Shows
Homeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: Back To School (Replay)Are you starting your school year? In this Best of HIRL, we gather around the teacher’s lounge and gear up for another year of teaching our kids at home.
When this episode first ran, Fletch and Kendra were starting their 19th year of homeschooling with a bang and letting you in on the fun. In this episode, they also imparted 5 questions to ask yourself as you head back to school this year.
Join us and let’s get the school year rolling!
Sponsored by CTCMath.com
SHOW NOTES to Back to Sc...
2025-08-1200 minHomeschooling IRLSpecial Replay | Can Your Homeschooler Go To College – HIRL Episode 27
Can Your Homeschooler Go To College?
The answer to this question is obvious: we all know that homeschoolers can go to college!
This episode is brought to you by CTCMath.com – a wonderful math curriculum for all of your homeschool needs, or to brush up on new skills.
On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, Fletch and Kendra get real and challenge their listeners to join them in a difficult discussion about fear and trusting God as they contemplate sending their children onto higher education.
Along the way, they sit...
2025-06-3053 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: Loving the Unlovable (Replay)A special replay! We all have those people in our lives who prove to be a challenge to love: a grumpy toddler, a brooding teen, an irritable spouse, a controlling parent. How do we love them in spite of their unloveliness? What does the gospel tell us about our own unloveliness, and God’s love for us? Tun in to this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life for a touching and deeply meaningful conversation about loving the unlovable.
Sponsored by Judson College.
Where Is God Calling Your Student?
At Judson College, students are equip...
2025-06-0900 minHomeschooling IRLI Love Homeschooling But I Hate Teaching Math – HIRL Episode 31Hate math? And I hate teaching science. And writing. Or . . .
Let’s get real homeschoolers. Most of us have at least one subject we don’t enjoy teaching. What? That is difficult to justify when we are the ones in charge of teaching all the subjects.
So what is a homeschooling parent supposed to do when there are core subjects that must be covered, but there is no motivation by mom or dad to get that subject done every week, or they feel unqualified to teach it?
In this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, Fletch and Kend...
2025-04-1042 minHomeschooling IRLHomeschoolingIRL Episode 2: Homeschooling is a BuzzkillHomeschoolingIRL Homeschooling Is A Buzzkill
sponosred by NOW Programs.
On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, Fletch and Kendra introduce you to one of the phrases used often around their home: Homeschooling Is A Buzzkill!
Listen in as they discuss what happens when expectations do not match reality. Follow Kendra into their schoolroom as she gives you a glimpse into real life during Adventures in Mangoland. Finally, tune in to Pillow Talk as Fletch and Kendra wrap up this episode and share a few final thoughts on the topic.
For m...
2025-03-2400 minHomeschooling IRLCan Your Homeschooler Go To College – HIRL Episode 27 (replay)The answer to this question is obvious: we all know that homeschoolers can go to college!
On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, (sponsored by Judson College) Fletch and Kendra get real and challenge their listeners to join them in a difficult discussion about fear and trusting God as they contemplate sending their children onto higher education.
Along the way, they sit down with two college admissions counselors and ask them to share the experiences they have had when homeschoolers apply to college. How are we doing when it comes to academic preparedness, pride and...
2025-03-1700 minHomeschooling IRLWhat Homeschooling Does To A Marriage – HIRL Episode 17What Homeschooling Does to a Marriage
You are going to want to grab your spouse for this episode! Fletch and Kendra dive right into the middle of the topic and discuss how the stress of homeschooling can leak into your marriage relationship.
Throughout this episode, you will hear live interviews conducted with couples on the floor of the Teach Them Diligently Conference in Nashville, TN. Be prepared for answers that you might not expect!
Fletch and Kendra also talk and laughing with TTD conference founders and directors, David and Leslie Nunnery, about the...
2025-02-0748 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL Holiday Series – Traveling With Kids
Join us on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life as we talk about the ins and outs of traveling with kids. On this episode we are NOT talking about vacation planning. Instead we are talking about giving your family a love for travel, a love for God’s world and a love for taking your love for Jesus around the world as a family ambassadors living on mission.
Live from the Teach Them Diligently convention floor in Nashville, TN, Kendra interviews family travel expert Jen Reyneri from WordTraveling.com. Listen as they discuss about travelin...
2024-11-1900 minHomeschooling IRLHomeschoolingIRL Episode 3: Homeschooling, Halloween and Harry PotterHomeschooling, Halloween, and Harry Potter
Homeschooling, Halloween, and Harry Potter? Are we nuts?
Well, yes, but that didn’t stop us from tackling two hot-potato topics that homeschoolers traditionally love to argue over. You, too?
In this episode, replayed in honor of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast’s 11th Birthday and sponsor, Fletch and Kendra talk about Halloween and the opportunity to love the places where God has put our families. We discuss fear and the life of the believer, and then Fletch elaborates about a character in the Harry Potter series that taught him a...
2024-10-241h 37Homeschooling IRLI Love Homeschooling But I Hate Teaching Math – HIRL Episode 31Hate math? And I hate teaching science. And writing. Or . . .
Let’s get real homeschoolers. Most of us have at least one subject we don’t enjoy teaching. What? That is difficult to justify when we are the ones in charge of teaching all the subjects.
So what is a homeschooling parent supposed to do when there are core subjects that must be covered, but there is no motivation by mom or dad to get that subject done every week, or they feel unqualified to teach it?
In this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, Fletch and Kend...
2024-10-1142 minHomeschooling IRLWhat Homeschooling Does To A Marriage – HIRL Episode 17 (Replay)You are going to want to grab your spouse for this episode! Fletch and Kendra dive right into the middle of the topic and discuss how the stress of homeschooling can leak into your marriage relationship.
Throughout this episode, you will hear live interviews conducted with couples on the floor of the Teach Them Diligently Conference in Nashville, TN. Be prepared for answers that you might not expect!
Fletch and Kendra also spend time talking and laughing with TTD conference founders and directors David and Leslie Nunnery about the challenges we’ve seen in our ow...
2024-09-1949 minHomeschooling IRLHomeschooling Multiple Ages – HIRL Special Replay
How does a homeschooling parent possibly educate older kids while at the same time juggling preschoolers, toddlers, and babies? Is it even realistic to think we could do a good job while spinning so many homeschool plates?
On this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra talk about how they’ve managed to homeschool 8 kids, how to structure a day so that schooling actually gets done, and how mom can survive and thrive during the demanding years of homeschooling multiple ages.
SHOW NOTES:
Recomm...
2024-08-1300 minHomeschooling IRLClassroom Teachers Who Homeschool – Special ReplayClassroom Teachers Who Homeschool
This episode brought to you by CTC Math.
