Homeschool Hints Podcast

Sean and Caroline Allen homeschool their nine children ages 1 to 21. Learn their guidelines for choosing the right homeschool priorities this year and setting up your family for success!

-Perspective after 20+ years of homeschool experience [1:30]

-How to homeschool after having been homeschooled [4:40]

-Building on the legacy of previous homeschool generations [5:30]

-How to stay organized without getting overwhelmed [6:50]

-Finding the balance between routines vs. strict time schedules [8:20]

-Setting the "grand vision" for your homeschool [9:40]

-Advice for first-time homeschoolers [12:30]

-Different homeschool trends over the years [19:00]

-How to combat social media pressure over homeschooling [22:30]

Resource #1 - https://thewellorderedhomeschool.com/ and https://www.chalkfullofdesign.com/

Resource #2 - Sean Allen's "No Ordinary Days" podcast: https://thewellorderedhomeschool.com/pages/podcast

Resource #3 - MPE Women's Encouragement Day: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/womens-encouragement-day/

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/

Upcoming events in September and beyond include:

The first graduation meeting for our Class of 2026 will be Monday, Sept. 8, at Garrett Chapel at College Church of the Nazarene in Olathe.

A field trip opportunity for MPE members only will be Sept. 12 at Vita Craft headquarters in Shawnee. Homeschool children grades 2 and higher can take a tour of the manufacturing facility producing handcrafted, multi-ply stainless steel cookware. Field trip participation is limited to 20 students.

Our Homeschool Family Fun Night Out will be Oct. 9 at Kanga’s Indoor Playcenter and Cafe in Independence. A fellow homeschool family runs this business and is excited to see us there!

Our PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test opportunity will be available to homeschooled students on Oct. 16. The deadline for registering is 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10.

Finally, this Thursday (Aug. 28) is the last day to register for our Sept. 14-26 Great Wolf Lodge Homeschool Weeks!

Struggling to homeschool unique learners? Whether you’re navigating curriculum adjustments, motivation challenges, or poor executive function skills, coaching helps you gain clarity, build confidence, and create a thriving learning environment.

-Recent shifts in the homeschool world over special ed resources [1:10]

-The staggering data of families (50%) who choose to homeschool because of a specialized health need or learning need [2:20]

-How to differentiate between coaching, counseling, and mentoring [3:05]

-Unpacking the mindsets holding us back from success in teaching our children [4:00]

-FAQ: What if I don't feel qualified or trained enough to teach my unique learner? [6:30]

-The program's format and schedule from September 2025 through May 2026 [7:40]

-Some of the benefits in joining a coaching community: "space and grace," virtual and in-person meetups, confidentiality, etc. [13:10]

Resource #1: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/unique-learners-coaching-program/ (Unique Learners Coaching Program)

Resource #2: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/homeschool-conference/ (Homeschool Conference & Curriculum Fair)

Resource #3: Homeschoolers.com (Suzanne Wandling's website)

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/

Explore ways to make your homeschool planning more intentional as this list of life skills from Lyndsey Mimnagh's "Treehouse Schoolhouse" can inspire all ages through family-centered learning!

-Lyndsey's background as a childhood educator, missionary and entrepreneur [1:00]

-How to build the right environment for family-centered learning [3:10]

-Living literature vs. twaddle, and some options to help build a reading appetite in our children [4:00]

-When to introduce books with more serious themes at appropriate ages [6:20]

-Defining "success" in your homeschool [9:40]

-How to teach life skills to your children even if it wasn't modeled in your own childhood [12:00]

-Some challenges to teaching life skills, and how to overcome them [14:50]

-Specific ways to think holistically about education [19:10]

-Tips for homeschool parents starting this school year [21:50]

Resource #1 - Treehouse Schoolhouse website: https://treehouseschoolhouse.com/collections/all 

Special discount code:

HOMESCHOOLHINTS15

15% off your total order. One use per customer. Cannot be combined with other promos. Expires six months after episode release.

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/

Jennifer Moreno started her homeschool journey as a "COVID homeschooler." She recounts withdrawing her then-4th grade son in 2020 during the pandemic and learning all about homeschooling from the ground up: curriculum, community, working in addition to homeschool, and more!

-How "everything was in disarray" in public schools during 2020 [1:04]

-Researching homeschool after growing up "public school educated" [1:52]

-Teachers in public school vs. the public-school system [4:00]

-How to get through the "tough days" of homeschooling [6:20]

-Her experience working part time and even full time while still homeschooling [7:48]

-Building a homeschool support system [8:14]

-FAQ: How do you choose homeschool curriculum? [11:36]

-Lessons learned in the first 1-3 years of homeschooling [15:12]

-Some of the surprises of homeschooling: not stuck doing schoolwork, more time for family "adventures," seeing your child's academic strengths firsthand, etc. [18:30]

-"Amazing" community of homeschool moms [21:10]

-The importance of 20-plus years of homeschooling for a new perspective (e.g. Women's Encouragement Day) [22:08]

-Practical ways to plug into homeschooling resources and connections [23:24]

-One thing she would change if she had to go back and redo homeschooling [25:50]

Resource #1 - MPE website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/

Upcoming events in June and beyond include:

Earlybird seller registration for our Used Curriculum Sale closes May 31, and the final deadline is June 7. The sale will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 14.

