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Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we're talking about knowing when to push our kids and when to back off. As homeschool parents, we all have things we believe are important for our children to learn, but what do we do when they don't enjoy them, don't want to do them, or flat-out tell us they hate school? From math and history to music and Bible time, we'll walk through some real-life scenarios and talk about how to know which battles are worth fighting and when it might be time to change things up. We hope you enjoy the conversation! We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for supporting the Smiling Homeschooler. We truly think they are one of the best math curriculums out there, and if you don't already use them, you should! Check out a free trial at teachingtextbooks.com. Today's show is also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman. Lastly, the You'da Dad Daily calendar is up on our website! This is a page-a-day calendar that is the perfect Christmas gift for your husband. It is fun and encouraging, so head on over to our store to pick one up for your husband!  Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! Today we're joined by speaker, blogger, podcaster, and homeschool mom Nancy Manos to talk about a topic that seems to be everywhere right now: Artificial Intelligence. We discuss the potential benefits of AI for homeschool families, from helping with lesson planning and brainstorming to preparing our kids for the future, but we also talk about the dangers, especially when it comes to our children’s learning, critical thinking, and relationships. So how do we take advantage of this new technology without letting it take the place of real learning and human connection? Nancy shares why she believes we need to be part of the conversation, how parents can approach AI wisely, and why we don't need to live in fear of the changing world around us. It was a great conversation, and we hope you enjoy it! We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for supporting the Smiling Homeschooler. We truly think they are one of the best math curriculums out there, and if you don't already use them, you should! Check out a free trial at teachingtextbooks.com. Today's show is also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Their Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman   Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we’re talking about a question that can be a little tricky as our kids get older: What decisions should we let our children make, and what decisions should we make for them? Obviously, a five-year-old and a seventeen-year-old are going to have very different levels of freedom, so we’re breaking this down from the little-kid years all the way through graduation. We’re talking about where we can give our kids more responsibility and independence, where we still need to step in as parents, and how that can change as they grow. It was a really good conversation, and we hope you enjoy it! Before we begin, we want to thank Teaching Textbooks for supporting the Smiling Homeschooler. We truly think they are one of the best math curriculums out there, and if you don't already use them, you should! Check out a free trial at teachingtextbooks.com.  Today's show is also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman   Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we’re talking about how to communicate your homeschool needs with your husband. If you’re the one doing most of the homeschooling, it can sometimes be difficult to explain to your husband what you need from him. Maybe you need more help, more encouragement, more time, or maybe you just need him to understand a little better what your day-to-day life actually looks like. So how do you communicate those things without it turning into an argument or making your husband feel like he’s not doing enough? And what can husbands do to better understand and support their wives in homeschooling? Today we’re talking about how husbands and wives can communicate about homeschooling, understand each other’s needs, and figure out what it looks like for Dad to really support Mom in the homeschool. We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for sponsoring the Smiling Homeschooler. They are the math curriclum that helps homeschoolers smile, so check out a free trial at teachingtextbooks.com.    Today’s show was also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman   Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we’re talking about how much time you really need to spend homeschooling each day. There can be a lot of pressure to think that homeschooling needs to take up most of the day, but does it really need to be an eight-hour-a-day job? We’re going to talk about what a realistic homeschool day can look like and how much time you actually need to get the important things done. We’re also going to continue talking about the things our listeners have told us they wish they could change about their homeschools. We’ve gotten some really interesting answers, so we’ll share some more of those and talk through some of the challenges and frustrations that homeschool families are dealing with. We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for sponsoring the Smiling Homeschooler. We use and recommend Teaching Textbooks for anyone that wants a math curriclum that is fun and engaging! You can test out a free trial over at teachingtextbooks.com. We also want to thank Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at Samaritanministries.org/familyman Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we’re talking about what we and our listeners wish we could change about our homeschools. We recently asked our listeners what the one thing they would change about their homeschool would be, and we got some really interesting answers. We’re talking about everything from consistency and expectations to having more help with little ones, simplifying high school, and even wishing the years would slow down. We’ll share some of those answers and talk about what we can learn and we hope this is an encouraging and relatable conversation for you! We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are one of the best math curriculums around, and we believe they help more homeschoolers smile during math! So go check out a free trial at www.teachingtextbooks.com.  Today’s show was also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! Debbie is back to share more underrated homeschool curriculum recommendations, plus we’ll be answering listener questions, including whether writing and spelling are really important and what to do when you get off to a rough start to the school year. If your school year hasn’t gone quite the way you hoped, you’re looking for something different with your homeschool curriculum, or you just need some encouragement, then this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for sponsoring the Smiling Homeschooler! If you want a math curriculum that helps you and your children smile more during math, go check them out at teachingtextbooks.com! Also, thank you to Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare, where members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, “We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries.” You can learn more about Redeem HealthShare at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman. Have a great week, and don’t forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! What are some of the most underrated homeschool curriculum options out there? And what are some of the subjects that we tend to forget about in our homeschools? This week, Debbie Wilson joins us to talk about some of her favorite underrated curriculum picks and the subjects that may not always get the attention they deserve. We talk about practical skills like budgeting and typing, along with other things that can help prepare our kids for life beyond their homeschool years. We also answer questions from moms who need a little encouragement and advice as they navigate the challenges of homeschooling. If you’re looking for some new curriculum ideas or wondering if there are subjects you might be overlooking, this is a great episode to check out! We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are one of the best math curriculums around, and we believe they help more homeschoolers smile during math! So go check them out at teachingtextbooks.com.  