Hey, homeschoolers! If you have a teen daughter, I think this episode is a must-listen. I interview Shannon Popkin and Lee Niehuis, authors of Comparison Girl for Teens, and I haven’t been able to stop talking about it. There is so much wisdom here about our girls and how to help them manage comparison and friendship in a God-honoring way. Shannon Popkin invites you to drink deeply of God’s story, and live like it’s true. Shannon’s books include Control Girl, Comparison...

Hey, homeschoolers! Have you considered learning robotics in your homeschool? I don’t have an engineering brain so I enrolled my kids in in-person and online classes. My youngest is now majoring in computer science in college. His classes had a major impact on his career direction. Today on the podcast, you’ll hear about the advantages of including robotics and programming in your homeschool from my guest, Francie Black.  I met Francie at the Great Homeschool Convention last year. She...

Hey, homeschoolers, we know we aren't weird and unsocialized as a popular blog implies, but you might wonder if we are weirder than kids in public school. I was relieved when my oldest son, after having been in a public high school for a few weeks, told me that he thought that the public school kids were just as weird as homeschoolers. We know that our kids can benefit from having good social skills. Here's why we should teach social skills directly in our homeschool and here are some...

Hey, homeschoolers! How to help an anxious, frustrated, or bored child is the most common question I get. In this episode, I'll share a three-step approach you can use to help your child manage any negative emotion. Watch on YouTube Summary In this episode, Melanie Wilson addresses the common concern of homeschooling parents regarding their child's ability to manage emotions. She emphasizes that emotional struggles should be seen as skill deficits rather than character...

Hey, homeschoolers! If you've ever considered attending a homeschool conference, this is the year to do it. If you've attended in the past, I have three reasons you should attend again. In short, you should attend for the curriculum, the speakers, and the fellowship with other homeschoolers. Some resources I mention in today's episode are: Great Homeschool Conventions Grammar Galaxy Books Carole Barnier's episodes on ADD and reading Dr. S. M. Davis Institute for Excellence in...

Hey, homeschoolers! I had the opportunity to talk with my good friend, Dr. Carl Werner, for this episode. He is an expert in evolution who has devoted decades of his life to examining the evidence for evolution. His most recent book is about human evolution. The evidence he has amassed is stunning. Now more than ever I believe we have to share his work with our kids. Here's my chat with Carl. Watch on YouTube There is a tale over 4,000 years old, preserved in ancient...

Hey, homeschoolers! I never thought I would have five boys, but I am so glad I do. I love them to the moon and back and judging by the response my episode on homeschooling boys got, so do you. That's why I was excited to read Durenda Wilson's new book on the topic and to hear her thoughts on why it's so important to think about how we are raising our boys. In Raising Boys to Men: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on Raising and Homeschooling Boys, Durenda shares her almost three decades...

Hey, homeschoolers! You've been there. You've blown it with your kids. Maybe you lost your temper or disciplined in a way that you're not proud of. In this episode, my guest and I will discuss how to redeem those parenting failures. Before I introduce Andee Martineau, I want to be clear about my perspective on discipline. It is first of all grounded in God's Word. But whether families share my faith or not, I believe they have to determine which discipline approach is right for them. I...

Watch on YouTube In this conversation, Melanie Wilson addresses the question of whether chaos is normal in homeschooling. She defines chaos as unexpected and unplanned interruptions and explains that it is common for homeschooling moms to experience chaos, especially when starting their homeschooling journey. She emphasizes that chaos can be frustrating but often leads to unexpected and better outcomes. However, she also acknowledges that there is a type of chaos that is not just a...

Hey, homeschoolers! I was a stay-at-home mom when I started homeschooling. I did freelance writing and speaking and premarital counseling at my church. But I wasn't spending even twenty hours a week on work until my last two kids were teens. Because of that, I assumed that it simply wasn't possible to work and homeschool too. My guest Dr. Celia Zamora changed my mind. Dr. Zamora has a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics and was a teacher for 15 years before homeschooling her son. She is now a...

Teach Truth ~ with Dr. Melanie Wilson and Elizabeth Urbanowicz  Are you ready to teach truth? Join as as we explore the topic. Thanks to our sponsor, A Fanthom Presents Film – The Ark and The Darkness – Movie Trailer here: NoahsFlood Hey, homeschoolers! Any time a teacher uses a story to teach children, I am all for it. Stories are not only the most enjoyable way to learn something but the most powerful. When former guest Elizabeth Urbanowicz told me she had created a picture book...

Hey homeschoolers! Recently, a woman on my Psychowith6 Facebook page, made a comment on the self-care movement. I wasn't aware that self-care was a movement, but she got me thinking. Previously on this podcast in an episode called How to Be Happy and Homeschool, Too, I discussed the importance of what could be called self-care. In fact, I frequently talk about the importance of it during my sessions at Great Homeschool Conventions. I suddenly found myself wondering if I had been teaching...