What happens when classroom teachers decide to homeschool their own children? How do they make the transition from classroom management to managing the personalities around their kitchen table?
If you are a classroom teacher considering homeschooling your own kids, you’ll appreciate this episode and the conversation with former classroom teacher Jolanthe Erb, who brings ten years of homeschool experience to the discussion. We talk about issues unique to the classroom, how homeschooling is different, and why perhaps not everyone is equ...
2024-08-0500 minHomeschooling IRLHomeless Homeschooling – HIRL Episode 124 (Replay)Homeless homeschoolers? Sorry for the bait and switch, but this family is anything but homeless! This is a family who decided to take the kids AND the homeschool on the road! Join us and our special guests Megan and Mike Knorpp from KnorppandSouth.com. The Knorpps are homeschooling parents of 9 and cross-country travelers extraordinaire. We discuss the logistics of housing 11 people in 800 square feet, the excitement of learning by doing and exploring, and how exactly they’re paying for this whole crazy adventure!
If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your homeschool on the road, this episode is for yo...
2024-02-1342 minHomeschooling IRLBest of Homschooling IRL: Affording College | Special ReplayA special replay in honor of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network’s 10th Birthday!
2023-10-1740 minHomeschooling IRLSpecial Replay: The Desperate Need To Get It Right
Special Replay Episode: When we talk about the desperate need to get it right, Fletch is quick to say, “Oh! You mean homeschooling in the age of Pinterest?” On this episode we are talking about how to homeschool when we feel like we just don’t measure up to the other homeschool moms we know.
We are joined in the studio by Kym Smythe, Sabrina Justison and Vicki Tillman, three of the sisters from 7SistersHomeschool.com and The Homeschool Highschool Podcast. We discuss how to handle the competition, comparisons and the desperate need to get it right...
2023-09-2638 minHomeschooling IRLHomeschoolingIRL Replay Homeschooling, Halloween and Harry PotterHomeschooling, Halloween, and Harry Potter
Thank you to this podcast episode sponsor: Route 60 – The Biblical Highway. In theaters September 18th & 19th only. Please check the website to learn more about this wonderful movie.
Homeschooling, Halloween, and Harry Potter? Are we nuts?
Well, yes, but that didn’t stop us from tackling two hot potato topics that homeschoolers traditionally love to argue over. You, too?
In this episode, Fletch and Kendra talk about Halloween and the opportunity to love the places where God has put our families. We discuss fear and the life o...
2023-09-1349 minHomeschooling IRLREPLAY | Back To School – HIRL Episode 116
Are you starting your school year? We are! Let’s gather around the teacher’s lounge and gear up for another year of teaching our kids at home.
Fletch and Kendra are starting their 19th year of homeschooling with a bang and letting you in on the fun. In this episode, they are also imparting 5 questions to ask yourself as you head back to school this year.
Join us and let’s get the school year rolling!
EPISODE TIMELINE
:57 – Fluff : Fletch shares his opinion about weddings and baby del...
2023-07-0528 minHomeschooling IRLWhat Homeschooling Does To A Marriage – HIRL Episode 17You are going to want to grab your spouse for this episode! Fletch and Kendra dive right into the middle of the topic and discuss how the stress of homeschooling can leak into your marriage relationship.
Throughout this episode, you will hear live interviews conducted with couples on the floor of the Teach Them Diligently Conference in Nashville, TN. Be prepared for answers that you might not expect!
Fletch and Kendra also spend time talking and laughing with TTD conference founders and directors David and Leslie Nunnery about the challenges we’ve seen in our ow...
2023-06-0149 minHomeschooling IRLI Love Homeschooling But I Hate Teaching Math – HIRL Episode 31Hate math? And I hate teaching science. And writing. Or . . .
Let’s get real homeschoolers. Most of us have at least one subject we don’t enjoy teaching. What? That is difficult to justify when we are the ones in charge of teaching all the subjects.
So what is a homeschooling parent supposed to do when there are core subjects that must be covered, but there is no motivation by mom or dad to get that subject done every week, or they feel unqualified to teach it?
In this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, Fletch and Kend...
2023-05-1742 minHomeschooling IRLSpecial Replay: Extracurricular OverkillExtracurricular Overkill on the HIRL Podcast
On this week’s special back-to-school replay with Fletch and Kendra, they talk about Extracurricular Overkill. When is enough too much?
On this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, Fletch, and Kendra answer a letter from a listener wondering how to filter extracurricular activities into your homeschool. When should you say yes? When should you say no?
We invite good friends Nate and Ali Miller into the studio to talk through the topic of extracurricular overkill. Listen in as we discuss how they made the decision to pull back from gym...
2023-05-0334 minHomeschooling IRLSpecial Replay | Can Your Homeschooler Go To College – HIRL Episode 27
Can Your Homeschooler Go To College?
The answer to this question is obvious: we all know that homeschoolers can go to college!
This episode is brought to you by CTCMath.com – a wonderful math curriculum for all of your homeschool needs, or to brush up on new skills.
On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, Fletch and Kendra get real and challenge their listeners to join them in a difficult discussion about fear and trusting God as they contemplate sending their children onto higher education.
Along the way, they sit...
2023-04-2553 minHomeschooling IRLListener Q&A – Special ReplayOn this week’s episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, we’re answering listeners emails on a wide variety of topics. Judgmental homeschoolers? We got that. Homeschooling high school? Yep, that, too. Chances are, if you’ve had a question for Fletch and Kendra, you’ll hear the answers you’ve been waiting for.
It’s fast-paced, light, sometimes serious, but always with the goal of keeping the main thing the main thing.
Get Social With Us:
Follow Fletch/Kendra:
Fletch Twitter
Kendra Twitter
Follow the Studio Dogs:
Betty the Su...
2022-10-1727 minHomeschooling IRLSpecial Replay – Going Back To School
Are you starting your school year? We are! Let’s gather around the teacher’s lounge and gear up for another year of teaching our kids at home.
Fletch and Kendra are starting their 19th year of homeschooling with a bang and letting you in on the fun. On this episode, they are also imparting 5 questions to ask yourself as you head back to school this year.
Join us and let’s get the school year rolling!
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
None
Follow Fletch/Kendra:
Fletch...
2022-08-1519 minHomeschooling IRLClassroom Teachers Who Homeschool – Special ReplayWhat happens when classroom teachers decide to homeschool their own children? How do they make the transition from classroom management to managing the personalities around their kitchen table?
If you are a classroom teacher considering homeschooling your own kids, you’ll appreciate this episode and the conversation with former classroom teacher Jolanthe Erb, who brings ten years of homeschool experience to the discussion. We talk about issues unique to the classroom, how homeschooling is different, and why perhaps not everyone is equipped to teach every child.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
Jolanthe Erb...
