If you want to support the channel, like, comment, share, or consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub

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Join Book Club

• Grab a copy of the book "A Well-Trained Wife" by Tia Levings: https://bookshop.org/a/128680/9781250898050
• Follow for updates on the email newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Join the discussion over on the Fable App: https://fable.co/club/ex-homeschoolers-book-club-with-jacob-gooden-585330795145

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On today's show, I dive deep into my personal journey growing up as a homeschool kid in Southern California. From starting out in public school to transitioning into home education for 2nd grade and going all the way through high school, this is a candid reflection on how my upbringing shaped my independence, routine, and confidence. I open up about the positive aspects (such as building strong time-management skills and thriving in unique extracurriculars like swing dancing and mime troupe) while addressing the flaws, including creationist-focused science curricula and a lack of exposure to diverse worldviews. Finally, I share my current perspective on the homeschool debate, advocating for common-sense regulations to protect children while emphasizing the need for nuanced, open conversations.

Key Takeaways

• Transitioning to homeschooling requires intentional structure, but finding the right curriculum and building a strong local community are key to long-term social and academic success.
• Experiencing home education can foster strong self-reliance, time-management capabilities, and the flexibility to pursue unique hobbies or business ventures.
• A lack of diverse perspectives in faith-based curricula, particularly around science and contrasting worldviews, can create significant knowledge gaps later in life.
• Evaluating homeschooling should be done on a case-by-case basis, with an emphasis on common-sense regulations to ensure child safety and educational standards.

Favorite Quote

"It's not as simple as yes regulation, no regulation. Like, it's not as simple as just saying, 'Let's take existing rules and slap them on this thing.' It's not that easy. It's very much a conversation that needs to continue to happen and evolve with lawmakers, with alumni, with current homeschool families, with the education systems that are building the curriculums that are being used for kids." — Jacob Gooden

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Support the Show

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/exhsclub
• Check out our Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com
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Message Me On Socials

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• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
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• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@exhsclub

Chapters

00:00 Welcome To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club

01:33 Support The Show and Join Book Club

03:30 My Homeschool Experience

18:39 Homeschooling Is A Privilege

19:47 Getting Into College

24:41 If You've Got Questions, Ask Them

25:12 Would I Have Succeeded In Public School?

27:24 3 Thing I Liked About My Homeschool Experience

33:17 Some Things I'd Change About My Homeschool Experience

39:55 Where Do I Stand Today With Homeschooling?

47:48 One Of The Biggest Criticisms Of The Show

48:55 Do You Want To Be A Guest On The Show?

54:13 Recap and Wrap Up

Jodie is currently looking for people to participate in her documentary, including homeschool alumni, educators, people with experience in law or politics, and anyone with relevant experience to share.

Reach out to her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodie_justice/

Jodie was homeschooled from preschool through high school in a very Christian, Independent Baptist environment. Her mom gave her a lot of freedom to explore subjects she was interested in, but often relied on textbooks and self-teaching instead of actually teaching the material. Over time, Jodie fell behind academically (especially in math) and entered college realizing just how many educational gaps she had to overcome.

In this episode, Jodie shares what it was like discovering that college was even an option, catching up academically as an adult, and realizing how homeschooling had affected her. We also talk about religious deconstruction, coming out as gay, family reactions, and the supportive role her wife has played. Jodie also shares her plans for a documentary exploring homeschooling, its lack of regulation, and the stories of people affected by it.

In this episode, we talk about...

• Growing up in a strict Christian homeschool environment
• The challenges of self-teaching and falling behind academically
• Entering college and discovering just how much catching up was necessary
• Religious deconstruction and coming out as gay
• Why Jodie believes homeschooling requires community, accountability, and support
• Her upcoming documentary about the realities of homeschooling

Connect with Jodie

Jodie is currently looking for people to participate in her documentary, including homeschool alumni, educators, people with experience in law or politics, and anyone with relevant experience to share.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodie_justice/

Support Ex-Homeschoolers Club

Have a story or thoughts you'd like to share? Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Jodi and the Show

00:31 Newsletter and Episode Setup

01:08 Jodi Homeschool Background

01:41 Curriculum Chaos and Sale Bins

03:50 Co-ops and the Church Bubble

05:34 Religion in the Mix

08:05 I Got To Pick My Electives But No One Was Teaching Me

11:05 Self-Teaching Lead To Me Falling Behind

16:46 Finding Motivation For College And Catching Up

22:17 Discoverying My Career Direction

24:39 The Making Of A Homeschool Documentary

26:24 Unregulated Homeschooling Reality

29:10 Realizing How Homeschool Harmed Me

30:20 Finding Ex-Homeschool Support

31:16 How Educated By Tara Westover Radicalized Me

34:06 Grieving The Past And Rebuilding For The Future

36:59 Partner Support System

41:18 What Did Coming Out Look Like For You?

