Homeopathy for Pain Relief – Mini-Training Excerpt

I am asked frequently about pain – Do you have anything for headaches? Do you have anything for backache? Toothaches? Do you have anything for bladder infections? Do you have anything for Earaches? The list goes on!

Yes! We have remedies for all these things specifically, but for the sake of simplicity, I made this two part mini-training for my members – Homeopathy for Pain Relief.

This week I share part 1 on the podcast – a great introduction to the common, go-to type remedies and how to use them.

The rest of the mini-training inside our Members Corner is more detailed about how to zero in on certain “Types” of pain and then how to find the best remedy, specific to the patient. You can join the Members Corner for access to this and over 70 other in-depth mini-trainings on the Members Corner. Click here to see what we have inside: https://members.homeopathyformommies.com/mini-trainings/

Join now: https://members.homeopathyformommies.com

The post Homeopathy for Pain Relief – Mini-Training Excerpt appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode, Meryl talks with Sophia Alvarez de la Hoz, a former student in Meryl’s AI for Teens class. Sophia shares what she knew about AI before taking the course, what surprised her, and how her understanding changed as she learned about topics such as large language models, AI ethics, red teaming, and responsible use.

Sophia also explains how she currently uses AI tools for schoolwork and personal projects. She discusses using NotebookLM to study and an AI image generator to develop the design for her eighth-grade graduation cap.

The conversation addresses an important question for homeschool families: How can students use AI for support without allowing it to do the thinking for them? Sophia shares practical strategies, including asking AI to explain a concept without revealing the answer and recognizing when the tool is completing too much of the learning process.

Other topics discussed include:

Sophia’s central message is that AI is a tool whose value depends greatly on how it is used. Students need opportunities to understand its capabilities, limitations, risks, and ethical implications so they can make informed decisions.

AI for Teens class from FundaFunda Academy:

NotebookLM:

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

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The post AI Through a Teen’s Eyes  with Sofia Alvarez appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Cooking for High School Credit with Angela Smith.

As homeschool parents, we 7Sisters know a win when we see one! How about life skills, cooking, and food science combined for a fun and meaningful high school elective credit?

That’s what we found with Angela Smith at Inquisicook!

Angela likes to say that she is “actually a native member of the homeschool tribe”. Her family started homeschooling in 1992 and continued until their last child went to college. These days, Angela is helping with the homeschooling of her twelve grandchildren.

The Inquisicook online program combines food science, life skills, and culinary arts into hands-on courses that put delicious food on the family table.

The Inquisicook online program combines food science, life skills, and culinary arts into hands-on courses that put delicious food on the family table.

These practical, elective courses include science labs that wind up as a prepared dish for the family table!

When her youngest child was about ten or eleven years old, she informed Angela that she wanted cooking to be one of her homeschool subjects. They were already cooking together as part of their family lifestyle. (Angela’s family loves to exercise hospitality.)

However, being a homeschool mom, Angela wanted to incorporate a science-driven approach to cooking. She thought it made sense to study the science that’s literally under their noses and that they were engaging with daily.

Angela believes that anybody ought to be able to prepare a tasty dish based on what’s in season, what’s on sale, or what’s in the fridge. She wants teens to be free from the tyranny of an ingredients list that says, “I’ve got to buy, you know, this and this and this, and if I don’t have those things, I can’t make this recipe.”

Angela could not find a curriculum that taught comprehensive, science-based cooking, so (being an industrious homeschool mom), she created her own. It took years to finally have the course in the form she wanted to launch, but it’s ready, and you can get your teens started now!

Inquisicook offers two courses. Each of the courses is divided into five units with fifteen lessons. Also included are optional recipes that we call “for further eating”, and teacher resources.

Inquisicook 1 covers eggs, quick breads, salads and dressings, yeast breads, along with herbs, spices, and seasonings. This is combined with soups and stocks.

Students also conduct sensory evaluations for every recipe they re-prepare, rating it based on appearance, flavor, texture, and aroma. This guides them to think specifically and analytically about their outcomes. It also gives them a pathway to craft improvements or variations for future attempts at the recipes, because we want them to be intuitive cooks, not recipe followers.

