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What do you do when you're walking with God but your spouse isn't? Erin Cox shares her powerful testimony of marriage restoration that started in a living room encounter with Jesus and led to a complete transformation of her family. ✅ Why "Christianese" was actually pushing her atheist husband further away ✅The 1 book that changed how she loved her unbelieving spouse ✅ How 1 Peter 3 became her daily prayer strategy ✅The moment the Holy Spirit told her exactly what to say after years of silence ✅ Why God can save anyone—even in a living room with no one else around Ready to discover hope for your marriage? Grab the resources mentioned in this episode below! Resources Mentioned Get your FREE Basic Pass to Life Skills Leadership Summit 2026 to give you confidence that your kids will be ready for adult life: https://HowToHomeschoolMyChild.com/lsls26 I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, by Norman Geisler Sacred Influence, by Gary Thomas Erin Cox is a seasoned homeschooling mom of four, ranging from elementary age to young adult. Alongside her husband Danny, she serves over 100,000 homeschool families through publishing Charlotte Mason and Classical education curricula, all from their homestead in central Alabama. When Erin isn’t wrangling sheep, Australian shepherds, two rambunctious boys, or her energetic grandbaby, she enjoys audiobooks, podcasts, and the occasional quiet moment with embroidery. Connect with her at ShopGentleClassical.com and LifeAbundantlyBlog.com. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.

Is your child's screen time affecting their developing brain more than you realize? Join Kerry Beck as she sits down with Mandee Hamann, from Screen Strong, to uncover the surprising brain science behind screens and why even educational apps might be causing harm. ✅Why the frontal cortex doesn't develop until age 25 and what that means for smartphone use ✅The shocking truth about dopamine levels in gaming vs. nature play ✅ How to tell the difference between passive and interactive screens ✅The 30-day detox that's reversing ADHD-like symptoms in kids ✅ Practical ways to replace screens with activities that build strong brain pathways Ready to protect your child's developing brain? Grab the resources mentioned in this episode below! Resources Mentioned: Get your FREE Basic Pass to Life Skills Leadership Summit 2026 to give you confidence that your kids will be ready for adult life Screen Strong Chart for Families Mandee Hamann, businesswoman and former earlychildhood/children’s pastor is mom to 2 young adults and 1 teenager. After her own family struggled with toxic screen issues, she was introduced to ScreenStrong. The ScreenStrong lifestyle changed everything for her family. Mandee became a ScreenStrong Ambassador and is committed to spreading this powerful message. She occasionally guest hosts on the ScreenStrong Families Podcast and is a member of the ScreenStrong team as the Ambassador Liaison. She enjoys training & equipping Ambassadors from all over the globe to spread the ScreenStrong Solution to screen conflicts in the home. Follow ScreenStrong on Facebook and Instagram

Thirty years ago, we never imagined we'd be navigating conversations about gender identity and sexuality with our children, but here we are. In this powerful conversation, Dannah Gresh from Pure Freedom Ministries shares biblical wisdom and practical tools to help you confidently guide your kids through today's confusing culture. In this episode, you'll discover: ✅Three key Bible passages every child needs to understand about their body and identity before the world tells them lies ✅How to have age-appropriate conversations about gender and sexuality without robbing your children of their innocence ✅The critical difference between accepting and affirming when someone you love is walking through gender confusion ✅Why your child's maleness or femaleness is directly connected to reflecting God's image in the world ✅Practical strategies for responding with both truth and compassion when your kids encounter gender ideology at school or online Ready to equip yourself with biblical truth? Grab the resources Dannah mentions in this episode to start these important conversations with confidence. Get your FREE Basic Pass to Life Skills Leadership Summit 2026 to give you confidence that your kids will be ready for adult life: https://HowToHomeschoolMyChild.com/lsls26 Resources Mentioned: It’s Great to Be a Girl Lies Girls Believe Lies Girls Believe Mom’s Guide Lies Young Women Believe Lies Women Believe It’s Great to Be a Boy Lies Boys Believe Lies Men Believe Dannah Gresh is the founder of True Girl, a ministry dedicated to providing tools to help moms and grandmas disciple their 7–12-year-old girls. She is the co-host of Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth’s Revive Our Hearts podcast and Revive Our Hearts Weekend. She has authored over twenty-eight books, including a Bible study for adult women based on the book of Habakkuk. Dannah and her husband, Bob, have just released a new book and limited-series podcast called Happily Even After which tells their marriage redemption story. They live on a hobby farm in central Pennsylvania. Show Notes: Introduction: A Topic We Never Imagined Facing Kerry: Well hey everyone, Kerry back here with Life Skills Leadership Summit. Today I'm excited—not because of the topic, because it's a really difficult topic on sexuality and gender—but Dannah Gresh, I've just gotten to know her from a distance through podcasts and Revive Our Hearts and reading one of her books as well. But I do know that she has got a lot to say on this issue. So Dannah, thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate it. Dannah: Oh, I am so honored and delighted. Thank you for having me. Kerry: So before we get started, let me just pray for us and we'll let God guide this conversation. Father in Heaven, thank you. Thank you for today. Thank you for Zoom. Thank you that we can have a conversation and we can share it with many, many people. We thank you that you are sovereign, that you're the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and we can rest in that no matter what's going on around us. And there's a lot of mess going on around us, but we can have our hope in Jesus. We just thank you for Jesus and the bond that we have in Him through the blood that He shed for us. I thank you for Dannah being here. I pray that the things that you want said will be spoken through this conversation, that you will be glorified, and that the ones that are listening, you will just really touch their hearts and show them what types of practical steps or spending more time in the Word—whatever you want them to do—and just to be led by the Holy Spirit. We pray all these things in Jesus' powerful name, amen. Dannah: Amen. About Pure Freedom Ministries and PartnershipKerry: Okay, for those of you that don't know, Dannah has Pure Freedom Ministries and this has two parts: True Girl and Born to Be Brave. By the time y'all listen to this, you probably already heard one of my kickoffs because we do one on Sunday night before the whole week and I'll explain it. But they are our organization that we are supporting through this Summit. So we'll take the profits that we make on anyone that upgrades from free to VIP. If you upgrade to VIP, 5% of our profits will go to this organization. And then some of our speakers—you've probably heard about the ones that have chosen to—if they decide to donate 5% of their commissions, then I will match that 5% as well. So hopefully, you know, that will be just a little way that y'all can support what Dannah and her team are doing. So I just want to make sure everyone understands that before we get going. Dannah: What a blessing. Thank you so much. Dannah's Story: From Teenager to Ministry LeaderKerry: Well, let's before we start this topic, can you just tell people a little bit about yourself? Dannah: Sure. Well, I love Jesus first and foremost, and He is the best part of everything about my life. I came to know Him when I was a really little girl through Child Evangelism Fellowship five-day clubs. I just love Child Evangelism Fellowship to this day because I remember that moment when I surrendered my heart and my life to Jesus. So precious. But fast forward—at the age of 15, I was a teacher for Child Evangelism Fellowship. I was teaching Sunday school in my church to three-year-olds, and I loved the Lord like crazy. But I was in a Christian dating relationship and was blindsided by sexual temptation. I just thought that was not possible in my life because I loved the Lord so much. And it became this great shame and this great heartache of my life until I was about 26. I just really understood that even though it had been so long since I'd experienced that sin and chosen that sin, I hadn't really received the redemption and the freedom that Christ died to give me. When I did, my life changed. And I had to get out my megaphone—my proverbial megaphone—and tell teenage girls. And then as I was doing that, ministry just kind of exploded. I was praying, "Lord, let me graduate to college girls and adult women." And the Lord said, "What about my little women? What about my 10-year-olds and what about my 9-year-olds and what about my 8-year-olds?" I was like, "Lord, that's really great. Somebody needs to do children's ministry, but what about me graduating from high school girls to the older women?" And He was persistent. The Lord just kept opening doors. Before we knew it, we really are one of the largest ministries that takes biblical truth to 8 to 12-year-old girls. And now we have boys—we just added them in the last few years—through live events, box subscriptions, Bible studies, online Bible studies, at-home Bible studies with mom. We want to put mom in the driver's seat. We believe that's what God's Word says—that mom and dad belong in the driver's seat of a child's moral development. Now we fast forward to this year. We live in a time and a day and age when the government and a lot of different political entities believe that parents aren't equipped to make moral decisions about their children. Well, we still believe they are. And now I understand why the Lord has put us in this critical position. One of the things we've done really well through the years is take whatever the difficult issues of the day are—when we started, that was AIDS—and we look at it through a biblical lens. Today, that biblical lens that we look through, we're looking at the issue mostly of gender and identity. And when you think about how do we talk to an 8-year-old about that biblically without robbing them of their innocence, and also just the depression and anxiety these kids are at the tip of the spear... Teens have long been at the tip of the spear, but the enemy has moved the line backward. And now it's those 8 to 12-year-olds that really are having to grapple with things that their little hearts and minds aren't ready for. But we know how to do that in a way that's safe and biblical and most importantly keeps mom and dad in the driver's seat. The Trends We're Seeing in Gender IdentityKerry: That is so good. And I know I'm on y'all's True Girl mailing list, and so they have things and I have downloaded a few things just to find out exactly what they are. I'm giving my daughter some of y'all's books as well. I think it's the Lies Young Girls Believe, something like that. I'm not quite sure what it was. But I do have to tell you, all of a sudden I have one more connection with you because I grew up with Child Evangelism Fellowship and I became a believer at a Good News Club. I started, went to their CEF training as a teenager, and then we did the five-day clubs in Houston. So I was like, oh wow, that's so interesting. Small world. Dannah: They are a fruitful ministry. Look at us—we're passing, we're the fruit, we're passing on fruit. We're the fruit of their fruit. Kerry: My parents, they're in their 70s and 80s, and a while back they would lead Good News Clubs in the public school for like five years. They're still going on with it and all. So I love it. It does work. So okay, so we are in a just a strange time. And if you had asked us 30 years ago, we'd be going, "No way, we wouldn't be dealing with these issues." So what kind of trends are you seeing right now when it comes to gender identity and sexuality? Dannah: Well, you know, I would say heterosexual is definitely not in style. And what we see is a lot of teens claiming to be pansexual, where they're just willing to erase anything that has a baseline of truth to it and embrace everything. Basically, is what pansexuality is. A lot of teens in terms of gender are saying they're non-binary. That's just what's in style right now. And you might say, "Well, but there really is a problem. There are some kids that definitely struggle with gender dysphoria." Absolutely, that's true. Historically, we've known for decades that children—a very, very small percentage of them—are born with things like Klinefelter syndrome, fragile X syndrome. T

Tired of the lies playing on repeat in your mind? Feeling like a fraud, rejected, or not good enough—even when you're managing everything? In this vulnerable episode, we're exploring how to speak the truth over yourself and your children, exchanging lies for God's identity and calling for your life. Kerry shares her deeply personal story of walking through rejection and discovering that speaking the truth out loud daily—not just thinking it—is what transforms your mind and breaks the power of lies. What you’ll learn in this episode: ✅Why we must speak the truth out loud (not just think positive thoughts) to renew our minds ✅The white stone with a new name in Revelation 2:17 and what it means for your identity ✅The two questions that replace "Why, God?" and actually move you forward ✅Kerry's story: learning to speak the truth as a warrior on her knees after 31 years of marriage ended ✅How to help your kids speak the truth over the lies they believe about themselves Ready to start your identity exchange?  Download the FREE Biblical Truths Printable mentioned in this episode—sample truths Kerry speaks over herself daily plus a blank page for your own.   Grab your copy of Jamie Winship's book Living Fearless!  