The Homeschool Solutions Show
Episodes
HS 106: Because Doing All the Things Won't Work by Mary Wilson
04 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Laundry sits in piles upstairs. There are two loads waiting to be folded and two are sitting in the washer and dryer. Campfire scented top sheets are ...
HS 105: I'm the Homeschool Mom Without An Education Degree by Emily Copeland
27 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Isn't it interesting that a homeschool parent's qualifications or lack thereof can cause objections to homeschooling? For whatever reason, there's thi...
HS 104: 8 Ways to Make Math More Fun by Kate Snow
20 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I always feel pulled in two different directions in February. One on hand, the Fun Mom in me wants to live large. She wants to shake up the daily ro...
HS 103: Ten Big Fat Homeschool Fears (& How to Conquer Them) from Bookshark
13 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ask any veteran homeschool mom whose kids have already graduated from high school, and she will reassure you: She had the same fears you have now. ...
HS 102: Why Self-Editing is Hard for Kids … and How to Make It Easier! by Kim Kautzer
06 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I hear it all the time. We're having self-editing issues. For some reason, my children believe they are perfect writers! They can never find any spell...
HS 101: How To Improve Bad Attitudes in Your Homeschool by Cindy West
30 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever have bad attitudes in your homeschool? I love homeschooling and my children usually do, too. But, sometimes the homeschooling attitudes in...
HS 100: How to Enjoy Homeschooling… (Just Because We Can!) by Sarah Mackenzie
23 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In my earliest days of homeschooling, I had ideas about what our homeschool would actually look like. You know what I mean… right? And then we actu...
HS 099: Six Homeschool Morning Time Myths and Why They Are Just Not True by Pam Barnhill
15 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
About five years ago the days in our homeschool were simply learning math facts, phonics, and letter formation. Yawn. Sure we read a picture book or t...
HS 098: Our Morning Meeting: 6 Steps to a Low Stress Homeschool by Dachelle McVey
09 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I am not a morning person. My kids are not morning people. Unfortunately, my husband IS a morning person. This became very apparent when we all went o...
HS 097: How to Make the Most of Your Homeschool Convention
02 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Long before I was asked to speak at the Great Homeschool Conventions I was an attendee. In fact, convention time each year made me rather giddy. I alm...
HS 096: The Homeschooling Mistake You Don't Know You're Making by Pam Barnhill
23 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When my daughter was two years old she had the cutest habit of picking up her toy cell phone, holding it to her ear, and making a noise somewhere betw...
HS 095: Sometimes It's Easier To Do School Than Not To Do School by Pam Barnhill
16 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
"Everyone was up late and needs just a quiet day." "We've been working so hard, a day off is just what we need. " "We missed lessons yesterday, I'm no...
HS 094: Three Ways You Might be Sabotaging Your Homeschool by Pam Barnhill
09 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The morning light was thin, blue, and cold. It was cozy under my blanket though as I sipped my coffee. I had an edifying book in my lap — who am I k...
HS 093: It's Not that Hard to Homeschool High School by Ann Karako
02 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I have been a somewhat lonely homeschooler for the past several years. It began when we chose to homeschool high school — and most of our homeschool...
HS 092: Purposeful Homeschooling: Keeping Your Vision in Mind by Sara Jordan
26 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
There's a common adage that says if you lose your why, you lose your way. In other words, if you forget why you're doing what you're doing, you're not...
HS 091: 25 Ways to Rule Your Homeschool by Katrina Oldham
19 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Being a mom is tough work. Being a homeschool mom is crazy tough work! Whether you are a newbie or a seasoned homeschool mom, these 25 practical tips ...
HS 090: What to Say (and what NOT to say) When You Meet a Homeschool Mom by Ashley Fox
12 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Did you recently meet a homeschooler for the first time? Did a friend or family member just shock you by announcing they will be homeschooling their c...
HS 089: Morning Time for All Ages by Pam Barnhill
05 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I think my family has entered the golden age of Morning Time. My three kids range in age from 6 to 10. We have no toddlers to disrupt us (though don't...
HS 088: When Making it From Scratch Isn't Good Enough by Pam Barnhill
29 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Somehow over the years I have become the pie cook for our family holiday gatherings. I would like to think it is because I make the best pies. More...
