Every podcast episode appearing on the HomeschoolingiRL podcast radio show.
Join us on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life as we talk about the ins and outs of traveling with kids: where to go, how to save the money to get there, and why we need to give our kids a broad view of the world.
Read MoreMoms of teen boys, this episode is for you! Fletch and Kendra have raised three teen boys so far and have lived to tell the tale . . .
Kendra also has some definite opinions on the subject of moms, homeschooling, and teen boys. She thinks the teen years can be extra great for moms, particularly if a mom can learn to do a few things to grow that relationship in a positive direction. What are they? You'll have to tune in to find out!
Read MoreEver feel like there just isn't enough time to do the things you want to do? Do the demands of the roles of parenting and homeschooling make you feel guilty if you take time for yourself?
Join us on this week's episode as we chat with Dr. Melanie Wilson, psychologist and Christian homeschooling mom of 6, about "me time". We discuss whether or not taking time for ourselves is practical, and doable, and we have a lot of fun along the way!
Read More"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness."
We sang the lyrics, believed that Jesus was everything, and then proceeded to stack up our own good works. We built our hope on our good behavior and choices, which tanked our spiritual lives and found us in a faith dead-end.
This is our story: How we found our 7-week-old baby in a coma, an event that led to a massive overhaul in our marriage, our parenting, and ultimately, our faith in Christ. That sickly baby boy was just the beginning; there would be harder trials and far more refining ahead.
If you are wondering why your own faith feels stagnant or the Christian life joyless, join us as we share what unlocked the self-made prison doors and caused us to lose our religion but find a deeper, more glorious faith in the power of the cross!
Read MoreIn this second installment of our most popular episodes from 2015, Fletch and Kendra respond to a listener's email asking, "What if your child is the homeschool group black sheep, the one the other kids are not allowed to play with?"
It's a tender topic and one many of you felt hit close to home. Let's listen again and hear how we might pour grace over our "black sheep" kids.
Read MoreIt's time for a season break so Fletch and Kendra can get to work on our next season of Homeschooling in Real Life episodes!
In this first rebroadcast of the most popular episodes of 2015, Kimm Crandall shares her story of chasing the perfect homeschooling dream. In the midst of the chaos of mothering and life, Kimm hits a wall that forces her to face the truth: she's replaced the freedom of the gospel with the chains of self-righteousness.
There's a reason this interview has been listened to by thousands. It's poignant, touching, and full of the hope of Jesus Christ!
You can find the original post and show notes for Episode 34: Christ in the Chaos here.
Read MoreFor the past two years, Fletch and Kendra have been talking about "hope shifting" on every episode of Homeschooling in Real Life. What exactly do they mean?
Join us and pastor Jim Applegate on this episode to explore the ways in which we all, homeschooling or not, shift our hope to almost everything but the cross, every single day. Reminding ourselves of Whose we are and what He's done for us is a total game-changer!
Read MoreDo you ever feel like there is never enough time for you to take a break? Develop a skill? Work on a hobby? It's very easy to lose ourselves in the overwhelming tasks of parenting and homeschooling, and it's often made worse by a "try harder, do more" mentality that makes us believe we're selfish for wanting to.
This episode of Homeschooling in Real Life was inspired by a listener who asked, "Is there time for my own growth in the years of homeschooling?" What do you think?
Read MoreDevotions for the Real Family? Yes. You know, the real family: the toddler is hijacking the deep discussion, the teens are daydreaming, and mom is falling asleep because it's been a long, long homeschooling day. Can you relate?
Family worship can be trying for most families, and on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, we talk with a dozen dads about what it looks like in their homes. But we won't leave you feeling like a failure! We want to encourage you to discover God's glory with your family in a way that suits you best.
Read MoreAre the upcoming holidays already getting you down? Do you feel like the holiday months are just one long race to the finish line, and you're spread way too thin?
For certain, homeschooling kids who are home all day adds another dimension to preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra talk about how to keep from feeling like all the Christmas spirit has been trampeled under schedules and to-do lists.
Read MoreRaising kids is one thing, but raising adults? When is the appropriate time to give our kids a checking account? Credit cards? And what about social media and smartphones? We're dicussing all of these milestones and more as we once again sit down to talk parenting with one of our favorite couples, Hal and Melanie Young of Raising Real Men.
Read MorePrompted by a listener's email, this week's episode is all about teens, social media, guidelines, and freedom. How much social media involvement is too much? Which platforms should a teen be allowed to be on? And what age is appropriate for social media platforms in general?
We've asked the current teens in our home to join us for the conversation, and we're talking about what the rules are here, how much they are involved in social media, and how to use their time online as an asset rather than a trap.
Read MoreSometimes in our parenting, there are difficult topics and issues that need to be discussed with our kids, even if we'd love to protect their innocence until they're mature enough to handle the weight.
The topic of sexual abuse is one such conversation. In this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, authors Justin and Lindsey Holcomb join us to discuss the reality of sexual abuse, its prevelance in our society, and how we can equip even our youngest children to understand that they are precious people created by God and not to be taken advantage of those not out for their best interest.
It's important and necessary, and we hope you'll tune in to equip your entire family.
Read MoreIs courtship better than dating? Are families who practice courtship instead of dating out of touch, or have they found a method of creating solid marriages?
Thomas Umstattd, Jr. joins us once again to discuss how courtship became a component of Christian homeschooling in it's early decades, why parents were compelled to try something other than our cultural dating norms, and how it, too, can fall short of its intended purpose. Whether you are in favor of courtship, dating, or a combination of the two, we think you'll enjoy this episode and conversation and hope it spurs on good things in your own home.
Read MoreThe girls are back! We're talking hormones, those tricky 10-14-year-olds, and preparing our girls for the future. If you're navigating the world of raising the girls in your home, you'll want to join us for this fun and fast-paced episode!
Read MoreBoys! Are you ready to talk about all the wild and wonderful things that come with raising and homeschooling boys? You know, we've tackled this topic once before but you keep asking for another episode, so here it is, in all its manly goodness. We hope you enjoy!
Read MoreJoin us for part two of Adoption and the Homeschooling Family, where we continue our interview with Jeremy and Michele White. In this episode, we discuss when adoption doesn't turn out the way parents might have dreamed it would. It's a touching conversation that we hope encourages and equips any family considering adoption.
Read MoreBecause several Homeschooling in Real Life listeners have asked us to address the topic of adoption, we are dedicating two episodes to discussing the ins and outs of adoption and its impact on the homeschooling family. While it would be really easy for us to produce a podcast explaining how to adopt and the benefits involved when a family adopts, we wanted to tackle all of the issues a family might be experiencing when choosing to adopt a child.
In the first of this two-part series, we sit down with our good friends in real life, Jeremy and Michele White, for a serious discussion about adoption. The Whites tell us about the beginning of their adoption journey, what led them to adopt, and how adoption ultimately changed their family and their homeschooling. We hope this story is a blessing and an encouragement to everyone who listens.
Read MoreSo, you've decided that homeschooling is the best option for your kids this year, but the response from your kids has been less than positive. What do you do now?
Fletch and Kendra have had a similar situation with a child in their home, and on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, they discuss how they navigated their relationship with that child and how God taught them all a meaningful life lesson in the process.
Read MoreSome subjects are difficult to talk about, especially if we're feeling pressure to show the world that everything is going well at home. For moms battling depression, the homeschool community can feel like an unsafe environment because that pressure to have everything all together seems even more acute.
Join us and Christian psychologist Dr. Melanie Wilson (a homeschooling mom of 6 herself) as we discuss the signs of depression, how to find help, and how to minister to the struggling mom.
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