2021-09-2746 minHomeschooling IRLHomeschooling Multiple Ages – HIRL Special Replay
How does a homeschooling parent possibly educate older kids while at the same time juggling preschoolers, toddlers, and babies? Is it even realistic to think we could do a good job while spinning so many homeschool plates?
On this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra talk about how they’ve managed to homeschool 8 kids, how to structure a day so that schooling actually gets done, and how mom can survive and thrive during the demanding years of homeschooling multiple ages.
SHOW NOTES:
Recomm...
2021-09-2036 minHomeschooling IRLSpecial Replay: BabysittingSome of our best episodes have been created as the result of our listeners’ great ideas, and this is one of those episodes! We’re talking all about leaving younger siblings with older siblings in the role of babysitter: the ins and outs, the expectations, and other various aspects of that realty.
We hope it sets the stage for good discussion with your own kids and allows you to successfully encourage your own in-house babysitters.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
None
Get Social With Us:
Foll...
2021-09-1025 minHomeschooling IRLWhat’s Your New Normal? – HIRL Episode 160
What’s Your New Normal? – HIRL Episode 160
What does life look like post-pandemic? Which activities are you are eager to return to, and what will you change going forward?
From changing the family schedule, to changing the pace of life, to learning how to connect through the smart use of technology, these are the questions Fletch and Kendra discuss on this week’s episode of Homeschooling in Real Life. Answers will differ from person to person and family to family, but one thing remains true for every single one of us: life will never b...
2020-04-2025 minHomeschooling IRLBlessed Are The Crisis Schoolers- HIRL Episode 159Blessed Are The Crisis Schoolers – HIRL Episode 159
How can you support your neighbor who is suddenly learning how to school their kids at home? What does it mean to “Love Thy Neighbor” during this Covid-19 pandemic?
We are three weeks into the COVID-19 global crisis and families around us are settling into new routines. For some, this “new normal” is anything but normal or routine. These families are struggling to juggle family, work and this new version of schooling their kids at home.
Following up from last week’s episode about homeschooling during a pandemic...
2020-04-0624 minHomeschooling IRLHope Shifting and Covid19 – HIRL Episode 158Hope Shifting and Covid19 – HIRL Episode 158
What does homeschooling look like in the face of a worldwide pandemic? How does sudden change affect the breadwinner in the home who is unexpectedly out of work? What happens when a homeschooling parent suddenly has everyone in the family home all day long? What do we talk about with our children? How do we balance sharing news, information, and our own fears?
We’re dusting off the microphones and cranking up the volume as Fletch and Kendra discuss the pressing questions we’re all wrestling with and encourage our li...
2020-03-3045 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: Loving the UnlovableA special replay! We all have those people in our lives who prove to be a challenge to love: a grumpy toddler, a brooding teen, an irritable spouse, a controlling parent. How do we love them in spite of their unloveliness? What does the gospel tell us about our own unloveliness, and God’s love for us? Tun in to this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life for a touching and deeply meaningful conversation about loving the unlovable.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
None
Follow Fletch/Kendra:
Fletch Twitter
Kendra Twitter
2019-12-1023 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL Replay: The Working Homeschool MomAre you a homeschooling mom who needs to work? Are you contemplating a job alongside homeschooling? Join us for this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life as we talk with Jimmie Lanley, a mom who found the need to be employed but also wanted to continue educating her daughter at home with excellence.
Jimmie is straight-forward and encouraging as she shares her experience and wisdom with our listeners.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
JimmieLanley.com
Get Social With Us:
Follow Fletch/Kendra:
Fletch Twitter
Kendra...
2019-08-1830 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL Replay: Facetime
Author Kristen Hatton joins us for an important discussion that encompasses the world our teen girls are growing up in. From eating disorders to the impact of social media on a young woman’s self image, Kristen’s latest book, Facetime: Your Identity in a Selfie World, is a significant guide to pointing our teenaged daughters to Christ to find their acceptance and worth.
Raising daughters? This episode is just for you.
SHOW NOTES:
KristenHatton.com
Facetime – Your Identity in a Selfie World
Sandy Cove Family Camp – Homeschoo...
2019-08-1434 minHomeschooling IRLGrandparents Who Homeschool – HIRL Special ReplayDuring a recent homeschooling convention where we were speaking, an older gentleman approached the Homeschooling in Real Life booth and asked what we might know about grandparents who homeschool. He was planning to help his daughter homeschool her children, and he was there to gather information.
The topic of grandparents who homeschool is an exciting one! The possibilities for how a grandparent might help out in the homeschool setting are endless, and the opportunities for discipleship are indeed beautiful.
We’re joined by “vintage” homeschool mom Felice Gerwitz of the Vintage Homeschool Moms podcast as we discuss t...
2019-08-0641 minHomeschooling IRLThe Disappointed Parent – HIRL Special Replay
We have big dreams when we begin parenting: how many children we’ll have, what we’ll do together, how our relationship will be when they are adults. It doesn’t take long for us to realize that we’re not in control of who or how our children are, and soon we can find ourselves disappointed that we didn’t have a child like X, Y, and Z.
How do we respond when we finally acknowledge that we are disappointed? How does the gospel inform our choices, our conversations, and our relationship to our kids? Liste...
2019-07-2443 minHomeschooling IRLWhen Homeschoolers Judge – Best of Homeschooling IRLHomeschooling is a choice born out of the freedom to choose what we feel to be the best educational option for our children. It should follow, then that if a family who has made the choice to homeschool then decides to put a child into a traditional school setting, fellow homeschoolers will support that freedom to choose, too.
Unfortunately, that’s not the reaction many receive when they announce they’ll be returning to school. Instead of encouragement and reassurance, they often receive condemnation from the homeschool community.
What’s a homeschooler to do? And wh...
2019-07-1941 minHomeschooling IRL5 Apps All Parents Should Know – Best of Homeschooling IRLApps! Mobile phones! iPads! Technology! It all moves so fast and changes seemingly overnight. How do we keep up with what our kids are asking to use or are being exposed to, even if we are trying to keep it all in balance?
Join us on this highly informative episode of Homeschooling in Real Life as we welcome author and speaker Leah Nieman to discuss five apps every parent should know about right now. It’s an up-to-the-minute conversation, but even if you’re listening months or even years from its publication, you’ll be able to...
2019-07-1200 minHomeschooling IRLBest of Homschooling IRL: Affording CollegeIt’s that time of year again – graduation is upon us and college is looming into the future. In this replay of the Best of Homeschooling IRL, listen in as Fletch and Kendra interview Jean Burke of College Prep Genius with tips for affording college.
