The Homeschool Sanity Show

Melanie Wilson, PhD

4.6 (104)
EDUCATION FOR KIDS
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Your prescription for happier, healthier homeschooling with Christian psychologist and veteran homeschooling mother of six, Dr. Melanie Wilson, who interviews experts on the issues that drive you crazy.

6 DAYS AGO

Special Replay: Organizing Challenges for the New Year

Organizing is a popular goal for the new year. If you're a homeschooler wanting to get organized, it can be hard to know where to start. Consider the six areas I share in this podcast episode. SPONSOR: NOW Programs Have a child with learning challenges? NOW Programs offers help. Want to read the podcast as a blog post? READ HERE or SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES or ON STITCHER Links Airtable.com a comprehensive post about the best places buy/sell used curriculum Konmari method for folding clothes Plan to Eat Tastefully Simple’s 30 day meal plan free meal planning book The Organized Homeschool Life Which area are you organizing first? Let's chat about it on Facebook.

1 sec
DEC 10

Special Replay: Redeeming Your Time: How To Make The Most Of Every Moment As A Homeschool Mom

Hey, homeschoolers! I’m a time management/productivity enthusiast, which you know if you have my book, A Year of Living Productively. That book is the result of my experiments with more than 80 different productivity approaches. I did the reading and the experimenting to make the process of creating your own productivity formula faster. What I’ve discovered about has enabled me to write, speak, run a business, homeschool, maintain relationships, keep a home, and enjoy hobbies. But I’m never done wanting to improve. Sponsor: NOW Programs If you have a special-needs learner, check out NOW Programs! Introduction Every season of our lives presents new challenges for using our time. I have just two high school students at home now and they both work. I’m done teaching public speaking at our local homeschool academy. Now I want to provide YouTube videos to help homeschooling parents. So it’s a good time for me to reevaluate how I’m doing things. That reevaluation led me to read the book Redeeming Your Time by Jordan Raynor. Honestly, I was prepared to be disappointed. Most time management books are basic. You know: Your time is valuable. Have a morning routine. Plan your day. Christian books about time typically emphasize spending time in prayer about your priorities. These practices are so important, but they aren’t new to me after years of focus on productivity. So I was surprised by Jordan’s book. I needed it. Maybe you do, too. So I’m going to share six lessons from Redeeming Your Time that will help you make the most of every moment as a homeschool mom. #1 God will finish the work we leave unfinished Too many time-management teachers imply that we can get it all done. Just say no to things, trim down your extracurricular activities, use practical curriculum and you’ll finish your homeschool plan early. Yeah, right! This idea has left me feeling like a failure. Sometimes I give up. I quit putting effort into activities or I stop using the curriculum. Other times I try harder. I commit to getting up earlier, being firmer with my kids about meeting deadlines, or working faster through lessons. Because that’s a recipe for joy, right? There are so many lessons and subjects I wanted to teach my kids before they went off to college but didn’t. I have honestly schemed about how I could talk them into doing the lessons when they’re home for college. “Hey, guys, let’s watch this amazing video together. Here’s a fantastic book that I’m going to read aloud to you.” Yeah, that won’t happen. As a writer, I have so many ideas for books. I want to write them all! Truthfully, I’d like to write them all this year. But Jordan gently helped me see that I won’t write them all this year. I may not write them all in five years. I may not write them ever. But it’s okay. God knows that we won’t get all the work done even if we’re still in denial about it. He will finish the work that He wants done. Our kids will learn the lessons they need to learn without us. Hard to believe, I know. They’ll hear a message in church, get it through experience, or will seek the knowledge themselves because we have taught them how to learn. I have seen this in my kids time and time again. So, take a deep breath, and know that God will finish everything on your to-do list that He wants done, even if He uses someone else to do it.

17 min
DEC 3

Special Replay: Say Goodbye To Emotional Eating With Barb Raveling

Do you ever eat because you're bored, anxious, or excited? The is the episode where we learn how to say goodbye to emotional eating so we can stay focused on homeschooling. Hey, homeschoolers! The problem with emotional eating for homeschooling parents is two-fold. We hate the consequences for ourselves and we hate even more the example it sets for our kids. But how can we get past it? Sponsor: NOW Programs http://nowprograms.com for your special-needs learners Podcast Guest: Barb Raveling My guest for this episode will help us! Barb Raveling has joined me on the show before. I'll put links in the show notes. She is a retired homeschool mom, now a prolific Christian author you can learn more about at BarbRaveling.com. She has a soon-to-be-released book on this topic called Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating. Barb and I discussed: * the definition of emotional eating and its effects * strategies for overcoming emotional eating * whether it's possible to really break free from emotional eating or whether it's something people will struggle with for the rest of their lives Barb has shared on previous episodes you can listen to: * Truth Journaling * End Procrastination * How to Achieve Your Goals To preorder Barb's book and claim valuable bonuses, go to SayGoodbyeToEmotionalEating.com. Have a happy homeschool week!

