there's a there isthere is a unique makeup to them
that allows for a uniquecontribution to the world.
(34:08):
How, you know, what is our goaland objective to help them to go
through that self-discovery, toidentify what they truly are
passionate about and care about,and to cultivate the skills and
the knowledge and the mindsetsand the things they need to then
go out into the world and makethat impact, make that
difference.
And so that's what we want forthem.
(34:29):
And there's lots of things thatgo into that, including the way
they practice independence intheir and their learning of
math, the way they haveresilience in how they respond
to their setbacks and mistakesthey make in their science work.
Or so the academic learning is areally great environment in
which these things can bepracticed and learned.
But ultimately it's so much moreabout who they become and their
(34:51):
readiness to go out into theworld, ready, ready to to you
know, do good.
That's the whole behold do goodpiece, right?
Is that uh our own personalwholeness is more about um the
capacity it gives us to do ourgreatest good.
And that good, the scope of theimpact on the world may
primarily be in our own home,you know, uh within the walls of
(35:12):
our own home, um, or the impactin one person's world.
Yeah, the scope of that doesn'tmatter so much is is that you
you kind of find your personalcalling in life and and you
pursue it.
SPEAKER_01 (35:22):
Yes.
And if you're not on that path,have the courage to jump on the
path or at least try a few pathsout.
That's so good.
That's so good.
Uh what would your advice be tothe parents who maybe aren't
homeschooling yet and might wantto um are thinking about it, or
even that are in jobs like I wasa government job, or you know,
(35:44):
it it it seems like you enjoyedyour job too.
It just wasn't your life'spassion, what you were meant to
be doing.
So, what advice would you giveto the people that are like the
me five years ago sitting in acubicle while my son is in
daycare, thinking, all right, 24more years till my pension?
SPEAKER_00 (36:03):
Yeah, yeah.
Oh, that is a good question.
Um, one of the thoughts thatcomes to mind right away, and
we'll see what else comes.
Again, I I I think sometimes todo the things we care most
about, the path isn't alwayseasy, but the things that are
most important to us, there isalways a way.
And the first step is to havethe faith and belief and
(36:24):
commitment, and then the way canopen.
So the more you just sit backand perceive the impossible
nature or the impractical natureof being able to make that step,
or all the reasons why, youknow, that you shouldn't or it
would be a bad idea, the moreyou stay stuck there, the more
you'll stay stuck there, right?
(36:44):
Um and hopefully this is makingsense.
But I think the first step is itand this is enough for
everybody, by the way.
I I I don't know that hellschooling is for everyone.
But if it is something that inuh your heart feels like that is
what I want, then then I thinkit's more a matter of the first
step is you truly have to committhat you're gonna find a way to
(37:07):
make it happen.
And that may take some time.
Uh, it can't always be doneright away.
But what is so powerful uh withdepending on your belief system
from a standpoint of faith in areligious context to to uh you
know just the power of the mindis that when you have made that
commitment and you said, I amdoing this, I don't know how,
(37:29):
and I don't know what it whatyou know, things will need to
occur to break through thebarriers, the mountain that
stands in front of me.
But if you know you want it,commit to it and commit to
finding the way and theresources, the people, the
opportunities will be drawn toyou to open up the path to make
it possible.
And so that that would be Imaybe one thought that comes to
(37:50):
mind.
SPEAKER_01 (37:51):
Um yeah, and I definitely think that's true.
I think, I mean, I know I didn'tI remember it was when I started
the podcast, it was just kind oflike, oh, let me see what other
homeschooling lives look like,because I'm just picturing us
whittling and sewing andcandlelight.
And I'm like, I don't know if Ican do that.
But you know, someone said tome, Well, what's your goal for
the podcast?
I'm like, I don't know, I don'treally have a goal.
(38:11):
I really like Del Bigtree on thehighwire.
I'd like to know him.
That's my goal.
And then, like, lo and behold,I've met him three times now.
He's been on the podcast, likeit's and in a weird series of
events, too.
Like that, like, you know, itwas at a a rally for medical
freedom.
And I didn't know he was gonnabe there.
I've been at that one before.
