Teach Them Diligently
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Teach Them Diligently episodes

  • 5 Strategies for Increased Productivity | 292

    Want to boost your productivity and find more peace in your daily life? Join us this week as David and Leslie discuss 5 practical strategies to help you achieve just that! Whether you're gearing up for summer or preparing for the school year ahead, now's the perfect time to implement habits that will supercharge your efficiency. Plus, discover how homeschooling with a focus on the heart can transform your family dynamics. Don't miss out! 

    Additional Resources:

    Find the book “Rest” HERE 

    Find the Pathway to Order Assessment HERE 

    A great complement to what you’re going to learn in this week’s podcast is the Heart School Book. That book goes through the 7 marks of a Heart School family and will give you a lot of information about what it takes to be a missional parent and homeschooler. Leslie focuses on how homeschooling that is focused on the hearts of our children enables amazing parents like you to build strong families where children excel academically and emotionally. You can get a digital copy of Heart School for only $5 when you click HERE. If you prefer a paperback copy, you can find a link for that in the show notes. 

    45 min
  • Broadcasting Hope: The Impact of Christian Music Radio | 291

    Join us in this episode of the Teach Them Diligently podcast as we dive into the world of Christian music broadcasting with Michelle Younkman, Executive Director at Christian Music Broadcasters. She discusses the impact of Christian broadcasting and how it has changed over the years, reaching millions of listeners each week. Michelle emphasizes the importance of having a heart to serve and shares stories of how Christian radio has touched and transformed lives. She also provides insights on the various roles and skill sets needed in Christian broadcasting and offers advice for homeschool parents on preparing their children for a career in this field. Michelle highlights the upcoming event, CMB University, which equips young people to pursue careers in Christian music broadcasting. Discover how radio stations are using music as a powerful tool to spread the gospel message, impacting millions of lives each week. From heartwarming stories to career insights, this episode will inspire and uplift you. 

    Meet The Guest:

    Michelle joined Christian Music Broadcasters in 2011 after working 15 years on the label side of the music industry where her concentration was on radio promotion.She has juggled her role as an executive with homeschooling her three children. After 18 years, she is finally graduating her youngest son. 

    Key Takeaways:
    • Explore Michelle Younkman's journey from working in the music industry to leading Christian Music Broadcasters. 
    • Learn about the evolution of Christian broadcasting and its mission to reach hearts with hope and encouragement. 
    • Hear powerful stories of transformation and the role Christian radio plays in people's lives. 
    • Gain insights into the various roles and skill sets needed in the Christian broadcasting community. 
    • Discover how homeschooling families can prepare their children for careers in Christian music broadcasting. 

    Additional Resources:

    Find out more about CMB HERE

    Click HERE for more information about our CMB University event

    39 min
  • Navigating Homeschooling Challenges | 290

    Join Leslie Nunnery and special guest Brenda Scott from the Gentle Learning Company as they delve into the sometimes challenging world of homeschooling. From dealing with reluctant learners to managing disruptive behavior, Brenda shares her valuable insights and practical strategies gleaned from her extensive experience homeschooling her five children. Discover how short lessons, incorporating food, and adapting teaching methods can significantly impact your homeschooling journey.  

    Meet the Guest:

    Brenda Scott is a writer, speaker, Charlotte Mason homeschool community director, and the creator of The Gentle Learning Company. Brenda uses her love of living books and her obsession with spreadsheets to create flexible and customizable reading plans, designed for whole-family learning. Brenda has a degree in Culture, Literature and the Arts from the University of Washington.

    Three of Brenda’s homeschooled children are now young adult men, and she is still homeschooling two teen daughters. She and her husband are adoptive parents, and Brenda published the book "Adoption: Your Questions Answered" for families who are interested in adopting. She and her family moved from Oregon to Lynchburg, Virginia a few years ago.

    Key Takeaways:
    • Keep lessons short to accommodate children who may be resistant to homeschooling. 
    • Incorporate food as a motivator and use it to create a positive learning environment. 
    • Provide regular physical activity breaks to help children reset and refocus. 
    • Understand each child's unique needs and tailor the homeschooling approach accordingly. 
    • Find creative ways to engage children in learning, such as incorporating games and hands-on activities. 
    • Check for underlying issues that may be causing resistance or difficulties, such as low blood sugar or sensory processing issues. 
    • Seek support and take breaks when needed to maintain a healthy homeschooling environment. 
    • Celebrate the benefits of homeschooling, including strong relationships and opportunities for deeper conversations and experiences. 

