make joy normal: cozy homeschooling

send us a text via Fan Mail! We discuss the various ways that mom guilt gets us, how it manifests and ways we can manage it.   1:40 - The struggle is real  6:22 - Respect for every family  13:34 - The worry that we're not patient enough  19:01 - The guilt that our house is not clean enough 23:45 - Finding order  31:47 - The guilt of not spending enough time with our kids  41:36 - The guilt of...

send us a text via Fan Mail! Wow.  Today’s podcast brings to the forefront mental illness and homeschooling.  “If you suffer from depression…can you homeschool, should you?” It’s such a great question and we so appreciate this beautiful interview with Kileah.  She shares her perspective, her struggles and her advice and her management tools.   She blessed Elizabeth and I richly,  we are so gratefu...

send us a text via Fan Mail! In today’s podcast we talk about the ways that this time of year can get us down, and kick around some ideas on what we can do about it.  We discuss value of community and our longing for it, especially in this COVID environment.   4:55 - How do you avoid the woe-is-me attitude?  6:01 - Missing community and planning outings  10:52 - Covid blues  15:18 - We always feel...

send us a text via Fan Mail! Today we sit down with the lovely ladies from Latte and Laundry, our biggest fans! We hear about their podcast, Latte and Laundry, in which they discuss the importance of being both Mary and Martha and we learn a lot about friendship. I hope you enjoy today’s episode with these wonderful ladies, and give their podcast a listen! Link in bio. 5:27 - Journey and start in...

send us a text via Fan Mail! Today we interview Drew Vernon, marketing guy for an unbelievably unbelievable product for families and my mind is totally blown.  You might want to consider watching this on YouTube, because there are some visual examples of what Drew is telling us about, that would not want to be missed.  I get requests all the time to review products, which I don't.  However, t...

send us a text via Fan Mail! Today we interview Trent Horn, Catholic apologist, famous guy and  recovered homeschool skeptic.   With three young boys, he recognizes the joy of participating in their education, and the value of the parent's role in this. Trent shares the reasons and process that brought him to an appreciation of homeschooling.  His family has started their homeschool journey,...

send us a text via Fan Mail! 1:38 - How to deal with burnout 9:52 - Practical things to do when you're heading on a downhill 15:14 - How do we motivate ourselves? 23:33 - How do I motivate my kids? 27:39 - How to find a groove as a new homeschooling family Tim Hawkins (for fun) Science Is… Low days  Gretchen Rubin (what motivates you) Good books for Catholic kids Contact On Instagram at @make...

send us a text via Fan Mail! If you would like to support this podcast, click HERE.   ALSO, masterclass coming up on dictation  This week we address some of the common problems or challenges that families experience while homeschooling.  Building community, time to ourselves,  being present and letting go of an agenda when necessary.   1:11 - How do you develop a social life when you struggle find...

send us a text via Fan Mail! We're back with season two of Make Joy Normal! "Having a baby or not having a baby could be equally risky." When and how do we decide it's the right time to have another baby?  Elizabeth and Bonnie discuss the various stages and concerns we go through when we're thinking about adding to our families.   One of the things we have to consider is t...

send us a text via Fan Mail! In our last episode of this season,  before we break for Christmas, we get started on a discussion that will require some furthering in future episodes!  How can we make the most of the books we read?  How can we get education naturally derived from our walk with reading to our kids?  How we approach reading can really open up some many ways for education to be amazing...

send us a text via Fan Mail! If you would like to support this podcast, click HERE.   We discuss a few different things this episode.  Starting with technology and it’s place in homeschooling, we share experiences and ideas for managing what’s good online and avoiding the crap.   We also talk about when kids interrupt while you are trying to get things done with other kids.  What’s going on?  How...

send us a text via Fan Mail!   If you would like to support this podcast, click HERE.   We interview Michael P. Foley, author of Drinking With The Saints:   The Sinner’s Guide to a Holy Happy Hou We address the topic of why a niche book like this matters for busy parents!  Michael and his wife homeschool their six kids, AND like a nice cocktail, so definitely experts on this particular topic.   Mi...

