When Jessica Smartt realized that what her seventh-grade son needed more than anything was to love reading, she created a little challenge for him. It has transformed him into a reader. She shares how to run a Book Challenge for YOUR family - summer reading, or in the school year! About Jessica Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud. Resources  50 Book Challenge Download Connect Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Websi ..read more

Real friends don’t let friends complain alone. Best good homeschool friends are for keeping it real, a safe space to complain. They can be the best defense against the homeschool blues and burnout. Let’s talk about why you need one, how to find one, and some truths and laughs about the perks of having your very own best good homeschool friend. About Jennifer Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but ..read more

Life can be so busy that it's hard to focus on the things that really matter. Although Cal Newport's book, Deep Work, isn't written specifically for homeschooling families, his ideas are surprisingly compatible with Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education, and can help you discover ways to create focused, peaceful, and productive habits in every area of life.  About Janice Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons ..read more

As parents, it can be tough to stay focused through a day of homeschooling or working from home. Here are a few tips to help you manage some of the most common distractions that can keep you from getting done the things you really want to do.  About Janice Janice Campbell, a lifelong reader and writer, loves to introduce students to great books and beautiful writing. She holds an English degree from Mary Baldwin College, and is the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. You’ll find more about reading, writing, planning, and education from a Charlotte Mason/Classical perspective at her web ..read more

It's impossible to know all that schooling your children at home will require of you when you get started, but it's a lot. In fact, it's everything. In its truest form, homeschooling is a selfless act and it requires sacrifice. To modern ears that truth is like nails on a chalkboard, but to those who yield themselves to the requirements of the task (the privilege, really) comes the realization that it is in fact one of the most beautiful endeavors you could ever be engaged in. About Sean Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his beautiful bride Caroline and a pro ..read more

All homeschool parents at some point worry they aren't doing enough. There are two common but very different scenarios when homeschool parents really aren't doing enough. Let's find the source of those nagging feelings, talk about "doing the more that's missing," and lose the fear of falling behind.  About Jennifer Jennifer Cabrera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler, is the writer of homeschool truth, humor, and inspiration.  Jennifer lives in Salado, Texas with her husband and three brilliant boys.  She is a licensed Physician Assistant/MPH, but set aside that career for her ultimate ..read more

We meet hundreds of parents every year at homeschool conventions across the country. We are often approached and asked what advice or counsel we might give regarding difficulties many of these parents may be facing with their children. Sometimes we feel like we have a very clear answer to give, but more often than not, the best advice we can offer them is also, perhaps, the most obvious. In this episode I'll discuss what this bit of advice is and, despite it being hidden in plain sight, why it is ultimately superior to any counsel I may be able to offer. About Sean Sean Allen is the founder of ..read more

As convicted as many of us feel about schooling our children at home, all too often it can feel like drudgery. Wrestling with young ones over their math homework for the umpteenth time in a month can drive even the most dedicated homeschool parent to despair. In these moments, we rely on our sense of duty to propel us forward, but we really shouldn't operate on that plane for too long. This episode serves as a reminder that, much more than a job or a duty, homeschooling our children is our God-given mission. About Sean Sean Allen is the founder of The Well Ordered Homeschool, husband to his be ..read more

In this episode Jessica shares two recent reads that have profoundly impacted her work around the home. To put it simply, she is excited to clean bathrooms! If that isn't worth noting, what is?! About Jessica Jessica is a wife, homeschool mom of three, author, and blogger. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a big family farm with chickens, goats, cousins, and lots of mud. Resources  Eve in Exile Simplified Organization HSS 392 | Overcoming Overwhelm (Jessica Smartt) Connect Jessica Smartt | Instagram | Facebook | Website Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website Thank you to our sponsors ..read more

Behind the scenes banter with real homeschool parents. Get some homeschool dad insight from an interview with Mr. Hifalutin. Then listen and laugh along with a comical rendition of a homeschool marriage court deposition over some common everyday struggles and trials. About Damien Mr. Hifalutin—Damian Cabrera is the husband of Jennifer Cabera, the Hifalutin Homeschooler. He is not only a good humored participant in this episode, but a once reluctant, and now staunch advocate for homeschooling. His day job as a cardiothoracic surgical PA keeps the family fed, but his life position of husband, fa ..read more