Making Everyday Magic: The Podcast

Do homeschoolers need calculus to get into college? It's a question I've been thinking about as we plan our first year of homeschool high school.

In this episode, I'm sharing why we're considering skipping calculus for my ninth grader, who is currently most interested in performing arts and other creative fields. I'm weighing the potential benefits of advanced math for college admissions against her likely goals, the time available, and the other skills she needs to develop.

I'm not an admissions expert, and I don't know for certain how this decision will play out. I'm taking a calculated risk, with a plan that includes Algebra II, advanced algebra, trigonometry, and potential dual-credit coursework.

We'll talk about college preparation, keeping options open, and why the right high school plan may look different for different students.

This isn't advice to skip calculus. It's an honest look at how we're making the decision for our family—and why I'm comfortable admitting that we could change our minds.

How are you approaching advanced math in your homeschool? Let's keep chatting.

AI is changing the educational marketplace, and homeschool families need to know what questions to ask before trusting the materials they're using.

In this episode of Making Everyday Magic, I'm sharing my thoughts on AI-generated homeschool curriculum, the difference between using AI as a tool and relying on it to provide accurate information, and why I think human expertise and fact-checking still matter.

I'll share a personal experience with AI-generated monologue recommendations that didn't exist, discuss concerns surrounding educational materials and Texas's Bluebonnet Learning curriculum, and talk about red flags to watch for when shopping for homeschool resources.

We'll also get into suspicious review patterns, the importance of seeing product samples, supporting knowledgeable educators and small businesses, and how to make informed purchasing decisions in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace.

I'm not arguing that AI has no place in education. I'm asking us to look more carefully at what we're buying, what we're teaching, and whether the work behind a resource is worthy of our trust.

Have you encountered a homeschool product that surprised you, either for better or worse? I'd love to hear your experience. Let's help each other make thoughtful decisions about our children's education and our homeschool dollars.

We're eight weeks into our homeschool year, and it's time to take an honest look at how things are going.

In this episode of Making Everyday Magic, I'm sharing our first-quarter homeschool update for 2026–2027. We're in our 10th year of homeschooling, with one child starting high school and the other finishing elementary school, and we're figuring out what works for two kids at very different stages.

I'll talk about the curriculum that's going well, including biology, math, grammar, and vocabulary practice, as well as our experience with writing, world history, and student planners. I'll also share the areas that need more attention, from French and independent reading to our family schedule and routines.

Most importantly, I'm reflecting on the difference between something that genuinely isn't working and something that simply doesn't fit into a perfect schedule.

Sometimes we need to make changes. Sometimes we need to let go of one more commitment. And sometimes, when the kids are learning and enjoying what they're doing, we need to stop stressing about fitting everything in and let ourselves keep going.

This isn't a picture of a perfect homeschool. It's a snapshot of where we are, what we're learning, and what we're adjusting as we go.

Whether you're homeschooling elementary students, navigating high school, or simply trying to make your family's daily routines work a little better, I hope this conversation helps you feel a little less alone in the process.

How is your homeschool year going so far? I'd love to hear what's working for your family and what you're still figuring out.

Why did we start homeschooling—and why are we still doing it ten years later?

In this episode, I'm talking honestly about our reasons for homeschooling, how those reasons have evolved as my children have grown, and why I think every homeschool parent should revisit their "why" from time to time.

Our original reason was pretty straightforward: my oldest was ahead academically, and we wanted to give her the opportunity to keep moving at that pace.

Ten years later, that's still part of our answer. But our why has expanded to include our children's individual interests, performing arts, advanced academics, flexibility, daytime opportunities, travel—and yes, cheaper vacations.

Most importantly, I've learned that your why doesn't have to be permanent. Your children change. Your circumstances change. Your needs change. And sometimes your educational path needs to change, too.

If you're homeschooling, considering homeschooling, or simply thinking about why you've made the educational choices you have, I hope this conversation helps you think through your own motivation.

Is Houston actually a good place to homeschool—especially if you're a secular homeschooler?

I've spent all 10 years of my homeschooling journey in and around Houston, Texas, and in this episode I'm making the case for a city that I think is seriously underrated for homeschooling.

