The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we're talking about something that every family has, whether they realize it or not, and that is a family culture. Every home has its own personality. Some families revolve around sports, others around academics, work, or adventure. The real question isn't whether you have a family culture; it's whether you're intentionally building the...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we're celebrating America's 250th birthday! As the Fourth of July approaches, we're talking about what makes our country so special, why we should never take the freedom to homeschool our children for granted, and how we can help our kids appreciate the blessings we enjoy. We also share some of our favorite American historical sites to vi...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we're talking about something that can be really easy to overlook in the middle of homeschooling, parenting, work, and everything else life throws at us, which is our marriage. When the days are filled with lesson plans, laundry, meals, activities, and trying to keep the house from completely falling apart, it's easy for your relationship...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! Today we're talking about taking back the summer from technology. We had to reupload this due to an issue with Apple Podcasts. If you already listened to this episode from another source, then you don't have to listen to this version!  There are so many things demanding our attention these days, especially social media and technology. We discuss so...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! Today we're talking about taking back the summer from technology. There are so many things demanding our attention these days, especially social media and technology. We discuss some practical strategies for cutting back on these distractions so we can focus on what really matters this summer: making memories with our kids and spending time togethe...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we're talking about something that almost every mom experiences but doesn't always talk about: exhaustion. There are seasons when parenting feels overwhelming. The days are long, the responsibilities never seem to end, and it can feel like everyone needs something from you all the time. Yet somehow, you have to keep showing up day after d...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we're talking about what comes after the school year ends. We start by discussing why summer breaks matter so much, the importance of play, and why our kids don't need every moment scheduled. Then we talk about graduates and young adults, and how to help them take their next steps, how much guidance parents should give, and how to encoura...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re talking about something every parent thinks about at some point: what are the things our kids are actually going to remember when they look back on childhood? Will it be the family vacations? Learning to ride a bike? Playing games together? Family traditions? Or maybe just those simple everyday moments that didn’t seem all that imp...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re bringing back an episode from a while ago where we talked about how to encourage your child to embrace who God made them to be and to value what truly matters when it comes to success. This is one of our favorite topics, and we think it led to a really meaningful conversation that we hope encourages you today! We want to thank Teac...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we are talking about raising capable kids. As homeschooling parents, it can be easy to get focused only on academics, grades, and checking boxes, but at the end of the day, we want to raise young adults who can work hard, solve problems, serve others, and confidently step into the real world. This week, we are joined by Lisa Nehring from...

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re taking some time to encourage moms as we celebrate both National Teacher Appreciation Day and Mother’s Day. Homeschool moms don’t get nearly the recognition they deserve, so today is all about recognizing you and everything you do for your kids. From wiping runny noses and teaching your children to read, to dealing with attitudes,...

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler podcast. We’re having some fun this week talking about the four homeschool personalities and some homeschooling “hot takes.” From planner moms to relaxed homeschoolers and everything in between, we’re seeing just how much our personalities shape the way we homeschool. We’ll read through different homeschool scenarios and decide together which personality th...

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler podcast. This week, we’re talking about one of the biggest shifts in parenting, which is what it looks like to move from being in control when our kids are little to slowly letting go as they grow into adulthood.  We discuss the tension of parenting older kids, learning when to speak and when to stay quiet, and what it really means to “pass the baton” while...

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler podcast! In this special episode, we’re celebrating 400 episodes of The Smiling Homeschooler and taking some time to reflect on the journey so far. We look back at the very beginning, including our first episode and talk about what led us to start the podcast in the first place. We revisit the heart behind The Smiling Homeschooler—encouraging families, brin...

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re talking about something nearly every mom struggles with at the end of the school year: motivation!  As the school year winds down, motivation can be hard to find, and it’s easy to start questioning everything. Are we doing enough? Does this even count as school? Are our kids going to be ready for what’s next? We have a great conversatio...

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we’re talking about something I think a lot of you are going to relate to. We start things off with a message from a homeschool mom who shared that she’s feeling overwhelmed right now—trying to juggle schooling her last two kids, being a grandma, planning a wedding, and everything else life is throwing at her. If you’ve ever felt like you’re s...

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re introducing the newest regular member of our podcast crew, Katherine Petgen! Katherine is Todd’s daughter, a homeschool mom, a wife, and a homeschool graduate. She shares how homeschooling has impacted her life for the better, along with some of the lessons she’s carried into her own family. We also talk about her homeschooling personal...

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re bringing back a conversation from a couple of years ago that we think you’re really going to love. We had the opportunity to sit down with two very special guests—homeschooling pioneers David and Shirley Quine from Cornerstone Curriculum. They share so much wisdom from their decades of experience, along with a real heart for family and...

Hey everybody, welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we’ve got a fun episode for you! We are joined by Brandee Gillham from the Colorado State Homeschool Organization, and we’re going to be talking all about homeschool conventions. Whether you’ve been to one before or you’ve never even considered going, we’re going to unpack why they can be such a valuable part of the homesch...

Hey everybody, welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler! This week we had a really fun conversation with Audiobook reader Jim Hodges. We talk about something that has been incredibly powerful in our homeschooling over the years… books and audiobooks. There is something special about the way stories engage our kids’ imaginations when they are listening or reading, picturing the characters, the plac...

This week on The Smiling Homeschooler, Rissa joins Ben for a life update and a really honest conversation about homeschooling through different seasons. A few months ago, Rissa shared that she was walking through a very difficult time. During that season, homeschooling didn’t look the way it normally does in their home. It felt heavier. Slower. Survival-mode some days. In this episode, they talk a...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler! This week, we’re talking about something that almost every homeschool family faces at some point… what do you do when the people around you just don’t understand homeschooling? For a lot of parents, choosing to homeschool doesn’t just come with lesson plans and curriculum decisions — it comes with questions, raised eyebrows, and sometimes even criticism. M...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler! This week we are talking about something that makes a lot of homeschool parents nervous… high school. High school often seems different. It feels heavier. The subjects get harder, the stakes feel higher, and suddenly all those quiet doubts start getting louder. Am I qualified? What about chemistry? What about advanced math? What about sports and social opp...

Hey everybody, welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler! This week we have a great episode for you. We’re joined by Gena Suarez and Deborah Wuehler from The Old Schoolhouse. They are longtime homeschooling veterans with a deep passion for encouraging and supporting moms throughout their homeschooling journey. We talk about why home is one of the best places for your kids, how homeschooling is trul...

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler! Today’s topic is something that resonates with just about every homeschooling family: the pressure to finish the curriculum while still saying yes to all the amazing opportunities around us. We recently asked our followers over on Facebook what feels hardest right now, and another one of the most common responses was feeling torn between making steady prog...