HS 087: The Best Teacher by Mystie Winckler
22 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Repetitio mater memoriae. This Latin motto, which apparently is used within the Latin classroom primarily and not embraced as a defining motto like t...
HS 86: Love the Year You're With
15 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Out of control. Disorganized. Fly by the seat of my pants. Does the start of the school year always feel this way? I don't think it does. I am pretty ...
HS 085: The Blessings of Holiday Traditions for Preschoolers by Pam Barnhill
08 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As the holidays descend upon us, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by all the tasks that fill your to-do lists each day. You might question whether it's a...
084: Host a Christmas Picture Book Cookie Exchange
01 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Recently we had a great time by having friends over for our very first picture book Christmas cookie exchange. We had a few good friends over on a bal...
HS 083: Motivate Your Kids by Teaching Them to Have a Growth Mindset by Marianne Sunderland
24 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you've been around the Homeschooling With Dyslexia web site or Facebook page for long, you know how I love to learn about learning. Since I learn c...
HS 082: 10 Reasons I'm Thankful for Homeschooling by Cindy West
17 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With each new school year that rolls around, I always seem find a renewed energy and vision for homeschooling. Rather than wait until Thanksgiving or ...
HS 081: How to Homeschool Preschool and Love It
10 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Homeschooling preschool doesn't have to be complicated. It took me at least one child to figure that out, but once I did we enjoyed our preschool days...
HS 080: Opportunities My Teens Are Missing Because We Homeschool High School by John Karako
03 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I will freely admit that our children have missed out on some things because we homeschool high school. There is no doubt that there are experiences t...
HS 079: How Moms Benefit from Reading Aloud
27 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Let's say you are convinced that reading aloud to your children is the best thing you can do for them. You line up your reading selections, you plan y...
HS 078: How to Have a Successful Morning Time from the Very First Day by Pam Barnhill
20 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When my family started doing Morning Time my kids were little and it wasn't quite the homeschool buzz word it is now. There was very little Morning Ti...
HS 077: How to Find Your Homeschooling Joy Again by Jessica Smartt
13 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I'm about to tell you my dirty secret. I've kept swallowing this one back down for the past year. Sometimes (more often than not?) I don't enjoy homes...
HS 076: 6 Ways to Help Your Child Overcome the Fear of Failure by Alexandra Eidens
06 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As a teacher, I've noticed one factor that consistently holds students back in the classroom: fear of failure. When my students are afraid to fail, th...
HS 075: How Technology Can Enhance Your Morning Time by Pam Barnhill
29 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It almost seems incongruous. Morning Time, the bastion of great literature, beautiful music, truth, goodness, beauty… and high-tech gadgets? But, oh...
HS 074: 8 Ways to Hold Your Independent Learners Accountable
22 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As homeschoolers, we all know the value of teaching our kids how to become independent learners. We work hard to pass the mantle of teacher from ourse...
HS 073: Secrets about Schedules by Mystie Winckler
15 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Does the word schedule make you break out in hives? Do you picture yourself harried and deflated at the end of a day on a schedule? Maybe for you, lik...
HS 072: Your Biggest Read Aloud Mistake by Pam Barnhill
08 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When she was six, my daughter told me she didn't want to learn to read because then I might stop reading to her. Nothing could be further from the tru...
HS 071: Innovative Homeschooling: Let's Talk Literature by Mary Wilson
01 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Homeschooling parents love literature lists. love. love. love. Quality literature is an important part of our homeschools. Historical fiction. Classic...
HS 070: To the Homeschool Mom with the Middle Schooler by Tonia Lyons
25 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Homeschooling a middle school kid? We are and, I'll be honest, it's been a bit of a roller coaster. This letter I'm writing is really to myself - remi...
HS 069: Dear Self: Why You Stink at Homeschool Consistency by Pam Barnhill
18 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dear Self, I am here today with some tough love. Because I do love you, and I know this homeschooling your kids thing is important to you. And yet, yo...
HS 068: Why I Need A Scheduled Routine by Dawn Garrett
10 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
There's this false dichotomy that pops up in the homeschool world. "You shouldn't have a schedule, you should have a routine." It sounds all well and ...
HS 067: Homeschooling, Seriously
04 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
* Contains Christian content "My child will never have a job where he needs to know algebra. We're just teaching consumer math and being done with it....
