The Stay-at-Homeschooling Mom Podcast
Join Mary Ellen Barrett and Ginny Seuffert, two leading speakers and writers on the topic of Catholic education, as they discuss ways in which Catholic parents can find success in their homeschooling journey.
Episodes
Thinking about pulling your child out of school and starting homeschooling—but unsure where to begin? It can feel overwhelming, especially if you're making the switch midstream.
In this episode, Mary Ellen and Ginny walk you through a calm, practical, and thoughtful approach to making your transition with confidence.
Show Notes:
Deciding to leave a traditional school setting is a big step—but it doesn't have to be chaotic...
With so many curriculum options available, how do you decide what’s best for your homeschool—especially when it comes to Catholic vs. non-Catholic materials? It can quickly become overwhelming.
In this episode, Ginny and Mary Ellen offer clear, practical guidance to help you choose wisely and confidently for your family.
Show Notes:
Choosing curriculum is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a homeschooling parent. With...
When homeschooling feels overwhelming, discouraging, or just plain exhausting, it’s easy to wonder if you’re failing.
Be assured, you are not failing! Join Ginny and Mary Ellen as they discuss the moments every homeschool parent faces and offer practical, faith-filled ways to regain perspective, reconnect with your children, and rediscover your purpose.
Show Notes:
Homeschooling can feel like a long, discouraging journey. Some da...
Kathryn struggles with meal planning, house cleaning, and having a chore system. She wants to be more organized. Where does she start?
Today, Ginny and Mary Ellen address Kathryn’s issues and how their simple solutions for her can help you build good housekeeping habits.
Show Notes:
First, forgive yourself.
You were not really trained for this job.
Today’s young moms were raised to:
- Get good grades
- Practice the piano
- Score a goal i...
Ginny started homeschooling 40 years ago to protect her children’s innocence. Sadly, the world has only gotten worse, and kids are exposed to minefields of inappropriate stuff.
Over the years, Ginny has learned volumes. With those lessons learned, today, she and Mary Ellen discuss seven rules on how to navigate through it all.
They start with what younger kids can handle.
1. YOU, the parent, are the best judge of your child’s maturit...
Many public schools offer open enrollment, allowing kids to attend charter, magnet, and schools outside their local district.
But what about homeschools? Can School Choice help homeschoolers get financial relief? Today, Ginny and Mary Ellen discuss state funding options on their podcast.
Show Notes:
Today, we are talking about School Choice and what it means for homeschoolers.
Remember - these options vary from state to state. Che...
Homeschoolers are uniquely positioned to keep Advent in the way the Church encourages, bringing back traditions to deepen our faith as we prepare for the coming of Our Savior.
Today, Mary Ellen and Ginny bring home the message that, despite what the big-box store says, Christmas does not begin when Halloween ends. Here’s what your family can do.
Show Notes:
In recent years, the practice of observing Advent has grown lukewarm.
Many fo...
Want to be the hero of your homeschool week? Pull out a game board!
In this episode, Ginny and Mary Ellen share how to “gamify” your homeschooling—turning lessons into fun challenges that build motivation, confidence, and joy in learning. Discover how games activate the brain’s reward system, sneak in skill-building, and bring your family closer together (while making Mom look like a genius).
Show Notes:
- Activating the brain’s rew...
So many problems that homeschool moms face can be solved by developing the habit of consistency. Lack of consistency has derailed many a homeschool.
Today, Ginny and Mary Ellen distill their years of experience into ten simple and practical tips to bring harmony of practice, firmness of character, and lasting success to your homeschool.
Show Notes:
Consistency can be hard in every season of homeschool life. It’s hard for everyone. Mo...
Remember life as a newlywed? You vaguely knew you would have to cook, but hey, your husband could cook, and maybe you'd eat dinner out sometimes.
Now, three or four kids later, you barely have time to shop for the food, much less prepare it! Need help? Ginny and Mary Ellen have solutions and more on today's podcast.