These skills help students figure out what the version two of that recipe might look like for their family’s tastes.

Of course, all of the units are packed with science. For instance, they learn about egg protein molecules and how those molecules are transformed when heat is applied to them. They learn the physics of whisking: what is happening to egg proteins as they unfurl and then collect around bubbles to create an egg white foam.

In the science of custards, students learn special techniques to trap moisture droplets within the protein network.

In the quick breads unit, they learn the differences between biological leaveners, physical leaveners, and chemical leaveners. They learn about the different types of wheat, different protein contents of the wheat, and the different ways to capture those little air bubbles that cause bread to rise.

During the soups and stocks unit, students learn about extracting flavor through long, slow cooking and the science behind different flavoring agents in terms of herbs and spices

Inquisicook is an applied science that’s super tasty!

This course would be a good choice as an elective on the high school transcript!

Thanks to Seth Tillman for editing the podcast.

The post Cooking for High School Credit with Angela Smith appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Free Grammar Galaxy Sample Discover story-based language arts that turns reluctant learners into enthusiastic readers and writers.

Free Training Aliens Lesson Help your child build self-control, communication, and other essential social-emotional skills through engaging stories.

Find both free resources here: https://funtolearnbooks.com

Reluctant Learners: How to Motivate Them

Helping Students Take Initiative

Homeschooling Smart Kids

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to:

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Have a happy homeschool week!

Have a bright child who suddenly refuses to do schoolwork? You’re not alone. In this episode, I share the surprising reasons intelligent, capable students stop trying—and why the problem usually isn’t laziness.

After homeschooling six graduates and researching motivation, I discovered five hidden causes that can keep bright kids from giving their best. More importantly, you’ll learn practical ways to help your child rediscover their love of learning.

Free Grammar Galaxy Sample Discover story-based language arts that turns reluctant learners into enthusiastic readers and writers.

Free Training Aliens Lesson Help your child build self-control, communication, and other essential social-emotional skills through engaging stories.

Find both free resources here: https://funtolearnbooks.com

Reluctant Learners: How to Motivate Them

Helping Students Take Initiative

Homeschooling Smart Kids

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to:

Facebook

Instagram

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Why Bright Kids Stop Trying (And What To Do About It) appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This episode is proudly sponsored by CTCMath — an online math program designed to help homeschool families build confidence and mastery, one lesson at a time.

Try CTCMath →

In “Business Family Dynasties,” Episode #260, Meredith Curtis introduces you to the US “nobility”- some powerful families that have influenced American business over centuries. Meet the Cathy family, Rockefeller family, Vanderbilt family, Morgan family, DuPont family, & Barrymore family. Discover their impact on the USA.

Bringing Homeschool Joy to Families Everywhere!

We don’t have royalty or nobility in the USA, but we do have political and ministry dynasties. Let’s meet some amazing families.

A devout Baptist raised by a godly mother, John was frugal and an astute businessman. Their empire today is vast, and the family tree is filled with governors, senators, and businessmen.

The Commodore, a Moravian, hard worker, and courageous entrepreneur, became the richest man in America. Over the generations, that wealth has dwindled but there’s still the Biltmore in Asheville, NC.

From Massachusetts Bay Colony to the 1960s, this family reigned in banking and investing.

A nobleman in Paris escaped the guillotine and started fresh in Delaware. Meet the DuPont family.

Destined for law, this British man came to America to act. His daughter Ethel became one of the greatest actresses of all time.

A devoted Christian perfected the chicken sandwich, and the rest is history.

Sign up for our updates and get your copy of US Living Books & Movies List (57 pages) and Sons of Liberty FREE. Sign up here.

Thank You to our Network Sponsor – CTC Math!

The post Business Family Dynasties appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Help for parents who are considering homeschooling a struggling learner!

Do you have a child who works hard yet still struggles with reading, comprehension, spelling, letter reversals, or focus? You are not alone. Many Christian homeschool families face the quiet frustration of watching an intelligent child fall behind or lose confidence.

