Does our homeschooling change from the 1st to the 7th kid? Let’s see! Rachel interviewed Mindy for today’s episode to hear what, why, and how her homeschooling looks like from year one to year twenty-three. We start off with some sickness and Olympics centered HSMotW and have a few funny stories for you also.

1:44 Homeschooling Moment of the Week: Mindy (kids caring for Jubilee and Paul with COVID well while she was gone)

2:39 S2E Homeschooling in the Kitchen

2:42 S1E28 Inspiring Kids to be Leaders

3:04 HSMotQ: Rachel (Robby Burns Olympic snow boarder from Mt. Shasta!)

6:97 Topic Talk: Mindy’s 1st vs 7th Homeschooling Edition Interview

6:34 Something you felt was a hill to die on and now don’t?

8:40 What do you wish you had done better as a Near Bookend?

10:04 S1E11 Car Schooling

11:35 Any materials you still use 23 years later?

11:40 Ticonderoga pencils

11:55 Trudy Palmer products (out of print)

16:13 How has Paul’s role changed from the 1st vs 7th?

16:35 Bonus Episode 2 How We Arrived at Homeschooling

22:24 Any yellow school bus day dreams?

26:42 Noah wanting a school themed birthday party

28:00 How has your homeschooling philosophy changed?

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We have a full-to-the-brim episode for you today, with guest Heather Schwarzen. Heather joined us to share and discuss homeschooling her son Phin, who has FASD. Homeschooling kiddos like Jubilee and Phin bring different challenges and blessing not only to their families, but to their communities. Hear how to be a part of the journey!

1:08 Homeschooling Moment of the Week: Mindy (Twister fun with Jubilee)

2:22 HSMotW: Heather (cartography success)

3:08 HSMotW: Rachel (Usborne Search Books)

4:22 Topic Talk: Homeschooling Kids With More Intensive Cognitive Disabilities

4:50 S2E27 Homeschooling Kids with Learning Disabilities

5:00 Introducing Phin

5:55 Flat Affect (definition)

7:33 Phin’s abilities

8:28 Misconceptions Heather had about Phin

11:344 S2E3 Inclusive Friendships for Homeschoolers

13:00 Adding Phin to the homeschooling day

17:25 Successful co-op participation

21:07 Considering other educational placements

22:10 Reframing academics

26:47 S2E5 Embracing Who Are Kids Are

28:38 Typical Schwarzen homeschool day

29:14 Visual Schedules (what are they?)

29:33 MiniLuk materials

Version for younger kids: BambinoLUK

31:43 Art for Kids videos

32:05 Resources Heather recommends

32:15 Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Every Child

323:06 MiniLuk sets

33:13 Usborne Maze and Puzzle Books: Train Book

33:37 Timberdoodle

34:00 Fun Schooling Journals

34:20 Fun Schooling Math Journal Phin loves

34:33 Orton-Gillingham approach and materials

35:11 What to say to someone considering homeschooling for the first time?

36:47 Mindy, Paul, and Jubilee preschool story

38:24 What to say to someone considering pulling their kid out of public school?

39:00 Considerations parents with kids with cognitive disabilities face

48:00 Make It Personal: Far Bookends (humble ourselves to remember some parents have to make decisions we never have to make)

49:15 Make It Personal: Near Bookends (follow Heather on Instagram)

50:00 Make It Personal: Homeschool Leaders (make space and welcome families with kids like Phin)

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Far Bookend Mindy at gratefulforgrace on IG

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Today we welcome a Far Bookend homeschooler of ten , Heather Schwarzen, to talk about homeschooling kiddos with learning struggles and disabilities. Heather isn’t a podcaster, but took time to talk to us from Tennessee.

2:45 Homeschooling Moment of the Week: Mindy (Paul Louis and Mock Trial)

4:06 HSMotW: Rachel (Sam making the Homeschooling in the Kitchen episode super real while she and Jake had COVID)

5:10 Topic Talk: Homeschooling Kids with Learning Difficulties with guest Heather Schwartzen

9:15 Orton-Gillingham

11:00 Dyscalculia

11:34 Getting a diagnosis

17:44 Jamie and Knox… Greenlight! The Popcast

18:04 Benefits for Neurotypical Kids and the Family

18:26 Synesthesia

21:06 Tried and Didn’t Work

22:50 Go for the “Freebies”

24:00 What is the Hardest Part of Homeschooling a Kid with a Learning Struggle?

28:00 Benefits of Getting a Diagnosis

30:00 This Opens Doors for All of Us

31:16 What Heather Says to Parents Want to Consider Homeschooling a Child with a Learning Difficulty?

33:26 Make It Personal: Parents Who Have Kiddos with Learning Difficulties (Get the diagnosis)

34:48 Make It Personal: Parents Who Don’t Have Kids with Learning Difficulties (Get your kids around kids who are different)

36:10 S2E3 Cultivating Inclusive Friendships

37:54 View from the (Far) Bookend: Asking for help is leading with humility and by example

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Mindy at gratefulforgrace on IG

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Raise your hand if you feel like you’ve been here before! Yup, us too. Rachel & Mindy bring some reminders and tips for this season of pandemic homeschooling or remote schooling or shut down schooling that feels familiar but also unwanted. We have two great Homeschooling Moments of the Week to kick off, two really wonderful ways to make this topic personal, and a View from the Near Bookend.

