Coffee With Carrie: Homeschool Podcast

Is money tight in this economy?  Don't give up on homeschooling!  Are you a single mom or living off of one income?  You can homeschool for free and on a shoestring budget!  Don't believe Carrie?  Then join her for this week's episode.  When Carrie quit her full-time job in order to homeschool her children becoming a one income family was a huge adjustment.  Many sacrifices had to b...

What are the most common questions people ask when they are thinking of homeschooling?  "If we homeschool, will my child have friends?  How will he learn to socialize?  I don't want him to be weird!"  In this week's episode, Carrie tackles one of the biggest misconceptions about homeschooling:  Socialization.  She also shares ideas on how to find and make friends while homescho...

What is the best math curriculum out there?  Well, it doesn’t come in a curriculum box and you can't stream it online.   The most effective math curriculum is helping your kids become entrepreneurs!  The most important real-life math lessons and skills can be taught by starting and running a business.  Your kids are not too young!  In this week's episode, Carrie shares how to teach your...

It's hard to live life with bouts of depression.  When you add in the role of motherhood and the calling to homeschool, life can feel overwhelming.  If you suffer from feelings of depression, then this week's episode will encourage you.  Carrie talks candidly about the elephant in the room (or in other words,  the little "black dog" on the couch).  Not everyone deals with depre...

How do you instill a love of writing in your child?  In this week's episode, Carrie gets answers to this question from a homeschool graduate who published several novels before graduating high school. Millie Florence published her first book when she was only thirteen years old and her third book comes out next week.  Millie shares a few secrets on how to write engaging stories, how to self-p...

Do you feel like this has been a lost year? If you feel like this has been a year of wasted time, wasted effort, wasted money, or wasted tears, then be reminded that NOTHING is wasted in God’s economy.  Join Carrie as she shares encouragement from God’s Word and focuses on Joel 2:18-26.  In this episode, Carrie also shares her own experiences of how God has restored and redeemed past homeschooling...

If teaching science (or even the idea of teaching science) stresses you out, then pour yourself a cup of coffee and join Carrie for a little coffee break this week.   No textbook? No problem!  In this week's podcast, Carrie shares how to plan, organize, and implement an entire year of science studies that the entire family will enjoy.  No matter what your budget, time restraints, the age of y...

"I promise to love God, cherish my family, honor my country, and serve in my community."  ~ American Heritage Girls (AHG) Pledge Are you looking for a Christian scouting program for your daughter, granddaughter, or niece?  The AHG pledge sums up this Christ-centered character and leadership development program for girls 5 to 18 years old.  For nearly 30 years, AHG has been dedicated to t...

In this week's episode, Carrie shares what she thinks is the best homeschooling idea ever.  It's narration!  What is narration?  Why should you use it?  When is a good time to do it?  There's no need to overcomplicate the act of narration.  In this little coffee break, Carrie shares tips for navigating narration with your children and explains the four important skills children lear...

No textbook? No problem!  You don't need a formal curriculum to teach history.  Actually, it's more fun if you don't.  In this week's episode, Carrie shares how to use a literature-based approach to teaching history.  All you need to make history come alive is to read historical fictions, biographies, non-fiction picture books, and primary documents.  It's simple, it'...

Are you interested in memory work but are not sure how to do it or where to get started?  In this week's episode, Carrie revisits a conversation she had with Amy Sloan of  Humility & Doxology.  Carrie and Amy share ideas about memory work or as Amy likes to call it, "knowing it by heart."   In this conversation, Carrie and Amy discuss: •What is memory work •Why memory work is im...

Carrie's learning motto is "Gamify It"!  Whatever skill eludes your child, it can probably be explained or taught through a game.  Gamify everything:  math facts, spelling rules, vocabulary words, science concepts, economic principles, music theory, even History events, the Constitution, and the Electoral College.  In this week's coffee break, Carrie talks with one of her favor...

Many moms educate only one child at home.  Homeschooling a single child can be very different from homeschooling multiple children. There are big advantages and some unique challenges too.  After Carrie's eldest graduated high school, she found herself homeschooling only one teen for the last four years of their homeschooling journey.   In this week's coffee break, Carrie talks with Jess...