Houston is huge, diverse, relatively affordable for a major city, and packed with museums, universities, science, arts, theater, cultural experiences, parks and educational opportunities.

It's not perfect. Finding your people can take some work. And Texas has plenty of problems.

But after a decade of homeschooling here, I genuinely think Houston deserves a place on the list for families looking for a flexible, inclusive and experience-rich place to homeschool.

We started our 2026–2027 homeschool year later than ever before, even with one child beginning high school. And while I was nervous about falling behind our usual schedule, we had an opportunity to bring four generations of our family together in Estes Park, Colorado, that I didn't want to miss.

In this episode, I'm sharing why we delayed our homeschool start, what we experienced on our trip, and how our time together became an education in its own right. From wildlife and Rocky Mountain National Park to glassblowing, chocolate making, and playing cards with great-grandma, this trip reminded me that learning happens in all kinds of places.

I'm not suggesting that schedules and academic goals don't matter. They do, especially as our kids get older. But I'm learning that being intentional about our family life sometimes means making a different choice than the one we originally planned.

If you've ever struggled with balancing homeschool responsibilities and meaningful family experiences, this conversation is for you.

Why do people get so upset when you make a decision that has absolutely nothing to do with them?

After 10 years of homeschooling, I've had plenty of experience with unsolicited opinions, uncomfortable conversations, and people who seem personally offended by choices I've made for my own family.

In this episode, I'm exploring why other people's reactions are often more about their own experiences, beliefs, and need for validation than they are about us.

We'll talk about confirmation bias, the discomfort that can come from making different choices, and why people sometimes interpret our decisions as a judgment of their own.

I'll share some of the conversations I've had as a homeschooling parent, including the kinds of interactions that happen when you're simply trying to go about your day and someone decides your life choices are up for discussion.

But this isn't just about homeschooling. It's about the freedom that comes from recognizing what is and isn't ours to manage.

We can make thoughtful decisions for our families without defending them to everyone. We can listen to other perspectives without taking responsibility for every reaction. And we can let people have their feelings without making those feelings our own.

Sometimes the most liberating thing to remember is that other people are thinking about themselves just as much as we're thinking about ourselves.

Your choices are yours. Their choices are theirs. And not every disagreement needs to become a conflict.

Welcome to Making Everyday Magic.

After ten years of homeschooling, I've had plenty of time to think about what happens when something becomes such a huge part of your life that it starts to feel like your identity.

Homeschooling is deeply woven into our family. I love it. It works for us. I'm passionate about it. And I talk about it here all the time.

But homeschool isn't who I am.

It's something I do.

And I think that's an important distinction—not just for homeschool parents, but for women and mothers in general.

In this episode, I'm talking about identity, motherhood, the pressure to fit ourselves into roles, why I don't want "homeschooler" to become my children's identity either, and why being willing to change your mind can actually be a strength.

After 10 years of homeschooling, I'm increasingly convinced that we need a better way to talk about education.

Homeschool can be wonderful. It can also have serious problems. Public school can serve children beautifully. It can also fail them. The same is true of private schools, charter schools, Montessori schools, and pretty much every other educational model we could name.

So why do we keep trying to turn these choices into absolutes?

In this episode, I'm talking about why I don't believe homeschool is either the answer to every educational problem or the enemy of education. I'm sharing what works for our family, the circumstances that make our homeschool possible, the legitimate criticisms I have of homeschooling, and why I'm never going to tell another family what they should do.

This is my homeschool. My experience. My very narrow lens.

And I think that's exactly what it should be.

How do you homeschool multiple children when they're in completely different grades?

In this episode, I'm sharing exactly how we make our 9th-grade and 5th-grade homeschool work after 10 years of homeschooling.

My kids are four grade levels apart, so they obviously don't do everything together. Math and language arts stay individual, while we combine subjects like history, science, art history, geography, and French whenever it makes sense.

I'll talk about our "teach to the older child and pull the younger one up" philosophy, how I adjust assignments and expectations for different developmental levels, why group learning works so well for us, and how we've built independence into our homeschool over the years.

This isn't a prescription for every homeschool family. It's simply what works in our house—and hopefully it gives you a few ideas that save you some time, effort, and grief.