Podcast: Stop Negative Thinking for You & Your Kids Show Notes: Hey everyone, Kerry Beck here with Homeschool Coffee Break, where we help you stop the overwhelm so you can actually take a coffee break. We talked last week about lies in our head and lies that our kids believe. This week, we're going to get to the hopeful part. That may have been a little depressing. We're going to get to the hopeful part. We're going to come talk to God about what our identity is in Him, what His calling is for us, and how we can replace those lies. Jamie Winship calls it identity exchange. We are going to exchange those lies for truth. Learning from Living FearlessWhat I'm sharing are things that I have learned from a man named Jamie Winship. He's written a book called Living Fearless. You can get the link to it in the show notes, and I highly recommend it. A few years ago, I bought a copy for every one of my children, and for my parents and my sister as well, because it had such a huge impact on us. We're going to talk today about how God actually gives you a new name, a true identity, and how to listen for it, how to find out what it is. We're going to start with Revelation 2. This is where Jesus is writing to the different churches, and he's written to a church called Pergamum. He says, you have remained true to my name, to God's name. You did not renounce your faith in me. And that was a good thing. But at the end of his letter, he has this to say in Revelation 2:17: Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious, I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away up in heaven. I will give to each of you a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands, except the one who receives it. You may be going, what is this white stone he's talking about? And how do we get a new name? Because that new name has something to do with your identity. Well, in ancient Greece, the jury members would give a white stone if they were going to acquit the man. They would give a black stone if the defendant was guilty. In ancient Rome, they had a custom of awarding white stones to the winner of athletic events, and their name was written on that stone. We want to talk about that new name, because we walk in newness of life. We walk in a new covenant. We're going to put away our sins. We're going to leave our past in the past, and we are going to walk in newness of life. That's what I want for you, Mom. That's what I want for your children as well. Can You Really Hear from God?If you've ever wondered, can I really hear God about my identity? How do I know? Sometimes we don't truly believe God and what He is saying. We say He can do the impossible, but we don't really think it for us. Let me share a couple stories that Jamie Winship shares. He met a man in Washington, D.C. who had been working with Congress, and this man comes up to him, like a bodybuilder, very well-built, very healthy. And he says, how can I know if I can really hear from God? And he said, well, you can come with me to a mission, because Jamie Winship had worked with the CIA over in the Middle East for decades, and he was now helping Congress with some things about working with conflict. He and this Jason Bourne dude and a Navy guy, they all got dropped off in Northern Africa, pitch dark. They get there, they're staying in tents, their host would fix their meals, and they would fix 4 plates. And the Jason Bourne guy would go, why is there someone else? Why do they keep fixing 4? There's only three of us. Eventually, after a few days, he says, well, go ask them. Since this guy could speak that language, he says, why do you have four plates? Well, it's for your security detail. He's like, what are you talking about? Well, long story short, they're like, the guy that's guarding y'all outside. And he's like, what does he look like? He's the big, bulky guy that's protecting you. And what is he? He has a sword. Come to find out, they could see this angel of God that was protecting Jamie and this Jason Bourne guy and the other guy from enemy attack, and he had a sword. Muslims believe in visions like that. They believe these things. They believe you can hear from the gods. And they could see this angel, even though Jamie and Jason Bourne person couldn't. But when he heard that, Jason Bourne is like, okay, how do I hear God? I want to know. How do I hear God? And basically, Jamie says, what about your situation? He's like, why can't we have kids? And he says, you're asking the wrong question. And for some of you, you're asking the wrong question when it comes to the problems in your life, your identity. You're saying, why, why, why? That is the wrong question. Here are the two questions that Jamie suggests. We need to say, God, what do you want me to know, God? What do you want me to do? And that was a question that I actually wrestled with. This morning, again, on my walk, I was gonna go right into prayer. I'm like, no, I need to listen to God. A lot of believers, we all believe, yes, God's powerful, we've seen Him do miracles, all this stuff, but we don't really believe that we can hear from God. And if we don't believe that, we believe in a weak God. I do believe that I can hear from God. We believe in a God that can do it for everyone else, but not for us. Or that He will do miracles, but I don't know about for us. Well, that is not total faith. Total faith is believing that God can do miracles. And we need to let God tell us what He is doing, instead of our past dictating what we do. Instead of our failures dictating what we do. Instead of our fears. Do you have fears about homeschooling? Or raising kids? You see, this is what leads to bad identity, to the lies that we talked about. But when you live from what God says you are, you are going to become more creative, more resilient, you're going to have more peace, even in the hard circumstances. I am a product of that as well. You see, you may be great at multitasking, teaching, managing your home, but you still feel like a fraud. Identity Exchange is going to God and letting him rename you. Like that white stone with a new name. The Story of HamzaThere was a young man in the Middle East that Jamie ran across. I actually shared this story at Homeschool Superheroes about 3 or 4 years ago, and in the chat, people are like, is this for real? Is this a real story? Is she really telling the truth? And yes, it is real, and you can read about it or listen to it when Jamie tells that story. But there was a man named Hamza. He had found a Bible at a hotel, and somehow he connected with Jamie, and he's like, who is this man? And they go, well, do you want to hear from him? Or do you want us to tell you about him? I want to hear from him, talking about Jesus, because he had read parts of the New Testament. They got together, and they didn't tell him what they knew about Jesus. They were like, we're gonna let God speak. And what they did was they prayed and said, okay, God, Hamza really wants to hear from you. Would you please speak your truth to Him and let him hear that? Would that be a scary prayer? In the United States, we don't pray that. You know why? We're afraid God's not going to show up. We're afraid God's not going to show up for me, for our friends, for our own children. We're afraid he's not going to speak. Well, they weren't afraid, and God has shown up over and over. I've heard many stories that He has shared of Him speaking, and Hamza heard, and he began to grow in his new identity in Jesus Christ. He has walked through so many hardships. His family tried to kill him several times, like, throw him off a cliff, shoot him with a gun, and somehow he's made it through all of this because he walks in his identity of Christ, and what God spoke to him. His hardships and fear began to change as he learned to listen to God's voice and receive that new identity of who He is in Christ Jesus. This has opened doors to things he would never imagine, and it can be the same with you in your homeschool. If God can reach a young man, a Muslim man, being killed by his family because he has faith in Jesus, and even more dangerous situations, he can speak to you, tired homeschool mom, in your minivan, or at the kitchen table. My Story of Identity ExchangeI know from experience that God has spoken to me. I don't know how many of you know my story, but about nine and a half years ago, my husband left. We'd been married for 31 years. I'd be a very rich person if I had money from all my friends that looked at me and went, you and Steve? No, that's not true. Because they'd seen a marriage that seemed

Feeling like you're falling behind or failing your kids? The biggest problem in your homeschool isn't the curriculum or the schedule—it's the lies you quietly believe about yourself. In this episode, we're exploring identity exchange: getting rid of the lies in your head and walking in the calling God's given you. Kerry shares lessons from Jamie Winship's "Living Fearless" and the story of David—who learned his identity as warrior, musician, poet, and king while watching sheep in obscurity, just like God is forming your identity in the ordinary moments of homeschooling. What you’ll learn in this episode: ✅Why identity exchange matters: the lies ("I'm not organized enough," "my kids need a real teacher") shape everything you do ✅What David's story teaches us about learning our calling in ordinary, obscure seasons ✅How the enemy attacks Christian homeschool families with little deceptions, not big temptations ✅Why "always" and "never" statements are lies (only God always does something right!) ✅Your homework: Ask God "What lie am I believing?" and write it down (we'll work on truth next week) Ready to start your identity exchange?  Download the FREE Biblical Truths Printable mentioned in this episode—sample truths Kerry speaks over herself daily plus a blank page for your own.  Grab your copy of Jamie Winship's book Living Fearless!  Podcast: Stop Negative Thinking for You & Your Kids Well, hello everyone, this is Kerry Beck with Homeschool Coffee Break, where we help you stop the overwhelm so you can actually take a coffee break from your homeschool, your home, your family. Every once in a while, we need a break, and we need to refresh ourselves. This episode is being published at the very beginning of 2026, and so this morning, I actually was listening to some podcasts. I had heard some of these stories before, I'd read the book, and I was like, this is what I need to share with my moms, because I believe this is a great way to kick off the new year. Because I don't know about you, but I have a feeling that y'all are feeling a little overwhelmed and stressed out. You feel like you're falling behind, or you're failing your kids. And what we need to realize is the biggest problem in your homeschool, your family, is not the curriculum, is not the schedule, but it is the lies that you quietly believe in your head. You believe them about yourself, as a mom, as a homeschool mom. Learning About Identity ExchangeWhat I want to do today is it's going to be at least a two-part series. We're going to talk a little bit about how we can get rid of those lies, and we can walk in the calling that God's given us. And this really will affect your homeschool. It truly will. I want you to know that what I am sharing today comes from things that I have learned from a man named Jamie Winship. He wrote a book, Living Fearless, and it is Living Fearless, Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God. You can get a link to it in the show notes below. When I went on my prayer walk this morning, I really thought through some of these ideas all over again. What is my identity? Let's exchange the lies in my head for my true identity, my true calling from God. If the things I share today are helpful, I would love for you to share this with one person. The Lies We BelieveLet's talk about this for a second. When you're in the midst of homeschooling, you're rushing around, you're doing your math, and you're switching the laundry from the washer to the dryer, you're snapping at your kids, and then at night you're lying on your bed going, I'm ruining them. I'm not cut out for this. But let's be honest, that is not the truth. And you're not the only one that's ever thought that. Because a lot of Christian moms keep that reel in their head, the little script in their head. I'm not organized enough to homeschool. My kids would be better off with a real teacher. I'm just so inconsistent, I can't even hear God clearly. Well, those are lies in your head, and they shape the way you walk through your day. How you plan your day, or you avoid planning at all. Some of you Type A people got that checklist, those lies are affecting that checklist. Or, I don't know what it is, type B, C, or Z, one of them, you just don't even plan at all, because you're just avoiding it. Those lies affect the way that you react to your kids when they are struggling. When you invite God into your lessons, or you just push through. Which one are you? I believe the lessons that I've learned from Jamie Winship about my identity, and about the false identities, the lies, like, I'm a failure, I feel shame, I am inadequate. They keep us stuck. And we can't really hear from God when He is speaking a new name to us. You know, Revelation 2:17 talks about, if we walk victoriously, God is going to give us a white stone and a new name. I'm going to talk about that in the next episode. But we need to be able to hear that new name. David's Identity in the FieldsWe're going to go to the Bible, and we're going to talk about a young man named David. I'm sure you've all heard it or sung the song, Only a Boy Named David. The reason he could kill Goliath is he had been preparing. He was walking in his identity. You know, when they came to find the future king, his dad had even forgotten about him, that he even had that son who was out watching the sheep. How would you feel if your parents forgot you? And I don't think most of you... some of you probably had some rough childhoods, but David overcame. You see, David was called. He was called to be a warrior, a musician, a poet and a king. Where did he learn those things? He learned them when he was watching the sheep from ages 10 to 13, during those middle school years. He wasn't in a palace classroom. He was learning his identity on the field, just like your kids should be learning. Yes, even in middle school, your kids can be learning what their identity is. So today, I'm going to talk to you, Mom, and then we're going to close out by talking about what you can do with your kids as well. You see, David was a warrior. There were lions and bears that were wanting to eat these sheep, and David had to protect the flock with a slingshot, and he already had practice before he ever got on the battlefield. He was a poet. He was a musician, he was writing songs to God, practicing worshiping God all alone on those hills of the sheep and the shepherd, watching them. He was a future king. He was learning leadership lessons in total obscurity, because he was faithful in the small things. God could put him in charge of bigger things as he grew into an adult. Your Ordinary Season Prepares YouIt's the same with you. God can use your ordinary season to prepare you for your calling. He did that with David. His ordinary life as a shepherd prepared him to be a king. It's forming your kids' identity in your living room, at your kitchen table, in their bedroom. It's the small homeschool moments. Those are training grounds for your kids' future calling, and they are current trainings for your calling right now, as a Christian mom, as a homeschool mom as well. You see, I know we have some homeschool moms, and it may be you. We could just call you Sarah. And you're constantly thinking, I'm not patient like all the other moms. I yell too much at my kids. My kids are only going to remember my anger. I had a fear my kids were going to remember the back of my head facing the computer, because I would work in the afternoons. And that was not true, because I know they have some good memories of things that we did growing up. And you may be feeling, oh, my kids are just gonna think all I'm doing is yelling at them. And then all of a sudden, someday during your history lesson or your math lesson, your son says, hey, mom, I really like how you always make learning fun, even when you're stressed out. And all of a sudden, you're in shock, because that internal lie up here in your head is a lie. And you are being too harsh on yourself. You are thinking you are a failure, when that's not true. You know, I think about it, because we did do fun things, and yet I felt like there were times I was snapping at my kids. And hopefully, they are going to remember the good things, the things that you are truly, who you truly are, because you're walking in your calling. Two Voices in Your HeadYou have two voices in your head, just like Sarah, the homeschool mom. It's the lie that we are permanently angry, we are failing our kids, and the other side is the truth. Where her son actually spoke truth to her, because she was a mom who cared enough to just keep showing up, even on the hard days. And I believe that's who you are. You are a mom who keeps showing up, even on the hard days. Just like David's real identity was known by God in the fields. Sarah's real identity as a loving, persevering homeschool mom was visible to God, even while she believed the lies. So we have got to get rid of these lies, and we're going to talk about that right now. Because, let's see, things that you're like, I always do this, or never... always and never statements. I learned that from my husband, Steve. He was like, do not say, I always do this, or I never do that. Because that's just not true. Only person that always does something is God. Only person that never does something wrong is God. You may have shamed things from childhood, or accusing thoughts that you're accusing... you're hopeless. Let's take those away, and let's go to God's voice, because that is the enemy talking. And we are fighting a battle, and if you are homeschooling, and you are a Christian family, that target is on your front. You are in full frontal assault. The enemy is attacking you, and he is telling you lies every single day. They don't come like, oh, don't believe in God. They come in little bitty deceptions like, I'm not doing enough. I'm failing my kids. I need to be more like someone el