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When our students hope to go to college, the perennial question remains: how in the world will they pay for it? We decided to return to the topic of affording college with College Prep Genius Jean Burk because we know she has valuable information to share.
We think yo...
2019-04-2939 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: Homeschooling Multiple Ages
This week on this replay episode of Homeschooling IRL: How does a homeschooling parent possibly educate older kids while at the same time juggling preschoolers, toddlers, and babies? Is it even realistic to think we could do a good job while spinning so many homeschool plates?
On this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra talk about how they’ve managed to homeschool 8 kids, how to structure a day so that schooling actually gets done, and how mom can survive and thrive during the demanding years of homeschooling multiple ages.
EPI...
2019-04-0338 minHomeschooling IRLSpecial Edition of HIRL: Mid-Year SlumpThis week on Special Edition – Homeschooling IRL – Enjoy this episode replay sponsored by Christian Standard Bible! Mid-January. Harumph. Are you feeling the mid-year slump in your homeschool, too?
In this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra talk about how the mid-year slump affects their homeschooling and give several practical ways in which you can beat the mid-year slump, too.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
Lost and Found, by Kendra Fletcher
Key Life Ministries with Steve Brown
Interview with Key Life
Follow Fletch/Kendra:
Fletch Twitter
Ken...
2019-02-0421 minHomeschooling IRLSpecial Edition of HIRL: Family Devotions with Marty MachowskiThis week on Special Edition – Homeschooling IRL – Enjoy this episode replay sponsored by Christian Standard Bible! Join us as we welcome pastor, homeschool father, and family devotions author, Marty Machowski. We talk with Marty about family devotions and why we need to encourage each other as families to gather together around the Word of God.
These are wonderful books for families just like yours. They are easy to use, with ideas that are easy to grasp, and they teach to a level that will engage everyone in the entire family. Marty’s books have been a hit in our family...
2019-02-0238 minHomeschooling IRL“Out of Retirement” Update from Homeschooling in Real Life: Leaving Legalism“Out of Retirement” Update from Homeschooling in Real Life: Leaving Legalism
Hey there, HIRLers! We’ve missed you all so much that we decided to come back for one more episode. We’re celebrating the Ultimate Homeschool Network’s 5th anniversary and catching you up on good ol’ Homeschooling in Real Life stuff. It’s fun frivolity and all the fluff you’ve come to expect. Happy homeschooling!
Find more Homeschooling in Real Life episodes here
Discussing the topics that you might not find covered at your local homeschooling convention, veteran homeschooling parents and bloggers, An...
2018-11-1521 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: The Educated ParentWe home educators spend a lot of time educating our kids. But what about us? Are we taking the time to learn more, discover more, and be curious?
This episode of Homeschooling in Real Life is dedicated to you, the homeschooling parent. We want to see you grow and thrive in your role as parent educator, and to that end we’re talking about the reasons to educate yourself as well as the how-to. Let’s get learning!
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
Hoopla – Library digital borrowing
Khan Ac...
2018-10-1533 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: Boys To MenOur listeners love when we podcast about the process of raising children into adulthood. But every time we talk about raising kids or the transitions into teen years or launching our adolescents out into the world, we are asked constantly for resources.
On this episode we introduce our listeners to one of our favorite new resources for young men. Our old friend, Barrett Johnson from I.N.F.O. for Families, is releasing a new book called The Young Man’s Guide to Awesomeness and we love what he has put together.
This is a special ep...
2018-10-1031 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: When Your Homeschool Owns YouWhen Cindy West reached out to us and asked to talk about something she’s seeing in the homeschool community at large, we jumped at the opportunity. And it’s this: Some homeschoolers feel they must adhere so closely to a particular homeschool philosophy that they have lost all their homeschool joy. Essentially, their homeschools are owning them.
So what’s the remedy? Tune in to “When Your Homeschool Owns You” to find out!
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
Cindy West can be found here: Our Journey Westward.
Get...
2018-10-0331 minHomeschooling IRLBack to School Replay: Extracurricular OverkillOn this week’s special back to school replay with Fletch and Kendra, they talk about Extracurricular Overkill. When is enough too much? On this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, Fletch and Kendra answer a letter from a listener who is wondering how to filter extracurricular activities into your homeschool. When should you say yes? When should you say no?
We invite good friends Nate and Ali Miller into the studio to talk through the topic of extracurricular overkill. Listen in as we discuss how they made the decision to pull back from gymnastics, swimming, baseball, and choir in thei...
2018-09-1934 minHomeschooling IRLBack to School Replay: Moms and Teen BoysMoms of teen boys, this episode was made for you! What happens to those boys when they become teenagers and why are they so hard for moms to manage? Fletch and Kendra have raised three teen boys so far and they have lived to tell the tale . . .
Fletch pokes a few sticks at dads on this episode who have turned all the schooling over to their wives. 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 ca...
2018-09-1232 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: Back To School
Are you starting your school year? In this Best of HIRL, we gather around the teacher’s lounge and gear up for another year of teaching our kids at home.
When this episode first ran, Fletch and Kendra were starting their 19th year of homeschooling with a bang and letting you in on the fun. On this episode, they also imparted 5 questions to ask yourself as you head back to school this year.
Join us and let’s get the school year rolling!
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
None
2018-08-3127 minHomeschooling IRLSummertime Favorites – The Homeschool BudgetThe Homeschool Budget is part one of a series of three podcast episodes dealing with the topic of financial fear.
With a family of 8 kids, Fletch and Kendra know that homeschooling can get expensive. On this episode, they share tips and tricks they have used over the years to save money and homeschool well within a budget.
Along the way, they talk about homeschooling within and out of the charter school system.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
The Wired Homeschool – Homeschooling with Netflix
M.I.T. iTunes University
2018-07-0248 minHomeschooling IRLSummertime Favorites – Boys, AgainBack in Episode 9, we sat down with our friends and fellow podcasters, Hal and Melanie Young from Making Biblical Family Life Practical, to discuss the topic of boys. We talked about how these rambunctious little piles of energy can completely undo the unprepared homeschool mom. From peeing on the carpet to falling from the top of the trees, we discussed how the overload of testosterone is a God-given gift to young men who need discipling and direction from both parents, especially as you prepare boys for adolescence and young adulthood.
On this second episode, we dive back in...
2018-06-1552 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: Dads Who HomeschoolOn this episode of the HomeschoolingIRL podcast, we answer a question from a listener who wants to know about switching roles. What happens when circumstances dictate that mom is the primary breadwinner. What does it look like when dads choose to stay home and do the homeschooling?
Fletch and Kendra interview two homeschool dads who did just this. Listen in to Steve Wilkins and Dr. Jay Wile and hear their stories and how it worked in their families.
