We explore why every homeschool family should consider developing an AI policy—and how to do it.

As AI tools become more prevalent, it’s no longer a question of if teens are using them, but how. Meryl explains how teens often approach AI differently than adults and why it’s important to proactively teach them how to use these tools responsibly and effectively.

Topics covered include:

Why teens may misuse AI—and how to guide them

What makes a good AI policy for your homeschool

Specific tools parents can use to monitor and support responsible use

The importance of balancing creativity, critical thinking, and AI assistance

Tips for encouraging teens to be transparent and reflective about their AI use

Two upcoming FREE events hosted by podcast sponsor FundaFunda Academy:

Summer-Themed Live Teen Trivia Night – Free to participate. Multiple choice questions, no special knowledge required, with prizes!

Scholarship Webinar – Free to join. Learn how to find and win external scholarships, hosted by Meryl herself.

Resources mentioned:

University of Rochester article on teen brain development

FundaFunda’s AI Unit Study for families

FundaFunda’s half-credit AI class for grades 7–12

Tools mentioned: ChatGPT, Gemini, MagicSchool.ai, Class Companion, Brisk Teaching

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 Creating an AI policy for your homeschool appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Why does music matter in home education? Is it just so we can have junior show off for grandparents at recitals? Is it just a nice elective to fill out the kids’ transcript? Or is it an underappreciated medium for the development of multiple skills? That’s what I’ll discuss with my guest Adrian Edward.

Visit our sponsor: Now Programs, Neuro Development of Words

I met Adrian the way I meet many of my podcast guests and eventual friends—at a Great Homeschool Convention. One of the first things I noticed about Adrian and his wife Maria was how much friends who greeted them at their booth loved them. Like adored them. After seeing him at five conventions, I’ve realized it’s because that’s how much they love other people. They have both made me feel special. But that’s not all they have going for them. Their Color Me Mozart materials are ingenious and professional. I can’t wait to use them with future grandchildren.

Adrian is a music educator, but it was during his work at The Guild for Exceptional Children in Brooklyn that he saw just how powerful music could be—especially for children with special needs. But he also noticed a troubling truth: in many early education programs, music was treated as an afterthought. Adrian set out to change that.

Through innovative teaching methods and a deep belief that music should be accessible to every child, Adrian has helped families and educators bring joy, connection, and growth into their homes and classrooms—whether their children are neurotypical or have special needs.

We discuss:

How preschoolers can learn real music—even if you aren’t musical The brain science behind music as a language The surprising reason most music curriculums fail young learners

https://colormemozart.com

https://www.instagram.com/colormemozartmusic

https://www.facebook.com/ColormeMozartMusic

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post The Importance Of Music In Child Development appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: ASVAB and Homeschool High Schoolers with Natalie Mack.

One of the most interesting career-oriented tests for young people is the ASVAB. Our friend and Cousin, Natalie Mack, works with the military to offer the ASVAB to local high schoolers. We asked Natalie to share about ASVAB.

Natalie Mack is a homeschool leader, military homeschool mom, Tedx speaker, HSLDA staff member, and more!

Natalie and her husband (a retired Navy chaplain) have five children. The youngest just graduated from homeschooling high school. (Our listeners met Nathaniel Mack when we interviewed him about his inspiring conservation project.) The other four have all finished college.

Natalie is keeping busy with her service to the homeschool community.

ASVAB is the acronym for Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Besides the test itself, ASVAB offers a career exploration program.

There is no cost to the test. Teens can take the test digitally or in the old fashioned, paper and pencil format. The results help teens know what careers in the military might be a good fit for them.

This year, Natalie hosted two ASVABs. Mm-hmm. One with Northern Virginia Community College, the Alexandria Campus (with the help of the Alexandria Recruiting Battalion); the other at Baltimore MEPS.

It is always going be a free opportunity. Most homeschoolers finish in an hour and a half.

Recruiters cannot administer the test. (This is because parents have been concerned that their teen would be targeted or would be constantly hounded by texts or phone calls from recruiters trying to pull them into the service.) However, that is not the way it works.

The goal is to offer free career assessments! You also get real in-person interpretations of your scores. These scores for your student mean they are likely to be good at these type of careers.

Recruiters will come to the testing in case there are homeschoolers who want more information.

Teens can talk to recruiters at the time they take the ASVAB or drop by a recruiting location in their local area.

Natalie likes to remind homeschooling parents that serving our nation in the military is an honorable career. Those who serve are helping fulfill the promises in the United States Constitution of securing the common defense. An in the military there are many, many kinds of jobs. The ASVAB is useful in helping match service member to the best-fit job.

