“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 fluff you’ve come to expect. Happy homeschooling!

Find more Homeschooling in Real Life episodes here

Discussing the topics that you might not find covered at your local homeschooling convention, veteran homeschooling parents and bloggers, Andy and Kendra Fletcher, use humor and honesty to pull the veil back on Christian homeschooling.

 “Andy and Kendra Fletcher bring a healthy dose of reality to the Christian homeschooling community. They share their personal successes and failures with humor and humility. I look forward to every episode” – John Wilkerson, The Wired Homeschool

These witty podcasters like to poke sticks at the conventional and with heaps of grace they will confront a few of the sacred cows that Christian homeschoolers like to worship. Their love for the Gospel will remind their listeners on every episode of the freedom that Christ pours out in generous amounts. Grace Wins!

“Love Love Kendra and Fletch! They are such a down-to-earth couple that love the Lord. Their podcast definitely reflects it’s name – Homeschooling in real life. Very Real! Very Encouraging! And Very Funny!” – Teriann, iTunes Review

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 educator, and to that end we’re talking about the reasons to educate yourself as well as the how-to. Let’s get learning!

SHOW NOTES:

Recommended Resources:

Hoopla – Library digital borrowing

Khan Academy – Free education

The Well-Educated Mind, Susan Wise Bauer

MIT Open Courseware

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Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Episode 91 – Is Me Time Necessary?

Music clips used on this episode:

This story embraces the imperfections that make us human, offers a way to set ourselves free and asks us all to take a good, long look at the wild birds in the sky.

Watch the trailer here!

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 Johnson from I.N.F.O. for Families, is releasing a new book called The Young Man’s Guide to Awesomeness and we love what he has put together.

This is a special episode because both Fletch and Barrett were home alone for the recording. Join in as the two guys get on the microphones without their wives for a discussion about how to walk into awkward conversations with young men and encourage them how to guard their hearts, get the girl, and save the world!

SHOW NOTES:

Recommended Resources:

None

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This story embraces the imperfections that make us human, offers a way to set ourselves free and asks us all to take a good, long look at the wild birds in the sky.

Watch the trailer here!

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.

So what’s the remedy? Tune in to “When Your Homeschool Owns You” to find out!

SHOW NOTES:

Recommended Resources:

Cindy West can be found here: Our Journey Westward.

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After finding his grandson Owen preparing to end his own life, Alexander takes him along on an errand. As the day unfolds, Owen learns new information about his grandfather’s past and unlocks the secret to facing his own future.

Click Here to Download the Film for Free and get Resources for Your Family

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 can be trying for most families, and on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, we talk with a dozen dads about what it looks like in their homes. But we won’t leave you feeling like a failure! We want to encourage you to discover God’s glory with your family in a way that suits you best.

We’d like to thank our Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network sponsor, Kiwi Crate!

KiwiCo has monthly subscriptions of hands-on projects that make learning fun! Their core offering is projects that make learning about STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art, and math — accessible and are designed to spark creativity, tinkering, and learning. Some recent favorite crates are the Slime Lab, Physics Carnival, and Paper Circuits.

Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network is excited to be able to offer you the chance to try them for FREE. To learn more about their projects for kids ages 2 to 16 AND to redeem this exclusive offer, click here to get your first month free today (just pay $4.95 for shipping)

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 no?

We invite good friends Nate and Ali Miller into the studio to talk through the topic of extracurricular overkill. Listen in as we discuss how they made the decision to pull back from gymnastics, swimming, baseball, and choir in their family of three pre-teens. We hope you are encouraged by this discussion of choosing extracurricular activities in your homeschool family.

SHOW NOTES:

Recommended Resources:

Joann Kraft – Just Too Busy

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

We’d like to thank our Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network sponsor, Kiwi Crate!

KiwiCo has monthly subscriptions of hands-on projects that make learning fun! Their core offering is projects that make learning about STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art, and math — accessible and are designed to spark creativity, tinkering, and learning. Some recent favorite crates are the Slime Lab, Physics Carnival, and Paper Circuits.

Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network is excited to be able to offer you the chance to try them for FREE. To learn more about their projects for kids ages 2 to 16 AND to redeem this exclusive offer, click here to get your first month free today (just pay $4.95 for shipping)

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 dads on this episode who have turned all the schooling over to their wives. Kendra also has some definite opinions on the subject of moms, homeschooling, and teen boys. She thinks the teen years can be extra great for moms, particularly if a mom can learn to do a few things to grow that relationship in a positive direction. What are they? You’ll have to tune in to find out!

SHOW NOTES:

Recommended Resources:

Raising Real Men – Hal and Melanie Young

LISTEN HERE

Are you ready to listen to Fletch and Kendra get real about homeschooling? Press the PLAY button below.

Time4Learning provides the tools and resources students need to build skills and confidence in the core subjects like math, language arts, science, and social studies. No matter how long you’ve been homeschooling or whatever your current situation, Time4Learning is a flexible, online curriculum that can be tailored to your child’s individual needs.

The comprehensive, award-winning curriculum allow students to study confidently and excel at their own pace, making it ideal for all kinds of learners, whether they are mainstream, gifted or special needs.

Click Here to Visit Time 4 Learning!

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 real with one another. Is your lack of organization thwarting your efforts at homeschooling? At the end of the day, the week, the month, are you constantly playing catch-up and putting out the fires caused by disorganization? If so, this is the episode you will want to listen to.

What about the other side of this issue? As a busy productive homeschool parent, have you forgotten along the way that relationships need to come before agendas? Are you such a task-master that you forgot the children God gave you to develop loving relationships with?

Organization in the homeschool can be both a blessing and a curse. On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, join Fletch and Kendra as they get transparent with their listeners and have the discussion out loud about balancing the need to bring organization into your family and preventing that same organization from destroying relationships.

Time4Learning provides the tools and resources students need to build skills and confidence in the core subjects like math, language arts, science, and social studies. No matter how long you’ve been homeschooling or whatever your current situation, Time4Learning is a flexible, online curriculum that can be tailored to your child’s individual needs.

The comprehensive, award-winning curriculum allow students to study confidently and excel at their own pace, making it ideal for all kinds of learners, whether they are mainstream, gifted or special needs.

Click Here to Visit Time 4 Learning!

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 this episode, they also imparted 5 questions to ask yourself as you head back to school this year.

Join us and let’s get the school year rolling!

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After finding his grandson Owen preparing to end his own life, Alexander takes him along on an errand. As the day unfolds, Owen learns new information about his grandfather’s past and unlocks the secret to facing his own future.

Click Here to Download the Film for Free and get Resources for Your Family

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 budget.

Along the way, they talk about homeschooling within and out of the charter school system.

SHOW NOTES:

Recommended Resources:

The Wired Homeschool – Homeschooling with Netflix

Music clips used on this episode:

Rebecca from the Well Planned Gal understands the challenges of working within a budget, managing multiple children, and trying to keep up with a variety of information. That is why she created popular planner bundles!

Combine organizational tools with year long encouragement by bundling Well Planned Day planners with the popular Family Magazine. For a limited time, Save 30% with one of her popular planner bundles. Each bundle contains 2 planner products with a one-year subscription to Family Magazine.

Click Here to Go to Well Planned Gal

The post Summertime Favorites – The Homeschool Budget appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.