Teaching manners isn’t about rules and rigidity—it’s about showing love, kindness, and respect to the people around us. In this conversation with Monica Irvine from The Etiquette Factory, we unpack simple and practical strategies for teaching manners in a way that sticks. You’ll discover why manners are more than table rules and how they shape your children’s character for life. If you’ve ever wondered how to teach manners without constant correction, this episode is full of practical stories, heart-tugging lessons, and family habits that make character training simple. Monica shares easy-to-implement tips to help kids feel valued, develop respect for others, and build lifelong relationship skills. What you’ll learn in this episode: ✅Why teaching manners is really about loving others ✅The key mistake parents make with etiquette ✅How to create “soft heart” moments for better learning ✅Practical lessons your family can start using week ✅How manners build humility, confidence, and strong relationships Monica Irvine is the President of The Etiquette Factory and co-Founder of Fundamentals4Kids. As a renowned national speaker and published author of over 20 books, Mrs Irvine delights in her passion for helping children and adults reach their full potential. Mrs Irvine is a retired homeschool mom who now enjoys the fruits of her labors watching her children raise her most loved grandchildren. Follow Monica Irvine and The Etiquette Factory on Facebook Recommended Resources: Character Training Tool Kit Character Development Without the Drama Character Building in 3 Steps Show Notes: What It Really Means to Have Manners Kerry: Well, let's talk about etiquette and manners. Could you tell our listeners just a little bit, maybe why is this so important? Especially in today's culture? And how does this go beyond just saying, please and thank you. I mean, please, and thank you are important, but that's just a little small part of it. So tell us why and what, how it goes beyond that. Monica: I know sometimes over the years I've told my husband I should have named the company something besides the etiquette factory, because I'll be at a convention and I can always see people's reaction. They look up and they read the sign, and I can read their brain often where they're going. Oh, that's great and all. But we've got more important things to worry about than what fork to eat your salad with and to me I know why it's so much more than that. Let me first give you the definition that we use for etiquette at the etiquette factory, and that is etiquette which manners and etiquette, chivalry all mean the same thing. Etiquette is helping those around us to feel valued, and comfortable. George Washington's Rules Changed Everything Monica: Years ago I was homeschooling our kids, and we were studying the life of President George Washington. And what a fascinating life that man had! And as we were doing that I stumbled upon George Washington's rules of civility and decent behavior. Many of you have read a couple of those, if not just Google that. And you will see this list of 110 chivalry skills that, according to President Washington's journal, he put to memory at the age of 13 he actually copied these 110 chivalry rules out of a French book. As I started reading these rules, I just, I can just tell you the spirit penetrated my heart, and being the mom of 3 boys. I was like, Wow, you know, my boys, could benefit from knowing some of these? Of course, manners was always important to me. and so I said, You know, let's start trying to memorize one of these a week and kind of having a manners thing each week. We started memorizing these chivalry skills, and something happened. I started noticing a change in behavior. and it fascinated me because I was like, what's what's changed. I mean, I've always told my boys to have good manners. I've always taught them. The Problem with Teaching "In the Moment" Monica: I think a light bulb moment happened when it dawned on me that usually 98% of the time when I was trying to teach my children manners was in the moment of correcting, like my one of my kids would say or do something that wasn't the most polite, and I would be oh, honey, no, baby, you can't say that, that's not polite. And then I would go on to tell them why. When all of a sudden I shifted to start having a daily manners lesson during the school day, when my heart was softer. My children's hearts were softer because they weren't being fussed at. and we just had a discussion about well, how do we use our napkin correctly? Or how do you make an apology sound sincere. All of a sudden my boys would be like, Mom, let's do another one. What's the next one? Let's go ahead and talk about the next one. and it literally is what changed everything. Why Manners Really Matter Monica: Most people think of manners when they think of table manners right and usually family sit around the table, and for parents that manners are important to them. Their table sounds like this. Could you, too, with your mouth closed, honey, sit still in your chair, stop stop making that noise. Get your elbow off the table, and it's just this constant correcting. But when I teach kids the definition of manners and I use an example like this, I'm like, okay. So if I came over and had dinner with you all your family tonight. and I sat down and I started eating like a pig. I mean, y'all, I'm chewing with my mouth open. I am making some weird noise with my tongue, or I eat so fast that I'm finished getting up and leaving the table. When you're on your 3rd bite any of those behaviors, I would be sending your family a message, and that message would be, look, I'm here for one person, one person only, and that's myself. You see, the lack of manners is called selfishness. Manners is just trying to get me and you and all of us to look outward to pay attention to how our behavior or lack thereof, is causing other people around us to feel. Teaching Children to Feel Others' Emotions Kerry: I love the idea of being valued and being comfortable around someone. So I know this includes things like kindness and respect. Can you give us some ideas on how moms could either do that? Or my other thought was, how do they go from just learning the rules to actually internalizing some of that. Monica: For me, and the way we go about teaching children is we try to actually tug on their heartstring a little bit what I mean by that is, usually it's when it's when our emotions are hit that we change our behavior. So, for instance, let's say that our child has a habit of leaving their dirty clothes and wet towel on the bathroom floor, and most of us would handle it this way. Get your towel off the floor. Come, get your clothes. and usually it's in frustration right? Well, all of a sudden, when you sit down with your kids and say, let's let's talk about, for instance, the way we leave the bathroom for the next person that uses it. If if I go into the restroom and I make a mess. However that happens, whether it's my dirty clothes, my wet towel, I leave the sink full of spit and toothpaste, or I don't have the commode, you know, nice and tidy. Do you want? Do you want to come in after me? The Power of Standing to Show Honor Monica: So let me give you. I'll give you all a lesson. One of our lessons. So one of our lessons is the stand up lesson. So if if we were at an event and someone brought in the American flag, what would we all do? You know we stand up, and why do we stand up? Well, we we stand up because of the honor and respect that we have for what that flag represents. The same thing happens in our home. So the etiquette skill is that today, still, in the 21st century, it is polite for children to stand for adults and for gentlemen to stand for ladies. I use the word honor a lot because I want to raise and wanted to raise honorable children. What does it mean to be honorable? Well to be honorable. You have to do some honorable things and honorable things. Always 100% of the time require some level of sacrifice. That's what makes them honorable when you give of yourself in order to bless help someone else. So how would this look in our home? Our families still eat at the table at least 3 or 4 times a week. But so Mom or Dad might say, Hey, family, it's time for dinner. and so our family would come to the table, and all of us would stand behind our chair until the person we're honoring sits down. Typically, I would suggest that that person first be mom. So Mom is the first person that sits down or the cook. We're Creating Entitled Children Monica: The last time you and your family had a big gathering, maybe 4th of July, who were actually the first people that had their plates prepared. 98% of you are, gonna say, the kids. because see? At some point our society decided that was easier. Oh, yeah. So we got to get the kids, get their plates, get their drink, make sure they have everything they need. And we think if we get the kids situated, then us adults can go over here and eat peacefully, because we're not being bothered by the needs of our children. And then we're the same adults that want to walk around this earth complaining about the entitled generation. And I'm like parents. So you're gonna let your children have their plates fixed before their grandmother. Are you crazy? We've got to stop it because I believe that this behavior is hurting our children. Simple Ways to Practice Valuing Others Monica: When I'm teaching children and families how to help their children to greet people and introduce themselves. It's not just that we're supposed to introduce ourselves. It's just that greeting people is another way to help people to feel valued. For instance, the last time you and the children went through the Walmart checkout line. What were what were our children doing? Were they obsessing over the candy, mom, can I have this? Can I have this. Were we on our phone scrol

What if your homeschool didn’t feel like a checklist, but a life-giving journey? In this Best of Homeschool Super Heroes Workshop episode, Julie Ross shares the tools of a Charlotte Mason education and how they can bring peace, beauty, and connection to your home. You’ll learn how to apply these tools—atmosphere, discipline, and life—in a way that nourishes both your children and yourself. This gentle philosophy isn’t about replicating school at home; it’s about building something far more meaningful. Here’s what you’ll take away: ✅ What it really means to create a homeschool “atmosphere” ✅ How habits form the foundation of discipline (without nagging) ✅ Why ideas are the most powerful food for the mind ✅ How to foster solitude, attention, and curiosity ✅ The secret to cultivating beauty and truth in your home This week only, you can grab my Charlotte Mason Tool Kit for 50% off as a way to put these ideas into practice without overwhelm. Mentioned Resources: Charlotte Mason Tool Kit - SAVE 50% with code: CM50 Show Notes: Welcome to the Three Tools of a Life-Giving EducationHey, hello everyone. Welcome to the three tools of a life-giving education. I'm so excited to talk to you today about these amazing tools that we have for free. Charlotte Mason said, "Education is an atmosphere and a discipline and a life more important than the curriculum you're using." That's just one of the tools. Any resource you use can be shaped and guided according to these three tools to give your children a life-giving education. Before we dive into today's talk, I just want to introduce myself. I'm Julie Ross. I'm the creator of the Charlotte Mason curriculum, A Gentle Feast. I'm a homeschool veteran of over 20 years. I have five kiddos—one has graduated recently from college and then the other will be a senior in college in neuroscience next year. And then I have three teenagers that I'm still homeschooling. So I've been homeschooling for a while. Before that, I was a public school educator and I helped start a private Christian school. So I've been in the educational space for about 30 years now. And I'm also a certified Christian life coach. So I'm going to bring in all my experience as a teacher, as a homeschool mom, as a coach, and bring that all in and hopefully give you a really practical look at how these three tools of a Charlotte Mason education can help transform your homeschool. Tool #1: Education Is an AtmosphereSo let's start off with the first one. Education is an atmosphere. What in the world does that even mean? That seems so bizarre. Atmosphere, what does it have to do? How is that a tool to help guide our education? I would say this is in fact one of the most, if not the most important tool. Charlotte Mason said, "Therefore, we are limited to three educational instruments: the atmosphere of environment, the discipline of habit, and the presentation of living ideas." Going back again to the motto, education is an atmosphere, discipline, and a life. So, what are we talking about when we're talking about the atmosphere of your home or the home environment? This is from a Parents' Review article. That's the magazine that Charlotte Mason edited. And this author wrote, "There are many important aspects of home life, from first training to highest education, but there is nothing in the way of direct teaching that will ever have so wide and lasting an effect as the atmosphere of home." And the gravest thought concerning this is that in this instant, there's nothing to learn and nothing to teach. The atmosphere emanates from ourselves as the parents. It literally is ourselves. Our children live in it and breathe it and what we are is thus incorporated into them. There is no pretense here or possibility of evasion. We may deceive ourselves in the long run. We never deceive our children. The spirit of home lives in what is more—home atmosphere is accentuated in them. Atmosphere is much more than teaching and infinitely more than talk. And when I first read this quote, I was unbelievably convicted. Because the atmosphere of my home at the time was not what I wanted. It was not what I wanted my homeschool to be like. I felt like I was a drill sergeant constantly giving out orders, constantly wondering like why is this not done? This was supposed to be done minutes ago. Everybody get in the car. We got to go to this and we were just hurry hurry hurry stress stress stress stress. And I was like, this isn't why I homeschooled. This isn't the atmosphere I want to create. Because Charlotte Mason is saying here, this atmosphere that you might not even realize is what is going on in your home is going to have such a lasting effect on your children. What Atmosphere Do You Want to Create?I wanted my children to feel like school and learning was just part of life and it was this beautiful atmosphere. I wanted us to have deep connections. I wanted my kids to be curious. I wanted them to have time to be creative. And I realized that by me being stressed out all the time, I was actually hurting my children and creating an atmosphere of our home that was not conducive to learning. And so if this quote really convicts you as well, I have some hope. So basically what she's saying is that education is an atmosphere. Our children are breathing it. We can't see it, right? And that these become the ideas which rule their lives. They're getting this from us. So, we are the thermostats of our homes. We're setting the temperature. We are either making it really hot, really stressful, really high pressure environment, or we can make the atmosphere of our home peaceful, joyous. Isn't that what we all want, right? So, what words would you use to describe the current atmosphere of your home? This might be something you've never even thought of before. Because before I read Charlotte Mason's teaching, I never—all I was thinking about was like our to-do list and am I choosing the right curriculum and what does our schedule look like and never considered how I was showing up and how that was affecting the temperature of our home. What word would you describe the atmosphere of your home? Common Homeschool Thoughts That Create StressAnd I want you to think about if you've ever had these thoughts in your homeschool: We are so far behind. My child is so difficult. It shouldn't be this hard. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm going to mess up my child. We are constantly butting heads about school. My child is not working up to their potential. I'm overwhelmed. Have you ever had any of these thoughts? I'm guessing most of us who are listening to this have. I know I have had all of those. That's why I wrote them down. If we want to change the atmosphere of our home, we have to be willing to get really honest with ourselves, be willing to pause and to ask ourselves, what am I thinking about my homeschool on a regular basis? How Your Thoughts Create Your AtmosphereWhen I read these words to you, how does that make you feel? For me, I feel like I have a weight like right here. Like I can't breathe. I feel all shame, guilt. You might feel afraid, discouraged, disappointed. And when we have these feelings, which are coming from what we're continually telling ourselves, our continual thoughts and stories, and we have these feelings, it affects the way that we show up. And we're not showing up as our most calm, peaceful, loving selves. And that's creating an atmosphere that we don't want. So in order to create the atmosphere that we do want, we have to look at taking our thoughts captive and by telling ourselves a different story. Charlotte Mason put it this way: "Let not the nervous, anxious, worried mother think this easy, happy relation with her children is for her. She may be the best mother in the world, but the thing that her children will get from her in these moods is a touch of her nervousness, most catching of complaints. She will find them fractious, rebellious, unmanageable, and will be slow to realize that it is her fault. Not the fault of her act, but of her state." So, not the fault of the actions, even though those do have such a great effect, but it's coming from your state, your thoughts. What are you feeling on a regular basis? And are your children catching that? I used to think my children complain all the time. And then I realized, oh, I'm the one complaining all the time. Why is it taking you so long to do that? That should have been finished already. I can't believe you don't understand that. Why do I always have to come back up after you and clean up? And then I wondered why they had bad attitudes. Right? I had to turn the mirror around and look at myself and say, "What am I producing in this atmosphere? How am I showing up?" Changing Your Thoughts to Change Your AtmosphereAnd like I said, we can focus on our actions and be like, I just need to respond in anger less. I just need to respond with a more gentle voice. Yes, that's all true. But we can't just will ourselves to change our action without changing our state, without changing the thoughts that we're thinking on a regular basis. So change your thoughts and change the atmosphere of your home. It sounds easier, really. It sounds a lot easier than it actually is. But when you get into the practice of it, most of us don't even know what we're thinking ever. We just live our lives on autopilot. So, we're just always in reaction mode. So, taking the time to pause and say, "What do I actually think on a regular basis? What am I telling myself about myself as a homeschool mom or about our homeschool, about my kids, and how is that affecting my mood and then my actions?" So, how do we change our thoughts? So, first of all, be mindful throughout the day. Start to take notice, which means you actually have to have margin in your day to pause. Think on purpose. Tell yourself what you're going to think instead. And I'll give you some hints for that in a sec

Celebrate Epiphany with your family through hands-on activities that bring the story of the Wise Men to life. In this episode, we’ll explore creative crafts, thought-provoking questions, and global traditions to help your children understand the meaning of this special day. Learn how to incorporate the gifts of the Wise Men and act out the Nativity story together. Make Epiphany unforgettable with these fun and meaningful activities: ✅ Questions to ponder during the 12 days of Christmas until Epiphany ✅ 8 activities for families to celebrate Epiphany ✅ Feast of Epiphany ideas ✅ Create crafts like crown and star ornaments, stained glass windows, and glittery gifts ✅ Explore the symbolism of frankincense, myrrh, and gold with sensory activities ✅ Act out the Nativity story and discuss its significance with thought-provoking questions ✅ Discover global Epiphany traditions and bring them into your own celebration Use coupon code to save 40% on Christmas Celebrations & Star of Bethlehem. Expires Friday, Dec 19. Mentioned Links: Christmas Celebrations Ebook - SAVE 40% with code: DEC19 Star of Bethlehem Family Bible Study Ebook - SAVE 40% with code: DEC19 Posts to Help with Epiphany: Epiphany Traditions from our Family Italian Feast of Epiphany Show Notes: What Is Epiphany and Why It MattersHey everyone, Kerry back here with Homeschool Coffee Break where we help you stop that overwhelm so you can actually have a coffee break. I actually have coffee with me today! Today what we are going to be talking about is how you can celebrate Epiphany and some of y'all are going, I don't even know what you're talking about. What in the world is Epiphany? We're gonna talk about Epiphany, but what I want to do is give you some hands-on activities. I think I have eight or nine activities that you can use. Because really, when this is published, we are smack dab in the middle of Christmas and New Year's. But there is something much more important than New Year's and that is the Feast of Epiphany on January 6th. That is almost a week away from when this is going to be published. Let's talk about what Epiphany is, how it can affect your family, how you can raise your kids to understand it. Because let me tell you, I had no idea till my kids were almost in high school what Epiphany was, what that feast was, what that holiday was. Understanding the 12 Days of ChristmasEpiphany is 12 days after Christmas. Ah, 12 Days of Christmas! It is not 12 days before Christmas—they are after Christmas. The Catholic church has a great handle on this and I am a Protestant and raise my kids in a Protestant church. And we don't, and I would like to help make a change with that because we need to give our kids the best Christian heritage. They need to know their church history. They need to know their Christian heritage. And if we are only letting certain denominations do that, then we are doing a disservice to our children. One of the things I have been thinking about just this past week, because I went to visit my middle daughter and her two grandkids, was what could I send to both the grandkid families to celebrate Epiphany. In the past, I've actually made 12 paper bags, like little brown paper bags, nothing big, to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas. Because if you don't know this, the 12 Days of Christmas have symbolism. You see, when it was written, people could not talk in public about Christ. So they wrote this song and they could sing the song because of the symbolism. Partridge in a pear tree—that's Jesus in the manger. The three French hens—that is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All 12 of them have significance. If you don't know what that is, then go and look. We've got a whole ebook about that and it'll be in the show notes. Celebrating the Wise Men's JourneyBut that is something I think is really important. What we want to focus on today is that 12th day, the day of Epiphany, the day we celebrate that the Wise Men followed the star and found Jesus. That was not in the manger. It was probably maybe a year or two later. And so we are going to celebrate that on January 6th. What are some things that you could do to celebrate that? Activity #1: Read and Study Matthew 2First of all, you could read Matthew 2:1-12. There are nine clues about what is that star. If you need help, you can get our Star of Bethlehem study guide—it is in the show notes as well. You could have your children copy all 12 verses. If they're young, one verse a day for 12 days. You could have them retell the story in their own words, narrate it back, or rewrite it in their own words. All of that based in Matthew 2:1-12. Activity #2: Crown and Star CraftsAnother thing is you could do some crafts. You can make a crown craft. Let me tell you, my grandkids love all of that! You could cut out a crown and let them decorate it with jewels and stickers and whatever, put it on their head. And they can be, if you have three of them, they can be the three wise men. Even one of them—we don't know that there were just three, there were just three gifts, so we assume there were three wise men. Another thing you could do is make a star ornament. And I will put a link in the show notes to some different star ornament things. It could be a black construction paper star and then put tissue paper inside of it with, what do you call that stuff, just a clear paper, and it will turn into a star stained glass. You can make a star out of foam and decorate it with glitter and jewels, whatever you want to do. There are lots of ways that you can make a star craft. Activity #3: Explore the Wise Men's GiftsNow let's move on. We've got: read the Bible first of all, number two: crafts. How about the Wise Men gifts? One of those gifts is frankincense. This is a bottle of frankincense oil. You could have your kids open it up, let them smell this. This is a healing oil, believe it. You may not believe in all the essential oils—this is a healing oil. Myrrh—I didn't grab my myrrh, I have a myrrh oil—but let them smell that. Talk about the difference in the smells. What is it used for? Do some research on how do you use frankincense, how do you use myrrh. Then the last gift is gold. Maybe do some research on the value of gold. How much does gold cost per ounce? What is the value of maybe a gold nugget? And start to bring it to real life today. Activity #4: Act Out the StorySo we've got: read the Bible, crafts, we've got the three wise men gifts. You could have them act out the story. Maybe the adults read Matthew 2 and the kids act it out. Or maybe they get their own figurines. All my kids have all the Fisher Price people and we've got stuffed ones out there, we got plastic ones, we got all sorts of figurines for our nativity sets. Let them use that and let them retell the story, act it out. Activity #5: Thought-Provoking QuestionsAnother thing might be just some thought-provoking questions. Here are three thought-provoking questions you could use: What do you think it was like to travel so far to see Jesus? You couldn't get in a plane, you couldn't get in a car or a train. You had to go by camel. What was that like? And let them talk about that. Why do you think the wise men brought gifts? How can we worship Jesus today? Those are just three quick questions. I'm sure there are plenty more, but those are some ones that you could use as you talk about this day of Epiphany. Activity #6: Explore Traditions Around the WorldMaybe look at what the traditions are around the world. In France, they have a king's cake and there's a ring inside that cake. Have a king's cake bake-off! Maybe let your kids all make cupcake king's cupcakes and have a bake-off and have a little judge who chooses first, second, third place. In Spain, they have parades. Do some research and see what are the other traditions for Epiphany around the world. Activity #7: Make Crown Cookies or SnacksAnother one of my favorite things, because it is food as we're talking about food, is to make some sugar cookies and cut them in the shape of a crown. I just bought this on Amazon years ago when I was having to do a lot of vacation Bible schools in the summertime and so I bought this. Another thing you could do besides, you could do it in sugar cookies and then use sprinkles to decorate it. I actually this past fall, we cut cheese in the shape of a crown and used grapes to decorate it. We cut the grapes up, or blueberries, I don't know what it was, some kind of fruit. That was the healthy version of a crown snack. Activity #8: Chalk the Door House BlessingAnother thing I just learned today is to have a house blessing. It is called Chalk the Door. Let's say there is a door here. You would write: 20+C+M+B+25. The 20 and the 25 are for 2025, that's the year we're in right now. What is CMB? Christus mansionem benedicat. That means "May Christ bless this dwelling." You could actually take chalk and put that above your front door. That is something they've been doing for years. And that would be something—maybe even look at what these words mean in Latin: Christus, mansionem, benedicat. And look those up and find out how it all relates to "May Christ bless this dwelling." Activity #9: The Feast of Epiphany with OrangesAnd then the last one, one of my favorites—I don't really have anything here to help you—but the Feast of Epiphany: use those little oranges, what are those little, uh, clementines, whatever, the little ones. My kids get them in their stocking all the time. Oranges represent light. Who is the light of the world? Jesus! And I have a whole blog post—I'm not going to go into it, you can go look at it—how you can create a Feast of Epiphany with a main dish, with an appetizer, with a fun dessert, yummy yummy, and then with the oranges as well. Because the oranges, open them up, they represent light. Start Simple and Build Your TraditionsSo those are just a few ways that you can celebrat