In this episode of Vintage Homeschool Moms, I sit down with an old friend, Steve Shapiro of The Learning Connection. Years ago I heard him speak on a Christian radio station. I was so excited I pulled over to a safe spot, called him from my phone, and ordered his learning kit for my own struggling learner. Later I introduced him to the leaders at the Florida Parent Educators Association (FPEA) conference in Orlando, where I had spoken for many years. Steve quickly became a favorite speaker among homeschool parents.

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Steve Shapiro. I first called him over twenty-five years ago! Later I met him in person and I was able to give a glowing recommendation for his home kit. Steve is now semi-retired, yet he still believes so strongly in the tools God has given him that he wants to share them with a new generation of parents.

Steve is a specialized learning disability therapist and educator with more than 40 years of experience helping thousands of children and teens who struggle with reading and learning difficulties. He holds a master’s degree in education with undergraduate work in special education. Early in his career, he discovered that the typical academic approaches were not enough. The underlying root problems were not being addressed.

He has written two books: The Learning Connection and Falling Through the Cracks: Why Intelligent Students Struggle in School. He has spoken extensively across the country, including at FPEA and many other homeschool gatherings.

Steve later met Dr. Guthrie, an optometrist in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who spent his career researching why so many bright students fail to achieve. In many cases, the root issue was not a need for glasses but an underlying vision processing weakness. These children could not properly process what they read. When the two eyes do not work together to process visual information, the brain cannot retain it well. This often shows up as:

Together Steve and Dr. Guthrie developed what is now The Learning Connection—a therapy program designed to overcome reading and learning difficulties at the root. Most recently Steve created a home computer therapy kit that includes the same tools he used in his office practice for over 40 years. He offers a free home evaluation and a free, no-obligation phone consultation for any family.

Website: thelearningconnection.myshopify.com

These questions open the door to practical hope. Steve explains why traditional methods often miss the mark and how addressing vision processing and related foundational skills can change a child’s trajectory—especially in the flexible, one-on-one setting of a Christian home.

Homeschooling gives us the freedom to slow down, observe carefully, and meet a child exactly where he or she is. When a child struggles, the first step is often identifying whether the difficulty is purely academic or rooted in how the brain processes information. Steve’s work reminds us that intelligent children can still fall through the cracks when underlying processing weaknesses go unaddressed.

The free evaluation and phone consultation make it possible for families anywhere to explore whether this approach might help. The home therapy kit brings professional-level tools into the living room so parents can work with their children at a sustainable pace.

If this conversation encourages you, continue with these related episodes:

While you strengthen foundational learning skills, consider these practical tools from the Media Angels store:

Browse more at MediaAngels.com/store.

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You are not alone. With prayer, careful observation, and the right tools, many struggling learners begin to thrive. Steve Shapiro’s decades of experience and heart for families offer a clear next step for any parent who wants to understand the root of the struggle and move forward with confidence.

*This link is an Amazon affiliate link and I may earn a small commission through your purchase.

This episode is proudly sponsored by CTCMath — an online math program designed to help homeschool families build confidence and mastery, one lesson at a time.

Try CTCMath →

The post Homeschooling a Struggling Learner: Real Help When Nothing’s Working appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Creating a website may sound intimidating, but today’s free tools make it surprisingly simple. This challenge gives you and your children a low-pressure opportunity to experiment with website design and discover how useful this skill can be.

A simple website can be useful for:

The goal of this challenge is not to produce a professional website. It is to become comfortable enough with the process that you and your children will be willing to create one when a real need arises.

Canva is my first recommendation for this challenge because it is easy to use and will host your website for free. You can design the pages visually and publish the finished website with a Canva link.

Strikingly is another free option that makes it easy to create modern-looking websites.

Google Sites takes slightly more time to learn, but it is free and works well for simple websites, portfolios, and collaborative projects.

When you get stuck, begin with the tool’s help section. You can also ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude, or another AI assistant to walk you through the specific problem.

Work alone or with your children to create a simple website about something you enjoy. Possible topics include:

Share what you did in the challenge on one of the FundaFunda Education Instagram or Facebook posts or in one of these Facebook groups:

If you are not on social media, email your entry to [email protected], and it can be shared on your behalf.

