Episodes
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Homeschooling works. Here’s how I know.
Since my sons have always been homeschooled and are now teens, I often have families that are considering homeschooling their kids, as well as families several years behind us in the journey, reach out to me for some reassurance that homeschooling works. Which is to say…what, exactly? Because…
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Prepared for the future: the one skill you’ll actually need
As my kids get older and near the end of their homeschooling journey, I hear more and more often that I need to make sure they’re prepared for the future. I bet if you have older kids, you hear that a lot, too. But can we break this down for a second? Because much like with the what about...
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Boy Brain: What Moms Need to Know
To prepare for a recent talk I gave about marriage to a group of moms, I did a lot of reading on the differences between how males and females think. The crazy thing is that since I live in a house of all males, this actually helped me to understand boy brain and why my sons and I tangle about...
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Homeschool planning made easy: use a survey
When you are stuck with your homeschool planning and aren’t sure what direction to go, it’s a great idea to ask your kids for their input. Because who better to get homeschooling advice from than your kids? (Don’t want to read all these words? You can listen instead by pressing play on the…
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Teach Kids to Cook: 7 Cooking Tips You Forget
Are you trying to teach kids to cook? Great! But you should really read this first. (Don’t want to read all these words? You can listen instead by pressing play on the podcast player at the top of this post. And hey! You can find all past episodes of my podcast under the podcast tab in the menu…
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Do you need a designated homeschool space?
As a homeschooler, it’s common to wonder if a designated homeschool space is your key to all things awesome about homeschooling. But is a designated homeschool space necessary? Let me share with you what I’ve learned about the almighty homeschool room since we started homeschooling many years…
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What about socialization? The answer we’d LIKE to give…
When you announce you’ve chosen to homeschool, there is a question that follows about .03 seconds later: what about socialization? Ah. Good ol’ homeschool socialization. Some people ask what about socialization because they’re genuinely curious, and you can have a great conversation with them…
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Anxiety About Homeschooling High School? Don’t Say This.
It’s not uncommon to have some anxiety about homeschooling high school. The high school years tend to bring out every single worry and concern that we successfully kept hidden while doing elementary art projects and morning basket story times. And it doesn’t help at all when a family member or...
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Where did the homeschooling high school community go?
It’s a commonly asked question once you reach the years of homeschooling high school: where did the homeschooling high school community go? (Don’t want to read all these words? You can listen instead by pressing play on the podcast player at the top of this post. And hey! You can find all past...
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Homeschool Moms: You are Not Always the Best Teacher for Your Kid
You are an amazing teacher. You are kind and good and hardworking and full of knowledge and many other things that a good teacher should be. But, having said that, there is something we need to get straight. You are not always the best teacher for your kid. Hopefully at some point you will…
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The Truth About Productivity (that You Need to Hear!)
Hey there, go-getter! Feeling frustrated because you’ve got a list of things you want to do but you just can’t seem to get them done? Listen up, because I want to tell you a huge truth about productivity that doesn’t always get pointed out by the people whose main goal is sell you courses and...
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Less Time Can Help You Be More Productive
I get a lot of questions about time management and tips that will help people be more productive with the time they have. Now, I’m not an expert—at all—but I do effectively handle a pretty full plate most of the time. I homeschool my kids, run our farm, own multiple websites, have two podcasts…
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Should You Quit Your Homeschool Co-op?
Homeschool co-ops. They’re a thing. Should you join one? Are you in one? Is it working? If things go awry, how do you know if it’s time to (gasp) quit your homeschool co-op? (Don’t want to read all these words? You can listen instead by pressing play on the podcast player at the top of this post....
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Dear Graduate: It’s Normal (A Reality Based Commencement Speech)
Dear Graduate, Thank you for inviting me here to speak to you. I know you’re expecting I’ve come to tell you the world belongs to you and then inspire you to go out and conquer it. To take the bull by both horns and throw it down. To dream big because you can do anything! But that’s not why I’m...
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Want Independent Homeschoolers? Teach Them These Two Things
Years ago as a brand new homeschooling mom, I would hear people gush about the fact that homeschooled children are so darn independent. I looked into the future and assumed our days would eventually play out with us going about our own thing, exploring our own fabulous interests and doing...
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Grade Levels: Stop Freaking Out When Someone Asks
Some time ago, I wondered aloud on social media about grade levels in homeschooling. I asked how many people in my circle of peeps were homeschooling a child 7th grade or older. Innocent enough question, I thought. And it was for the most part. It brought about good discussion on the issues that...
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When Dad is Against Homeschooling
Uh-oh. That thing where dad is against homeschooling, but you’re completely in love with the idea. How do you deal with this? This is actually one of the more common questions I get at The Hmmmschooling Mom Facebook page and it’s generally along the lines I really want to homeschool our kids, but...
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When to Change Homeschool Curriculum, and When to Push Through
You bought that shiny curriculum because your research on it (and the knowledge of how your kids think) told you it would be perfect. You bought that curriculum because your kids said it sounded good. Because you thought it sounded good. Because your friend uses it and it works for her kids....
