The Stay-at-Homeschooling Mom Podcast

A Facebook post from a mom struggling to bring her large family of small children to Mass inspired today's show. The mom was in a jam, getting the kids to Mass by herself as her husband was deployed. Many advised her not to bring the children to Mass until they were older. This is terrible advice. Mass is not optional. It isn't easy when you bring many babies and toddlers, and in fact, it&...

Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, (Franciscan Friars of the Renewal) was ordained in 2018 and lives at the CFR friary in the Bronx. Fr. Mark-Mary is a weekly host on Ascension Presents, the second-largest Catholic YouTube Channel in English.  His new book Habits for Holiness: Small Steps for Making Big Spiritual Progress , is a perfect and practical spiritual guide for homeschooling families. In it, Fr. Ma...

Mary Ellen and Ginny have wanted to bring you Historian Jerry D. Lenaburg since the debut of their podcast. They knew he was the most qualified historian to make a case for why homeschoolers must teach history the way it happened. It's not hyperbole to say that our future depends on it. A pleasure to listen to, Mr. Lenaburg is a 1987 graduate of the US Naval Academy with a BS in history, an MS...

Let’s face it; homeschooling with a toddler around can challenge learning and Mom’s sanity. Little people don’t care much about order, method, or quiet; they want to explore, move around, and touch everything—all perfectly appropriate but completely distracting to your homeschool day. Ginny and Mary Ellen have run this drill thousands of times and have learned how to turn this challenge into an en...

June is upon us; now is the time to plan your homeschool year. Take a day or two to think about last year. What did you love? What was a disappointment? What drove you crazy? There’s an old saying in the business world, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.”  Ginny and Mary Ellen’s treasure trove of tips, organized in five easy steps, is worth their weight in gold. Listen to them all and find thos...

You've made the decision, you are going to homeschool. When you announce it to friends and family – not everyone is supportive. How do you handle this?  In today's podcast, Mary Ellen and Ginny cover the questions you will get about your decision and walk you through solid answers. Whether the questions are from loved ones or the simply curious, you will be prepared with well-thought-out r...

In today's show, Ginny and Mary Ellen introduce us to University of Iowa senior and author Jacinta Hamilton. In March 2023, the National Catholic Register and LifeSiteNews featured Jacinta Hamilton's work to build awareness of World Down Syndrome Day. Jacinta is an Iowa City, Iowa native, the oldest of seven children, and a 2019 Seton Home Study School graduate. She is blessed to be the bi...

How important is cultivating beauty in your homeschool? Ginny and Mary Ellen speak with Joseph Pearce about the true, the good, and the beautiful and how it affects our homeschool, worship, and very selves.  There are few as qualified as Joseph to speak on the topic. He is a man of many hats, including bestselling author, EWTN host, and Director of Book Publishing at the Augustine Institute. His w...

It's easy to blame others for the loss of civility and politeness in the news and social media. Fortunately, as homeschoolers, we are blessed with the opportunity to train our children to push back on cultural influences and lead others by example. In this episode, Mary Ellen and Ginny examine modern behavioral norms and provide simple, concrete, practical tips, methods, and lessons to regain...

Teaching our children "how to" work is a lesson too often overlooked. The consequences of this oversight can last a lifetime, robbing our children of reaching their full potential as faithful servants of God and role models for their children.  In this episode, Ginny and Mary Ellen discuss why teaching "how-to" work is critical in raising strong and independent children. They m...

Today, Mary Ellen and Ginny discuss why nothing makes homeschooling mothers more nervous than the concept of teaching math. Then, making it as simple as two plus two, they provide a road map of tips, suggestions, and insights to help you confidently teach math. Show Notes Let's first talk about what a general scope and sequence would look like for the different stages of your students and some...

Ginny and Mary Ellen take up a common question among new homeschoolers. Perhaps most interesting is the variety of answers they received. See how your family compares. Factors in the conversation include that some kids have their noses to the grindstone while others seem to zip through. But like homeschooling, the parent is best positioned to decide how long your family’s homeschool day should be....