Show Notes:
Struggling to find time to plan and prepare meals?
Use the KISS Meal Plan: Keep it Simple, Stupid
...
Has anyone questioned your sanity for deciding to homeschool?
The questions you hear range from silly to insulting. Today, Mary Ellen and Ginny prepare you for those questions in a fun way.
Show Notes:
Don't be caught off guard. These replies, mostly tongue-in-cheek, provide responses to various things homeschool detractors might say to you.
1. Homeschooling? Is that even legal?
Homeschooling an only child or the youngest with older siblings? Ginny and Mary Ellen share tips to keep your ‘caboose’ happy, engaged, and thriving. Tune in for encouragement and practical ideas!
Show Notes:
Got a homeschool ‘caboose baby’—the only child left at home? Here are six creative ways to keep them happy, engaged, and thriving.
Tip #1 – Search for Co-ops
- Even if you’ve checked before, look again—new groups often form.
- Som...
Jesus Christ calls us to spread the Good News. Fostering religious vocations is one of the most effective ways to answer that call. Sensitive to the issue, Catherine contacted us on Facebook and asked us to discuss ways we can foster these vocations.
It’s a timely topic, and today, Mary Ellen and Ginny are delighted to discuss ways to foster vocation in our homeschool families.
Show Notes:
Hey, you are already fostering vocations bec...
Do you remember when you took your wedding vows and promised to accept children from God and raise them in the faith? You repeated that vow each time one of your children was baptized. But what does this vow require of us homeschoolers? Today, Ginny and Mary Ellen discuss keeping that promise and training our children to be responsible and respectful adults by living according to Church teaching.
Show Notes:
Why it's Importan...
Some homeschool moms on social media are miserable. Their kids are out of control, and it's often described as a typical day.
Well, it wasn't our typical day – and it doesn't have to be yours either. Nothing can derail home education faster than out-of-control kids.
Today, on The Stay-at-Homeschooling Mom Podcast, Mary Ellen and Ginny discuss why this is happening and share the ways to fix it.
Show Notes:
Out-of-control ...
In just a few decades, we’ve gone from floppy disks to artificial intelligence. Computers that once filled entire rooms now slip easily into our pockets and purses. The digital revolution is here—and homeschooling parents can’t ignore it. So how do we navigate this ever-changing landscape while staying true to our values and educational goals? That’s what Ginny and Mary Ellen are diving into today on the Stay-at-Home Schooling Mom ...
Do you have buddies who are toying with the idea of home education but have not yet made the leap? If you do, this is the show to pass on to them. Mary Ellen and Ginny discuss it all today, as they discuss Why NOW is the time to start homeschooling.
Show Notes:
Public schools are a disaster.
- NAEP Reading Assessment – ⅔ of students do not reach basic proficiency in ELA: ¾ in math.
- Major universities have students taking re...
Mary Ellen and Ginny began homeschooling before the age of influencers. They say that was an enormous blessing because there is a lot of bad advice out there.
The good news is that, using their combined over 50 years of homeschool experience, they have this to share: "The 5 Worst Pieces of Homeschooling Advice."
Program Notes:
Let's jump into some bad homeschooling advice.
1. If it's hard, you are doing it wrong. F...
Homeschooling can take a lot of time. Then, we have to cook meals, clean the house, and do laundry. Oh, and do the shopping and cart kids around to activities.
It all can seem daunting, but Ginny and Mary Ellen share their proven solution: Take some of those chores off our plates and put them smack on the kids' plates.
Program Notes:
1. Start early - really early! As soon as they can walk.
- When you change a diaper, hav...
Does teaching Shakespeare, the Constitution, or Apologetics terrify you? The fear can arrive even before high school. When my grandkids took 5th-grade life science, my DIL did a way better job teaching it than I would have. She’s a nurse and understands that stuff!
First potential solution:
Ask among your friends, neighbors, and folks at church. Maybe a mom who quit her nursing job when she had kids wants to make a few extra bucks ...
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