What happens when you stop measuring “success” by convenience—and start building your family life around your deepest values?

In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, Cheryl sits down with homeschool dad Todd Marchand, founder of Be Whole Do Good, to talk about what it really looks like to raise kids with resilience, emotional tools, and a strong sense of identity—without turning your home into a lecture hall.

Todd shares how their family found a hybrid homeschool rhythm, why “a good education” often just means “what we’ve always known,” and how he made the leap from software sales to entrepreneurship so his work could align with his family’s mission.

You’ll also hear about the new text-message-based program Todd is launching—designed to help parents teach skills like emotional regulation, gratitude, growth mindset, and resilience in tiny daily moments (without adding more to your plate).

In this episode, we cover:

• Why “good schooling” isn’t always the same as a meaningful education
• Hybrid homeschooling: how it works and why it fits some families best
• Values over convenience (and why that changes everything)
• Teaching emotional skills before the meltdown happens
• Simple gratitude practices that actually rewire perspective
• From corporate ladder to calling: building a life with autonomy
• What Todd wants his kids to know by age 18 (hint: it’s not just academics)

Resources & Links

• Be Whole Do Good: bewholedogood.com (spelled: be whole do good)
• Night Zookeeper (free trial + 50% off yearly subscription)
• Cheryl’s eBook- The Homeschool How To: Complete Starter Guide- a compilation of everything she's learned from interviewing 150+ homeschool families
• Cheryl’s FREE 30-Day Homeschool Quick Start Guide: thehomeschoolhowto.com

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Cheryl sits down with Katie Vieira — a former 4th grade teacher turned homeschool mom — to talk about what surprised her most when she stepped outside the traditional school system. They unpack how early academic pressure has changed, why many kids feel burnout younger than ever, and how standardized testing and school accountability can shape what happens in the classroom (and the stress teachers carry).

They also dive into the real-life side of homeschooling: finding community, handling seasons where screens sneak in more than you planned, keeping reading and learning positive when kids resist “lessons,” and the ongoing challenge of balancing motherhood with creative work and personal goals. Katie shares about her children’s book “Into the Field: Tennessee Summer,” inspired by shifting away from screen-heavy days and toward outdoor adventures, confidence-building, and learning through experience — plus what’s next in her planned series.

In this episode, we cover:

• Katie’s path from certified teacher to homeschool mom
• Why kindergarten/early elementary standards feel so intense now
• Standardized testing pressure (and how it can impact teachers)
• Lockdown drills, school anxiety, and what parents weigh in their choices
• Screen time seasons, outdoor resets, and the “thousand hours outside” idea
• Homeschool balance: work, creativity, and family rhythms
• Colorado homeschool options and one-day-a-week enrichment programs
• How to keep learning positive when kids push back

Links & resources mentioned:
Katie Vieira + Into the Field: Tennessee Summer

Katie's Instagram

🎹 Have your kiddos learn piano from this amazing resource, check out: Simply Piano. We love it! 🎶

Cheryl's ebook: The Homeschool How To: Complete Starter Guide

🎁 Free resource: Grab my free 30-day homeschool quick start guide at thehomeschoolhowto.com

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What does homeschooling look like after the kids are grown — and what advice actually holds up over 25 years? This week, I bring back a favorite episode of mine to help remind me what's really important while taking this homeschooling journey.

In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, I talk with Rosemary, a New Jersey mom of four who homeschooled all the way through high school and is now on the other side: kids launched, college decisions made, careers started, and the long view finally clear.

Rosemary shares the approach that shaped her homeschool—part structure, part freedom—with a few non-negotiables (like math facts and early reading), plus a powerful reminder: you’re replaceable at work… but irreplaceable in your child’s life.

You’ll also hear:

• Why agency is one of the biggest gifts homeschooling can give
• How she balanced academics + interests + sports as kids got older
• When and why she started testing (and what she learned)
• How her kids handled the culture shock of college environments
• A practical framework every family can use: Dojo • Cafeteria • Library
• A “well-kept secret” resource: Learning Unlimited (Saturday classes taught by graduate students)

If you’re new to homeschooling—or you’re deep in the weeds—this conversation will help you zoom out and build a homeschool that’s less about checklists and more about raising capable, grounded kids who know how to learn.

🎹 Have your kiddos learn piano from this amazing resource, check out: Simply Piano. We love it! 🎶

Cheryl's ebook: The Homeschool How To: Complete Starter Guide

🎁 Free resource: Grab my free 30-day homeschool quick start guide at thehomeschoolhowto.com

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I’m re-releasing this episode because it’s still one of my all-time favorites—and honestly, one of the conversations that stayed with me long after we hit stop on the recording.

In this episode, I’m joined by Kiri Jorgensen, a former public school teacher in rural Montana and mom of four. Kiri shares what she saw changing inside the school system—from Common Core and high-stakes testing to increasing bureaucracy—and why her family chose to homeschool their youngest child after experiencing both public school and homeschooling.

We also get practical: Kiri explains a simple framework that helps parents homeschool with confidence—separating “learning” (reading, writing, math) from “learning about” (curiosity-led unit studies). She shares her favorite strategy (the “curiosity jar”) to turn your child’s questions into meaningful learning without recreating school at home.