HS 066: My Mama Won't Talk Funny: Exciting Read-Alouds Without Character Voices by Pam Barnhill
28 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I know there are some moms out there whose character voices during read-aloud time rival the work of Oscar-winning actors. I am not one of those moms....
HS 065: 5 Easy Ways to Incorporate Preschool Math into Your Day by Lisa Healy
21 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It seems like everyone you meet is obsessed with STEM or STEAM-focused activities nowadays. Should you worry about this with your preschooler? There i...
HS 064: Could it be Dyslexia? Signs of Dyslexia by Marianne Sunderland
14 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you are like I was when we had our first struggling reader some 17 years ago, and know nothing about the phenomenon called dyslexia, you may be won...
HS 063: How to Create a Flexible Homeschool Plan by Pam Barnhill
07 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I have never been very flexible — physically or otherwise. I have always envied those people able to do splits (never done one) or be laissez faire ...
HS 062: Why Your Homeschool Schedule Isn't Working (And Two Simple Ways to Fix It) by Tonia Lyons
26 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Homeschooling is hard work. Juggling the daily homeschool schedule with managing the kids, the daily chores, the meal planning, and a few minutes for ...
HS 061: 5 Ways Our Sons Will Be Different If We Homeschool Them by Michelle Caskey
23 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I recently heard from a mom who was concerned that if she homeschooled her son, she would be judged by other parents for it and that her son would lik...
HS 060: The Hack That Will Simplify Your Homeschool For Good by Pam Barnhill
16 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Chaos is not my thing. Not that anyone really likes it, but some most folks roll with the punches better than I do. The kids are yelling. The dog is t...
HS 059: Balance + Homeschooling: How We (Try To) Do It by Alicia Hutchinson
09 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
"I don't know how you do it. I know I never could." The common response when people ask where my kids go to school and I respond with "home." To which...
HS 058: Our Year Round Homeschool Summer Schedule by Dachelle McVey
02 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Often the question comes up. Do you school year round or do you take a summer break? It's a legitimate question that has different answers and reasons...
HS 057: Herding Cats: How to Read to Toddlers and Preschoolers Who Won't Always Sit Still by Pam Barnhill
26 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The other day, a friend asked me for help with a problem she'd been having in getting her toddler to sit still whenever she read to him. She knows my ...
HS 056: So You Think You Want to Homeschool by Dawn Garrett
19 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When I found out about homeschooling, I was shocked. Then I watched and thought and was intrigued. Then I decided that it was what I wanted to do. The...
HS 055: The Myth of Independence by Heather Woodie
12 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Let's talk about independence. Some homeschoolers want more of it like it's the Holy Grail of home education. Others counter with the criticism that h...
HS 054: Ten Steps to the Perfect Homeschool Plan by Pam Barnhill
05 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The perfect homeschool plan is not elusive. In fact it is easy to create the perfect plan for your family if you begin by considering the needs of you...
HS 053: Three Homeschooling Essentials You Can't Buy Online by Tonia Lyons
28 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When someone asks about my favorite homeschooling resources, I give the usual list - white board, dry erase markers, lots of notebooks, and a library ...
HS 052: Helping the Perfectionist Child by Marianne Sunderland
21 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have a perfectionist child? One that is unsatisfied with pretty much anything they accomplish? Sometimes even when they've done a good job? It'...
HS 051: The Best Homeschool Lesson Planner Might Not Be What You Think by Pam Barnhill
14 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes I tend to over-complicate things. Why do one math curriculum when you can do two? The best curriculum is the one with the most pieces, right...
HS 050: Diligence is Key to the Well-Run Homeschool by Sara Dennis
07 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When you were in school, did you ever play around all semester before attempting to cram all the information into your head the night before a test? I...
HS 049: Creating a Book Club for Kids by Mary Wilson
31 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
One topic I receive a lot of questions about is starting a book club for kids. And while a lot of information about my book clubs can be found on this...
HS 048: Five Secrets of Great Library Trips With Kids by Pam Barnhill
24 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We went through a long, dry spell where we did not go to the library at all. I had a two-year-old, four-year-old, and six-year-old and frankly it was ...
