Homeschooling IRL

Are you starting your school year? We are! Let’s gather around the teacher’s lounge and gear up for another year of teaching our kids at home. Fletch and Kendra are starting their 19th year of homeschooling with a bang and letting you in on the fun. On this episode, they are also imparting 5 questions to […] The post Special Replay – Going Back To School appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Fletch and Kendra sit down with classroom teacher turned homeschool mom to talk about the transition and challenges of leaving the classroom to come home. The post Classroom Teachers Who Homeschool – Special Replay appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

How does a homeschooling parent possibly educate older kids while at the same time juggling preschoolers, toddlers, and babies? Is it even realistic to think we could do a good job while spinning so many homeschool plates? On this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra talk about how they’ve managed to homeschool 8 kids, […] The post Homeschooling Multiple Ages – HIRL Special Replay appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Hard times! As much as we might like it to be, life is not all ponies, rainbows, and watercolor daisies. The post Homeschooling Through Hard Times appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

We're talking all about leaving younger siblings with older siblings in the role of babysitter: the ins and outs, the expectations, and other various aspects of that realty. The post Special Replay: Babysitting appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Fletch and Kendra sit down with Kimm Crandall, author of Christ in the Chaos, for a transparent discussion of the ugly side of Christian homeschooling. The post Christ in the Chaos – HIRL Episode 34 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

On this episode we are talking about how to homeschool when we feel like we just don't measure up to the other homeschool moms we know. The post Special Replay: The Desperate Need To Get It Right appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

What’s Your New Normal?  – HIRL Episode 160 What does life look like post-pandemic? Which activities are you are eager to return to, and what will you change going forward? From changing the family schedule, to changing the pace of life, to learning how to connect through the smart use of technology, these are the […] The post What’s Your New Normal? – HIRL Episode 160 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Blessed Are The Crisis Schoolers – HIRL Episode 159 How can you support your neighbor who is suddenly learning how to school their kids at home? What does it mean to “Love Thy Neighbor” during this Covid-19 pandemic? We are three weeks into the COVID-19 global crisis and families around us are settling into new […] The post Blessed Are The Crisis Schoolers- HIRL Episode 159 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Hope Shifting and Covid19 – HIRL Episode 158 What does homeschooling look like in the face of a worldwide pandemic? How does sudden change affect the breadwinner in the home who is unexpectedly out of work? What happens when a homeschooling parent suddenly has everyone in the family home all day long? What do we […] The post Hope Shifting and Covid19 – HIRL Episode 158 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

A special replay!  We all have those people in our lives who prove to be a challenge to love: a grumpy toddler, a brooding teen, an irritable spouse, a controlling parent. How do we love them in spite of their unloveliness? What does the gospel tell us about our own unloveliness, and God’s love for […] The post Best of HIRL: Loving the Unlovable appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Are you a homeschooling mom who needs to work? Are you contemplating a job alongside homeschooling? Join us for this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life as we talk with Jimmie Lanley, a mom who found the need to be employed but also wanted to continue educating her daughter at home with excellence. Jimmie is […] The post Best of HIRL Replay: The Working Homeschool Mom appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Author Kristen Hatton joins us for an important discussion that encompasses the world our teen girls are growing up in. From eating disorders to the impact of social media on a young woman’s self image, Kristen’s latest book, Facetime: Your Identity in a Selfie World, is a significant guide to pointing our teenaged daughters to […] The post Best of HIRL Replay: Facetime appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

During a recent homeschooling convention where we were speaking, an older gentleman approached the Homeschooling in Real Life booth and asked what we might know about grandparents who homeschool. He was planning to help his daughter homeschool her children, and he was there to gather information. The topic of grandparents who homeschool is an exciting one! The […] The post Grandparents Who Homeschool – HIRL Special Replay appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