Also on this show we dive into a discussion about reunions, high school friends, h...
2018-04-2142 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: Heart for the WorldEver wonder how to give your kids a healthy love for the world and a desire to know other cultures? How about making missions an every day part of your homeschool and home life? What if you can’t travel far from home but want your kids to develop a view that reaches far beyond your hometown?
Join us and Sonlight Curriculum co-founder Sarita Holzmann for a lively discussion on homeschooling, reading, missionaries, biographies, a desire to love the lost, and of course, the gospel.
SHOW NOTES:
Sonlight Curriculum
Sandy Cove Family Ca...
2018-03-1935 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: Knights in TrainingRaising boys can be tricky business, no? And if we have a heart to see our boys really change the world with solid character, big ideas, and compassionate hearts, we can feel defeated when we see them being goofy and a little out of control as kids.
That’s exactly why we wanted to have a solid conversation with friend and author Heather Haupt, who has written a book about teaching our boys what it means to take the high road and be “knights” who fight for honor and protect the weak in our world.
Heathe...
2018-03-1734 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL: How To Watch TV Without Selling Your SoulShould you turn the TV on? Yes or no?
On this episode we jump into a topic that is quick to divide families as we answer the question: Is there any redeeming value in having television in your home, or should we avoid this portal into American culture?
Join along and listen as Fletch and Kendra talk openly about welcoming television back into their home and the parameters involved in their decision to navigate culture with a television. This is an episode that is sure to get you thinking and talking.
SHOW NOTES...
2018-03-1224 minHomeschooling IRLWhen Your Homeschool Owns You – HIRL ReplayWhen Cindy West reached out to us and asked to talk about something she’s seeing in the homeschool community at large, we jumped at the opportunity. And it’s this: Some homeschoolers feel they must adhere so closely to a particular homeschool philosophy that they have lost all their homeschool joy. Essentially, their homeschools are owning them.
So what’s the remedy? Tune in to “When Your Homeschool Owns You” to find out!
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
Cindy West can be found here: Our Journey Westward.
Get...
2017-12-1928 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL Holiday Series: Stocking StufferAre you stuck in holiday traffic? Are you locking yourself in the bathroom at your family get-together to avoid Crazy Uncle Larry? Are you sick of hearing Christmas music? This quick episode is just for you!
Merry Christmas HIRLers! Join Fletch and Kendra on this short and fun episode as we share some Christmas laughs with you. You might find out a few things that you didn’t know about Fletch and Kendra. (No, she really doesn’t like Italian Christmas music!)
Find out more facts as we play a quick round of “Q and A with...
2017-12-0423 minHomeschooling IRLBest of HIRL Holiday Series – Traveling With Kids
Join us on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life as we talk about the ins and outs of traveling with kids. On this episode we are NOT talking about vacation planning. Instead we are talking about giving your family a love for travel, a love for God’s world and a love for taking your love for Jesus around the world as a family ambassadors living on mission.
Live from the Teach Them Diligently convention floor in Nashville, TN, Kendra interviews family travel expert Jen Reyneri from WordTraveling.com. Listen as they discuss about travelin...
2017-11-2723 minHomeschooling IRLHomeschooling Multiple Ages
Homeschooling Multiple Ages! How does a homeschooling parent possibly educate older kids while at the same time juggling preschoolers, toddlers, and babies? Is it even realistic to think we could do a good job while spinning so many homeschool plates?
On this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra talk about how they’ve managed to homeschool 8 kids, how to structure a day so that schooling actually gets done, and how mom can survive and thrive during the demanding years of homeschooling multiple ages.
EPISODE TIMELINE
:50 Fluff...
2017-11-1836 minHomeschooling IRLI Love Homeschooling But My Kids Are With Me All the TimeOn this episode of the HomeschoolingIRL podcast, Fletch and Kendra begin a new series called, “I Love Homeschooling But…” and discuss the topic of having your kids with you All. The. Time.
We really do love this aspect of homeschooling, and many of us want to spend the best hours of our kids’ days with them. But the reality is, there are days when we feel as if we’re all breathing down each other’s necks, and that can be difficult to navigate with grace.
Joining Fletch and Kendra in the studio is HomeschoolingIRL listener, Ange...
2017-11-0647 minHomeschooling IRLHomeschooling and MarriageFor the rest of the year, we will be running a “Best of” series of the Homeschooling IRL episodes continuing with Homeschooling and Marriage. Many of these episodes were earlier episodes that you might have missed. Enjoy!
You are going to want to grab your spouse for this episode! Fletch and Kendra dive right into the middle of the topic and discuss how the stress of homeschooling can leak into your marriage relationship.
Throughout this episode you will hear live interviews conducted with couples on the floor of the Teach Them Diligently Conference in Nashville, TN. B...
2017-10-2847 minHomeschooling IRLBest of Homeschooling IRL: I Love Homeschooling, But I Hate Teaching WritingThis week on the Best of Homeschooling IRL: Do you struggle with teaching writing to your homeschool kids? This is the episode for you.
As homeschool parents, some of us were not given great tools for writing in our own education, so when it comes to teaching the subject, we already feel ill-prepared. Others of us are great writers and love to write, but we have no idea how to teach our kids how to take great ideas from their head and put them into words on paper.
We are joined in the studio by Kim...
2017-09-2336 minHomeschooling IRLBest of Homeschooling IRL: Unrealistic Expectations
In this Best of Homeschooling IRL episode, Fletch and Kendra chat with Kathy Lee, mom of many and co-author of The Homegrown Preschooler. Kathy is a child development specialist who has homeschooled and raised kids and now speaks all over the country to parents (often with several of her kids in tow!)
We discuss the growing trend of high academic unrealistic expectations at younger ages, play-based preschool, and developing relationships with our young kids and teens that last well into their adulthood.
EPISODE T...
2017-09-2047 minHomeschooling IRLBest of Homeschooling IRL: The Purity Culture with Sheila GregoireThis week on the Best of Homeschooling IRL: Sheila Gregoire is the author of the book, The Good Girl’s Guide To Great Sex. She is also a popular speaker and blogger at To Love Honor and Vacuum.
Sheila joins us in the studio again this week as we discuss the phenomenon that is the “purity culture” and its affect on the Christian homeschooling community.
How do we convey a Biblical view of sex and marriage to our kids without strapping them with the burden and bondage of religious behaviorism? How can we equip them to enter...
2017-09-1845 minHomeschooling IRLHIRL Episode 156: The Goodbye Show
All good things must come to an end, and as such, this is the final episode of the Homeschooling In Real Life podcast. Thank you for hanging in there with us through 155 episodes. It was a great run and we even slipped a final episode in last week before saying goodbye!