1:20 Yes! Rate and review us! It helps!

2:00 Homeschooling Moment of the Week: Rachel (a fun book on tall tales)

2:17 American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborn

3:15 HSMotW: Mindy (Jubilee with donut, donut face, and books)

4:35 Topic Talk: Deja Vu Times for Homeschooling and Parenting in General

7:27 S1E27 Remote Schooling Tips and Tricks with Meredith Monday Schwartz

9:00 Take a mental health sick day

9:39 S2E11 Two Types of Field Trips

10:20 Our kids feel the stress too

11:33 What do we need this week… not the entire next six months

11:55 Lean into the arts:helps emotionally

12:00 S2E4 Easy Art Appreciation

12:03 S218 Easy Music Appreciation

12:09 Let’s Make Art: Kids Water Color FREE!

13:07 S2E8 Why Do Something Hilarious?

14:11 Brouses’ fave family Bob’s Burgers episode: Christmas in the Truck

14:22 S2E3 Keeping (or Getting a Sense of Humor) with guest Betsy Jenkins

15:09 Cole Kids’ Costume-fest

16:46 How the Brouse Spa came to be

20:00 S2E1 Transitioning Into (or Out of) Homeschooling

20:21 COVID Homeschooling = Unlikely Unschoolers?

21:00 S1E20 Slightly Unusual Ways to Socialize

21:21 Make It Personal: Near Bookends (our kids pick up on how we feel so maybe self assess info intake)

23:31 Make It Personal: Far Bookends (set aside a family mental health evaluation day)

25:49 View from the (Near) Bookend: This will end and we can do it (again)

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Homeschoolers gotta eat and homeschooling parents usually gotta make that happen. Today, Mindy and Rachel talk about ways to get in and out of the kitchen quickly so you can get back to homeschooling… In-N-Out. Season 2 Episode 25 starts with Homeschooling Moments of the Week that will make you smile. We have a book and a suggestion for ways to Make It Personal and Rachel shares a thoughtful View from the Near End. Enjoy!

1:25 Homeschooling Moment of the Week: Mindy (different kind of muffin cups)

1:35 S2E3 Keeping (or Getting) a Sense of Humor While Homeschooling with guest Betsy Jenkins

3:04 HSMotW: Rachel (Sam doing the dishes at midnight)

5:20 Topic Talk: In-N-Out Homeschooling

24:22 Make It Personal: Far Bookends (The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi)

25:44 Make It Personal: Near Bookends (The Decide Once Lunch! TM)

25:52 View from the Near Bookend: adjust the plan so the perspective is too

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Today’s topic is a heart focused one that hits homeschoolers right in the kisser. Join us as we discuss how to avoid Hanging Our Hats on How Our Kids Turn Out. We start with an absolutely hilarious Homeschooling Moment of the Week from Rachel that may have you blushing while laughing. Let’s do this!

00:58 Homeschooling Moment of the Week: Rachel (omg… dog breeding…ahem)

4:07 HSMotW: Mindy (PL joining her at the table)

5:15 Topic Talk

23:20 Stop using this phrase!

23:25 Make It Personal: Near Bookends (focus on relationship building)

25:33 Make It Personal: Far Bookends (make a list of those you need to mentally or actually apologize to)

26:26 View from the Far Bookend (Camille from Parenthood)

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Join us today as we discuss reasons homeschoolers may choose faith based and/or secular curriculum. So many valid reasons for both. We start with our adorable and physical Homeschooling Moments of the Week, give you ways to make the Topic Talk personal, and this week we end with a View from the Far End.

1:10 Homeschooling Moments of the Week: Rachel (Jiu Jitsu as a family) 2:55 HSMotW: Mindy (Jubilee shopping for books) 4:16 Topic Talk 4:30 Kaytee Cobb of Currently Reading Podcast and fellow homeschooler 6:12 Reasons for Choosing Faith Based Curriculum 14:24 Reasons for Choosing a Secular Curriculum 23:13 Make It Personal: Near Bookends (be gracious and don’t feel obligated to defend yourself) 23:47 Make It Personal: Far Bookends (check out faith based and/or secular based curriculum) 24:42 View from the Far Bookend 26:02 Rachel’s hilarious physics text story

NOTE: Mindy wants to apologize for naming a specific denomination. We have worked hard to not do to. Also, when she said “narrow view” she meant a small slice of faith, so to speak, not narrow minded. 

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Homeschoolers are in the kitchen all day, ok not really, but it sure feels like it. One way to make the most of that is to do some homeschooling when we are there! Hear Rachel share some great ways she does this and how Mindy has in the past. We start today’s episode with some sweet bookish Homeschooling Moments of the Week and give two easy ways to Make It Personal. Lastly, we end with our new segment: View From the (Far)Bookend. Listen now!