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Homeschooling Teens: 5 Ways It’s Easier
While there are challenges when homeschooling teens, there are also many ways that homeschooling becomes easier and more enjoyable as your kids grow and mature. Here are five ways that life is more awesome when you are homeschooling teens. (Don’t want to read all these words? You can listen…
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To the Mom Who Doesn’t Have a Tribe
Lately I’ve heard chatter in the mom world from gals who feel as though they can’t find their tribe. Their people. The gals they feel comfortable hanging with. Their friends. Their support. Which is a total bummer. It’s just not right to go through life without a group of mamas who have your…
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The Best Homeschooling Advice from a Teen
As homeschooling parents, we’re always looking for the best homeschooling advice. But are we asking the right people for the advice? After a recent conversation with my son, I’m looking at homeschooling advice in a different way. (Don’t want to read all these words? You can listen instead by...
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Parenting is Hard: 9 Reasons Why
I always knew I wanted to be a mom. I envisioned it as a blissful, magical thing of helping to raise up a generation of Awesome. But if we’re honest, there are a lot of things that aren’t on your radar until you actually enter the world of momming—things that make you realize why parenting is…
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Homeschooling Older Kids: 5 Ways it Can Get Harder
As luck would have it, we’ve been at this homeschooling gig for awhile. We’re now entering the high school years, and while I don’t want to change the path we’re on, I can definitely admit there are some things that can get a little harder when you’re homeschooling older kids. Here are five of...
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6 Things Homeschooled Teens Need From Their Parents
Homeschooling older kids can sometimes seem tricky—it’s easy for parents to feel increasingly unsure of where they fit in the scheme of things. However, I think we tend to make things trickier than they need to be. Here are 6 things homeschooled teens need from their parents—in case you’re…
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10 Things I’ve Been Called in 10 Years of Homeschooling
Upon reaching the decade mark in our homeschooling journey, I took some time to reflect on the many things I’ve been called over the years. The irony is that for every thing I’ve been called, I’ve also been called some thing that is completely the opposite. Confused? You shouldn’t be. Because I’m...
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Always Together: How to Handle Relationships in A Homeschooling Family
(Don’t want to read the whole post? You can listen instead by pressing play on the podcast player above.) How many of you decided to homeschool partly because you wanted lots of family togetherness? Ok, now fess up. How many of you, at some point in your homeschooling journey, have looked at…
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Why I’m Not Going to Bad-mouth Public School
As a member of the homeschooling community for almost a decade now, I hear a lot of public school bashing and bad-mouthing. Maybe that shouldn’t surprise me. I mean, as a homeschooler, shouldn’t I be anti-public school? Oops. I didn’t get that memo. Here are six reasons you won’t hear me...
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CRRC Podcast 009: Dear Kids, I’m Not Always the Best
Adults often tell kids winning isn’t important or all that matters is that you do your best. But do adults ever model that to children? Let’s get crazy real in episode 9 about choosing to do things we aren’t good at …and what happened when I decided to participate in my first 5k. Looking for…
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CRRC Podcast 008: Why Your Kids Need You to Be a Green Light Person This Summer
Summer is on its way, so let’s talk about busting out of our routines and changing up some boundaries. Let’s get crazy real in episode 8 about things like summer vacation, how to be a green light person, and the simple fact that we’ve only go so much time left with our kids at home. What’s in…
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CRRC Podcast 007: It’s How You Raise Them…Or Is It? (Nature vs. Nurture)
Kids act the way they do and make the choices they make because of how they are parented, right? I say yes. I also say no. Let’s get crazy real in episode 7 about a little thing known as nature vs. nurture. What’s in this episode of the Crazy Real, Real Crazy podcast, Amy? (Listen above by…
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Say No, Busy Mom. It’s Totally Okay.
The letters N and O make a small word, but it’s one that can pack a powerful punch! I know that you want to do all the things and help all the people. It’s in our nature—we are very kind and giving people, right? But there really are some things in your life that you can just say no to. (Don’t…
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Homeschool Pride: It’s Gonna Mess You Up
It’s perfectly fine to be proud of our work as homeschooling parents, right? Perhaps. But watch out—I’ve found six ways that homeschool pride can actually mess up our homeschool experience if we’re not careful. (Don’t want to read the whole post? You can listen instead by pressing play on the...
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Why Homeschool Labels Don’t Matter
If soup cans didn’t have labels, we wouldn’t know if we were buying tomato or cream of celery for lunch. But when it comes to labeling what kind of homeschooler we are, do homeschool labels hurt us more than help? (Don’t want to read the whole post? You can listen instead by pressing play on the...
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CRRC Podcast 002: Do We Limit Tech and Internet Use?
Tech is a part of all of our lives, right? So how do we handle it when our kids want to use tech, electronics, and the internet? Should we have limits? Should we just let them run free with it? Or does it depend on the circumstances? What’s this episode about, Amy? (Listen above by pressing the...
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CRRC Podcast 001: Welcome to the Crazy!
Welcome to the Crazy Real, Real Crazy Podcast. (See that black bar right up there under my social media share buttons? Tap play to listen!) What the what? Really, Amy? A podcast? Why are you starting a podcast? Yes, indeedy, folks. A podcast. In this short introduction episode of the Crazy Real,...
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