We have big dreams when we begin parenting: how many children we’ll have, what we’ll do together, how our relationship will be when they are adults. It doesn’t take long for us to realize that we’re not in control of who or how our children are, and soon we can find ourselves disappointed that we […] The post The Disappointed Parent – HIRL Special Replay appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Homeschooling is a choice born out of the freedom to choose what we feel to be the best educational option for our children. It should follow, then that if a family who has made the choice to homeschool then decides to put a child into a traditional school setting, fellow homeschoolers will support that freedom to choose, […] The post When Homeschoolers Judge – Best of Homeschooling IRL appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Apps! Mobile phones! iPads! Technology! It all moves so fast and changes seemingly overnight. How do we keep up with what our kids are asking to use or are being exposed to, even if we are trying to keep it all in balance? Join us on this highly informative episode of Homeschooling in Real Life […] The post 5 Apps All Parents Should Know – Best of Homeschooling IRL appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

It’s that time of year again – graduation is upon us and college is looming into the future.  In this replay of the Best of Homeschooling IRL, listen in as Fletch and Kendra interview Jean Burke of College Prep Genius with tips for affording college. —- When our students hope to go to college, the […] The post Best of Homschooling IRL: Affording College appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on this replay episode of Homeschooling IRL:  How does a homeschooling parent possibly educate older kids while at the same time juggling preschoolers, toddlers, and babies? Is it even realistic to think we could do a good job while spinning so many homeschool plates? On this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and […] The post Best of HIRL: Homeschooling Multiple Ages appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Special Edition – Homeschooling IRL – Enjoy this episode replay sponsored by Christian Standard Bible!  Mid-January. Harumph. Are you feeling the mid-year slump in your homeschool, too?  In this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra talk about how the mid-year slump affects their homeschooling and give several practical ways in which you […] The post Special Edition of HIRL: Mid-Year Slump appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Special Edition – Homeschooling IRL – Enjoy this episode replay sponsored by Christian Standard Bible!    Join us as we welcome pastor, homeschool father, and family devotions author, Marty Machowski. We talk with Marty about family devotions and why we need to encourage each other as families to gather together around the Word […] The post Special Edition of HIRL: Family Devotions with Marty Machowski appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Special Edition – Homeschooling IRL – Enjoy this episode replay sponsored by Christian Standard Bible!  We are talking about Family Devotions for the Real Family on this podcast. You know REAL family devotions. The families with the toddler hijacking the deep discussion, and the teens are daydreaming, and mom is falling asleep because […] The post Special Edition of HIRL: Devotions For The Real Family appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

“Out of Retirement” Update from Homeschooling in Real Life: Leaving Legalism Hey there, HIRLers! We’ve missed you all so much that we decided to come back for one more episode. We’re celebrating the Ultimate Homeschool Network’s 5th anniversary and catching you up on good ol’ Homeschooling in Real Life stuff. It’s fun frivolity and all […] The post “Out of Retirement” Update from Homeschooling in Real Life: Leaving Legalism appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

We home educators spend a lot of time educating our kids. But what about us? Are we taking the time to learn more, discover more, and be curious? This episode of Homeschooling in Real Life is dedicated to you, the homeschooling parent. We want to see you grow and thrive in your role as parent […] The post Best of HIRL: The Educated Parent appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Our listeners love when we podcast about the process of raising children into adulthood. But every time we talk about raising kids or the transitions into teen years or launching our adolescents out into the world, we are asked constantly for resources. On this episode we introduce our listeners to one of our favorite new resources for young men. Our old friend, Barrett […] The post Best of HIRL: Boys To Men appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

When Cindy West reached out to us and asked to talk about something she’s seeing in the homeschool community at large, we jumped at the opportunity. And it’s this: Some homeschoolers feel they must adhere so closely to a particular homeschool philosophy that they have lost all their homeschool joy. Essentially, their homeschools are owning them. […] The post Best of HIRL: When Your Homeschool Owns You appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

