What does your child actually need to learn—and how much formal homeschooling do they really need?

When I started The Homeschool How To Podcast, I wasn't even sure I was going to homeschool my own kids. I had a lot of the same fears so many parents have: Would my kids miss out? Would they have friends? Would they fall behind? Would I actually be capable of educating them?

More than 200 homeschool family interviews later, I've changed my mind about a LOT.

In this episode, I'm sharing what I've learned about homeschooling, socialization, curriculum, learning readiness, and what children actually need from us.

I'm talking about the fears I had when I started, why I no longer worry nearly as much about whether my kids are “on track,” and why I don't believe homeschooling has to mean sitting at the kitchen table with textbooks every morning.

I also share what homeschooling actually looks like in our house—including my son's completely unexpected opportunity to learn about horses several times a week because he wanted to. That experience has become one of the clearest examples of what I hoped homeschooling could be.

If you're considering homeschooling, you're a new homeschool parent, or you're constantly wondering “Am I doing enough?”, I hope this episode gives you a little more peace and confidence.

And remember: there is no one right way to homeschool.

Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start?

📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start

🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool

📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject.

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave a review. It helps more homeschooling families find us!

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Her son was all set to graduate from her homeschool and become a master mechanic — and then he enlisted in the Marines a month before he turned 18.

Christina Franco from Rooted Home Life joins Cheryl this week. She's a former public and private school teacher turned homeschool mom of five, and she gets real about the moment she realized it wasn't public school she had a problem with — it was school itself. They talk about her oldest son's surprise decision to join the Marines, the "mother's intuition" story from speaker Amber O'Neill Johnston that changed how Christina parents, why she doesn't believe in college for college's sake, and how family-style unit studies shape her very relaxed homeschool days.

You'll hear about:

• How a public school teacher ended up distrusting the entire system, not just one school
• The real story behind her son enlisting in the Marines right after graduating homeschool
• How being a blended family can affect homeschooling
• A mother's intuition story about a medical procedure gone wrong
• Why she doesn't believe in going to college "for the experience"
• How family-style unit studies work across five kids at different ages
• Her honest answer on putting her kids' faces online

Connect with Christina:

Instagram

YouTube

Podcast

Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start?

📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start

🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool

📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject.

Support the show

Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast
Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast

What happens when a former public school teacher sells everything to homeschool from a bus?

Three years after her first appearance on the podcast, Jennifer Gossett is back with an incredible update.

Since we last spoke, her family has traveled to 47 states, sold the bus, bought a home, and discovered that homeschooling doesn't have to fit inside one box.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why she left public education
• What roadschooling really looked like day to day
• Why they decided to stop living on the bus
• Raising children with different learning styles
• Dual enrollment and graduating with college credits
• Whether homeschoolers really miss out on prom, sports, and friendships
• Traveling America as part of your child's education
• Why she believes it's okay to change your mind

Whether you're just beginning your homeschool journey or dreaming about traveling with your children, this episode is full of encouragement and practical ideas.

Connect with Jen:

https://www.instagram.com/un_hustled/

https://www.facebook.com/theunhustlebustle

https://www.tiktok.com/@unhustled

jens.a.cooker on TikTok

Ready to homeschool but wondering where to start?

📘 Grab my book, So You Want to Homeschool? Everything You Need to Know Before You Start

🎓 Need a step-by-step plan? Check out Cheryl's mini-course, How to Work and Homeschool

📚 Still wondering, "What do I actually teach?" My guide walks you through exactly what homeschool families focus on by age and subject.

Support the show

Instagram: TheHomeschoolHowToPodcast
Facebook: The Homeschool How To Podcast