Good study habits lead to academic success. Children from an early age need to learn how to internalize information to do well on tests and essays if they continue their academic careers after high school.   In this episode, Ginny and Mary Ellen examine and explain the how and why of learning good study habits.  It begins with a simple but critical foundation of memorizing spelling words or math f...

What gets your homeschooling off track? After all, we lead busy, sometimes even chaotic lives! The bottom line is that there are many reasonable and legitimate reasons to put homeschooling aside or to do the bare minimum for a time. In today’s podcast, Ginny and Mary Ellen check what will inevitably get you off track. But they will call you back on the way and roll in the right direction using the...

Every year is different, and you have to adjust to your homeschool's changing conditions, whether those changes are new babies, new teens, new jobs, or new activities.      That said, some things are timeless, and Ginny and Mary Ellen devote this episode to bringing it all together into five key habits that will help you have long-term success in homeschooling. And the Five Keys are different...

In today’s episode, author Joseph Pearce joins Ginny and Mary Ellen to discuss his book of particular interest to homeschooling families, Poems Every Child Should Know . Finding a more eloquent or eminently qualified author to speak on the subject would be challenging.  “Every child is called to be a poet.” So begins the book compiled by Joseph Pearce, Poems Every Child Should Know , but he is qui...

Joseph Patterson  - Ave Maria Director of Athletics is a leader of young men and women in an environment that stresses faith, self-discipline, and hard work. In today's show, we have the pleasure of speaking with Ave Maria University's Director of Athletics, Joseph Patterson. From his position as coach and leader, Patterson is an authority on how Ave Maria University Athletics integrates t...

Mary Ellen and Ginny tackle the important topic of physical exercise in your homeschool. This kicks off the first of our two episodes focused on athletics.   Master teacher John Taylor Gatto, after winning several teaching awards in New York City and State, quit the field saying he could no longer hurt children to make a living.  Gatto wrote on the importance of sports to develop future leaders.  ...

Is discipline the number one problem in homeschooling today? In this episode, Mary Ellen and Ginny interview Dr. Ray Guarendi about discipline and, specifically, why having a handle on your children's behavior is the key to homeschooling success. Dr. Ray is an expert on discipline and its relationship to children's behavior. Dr. Ray is a Catholic father of ten adopted children, a clinical psycholo...

Mary Ellen and Ginny speak to Father Philip Schumaker, a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The pastor of three Milwaukee churches, Father was homeschooled by his mom, Colleen, who took her six children to daily Mass. In today's episode, Father Philip shares experiences from his childhood that influenced his discernment and offers excellent advice for encouraging vocations and faithfulness in...

Not being big fans of what society deems “self-care,” Ginny and Mary Ellen discuss creating a life that nourishes you rather than depletes you. Having routines and systems in place to care for school and home and guarding your time, heart, and mind so that you can feel most peaceful and happy in your daily life. Show notes and Bullet Points How to take care of yourself as a stay-at-home-work-at-ho...

Loving homeschooling but dreading the high school years? Not sure how you could ever get through physics, trigonometry, and a foreign language? Long-time homeschooling moms Mary Ellen Barrett and Ginny Seuffert have graduated homeschoolers and sent them off to college. Let them walk you through the decision and the practical details. Show notes: Incentives: I don’t trust the local public school. T...

Today we have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. William Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College. Founded in 1876 and rated #1 in Best Undergraduate Teaching by U.S. News & World Report, Belmont Abbey is a Newman Guide Recommended College in North Carolina and a school particularly welcoming to homeschooled students. Dr. Thierfelder shares his thoughts on the value of liberal arts educat...

Yes, you can declutter, and Ginny and Mary Ellen are here to guide and encourage you with simple tips and methods to do just that! They have three easy but critical questions to ask yourself about any object you own. The answers will reveal whether to keep it or not! It's really that simple. Their creative solutions are often fun and always practical. One thing's for sure, their experiences will h...

Do your history, religion, or literature studies ever feel a little dry, or you can’t fit in another field trip? Memorizing quotes or learning patriotic songs can reinvigorate your child’s interest in the subject and is also a lot of fun. Preserve the culture, encourage patriotism, and build memory skills; Ginny and Mary Ellen help you figure out how.