22 min
NOV 26

How To Have Happy Holidays As A Homeschool Mom

Hey, homeschoolers! We wish each other happy holidays, but sometimes it's hard to be happy through the holidays. I have three reasons it can be hard that lead to three steps we can take toward happier holidays. But first I'd like to thank our sponsor for the podcast: NOW Programs. Sponsor: NOW Programs If you're homeschooling a student with special needs, check out http://NOWPrograms.com Listen to the podcast My favorite Christmas movie is It's a Wonderful Life. When I find out that someone hasn't seen it, it's all I can do to keep from dragging them to my couch and playing it because, of course, I own it. George Bailey found it to challenging to be happy through the holidays. That's an understatement if you know the movie. Deal with Disappointment The first reason George and you and I find it hard to be happy through the holidays is disappointment. Maybe your homeschool year hasn't been going the way you hoped. The kids don't love their classes or curriculum. You're already behind schedule. A learning challenge has been indentified. Maybe your finances are stretched even tighter than you thought. You've been ill. Or maybe you've experienced a loss. A loved one won't be joining you for the holidays. A relationship has ended. Or you or your spouse lost a job. George experienced many disappointments like these. He lost his father, a chance to go to college, and the income he hoped for. Thinking about disappointments is depressing, so we may try to avoid thinking about them. Yet they intrude upon our happiness anyway. That leads me to the first step we can take to be happy through the holidays: Deal with the disappointment. Instead of eating or doom scrolling over it, acknowledge it. You're disappointed. You hoped and prayed that things would be different, better. But they're not. The quickest way out of disappointment depression is through, not around. Sit by yourself with no noise and no distractions. Allow yourself to think about the disappointment and feel the feelings. If you cry, you cry. If you get mad, you get mad. Give yourself as much time as you need to think and pray about it. Journaling works too. Write out everything you're thinking and feeling, without worrying about anyone else seeing it. When you're done writing, you can delete it, destroy it, or password protect it. When you've had the time to process it privately, you can then deal with the disappointment by talking to someone you trust who isn't a part of the disappointment. You don't want to worry about hurting someone's feelings as you share your own emotions, unless you're trying to resolve a conflict. Sometimes you'll want to make it clear to the listener that you're not asking them to fix the disappointment for you, just to listen. Talking it out can make a huge difference in your happiness. Invest in People The second cause of unhappiness at the holidays is people. People are hard. They disappoint us. We've already covered that. People also annoy us. Maybe we expect the bad behavior, so it's not as disappointing as it is frustrating. We may struggle to know what to say or do when they're around. Maybe we feel bad about something we've said or done in the past, so we have a serving of guilt to go along with our frustration. George had a challenging relationship with Mr. Potter, who was a constant thorn in his side. He also had to deal with selfish bank patrons and an irresponsible uncle.

14 min
NOV 19

Combatting Family Consumerism

Hey, homeschoolers! Pushing back against a consumerist culture is an issue all year but is on our minds even more during the holidays. My guest today has experience in teaching kids to combat consumerism with good old-fashioned hard work. I'll introduce him after this message from our sponsor. Now programs. Watch on YouTube Podcast Sponsor: NOW Programs http://NOWPrograms.com Podcast Guest: Keith Phillips Keith Phillips is a former US Army helicopter pilot who, along with his wife Becky and their six children, is dedicated to building productive families and enduring Christian legacies. He introduces BUNKEYS, small DIY linked log cabin kits to America, promoting family unity through shared meaningful work. Keith believes in the power of family and community with work as the cornerstone and advocates for living a life of biblical producerism. I so enjoyed our conversation. Takeaways * Consumerism thrives on neglecting our inherent call to produce. * Family work fosters cooperation and contributes to family unity. * Saying no to passive entertainment encourages creativity in children. * Boredom can lead to innovative play and activities. * Fear of missing out drives consumerist behavior in children. * Creating space for meaningful activities is essential for family bonding. * Overcoming societal pressure is crucial for resisting consumerism. * Hard work can replace addictive behaviors and foster fulfillment. * Engaging in family projects teaches valuable life skills. * Reading together strengthens family connections and shared experiences. Resources Keith's Substack article on consumerism Bunkies Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5gBadT2mixwLThvz8GqI7z Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-stay-at-work-home/id1762916088 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheStayatWorkHome?sub_confirmation=1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stayatworkhome Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stayatworkhome

