The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast

Kick off the new year with a fresh mindset for homeschooling! Dive into the excitement of rethinking routines after the holidays and embracing the joys of co-ops. Discover listeners' highlights from 2025, from family adventures to engaging with living books that bring history to life. Explore flexible approaches like unit studies, and learn how to make small, realistic changes instead of overwhelming resolutions. Plus, find out how high school history can be enriched without heavy textbooks. It's all about simplifying and making learning enjoyable!

This episode dives into the pressures homeschooling moms face, exploring the idea that it's okay to let some things slide. The hosts discuss prioritizing memories over strict milestones and emphasize adjusting learning to fit each child's interests. They advocate for engaging frameworks in subjects like science and literature, suggesting less focus on rigid classics. Additionally, they propose valuing relationships over rote grammar and testing, promoting hands-on skills and exploration as critical components of learning.

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler. We’re really glad you’re here with us today! We’re talking about memories. Not just big moments or picture-perfect days, but the kinds of memories our kids will carry with them when they’re grown—the feeling of being safe, known, and loved; the traditions we repeat year after year; and the time we choose to simply be together. We also want to talk honestly about how our minds often let the hard parts fade, while connection and relationship seem to last. If you’ve ever worried that you’re not doing enough, or that the difficult seasons might overshadow everything else, this conversation is meant to be encouraging. Because choosing relationship, presence, and togetherness—especially in the ordinary moments—has a way of paying off in the long run. We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making the Smiling Homeschooler possible. They are an amazing math curriculum, and we would encourage you to check them out over at teachingtextbooks.com Lastly, Thank you to Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bills…helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more and support us by clicking the link https://hubs.ly/Q03VZKNS0 Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Hey everybody, welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler podcast. Today we’re spending some time talking about friendships—for moms and for kids. This conversation was prompted by a message we got from a mom whose son is really struggling to find meaningful connection, even though they’re involved in church, homeschooling, and community. So we want to talk honestly about why friendships can be harder than we expect, the fears that drive us as parents, and what we can—and can’t—control when it comes to helping us and our kids build real relationships. We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making the Smiling Homeschooler possible. They are an amazing math curriculum and we would encourage you to check them out over at teachingtextbooks.com Lastly, thank you to Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bills…helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more and support us by clicking this link https://hubs.ly/Q03VZKNS0   Have a great week and don't forget to smile! 

Hey everybody, welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler podcast. Christmas is coming fast, and today we’re spending some time talking about something super practical—what to actually get your husband for Christmas. Not the gimmicky stuff, but the quality gifts dads really appreciate, the things that last and feel meaningful. We’re also talking about gifts you can give other homeschooling moms, and not the things you buy from a store. Christmas can be overwhelming for a lot of homeschool moms, so we’re sharing some simple, thoughtful ways you can encourage another mom right now. Nothing big or perfect—just real reminders that she’s doing a good job and she’s not alone.   We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making the smiling homeschooler possible. They are an amazing math curriculum and we would encourage you to check them out over at teachingtextbooks.com Thank you to Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bills…helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more and support us by clicking the link https://hubs.ly/Q03VZKNS0    

Welcome to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast. This week we’re focusing on something every homeschooling mom faces but isn’t always willing to talk about: fear. The fear of not measuring up, the fear of failing our kids, the fear that we aren’t enough for our children, and so many more. We walk through the most common fears parents carry, how those fears shape our decisions, and how to replace the lies with the truth, hope, and confidence that God provides. It’s a great conversation, and we hope you enjoy it! We want to thank teaching textbooks for making the smiling homeschooler possible. They are an amazing math curriclulm and we would encourage you to check them out over at teachingtextbooks.com Also, thank you to Samaritan Ministries,  a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bills…helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more and support us by clicking this link https://hubs.ly/Q03VZKNS0   Have a great week and don't forget to smile! 

Join Sam Wilson, lead animator for Season 3 of The Wingfeather Saga and son of homeschool advocate Todd Wilson, as he shares insights into family-friendly media. The conversation dives into the importance of discernment when choosing kids' shows, sharing practical tips like using Plugged In to screen content and gauging intensity for various ages. Sam highlights the biblical themes in Wingfeather and explains its appeal for families, emphasizing that it has high stakes without graphic violence. Perfect for families navigating media choices!

Hey everyone, welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast. Todd flies solo this week and he shares an honest look at homeschool basketball season — the joys, the exhaustion, and the commitment to showing up for our kids. He encourages parents not to feel guilty about what they aren’t doing, but to celebrate the memories they are making. Todd then dives into the idea of “electives” in homeschooling — and why in a homeschool environment, everything can be an elective! From animation to hair styling to basketball, the things your children love can be just as valuable (or more valuable) than the so-called “core” subjects. As the holidays approach, remember that enjoying the season is school. Holiday crafts, traditions, decorating, and serving together are the real-life lessons your children will carry into adulthood. We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast. We are really glad you’re here today, because this week’s episode is going to be a little different. Ben's wife, Rissa, is joining him, and she’s opening up about some of the struggles she’s been walking through over the past few months. She’s going to share honestly about what homeschooling can look like when life feels heavy, and offer encouragement to any mom who’s in a tough season right now. So if you’ve been feeling worn out or like you’re not doing enough — you’re not alone. This episode is full of grace and hope, and we think it’s going to really encourage you. We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman   Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

This week, the hosts dive into the world of math, discussing its everyday relevance and how to make it less daunting for kids. They explore the practical math skills most adults actually use and debate the necessity of advanced topics. With a nod to technology, they highlight how AI tools can simplify learning while still valuing understanding. Tailoring math education to fit children's strengths is emphasized, along with the benefits of using interactive curriculums like Teaching Textbooks, which aids both kids and non-math parents.