HS 047: Three Ways to Incorporate Movement and Improve Focus by Crystal Wagner
17 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
There was a stack of books sitting next to me on the driveway. We had just finished reading Aesop's Fables and I told the girls to go play for ten min...
HS 046: 11 Tips for Raising Readers by Cindy West
10 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know March is National Reading Month? Because living books are so very good, every month is all about reading in our house! But in honor of th...
HS 045: How to Avoid These Six Homeschool Planning Pitfalls by Pam Barnhill
03 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Three years ago my husband was deployed with the Alabama National Guard. Since we are a Guard family, we know that it can always happen, but this one ...
HS 044 How to Bring Geography To Life for Your Middle Schooler by Pat Fenner
24 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
One of my kids' favorite subjects over the years has been – hands down – geography. Although they are all avid readers, there's something about th...
HS 043: The Imperfect Homeschool by Colleen Kessler
17 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Do you do what I do? Lament about your imperfect homeschool, while comparing yourself to others you know? Their homeschool looks perfect. Listen or re...
HS 042: Beat the Yellow Bus Blues :: Combat Homeschooling Burnout by Pam Barnhill
10 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Ahem. I know I can't be the only mom who has ever said, "If you can't learn this from mama, then you are just going to have to go to school to learn i...
HS 041: 6 Tips for Teaching Early Readers by Cindy West
03 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have a child who began reading well at three or four years old? A child who reads far above grade level? A child who soaks in more books in a y...
HS 040: The Hardest Parts of Homeschooling (That no one likes to talk about) by Alicia Hutchinson
27 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I watched the other moms from the basketball team laugh about a joke I didn't get. Something about the school counselor or someone who forgot to bring...
HS 039: Dealing with the Homeschool Meltdown by Pam Barnhill
20 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I had one of those stellar mommy moments a few weeks ago. You know the ones, right? Where you are just not at your best and your frustrations (with yo...
HS 038: I'm Just So Glad He Didn't Sit on the Line
13 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I am just so glad he didn't sit on the line … All those years ago — the pre-school teacher would hold me after class: "Mrs. Anderson," she'd say i...
HS 037: The Unique Power of a Homeschool Parent: Innovation
06 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Innovator is my word for this homeschool year. in·no·va·tor ˈinəˌvādər/ noun 1. a person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products. I am ...
HS 036: Homeschool Resolutions You Can Keep by Pam Barnhill
30 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's the new year and if you are like most homeschool moms, then you are hashing out which New Year's resolutions you want to make. And while we are d...
HS 035: What Homeschool Moms Really Want for Christmas by Pam Barnhill
23 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's that time of year. Time to get ready for Christmas. Homeschool moms are making angel costumes, dusting off the Baby Jesus and setting up the nati...
HS 034: How to Homeschool Consistently by Mystie Winckler
16 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever started off your day by watching a movie, turning on the television, mindlessly clicking around Facebook, or skimming your online news f...
HS 033 The Psychology of Homeschooling with a Toddler by Lynna Sutherland
09 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Homeschooling. With a toddler. Need I say more? As homeschool families everywhere start back to school, there seems to be an echo across the Internet....
HS 032: Easy Tips for Poetry Tea Time by Pam Barnhill
02 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We have been doing poetry tea parties since the kids were really little. I stumbled on the concept from Charlotte Mason home educators like Julie Boga...
HS 031: Homeschooling When the Kids Try to Throw You Overboard by Lara Molettiere
25 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week has been rough. Last week was off-kilter, too. We are in a season of change. Our homeschool is changing, our therapy schedules changed, and ...
HS 030: Fun vs Joy in Homeschooling by Pam Barnhill
18 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
I have totally given up on the idea that learning must be made fun for the student. It was an idea that ruled the first two years of our homeschooling...
HS 029: Are You Reacting to or Controlling the Atmosphere in Your Home by Crystal Wagner
11 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever had one of these days… There are just some days you want to join the fussy crowd. You wake up and are feeling confident about the day....
HS 028: Tips for Balancing Homeschooling and Housekeeping by Tonia Lyons
04 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Homeschooling is such a blessing for our family – I really believe it has created a family bond that we would not have had if we'd chosen another ed...
HS 027: Do the work of homeschooling by Brandy Vencel
28 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Is this your first week of homeschooling for the year? It is for me. I always start our new homeschool year the week of my youngest child's birthday b...