Dreading math time every day? Feeling unqualified to teach it or overwhelmed by the daily battles? In this conversation with Nadim from CTC Math, we're exploring how to shift from being the teacher to being the coach—and why that makes all the difference for busy homeschool families. Nadim shares honest insights about building math independence, the truth about screen time and dopamine, and why short explanations with lots of practice work better than long lectures that confuse kids. In this episode: ✅Why 5-minute explanations with 25 minutes of practice beat 30-minute lectures every time ✅The truth about screen time, dopamine, and what's really damaging our kids ✅How adaptive questions meet your child at their level and bring them up (instead of widening the gap) ✅The freedom of K-12 access, anywhere/anytime learning, and a 12-month money-back guarantee ✅How CTC Math helps overwhelmed or unqualified moms outsource the teaching while staying the encourager Ready to end the daily math battles? Try CTC Math with their free trial at CTCMath.com—no credit card required, and full memberships come with a 12-month money-back guarantee! Recommended Resource: Free trial at CTCMath.com Nadim El-Rahi serves as the COO and CMO of CTCMath, where he leads product development, marketing, and family engagement for one of the world’s most trusted online maths programs. With a background in mathematics, economics, and education, he works closely with homeschool parents to understand their day-to-day challenges and build tools that genuinely make learning easier. Nadim is passionate about helping kids develop confidence, mastery, and a love of learning through clear instruction and self-paced progression. Representing a program used by tens of thousands of families, he brings both practical experience and a heartfelt commitment to supporting parents in their mission to help their kids thrive academically and personally. Follow Nadim and CTCMath on their social media accounts: Facebook IG TikTok YouTube Show Notes: Welcome to Homeschool Coffee BreakHey everyone, Kerry Beck here with Homeschool Coffee Break, where we help you stop the overwhelm so you can take a coffee break. I actually have coffee. Nadim's my guest today. He has coffee, too. We are ready. Y'all don't know this—Nadim represents CTC Math, so it is 3 o'clock my time in the afternoon. He's over in New Zealand, so he's definitely getting his cup of coffee. I guess I'm getting my afternoon coffee, because it's morning time over there when we are recording this. I appreciate you just getting up and being available for us today. We're going to talk about math, because I know that's a struggle for a lot of moms. They're not sure what to do, because if they're not a math person, they're just like, oh, here comes my math time. Meet Nadim from CTC MathBefore we do, Nadim, could you just tell people a little bit about yourself with maybe CTC math? Nadim: I appreciate that, Kerry. Well, I'm Nadim. I've been working at CTC Math for over 13 years now. I'm the COO here, with a special interest in mathematics and education, especially childhood all-rounded education, I would say. CTC Math is an online math curriculum from K-12 with short, concise, to-the-point video tutorials. When Math Time Feels OverwhelmingLet's just begin our time. We're going to get straight to it with math and some of the struggles that moms have, because some of them are overwhelmed, but some people just feel unqualified to even teach math. We either have the overwhelmed mom, we have the unqualified mom. What would you say to a mom who just dreads the part of her day that has to do with math? Nadim: Great question, Kerry, and I would say that you're not alone. Math anxiety is common, even among parents who loved math at school. I think we can shift the thinking, especially in today's day and age. There's a lot of outsourcing that can occur, and we can outsource those subjects that we don't particularly feel comfortable teaching, or want to teach, and then our goal as homeschoolers isn't to be the teacher as such, but to be the coach or encourager. I think kids build independence through this process, and parents can really focus on guiding, rather than planning every step or teaching every concept. That's such an important thing for each of us to decide. What are we going, as moms or dads, what are we going to actually teach, and then what can we use as resources? I'll be really honest. I loved math in high school. I was a math minor in college, and then we moved forward 20 or whatever years to homeschooling my kids in math. When we got to high school math, I was like, I don't really like math as much as I used to. I loved teaching the elementary, I taught that and everything, but sometimes I got to the point—now, this was 20 years ago—I had to find things that would work with my kids and with me. Building Habits and Routines for ConsistencyI also had to build in habits and routines so that it would become consistent. From your experience, can you give us any habits or routines that might help kids stay consistent in their math without stressing through the whole homeschool time? Nadim: Yeah, for sure. I'm a big fan of being consistent and implementing routines, but I will say each child is unique, and it's important to implement what's important for your child, knowing your child and their needs. But I would generally say that it's better off having a little bit of math every day, rather than a whole day worth of math. You might integrate a short regular session, say 15 to 20 minutes long, more frequently, perhaps 4 or 5 days a week, rather than longer sessions on 1 or 2 days a week. It is important to have that consistency, that time, and that time may alter on different days of the week, but you know in advance, or your children know in advance, they will be doing math at 10:30 on Wednesday, for instance. I would also say that with consistency, there has to be structure. I heard a lot of people talk about rewards. I don't know if I'm a big fan of rewards. I don't know if rewarding your children for doing something that they should be doing is sending the right message. But what I would say is that you can flip it. If there's something that they want to do, or something that they're requesting, or something that they're asking for, make sure that they do their math, or whatever chore, or whatever they're putting off, to unlock that thing that they wish to do next. That just teaches them a bit of order in life. Again, each child's unique, your family situations are—you know your children best. I think you're becoming my new best friend, because I love that, because I'm not like, yes, I think kids need to do things because they're expected, and that's just part of life and learning some self-discipline as well. Yet, you can build it into, you gotta finish all this, and then you go outside and play, or whatever the thing happens to be. Supporting Busy ParentsI know moms get busy a lot of times, but yet they really want to support their kids in math, but they're busy with other subjects, or let's just face it, cooking 3 meals a day and trying to balance it. How do you encourage parents to support their kids in math in that situation? Nadim: I think there's a few things here. I think we need to encourage independence. And how do we do that? Well, we need a structure or a framework for that. We need a system for them to use and adapt that will promote that. If the current system is not creating that environment, you may need to look at alternatives. I'm going to talk a little bit about CTC Math here, because it really does lend in with the busy parents. If you've got video tutorials that explain each and every concept, if you've got automated reporting and questions and grading, if you can set tasks in advance, then receive the reports to ensure the accountability is there, then checking math doesn't become a 30, 60-minute exercise. It becomes a 5-minute exercise. You're just there to add the polish, to add the encouragement. Perhaps if there's a certain concept that they're struggling with, show them how to unlock or view additional material. It's really about that structure. If you've got the structure in place, it allows for independent learning. Now, at the same time, if they go quiet for weeks, you need to check in, because sometimes they've gone, well, if I don't bother mom or dad about this, they're not going to bother me about this. They're very clever. Our kids are super clever. We also need to have those frequent check-ins when they're not checking in with us. Building Independence and Critical ThinkingI love that independence work. You may not know this about me, but I teach moms about leadership education and learning independence and critical thinking skills, and that they eventually—I mean, okay, a 5-year-old may need a lot more help than a 15-year-old, but by the time they're in high school, they should be working independently, and they should even be helping plan their week, I believe, so that they can actually be able to launch into adulthood and know how to live a life. I love that independence, and I did not know about CTC Math back in 2004, 5, 6, when my kids were teenagers. So I did go find something that helped them, and that would do those short little lessons, because that's what would help be consistent in there as well. You want moms to be intentional, but they don't want to—this is the other thing with leadership education, you don't want to just be checking off a bunch of boxes and moving forward, because you need to think about the full realm, and are you really raising your child educationally and intentionally? How would that translate for homeschool moms or families so they're not just checking off the boxes? Every Moment is TeachableNadim: I think if you're going with the mindset that everything is a teachable moment, that really resets your thi

Ever wondered what is Advent beyond just lighting candles or opening little doors on a calendar? Advent is about arrival and anticipation—a sacred season that prepares our hearts to celebrate Christ's first coming while also anticipating His second coming. In this episode, we're exploring the rich history of Advent from the 5th-6th centuries and practical ways to make space for Christ in your family this season. Let’s face it …the real crisis isn't a busy December—it's a Christ-less Christmas. In this episode: ✅What is Advent and how you can celebrate as a family ✅Why the first 2 weeks focus on reflection while the last 2 focus on celebration ✅How to prepare room in your heart, schedule, and family for Jesus (not just more activities) ✅Why hope in Jesus is confident expectation, not just wishful thinking ✅Practical ways to anticipate Christ's coming like you'd prepare for honored house guests ✅Beautiful traditions using Advent candles, scripture readings, and family devotions Ready to make Advent meaningful? Use the Advent resources below to help your family prepare room for Jesus! Recommended Resources Christmas Celebrations Bundle (SAVE $10 with code: DEC10 ) Advent Tool Kit (SAVE $10 with code: DEC10 ) Star of Bethtlehem ebook Christmas Celebrations ebook Christmas Around the World ebook Jotham’s Journey O Come, O Come Emmanuel Show Notes: What Is Advent?Advent means arrival and anticipation. We're going to talk more about this in Tuesday's class, but I want to give you some background. Back in the 5th-6th centuries, the church celebrated Advent in a specific way. The first two weeks of Advent, the church would reflect on the Second Coming. Disciples would chasten their hearts, confess sins, and spend time hoping for the quick coming of the Lord. It was a time of reflection and fasting. The last two weeks of Advent would then transition to focus on the first coming—Christ in the manger. This was a time of feasting. Advent and Christmas are never held as a full re-enactment of the life of Christ but point to our place between the Resurrection and Second Coming. How Do You Walk Through Advent?I'm going to share ideas over the four weeks of Advent, but today I want to talk about making space for Christ. There's a book called "Make Space for Christ" by Susan Narjala, and the concept comes from that line in the Christmas carol: "Let every heart prepare Him room." But how do we actually do that? The Crisis of a Christ-Less ChristmasWe face a crisis of a Christ-less Christmas. We forget the guest of honor—Jesus. We get so wrapped up in gifts, we forget to unwrap the greatest gift of all. The antithesis of fearing God isn't offending Him or denying Him or omitting Him. It's forgetting God. Luke 3:4-6 talks about preparing the way of the Lord. Anticipation Is KeyThink about how you prepare for house guests. It takes time, right? So does preparing for or anticipating the feast of Christmas. You clean the house, you clean the bedrooms. You make sure your guests will be comfortable. You get rid of unnecessary items in the guest room. You declutter. In the same way, we need to confess sin and make room in our hearts. Psalm 27 says, "One thing I seek, to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to meditate..." Sometimes you need to rearrange the room if necessary—get rid of toys, add water bottles, clean towels. Rethink, rearrange, and refocus so Christ has room in your family. We're anticipating the second coming of Christ as well. Growing up, we would read the Christmas story on Christmas Eve. Now I do Advent candles each week along with Advent Bible reading or Jotham's Journey. When you greet and treat guests with love, it's not because you have to. You get to. You want to. Is There Room for Jesus?Is there room in your heart for Jesus? Is there room in your schedule for Jesus? Is there room in your family for Jesus? We need to re-prioritize. We need to respond in AWE to God's amazing love. Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek first the kingdom of God." Hope: The First Candle in AdventIn America, we use the word "hope" to mean "wish." But in Jesus, hope means expecting Him—confident expectation. It's not just a wish that God is here or that Jesus saves. It's confident expectation. Think about the line from O Holy Night that you could use for copywork, dictation, or a short discussion about "thrill of hope": O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining It is the night of the dear Savior's birth! Long lay the world in sin and error pining Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn! We're still waiting for His coming again—the second coming. We're still weary from the world, from personal issues. Isaiah 40:31 talks about waiting on the Lord. Think about O Come Emmanuel—Israel hoped and waited 400 years. You can find more about this at howtohomeschoolmychild.com/o-come-o-come-emmanuel. Waiting on GodWe wait on God. I have a family devotion story about this. I'm still waiting on God to move in Steve's life. Kid-Friendly IdeasYou can make this kid-friendly using fabric or plastic figures. At Faith Passages, we actually acted it out with the kids. Ready to make Advent meaningful in your home? Download the free Advent resources and O Come Emmanuel study at HowToHomeschoolMyChild.com/o-come-o-come-emmanuel to help your family prepare room for Jesus. Learn practical ways to celebrate hope, peace, joy, and love while pointing your children to both Christ's first coming and His return!

