Well This Wasn't The Plan!

By Carson and Teran SandsKids & Family Education for Kids

Well This Wasn't The Plan! episodes

May 18 33. We Hired A Sitter To Help Us Homeschool
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We crawl out of tax season, admit why the podcast went quiet, and share how hiring a sitter became the simplest way to keep work and homeschooling from crushing us. We break down exactly how we found her, what we pay, how we structure the homeschool block, and why the “six hours back” changes everything!

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Our Curriculum we LOVE
Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year)
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The reading app we LOVE!
The phone we have with NO social media and NO internet browser!
24 min
April 10 32. The Week That Made Us Question Homeschooling
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Homeschooling didn’t break us, but tax season almost did. When you’re two full-time working parents, the hard days don’t look like a cute worksheet moment. They look like nonstop noise, kids picking at each other, and that very real parenting thought of “I just need five minutes of quiet.” We say the part out loud that many families hide, then we talk through what we’re doing about it.

Support the show
Our Curriculum we LOVE
Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year)
Follow us on IG
Find Our Free PDFs!
The reading app we LOVE!
The phone we have with NO social media and NO internet browser!
24 min
April 03 31. Options For Working Parents Who Want To Homeschool
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A rapid-fire list of realistic ways to keep working while you homeschool

• our long planning runway before homeschooling and why we tested changes for a year
• switching a business to virtual work to make home learning possible
• work-from-home options and early-morning schedules that open up school time
• using online school and virtual curriculum for more independence
• hybrid programs as a lower-risk step into homeschooling
• learning pods, drop-off co-ops, and other childcare-style supports
• leaning on family help and building a schedule from multiple pieces
• remembering you can pivot midyear if something is not working

If you're pulling the trigger on homeschooling and you need help, definitely check out our guide! Cheering you on!!

Support the show
Our Curriculum we LOVE
Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year)
Follow us on IG
Find Our Free PDFs!
The reading app we LOVE!
The phone we have with NO social media and NO internet browser!
19 min
March 31 30. Working With ADHD Instead of Against It: Our Words of Advice
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• early ADHD signs we notice first, especially screen hyperfocus and the crash afterward
• why teachers see a people pleaser while we see meltdowns at home
• low frustration tolerance with hard skills like reading, swimming, biking, and tying shoes
• our medication conversations, including appetite and growth concerns
• natural supports we try first, including cutting dyes, lowering sugar, omega-3s, focus drops, and a balanced breakfast
• why daily movement is non-negotiable and how we build indoor and outdoor outlets
• how maturity changes symptoms and why time matters
• reframing ADHD as hyperfocus and helping kids find their “superpower” interests
• why homeschooling reduces stress and increases success for her
• the curriculum choices we like and why pencil and paper matters
• teaching responsibility with planners, routines, and reminders instead of removing demands

ADHD podcast episode I recommend to everyone
ADHD Supplements and tools we use

Support the show
Our Curriculum we LOVE
Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year)
Follow us on IG
Find Our Free PDFs!
The reading app we LOVE!
The phone we have with NO social media and NO internet browser!
50 min
March 20 29. Taking Away Recess as Punishment: Should It Be Illegal?
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We share big podcast news, a new homeschool guide we built for working parents, and what our week looks like when the kids stay with grandparents during tax season. Then we dig into why recess gets cut so often, how that hits kids’ mental health, and we answer your biggest questions about homeschooling at every age.

• why taking away recess feels harmful and how often it happens
• the link between outdoor time, movement, ADHD, anxiety and school burnout
• parents assuming recess happens and learning it often gets canceled
• why we still want school systems to change for families who cannot homeschool
• starting homeschool in middle school or high school and keeping traditional experiences
• finishing schoolwork in about two hours and using a four-day schedule
• homeschooling even if you feel bad at school by using modern resources
• property taxes frustration while choosing what’s best for kids
• type B parenting and using simple open-and-go curriculum
• patience improving when life slows down outside the school scramble
• socialization made intentional through activities and better conversations at home

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Support the show
Our Curriculum we LOVE
Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year)
Follow us on IG
Find Our Free PDFs!
The reading app we LOVE!
The phone we have with NO social media and NO internet browser!
23 min
March 13 28. Capable Kids: Chores and Homeschooling
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We juggle tax season, a broken leg, and a new homeschool rhythm while trying to build a house where everyone contributes. We share the chore routines that finally work, why we treat chores like teachable skills, and how teamwork language changes everything.

