The Homeschool How To

#144: Teacher Exposes School System 'Meat Grinder' | Homeschools 5 Kids on Sailboat Instead


Listen Later

What happens when you ditch the American Dream, move onto a boat with five kids, and homeschool while traveling the Caribbean? In this inspiring episode, former public school teacher Tanya shares her family's extraordinary journey of "boat schooling" for nearly a decade.

From their catamaran "Take Two" in Florida's 10,000 Islands, Tanya opens up about:

Why They Left Conventional Life Behind

  • The "meat grinder" feeling of the traditional education system
  • Moving from Atlanta suburbia to life on the open ocean
  • How a childhood dream became reality with five young children

The Reality of Boat Schooling

  • Managing seasickness, morning sickness, and life in close quarters
  • Using the world as your classroom: from banana plantations in Belize to Christopher Columbus's landing sites in the Bahamas
  • One-room schoolhouse methods that work with multiple ages (toddler to teen)

Honest Conversations About:

  • Unschooling yourself as a former teacher
  • The socialization question (spoiler: she's seen what socialization looks like in classrooms)
  • Teaching five different kids to read five different ways
  • Why the "hard parts" of their unconventional childhood made her kids tougher and more resilient
  • Creating deep family bonds that last into adulthood

Mentioned Resources:

  • Life of Fred math curriculum
  • Teach Your Baby to Read (Doman method)
  • A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz
  • Tanya's book: "Leaving the Safe Harbor: The Risks and Rewards of Raising a Family on a Boat"
  • Blog: https://www.taketwosailing.com/

📘 The Homeschool How To Complete Starter Guide
Thinking about homeschooling but don’t know where to start? Cheryl created this comprehensive guide, compiling insights from interviews with over 120 homeschooling families across the country. From navigating state laws to balancing work and home life — this eBook covers it all. Stop feeling overwhelmed and start feeling confident on your homeschooling journey.

🚨 Let’s Talk, Emergencies!
The most important lessons we can teach our kids aren’t just reading, writing, and math — they’re how to keep themselves and others safe. Let’s Talk, Emergencies! helps children learn essential safety skills in a fun, approachable way — from dialing 911 on a locked phone to staying safe online, around water, and in case of fire. Give your kids the knowledge and confidence to handle real-world situations.

Support the show

Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast
Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Homeschool How ToBy Cheryl - Host

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

85 ratings


More shows like The Homeschool How To

View all
Read-Aloud Revival ® by Sarah Mackenzie

Read-Aloud Revival ®

3,361 Listeners

Homeschool Better Together with Pam Barnhill by Pam Barnhill

Homeschool Better Together with Pam Barnhill

685 Listeners

Simply Charlotte Mason Homeschooling by Sonya Shafer

Simply Charlotte Mason Homeschooling

520 Listeners

The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast by That Sounds Fun Network

The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

2,111 Listeners

Called To Homeschool by Meg Thomas

Called To Homeschool

269 Listeners

Real Cool History for Kids by Angela O'Dell

Real Cool History for Kids

2,428 Listeners

Simple Farmhouse Life by Lisa Bass

Simple Farmhouse Life

2,041 Listeners

Homeschool Made Simple by Homeschool Made Simple

Homeschool Made Simple

400 Listeners

Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark by Turning Point USA

Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark

14,256 Listeners

The New Mason Jar with Cindy Rollins by Cindy Rollins

The New Mason Jar with Cindy Rollins

431 Listeners

The Modern Ancestral Mamas Podcast by Corey Dunn and Christine Muldoon

The Modern Ancestral Mamas Podcast

171 Listeners

Little by Little Homeschool - Christian Homeschool, Homeschooling, Motherhood, Homemaking, Education, Family by Leigh Nguyen - Homeschool Mom, Homeschooling, Education, Motherhood, Homemaking, Christian Parenting

Little by Little Homeschool - Christian Homeschool, Homeschooling, Motherhood, Homemaking, Education, Family

311 Listeners

Restoration Home with Jennifer Pepito by Jennifer Pepito

Restoration Home with Jennifer Pepito

171 Listeners

M Is for Mama Podcast by Abbie Halberstadt

M Is for Mama Podcast

1,210 Listeners

Nat Theo Nature Lessons Rooted in the Bible by Eryn Lynum

Nat Theo Nature Lessons Rooted in the Bible

454 Listeners