Also, check out these Homeschool Highschool Podcast episodes on:

As Vicki says, Natalie Mack is pervasive. She is involved in so many things around the nation. However, you can find her at:

Join Vicki and Natalie and learn about ASVAB and your homeschoool high schooler.

And check out our many chats with Natalie Mack about all kinds of homeschooling high school topics:

Thanks to Seth Tillman for editing.

The post ASVAB and Homeschool High Schoolers with Natalie Mack appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

When does fall learning start? It starts now. Before long, we will turn over the calendar (or swipe right or up) on a digital device and see that the holidays are approaching. We have a fall, Thanksgiving, and Christmas…three in a row! What is a busy homeschool mom to do? In this episode, Felice shares how she prepares for the active months with an action plan.

Thanks to our ongoing sponsor, CTCMath.com, and their excellent math curriculum for grades K-12

How many of you have planned out your entire year until Christmas? Raise your hand. Okay, so if not, no worries, I will help! First, I recommend you get on our email list and sign up for our latest planners. I have an ongoing series of monthly Organize It Planners for the year. These planners are chock-full of tips you can implement quickly. You will receive a new topic free each month. The upcoming Organize It is for October, with information on preparing your home for the forthcoming holidays.

During the cooler months, planning things that take the children outdoors is nice. If you have younger children, you may want to add seasonal activities, such as fall crafts. You can also jumpstart the fall decorations by making paper chains using fall colors. I have some links to podcasts on the topics.

One of my favorite topics to study was trees and their types of leaves; if you’re blessed to live in the north, you have the full array of fall leaves coming soon! For those of us in the South, it means taking a trip up north or learning about these things via a book or online. Then there are the fall activities such as parties, fairs, cooking contests, and many other things that we, as homeschoolers, want to take advantage of. Often, harvest parties begin in October … then there is Thanksgiving, and around the corner, Christmas. Christmas quickly takes over the entire month of December. Between baking, shopping, and activities, there doesn’t seem to be much time left at school.

So, what is a busy mom to do? Well, the best thing I can advise is to get as much done as possible before the holidays, including school. As homeschoolers, we sometimes fit our household into our homeschool or our homeschool into our family. I’ve received emails from many people who have said when they’ve done an excellent job homeschooling, they’ve done a lousy job managing their homes, and vice versa. Well, you can do both.

So, first things first, how much time do you have?

The age-old question. Well, let’s start with this:

Now that you have an overview and overview of how to plan, let’s get going! What do you want to get done this month? With fall on the horizon or whatever the next big thing is, it is essential to use these pockets of time and focus on learning. At the beginning of each school year, you should look at the books or curriculum you plan to use and decide how long it will take you to complete in one school year. It may take six weeks or more to complete if it is a detailed unit you are studying.

Another thing to consider is using the days the kids are doing well and doubling up on activities. We did this to keep our Fridays free. In this way, we could use Fridays as a catch-up day, or we could use it for field trips or other activities we had planned. Of course, as the children get older and schoolwork piles up, it may not be as easy to have a free day a week once you can look at your priorities, the things you have to accomplish each day and work around those items.

We completed most of our homeschooling before Thanksgiving in late August, September, October, and November. After Thanksgiving, we were lucky to meet for a full two weeks with all the extra activities planned for Christmas. Of course, after Christmas was the New Year, and this was a solid vacation time.

In the new year, most of our schoolwork was in January, February, and March. Do you see a pattern here? We focused on the times between holidays and other significant events for our family. For some of you, Easter may not be a big event, but it is in our home, and we typically take a week off, a week before Easter, and a few days afterward. After Easter, all the kids can see his summer on the horizon. Therefore, working hard on days too hot or cold to go outside is essential. My children naturally do better when there are fewer distractions. I’m sure yours do as well!

I have links in the other podcasts’ show notes with great ideas for fall activities.

Past Episodes on Fall and Activities Kids Can Do:

Celebrate Fall Baking

October Checklist- 

To purchase Checklist Planners, go here.

Thanksgiving Gifts and Crafts

DIY Crafts for Kids

Great Gifts Kids Can Make

For example, fall is an excellent time for baking. We did a lot of bulk baking that we could freeze, and when the holidays came around, we had ready-made sweet bread that we could give away as gifts, cinnamon rolls, and more. There is a baking link here: Celebrate Fall Baking.

If you don’t like to bake, perhaps you like crafts. Before Christmas, we focused on making presents for grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Gifts link here.