Finally, Kiri talks about her work as the founder of Chicken Scratch Books, a publisher creating clean, traditional middle grade fiction for families who want books they can trust.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why Kiri left teaching and what she noticed shifting in schools
• Common Core, testing pressure, and how it affects classrooms
• Why homeschooling can take less time and lead to deeper learning
• The “curiosity jar” method for interest-led homeschooling
• Building lifelong learners and confident, capable kids
• Chicken Scratch Books and choosing better middle grade reads

Guest: Kiri Jorgensen
Website: chickenscratchbooks.com

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Mentioned in today’s episode:

🎹 Have your kiddos learn piano from this amazing resource, check out: Simply Piano. We love it! 🎶

Cheryl's ebook: The Homeschool How To: Complete Starter Guide

🎁 Free resource: Grab my free 30-day homeschool quick start guide at thehomeschoolhowto.com

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A former public school teacher never planned to homeschool — until COVID forced a hard reset. In this episode, Cheryl talks with Janae Daniels from the School to Homeschool Podcast about the moment everything changed: the “magical” 2020 shutdown, the surprising nudge to homeschool, and the first day that completely fell apart… until a piano tuner accidentally delivered the best real-life science lesson her kids had ever experienced.

Janae shares what deschooling actually looks like (and why it’s harder for parents than kids), how she stopped trying to replicate school at home, and what happened when her children finally had room for boredom, curiosity, and real learning: guitar skills built through YouTube lessons, reading for meaning (not grades), embroidery that turned into paid work, early jobs, business books, conferences, and a senior year centered on debate, confidence, and entrepreneurship.

If you’re thinking, “I’m not smart enough,” “My kids will fight me,” or “Is it too late to start homeschooling — especially for middle and high school?” this conversation will give you clarity, encouragement, and a new definition of education.

Connect with Janae:
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Website

Follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with a parent who needs reassurance today.

Mentioned in today’s episode:

🎹 Have your kiddos learn piano from this amazing resource, check out: Simply Piano. We love it! 🎶

• Cheryl's ebook: https://thehomeschoolhowto.com/ebook
  
  

🎁 Free resource: Grab my free 30-day homeschool quick start guide at thehomeschoolhowto.com

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You’ve heard it a thousand times: “But what about socialization?” “What if my kid falls behind?” “What if they only want screens?”
In this episode, I’m joined by Courtney (former teacher + school psychologist, now a private evaluator/advocate) to break down what unschooling actually is — and what it looks like in real life.

We talk about the fear parents carry when they step outside the school system, and why so many families need to deschool themselves first. Courtney shares what she’s seen from inside education and why forcing kids to meet grade-level standards can backfire — especially when kids develop at different rates.

We also get into:

• What unschooling really means (and why it’s not “kids watching TV all day”)
• Why school “socialization” can be toxic and what healthy socialization looks like
• How to handle screen time without power struggles (and why curiosity matters)
• The link between anxiety, nervous system regulation, and learning
• Why many kids are labeled too early — and what parents can do instead
• How to spark learning naturally through real life, nature, conversation, and connection
• A fascinating look at Human Design as a tool for understanding how your child learns

If you’re a parent who’s trying to homeschool without recreating school at home — and you want your child to grow in confidence, curiosity, and love of learning — this episode will help you breathe again.

📌 Links to Courtney’s work: https://linktr.ee/courtney_shakti

Follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with a parent who needs reassurance today.

Mentioned in today’s episode:

• My ebook: https://thehomeschoolhowto.com/ebook
  
  
• My children’s safety book Let’s Talk, Emergencies!: grab it on Amazon!

🎁 Free resource: Grab my free 30-day homeschool quick start guide at thehomeschoolhowto.com

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What happens when you stop accepting the “official story” and start asking better questions—about education, parenting, freedom, and the systems we’ve all been told to trust?

In this week’s episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, I’m joined by Tim (ANCAPTim)—a homeschooling dad, songwriter, and outspoken advocate of voluntary exchange, individual responsibility, and a truly free market. We talk about what anarcho-capitalism means in plain language, how his worldview shaped his decision to homeschool, and how to raise curious, grounded kids without turning them into “the weird kid on the playground.”

We also get into:

• Why “both sides” can feel like two wings of the same bird
• Homeschooling as a custom fit for individual kids (not a one-size box)
• Unschooling explained without the stereotypes
• Consumer responsibility, ethics, and “voting with your wallet”
• AI, creativity, and what tech might change (and what it won’t)

Connect with Tim + his music:
ANCAPTIM.com

Mentioned in today’s episode:

• My ebook: https://thehomeschoolhowto.com/ebook
  
  
• My children’s safety book Let’s Talk, Emergencies!: https://CherylDaley.com or grab it on Amazon!
  
  

If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow the show and leave a review—it helps more homeschool families find the podcast.

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What happens when a homeschooled kid grows up, skips the “missing out” narrative, and builds a real community of motivated teens who want to create, lead, and launch?

In this episode of The Homeschool How To Podcast, I’m joined by Malcolm—a homeschooled graduate who spent years in Classical Conversations (CC) and is now the founder of Teen Mastermind, a fast-growing entrepreneurship community for teens that’s already reaching beyond the U.S.

We talk about what homeschooling was actually like from the student perspective—socialization, friendships, motivation, prom/homecoming alternatives, and why Malcolm says he didn’t miss out… he dodged a bullet. You’ll also hear a clear, simple breakdown of the classical education model (grammar, dialectic/logic, rhetoric) and how CC works week-to-week for families considering it.

Then we go deeper into the part parents don’t always know how to teach: entrepreneurship. Malcolm shares what he learned from attending business events with his family, why masterminds matter, and how being around the right people can change a teen’s trajectory.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• “Will my kids resent homeschooling?”
• “How do homeschoolers actually make friends?”
• “Is Classical Conversations worth it?”
• “How do I raise a motivated teen with real-world skills?”

…this episode is for you.

Resources mentioned:

• theteenmastermind.com
• teenmastermindlive.com

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