49:29 Family Reactions To Coming Out

52:42 Where Do You Stand With Homeschooling Today?

56:40 Documentary Call For Help

59:41 Final Thanks And Wrap Up

If you want to support the channel, like, comment, share, or consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub

Today, I'm sitting down with Rachael to unpack her experience growing up homeschooled in a deeply evangelical Christian environment. Rachael shares how undiagnosed ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia made school difficult while the pressure to be a “perfect” homeschool kid led her to blame herself rather than question the system. She also talks about purity culture, rigid gender roles, the pressure to discover God’s perfect plan for her life, and why she felt completely unprepared to launch into adulthood after graduation. Her journey eventually took her to YWAM and overseas to Thailand, where new experiences helped her begin recognizing emotions she had spent years denying (including anger). Today, Rachael is working through years of religious deconstruction and therapy while reconnecting with the creativity and artistic identity she once felt ashamed to embrace.

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Connect with me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club

00:41 Meet Rachel

02:02 How Cancer Traumatized A Family

05:19 What The Early Years Of Homeschooling Looked Like

08:28 The Struggle Of Undiagnosed Learning Struggles

11:23 How Faith Fostered An Environment Of Perfectionism

15:00 What Did Homeschool Community Look Like For You?

19:11 What Role Did Gender Roles And Purity Culture Play In Your Life?

22:11 Moving To Colorado

26:50 Finding Homeschool Friends Via Seminary

29:25 Taking Public School Classes As A Homeschooler

33:36 Homeschool Hierarchy Pressure

36:19 Preparing Your Kids To Launch Into Adulthood

37:50 Rachael Was Unprepared To Launch

41:47 Crashing After High School Graduation

43:42 What Is Gods Will In My Life

47:35 Finding YWAM And Launching Into Adulthood

54:32 Red Flags Of YWAM

58:11 Discovering Anger

01:02:41 Find Myself And Reclaiming Creativity

01:08:35 Where Do You Stand With Homeschooling?

01:14:00 Find Your Self-Autonomy

01:16:19 Thanks For Tuning In

If you want to support the channel, like, comment, share, or consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub

After growing up between Switzerland and the United States, Bradley Wyss had a homeschool experience that was anything but conventional. He moved between public school and homeschooling, eventually earning a Swiss education, starting college, and then returning to the U.S. where he had to complete high school all over again. But the biggest changes came after leaving the tightly connected Christian homeschool community he grew up in. Bradley shares what it was like to question the religious beliefs he had been raised with, deal with purity culture and the fear of breaking the rules, and eventually build a life based more on curiosity, independence, and taking chances. Today, he works in the wind industry, travels extensively, and embraces an adventurous approach to life.
What I especially loved about this conversation was Bradley's perspective on fear. He's faced plenty of uncertainty, from being medically discharged from the Marine Corps because of his degenerative vision condition to figuring out a career and navigating life outside of his childhood religion. Instead of waiting until he feels completely confident, Bradley has learned to take the leap and figure things out along the way.

In This Episode

• Growing up between Switzerland and the United States and moving between public school and homeschooling
• The role of ACE/PACES and the homeschool community in Bradley's childhood
• Why leaving a religious community can be just as difficult as questioning the beliefs themselves
• Breaking down the guilt and fear surrounding purity culture and religious rules
• How Bradley went from an unexpected Marine Corps setback to working in renewable energy
• Building a life around travel, adventure, hobbies, and taking chances
• Why fear doesn't necessarily have to disappear before you make a big change
• Finding community and meaningful relationships after leaving the religious environment you grew up in

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Connect with me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club

00:38 Support The Show

01:27 Meet Bradley

02:43 Swiss To US Schooling

03:57 Back To Switzerland Shift

05:42 Divorce And US Return

08:01 ACE Program And ACHEV

12:32 Homeschool Community Life

16:58 Graduating High School A Second Time

17:33 Marine Corps Setback

18:33 Vision Loss Reality

21:15 Finding A Career In Wind

22:39 Goals Travel And Freedom

27:35 Taking Risks Pays Off

33:38 Questioning Faith Begins

39:20 Leaving Religion And Rules

43:44 Tithing and Credit

46:41 Gods Will and Free Will

48:11 Purity Culture Guilt

49:45 Leaving the Church

53:23 Telling Your Parents

57:20 What Do You Think Of Homeschooling Now?