We are talking about Family Devotions for the Real Family on this podcast. You know REAL family devotions. The families with the toddler hijacking the deep discussion, and the teens are daydreaming, and mom is falling asleep because it’s been a long, long homeschooling day. Can you relate to family worship that looks like this? Family worship […] The post Replay: Devotions For The Real Family appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

On this week’s special back to school replay with Fletch and Kendra, they talk about Extracurricular Overkill.  When is enough too much? On this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, Fletch and Kendra answer a letter from a listener who is wondering how to filter extracurricular activities into your homeschool. When should you say yes? When should you say […] The post Back to School Replay: Extracurricular Overkill appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Moms of teen boys, this episode was made for you! What happens to those boys when they become teenagers and why are they so hard for moms to manage? Fletch and Kendra have raised three teen boys so far and they have lived to tell the tale . . . Fletch pokes a few sticks at […] The post Back to School Replay: Moms and Teen Boys appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

So you love the idea of homeschooling, but you are totally disorganized? Is this a deal killer? Should you pack up your kids and send them off to the local school house where they will be kept on track by rigid teaching plans that maintain scope and sequence? It’s time for us all to get […] The post Back to School Replay: I Love Homeschooling But I Am Totally Disorganized appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Are you starting your school year?  In this Best of HIRL, we gather around the teacher’s lounge and gear up for another year of teaching our kids at home. When this episode first ran, Fletch and Kendra were starting their 19th year of homeschooling with a bang and letting you in on the fun. On […] The post Best of HIRL: Back To School appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

The Homeschool Budget is part one of a series of three podcast episodes dealing with the topic of financial fear. With a family of 8 kids, Fletch and Kendra know that homeschooling can get expensive. On this episode, they share tips and tricks they have used over the years to save money and homeschool well within a […] The post Summertime Favorites – The Homeschool Budget appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Can you afford to homeschoool? What if your budget is already at its max, and you feel you’re barely scraping by just to provide the basics for your family? Join Fletch and Kendra as we sit down with our Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network colleague and CPA Carol Topp for a lively and quick discussion of how […] The post Summertime Favorites – Can We Afford To Homeschool? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Summertime Favorites – this month replaying some of Homeschooling IRL’s best episodes for the summer! Enjoy! —-This is not the first time we have tackled the topic of girls on the podcast. On Episode 10, we talked about many of the common pitfalls we have observed in homeschool families raising daughters. From restrictive environments to preventing […] The post Summertime Favorites – Girls, Again appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Back in Episode 9, we sat down with our friends and fellow podcasters, Hal and Melanie Young from Making Biblical Family Life Practical, to discuss the topic of boys. We talked about how these rambunctious little piles of energy can completely undo the unprepared homeschool mom. From peeing on the carpet to falling from the […] The post Summertime Favorites – Boys, Again appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

On this episode of the HomeschoolingIRL podcast, we answer a question from a listener who wants to know about switching roles. What happens when circumstances dictate that mom is the primary breadwinner. What does it look like when dads choose to stay home and do the homeschooling? Fletch and Kendra interview two homeschool dads who […] The post Best of HIRL: Dads Who Homeschool appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, Fletch and Kendra discuss what it’s like when your homeschool student abandons your family’s faith and lifestyle. How can this happen in a Christian home where you have created a sheltered homeschool environment? Christian homeschooling is designed to protect our kids. Shouldn’t our children turn out perfect? […] The post Best of HIRL: I Love Homeschooling, But I’ll Tell You Its Flaws appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Homeschool critics seem to be everywhere and some of us have had our share of uncomfortable conversations about our choice to homeschool, how we’re going about it, whether or not we’re qualified to teach our own kids, and even what they’re learning. Learning how to answer homeschool critics, especially those who are close to us, sometimes requires […] The post Best of HIRL: Answering Homeschool Critics appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