47 min
NOV 12

How To Homeschool Through The Holidays

Hey, homeschoolers! How will you homeschool through the holiday season? There are many approaches that can work for you, but you're most likely to feel good about the season when you're intentional about it. I invited guest Katie Trent back to share with us some ideas for adjusting our homeschooling during the holidays. I also asked her about her new book that is a must-add-to-cart title. Watch on YouTube Before I get to our interview, I want to thank NOW Programs for sponsoring the podcast. Sponsor: NOW Programs http://nowprograms.com Resources How to Homeschool Through a Move with Katie J Trent A Merry & Bright Adventure KatieJTrent.com Katie on Instagram Katie on Facebook Have a happy homeschool week!

31 min
NOV 5

Teaching Reading The Active Way

Hey, homeschoolers! When I began homeschooling, I thought I would have to teach reading on the couch. That's a lot more comfortable for kids than at desks, but I didn't know that I could do better--especially for my boys. Before I introduce my guest, I want to share this message from our sponsor, NOW Programs. Sponsor: NOW Programs https://www.nowprograms.com Podcast Guest: Stefanie Hohl Stefanie Hohl is an experienced educator specializing in early literacy and movement-based learning. She is passionate about finding innovative ways to save parents' sanity while still engaging young learners. She developed a fun and effective program called ABC See, Hear, Do. This program is designed to help children develop essential reading skills through a multi-sensory approach that incorporates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles. I really enjoyed hearing her ideas, and I know you will too. Watch on YouTube Resources ABCSeeHearDo.com Stefanie on Facebook, Instagram Have a happy homeschool week!

27 min
OCT 29

Finding Homeschool Rest In The Gospel

Hey, homeschoolers! When it comes to seeking a more relaxed homeschool, we can find numerous tips for adjusting our schedule and curriculum. But there is only one source for true rest. My guest today is going to share how we can find it. Watch on YouTube Before I introduce her, I'd like to thank our sponsor: CTC Math. Sponsor: CTC Math Are you looking for a new Math Curriculum? CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Favorably reviewed in Cathy Duffy's 102 Top Picks and The Old Schoolhouse Crew Review, the lessons are short and concise to help your children break down concepts and appreciate math in a whole new way! The lessons are taught the traditional way, not to a "test". Each one of the video tutorials is taught by an internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, who is renowned for teaching math concepts in a simple, easy-to-understand way (and in only a few minutes at a time). Using a multi-sensory approach having the combination of effective graphics and animation synchronized with the voice of a friendly teacher together with practical assessment. This three-pronged attack makes learning so much easier and more effective. Even students who struggled with math are getting fantastic results! And ones who were doing OK before are now doing brilliantly. Visit c-t-c-math.com today to start your free trial. Guest: Amy Sloan My guest for this episode is Amy Sloan. Amy is the host of the long-running Humility and Doxology podcast, where she shares her passion for classical homeschooling, family discipleship, and joyful, restful learning. As a second-generation homeschooler, Amy brings years of experience not only as a student but now ...

26 min

See All (97)

4.6

out of 5

104 Ratings

We all need sanity

02/24/2023

SydneeRM

As a mom considering homeschooling my littles, I’ve been diving into these podcasts lately, and I love how uplifting this one is! It makes me feel like it’s definitely something my family can handle.
Inspirational and full of wisdom

02/10/2023

Clara @Simply Teaching Spanish

I’ve enjoyed listening to your podcasts as you offer a lot of wisdom. I especially enjoyed listening to How to Combat Loneliness As a Homeschool Mom. You offered a lot of great suggestions as to how to make friends. I especially liked the one about reaching out to retired homeschool moms. This is something I’ve considered doing just recently. Thanks for the suggestions!
Resource and Inspiration Filled Podcast!

08/17/2021

picklesmama

Dr. Melanie Wilson gives families such encouragement and so many resources for their homeschooling journeys! What a great podcast!
Refreshing and inspirational!

07/28/2020

Kristina Danyelle

I can relate in so many ways & she’s always very helpful in different scenarios. Inspirational and Hopeful.