01:01:18 Tough Talks Not Bubbles

01:06:01 Finding Zest for Life

01:12:25 Freedom Through Travel

01:15:31 Hobbies and Adventure Mindset

01:18:20 Small Joys and Farewell

If you want to support the channel, like, comment, share, or consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub

Check out Part 1 of our convo: https://youtu.be/mUWjdOu6y5w

Support some fellow homeschool alum and grab a copy of Mixed-Up Metaphors: https://a.co/d/0bueQkeT

Wait no longer, part two of my conversation about friendship with Cari, Jenève, and Noah is here! Find out what happens to friendships as we grow up, move away, get married, have kids, change our beliefs, and become different versions of ourselves. We talk about how adult friendship often looks less like perfectly planned nights out and more like helping a friend clean the house, running errands together, or simply eating pizza and playing cards. We also dig into why shared values and the willingness to let people change can matter more than having identical beliefs. You’ll also here as we compare our homeschool experiences, talk about AWANA and Adventures in Odyssey, share creative projects we made together, and reflected on some of the "glow ups" we've experienced since leaving homeschooling. Ultimately, this conversation comes back to one thing: find the people who will keep showing up as you grow and change.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How homeschool communities can create friendships that feel more like family.
• Why some childhood friendships naturally deepen while others don’t become close until adulthood.
• Maintaining friendships across distance, college, relationships, and major life changes.
• The strange pressure many homeschoolers experienced around boys and girls being friends and the assumption that friendship must mean dating.
• How purity culture and fear of romantic relationships affected the way we understood attraction, dating, and physical affection.
• Why protecting kids from every painful experience can leave them unprepared for adulthood — and how supportive friendships can give young people a safe place to learn from difficult experiences.
• The healing that can happen when adult children and their parents finally have honest conversations about the past.

Wanna Join Book Club?

Grab a copy of Educated by Tara Westover: https://tarawestover.com/book

If you want to join our virtual Zoom meeting on August 29th 1pm EST - 10am PST, sign-up here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bxCrsDpgTFGNvsWVgVdHXA

Check Out My Previous Episodes With Cari, Jenève, and Noah!

• Cari: https://youtu.be/8cizKkNyLSo?si=5Y6IScdbDOnio0DJ
• Jenève: https://youtu.be/bxf9T5GFk4A?si=_eoI2xsjBCgi1ewV
• Noah: https://youtu.be/trh9iD3SvvA?si=8PTTowtUtKWG78se

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Connect with me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club

00:22 Ways You Can Support The Show

01:04 Why Adult Friendships Are Hard

02:06 Leaning Into Mom Friends

05:10 Errands As Hangouts

08:47 Friendship Phases And Adapting

10:17 Kids As A New Hobby

12:02 Values Keep Friends Close

14:54 Sticking Through Big Changes

17:58 Homeschool Similarities

20:55 Mime Memories And Odyssey

22:15 Nostalgia Versus Deconstruction

24:54 Mime Confidence And Showman

26:03 Showman Song Tangent

26:52 Their Book Plug

27:54 Mixed Metaphors Origin

29:37 How The Book Works

30:23 Old Songs And Videos

31:09 Three Hour Movie Story

33:21 Creating Together Lessons

35:20 Homeschool Glow Up Talk

36:53 Glow Up Stories

46:42 Wrapping Up And Community

If you want to support the channel, like, comment, share, or consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub

What happens to the friendships you make as a homeschooled kid once you grow up? In this episode of Ex-Homeschoolers Club, I sit down with three longtime friends, Cari, Noah, and Jenève, to talk about the friendships that started through homeschool groups, co-ops, extracurriculars, and family connections — and how those relationships changed as we became adults. We talk about childhood memories, long-distance friendships, reconnecting after college, and what it means to have someone who understands where you came from. We also get into the complicated rules many of us grew up with around opposite-sex friendships, dating, physical affection, and the pressure to avoid anything that might look romantic.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How homeschool communities can create friendships that feel more like family.
• Why some childhood friendships naturally deepen while others don't become close until adulthood.
• Maintaining friendships across distance, college, relationships, and major life changes.
• The strange pressure many homeschoolers experienced around boys and girls being friends and the assumption that friendship must mean dating.
• How purity culture and fear of romantic relationships affected the way we understood attraction, dating, and physical affection.
• Why protecting kids from every painful experience can leave them unprepared for adulthood — and how supportive friendships can give young people a safe place to learn from difficult experiences.
• The healing that can happen when adult children and their parents finally have honest conversations about the past.

Wanna Join Book Club?

