The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast

Episode 369 - Does Learning Have to Be Fun to Be Effective?

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re asking the question: Does learning always have to be fun to be valuable? In today’s world, it feels like everything has to be exciting, engaging, and entertaining to matter. But what about the times when things feel… well, boring?

Can kids still learn deeply even when they aren’t entertained? And is it possible that growth and learning are still happening, even during those boring moments? We’ll dig into these questions and more—and we think you’ll find the answers encouraging!

We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. 

 

Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman

 

Have a great week and don't forget to smile! 

Episode 368 - Our Non-Negotiables: Setting Priorities in Homeschooling

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we’re talking about something that can make or break your school year — your non-negotiables. Every family has different priorities, but if you don’t know what’s most important to you, it’s easy to get distracted by all the extras and other peoples opinions. Today we’re going to share some of our own non-negotiables, talk about why they matter, and hopefully help you think through what you want to hold onto in your homeschool this year. 

We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. 

Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman

Have a great week and don't forget to smile! 

Episode 367 - A Real Life Start to a New Homeschool Year - With Rissa Wilson

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast!

This week Ben is joined by his wife, Rissa, as they talk about the start of a brand-new homeschool year. They'll dive into the curriculum she’s using, how the first week didn’t go exactly as planned, and what it looks like to adjust when some of the material turns out to be too advanced for one of their kids.

He is also joined by his cousin Perry to talk about a new audio drama from the Jesus Film Project, which he had a hand in creating. This is something your entire family can enjoy together, and we think you'll enjoy it!

We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com.

Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman Have a great week, and don't forget to smile

Have a great week and don't forget to smile! 

Episode 366 - From Curiosity to Conviction: Our Homeschooling Journey - With Dustin Garrett

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast!
This week we’re joined by a brand-new homeschooling dad, Dustin Garrett,  who’s just getting ready to start the adventure. We’ll be talking about what led his family to homeschool, What they are hopeful for, their approach to homeschooling so far, and a whole bunch more.

We’re also excited to have Todd's daughter,  Katherine Petgen, with us to share about her upcoming online story writing class for homeschoolers. 
These were fun and encouraging conversations, and we hope you enjoy! 

But before we begin 
We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. 

Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman

 

Have a great week and don't forget to smile! 

Episode 365 - Let Them Be Little: Rethinking Preschool and Kindergarten - With Ashley Wiggers

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast!

This week, we’re joined by a very special guest — Ashley Wiggers from Homeschooling Today magazine. Ashley is a homeschooling mom and graduate who has a heart for helping families homeschool boldly. Our topic this week is: What should preschool look like, skipping kindergarten, and the road to reading. It was an amazing conversation, and we know you’ll walk away encouraged!

But before we begin 
We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. 

 

Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman

Have a great week and don't forget to smile! 

Episode 364 - Back to School… But When?

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast!
This week we're tackling the dreaded question: When should I start the school year? The answer isn’t always one-size-fits-all, so it should make for a great conversation.
We’re also reminiscing about some of our family RV travels and talking about the lasting value of making memories together as a family.

We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. 

Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman

 

Have a great week and don't forget to smile! 

Episode 363 - Why You Can't Separate Homeschooling From Parenting

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast!

This week, we’re bringing you an episode from the archives where we discuss how parenting and homeschooling aren’t two separate things—they’re one and the same. When you approach homeschooling with this mindset, it can make a powerful difference in your day-to-day homeschool life! 

We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. 

Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman

Don't forget to share our show with another homeschooling mom and please leave us a review on whatever pocast app you listen on! 

 

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Episode 362 – Turning the Extras into Essentials – with Chad Stewart

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast!
This week, we’re talking about how to incorporate activities often considered extracurricular—like music, construction, cooking, computers, art, and more—into your regular homeschool routine.
We also interview former Disney animator Chad Stewart, who shares about his animation course designed specifically for homeschoolers interested in art and animation.
It's an encouraging episode, and we hope you enjoy it!

We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. 

Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman

Don't forget to share our show with another homeschooling mom, and please leave us a review on whatever pocast app you listen on! 

 

Have a great week and don't forget to smile! 

Episode 361 - Life After Graduation: Encouragement for New Grads and Parents - With Maggie Wilson

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we are excited to be joined by Todd's daughter,  Maggie! She’s getting married in just a few weeks, so we talk all about her upcoming wedding, her journey to becoming a nail technician, and what life has been like after school. It’s a fun episode, and we hope you enjoy listening!

We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. 

Also, today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians who pay one another’s medical bills, helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s leading in career or ministry changes, or in bringing moms home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman

Have a great week and don't forget to smile! 

Episode 360 - Making Summer Memories as a Family

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast!

We have a fun, different episode this week! We talk 4H, the county fair, the 4th of July, and some other ways to connect as a family this summer! We had a great time recording this episode, and we hope you enjoy it! 

Before we begin, we want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making The Smiling Homeschooler possible. Their match curriculum helps thousands of homeschoolers smile every day, and we would encourage you to check it out for next school year over at teachingtextbooks.com. 

Also, Today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries, a community of Christians that pay one another’s
medical bills…helping families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more at SamaritanMinistries.org/familyman

 

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!