HS 026: How to Feel Less Busy Even When You Can't Be by Pam Barnhill
21 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
There's a common misconception by many non-homeschoolers that what homeschoolers do all day is stay tucked inside their houses reading classical liter...
HS 025: How to be a Cool Mom (And Why You Should Want to Be) by Jimmie Lanley
14 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We recently had a pool party with a group of Emma's homeschool co-op friends, and I've been told again that I'm a cool mom. I'm not a cool person. I'm...
HS 023: We're Losing the Culture War by Pam Barnhill
30 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Don't show up to a culture war without a culture. — Professor Carol Reynolds The world is after the hearts of your children. No, I am not saying tha...
HS 022: Sometimes I Feel Like Quitting by Sarah Mackenzie
23 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Quitting homeschool, that is. And I thought I should tell you that. So often, we homeschoolers make this journey sound like its all roses, all the tim...
HS 021: Home School Requires Commitment by Mary Prather
16 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What does homeschooling REALLY require? The current trend seems to be hybrid schools, box programs, online schools, or homeschool communities that cla...
HS 020: Why You Shouldn't Start Your Homeschool Day with Math by Pam Barnhill
09 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
"Love is the beginning and end of education, because love is the way we become more human." — Stratford Caldecott, Beauty in the Word I've heard the...
HS 019: Ten Gifts of Homeschool by Emily Copeland
02 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Have I mentioned lately how blessed we are to be a homeschool family? Sure, homeschooling takes work and there are sacrifices to be made. Let's not fo...
HS 018: My Biggest Homeschool Regret by Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley
26 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
I used to dread kindergarten pick-up. My little guy would board the bus at 7:50 am. He looked adorable climbing up those big steps with his oversize...
HS 017 10 Reasons to Add Morning Time to Your Homeschool
19 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever have one of those mornings? The kind where nobody wants to get moving (including you). Nobody has a good attitude. Nobody can bear the tho...
HS 016: How a Homeschool Mindset Changes Everything by Kara Anderson
12 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Homeschooling has broken me, I think. I didn't realize it until last week. That it has broken my brain. That it's broken the way I think about everyth...
HS 015: What I Learned This School Year by Alicia Hutchinson
05 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's been quite the school year, there's no question about that. We moved across the country, we hung out for five months with family, did school in t...
HS 014: Three Ways I'm Bringing my Basket this School Year by Pam Barnhill
29 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
You know that awkward moment when your best friend asks you what you thought of her book? And you liked it, you really liked it, but the English teach...
HS 013: The Case for Creativity by Amber Kane
22 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When I was a kid my two favorite things to make where, drawings of the Rice Krispie characters and to create paper balls. When I say paper balls, I do...
HS 012: Memorization's Role in Our Home by Tara Vos
15 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The role of recitation and memorization has taken on a deeply personal role for me as a homeschool mom over the last several years. I first began to c...
HS 011: Why You Need a Prepared Curriculum by Pam Barnhill
08 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Anytime you write a book there are bound to be misconceptions. Write a book on homeschool planning and there are SURE to be misconceptions. After all,...
HS 010: What's Your Homeschool Personality by Mystie Winckler
01 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
I love the Myers-Briggs personality typing. Myers-Briggs – the personality system that gives you four letters – offers a vocabulary for talking ab...
HS 009: How I'm Using Spiral Notebooks to Simplify Homeschooling by Sarah Mackenzie
24 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
I'm not feeling quite as fly-by-the-seat as I often do because I've got a new system for keeping track of school assignments, and it's rocking my worl...
HS 008: The Most Important Person in Your Homeschool Plan is Not Your Kid by Pam Barnhill
17 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In this world there are two kinds of people. People who buy any old planner and just use it, and people who buy multiple planning products and never r...
HS 007: Aligning Your Academic Year with the Calendar Year by Dawn Garrett
10 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
One of many options is the running of our Academic Year. Traditionally in the US, school runs fall to spring with summers off. This is a wonderful opt...
HS 006: Don't be a Curriculum Slave by Brandy Vencel
03 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Do you know what a curriculum slave is? I'm sure you've met one before — perhaps you've been one before. (Or perhaps you're one now, in which case w...