He was never there, the highwirewas never there, and I'm like,
(38:32):
he's oh, he's here.
Well, I'm just gonna walk to thefront.
Oh, he's looking at me.
Hey, can I come up and talk tohim?
Like, and and then another time,like, oh, he's two hours away at
a at a conference thing.
It's just like, yeah, thosethings, and and then, you know,
and then that sparks theInstagram page or the podcast to
go a little elsewhere, and thenyou meet other people.
And you know, it's like it'sit's it's not that I'm gonna
(38:54):
take a leap of faith and be, youknow, financially sound in six
months, but it's every littlething is a teaching lesson and
experience for your life and thenext step forward.
So I think too, the measure islike like you said in the very
beginning of the podcast.
What was your measure of of offine education or a happy
(39:14):
childhood in the public schoolsystem?
Like, where is your gauge forthe happiness part?
And it's the same thing withsuccess.
Like, where's your gauge forsuccess?
Like 10 years ago, I would havebeen like, oh, it would have
been to make, you know, sixfigures in my government job.
But now I'm like, oh, it wouldbe that my kids look back on
their childhood and think it wasreally fun.
SPEAKER_00 (39:33):
Yes.
I love it.
Yeah, and that's a perfectexample.
SPEAKER_01 (39:37):
Yeah, that is what your your program really sounds
like it brings to the home in amuch needed time.
SPEAKER_00 (39:42):
Yeah, well, I you know, and again, I I think um
every you mentioned this rightat the beginning.
No one homeschools the same.
And I think that that isimportant.
It is important to recognizethat um how it looks for others
doesn't have to be the way itlooks for you, you know, and and
um that that can evolve overtime and yeah, it can evolve
(40:04):
year from year to year.
That's been our experience islike the needs of our family as
we've done different moves, aswe've done had different things
going on in life, as our kidshave been in different places.
It um can it can look differentand evolve.
But the first step is to stepinto it and you only learn what
those needs are and how toevolve when in motion.
You know, you you can adjustthings at when you're at zero
(40:27):
miles per hour, turning a car,it doesn't happen.
You know, when you're going oneor two miles per hour, you
really gotta crank.
But if you're cruising at agood, you know, kind of cruise
control on the freeway and youneed to make an adjustment, you
can tweak and you can makeadjustments, right?
And so I I think there'ssomething to say for, you know,
I love your example of startingthe podcast and what that has
(40:47):
led to.
And it's when we feel drawn tocalled to a certain path that
takes faith and trust.
Just know that as you get on thepath, you may not know what step
two, three, four, five, or sixis gonna be, but those things
get clear as you take step oneand that helps you know step
two, and then you just continueto find your way and all of our
(41:08):
imperfect way.
SPEAKER_01 (41:09):
Oh, that's awesome.
Todd, I want to thank you forbeing here today.
And where can people find you ifthey would like to check out Be
Whole Do Good?
SPEAKER_00 (41:16):
It's Behold Dogood.com.
Yeah.
So pretty, pretty simple.
Please in W-H-O-L-E.
So be whole dogood.com.
Uh and again, I'm not sure whenthis will air, but by
mid-February, the the newoffering will be live.
We're really excited about it.
It's that's tested really well.
And so um excited for thesupport that'll offer.
(41:37):
And yeah, just anyone we canserve, uh, we would be so happy
to provide that support to.
SPEAKER_01 (41:42):
Well, I'm gonna link that in the show's descriptions.
Head there to check that out,easy click, and you're probably
gonna change your life becauseI'm I'm pretty excited about
this.
We need some new dinnerconversation.
Thank you, Todd, for being heretoday.
SPEAKER_00 (41:57):
Thank you, Cheryl.
SPEAKER_01 (41:58):
Thank you for listening to the Homeschool How
To Podcast.
If today's episode helped you,please be sure to follow the
show and leave a review.
It's the best way to support thepodcast.
And if you're just gettingstarted or need a reset, head to
thehomeschoolhowto.com and grabmy free 30-day homeschool quick
start guide.
Until next time, keep learning,keep questioning, and thank you
for your love of the nextgeneration.
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