Feeling overwhelmed by the busy holiday season and not sure how to make Advent meaningful for your family? In this conversation with Jamie Suel (artist, former missionary, and mom of five grown kids), we're exploring advent family ideas that create space to encounter God instead of just adding more activities to your already-full schedule. Jamie shares honest wisdom about slowing down, renewing your mind when life feels chaotic, and using beautiful visual reminders to help your kids focus on hope, peace, joy, and love throughout December. In this episode: ✅Advent family ideas for creating physical and mental space to prepare your heart for Jesus ✅Why traditions aren't just activities—they're cornerstones that help kids remember what matters ✅How to interrupt negative thought patterns and renew your mind with God's truth (Romans 12:2) ✅Beautiful Advent card traditions using hope, peace, joy, and love to teach kids to wait well ✅Why your kids don't need you to be perfect—they need to see an imperfect person walking with God Ready to make Advent meaningful this year?  Check out Jamie's beautiful Advent cards and devotionals at her Etsy shop or jamiesuel.com—perfect for creating visual reminders that bring your family back to Jesus all season long! Jamie and her husband of 31 years homeschooled their 5 children who are now all adults. She now has the joy of being Grandma to 3 precious little ones! "I spent the first part of my journey of motherhood stressed trying to do it perfectly. I am now seeking to live authentically with my children, and others, so they can know the deep love of the amazing God who created them for purpose in His world. I really want the people in my life to know that!" Follow Jamie on her socials: Instagram Facebook Pintrest Mentioned Resource: Prepare Him Room Advent Digital Prints Show Notes: Welcome and Friendship StoryHello, everyone! This is Kerry Beck with Homeschool Coffee Break, where we help you stop the overwhelm so you can take a coffee break. We are here with one of my very best friends, Jamie, and I don't say that lightly. I don't know how long we've known each other, 20 or 30 years. It's been a long time. We actually live in the same town, and y'all are in for a treat today. Seriously, Jamie and I—her kids are all adults now, but when her oldest was about 3, and her second one was about 1, she would come over for Bible study, and my kids were, like, 5 to 10, or somewhere in there, and they would play with her little kids, just so we could have some quiet time at the dining room table, and we could read God's Word, and we could pray together, and it's just been a blessing ever since. Meet Jamie SuelTell us a little bit about you and what you're doing right now. Jamie: Yeah, so we homeschooled throughout, there were different seasons when we did different versions of school. We served as missionaries in Kenya for a period of time, and so we homeschooled there, and just all different things with homeschooling. When we came back from serving overseas in Kenya, we began working with missionaries and doing security. My husband has a law enforcement background, and then I just had such a heart—I discovered on the field, actually, that my heart was to actually care and come alongside missionaries. In Kenya, I got to work with the homeschooling—so many people have to homeschool in Kenya, or when they're overseas—and so I got to work with them and helping them gather all their supplies, which is so fun. It's like getting to kind of spend other people's money. And create fun plans. I also just really love art, and that's kind of what I think prompted this time. Art is something that really ministers to me and helps me connect with the Lord. Also, bringing His truth into that is really important to me, so I feel like creating safe places where people can just slow down, get off the hamster wheel, and encounter the Lord, and create a joyful way forward. That's kind of my thing. That's really what I love. Five kids, they're all grown. Yeah, she's got grandkids. We're just sort of moving on in life. Before we talk about the art, I would like to spend a little bit of time talking about Advent, because I know you and I are on the same page, everyone's so busy. We're heading into—this is gonna publish right before Thanksgiving. We are in the busy season of the year. What Slowing Down for Advent Looks LikeWhat does slowing down for Advent look like to you, personally? Jamie: I love that. As I was thinking about coming on and talking with you about Advent today, I was trying to think, yes, today, it looks much different than it did when I had littles. But even when I had littles, there's something about the Advent season that is just really special. It is a time when the whole purpose of it is to focus us in on the Savior and His coming, to prepare for Him, and prepare our hearts for Him. For me now, currently, it looks like having special time—my reading changes, my focus kind of changes a little bit more on that, what were the prophecies? How did Jesus fulfill it? What does peace look like? This is where I was thinking about being a mom of littles. It's hard to slow down, especially in this season. So, I think, yes, there is a sense of slowing down. Like, I said no to a conference that I would really love to be at, but I know that if I go to that conference, that I will—I won't have any margin. I value that in this season, because I know it's gonna ramp up. Naturally, there's gonna be things going on, there's gifts and gatherings, and things like that. So, it's more about, like, okay, what can I calm, because I know this season is going to be more busy, what can I calm? I really try to be really intentional about November, December, whatever I can, slow down in my calendar. But then also, I think, just with being intentional with Advent, it's how do I slow down my mind? That not everything is the most urgent. Not everything is priority number one, but what is it that is the work for the day? Primarily, how do I engage my mind in keeping my eyes on Him? Really, we all want to make this season about Him. That's so good. I know you've used the phrase, creating spaces, which is sort of what you're talking about here. We need to slow down to spend time with God. Creating Space to Encounter GodWhat does creating space so you can encounter God, what does that look like maybe now, or what did that look like when your kids were at home and you were homeschooling? Jamie: Yes, immediately, I thought of a moment when all the kids were little, I think we didn't even have our fifth kid at the time, and I just remember that after the kids would go to bed, I would sit by the tree, by the light of the tree, and just be still. Even if it was just for 5 minutes, just really being still and looking at the tree, there's something just so beautiful about that. Another thing I really love to do is to—when we have a fireplace, I love having a fire going in the fireplace, and we live in Texas, so sometimes that's just too hot, but now you have apps on the TV. My kids laugh at me, but I really will, I'll keep that going throughout the day, because when I see it, it just kind of reminds me of, I can calm down. I think creating space is, yes, creating it physically. So, when my family was young, we would have book corners where there were Christmas books, or we'd have soft music playing in the background, soft Christmas music, we still do that. Read-alouds, oh my gosh. One of our favorite read-alouds, my kids still ask me to read it to them at Christmas time, is "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever." Oh my gosh! Jamie: Oh, it makes me cry every year at that book, and it just is such a reminder of why Christ came and how he loves everyone, and even those little Herdmans. Especially those little Herdmans. I think that's part of it, is like, okay, if I'm gonna create space for Him, I'm just being intentional, I'm being aware of what are the things in my home. How can I create little places? We were a one income family, my husband was a police officer, and you just kind of—how can I get creative with this space? How can I take what I have and make it a little more meaningful? I think the things that we came back to year after year were the read-alouds. The Christmas book corner was a big thing, and the traditions of when we put up our Christmas tree, we'd do hot cocoa. I know I'm talking more about traditions and things like that, but I think it is all connected, in that I'm creating space for these holiday traditions. So in the same way I do that, I do that with the Lord. I'm creating intentional time to think about Him, to prepare room in my heart and in my home to celebrate. That's so good, because that's what Advent is about. We think Advent is a whole bunch of activities, and then we have Christmas, and yet it's all about preparing our hearts, slowing down, even times of reflection and confession. I wasn't that great at teaching my kids that. I feel like I've learned a whole lot more once my kids have left, and yet we did do things, and traditions may sound like, oh, traditions, but they're sort of like cornerstones or something, where it's like, oh, yeah, it's time for this, and my kids have carried on some of those same traditions as well, which is sort of exciting to see. Best Christmas Pageant Ever, that's a great book. One that we read several times is Jotham's Journey. Jamie: Yeah, you gave me that one. I know, I'm sort of thinking that Ashley's kids would be ready. She asked me when they were, like, 5. I was like, that may be a little scary for them, I don't know. But Advent is more about us preparing our hearts for Jesus and the celebration of His coming. Renewing Your Mind When Life Feels HurriedThe other idea, I know you've mentioned in Romans 12, too, is transformed by the renewing of our mind. What practices help you renew your mind when life feels hurried and crazy, and w

Feeling the pressure to homeschool perfectly through Thanksgiving and Christmas while also hosting, baking, and keeping everyone cheerful? In this conversation with Kelly Warner from Hope in the Chaos, we're exploring how to make holiday homeschool simple, peaceful, and actually enjoyable—without the guilt of falling behind or missing out. Kelly shares honest stories from her decade of homeschooling (including the year she made her son do school through Christmas break!) and practical wisdom that will help you choose rest over stress this season. In this episode: ✅Real holiday homeschool options from keeping rigid schedules to taking December completely off ✅How to keep learning simple but meaningful through topic studies, service projects, and family traditions ✅Why rest needs to be as much a part of your homeschool as the busyness ✅The mindset shift that frees you from the pressure of being "behind" Practical ways to prioritize peace over perfection and connect with your kids during the chaos Ready to simplify your holiday season? Grab Kelly's free Ultimate Holiday Planner mentioned in this episode to organize everything from cookie baking to gift wrapping in one simple place! Resources Mentioned: Homeschooling Through The Holidays 2025 The Ultimate Holiday Planner 25 Family Christmas Traditions The Heart of Serving Others at Christmas Kelly Warner is a seasoned homeschooling mom from Maine, where she lives with her husband and their four children, two of whom are proud homeschool graduates. With years of experience navigating the ups and downs of home education, Kelly is passionate about helping families simplify their journey and find encouragement amidst the chaos of daily life. She shares practical tips, inspiration, and real-life homeschooling wisdom on her website, Hope In The Chaos, and across social media. Facebook Facebook Group Instagram Pinterest Show Notes: Finding Hope in Holiday Homeschool ChaosToday, y'all are in for a treat, because I know overwhelm starts a lot—well, all the time, but especially during the holidays. How do you go through the holidays? How do you try to homeschool through the holidays? My good friend Kelly Warner is here, and we're just going to sort of pick her brain for some ideas. Kelly: I am so excited to chat about homeschool overwhelm and how your listeners can homeschool through the holidays with some simplicity, and hopefully get to the end of December and not feel like they missed it. Y'all, I didn't really think about this, but the name of her company is Hope in the Chaos. Just think about that. She talks about finding hope in the chaos of life, the chaos of homeschooling, the chaos of kids. Meet Kelly WarnerKelly: My name is Kelly Warner. I'm a homeschooling mom from Maine. My husband and I have 4 children, 2 of which are homeschool graduates. When I say we've done it all, we've done it all. We did start in the public school system, so I can talk about withdrawing and transitioning. I'd love to just help you make your homeschooling simpler. There is hope in the chaos, and life is chaotic, parenting is chaotic, raising children, homeschooling, but we can find hope. I find my hope in Christ, of course. That is where my hope is found, that's where we put our hope in this household. Those people that follow me know that I'm a person of faith, Kelly and I have similar faith, and so you might hear some of that sprinkled in here and there. Whether you agree with this or not, there are still things that you can grab, take hold of, and put into practice. The Homeschooling Through the Holidays SeriesFor those of you that don't know, she is the host of Homeschooling Through the Holiday series. Tell us a little bit about what inspired you to start this, and then are there any common struggles that you see with families during the holiday season? Kelly: Homeschooling through the Holidays is a 4-week series. We're starting November 17th. We have 16 amazing bloggers who are joining us to give readers just some practical tips and tried-and-true advice that works in their home. Homeschooling through the holidays has one goal: We want to make holiday homeschooling simple. For some, we're gonna talk about exactly how to homeschool through the holidays. Maybe you want to stick to your current schedule, your child needs that routine, you need the system. For others, perhaps you're wanting to take a break, and you want to feel okay about that. We cover it all. This whole series was dreamt of—I was thinking about this earlier today—actually in my bathroom. I was getting ready, I was dealing with the hustle and the bustle and the stress of it all. I was a newer homeschool mom, and just thinking about how do I make this all work? How does my family make this all work? It just seemed like every year the holidays brought in more stress and more chaos. I said, my readers feel the same. I know they absolutely are dealing with what we are, there's nothing new under the sun. I talked to some of my mentors, I think I might have even bounced some ideas off of you, Kerry, in the first year of this series, because this was a huge undertaking. This was the first time I had ever put anything like this together. But I had a mission, and the mission was to help other moms who were already in that October time of the year, and feeling the pressure to homeschool well, to host the holidays well, and to do it all with cheer, and with joy, and to never let anyone know that it's hard, or that it's difficult. I've been really open with my audience about the struggles of homeschooling. Part of the reason I do that is because when we started, which was more than a decade ago, nobody wants to talk about it. Everybody talked about the happy parts of homeschooling, and those should be celebrated. We are in the season of gratitude, we are being grateful and having positive attitudes, and those are good things. But sometimes we also just need someone to come along and say, the season's rough. And that's okay. And just someone to be with you. That is kind of where homeschooling through the holidays began. I really had a heart for homeschool moms that are stuck on the struggle, the overwhelm, the complexities, and just feeling like they have to do it all. That is so good. You are so transparent, I know, and that's one reason I wanted to have you here. I remember when I would speak at conferences, and these people are going, oh, my kids just love homeschooling all the time, they just love this, that, and the other, and I'm like, well, mine didn't always love it. Let's be real. I think we are now in a place, especially the last several years, especially after all the