Parents are told it is impossible to have a positive relationship with their teens.  It's a lie; don't believe it!  It is possible to pursue meaningful relationships with your teen.  Spending time with your teen is a gift.  Hanging out with your teenager can actually be fun!  In this week's episode, Carrie talks candidly with Greta Eskridge about changing this negative, incorrect, a...

This interview was so good, Carrie wanted to share it again!  In this week's episode, Carrie shares a conversation she had with Jennifer Pepito about the many hidden gifts and blessings of homeschooling.  As homeschooling moms, not every day feels like a gift.   This is why we need a gentle reminder every now that homeschooling really is a gift!  If you are feeling overwhelmed and burnt out o...

Let them be little! Give your little ones a childhood.  Protect their hearts.  Keep the wonder years wonderful.  The preschool years should not be about academics.  It is a time to focus on connections, to explore, and to engage little learners with the world around them! It's a time to build relationships, godly character, and healthy habits.  In this week's episode, Carrie talks with K...

Don't plan your new homeschooling year or finalize your plans until you listen to this week's little coffee break.  This week, Carrie is sharing a conversation she had last year with Rachael Alsbury!   In this past episode, Rachael and Carrie talk about yearly and weekly planning and how to cook, clean, and keep up with normal mom stuff while teaching too.  Rachael also shares her Simple...

This interview was so awesome the first time, Carrie wanted to share again.  Carrie revisits a conversation she had with Aimee Eucce, a 2nd generational homeschooler who also struggled with severe Dyslexia growing up. She was told she would never read past a sixth-grade level. She hated reading but that all changed in sixth grade.   What happened?  Thanks to Aimee's mom and the reading progra...

"Don't let schooling get in the way of your education" ~ Mark Twain There is a huge difference between doing school at home and home educating.  In this week's coffee date, Carrie talks with Stephanie Slade, the founder and organizer of the Northern California Homeschool Convention. Carrie and Stephanie discuss the differences between home "schooling" and true home ed...

God's Word has eternal power.  The words of a mother have power.   In this week's episode, Carrie's guest, Jenni Hunt Dowling, shares just how powerful the words of a mother can be.  Carrie knew God ordained her to sit next to Jenni at the Wild + Free Speaker luncheon. God knew Carrie needed to hear Jenni's story. Her testimony reminded Carrie of how powerful words are and that...

What is interest-led learning?  What is a passion-driven education?  In this week's episode, Carrie shares a past interview with Connor Boyack, the author of Passion-Driven Education and the Tuttle Twins .   In this conversation, Connor discusses two of his 30+ books, The Passion-Driven Education:  How to Use Your Child's Interests to Ignite a Lifelong Love of Learning  and S kip College...

You really can homeschool outside the box!  Let the Homeschooling OG's tell you how! In this week's episode, Carrie shares a past interview with you two of her mentors and favorite people in the southern California homeschooling community, Carolyn and Martin Forte.   As homeschool pioneers, they have successfully homeschooled their two daughters and have influenced the direction of the h...

Do you do Hymn Studies with your family?  Are you curious as to how to get started and what they are?  In this week's episode, Carrie and Christa Svoboda talk about doing Hymn Studies as part of your family worship time and morning time lessons.  Pour yourself a cup of coffee, put your feet up, and praise the Lord during this week's little coffee break.  Join Carrie and her guest, Christ...

"Music speaks what cannot be expressed.  It soothes the mind and gives it rest.  It heals the heart and makes it whole.  It flows from heaven to heal the soul."  ~ K.C. Lynn The minute Carrie met Jenni and her twin sister, Jessi, at the Wild and Free Conference, she knew there was something special about them.  When Carrie heard them sing,  she was reminded of the simplicity of words, th...

Travel the world without leaving the comfort of your home.  The only bag you will need to pack is your library bag.  Use books, music, art, history, geography, math, games, food, science, and field trips to explore countries and cultures around the world.  In this week's episode, Carrie shares how to spend an entire school year "traveling" the world.  Helpful tips are given on how t...