Today’s show was also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we have a great episode from the archives where Ben was joined by his mom, Debbie Wilson, to talk about getting off to a good start this school year. Since we’re officially past Labor Day, wee thought this would be a really helpful episode to revisit. Debbie shares her recommendations, practical advice, and even some of her curriculum choices. And as always, her wisdom and encouragement make this a great conversation! We hope you have a great start of the school year! We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are the math curriculum that our family uses, and we believe they help more homeschoolers smile during math. So go check out a free trial over at teachingtextbooks.com.  Today’s show was also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries at samaritanministries.org/familyman    Have a great week, and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! One of the great things about homeschooling is that we have the freedom to make learning fun. But sometimes there is pressure to make every day feel fun. But is that realistic, and do our kids need to love every subject? And is it okay if some days are just about sitting down, doing the work, and getting it done? Today we’re talking about how fun a normal homeschool day should actually be, and how we can find a healthy balance between making homeschooling enjoyable and getting stuff done. We want Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are one of the best math curriculums around, and we believe they help more homeschoolers smile, and you should use their math curriculum for this school year. So go check them out at teachingtextbooks.com.  Today’s show was also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at samaritanministries.org/familyman Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! Writing is one of those things that we spend a lot of time teaching our kids, but sometimes we think we can lose sight of why we're actually doing it. Not every child is going to grow up to be an author. So what does good writing really look like, and how much do our kids actually need in this day and age? The reality is that writing is something we use all throughout normal life. Whether it's sending an email, filling out an application, communicating at work, explaining an idea, or simply being able to clearly put your thoughts into words, being able to write well is a really useful skill. But it can also be one of the most difficult subjects to teach and to get your children to enjoy. So Our goal is to give some tips, encouragement, and ideas to help make writing a more enjoyable subject. We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are one of the best math curriculums around, and we believe they help more homeschoolers smile, and you should use their math curriculum for this school year. So go check them out at teachingtextbooks.com.  Today’s show was also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at www.SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! One of the questions we get asked all the time is, “What homeschool curriculum should I use?” And with all of the options out there, it can feel like you have to find that one perfect curriculum that’s going to make homeschooling work. So today we’re joined by Debbie Wilson to talk about some of the things you should actually consider when choosing curriculum. Things like how much time and effort it takes, how your kids learn, and what fits your family well. Hopefully, this will take some of the pressure off and help you feel a little more confident about finding what works for you. We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are one of the best math curriculums around, and we believe they help more homeschoolers smile, and you should use their math curriculum for this school year! So go check them out at teachingtextbooks.com.  Today’s show was also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at www.samaritanministries.org/familyman Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! We are glad you’re joining us this week. We are getting closer and closer to the start of a new school year, and over the next few weeks, we’re going to be doing a little series talking about some of the things that homeschool families are thinking about as they get ready to jump back into another year of homeschooling. And today, we’re talking about homeschool co-ops and how to pick the best one for your family. Co-ops are one of those things that can be a really great part of homeschooling for some families, but they can also bring a lot of questions. Should we join one? What are the benefits? What are some of the downsides? How much time are we really going to have to commit? And maybe most importantly, is a co-op actually a good fit for our family? We’ve had our own experiences with co-ops over the years, and today we want to talk through some of the things we’ve learned, some of the things we love about them, and some of the things you probably want to think about before signing your family up for one. We hope you are encouraged by our conversation, and if you know a mom who is on the fence about co-ops or new to homeschooling, maybe share this episode with them! We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are one of the best math curriculums around, and we believe they help more homeschoolers smile, and you should use their math curriculum for this school year. So go check them out at teachingtextbooks.com.  Today’s show was also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries at https://samaritanministries.org/familyman Lastly, don't forget to take advantage of the 60 free days of World Watch News by clicking this link and using code Todd30 at checkout! https://app.worldwatch.news/checkout/new?o=203231&coupon=TODD30 Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! We are so glad you're here! This week we're tackling a question that I think just about every homeschool parent has asked at one time or another: Am I doing enough? If my kids never are taught chemistry or calculus, or they don't become fluent in a foreign language, have I somehow failed them? There can be so much pressure to check every box and keep up with everyone else's expectations. But is that really what homeschooling is about? Today we're talking about how to handle those doubts, and how to have confidence in the education you're giving your children, and why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is trust the unique path God has called your family to. We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are one of the best math curriculums around, and we believe they help more homeschoolers smile, and you should use their math curriculum for this school year. So go check them out at teachingtextbooks.com.  Today’s show was also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries at samaritanministries.org/familyman Lastly, don't forget to take advantage of the 60 free days of World Watch News by clicking this link and using code Todd30 at checkout! https://app.worldwatch.news/checkout/new?o=203231&coupon=TODD30 Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Hey everyone, welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! We are so glad you decided to join us this week. We're talking about the fact that some of the most valuable education our kids receive doesn't happen while sitting behind a desk. Whether it's playing sports, working a part-time job, cooking, volunteering, learning a trade, or pursuing a hobby, there are so many opportunities for our children to grow in ways that go far beyond academics. We're also excited to be joined by Tatton Strassheim from World Watch News. With so much information coming at us every single day, it can be difficult to know what really matters. We'll be talking about how to cut through all the noise, stay informed without living in fear, and help our kids develop wisdom and discernment as they learn about what's happening around the world. If you would like to sign up for a free 60 days use this link and use code Todd30 at checkout! But before we start, we want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are one of the best math curriculums around, and we believe they help more homeschoolers smile, and you should use their math curriculum for this school year. So go check them out at teachingtextbooks.com.  Today’s show was also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries." You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare at samaritanministries.org/familyman. Have a great week and don't forget to smile!