COVID stuff, that people are more open to say there really are struggles. What Holiday Homeschool Can Look LikeLet's talk a little bit about realistic expectations. What would that realistically look like in your homeschool? Kelly: If you are someone—if your child or your home thrives on order, it is okay to keep your schedule. Perhaps you do have a more rigid plan where you start school at 9, and then maybe you're done at 1. Perhaps your holiday homeschooling is going to look like we're going to curve that back. Maybe we're going to leave school from 9 to noon, because some children and some families, they thrive on systems and routine. To come out of that routine is just going to cause too much chaos, and that's okay. For other families, and we've done this ourselves, sometimes we take the whole season off. I had one year where I told the kids, we're going to do topic studies for December, not going to assign you any math, any history, any reading. My kids studied geography, they studied history, they studied mechanics, all through topics. One was studying hunting, so he learned about guides and hunting and different rules, and it led to animal studies as well. I had one that wanted to study the radio. So he learned about the history of the radio and radio programs, which does naturally lead into podcasting, because that's a very similar medium. I can tell you, we've done the rigid holiday homeschool, where I didn't leave any margin. One of our very first years, we had a program that had 180 days of learning. I was a new homeschool mom, I am very orderly, very by the book. I like structure. I had divided up all of our resources, I had scheduled all of our breaks, and kids get sick, and I didn't leave any wiggle room for sick days. So my poor son, while the rest of us were on Christmas break, was still learning because he had had some sick days. I made him sit there and do the work because that's what I thought homeschooling was. I was sucking the joy right out of it. When I say I've made every mistake in the book, I'm not exaggerating. It's an embarrassing story, it's a horrible story. I still feel bad for my son. He's an adult, he has moved on, he is functioning well in his adult years. But I started homeschooling him in middle elementary school, and I thought we had to be by the book. I thought the holiday breaks started when the work was done, rather than when we wanted the breaks to start. That is so good, because homeschooling is all about freedom, and we should be able to take the freedom that we have when we are schooling at home, or educating our kids at home. That doesn't mean it has to look like the two-week break that public schools take. I was actually—I feel very blessed. One of my good friends, we started homeschooling when my daughters were in third and fifth grade, and she'd been homeschooling since the beginning, kindergarten. She told me in November, she says, Kerry, one thing we've always done is we take the month of December off, and we make our homeschool centered on Christmas. I was a public school teacher, check those lesson plans, scope and sequence, all that stuff, but I was like, okay, I'm going to follow this, because one of the reasons we wanted homeschool was to get away from that system. That f

What if cultivating joy in your homeschool could be as simple as saying "good morning" with intention or creating one silly family tradition? In this conversation with Amber Smith (mom of 10!), we're exploring how gratitude practices transform not just your homeschool, but your relationships with your kids and your ability to handle the overwhelming seasons. From speaking life over a strong-willed child to filling your own tank when you feel depleted, Amber shares honest, practical wisdom that will help you step back and see the beautiful life you're actually building. In this episode: ✅How cultivating joy through simple habits like "good morning" changes your family atmosphere ✅The power of speaking life over difficult children instead of defeat ✅Why remembering where you've come from creates gratitude in overwhelming seasons ✅Practical gift-giving traditions that build thankfulness (including a hilarious "most beautiful of women" story!) ✅How to find community and fill your tank when you're running on empty Ready to practice gratitude with your family? Grab the FREE 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge hyperlink mentioned in this episode and join hundreds of families starting November 1st! Recommended Resources: 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge Grand Prize Giveaway The Six Keys to Your Successful Homeschool Year: Self-paced Course & Guided Journal. Book available on Amazon In Due Season Courses Amber Smith Amber Smith and her chef husband of 28 years raised ten wild children in southern Iowa. Her desire to help homeschool parents avoid burnout and build their best lives with strong relationships led her to start blogging at 200 Fingers & Toes. That is where you can find the latest articles, product reviews, and new In Due Season Homeschool Podcast episodes. Show Notes: Why Gratitude Can Give You PeaceWe are talking about a topic that I really think can slow you down and move you to a little bit of peace and joy, and a chance to maybe take that coffee break, or a bathroom break, or whatever you need to just get some peace. We are talking about gratitude today. My friend Amber Smith is here, and she's gonna be able to just bless you in your homeschool and in your family. Amber: I really enjoy getting to share with you and connect with the audience, and I'm looking forward to this 30 Days of Gratitude. I feel like it's such a good and important season to remind moms to just kind of step back and evaluate and assess kind of where we're at, and bring back an attitude of gratitude so we can kind of go forward into the holiday season realigned. Y'all, I'm gonna tell you right now, if Amber can focus on gratitude, and she has 10 kids, she calls herself 200 Fingers and Toes, then any homeschool family, any family at all, can take a step back and not get into the pressure. Meet Amber Smith: Homeschool Courage LenderAmber: One of the reasons why I started the blog was because so many people were hesitant to homeschool, and thought they weren't capable or equipped, and didn't have enough of X, Y, or Z. Really the main reason that I started sharing my story was because I wanted to show people that anybody could homeschool. Really, the desire to homeschool was the most important thing. Beyond that, it's just skills that you could learn. I was a high school dropout, I was involuntarily homeschooled for my last two years of high school. I got a job and took some classes at the community college. Coming forward as a homeschooling mom, I really didn't have a view of homeschooling and kind of had to find my own way. I have a heart for moms who are jumping into homeschooling and discovering it for themselves, and kind of making a roadmap for themselves that makes the most sense. I call myself a homeschool courage lender. I want to lend the courage to moms who are starting, so that they can get that for themselves, and then take that and start building homeschool that really fits them and is personalized to their life and family. We have 10 kids. I have graduated 7, and I have the last 3 at home right now. I am kind of on the downward slide. We're all down to high schoolers, and it's a very exciting time at our house, because I get to see the fruits of that, and I get to see the fruits of all of our children's lives, and how homeschooling has provided them with some skills. Cultivating Joy Must Be PracticedYou have made a comment that gratitude must be cultivated, nurtured, and practiced. What does that really look like in a real family life, especially when you have 10 children, or you still have those 3 at home? Amber: I was thinking back, what were the things I had to reset my brain to imagine me back at the table with 7 children, 7 and under, starting our first day of homeschool. Even that just makes my heart just so excited to see it was just an idea at the time, and we weren't really confident about what it was going to look like long-term in the future. One of those things that I think is so important about practicing gratitude is kind of looking at where you've come from and looking at what you have accomplished so far. I think so many times, we get to this certain place, and there's so many obligations and so many things we need to do, but sometimes it's just to sit back and be like, hey, you know what? This was the struggle we started with this year, and we really have come a long way, and we really have overcome that challenge. We kind of do yearly evaluations, and we talk about the skills that we want to build with our kids, or maybe character things that we want to address. At the end of the year, we go back over that list, and we see what we wanted to work on at the beginning of the year. Some years we've missed the mark completely, and we just put that on the list for next year. But oftentimes, as we go back and look at the things that we've wanted to learn or establish with our family, we can see that, oh wow, actually, we did make a lot of groundwork. The Power of Simple Daily HabitsOne of the things as a homeschooling mom is your job is never done. Never. The dishes will always be there, laundry will always be there, school will always need to be done. Without a finish line, I think it's really important to set some artificial places where we can stop and kind of evaluate what we've done personally. Amber: With our kids, a few really small ways we've established gratitude—I think it was a quote from Little House on the Prairie, but Pa said, good morning is one of the best words. I deeply feel that. Good morning is probably the most important thing that we can say to each other every day. That's just a tiny habit that we've established. When you wake up in the morning, when you see that first person, we greet each other, and we say good morning, and we usually give each other a hug. We're a huge I love you family, so we obnoxiously say I love you in our house, and we say it to our friends, and we say it to people's parents. That's just a habit that we've created, because we do love each other, and we want to acknowledge that. Taking the time to acknowledge the people in the room, taking the time to stop and say hello and how are you—those are little things that sometimes we just think are niceties, but actually they're establishing a heart that looks at other people and sees them. That is so good. When you started, you were talking about homeschooling just keeps continuing, sometimes you need to take a stop and look at what's happened. It made me think of the word remember, and it's a word in the Bible that's used over and over. God was telling the Israelites, remember when I did this, and remember this. Now, whenever I see it, I use colors in my Bible. I put an orange rectangle around it, and it just pops out. That idea is used over and over in the Bible, and I think we do need to remember all the good things that God has done. I also like that you didn't say, we failed in this. You said, we missed the mark, and I was like, what a great way to say, okay, we missed the mark, but we're going to keep moving forward. Gift-Giving Traditions That Build GratitudeLet's sort of take that gratitude. We're in the holidays, the Thanksgiving holiday, which is all about thanks. How do you use gift-giving and your family traditions to build gratitude during the holidays? Amber: The first holiday I thought of, was we actually have a tradition for Valentine's Day. I buy a little cup, and I fill it with candy, and we put them all around the table, but I always put a card and pens. I make all of the children write a little note, so each person has their name on the card, and then all of the other kids go around the table and just write a little message to their siblings, just what they love about them. I just think it's just one of those times—we can create different opportunities. I just felt like Valentine's Day is about love, and so it was a great opportunity to tell our siblings what we love about each other. Now my oldest daughter's married, and my son-in-law came over for Valentine's Day, and he got a card with all of the things that the kids love about him. About a month later, I went to their house, and it's on the fridge. Those are actually really meaningful things. I'm a words of affirmation person, and so sometimes maybe our gifts and our love languages we can use to kind of bring out things in other people. You can create your own holidays, you don't have to wait. Definitely at Thanksgiving, it's busy, and so I really try to create some intentional opportunities that we don't bypass and forget. We try to just create some times where we sit together, because the holiday I host, it's 30 people plus at our house. When She Forgot to Actually Give ThanksI know we had one Thanksgiving where everybody left, and I thought, oh my gosh, we did no actual Thanksgiving things. We just ate. We ate, and we visited, we played games, and we moved on, and I just remember feeling like a check in my spirit that I don't want t

What if gratitude could actually make you more beautiful from the inside out? In this conversation with Meredith Curtis, we're exploring the transformative power of cultivating gratitude in your homeschool family—and how thanksgiving changes not just your heart, but your entire countenance and home atmosphere. From Thanksgiving traditions that knit families together to miracle stories of God's provision, Meredith shares decades of wisdom on raising grateful children who focus on Jesus instead of consumerism. In this episode: ✅How cultivating gratitude transforms you into a more beautiful person (yes, really!) ✅Simple Thanksgiving traditions that build faith and family unity ✅The crab legs miracle story that reminds us nothing is impossible with God ✅Practical activities for the holiday season that shift focus from presents to Jesus ✅Why serving others creates grateful hearts in your children Ready to make gratitude a daily practice? Grab the free 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge mentioned in this episode and join hundreds of families started November 1st! Recommended Resources: 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge Grand Prize Giveaway God's Girls Beauty Secrets Bible Study Celebrate Thanksgiving Jesus, Fill My Heart & Home Bible Study Christmas Unit Studies Meredith "GrandMerey" Curtis, mom of 5 homeschool grads and grandmother of 8, writes, speaks, leads worship, and loves celebrating God's goodness at every opportunity possible, believing that gratitude is the secret to joy. She enjoys creating homeschool curriculum and Bible studies for Christian families, as well as writing Maggie King Mysteries, wholesome cozies. Find her at PowerlineProd.com, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. Show Notes: The Beauty Secret That Changes EverythingMeredith Curtis is here with me today, and we're talking about gratitude. Meredith, y'all know I run the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge, and I get guest bloggers to come in and post on our blog. I think Meredith has done it every single year I've ever done this. I know that's your heart. I know that's my heart. Gratitude just can do so many things for us. Meredith is a homeschooling mom who graduated her 5 children. Now she's grandmother to 8, so far, and all of them homeschool. She's a pastor's wife, a worship leader, a writer, a speaker, and she loves ministering to homeschool families. She's created a lot of curriculum, and she just started a mystery series called Maggie King Mysteries. Gratitude as a Beauty SecretMeredith, you have actually talked about gratitude as being a beauty secret. Can you sort of explain what you mean by that, and how you've seen gratitude actually transform someone from the inside? Meredith: I've always believed this, and I remember my grandmother used to say to me, beauty is as beauty does. When I was a young woman, teenager, young adult, young wife, I wanted to be beautiful on the inside. From my grandmother, I grasped that principle that beauty on the inside flows to the outside. One of the passages that really stood out to me was 1 Peter 3:1-7, and how God commends Sarah as a beautiful woman because of her gentle and quiet spirit. That got me on the road to thinking about beauty. I actually have a Bible study called God's Girls Beauty Secrets. When