• Grab a copy of Educated by Tara Westover: https://tarawestover.com/book
• If you want to join the conversation during the month, follow along on Fable: https://fable.co/club/ex-homeschoolers-book-club-with-jacob-gooden-585330795145
• And lastly, if you want to join our virtual Zoom meeting on August 29th 1pm EST - 10am PST, sign-up here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bxCrsDpgTFGNvsWVgVdHXA

Check Out My Previous Episodes With Cari, Jenève, and Noah!

• Cari: https://youtu.be/8cizKkNyLSo?si=5Y6IScdbDOnio0DJ
• Jenève: https://youtu.be/bxf9T5GFk4A?si=_eoI2xsjBCgi1ewV
• Noah: https://youtu.be/trh9iD3SvvA?si=8PTTowtUtKWG78se

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Connect with Me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 A Few Things Before We Get Into The Episode

02:10 Welcome Back To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club

03:09 Cari's Homeschool Elevator Pitch

05:20 Jenève' Homeschool Elevator Pitch

07:19 Noah's Homeschool Elevator Pitch

09:37 How We First Met

15:00 Favorite Memories Together

25:35 Post College Friendship Shift

33:55 Opposite Sex Friend Stigma

38:36 Prom Night Pressure

41:27 Homeschool Dating Rules

44:16 Rumor Mill Trauma

45:30 Taboo And Modesty

50:46 Side Hugs And Shame

54:39 Friend Zone In College

01:01:33 Protection Vs Preparation

01:12:36 Healing With Parents

01:14:45 Hugging Younger Self

Check out CRHE's Research: https://crhe.org/research/research-resources/
Growing up homeschooled across multiple countries, experiencing homelessness, transitioning into public school, and eventually earning a PhD, Dr. Jonah Stewart has a story unlike most. In this episode, I sit down with Jonah to talk about their unconventional homeschool experience, the challenges of adapting to traditional education, and how those experiences ultimately shaped a career researching education and advocating for homeschool reform through the Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE). We also discuss ADHD, social development, college, and why every homeschool story is unique.

Key Takeaways

• Dr. Jonah Stewart shares what it was like being homeschooled across the U.S. and Australia.
• How Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum shaped—and limited—their learning experience.
• The difficult transition from homeschooling to public school during a period of family instability.
• Living with ADHD and discovering learning strategies that actually worked.
• Why social development is just as important as academic success.
• The mission of the Coalition for Responsible Home Education and why responsible oversight matters.
• Lessons learned from college, graduate school, and building an independent adult life.

Resources Mentioned

• Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE)
• Accelerated Christian Education (ACE)
• Duke University

Listener Question

Have you ever transitioned from homeschooling into public or private school? What was the biggest surprise for you? Share your story in the comments!

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. It helps more homeschool alumni discover these conversations and join the community.

Connect with me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com
• Listen on Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/exhsclub/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club

01:21 Jonah Homeschool Background

03:22 Curriculum and Daily Routine

08:22 How Our Parents Built Structure with ADHD Students

11:29 Did You Find Homeschool Community or was it Isolating

16:15 Why did you Switch to Public School

19:20 Adjusting to Public School

25:53 Finding Stability and Good Teachers

32:04 The Different Forms of Intelligence and Social Skills

35:57 Launching into Independence and College

39:25 Leaving Home Reality Check

43:31 Hiding Homeschool Roots

44:24 Stereotypes and Self Proof

49:40 Reinvention in Grad School

50:28 Coming Out and Finding Belonging

55:42 Turning 30 Confidence Shift

01:00:49 Finding CRHE and Purpose

01:05:54 Research Gaps and Regulation

01:12:58 Key Studies to Read

01:19:39 Future Research Questions

01:26:05 Why Lived Experience Matters

01:28:35 Wrap Up and Resources

If you're loving the show and want to show some support, consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub

This week's episode is a little different. Instead of sitting down with a guest, I'm celebrating two major milestones: turning 30 and the Ex-Homeschoolers Club officially passing its second anniversary. I reflect on the challenges of my late twenties, the pressure of reaching a new decade, and why I'm choosing hope instead of fear as I step into this next chapter. I also share my gratitude for everyone who has listened, supported, and trusted me with their stories over the past two years.

Join the Book Club

• Grab a copy of Educated by Tara Westover: https://tarawestover.com/book
• Join the Fable discussion group: https://fable.co/club/ex-homeschoolers-book-club-with-jacob-gooden-585330795145
• Register for our Zoom meeting on August 29th 1pm EST - 10am PST: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bxCrsDpgTFGNvsWVgVdHXA

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story.

Connect with me

• BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub
• Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com
• Listen on Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/exhsclub/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub
• Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/
• Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club

00:22 It's My Birthday!

03:06 Happy Birthday To The Show

06:52 August Book Club Announcement

08:31 Thanks for Supporting