    Additional Resources:
    • Find out more about Gentle Learning Company HERE
    • Join TTD365 Community HERE
    • Secure a copy of Leslie's latest book Heart School HERE
    30 min
  • Ordering Your Life Like Your Mission is Greater | 289

    Welcome to the Teach Them Diligently podcast! On today's episode, discover practical strategies for aligning your homeschooling practices with your greater mission in this insightful episode of the Teach Them Diligently Podcast. Join host Leslie Nunnery as she shares valuable insights into defining the basics, deschooling for transformation, and celebrating progress over setbacks. Whether you're a seasoned homeschooler or just starting, this episode offers actionable steps to enrich your homeschooling journey. Plus, learn how you can join the vibrant Teach Them Diligently 365 community for exclusive content and resources. Tune in now and unlock the power of living out your greater mission in your homeschool. 

    We would love you to join the other thousands of homeschool families that are part of TTD365. This membership includes encouragement throughout the year, monthly teaching and Q&A time with Leslie Nunnery, Real Moms guest appearances, and thousands of sessions from previous TTD events. This membership is the best place on the internet for homeschooling families. Click HERE to find out more today!

    Key Takeaways:
    • Living with a mission is a greater mindset that requires aligning one's thinking and practices with their mission. 
    • Recognizing one's call and defining the basics are important steps in setting up a mission-focused homeschool. 
    • De-schooling allows for a detox from traditional education ideas and a reevaluation of one's educational goals. 
    • Stacking conditions for success involves maximizing time and resources to prioritize mission-central activities. 
    • Distinguishing essentials from accessories helps avoid overwhelm and focus on what truly matters. 
    • Celebrating progress over setbacks and crafting purposeful days contribute to living out a mission is a greater mindset. 

    Additional Resources:
    • Secure your membership to TTD365 HERE
    • Order your copy of Leslie's Heart School book HERE
    22 min
  • Becoming Homeschoolers | 288

    Discover the profound impact of homeschooling on family life, spiritual development, and academic achievement. Monica Swanson and Leslie Nunnery share personal insights and practical advice from Monica's latest book, "Becoming Homeschoolers," offering valuable guidance for both new and prospective homeschooling families. 

    The conversation covers practical tips for homeschooling, the value of homeschooling in building strong family relationships, and the advantages of homeschooling in terms of academic success and character development. Monica's book provides a comprehensive guide for those considering homeschooling and offers encouragement and practical advice for both new and experienced homeschoolers.  

    Meet the Guest:

    Monica Swanson is a popular blogger (monicaswanson.com), host of the Monica Swanson Podcast (formerly the Boy Mom podcast), and author of Boy Mom, Raising Amazing and her newest book, Becoming Homeschoolers. 

    Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Monica graduated from Pepperdine University and earned her teaching credential from Linfield College. Monica has a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine and has spent much of her life as a personal coach and trainer. She and her doctor-husband, Dave, have one college graduate son, one son in college, another son surfing professionally and taking college classes online, and a 13-year-old son – all of whom were homeschooled by Monica. The Swanson family enjoys growing tropical fruit at their family home in the country on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.  

    Key Takeaways:
    • Homeschooling provides an opportunity to shape children's hearts and minds and build strong family relationships.
    • Homeschooling allows parents to be intentional and invested in their children's education and character development.
    • Homeschooled children perform well academically and are sought after by colleges and universities.
    • Homeschooling provides a safe and nurturing environment, free from school violence and negative cultural influences.
    • Homeschooling equips children with critical thinking skills and prepares them for college and life.
    • Homeschooling allows parents to avoid negative aspects of traditional schooling, such as bullying and harmful socialization.
    • Engagement and involvement of parents are key indicators of success for homeschooled children.
    • Homeschooling requires commitment and a long-term perspective, but the rewards are worth it.
    • The book 'Becoming Homeschoolers' by Monica Swanson provides practical guidance and encouragement for homeschooling families.

    Additional Resources:
    • Follow Monica on Instagram
    • Order your copy of Becoming Homeschoolers
    • Listen to The Monica Swanson Podcast
    • Subscribe to the TTD Podcast
    32 min
  • Parenting Toward Your Goals Part 3: Navigating Desire, Discipline, and Discipleship | 287

    In this episode of the Teach Them Diligently podcast, David and Leslie Nunnery discuss the importance of parenting toward goals and specifically focus on the topics of desires, sexual integrity, and healthy communication. They emphasize the need for parents to bring their children to Jesus Christ and teach them how to channel their desires in a way that glorifies God. They also highlight the dangers of sexual immorality, uncleanness, and covetousness, and the importance of teaching discernment and self-regulation. David and Leslie share tangible ways to put off these different sin struggles and how to replace them with thanksgiving.