Celebrate with us as we say thank you to everyone who has impacted this ministry, from guests to tech help to our in-house babysitters to you, our faithful HIRLers. We’ll also leave you with the four things we think made up the heart an...
2017-07-2417 minHomeschooling IRLHIRL Episode 155: Did Joshua Harris Kiss Dating Goodbye?In 1997, 21-year-old Joshua Harris wrote a revolutionary book on dating. The book would go on to be an international bestseller and catapult Joshua into the Christian spotlight. I Kissed Dating Goodbye was embraced by the homeschool community and the Christian church at large, and continues to shape the consciousness of how Christians view singleness, dating, and relationships.
Lately, though, Joshua Harris has weathered a battering of online criticism from disenchanted Christians. Some have lashed out at Harris directly for I Kissed Dating Goodbye and others have set up websites dedicated to Harris’ “victims”. Many have called for Joshua Har...
2017-07-1747 minHomeschooling IRLAvoiding Spiritual Abuse – HIRL Episode 154Spiritual abuse has been alive and well in the homeschool community for years. From early leaders like Bill Gothard/ATI to the deceptive charm of Doug Phillips and the Vision Forum/Family Integrated Church movement, homeschoolers often fall prey to the abuse of misguided leaders.
Joining Fletch and Kendra for the last full episode of Homeschooling in Real Life is Julie Anne Smith from the Spiritual Sounding Board website to discuss openly how the church and homeschoolers still fall into the trap of spiritual abuse.
This just might be our most important episode ever!
2017-06-1946 minHomeschooling IRLHeart for the World – HIRL Episode 153Ever wonder how to give your kids a healthy love for the world and a desire to know other cultures? How about making missions an every day part of your homeschool and home life? What if you can’t travel far from home but want your kids to develop a view that reaches far beyond your hometown?
Join us and Sonlight Curriculum co-founder Sarita Holzmann for a lively discussion on homeschooling, reading, missionaries, biographies, a desire to love the lost, and of course, the gospel.
SHOW NOTES:
Sonlight Curriculum
Sandy Cove Family Ca...
2017-06-1336 minHomeschooling IRLFacetime – HIRL Episode 152
Author Kristen Hatton joins us for an important discussion that encompasses the world our teen girls are growing up in. From eating disorders to the impact of social media on a young woman’s self image, Kristen’s latest book, Facetime: Your Identity in a Selfie World, is a significant guide to pointing our teenaged daughters to Christ to find their acceptance and worth.
Raising daughters? This episode is just for you.
SHOW NOTES:
KristenHatton.com
Facetime – Your Identity in a Selfie World
Sandy Cove Family Camp – Homeschoo...
2017-06-0633 minHomeschooling IRLKnights in Training – HIRL Episode 151Raising boys can be tricky business, no? And if we have a heart to see our boys really change the world with solid character, big ideas, and compassionate hearts, we can feel defeated when we see them being goofy and a little out of control as kids.
That’s exactly why we wanted to have a solid conversation with friend and author Heather Haupt, who has written a book about teaching our boys what it means to take the high road and be “knights” who fight for honor and protect the weak in our world.
Heathe...
2017-05-2936 minHomeschooling IRLListener Q&A, Part 2 – HIRL Episode 150Hey! Hey! We’re once again answering listeners’ emails on a wide variety of topics this week. Want to know how not to be a homeschool whackjob? Or how to choose a different schooling option without caving to judgmental responses? Chances are, if you’ve had a question for Fletch and Kendra, you’ll hear the answers you’ve been waiting for.
We’re also talking about a podcast we think we should never, never do. Tune in!
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
None
Get Social With Us:
Follow Flet...
2017-05-1529 minHomeschooling IRLListener Q&A, Part 1 – HIRL Episode 149We’re almost 150 episodes in and the emails keep coming!
On this week’s episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, we’re answering listeners emails on a wide variety of topics. Judgmental homeschoolers? We got that. Homeschooling high school? Yep, that, too. Chances are, if you’ve had a question for Fletch and Kendra, you’ll hear the answers you’ve been waiting for.
It’s fast-paced, light, sometimes serious, but always with the goal of keeping the main thing the main thing.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
None
Get Soc...
2017-05-0827 minHomeschooling IRLBoys To Men – HIRL Episode 148Our listeners love when we podcast about the process of raising children into adulthood. But every time we talk about raising kids or the transitions into teen years or launching our adolescents out into the world, we are asked constantly for resources.
On this episode we introduce our listeners to one of our favorite new resources for young men. Our old friend, Barrett Johnson from I.N.F.O. for Families, is releasing a new book called The Young Man’s Guide to Awesomeness and we love what he has put together.
This is a special ep...
2017-05-0132 minHomeschooling IRLWhen Homeschoolers Judge – HIRL Episode 147Homeschooling is a choice born out of the freedom to choose what we feel to be the best educational option for our children. It should follow, then that if a family who has made the choice to homeschool then decides to put a child into a traditional school setting, fellow homeschoolers will support that freedom to choose, too.
Unfortunately, that’s not the reaction many receive when they announce they’ll be returning to school. Instead of encouragement and reassurance, they often receive condemnation from the homeschool community.
What’s a homeschooler to do? And wh...
2017-04-2541 minHomeschooling IRLBabysitting – HIRL Episode 146Some of our best episodes have been created as the result of our listeners’ great ideas, and this is one of those episodes! We’re talking all about leaving younger siblings with older siblings in the role of babysitter: the ins and outs, the expectations, and other various aspects of that realty.
We hope it sets the stage for good discussion with your own kids and allows you to successfully encourage your own in-house babysitters.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
None
Get Social With Us:
Foll...
2017-04-1726 minHomeschooling IRLUndone Redone: Marriage and The Gospel – HIRL Episode 145
Tray and Melody Lovvorn were married for 11 years before his struggle with pornography and sexual addiction tore their family apart. The appearance of the “perfect” Christian life that they both worked so hard to maintain came crashing down all around them. They divorced, but God wasn’t yet finished with their marriage.
Tray and Melody love to share how God used their painful circumstances to individually bring both of them to a new understanding of grace and the unconditional love of their Heavenly Father. It was this new paradigm that ultimately led to their reconciliation and the r...
2017-04-0344 minHomeschooling IRLWhen Your Homeschool Owns You – HIRL Episode 144Sometimes an idea for an episode comes along and we throw the regular recording schedule out the window!
When Cindy West reached out to us and asked to talk about something she’s seeing in the homeschool community at large, we jumped at the opportunity. And it’s this: Some homeschoolers feel they must adhere so closely to a particular homeschool philosophy that they have lost all their homeschool joy. Essentially, their homeschools are owning them.
So what’s the remedy? Tune in to “When Your Homeschool Owns You” to find out!