• using a simple structure of daily chores plus laundry days plus a weekly family cleaning day
• handling pushback, slow progress, and imperfect work without giving up
• motivating with Fun Friday so fun follows follow-through
• teaching mental load and “notice what needs doing” skills
• how our upbringings shaped our marriage and household expectations

Find all the downloads mentioned HERE

Support the show
Our Curriculum we LOVE
Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year)
Follow us on IG
Find Our Free PDFs!
The reading app we LOVE!
The phone we have with NO social media and NO internet browser!
54 min
March 06 27. A 10-Year-Old Explains Why Homeschool Works (After 4 Years in Public School)
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We ask Saylor—the spark behind our homeschool switch—to answer your questions about slow mornings, ADHD-friendly learning, real social time, sports, screens, chores, and why she never wants to go back to public school. Two focused hours, long outdoor play, and a simple structure turned our evenings from chaos to calm.

• why we chose two-hour school blocks and more outside time
• why homeschool supports ADHD
• the case against taking away recess
• sports that feel fun when you’re not already drained
• limited screens after chores with sleep as the priority
• chores, laundry, and building life skills
• kindergarten as a positive start before homeschooling

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Support the show
Our Curriculum we LOVE
Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year)
Follow us on IG
Find Our Free PDFs!
The reading app we LOVE!
The phone we have with NO social media and NO internet browser!
33 min
February 27 26. Public School Reality From A Teacher - Part 2
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We talk with Megan, a public school teacher preparing to homeschool, about curriculum realities, the third-grade shift to screens, the limits of standardized testing, inclusion’s classroom impact, and the persistent myth of socialization. The goal is not to bash schools but to equip parents with clarity, options, and courage.

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Support the show
Our Curriculum we LOVE
Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year)
Follow us on IG
Find Our Free PDFs!
The reading app we LOVE!
The phone we have with NO social media and NO internet browser!
44 min
February 19 25. Why A Public School Teacher Chose Homeschool And What She Wants Every Parent To Know
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We bring on Megan, a Texas elementary instructional specialist and former classroom teacher, who explains why she’s leaving the classroom to homeschool and what parents don’t see day to day. We compare school as it is with what kids actually need—sleep, protein, movement, and long blocks of unstructured play.

• why a veteran teacher chose homeschool now
• how tech in early grades shapes attention and behavior
• full-day kindergarten, lost naps, and rushed lunches
• sugar-heavy breakfasts and ADHD symptom spikes
• hallway silence rules and school as compliance training
• parent disconnection from teachers
• message overload, dress-up days, and hidden mental load
• ineffective consequences, eloping, and classroom safety
• why homework fails tired kids and families
• system pressures that burn out teachers and parents

Please leave us a review!

Support the show
Our Curriculum we LOVE
Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year)
Follow us on IG
Find Our Free PDFs!
The reading app we LOVE!
The phone we have with NO social media and NO internet browser!
40 min
February 11 24. Our Homeschool Curriculum and Why We Love It
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We share how we chose our homeschool curriculum and the pros and cons!

• why pencil-and-paper
• how open-and-go lessons cut prep to zero
• placement tests and mixing levels by subject
• free downloads and what to try before buying
• high standards
• family-style subjects
• using short videos for independence
• skipping repetition and replacing boring readers
• pricing, value, and when to print instead
• layering tools like journals, Time4Learning, Night Zookeeper, and reading apps
SHOP OUR CURRICULUM HERE
Our Spanish App
Our Reading App
Our Piano App
Writing Practice software we love

Please, please, please leave us a review!!!!!!

Support the show
Our Curriculum we LOVE
Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year)
Follow us on IG
Find Our Free PDFs!
The reading app we LOVE!
The phone we have with NO social media and NO internet browser!
24 min