What if someone told you that you had no right to be angry? What if you could live a life that was defined as unoffendable? What would it look like to not be offended by the things people say and do, or by the way they treat you? And what if you could smile and relax, […] The post Best of HIRL: How The Gospel Makes Us Unoffendable appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Barrett Johnson wrote a viral sensation entitled, How to Raise a Pagan Kid in a Christian Home. Writing from his heart on a topic he was keenly aware of in the church, he never expected the speedy response he received from parents in the broader Christian community, many of whom were replying with a hearty, “Amen!” […] The post Best of HIRL: How to Raise A Pagan Kid In A Christian Home appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

There is a quiet fight going on under the surface in homeschooling for a long time. “Let’s face it. The quiet fight between women in homeschooling often comes down to pride.” – Angie Tolpin We dive back into familiar waters on this episode and tackle the issue of competition and pride that we see generally among […] The post The Best of HIRL: The Quiet Fight Between Women appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Ever wonder how to give your kids a healthy love for the world and a desire to know other cultures? How about making missions an every day part of your homeschool and home life? What if you can’t travel far from home but want your kids to develop a view that reaches far beyond your […] The post Best of HIRL: Heart for the World appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Raising boys can be tricky business, no? And if we have a heart to see our boys really change the world with solid character, big ideas, and compassionate hearts, we can feel defeated when we see them being goofy and a little out of control as kids. That’s exactly why we wanted to have a […] The post Best of HIRL: Knights in Training appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Should you turn the TV on?  Yes or no? On this episode we  jump into a topic that is quick to divide families as we answer the question: Is there any redeeming value in having television in your home, or should we avoid this portal into American culture? Join along and listen as Fletch and Kendra talk openly […] The post Best of HIRL: How To Watch TV Without Selling Your Soul appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This is our second stab at the topic of homeschool burnout. Back in Episode 39, we interviewed four homeschool moms and discussed the topic: I Love Homeschooling, But I’m Totally Burned Out.  On that episode we verified that homeschooling moms burn out often and regularly. Our listener Anna, wrote in and asked if we would expand the […] The post How To Deal With Homeschool Burnout – Special Replay appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Tragedy. In terms of media and social media, tragedy has become a staple of our daily diet. The world seems to be going crazy and the news is full of stories that are difficult for kids to process and understand. How do we talk to our children about race issues, murder, terrorism, and other tragic current events?  […] The post Talking With Kids About Tragedy – Special Replay appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

When Cindy West reached out to us and asked to talk about something she’s seeing in the homeschool community at large, we jumped at the opportunity. And it’s this: Some homeschoolers feel they must adhere so closely to a particular homeschool philosophy that they have lost all their homeschool joy. Essentially, their homeschools are owning them. […] The post When Your Homeschool Owns You – HIRL Replay appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Does Santa have any place in the celebration of Christmas? If you listen to some homeschoolers talk about it, event the mention of Santa Claus associated with Christmas will land you in the “loner’s corner” of your co-op. Yet, others celebrate good ol’ jolly Santa Claus right next to the baby Jesus. There is also […] The post Best of HIRL Christmas Series: Jesus vs. Santa appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Are you stuck in holiday traffic? Are you locking yourself in the bathroom at your family get-together to avoid Crazy Uncle Larry? Are you sick of hearing Christmas music? This quick episode is just for you! Merry Christmas HIRLers! Join Fletch and Kendra on this short and fun episode as we share some Christmas laughs with […] The post Best of HIRL Holiday Series: Stocking Stuffer appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

We received a message on the HomeschoolingIRL Facebook page that said, “Please, please, please do an episode on siblings fighting. Thanks!” Sibling relationships. Sibling rivalries. Siblings fighting. We put out the question to our listeners and they responded with story after story of siblings who know how to tease, fight and use sarcasm like professionals. On […] The post Best of HIRL Holiday Series: What To Do About Sibling Relationships? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Join us on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life as we talk about the ins and outs of traveling with kids. On this episode we are NOT talking about vacation planning. Instead we are talking about giving your family a love for travel, a love for God’s world and a love for taking your love for Jesus […] The post Best of HIRL Holiday Series – Traveling With Kids appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.