Each week, one participant will win a FundaFunda Academy unit study of their choice worth $20. Everyone who participates during the summer will also be entered into the grand prize drawing for a $50 gift card.

Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

The post Summer Tech Challenge # 9 – Build a Website appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

If your student isn’t a fan of English, reading, writing, or grammar, you’re not alone.

When I homeschooled my six children, one of them actually offered to pay me not to teach English! I thought I knew why they disliked language arts—but I was wrong.

After researching curriculum, language development, and motivation, I discovered five hidden reasons kids resist English. Those discoveries eventually led me to create Grammar Galaxy, a story-based language arts curriculum that has helped thousands of reluctant learners enjoy English.

In this episode, I’m sharing those five surprising reasons—and practical ways you can help your own student.

You’ll learn:

Traditional language arts curricula repeat many of the same concepts year after year.

For example, students often study parts of speech every year from elementary school through high school, even though much of the material has already been covered.

Instead of constant repetition, I recommend a mastery approach, where students learn concepts once and then build on them with increasingly advanced applications.

Many grammar exercises ask students to identify parts of speech in random, disconnected sentences.

Children naturally remember information better when it’s part of a meaningful story.

That’s why Grammar Galaxy teaches grammar through an ongoing adventure in which students help save the English language from a mischievous gremlin. Story transforms grammar from an abstract exercise into something memorable and engaging.

Grammar asks students to think abstractly about language—something many children aren’t developmentally ready to do until middle school.

Kids aren’t just remembering:

They’re also learning to identify the different jobs words perform in a sentence.

Introducing grammar gently—and without making children feel like they’re failing—helps preserve their confidence until they’re ready to use these concepts more naturally.

Learning sticks when it’s enjoyable.

Humor, stories, games, and active learning all increase engagement and help students remember what they’ve learned.

Some student favorites in Grammar Galaxy include:

Learning doesn’t have to be boring to be effective.

One of the biggest surprises in my homeschool was discovering that my children’s biggest obstacle wasn’t grammar at all.

It was handwriting speed.

Because they wrote so slowly, they often forgot what they wanted to say before they could finish writing it down. That frustration affected writing and even math assignments.

Some simple solutions include:

Children are far more motivated when work feels challenging—but achievable.

One simple trick is to begin with material that’s easier than you think they need. Early success builds confidence and encourages continued learning.

Try Grammar Galaxy with your reluctant learner:

https://funtolearnbooks.com/samples

Find the best starting level for your child:

Placement Test

See what is taught in each volume:

Scope and Sequence

I’d love to hear from you!

Leave a comment below and let me know:

What does your child dislike most about English?

Subscribe to the Homeschool Sanity Show

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe so you never miss practical, research-based homeschooling encouragement.

Until next time…

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Hidden Reasons Kids Hate English (And What To Do About It) appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Choosing This Year’s Curriculum for Homeschool High School.

Let’s talk about choosing this year’s curriculum for your homeschool high schoolers! This is one of the most fun (and sometimes stressful) parts of the homeschool year.

Every year, you have different circumstances and a different budget. Every year, you must choose curriculum that fits your teen’s goals (and your goals) for their graduation.

Remember, there’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school, and there’s not ONE right way to choose curriculum. You are homeschooling to do what is best for your unique teens.

The number one thing to do is to pray. As our 7Sister Kim always says, “Pray first and pray always.” We all need skillful and godly wisdom in all areas of our homeschooling, especially in purchasing curriculum.

The next thing we want to consider is the budget. These days, everything is more costly: groceries, gas, and medical expenses. Everybody needs to balance the budget as best they can.

What fits in your budget for this year’s curriculum purchases?

Most, or all, of our curriculum choices need to reflect our short-term and long-term goals.

Talk with your teens. What are some considerations for curriculum and learning experiences that need to fit your budget?

Are there circumstances that will affect curriculum needs and choices?

Teens’ Needs

Are there some subjects that my teens can share a textbook or borrow one from a friend? (Our umbrella school has a lending library of sharable curriculum.) Of course, this is limited by any copyright rules (such as sharing downloadable curriculum is usually only okay between family members).