As the winter months get closer, use this time to spend reading together as a family. Our favorite times were reading the Little House on the Prairie and other books in front of the fireplace with cups of cocoa. These are memories you can create with your family and get some learning in there as well. We often read books that went along with the themes we were studying.

I would throw in some hands-on experiential activities to round up your fall learning. If you have read any of my books (LINK HERE), you understand my need to involve the children. As a child and even an adult, I love to learn by doing. Sure, reading it in a book and moving on is more accessible, but what about authentic learning, learning things the children will remember?

Encourage your children to set time limits to get things done, especially if you have a child who takes all day to get math done. That usually means there’s nothing else the child wants to do afterward. If we give our children those to get their schoolwork done, more than likely, they will work right along. I also encourage your children to find hobbies or things they want to pursue in our family. Children my three youngest children play sports each day, and they have to spend time practicing. If your child plays a musical instrument and has another hobby, I am sure they also need time to pursue this interest.

We want to instill values that allow our children to do what is right, not just when we’re watching them. Give them opportunities to learn independently, especially if they are old enough, then make sure you check their work each day or at least every couple of days. I remember leaving their schoolwork for a week to check, and then sometimes I would be overwhelmed by all I needed to grade and be frustrated when I saw the work was half done. If I keep up with this, it’s helpful. My husband was willing at times when I was overwhelmed. He would take over the grading, and the children disliked it because he was much stricter than I was

I hope these ideas help you to accomplish and have time for all the fun activities. Be sure to visit me at mediaangels.com. Come check out our podcast family at our Facebook group, which is a homeschooled podcast family; you can look for that or search for it. If you have any questions, contact me on our FB group.

The post Fall Learning Starts Now appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode of Homeschooling with Technology, host Meryl van der Merwe is joined by two of FundaFunda Academy’s language teachers—Sebastian (French) and Suzette (Spanish)—to discuss how media can enhance the foreign language learning experience.

You’ll discover:

How music supports vocabulary retention and pronunciation
How to use movies and subtitles strategically as students progress
Great podcast and website recommendations for Spanish and French learners
How to turn your phone settings into a language-learning tool
Why apps like Radio Garden Live are both educational and fun
How these tools also build cultural understanding alongside language fluency

Sebastian and Suzette share not only their favorite resources but also practical strategies they use with their students at FundaFunda Academy to make learning a new language immersive and engaging.

Whether you’re learning a foreign language at home or looking to enrich a formal curriculum, this episode offers easy, mostly free ways to bring the target language to life.

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

FundaFunda Academy’s French and Spanish Classes

SpanishListening.org

Radio Garden Live

Michael Harper’s Spanish Podcast

Coffee Break French

TV5Monde and RFI (Radio France Internationale)

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 Using Media in Foreign Language Learning appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Earlier this year we talked about books and authors the two of us enjoy together (episode 245, “What Are You Reading Right Now?”) and we mentioned that each of us has genres we like personally but separately. A caller on our Listener Response Line reminded us that we hadn’t returned to those books – “You teased us a little bit!” she said – so this week, Hal is sharing some books of history and biography which he’s been reading.

Over half the Bible is historical narrative, and God tells His people to remember the past and talk about it with their children. In Deuteronomy, Moses tells the people:

Remember the days of old, 

(Deuteronomy 32:7-8)

The reference to “nations” and “peoples” says this is more than the history of Israel – it’s all of us as “sons of Adam.” When we learn about history, we’re learning how God has guided people and nations over the centuries, with and without their cooperation or consciousness, and we can learn or take warning by their example.

Our own Benjamin Franklin, whatever his personal theology, observed to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, “I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?” (here’s a transcript) … and we know this to be true because it’s in Scripture:

(Daniel 5:21)

That’s a good thing to remember during this election year! And it’s a good reason to take a look at history, too.

If you’d like to know more about books Hal mentioned, here are links to all of them … 

If you’d like to leave a comment, question, or request, our Listener Response Line is (919) 295-0321

The post History for Book Lovers – MBFLP 254-1 (replay) appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

I often get asked how to deal with NO and MINE in toddler world. I see them both as positive words for this age. Toddlers are realizing that they are indeed human and separate from their parents. Isn’t what we hope all of our children realize! Up until this point someone has made all the decisions for them and they FINALLY have a voice. NO, they don’t want peas for dinner. NO, they don’t want to take a bath. NO, they don’t want to go to bed. I bet some toddlers are sooooo excited that they can finally state their opinion. ON this episode, we will talk about this world of toddlers and the many reasons that no and mine are their favorite words. It really is a good thing.

