Homeschooling doesn’t have to fit a mold! In this episode, I’m spilling the tea on 10 (possibly controversial) things I don’t do in my homeschool—and why ditching these “rules” has brought more joy, freedom, and success to our learning journey.

From not limiting screen time to skipping grade levels and avoiding strict schedules, I’m sharing how I prioritize flexibility, interest-led learning, and real-life experiences. Whether you’re a new homeschooler or looking for ways to simplify your approach, this episode is packed with practical insights and encouragement for creating a homeschool that works for your unique family.

So grab your coffee, hit play, and let’s embrace the chaos together!

🎧 Highlights in this episode:

• Why I don’t follow a set curriculum.

• How we approach progress without grades or testing.

• The beauty of saying “no” to a rigid schedule.

• Tips for homeschooling on a budget—and thriving!

Don’t forget to subscribe for more real-talk episodes on homeschooling, work, and life balance.

About the Episode

Today I'm doing another AMA episode on The Strike a Balance Podcast for Working Homeschool Moms.

1. Taylor, who's in her first year of being a working homeschool mom, is worried about balancing work and quality time with her child.
2. Christi is new to working and homeschooling and feels like it's going to be too much to manage it all.
3. Katherine, who's been a WHM for two years, feels like other moms manage their schedules really well.

Be sure to reach out if you have questions you'd like me to answer.

Useful Links

https://mylittlehomeschool.com/a-simple-time-audit-for-working-homeschool-moms/

Find an in-depth deschooling workshop over on Patreon. Become an insider to access this and other exclusive content.

https://patreon.com/WHMCollectiveSupportforWorkingHomeschoolMoms

Claim Your Free Workbook: How to Manage It All as a New Working Homeschool Mom

New working homeschool mom, are you wondering how to manage it all?

I've put together a workbook with 5 powerful steps to help you gain confidence to take those first steps and to find the balance you crave.

https://mylittlehomeschool.myflodesk.com/manageitall

Sponsor for the Episode

Working homeschool mom, I know how overwhelming it can be to choose a math curriculum for your homeschool. That's why I'd like to tell you about the online math curriculum we've been using for years – CTCMath.com.

As far as math curriculums go, it has loads of great features that solve lots of the math issues we've had and I know a lot of homeschooling families have. Here are a few of the features (from the many) that we really like:

• Questions are adaptive which means the interactive questions change in difficulty depending on the student's ability. They use a smart algorithm that tracks the student's progress and delivers questions based on their unique needs. The student doesn’t even know this is happening, helping them to build confidence and master concepts!
• Concepts are delivered through video tutorials and summaries which are clear, complete, and easy to follow [like having your very own teacher]. This ensures your children understand something before they're asked to practise it.

And then for us parents, CTCMath has:

• Extensive reports which are valuable in monitoring your child's progress and spotting any gaps.
• And they offer a 12-month money-back guarantee if this curriculum is not for you and your family. CTCMath will provide a full refund, no questions asked.

But I think the most important things is a whole lot LESS stress when it's math time for both parents AND kids. You get to outsource math with confidence and your kids get a fantastic tailor-made programme that makes learning and mastering math enjoyable and positive.

Visit ctcmath.com today to start your free trial. CTCMath is offering you listener, an amazing special! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ctcmath.com/MLH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to get a half-price discount plus a bonus 6-months for free!

About the Podcast

On the Strike a Balance Podcast for Working Homeschool Moms this week, I have the great pleasure of welcoming Karen Stone, BA, Special Ed, MA, Learning Disabilities, onto the podcast. Karen has worked in the education field for more than 45 years.

Karen’s education background and her own experiences of being bullied from childhood to early adulthood, at home and school led her to authoring an anti-bullying blog, www.howwestopbullying.com.

Karen’s work is also influenced by her experiences raising a son with significant disabilities.

Karen’s professional experiences as an educator showed her that for children to be successful, whether they had disabilities or not, they needed to value themselves, each other and their abilities.

As CEO of SoftStone Products, Inc., Karen has written and piloted research-based children’s Emotional Intelligence (EQ) programs implemented with students from Preschool to High School. Karen’s new book, Is Your Child’s World Emotionally Safe?, reveals her personal story but also makes a compelling case for the inclusion of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in every home and classroom.

It was wonderful chatting to Karen and hearing about the importance of teaching our little ones EQ from a young age. She shares some really interesting ways to include this in your homeschool, even as a busy working homeschool mom.

Connect with Karen

https://eqforchildren.com

www.facebook.com/karenstonecj

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH6WtKhdBbhTVtcqbr1jE0g

And be sure to grab your own EQ kit for your homeschool https://eqforchildren.com/amazon-eq-kits/

Claim Your Free Workbook: How to Manage It All as a New Working Homeschool Mom

New working homeschool mom, are you wondering how to manage it all?

I've put together a workbook with 5 powerful steps to help you gain confidence to take those first steps and to find the balance you crave.

https://mylittlehomeschool.myflodesk.com/manageitall

Sponsor for the Episode

Working homeschool mom, I know how overwhelming it can be to choose a math curriculum for your homeschool. That's why I'd like to tell you about the online math curriculum we've been using for years – CTCMath.com.

As far as math curriculums go, it has loads of great features that solve lots of the math issues we've had and I know a lot of homeschooling families have. Here are a few of the features (from the many) that we really like:

• Questions are adaptive which means the interactive questions change in difficulty depending on the student's ability. They use a smart algorithm that tracks the student's progress and delivers questions based on their unique needs. The student doesn’t even know this is happening, helping them to build confidence and master concepts!
• Concepts are delivered through video tutorials and summaries which are clear, complete, and easy to follow [like having your very own teacher]. This ensures your children understand something before they're asked to practise it.

And then for us parents, CTCMath has:

• Extensive reports which are valuable in monitoring your child's progress and spotting any gaps.
• And they offer a 12-month money-back guarantee if this curriculum is not for you and your family. CTCMath will provide a full refund, no questions asked.

But I think the most important things is a whole lot LESS stress when it's math time for both parents AND kids. You get to outsource math with confidence and your k