    Takeaways:
    • Parents are called to bring their children to Jesus Christ and strategically parent towards this goal.
    • Teaching children to channel their desires in a way that glorifies God is crucial.
    • Parents should be aware of the dangers of sexual immorality, uncleanness, and covetousness, and teach their children discernment and self-regulation.
    • Thanksgiving is the antidote to these negative behaviors and should be taught as genuine gratitude, not just a courtesy.

    Additional Resources:
    • Be sure to secure your ticket to Branson, MO
    • Purchase your copy of Heart School
    • Become a member of TTD365 to enjoy encouragement all year long!

    33 min
  • Inconvenient Parenting: Nurturing Your Child's Inner Genius | 286

    Welcome to the Teach Them Diligently podcast, where we explore the world of homeschooling and parenting with a focus on biblical principles and practical insights. Today, we are thrilled to have Melissa Hannigan, a homeschool mom and author, as our guest speaker. In this episode, Leslie Nunnery and Melissa delve into the concept of "Inconvenient Parenting" and how it can help nurture your child's inner genius. Melissa shares her journey of embracing inconvenient parenting and cultivating the 12 genius qualities in her children. She discusses how she discovered these qualities through non-Christian research and applied them from a biblical perspective. Melissa also shares the impact of inconvenient parenting on her family, including the tragedy they faced and how God's faithfulness sustained them. She emphasizes the importance of understanding and embracing the unique qualities of each child and creating a family culture that reflects God's design. Tune in to discover practical tips on how to incorporate Dr. Armstrong's research into your parenting journey while embracing the beauty of God's design for your family.

    Key Takeaways:
    • Inconvenient parenting involves choosing the hard and messy path in the short term for the long-term benefit of our children. 
    • Applying non-Christian research from a biblical perspective allows us to discern what is good and align it with God's truth. 
    • Understanding and embracing the unique qualities of each child is essential for their growth and development. 
    • Finding joy in the midst of trials is possible through God's presence and faithfulness. 

    Meet the Guest:

    Melissa Hannigan holds a Master’s of Arts degree in counseling from Midwestern Theological Seminary. She is wife to John Hannigan. They have been married for 18 years and have four children. Before becoming a full-time homeschool mom, Melissa has worked with teen girls to overcome abuse, addictions, and trauma. She is passionate about helping people discover God’s best for their lives and their families. Together with John, Melissa is a Co-Founder of Ignite the Family, and released her first book in August 2023.

    Additional Resources:

    • Order your copy of Inconvenient Parenting by Melissa Hannigan HERE
    • See Melissa at the TTD convention in 2024
    34 min
  • Parenting Toward Your Goals, Part 2: Bring Your Children to Jesus | 285

    Welcome to the Teach Them Diligently podcast with David and Leslie Nunnery! In this episode, we dive deep into the heart of parenting with the ultimate goal of leading our children to Jesus Christ. David and Leslie share invaluable insights on cultivating love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, and selflessness within our parenting journey. They emphasize the vital role of modeling these qualities ourselves and guiding our children to embody them in their interactions. Drawing from their own experiences, they offer practical examples and strategies for integrating these virtues into everyday family life. The Nunnerys inspire us to reframe our approach to parenting, centering it around reflecting Christ's love and nurturing our children to do the same. They remind us that teaching children to forgive, show compassion, and extend mercy lays a strong foundation for their spiritual growth. Ultimately, they encourage us to seize every opportunity to instill these values, preparing our children to fearlessly impact the world for the sake of the kingdom. Join us as we journey together towards raising children who shine with the light of Christ!

    Key Takeaways:
    • Parenting towards the goal of bringing children to Jesus involves modeling and teaching love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, and selflessness.
    • Parents should frame their parenting in terms of exhibiting Christ's love and teaching children to love as He loved.
    • Teaching children to forgive, show compassion, and be merciful helps them develop a solid foundation for their faith.
    • Parents should look for opportunities to teach and model these qualities in everyday situations.
    • The ultimate goal is to raise children who are prepared to turn the world upside down for the sake of the kingdom.