Also in this episode, I will quickly address some other toddler topics… potty training, biting, and pitching fits. I know for many parents, this toddler stage is challenging. I often suggest that parents try and approach this time with a lighthearted spirit. I always encourage gentle, playful parenting whenever possible, especially during the young years.

Find a way to #sayyes today.

Thanks to CTCMath.com as our sponsor! 

Don’t forget to subscribe to my podcast and leave a review on iTunes!!!

Thank you to The Homegrown Preschooler for sponsoring this Podcast! Check out the blog post Kathy mentioned, Farmhouse Schoolhouse, to read more about A Year of Playing Skillfully.

The post Special Replay: Why NO and MINE are good words for Toddlers appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: How to be a Sports Mom.

Lots of homeschool high schoolers are not just busy with academics; they are also engaged athletes! This week Kym and Vicki talk about what it’s like to be a sports mom (a healthy version of being a sports mom, that is).

7Sister Kym and her husband have four now-adult children. Her youngest are twins. When they were young, Kym had lots of mom-friends who worked at our local YMCA. The kids of those mothers to play in the gym and swim in the pool at the Y. Kym’s kids were buddies with those the kids. One day at a play date, the kids all came up to her and said, “Mommy, you should work at the YMCA, so we could go play there too with our friends.”

The moms at the play date heard and answered, “Well, there’s an opening.”

At the time, Kym had zero interest in working at the YMCA. She was doing other things that were taking up more than enough time, but out of love for her kids, she started working at the YMCA. She found that one of the great benefits was all of the sports that her kids could to try there.

At the time, Kym’s youngest were about four and her oldest was ten years old. Her eight year old son began playing playing roller hockey at the Y.  Her twin daughters wanted to try every single sport.

There were so many skills Kym and her kids learned over the years. Kym was not passive about learning the skills. She discussed with her kids about:

Kym’s family had always enjoyed watching hockey on television, along with fun hockey movies like Mighty Ducks. When the twins were old enough, they joined a local youth hockey team and that was that. They convinced their parents that they wanted to go all in on hockey. Kym and her husband decided to make it happen.

They played women’s youth travel team hockey all through high school. These adventures took the family to games in many places around the U.S. (One of their best friends on their team was Emily Hockey who is now an astrophysicist. Keep your eyes open soon for an interview with her on the Homeschool Highschool Podcast!)

Kym and her husband invested in the twins’ dreams. It took faith and budgeting, but the family was committed. They often found that when a need arose, they could pray and something would come for help. For instance, one of the twins became a goalie but needed new equipment. They prayed. Kym randomly ran into another mom whose son had been a goalie for a short time but hated it. The mom sold Kym the equipment at a price that fit the budget!

Being willing to budget and to pray is key!

The twins graduated from high school and went on to play club hockey at the University of Delaware.

The family had to drive all over the country! Kym and her husband prayed before they made this commitment to their twins’ hockey team. She says,

“I can’t tell you how many prayers I prayed, not like please let this work out, but please just make it clear.”

As high school progressed, Kym and the twins had to discuss college search and choices. Should they look for colleges with women’s club hockey or NCAA hockey? It was a tough decision and needed lots of prayer and wisdom. They decided on club hockey because they wanted to make certain that they had time to prioritize academics. NCAA-level sports might not give them enough academic study time.

Today, both twins have graduated and have sports-related careers. They still love hockey and are pleased with the choices they made in personal development, academics, and sports.

Thank you Seth Tillman for editing.

The post How to be a Sports Mom appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

If you have a child whose creativity and confidence you’d love to encourage, this episode is for you! I chat with Bethany Baldwin of MAD Society Inc. about her ingenious approach to homeschool theater:

The surprising benefits of theater—even if your child isn’t a “theater kid”

How to start a homeschool drama club with zero experience

Why student-led performances can spark confidence and creativity in every child

Ready to be inspired? Watch or listen now!

Melanie Wilson

Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum?

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Favorably reviewed in Cathy Duffy’s 102 Top Picks and The Old Schoolhouse Crew Review, the lessons are short and concise to help your children break down concepts and appreciate math in a whole new way!

The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a “test”.

Each one of the video tutorials is taught by an internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, who is renowned for teaching math concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand way (and in only a few minutes at a time). CTC Math uses a multi-sensory approach, having the combination of effective graphics and animation synchronized with the voice of a friendly teacher together with practical assessment. This three-pronged attack makes learning so much easier and more effective. Even students who struggled with math are getting fantastic results! And ones who were doing OK before are now doing brilliantly.

Visit ctcmath.com today to start your free trial.