you're kind, when you're grateful, it changes your heart. Gratitude changes your focus from self to the Lord. Kindness changes your focus from self to others. When you're grateful and you walk into a home, or you walk into work, or you walk into your homeschool co-op or church, and you're having a conversation with people, it changes the expression on your face. You have more of a smile, you don't have those frowny frown lines. You have a beauty that emanates from you, and I think people want to be around you when you're like that. They want to be around people that are grateful, because it's gonna be raising them up rather than pulling them down. I'm a pastor's wife, and I see all the terrible things that happen to people. Mike and I have gone through so many trials. I think that sometimes the Lord just has to remind me, be grateful, be grateful, be grateful. When I am grateful, I notice the way people respond to me is very different than when I'm complaining and bitter. Beauty isn't just about a symmetrical face. Beauty goes so much beyond that, because it's your poise, it's your confidence. A truly beautiful woman walks into a room, and she's like, God is good, I'm so happy to see all of you, and her focus is completely on other people. That is beautiful. The Physical Impact of Bitterness vs. GratitudeYou know, as you're saying that, I do believe that however you're thinking on the inside is going to come out in your facial expressions, in your gestures, the way that you hold yourself. I also think, unfortunately, the opposite is true. Someone who is bitter—I have friends that are still holding bitterness towards people, and they're the ones that are in the hospital all the time. They've got illness, like, physical illnesses. Bitterness in your heart can actually mess up your insides. But the opposite of bitterness—you're forgiving, and you're grateful, and you're thankful, and you're kind—and that person, I think, God just blesses. When you have that attitude, people are like, oh, I want to be around them. Who wants to be around someone that's just complaining all the time? Passing Down Gratitude to GrandchildrenLet's talk about your grandchildren. Are there some things that you have been doing, or are doing, to pass down these values of gratitude and of your faith as well? Do you have any traditions that you're really cultivating a spirit of gratitude? Meredith: With Thanksgiving coming up this month, the first one I think of is we have a Thanksgiving tradition where before we say the blessing, we all pass around—sometimes I pass around kernels of corn, there's like this Thanksgiving poem about kernels of corn—or sometimes we just share things that we're thankful for. That is really powerful, because there's always tears. There's always something that's bittersweet, where someone's gone through something hard, and yet they're thankful for the things God did through it, or the people that helped them through it. There's just so much knitting together of family as people are thanking one another. Another thing I do with my grandchildren specifically: whenever they come over, I always ask them, what was the best thing that happened today? And then I always say to them, isn't God good? And then they say, yes, he is so good. That's not necessarily a tradition, but it's a habit that I've purposely cultivated with them to focus on the positive and be grateful. That's so interesting. When I'm with my grandkids, especially if I'm taking care of them and their parents are gone somewhere, and we're getting ready for bed, especially when they're younger, like 5 and under, I'm like, okay, we're gonna pray before we go to bed. I want you to think of one thing that you can say thank you to God for. That way, I'm like, we're gonna think. The only thing you have to say is, thank you, God. It does sort of make them think, well, what did happen? What can I be thankful for? That's such a simple way to say thank you, and it's thank you to God for whatever had happened. The Birthday Tradition That Honors PeopleMeredith: On birthdays, we always go around and talk about why we're thankful for the birthday person. Everybody shares, like, I'm so thankful for you because I love the way you do this, I love the way you do that, I appreciate it. My kids have carried it on, so at Cooper, my grandson just turned 9, and we were at the birthday party. They always start all their family birthday parties with just the mom or dad saying what they're thankful for, with all the kids there. They do it with all the kids' friends there. I think not only is it a blessing to the other children, but it's a blessing to the parents that are there. We do that a lot in our church, too, with people on a birthday. I noticed Paul does that in his letters. He'll say, I so appreciate you because of this and this and this. I was talking to someone the other day, and I was like, Paul wrote to the Corinthians, who were the squirreliest church in all of the New Testament, and he starts out thanking the Lord for them. There is no one we can't find something to be thankful for. You know, that's really important, too, because I have heard people say they're in a really difficult marriage, and they're just like, there's nothing good about my husband, there's nothing good. And I'm like, does he go to work every day for your family? Okay, there's one thing. Do you have a house that you live in? There's always, even in the most difficult situations, you can find something to be thankful for. When Gratitude Shifts the AtmosphereIs there anything else? Maybe you're walking through a difficult situation at your home. Has there ever been a time where gratitude sort of shifted the atmosphere during that difficult situation? Meredith: My husband right now is battling cancer, and it's been really hard on my kids. The Lord has been really good, but one of the things that I notice is talking with one of my children, and we'll both be talking about dad, and then we'll both kind of sniff, you know, like, suck back the tears, and then we'll just talk about what we're grateful for, like, what the Lord has done. There's just so much that God always has done. I think because of that psalm that says, enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise—I always start with thanking God. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I just lay there and start thanking God. I've trained my children to try to find something to be thankful for, so even in the most difficult situations. The Miracle of Crab Legs and Strawberry CakeI remember years ago, this is over a decade ago, we didn't have money. We had enough money to pay some bills, but not all.

What if 5 minutes could completely shift your perspective from overwhelm to peace? In this episode, we're diving into powerful gratitude examples from history and my own life that prove thanksgiving isn't just feel-good advice—it actually changes your brain, your home atmosphere, and your children's mental health. From Abraham Lincoln declaring Thanksgiving during the Civil War to Corrie ten Boom thanking God for fleas in a concentration camp, you'll discover how gratitude transforms even the hardest circumstances into blessings. In this episode: ✅2 practical activities you can do to go from complaining to gratitude ✅3 real gratitude examples that prove thankfulness changes everything ✅The 5-minute kitchen table practice that pulled me out of a breakdown and into peace ✅Scientific proof that gratitude increases joy, decreases anxiety, and improves sleep ✅How to raise grateful kids who are more satisfied, happier, and mentally healthier ✅Daily thankfulness practices you can start today to shift your family's atmosphere from complaining to contentment Ready to transform your home with thankfulness? Grab the free 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge mentioned in this episode and join hundreds of moms starting November 1st! Show Notes When Complaining Takes Over Your MorningIt's Tuesday morning. You get up, you get breakfast ready, and your kids come in complaining, complaining, complaining. All of a sudden, someone spilled their milk, and the phone is buzzing, and before you realize it, you are mentally listing everything that's wrong. I'm going to share a way to flip the switch in your head and get back into a place of peace, a place of gratitude. Today, we are talking about changing complaining to thankfulness, to gratitude. I'm going to be giving you several gratitude examples along the way. Abraham Lincoln's Example During America's Darkest HourLet's start with Abraham Lincoln. Back in 1863, the war between the states was tearing America apart. Families were divided, thousands were dying, no one knew what the future held. And President Lincoln declared a National Day of Thanksgiving. He knew that the attitude of thanksgiving could actually change our country. He wrote, "Year filled with blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies, gracious gifts of Most High God." He was looking to God to say, even though everything around us is falling apart, we are gonna look up, and we are going to say thank you to God. So when everything in your life feels chaotic, you can still choose to focus on God's goodness. The Kitchen Table That Changed EverythingSeveral years ago, I was having a mental-emotional breakdown. In our house, I was walking back and forth, just reeling out in my head all the things I wanted to tell all the people that were giving me a hard time. And all of a sudden, I was like, stop, Kerry. Just stop. I went to the kitchen table, I just grabbed a piece of regular notebook paper, and I started writing down anything I could think of to be thankful for. It could have been a blue sky outside, a hot cup of coffee, I don't know. But I went and just wrote everything down. Got all the way down the list, and even got to the top, and started a second column. Almost to the bottom, I quit thinking about the things that God had given me, things to be thankful for, and I started to write down things about God. I started to praise Him for who He was in my life. By the time I finished that list, peace came over me. There was joy in my heart, because I knew that God was taking care of me, and it really didn't matter about all the craziness. Recognizing the Enemy's AttackMaybe your marriage is falling apart. Maybe you're rejected by your friends, or your mother-in-law's giving you a hard time. Maybe you're just totally overwhelmed, because you got 5 kids under the age of 7, and you're trying to homeschool a few of them. That is the enemy attacking you, and you can change that overwhelmed, rejected attitude to something positive. You need to realize that the negative voice and all those bad things is not yours. It is the enemy attack. He is trying to get you to think about you, your circumstances, instead of God and trusting in a faithful God. It only took me about 5 minutes, my perspective changed, and my heart and soul changed as well. My self-pity changed to praising God for His faithfulness, His character, and His provision that's always there. The Science Behind GratitudeI've been keeping a gratitude journal since about 2010 or 2011. This is actually my second gratitude journal. I actually hit 10,000 items earlier this year, and I know that keeping that journal changes the way I think. It's not just God saying this, which is all that really matters, but there is scientific evidence that gratitude and thankfulness changes the way we think. Research shows that gratitude increases our joy and our contentment. It decreases our anxiety and our depression. It even helps you sleep better and gives you a stronger immune system. If you are stressed out, I highly recommend that every day, you start a gratitude journal. Corrie ten Boom's Gratitude Example: Even for FleasLet's talk about Corrie ten Boom in the middle of World War II. Her family housed Jews up in the attic, and eventually they got caught. Corrie and her sister Betsy were sent to Ravensbrook, one of the worst concentration camps in World War II. The barracks were overcrowded, they were cold, and there were fleas everywhere. Her sister insisted, we have got to thank God for everything, even the fleas. Well, Corrie thought she had lost her mind. Seriously? You want me to say thank you for fleas? Let me tell you, those fleas were a blessing from God. They discovered that those fleas kept the guards away and gave Corrie and Betsy time to share Jesus, to share things about the Bible, to have prayer meetings in their little barracks, without any interruption. Those guards didn't want you talking about God, but they were staying far away from the fleas. Betsy knew something: We can thank God for even the hard times. Finding Blessings in Your Hardest CircumstancesIt's hard to say thank you that someone rejected me, or thank you that I have a child that's not walking with God. You're not thanking Him for that, but we can say, God, thank you for your faithfulness in the midst of this situation. The things that we complain about the most are sometimes blessings in disguise. God uses anything for our good. Over 9 years ago, my husband left, and I would never wish this on anyone. It has been the hardest thing I have ever walked through in my life. But I remember about 2 years ago, I was sitting with my dad, and I said, Dad, I would never wish this on anyone, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am closer to God than I have ever been. That rejection, that hard time, the suffering, the trials that I continue to walk through—when you change your attitude to gratitude, it can sometimes become a blessing, and it is a true blessing. Raising Grateful KidsWhat about my kids? My kids were complaining, everything's falling apart. If you can raise grateful kids, then they will be more satisfied with their life, they will have happier emotions, and they will actually have better mental health. The key is you, Mom. When you are more grateful, your children will express more gratitude. Steve and I said thank you to our kids all the time, and we told our kids to say thank you when they're young. Now, as they grew up, they just naturally said it. I've had parents say, Hunter or Gentry or Ashley, they're the only ones that said thank you for the meal when they came over. That was because we modeled it, and it became a part of who they are in their mind and in their heart. It's not just changing their attitude for today, it's modeling a life skill for children for the rest of their lives. How Gratitude Activates the BrainWhen you are thankful for things, you activate dopamine. Dopamine is that happiness neurotransmitter. As we are grateful, it will happen to us, and as we model it for our kids, it will happen to the kids. Let's face it, it is biblical as well. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God." It is not an option. God's will is for you and me to give thanks. Teaching gratitude to our kids moves them from being entitled to a heart focused on Jesus. George Washington Carver's Daily PracticeGeorge Washington Carver grew up born into slavery in 1864. He was orphaned as an infant, he had a chronic illness, he was denied an education, and yet he grew up to be a celebrated scientist and inventor. He had a daily practice. He would walk in the woods at dawn, and he would look for little bitty things in the woods to say thank you to God. He said, "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks." When I go for a walk and I hear the birds sing, I'm like, oh, thank you, God. When I walk outside and see a beautiful sunset or sunrise, thank you, God. When I see green leaves on the tree, thank you, God. Do you make it a practice to say thank you all day long? Gratitude in the simple things leads to extraordinary discoveries. Gratitude Is a ChoiceListen, if you're multitasking, come back to me. Gratitude does not require perfect circumstances. It's a choice that opens our eyes to the possibilities of what is out there. Practical Ways to Practice Gratitude DailyI suggest daily thank God for at least one thing in your life, or your family, or your kids. Your family and kids should start to participate. Model your attitude of gratitude, and let them see that you keep a gratitude journal. Rest in God—He is always in control, no matter what your circumstances are. Find something that you already do every day. Like, we ate meals together. So maybe you keep all the gratitude challenges at the meal table, and after breakfast, lunch, or dinner, everyone writes one thing down that they are thankful for. May