    Additional Resources:
    • Teach Them Diligently Events in Pigeon Forge, TN, and Branson, MO.   
    • Heart School Book  
    • Heart School Parenting Intensive Application 
    • TTD365 Membership 

    41 min
  • Brewing Hope: Seven Weeks Coffee's Journey in Supporting Life | 284

    Welcome to the Teach Them Diligently podcast! Today, Leslie Nunnery is joined by Anton Krecic, founder of Seven Weeks Coffee, who shares his mission to support the pro-life movement through the sale of specialty coffee. The company donates 10% of every sale to local pregnancy care centers, providing financial resources and free ultrasound services to expecting mothers. Since its inception in 2021, Seven Weeks Coffee has raised and donated over $350,000, supporting over 850 pro-life organizations across America. The company also sources its coffee directly from farmers through direct trade, paying them three times what fair trade requires. Anton and his wife, who started the company two weeks after getting married, travel together to conferences and events to share their mission and meet supporters.

    Meet the Guest:

    Anton Krecic, founder of Seven Weeks Coffee, is 27 years old and lives with his wife in the Washington DC area.

    Takeaways:
    • Seven Weeks Coffee is a pro-life coffee company that donates 10% of every sale to local pregnancy care centers.
    • The company has raised and donated over $350,000, supporting over 850 pro-life organizations across America.
    • Seven Weeks Coffee sources its coffee directly from farmers through direct trade, paying them three times what fair trade requires.
    • Anton and his wife, who started the company two weeks after getting married, travel together to conferences and events to share their mission and meet supporters.

    Additional Resources:
    • Find out more about Seven Weeks Coffee HERE
    • Seven Weeks Coffee with be an exhibitor in Pigeon Forge! We encourage you to grab your ticket HERE and be sure to come by their booth to try their delicious coffee!
    27 min
  • Unsung Hero: The Smallbone Family's Journey of Faith and Resilience | 283

    Welcome to the Teach Them Diligently podcast. Today, Leslie Nunnery is joined by Helen Smallbone, mother of Rebecca St. James and Joel and Luke Smallbone of For King and Country. Helen shares her family's journey of faith and resilience. After facing major job loss and financial struggles, they moved from Australia to the United States with six children and no furniture. Through living by faith and relying on God, they experienced miracles and learned valuable lessons about trust, hard work, and the importance of family. Helen encourages wives to support their husbands during difficult times and emphasizes the need for a strong foundation in Jesus. She also discusses their homeschooling experience and the upcoming movie about their story, 'Unsung Hero.'

    Key Takeaways:
    • Living by faith and relying on God can lead to miracles and life-changing experiences.
    • Supporting and encouraging your spouse during difficult times is crucial.
    • A strong foundation in Jesus is essential for navigating challenges.
    • Homeschooling can provide flexibility and opportunities for practical learning.
    • God cares about the details and provides for our needs in unexpected ways.

    Meet the Guest:

    Helen Smallbone grew up in Australia as the daughter of a Methodist minister and the youngest of four children. Even though she grew up in church, her faith became real in her mid-teens when she committed her life to Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade in Sydney. Trained as an Occupational Therapist, Helen's greatest desire was to serve God and become a wife and mother. At age 20, she married the love of her life, David Smallbone, and over the next 14 years, they added seven children to their family.

    In 1991, after experiencing a financial crisis in Australia, the Smallbone family relocated to the Nashville, TN, area, where David began a career in music management for Christian artists. This new adventure required every family member to place their trust in God and live by faith. In Behind the Lights: The Extraordinary Adventure of a Mum and Her Family (K-LOVE Books, April 12, 2022), Helen shares how the Smallbone family learned to let God lead – which has included living outside the box of American cultural norms. Her book describes God’s constant faithfulness and provision during the lean years after their arrival in the United States. Helen recounts stories that vividly describe how the family worked together to make ends meet, found support in new friends and neighbors, homeschooled on the road, and grew closer with every challenge they overcame.

    Helen's love for God and family has only grown stronger as she and David have supported their children’s creative career paths. Their daughter, Rebecca St. James, and two of their sons, for KING & COUNTRY stars Luke and Joel Smallbone, have collectively earned five Grammys. When not busy with her children and grandchildren, Helen is dedicated to sharing her passion and love for God with those around her. She is the co-founder of MUMlife (www.MUMlife.org), a ministry of “mothers uplifting mothers,” and co-host of the MUMlife Community Podcast. David and Helen Smallbone live just outside of Nashville with a small menagerie of animals.

    Additional Resources:
    • Be sure to secure your ticket to Unsung Hero by clicking HERE
    33 min

About Teach Them Diligently

From the publisher's feed

You want to raise children who know and love Jesus—and you know that doesn’t happen by accident. The Teach Them Diligently Podcast gives Christian parents practical, biblical help for homeschooling,…