We’ll also have a free how-to-homeschool workshop from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. just before the sale opens.

Sign up now for the best pricing on our Homeschool Day at the K, July 28. The Royals will face off against the Atlanta Braves at 6:40 p.m. that Monday. It’s also free T-shirt night!

Our next First Aid + CPR class will be Aug. 2 at Journey Bible Church in Olathe. These certification courses can benefit childcare providers, babysitters, and others who interact with children on a regular basis!

The next Great Wolf Lodge Homeschool Weeks are Sept. 14-26. Please sign up as soon as possible if you have a strong preference on times and dates.

In this episode of “Homeschool Hints,” host Shanxi Omoniyi explores the data on homeschool graduates and how they fare in the real world. Despite myths and stereotypes of the isolated homeschooler, research over 40+ years demonstrate how they outperform public-school peers in terms of academics, social skills, community engagement, and self-esteem. See how you can homeschool with confidence and graduate confident, skilled young adults!

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Best Moments:

-Exploding the myth of "no data" regarding homeschool grads [0:48]

-Facts on homeschoolers' academic achievement [1:21]

-Research on graduates' social, emotional and psychological development [2:00]

-Mental health statistics on long-term homeschoolers: a recent study's surprising findings [2:50]

-3 takeaways for those at the beginning, or in the middle, of their homeschool journey [4:05]

Resource #1 - Upcoming MPE homeschool graduation ceremony: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/graduation/

Resource #2 - National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) Fast Facts on Homeschooling: https://nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling/

Resource #3 - Cardus Educational Survey (CES) on "Findings About Homeschooled Adults" including mental health, February 2025: https://www.cardus.ca/research/education/reports/diverse-outcomes-for-a-diverse-population/?

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/

Upcoming events in May and beyond include:

Our class of 2025 will be graduating May 9 at College Church of the Nazarene in Olathe. This is a FREE event and a wonderful peek into the world of life after homeschooling!

The next Great Wolf Lodge Homeschool Weeks are May 4-16. There are still a few spots left, but availability is VERY limited since we’re competing with events like a NASCAR race and Mother’s Day weekend within that timeframe. Please sign up as soon as possible if you have a strong preference on times and dates.

Seller registration for our Used Curriculum Sale opens May 1. This year the sale will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 14.

We’ll also have a free how-to-homeschool workshop from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. just before the sale opens.

Sign up now for the best prices on our Homeschool Day at the K, July 28! Rates increase the closer we get to the event. The Royals will face off against the Atlanta Braves at 6:40 p.m. that Monday. It’s also free T-shirt night!

Lisa Nehring from True North Academy explains the fourth industrial revolution and how to prepare homeschool students for a time of great disruption and change. Life skills such as entrepreneurship, communication, finance, problem-solving will always help our children pivot quickly - no matter what the job market is doing!

-Lisa's experience in high school and how schooling felt like an unnecessary deterrent to the life she really wanted [1:50]

-The importance of career exploration and business research during the high school years (and maybe even middle school) [3:00]

-Details about the fourth industrial revolution [5:00]

-A list of skills every child needs [8:00]

-Examples of homeschool student entrepreneurs [9:30]

-How the fourth industrial revolution is changing the college landscape [11:30]

-Why parents need to strategize for today's generation of college kids - to launch them well for that piece of paper while recognizing higher education is undergoing a time of upheaval [13:30]

Resource #1 - Upcoming MPE homeschool conference & curriculum fair: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/homeschool-conference/

Resource #2 - True North Academy: https://truenorthhomeschool.academy/

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/

Trisha Pull from Homeschooling With Confidence discusses things she wished she had known before she started her homeschool journey. She's a former teacher turned homeschool mom of six kids and knows life in the trenches of homeschooling, as well as the triumphs along the way!

-Tip #1: Did you know how messy homeschooling can be? What Trisha wishes she had known about the "mess" that comes with homeschooling (especially what the Internet and social media doesn't tell you)! [3:30]

-How the mess can lead to goodness and redemption in everyday life [6:00]

-Tip #2: Your homeschool doesn't have to imitate anyone else's homeschool [9:10]

-Some ways Trisha made homeschooling harder than it needed to be in the first year [10:00]

-Tip #3: The importance of read-alouds in homeschooling multiple grades [12:20]

-Tip #4: Why there is no perfect curriculum [14:30]

-Homeschooling high school [19:30]

-Why there is no formula for success in homeschool - except maybe this [23:20]

-Answering questions from the audience [25:00]

Resource #1 - Upcoming MPE homeschool conference & curriculum fair: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/events/homeschool-conference/

Resource #2 - Homeschooling With Confidence: https://hswithconfidence.com/

Continue the conversation!

Website: https://midwesthomeschoolers.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestparenteducators/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpeinkc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpeinkc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mpeinkc/