send us a text via Fan Mail!   If you would like to support this podcast, click HERE.   This episode we chat with the lovely Kelly Briggs, aka Simple Home Mom - Kelly brings such helpful gifts to the table for moms.  Simple is her modus operandi, and helping moms do the same…we share her journey, struggles and successes.  What do we value?  What matters to us?  How do we do it all?  Or do we…? The...

send us a text via Fan Mail! If you would like to support this podcast, click HERE.   This episode we take a few questions on different topics.  We discuss a question from a dad…the varieties of the father’s role in homeschool, and what is the best way a dad can support his family in the homeschool endeavour.  We also address an age old question…what DO I do when my family or friends are opposing...

send us a text via Fan Mail! If you would like to support this podcast, click HERE.   In today’s episode, we interview Lauren Power.  She’s a mom and entrepreneur.  We’ve brought her on the show this week because we receive questions about working and homeschooling.  Her homeschooling days are done, as her kids are grown, but she worked all through those homeschool years.  But it’s her approach th...

send us a text via Fan Mail! If you would like to support this podcast, click HERE.   This week, we talk about discerning our family’s activities and our involvement in parish and community life.  Including extra curricular activities, we delve into how to decide how much is too much and what our family needs most.  How do we fit it all in?  And more importantly, what SHOULD we be fitting in? Over...

send us a text via Fan Mail!   If you would like to support this podcast, click HERE.   Catch Janelle’s fire!  A natural cheerleader, Janelle will pick up your wellness game because she’s just so darn lovely…so grateful to have her on our show.  Where do we find the balance with faith, fitness, homeschool and family life?  Let’s see what Janelle has to say, in all her beautiful realness.  4:00 - J...

send us a text via Fan Mail! If you would like to support this podcast, click HERE.    Interview with Matthew and Esther of Veritas Current Events This episode we interview Matthew and Esther, a young couple who have started a Christian world view current events curriculum Veritas Current Events that homeschoolers should absolutely be dialled into, particularly for middle school and high school.  ...

send us a text via Fan Mail! Today we discuss a beautiful book by Sally Clarkson about kids who don't fit into our expectations.  Kids who think differently, learn differently, respond differently in life.   In the context maintain our relationships, we also discuss kids who lie...the different types of lying and the different reasons kids might lie...and, most importantly  - what we can do a...

send us a text via Fan Mail! This week we delve into how to keep homeschooling efficient!  Homeschooling is a magical environment for combining subjects and interdisciplinary studies.   We can learn how to make the most of the natural learning present in our family lives.  We also address head butting, or, more to the point, avoiding head butting.  This national pastime does not have to take up so...

send us a text via Fan Mail! This week we tackle some questions on pregnancy, post partum and the various times in our life when we’re on the low and trying to homeschool, too.   It’s a guarantee that we’re all going to have low periods in our life, whether through pregnancy, physical or mental illness, loss or sometimes for no apparent reason.  We look at ways we can cope in crisis times, and a b...

send us a text via Fan Mail! This week we talk about spouses who are opposing each other in the discussion about whether to homeschool or not.  How to foster discussion about this big life decision.  We also talk about our husband’s role in homeschooling our kids…expectations, involvement and how dads can have a huge impact on our homeschooling lives.   1:15 - When one wants to homeschool but does...

send us a text via Fan Mail! This week, we introduce you to Teresa Wiedrick "helping to turn homeschool mama’s challenges into their charms."  She's a homeschool mom, coach, lovely individual who wants to see moms succeed.  She talks about what she offers, and what coaching looks like.  5:47 - How does homeschooling look like for you? 8:20 - What is coaching and what is your main go...

send us a text via Fan Mail! If you would like to support this podcast, click HERE. In this episode, we talk about motivating reluctant kids.   Kids with learning challenges, or laid back kids who just don't like to be challenged; sometimes kids just going through a phase!  How can we avoid yanking them along, undermining the relationship and frustrating ourselves and the reluctant learner? ...

send us a text via Fan Mail! In this episode, we talk about our Faith lives, growing in faith and how we manage that with a young family.  We share the resources that have made our prayers lives more successful, our struggles and successes along the way.  8:35 - How do you incorporate prayer and/or daily Mass in your homeschool? 12:22 - Build a foundation and build gradually 14:47 - Our personal p...