1:22 Homeschooling Moment of the Week: Mindy (Jubilee reading to stuffies)

2:03 HSMotW:Rachel (snuggles and books)

3:00 Topic Talk: Homeschooling in the Kitchen

4:40 How we feel about cooking?

4:50 S2E21 Our Homeschooling Influencers

4:53 Carol Barnier

6:15 Why is it beneficial to have the kids in the kitchen?

6:26 How we feel about people in the kitchen with us

12:45 Tips & Tricks for Homeschooling in the Kitchen

13:40 One at a time

14:35 Start with the menial

15:20 Right height stools

17:30 Assign “official” roles

18:16 Do it while their academic load is lighter

18:30 Do day meals together

19:05 Use smaller measurements to math more or be on their math level better

20:17 One kid per ingredient

20:52 Have extra tools

21:55 Kid’s safe knife

22:30 Practice zone

24:10 Converter cheat sheet

25:00 Repeat recipes fairly often

25:42 Make treat recipes

26:27 Ask a kid having a “bad day” to make “their” lunch

27:45 Grace and space to do this as often is best for YOU

29:00 Clean up is a part of the process

30:20 Handel’s Water Music to calm the brains

30:20 S2E18 Easy Music Appreciation

30:30 Italian cooking music

31:00 Make It Personal: Far Bookends (ask your kids about a signature dish)

32:10 Make It Personal: Near Bookends (officially make a plan)

32:38 View from the (Far) Bookend: Take the opportunities while they are young

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Today, Mindy and Rachel share the top influencers on their homeschooling journey. Our lists may surprise you. Who are your influencers? Give this episode a listen to see if our Topic Talk prompts you to remember someone. We start like usual with our Homeschooling Moments of the Week ( , provide ways for you to Make It Personal, and end this episode with a hack and a tip!

2:22 Homeschooling Moment of the Week: Mindy (Paul Louis and Jurassic Park reading during a test)

3:26 HSMotW: Rachel (visual therapy success for Sam)

5:11 Topic Talk: Our Influencers

5:50 Mindy #1: Lorna (friend who was also a ps teacher; let Mindy go watch)

7:30 Rachel #1: Her mom (first person she knew to hs kids)

8:41 Mindy #2: Tammy Brown (first to open wide the hs door)

10:09 S1E2 Choose Your Method

11:00 Rachel #2: girls at Indian Hills Camp (first hs peer friends)

13:35 Mindy #3: Gatrel (biggest and longest influence; embraced Mindy and kids)

15:40 Rachel #3: Jen (fellow foster adoptive and Type B mom who took Rachel in)

17:26 Mindy #4: Sonlight Forums (online coffee shop for Mindy to hang out with hs moms)

18:49 Rachel #4: Shawna (mentor to hs friend)

20:29 Mindy #5: unnamed negative influencer (friend to shunner)

24:22 Rachel #5: Charlotte Mason (yes, THE Charlotte Mason)

26:39 Mindy #6: Kerrville Homeschool Co-op (most influential hs community for Mindy)

28:00 Mindy #7: Carol Barnier (brought Mindy truth and freedom)

30:29 Thoughts on who is a real influencer… you!

32:16 Make It Personal: Both Ends… we “assigned” the same thing

33:48 Take This With You: Mindy (fake present hack)

34:46 Take This With You: Rachel (gift tip ofhomemade playdough)

See you January 2nd!!

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Mindy gets to ask Near Bookend Rachel ten questions about being homeschooled and her answers may surprise you! We start with our Homeschooling Moments of the Week, give you ways to Make It Personal, and end with some encouragement (reminders and a surprise about billions of dollars)!

1:33 Homeschooling Moments of the Week: Rachel (fun music appreciation moments)

3:41 HSMotW: Mindy (driver’s ed outsourcing miracle)

5:13 Topic Talk: Q&A for Rachel About Being a Homeschooled Student

6:22 Q1: What was the BEST aspect of being a homeschooler?

7:00 Q2: What was your schedule like?

8:39 Q3: What was the most DIFFICULT aspect of being a homeschooler?10:

10:05 Q4: What is a “homeschool weirdo” moment? (She gives us TWO!)

13:28 Q5: What is one of your funniest homeschooling memories?

15:15 Q6: What was your favorite perk for homeschooling? (She gives us TWO from then and one she realizes NOW!)

17:17 Top Ten: Things We are Thankful for in Our Homeschooling Journeys

17:22 Q7: What would you say you made difficult for your homeschooling teacher?

19:36 Q8: Who did you admire?

22:10 Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DeCaprio and Claire Danes

22:33 Q9: What would you differently now as a homeschooled student?

25:10 Q10: How is your view of homeschooling different now than it was then?

26:15 Make It Personal: Near Bookends (remember your students aren’t fully formed yet and hug your homeschooler)

27:07 Make It Personal: Far Bookends (interview your homeschoolers; download our PDF)

27:31 Take This With You: Rachel (reminder to do the handprint/footprint crafts)

29:00 Take This With You: Mindy (you are saving billions!!)

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Rachel at colemountainhomeschool on IG

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