__________________________________

Get your free lesson on making friends here:

https://funtolearnbooks.com/product/training-aliens-level-1-kit/

//WHAT TO WATCH / LISTEN TO NEXT

~ How to Start a Drama Club

~ Parent-Child Book Clubs for Homeschoolers

~ Family Entertainment for Building Relationships

~How to Teach Leadership

____________________________________

//RESOURCES

https://madsocietyinc.com

Bethany’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mad_society_inc/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D

Bethany’s TikTok

Bethany’s Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/people/MAD-Society-Inc/100094518963381

Follow Melanie on Instagram to get regular tips and encouragement: https://instagram.com/homeschoolsanity

Find sanity-saving, story-based curriculum kids love and productivity/organizational helps for you at Fun to Learn Books:

https://funtolearnbooks.com

Have a happy homeschool week!

The post Teaching Kids Confidence with Homeschool Theater appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In “Weather Modification I: What is Cloud Seeding?” Episode, #236, Meredith Curtis introduces weather modification, a topic that has implications for you and your future! Cloud Seeding was first tried in 1946 and has been sanctioned by the government since the 1970s. How does it work? What are the benefits? What are the complications? This topic makes for a lively family dinner table discussion.

Bringing Homeschool Joy to Families Everywhere!

Cloud seeding impacts a large number of people, yet it is seldom discussed. So, let’s talk about it, starting with the basics.

Airplanes release a seeding agent into sub-cloud updrafts or drop the seeding agents directly into the upper regions of the clouds. This seeding agent acts as a condensation nuclei.

“Chinese scientists recently announced the results of a weather modification experiment conducted in the arid western region of Xinjiang. Using a fleet of cloud-seeding drones, the team reportedly increased rainfall by more than 4 percent across an area of more than 3,000 square miles (8,000 square kilometers) in a single day. According to the researchers, just 1 kilogram of silver iodide generated more than 70,000 cubic meters of additional precipitation, enough to fill 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools.” (Graceffo, Antonio, “The CCP’s Weather Modification Ambitions” https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/the-ccps-weather-modification-ambitions-5883068 7/13/2025. Accessed 7/19/2025.)

Cloud seeding can increase rainfall, prevent rain, or disperse fog. So, let’s do a quick review of why it rains.

Remember the water cycle? Water evaporates and rises in the air. As it rises, it cools and condenses into ice crystals. A condensation nuclei is needed for the water to condense. This might be dust, smoke, or salt particles.

In 1946, Vincent J. Schaefer used dry ice (solid carbon dioxide CO2) into clouds. This created snow.

Later that same year, Bernard Vonnegut used silver iodine (Ag1) could be used for cloud seeding.

Other known seeding agents:

Dubai uses Titanium for cloud seeding.

By adding condensation nuclei to clouds, cloud seeding manipulates the structure of clouds. This causes the water crystals to fall to the earth as rain.

Drones, rockets, and special airplanes are all used to shoot the particulates into the clouds. Canons and generators can also shoot condensation nuclei into the atmosphere, hoping it will find a cloud or targeting clouds specifically.

Experiments began and continued in 1946.

USA

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Started in the 1990s. Cloud Seeding Missions: 187 (2014), 214 (2017), 184 (2018), 247 (2019). Research, prizes, and government involvement to pursue excellence.

Dubai

More recently, Dubai has followed UAE’s example and used cloud seeding to combat water scarcity.

India

India has experimented with cloud seeding since the 1980s especially during droughts. However, many Indians object to cloud seeding because of its effectiveness and environmental impact.

Indonesia

Indonesia uses cloud seeding to prevent flooding. Indonesia used cloud seeding to fight a fire-related haze in 2015 and to reduce flooding in Jakarta in 2013.

China

China is the leader in weather modification and uses cloud seeding in all kinds of ways, even to make sure clear skies are there for important political events.

The main reason to use cloud seeding is to produce more rain. This can improve crop productivity, increase vegetation cover in an area, and help farmers.

Cloud seeding can modify weather, reduce the size of hailstones, and prevent the formation of fog. Cloud seeding brings relief to places with drought. It can make arid places more suitable for living.

Does Cloud Seeding have Negative Potential?

Cloud seeding harms the environment with the chemical compounds it uses. It is very expensive. Cloud seeding can harm people and animals. For example, silver iodide can impact human health negatively.

Cloud seeding needs clouds. No clouds. No cloud seeding. Flooding is probably the biggest negative of cloud seeding and is a big problem in China and UAE.

The Creation Mandate. We are called to fill and subdue the earth.

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Thank You to our Network Sponsor – CTC Math!

The post Weather Modification I: What is Cloud Seeding? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.