Many homeschooling families feel best with actual curriculum, whether this is downloadable PDFs or hardcover textbooks. Check out these resources:

There’s not one right way to be a learner. Some teens are more interest-led, preferring a more relaxed homeschooling or even unschooling situation. For those teens, you may just totally toss out the textbook and work more on logging hours.

You can always change things up

Relax. You can give yourself comfort in knowing that even if you get a curriculum that doesn’t really fit, it is okay at any point during the year to say, “this isn’t working,” and put it on the shelf.

Maybe it’ll work for the next kid…or simply toss the curriculum. One of my favorite posts at 7Sisters is 50 Ways to Scrap Your School Book, because there have been many times when we have tossed curriculum around January. You can always change. You are not locked in just because you purchase something.

You CAN do this! Be encouraged!

Also, you can get more suggestions and advice from all the 7th Sisters in our 7SistersHomeschool Facebook group. Join us there!

Thanks to Seth Tillman for editing!

The post Choosing This Year’s Curriculum for Homeschool High School appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Updated for the August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse. This episode first aired around an earlier eclipse, and the wonder is just as real today. On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will pass over Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, while families across the northern United States (from Alaska to North Carolina) will see a partial eclipse—so plan for safe viewing rather than totality here at home. For a full family viewing guide with eye-safety tips and a simple pinhole-projector activity, see our Solar Eclipse 2026 homeschool guide.

Every day is the best day, or it can be if you have the mindset that you are looking for miracles in your life. In 2026, a total solar eclipse is just one of the exciting things happening in your world. How can we keep the momentum going? In this podcast, Felice shares the idea of finding the gems in your life and celebrating them with your family.

Visit Mediaangels.com for immediate downloads such as Character Planners,  Checklist Planners, and, coming soon, the entire set of Organize-IT planners.

So, is this going to be your best year ever? If you said, “Yes!” that is great, but if you said, “No.” then Why not? Take a moment to consider your answer.

I think we can make this the best year. Even if you’re listening to this in January in March, or maybe even in December, you can begin each day anew. The first thing is our mindset. And, it is catching. If we are enthusiastic, our kids will be enthusiastic. (Tell 1/2 sheet of paper and a pencil – pop quiz).

So, our attitude is important, but so is our ability to find those gems in our lives that are often overlooked. It doesn’t take money, but it does take research. This year, there are some awe-inspiring events. However, we will focus on one that is sure to catch the headlines, and that is the Solar Eclipse.

What is a Solar Eclipse:

A total solar eclipse is something that happens very rarely, and when it does happen, it is something many people will be excited about seeing, some traveling to the locations where they can get the best view. A total solar eclipse is when the moon passes over the sun in such a way and angle that it blocks the sunlight from our view.  First, let me warn as as you already know (and please let your children know) that it is always dangerous to look at the sun. Never look at the sun!

The solar eclipse will not happen again for another twenty years, so it’s really exciting to be aware of this one. The solar eclipse or the total solar eclipse is going to happen on August 12, 2026, and the next one won’t happen until August 23, 2044.

The shielding of the sun by the moon moving, what looks like over the top, will show the outer part of the sun, which is called the corona.

That is what I wanted to know, and I learned that during an annular eclipse, it is only safe to view it with protective glasses because you can still see a portion of the sun, and looking at the sun, as we’ve already established, is dangerous. So, you can see a ring of the sun around the moon. However, a total eclipse means that the moon completely covers the sun (totally) and hides the sun from view so just the corona or outer edges show.

You will want to:

It is fun to study things that are happening in our world.

Resources for Solar Eclipse:

Eclipses in 2026

Interactive Map for the eclipse of 2026 here.

This is a wonderful opportunity to study the stars and add it to your homeschool curriculum. And, as Psalm 19: summarizes so beautifully – “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Amen! enjoy.

Bring more wonder to your homeschool

New to the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network? Grab our free Christian Homeschool Starter Kit for encouragement and practical help, then tune in to Vintage Homeschool Moms for faith-filled inspiration each week.

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The post Total Solar Eclipse 2026: Turn It Into an Unforgettable Homeschool Lesson appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.