SHOW NOTES...
2017-03-2730 minHomeschooling IRL5 Apps All Parents Should Know – HIRL Episode 143Apps! Mobile phones! iPads! Technology! It all moves so fast and changes seemingly overnight. How do we keep up with what our kids are asking to use or are being exposed to, even if we are trying to keep it all in balance?
Join us on this highly informative episode of Homeschooling in Real Life as we welcome author and speaker Leah Nieman to discuss five apps every parent should know about right now. It’s an up-to-the-minute conversation, but even if you’re listening months or even years from its publication, you’ll be able to...
2017-03-2241 minHomeschooling IRLParenting: Principles Over Formula – HIRL Episode 142Parenting formulas tend to make us feel safe: Do it this way, and your children will grow up to be godly/good citizens/intelligent/productive, etc. But is this what God has in mind when he gives us children in our homes?
Join us and author Heather Haupt as we talk homeschooling (she’s a homeschool grad), parenting promises, principles, formulas, and the gospel.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
HeatherHaupt.com
Get Social With Us:
Follow Fletch/Kendra:
Fletch Twitter
Kendra Twitter
Follow th...
2017-03-1332 minHomeschooling IRLThe Working Homeschool Mom – HIRL Episode 141Are you a homeschooling mom who needs to work? Are you contemplating a job alongside homeschooling? Join us for this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life as we talk with Jimmie Lanley, a mom who found the need to be employed but also wanted to continue educating her daughter at home with excellence.
Jimmie is straight-forward and encouraging as she shares her experience and wisdom with our listeners.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
JimmieLanley.com
Get Social With Us:
Follow Fletch/Kendra:
Fletch Twitter
Kendra...
2017-03-0629 minHomeschooling IRLLove, Honor, and Virtue – HIRL Episode 140Two of our favorite guests, Hal and Melanie Young, join us on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life for a candid discussion about technology, temptation, addiction, and culture. We talk about the false sense of security that homeschooling can give us and how we can equip our kids to make choices that set them up for healthy sexual relationships.
As always, Hal and Melanie are engaging and intelligent, and we appreciate their honesty as we discuss a Biblical and God-honoring approach to love, honor, and virtue.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
2017-02-2825 minHomeschooling IRLHomeschooling and Adoption – HIRL Episode 139Since the very beginning of the Homeschooling in Real Life podcast, our listeners have been requesting that we do an episode on homeschooling and adoption. Why did it take us so long? Because just the right person to address the topic came along and we feel we couldn’t have given you anyone better!
Guest Tricia Goyer is a prolific author and homeschooling mom, and she and her husband have adopted seven children in the past few years alone! We think you’ll be encouraged and inspired by their story, and we hope it helps you...
2017-02-2128 minHomeschooling IRLHow To Watch TV Without Selling Your Soul – HIRL Episode 136Should you turn the TV on? Yes or no?
On this episode we jump into a topic that is quick to divide families as we answer the question: Is there any redeeming value in having television in your home, or should we avoid this portal into American culture?
Join along and listen as Fletch and Kendra talk openly about welcoming television back into their home and the parameters involved in their decision to navigate culture with a television. This is an episode that is sure to get you thinking and talking.
SHOW NOTES...
2017-02-0224 minHomeschooling IRLMid-Year Slump – HIRL Episode 135Mid-January. Harumph. Are you feeling the mid-year slump in your homeschool, too?
In this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra talk about how the mid-year slump affects their homeschooling and give several practical ways in which you can beat the mid-year slump, too.
SHOW NOTES:
Recommended Resources:
Lost and Found, by Kendra Fletcher
Key Life Ministries with Steve Brown
Interview with Key Life
Follow Fletch/Kendra:
Fletch Twitter
Kendra Twitter
Follow the Studio Dogs:
Betty the Surf Dog – Twitter, Facebook, Instag...
2017-01-2321 minHomeschooling IRLHomeless Homeschooling – HIRL Episode 124Homeless homeschoolers? Sorry for the bait and switch, but this family is anything but homeless! This is a family who decided to take the kids AND the homeschool on the road! Join us and our special guests Megan and Mike Knorpp from KnorppandSouth.com. The Knorpps are homeschooling parents of 9 and cross-country travelers extraordinaire. We discuss the logistics of housing 11 people in 800 square feet, the excitement of learning by doing and exploring, and how exactly they’re paying for this whole crazy adventure!
If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your homeschool on the road, this episode is for yo...
2016-10-2441 minHomeschooling IRLThe Disappointed Parent – HIRL Episode 120
We have big dreams when we begin parenting: how many children we’ll have, what we’ll do together, how our relationship will be when they are adults. It doesn’t take long for us to realize that we’re not in control of who or how our children are, and soon we can find ourselves disappointed that we didn’t have a child like X, Y, and Z.
How do we respond when we finally acknowledge that we are disappointed? How does the gospel inform our choices, our conversations, and our relationship to our kids? Liste...
2016-09-2642 minHomeschooling IRLHow To Be A Good Sister – HIRL Episode 119
Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters . . . except when they’re not.
Sister relationships come with their own unique dynamics and drama. On this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, the three Fletcher sisters join Kendra in the studio for a lively chat about what’s difficult about being so close in age, what’s fun about sharing a room, and the best way to encourage each other. Grab your daughters and listen along!
EPISODE TIMELINE
:50 – Fluff : Camping, MightyJoe visits, Avoid Being Hated
6:46 – Sisters in the studio
16...
2016-09-1920 minHomeschooling IRLBack To School – HIRL Episode 116
Are you starting your school year? We are! Let’s gather around the teacher’s lounge and gear up for another year of teaching our kids at home.
Fletch and Kendra are starting their 19th year of homeschooling with a bang and letting you in on the fun. On this episode, they are also imparting 5 questions to ask yourself as you head back to school this year.
Join us and let’s get the school year rolling!
EPISODE TIMELINE
:57 – Fluff : Fletch shares his opinion about weddings and baby deliveries...
2016-08-2227 minHomeschooling IRLQuick Announcement – HIRL June 2016Kendra is on the road this week, leaving Fletch home to run the 1970’s summer adventure with a handful of Fletcher kids. In between sugar cereal, grilled cheese and episodes of Scooby Doo, Fletch popped into the HomeschoolingIRL studio to make an executive decision and a quick announcement about what’s happening this week at Homeschooling In Real Life.
Thanks for tuning in!
SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW:
Allow the magic of the internet to deliver Homeschooling In Real Life to your tablet or smart phone. Let us show you how e...
2016-06-2702 minHomeschooling IRLArt, Films, Naked Statues and Hitler – HIRL Episode 106
Is there a role for art in the curriculum for every homeschool family? What should you do if your strength is not art or art education? We know that art most often reflects the current state of culture, so how do we decided what sort of art to expose our kids to?
