HOMESCHOOL ENCOURAGEMENT

EPISODE 152 A lazy morning with grateful children who happily apply themselves to their studies while you enjoy having them all under one roof.   Sound idyllic? We all want that type of homeschool day but reality is much different. That’s not to say your idyllic homeschool days won’t happen but how do you cope with the days in between? Homeschooling is demanding, it's not some picture-perfect thing that magically happens, it takes hard work. Join Janna and her guest, Gretchen from Demme Learning as they discuss ‘October flats’ as something that can happen anytime in your homeschool journey. ABOUT OUR GUEST| Gretchen Roe has 21 years of home education experience with her six children, four of whom are now college graduates. With a degree in Psychology and Child Development, she has spent the last 19 years in positions of homeschool advocacy, having a special bond with families of children who have to work harder to learn. A former business owner, she has served on a variety of nonprofit boards. A Consultative Sales Representative with Demme Learning since 2014, Gretchen loves the outdoors, all things furry, and is in the process of perfecting backyard chicken raising, beekeeping, and gardening skills. LISTENER COUPON CODE ★Request your coupon code to use on any purchase at bookshark.com. QUOTABLES|  Homeschooling challenges and finding grace. (0:02) Gretchen Roe shares her experience as a homeschooling mother of six, highlighting the ups and downs of the journey. Gretchen advises parents to focus on one task at a time and plan to avoid feeling overwhelmed by October flats. Homeschooling challenges and trusting the learning process. (7:24) Janna shares her struggle with being present and in the moment while homeschooling, feeling pressure to juggle multiple tasks and admit her own. Homeschooling mindset and approach. (9:36) Gretchen and Janna discuss the importance of patience and persistence in homeschooling, comparing it to farming and social media. Homeschooling and embracing failure as a learning opportunity. (13:05) Parents should embrace a collaborative mentality in homeschooling, rather than a control mentality, and view failures as learning opportunities. Homeschooling, flexibility, and patience. (16:37) Janna and Gretchen advise homeschoolers to create a "reverse engineering" list of what they want to accomplish, rather than an unrealistic Disney-like version of homeschooling. Gretchen suggests allowing one to two months for kids to adjust to homeschooling, as they need time to unbuckle from previous learning and figure out how they learn best. Janna emphasizes the importance of flexibility in homeschooling, as kids are moldable and change constantly, and what works today may not work tomorrow. Homeschooling, parenting, and personal growth. (24:55) Janna and Gretchen discuss the importance of teaching children critical thinking skills in the age of technology, particularly in navigating information overload and media manipulation. Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com. If you'd like to share an aha moment, an inspirational quote, a homeschool hack, a book you're loving, or a suggested podcast topic/guest, leave a comment at bookshark.com/podcast. We'd love to feature your reflection on a future episode.