Hey, homeschoolers! As parents we often feel ill-equipped to talk to others who are grieving. I've discussed this in a previous episode that I will link to the in show notes. When our teens are grieving, we can feel particularly helpless in knowing what to say or do. I'm thankful that my guest, Sarah Arthur, has practical advice for us. Sarah Arthur is a fun-loving speaker and the author of a dozen books for teens and adults, including Once a Queen and the bestselling Walking with...

In this episode, Melanie Wilson discusses the underused resource of people in homeschooling. She shares personal stories and examples of how family members, church members, homeschool community members, neighbors, and friends can enhance a child's education. Melanie encourages listeners to take advantage of the knowledge, skills, and experiences of the people they know, not only for educational purposes but also to bless and witness to others. She concludes by reflecting on missed...

Hey, homeschoolers! If you've ever considered raising chickens, you'll love this episode. I live in a suburb where chickens aren't allowed, but we had chickens for several years when I was in elementary school. I absolutely loved what my guest, Dalia Monterroso had to say about raising chickens as a homeschool family. Dalia Monterroso is a chicken keeper and a popular teacher on the basics of backyard chicken keeping. She speaks and teaches classes on the joys of chicken keeping. She...

Hey, homeschoolers! I am happy with the personal finance curriculum I used with my kids. And I'm pleased to say that my kids are much better at managing their money as young adults than I was! But when I heard about Charla McKinley's real-life approach to teaching kids personal finance, I was intrigued. Watch on YouTube Personal Finance Guest: Charla McKinley Charla graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Finance. She went on to become a Certified Public...

Hey, homeschoolers! It's a new year and time for a renewed focus on our priorities as homeschooling moms. God has taught me a lot about managing my time this year. One thing I've learned is that I don't have to look for the productivity holy grail. It's normal for me to search for a new tool, a new schedule, and even a new book to read to inspire me. Newness almost always inspires action!   Now on to the productivity tips you can use this year. My guest today is Amy Michaels. Amy is...

Hey, homeschoolers! Soon, we'll be in a new year. It's that time when many of us think of goals like getting organized. You know you're unlikely to organize everything in a year, so what are the most important areas for homeschoolers to focus on? My answer may surprise you. Organize Your Homeschool Life All Year Before we jump in, I want to offer you the digital version of my book, the Organized Homeschool Life for just $7! This year, you can organize more than just the most...

Are you already beginning to experience stress this season? The busyness can get to us. But we can make things better by avoiding the six mistakes I'll discuss in this episode. [box] Want to read this episode as a blog post? READ HERE or SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES or ON STITCHER[/box] Mistake #1: Not Planning A Homeschool Break What we typically do is get busy with other things this time of year. There is more shopping and cooking and even chatting going on. After all, it’s Christmas!...

Hey, homeschoolers! I don't know anyone who wants to have a crazy Christmas--the kind that leads to exhaustion, sickness, and dread of the new year. Instead, every homeschooler I know wants to have a meaningful, peaceful, and joyful Christmas. Of course, we can't control every part of our Christmas holiday. But I believe there are things we can do to make a saner Christmas more likely. We'll chat about that in just a minute. But first, I'd like to thank our sponsor for this episode, Kiwi...

Hey, homeschoolers! Many of you know that fashion is a hobby of mine. I've stopped and started a fashion Instagram account numerous times. In the past year I've been listening to the Everyday Style School podcast with Jennifer Mackey-Mary and loving it. She talked about how she deals with the topic of fashion with her daughters and I thought you would love to hear more. If you don't have daughters but would like to improve your own fashion confidence, you'll want to listen to the first part...

Hey, homeschoolers! I have done a podcast episode on wondering if we are doing enough in our homeschools. But we also wonder if WE are enough. Watch on YouTube My guest is going to help us find the truth about feelings of inadequacy. Sharla Fritz is a Christian author and speaker who weaves honest and humorous stories into life-changing Bible study. Author of eight books, including Measured by Grace: How God Defines Success, Sharla writes about God’s transforming grace and unfailing...

Hey homeschoolers! This week our topic is how to be happy and homeschool too. Wait a minute. Are you wondering if I'm suggesting that happiness and homeschooling are mutually exclusive? Yep. That's exactly what I'm suggesting. I'm thankful my friends Andy and Kendra Fletcher were the first to be honest about it, saying that homeschooling can be a buzz kill. Before we dig in, I want to thank our sponsor for this episode, the movie Ice Dragon: Legend of the Blue Daisies.  I also want...

Hey, homeschoolers! I intended to publish this episode last week but ended up giving you a chance to practice patience in waiting for it. I want to share what I’ve learned about being a patient mom, but first, I want to thank the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network. They are celebrating their 10-year anniversary, which is amazing to me. I can’t believe it’s been that long since the kind and generous Felice Gerwitz offered me the chance to have my own podcast. Some weeks (like last week),...