On this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra discuss music, movies, dance, and art with Artios Academies founder Lori Lane. Drawing on the music degrees and performance experience of both Lori and Kendra, our discussion touches on the who, what, whe...
2016-06-0630 minHomeschooling IRLHow To Deal With Homeschool Burnout – HIRL Episode 58This is our second stab at the topic of homeschool burnout. Back in Episode 39, we interviewed four homeschool moms and discussed the topic: I Love Homeschooling, But I’m Totally Burned Out. On that episode we verified that homeschooling moms burn out often and regularly.
Our listener Anna, wrote in and asked if we would expand the topic a little more. “I’m just having a really hard time figuring out how to carve out some (consistent) space in our life for me to recharge my batteries, and I’d love to know how other moms manage to do that...
2015-07-0647 minHomeschooling IRLWhat To Do About Sibling Relationships? – HIRL Episode 53We received a message on the HomeschoolingIRL Facebook page that said, “Please, please, please do an episode on siblings fighting. Thanks!”
Sibling relationships. Sibling rivalries. Siblings fighting. We put out the question to our listeners and they responded with story after story of siblings who know how to tease, fight and use sarcasm like professionals.
On this episode, we dig into the topic of parenting through sibling relationships in your homeschool. Fletch and Kendra open up about their own family and share practical advice for handling those tricky, sticky moments when brothers and sisters want to be a...
2015-06-0139 minHomeschooling IRLI Love Homeschooling But I Hate Teaching Math – HIRL Episode 31And I hate teaching science. And writing. Or . . .
Let’s get real homeschoolers, most of us have at least one subject we don’t enjoy teaching. What? That is difficult to justify when we are the ones in charge of teaching all the subjects.
So what is a homeschooling parent supposed to do when there are core subjects that must be covered but there is no motivation by mom or dad to get that subject done every week or they feel unqualified to teach it?
On this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, Fletch and Kendra discuss the re...
2014-11-2441 minHomeschooling IRLI Love Homeschooling But My Kids Are With Me All the Time – HIRL Episode 30On this episode of the HomeschoolingIRL podcast, Fletch and Kendra begin a new series called, “I Love Homeschooling But…” and discuss the topic of having your kids with you All. The. Time.
We really do love this aspect of homeschooling, and many of us want to spend the best hours of our kids’ days with them. But the reality is, there are days when we feel as if we’re all breathing down each other’s necks, and that can be difficult to navigate with grace.
Joining Fletch and Kendra in the studio is HomeschoolingIRL listener, Ange...
2014-11-1048 minHomeschooling IRLThe Internet In Real Life – HIRL Episode 28What are the best tools for technology in your homeschool? Has the internet become any safer for your kids to surf? What precautions should you take to guard your kids from life online?
On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, Fletch and Kendra sit down with John Wilkerson from The Wired Homeschool Podcast and Blog to talk about the internet in real life.
John provides a current update and advice about how to use the internet and technology in your home. Fletch and Kendra share their own top-ten uses of technology in their homeschool. Fi...
2014-10-1344 minHomeschooling IRLCan Your Homeschooler Go To College – HIRL Episode 27The answer to this question is obvious: we all know that homeschoolers can go to college!
On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, Fletch and Kendra get real and challenge their listeners to join them in a difficult discussion about fear and trusting God as they contemplate sending their children onto higher education.
Along the way, they sit down with two college admissions counselors and ask them to share the experiences they have had when homeschoolers apply to college. How are we doing when it comes to academic preparedness, pride and preparing our kids for co...
2014-09-2952 minHomeschooling IRLIs Courtship Fundamentally Flawed – HIRL Episode 26On this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, Fletch and Kendra tackle the topic of courtship and dating in the homeschool family. They interview Thomas Umstattd, Jr. to discuss his popular viral blog post: Why Courtship Is Fundamentally Flawed.
Timeline for this episode:
13:45 – Thomas talks about his blogpost and why he wrote it.
26:38 – Fletch and Kendra pepper Thomas with questions his critics may ask.
34:12 – Find out if Fletch has always been bald. Learn how many guys Kendra has dated, and hear all about their first date as Fletch and Kendra play “Q and A with K and A”
2014-09-1540 minHomeschooling IRLWhat Homeschooling Does To A Marriage – HIRL Episode 17You are going to want to grab your spouse for this episode! Fletch and Kendra dive right into the middle of the topic and discuss how the stress of homeschooling can leak into your marriage relationship.
Throughout this episode you will hear live interviews conducted with couples on the floor of the Teach Them Diligently Conference in Nashville, TN. Be prepared for answers that you might not expect!
Fletch and Kendra also spend time talking and laughing with TTD conference founders and directors, David and Leslie Nunnery, about the challenges we’ve seen in our own...
2014-05-1048 minHomeschooling IRLHomescholingIRL Episode 7 – Christmas Party!Merry Christmas from Homeschooling In Real Life!
On this very fun episode, Fletch and Kendra discuss the real life issues of holiday stress and how to avoid Christmas burnout. They also get into the Christmas spirit by handing out several gifts to their listeners.
Gift #1 – A New Website
We are so excited to introduce all the HIRLers to HomeschoolingIRL.com. This is a great opportunity for us to connect with our listeners and readers directly. We will continue to host the audio for our podcast right here on the UltimateRadioShow.com, but our website wi...
2013-12-2135 minHomeschooling IRLHomeschoolingIRL Episode 3: Homeschooling, Halloween and Harry PotterHomeschooling, Halloween, and Harry Potter
Homeschooling, Halloween, and Harry Potter? Are we nuts?
Well, yes, but that didn’t stop us from tackling two hot-potato topics that homeschoolers traditionally love to argue over. You, too?
In this episode, Fletch and Kendra talk about Halloween and the opportunity to love the places where God has put our families. We discuss fear and the life of the believer, and then Fletch elaborates about a character in the Harry Potter series that taught him a valuable lesson.
We promise if you listen, you won’t tu...
2013-10-2548 minHomeschooling IRLHomeschoolingIRL Episode 2: Homeschooling is a BuzzkillHomeschoolingIRL Homeschooling Is A Buzzkill
On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, Fletch and Kendra introduce you to one of the phrases used often around their home: Homeschooling Is A Buzzkill!
Listen in as they discuss what happens when expectations do not match reality. Follow Kendra into their schoolroom as she gives you a glimpse into real life during Adventures in Mangoland. Finally, tune in to Pillow Talk as Fletch and Kendra wrap up this episode and share a few final thoughts on the topic.
For more information about this podcast or t...
2013-10-1222 min