The Happy Homeschooler Podcast

What is Unschooling? People tend to have some funny ideas when they hear the name “unschooling,” but the truth is far from a lack of education. Our favorite guest, Jennifer Jones, returns once again to share her experiences with unschooling, and discuss how surprising and rewarding this child-focused education philosophy can be. And stay until the end, when the Happy Homeschooler Podcast celebrate...

Wondering how to teach high school science? It can be intimidating! With stricter standards and a lot more complexity, it easy for a home educator to feel a little lost. Today on the Happy Homeschooler Podcast, Holly and Melody share their experience and offer advice. From co-ops and enrichment academies, to going it on your own, in less than an hour you’ll know how to teach high school science! I...

Science education is important, but can often seem dry. Homeschooling parents often wonder how to teach K-8 science. Just how do you make learning scientific concepts, theories, and laws fun and engaging? Don’t fret and don’t stress. Today, Holly and Melody discuss how to introduce science to your children, how their science education grows with them, how you can prepare your 7th and 8th graders f...

One of the most important parts of teaching reading and writing is the act of writing itself. Penmanship, cursive and typing put your student on the path of effective communication and prepare them for their future. But how do you start teaching kids handwriting and when? And is cursive important or passé? And just how  important is it to be able to touch type? All these questions and more are ans...

Homeschooling doesn’t always have to stay in the home. The freedom homeschooling provides allows for a more mobile lifestyle, and travelling while homeschooling couldn’t be easier! Holly is joined today by our favorite guest Jennifer Jones, to discuss her adventures travelling while homeschooling her family. And be sure to stay to the end when Holly and Jennifer will discuss a few homeschooling ne...

Pandemic Homeschooling in 2021 is very similar to last year, and very different too! Maybe you’re considering homeschooling your child this year, or maybe you know someone who is. In today’s pocket-sized episode, Holly shares her thoughts and advice on how to properly pull kids out of public school, and some special considerations we think parents of high schoolers should make. And be sure to stay...

As the final pillar of the Reading, Writing, ‘Rithmetic pyramid, it’s important to know how to teach writing. But when should you start? Why is it so important? And what are the best curricula for teaching the mechanics of writing? We here at the Happy Homeschooler Podcast have answers to all these questions, as well as in depth discussions about how to teach each element of writing, whether spell...

Being a home educator is like having three jobs at once, sometimes you might wonder how you’ll ever make it. Never fear, Holly and Melody are back with another volume of our Homeschool Survival Guide, compiling some of their best strategies, tips, and tricks for making your homeschool run smooth and stress-free! We’ll go through planning, teaching, and even extracurriculars. If you have any homesc...

What is gameschooling? Maybe you’ve heard of it before or maybe this is the first time you’ve read that word. It’s all based on some age-old wisdom: If you can make learning fun, you’ll never hear a word of complaint when lesson time comes. What better way to inject some fun into your learning than through games? But you might be wondering: what kinds of games? How do I incorporate a game into my...

Are you wondering how to teach reading? From the brand new homeschooler to the old pro, everyone knows how important reading is. It’s so important, it can create a lot of stress for the home educator! When should you start teaching reading? What method should you use? How do you keep your student interested? And once your kids are reading, how can you be sure they’re reading the right things? Holl...

Math provokes strong feeling almost unlike any other school subject. Yet, like it or not, every home educator needs to know how to teach math. Maybe you’re the math lover of the family, maybe that’s your student, or maybe you’re both in agreement one way or the other. No matter your situation, Melody and Holly have all kinds of strategies to make math enjoyable for everyone! If you have homeschool...

Liberal arts might be scoffed at sometimes, but we think you might want to take a second look at it. Not just for college and high school, a liberal arts approach might just be the answer to some of the challenges of the modern day homeschooler. Listen to today’s pocket-sized episode and hear about the shortcomings of a STEM-only approach, how people misunderstand liberal arts, why you might be tr...

Summer School… for parents? That’s right! With the semester over and all the tests taken, there’s a lot more time in a homeschooling parent’s life. Holly and Melody think you should be spending that time investing in yourself! Listen and our hosts will share why it’s important to keep up your own development this summer, why it can be hard to do so, and the ways they’re planning their own summer s...

Are you a parent or an teacher? Spoiler alert! You’re both! Too many homeschooling parents don’t think of themselves as an educator, but Holly and Melody do, and they’ve got tips for growing as a home educator. We’ll discuss the importance of seeing oneself as a teacher, educational philosophies, and strategies for improving yourself all year long! If you have homeschooling questions or comments,...

In today’s episode, we’ll talk about how to end the school year right. Melody and Holly will share their best tips from their decades of homeschooling experience to make sure you don’t miss a beat. And in the second half, we’ll discuss the hows and whys of keeping our kids learning even in the summer months. If you have homeschooling questions or comments, please email us: happyhomeschoolpod@gmail...

Every parent has heard it before: “No!” “I don’t want to!” “Why?” Whether it’s during chores or during school, no parent likes an obstinate child. But why don’t children listen? And what can we do to make all our lives go easier? Holly and Melody discuss communication, parenting styles, parenting goals, and things to look out for. Listen in and learn why your kid won’t listen! If you have homescho...

Often homeschooling parents will worry about tests and academics, but there’s one thing that can be forgotten in all the book learning- physical education. With the weather warming up it’s a great time to get moving. Join Melody and Holly as they discuss the hows and whys for kids, and for parents too. If you have questions or comments, email us at happyhomeschoolpod@gmail.com SHOW NOTES: Visit Tr...

Holly and Melody have been in the homeschooling community for a while. Ever wonder how they got started? In this episode, we’ll take you all the way from the 80s to the present as Holly and Melody share their homeschooling journeys! If you have questions or comments, email us at happyhomeschoolpod@gmail.com SHOW NOTES: Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Follow us on Twitter,  ...

There’s all sorts of learning challenges a student might face, and some require more attention than others. But how do you as a parent and a teacher make sure that you’re responding properly to your child’s unique challenges? And are they really better off in homeschool than elsewhere? Join Melody and Holly (and a special guest) as they discuss the ins and outs of learning challenges in a learning...

Holidays are so fun, you might wish there was one every day. Well, you might just get your wish! Holly and Melody know all sorts of ways to inject some holiday fun (and learning) into your homeschooling all year long! Listen in and celebrate holidays every day in your learning lifestyle! SHOW NOTES: Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Follow us on Twitter,   Facebook , and  Inst...

For parents just about to graduate their first student, it can seem like there’s so much to do, you don’t know where to start. For parents who have done it before, it might be a mess of stress you just wish you could avoid. Melody and Holly discuss tips on how to ease your graduation stress and even how you might make it an enjoyable time for everyone! SHOW NOTES: College Board Blog Do The FAFSA (...

It’s a new year, don’t make old mistakes! Holly and Melody are back from winter break with a brand new episode, detailing the top 10 homeschooling mistakes to avoid in 2021. Listen in and improve your learning lifestyle, this week on the Happy Homeschooler Podcast! SHOW NOTES: Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Follow us on Twitter  and  Facebook! The Happy Homeschooler Podcast...

The Holidays are nearly over, taking 2020 with them! That means school will be starting back up soon, but how do you prepare for the new semester? And how do you avoid friction from your kids about starting back up? Melody and Holly have decades of homeschooling experience and they’ve seen it all, so listen in as they discuss the ins and outs of getting back after a break. SHOW NOTES: Visit Transc...

Winter break is in full swing and the year is winding down, you deserve to take it easy! In that spirit, we’ve compiled all the big questions we’ve answered this year into one easy place. Check the show notes for timecodes to each question. SHOW NOTES: 00:48 What Do I Do If I Fall Behind? 03:31 How Do I Choose Curriculum? 06:30 What Do I Do If My Curriculum Isn’t Working For My Child? 10:05 Am I T...

In just a few days, it’ll be Thanksgiving! While celebrations this year may be different, being thankful never goes out of style.  Join Melody and Holly as they discuss what they’re thankful for this year. SHOW NOTES: Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Follow us on Twitter  and  Facebook! The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Wil...