Homeschooling IRL

Sex. The one topic that seems to leave us questioning our parenting, pushing a lot of us into an embarrassing presentation of the basics with our kids. We’ve discovered that so many of us don't like the way our own parents talked to us about sex, or we feel like they gave us no boundaries at all, and now we’re just stymied. Most of us think, "I didn't realize this was going to be so difficult." Join us as we interview more than a dozen young adults about how the topic of sex education was handled in their homes while growing up, and listen as return guest Barrett Johnson encourages us to raise kids with courage and boldness. Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

On this episode of Homeschooling In Real Life, Fletch and Kendra discuss what it's like when your homeschool student abandons your family's faith and lifestyle. How can this happen in a Christian home where you have created a sheltered homeschool environment? Christian homeschooling is designed to protect our kids. Shouldn't our children turn out perfect? To answer that question, we interview a young man who has done that very thing, but here is the best part: after being raised in a rigid environment which he ultimately rejected, he is still a huge proponent of  home education and thinks his mom is one of the best teachers around! Homeschooling parents, this is an episode you won't want to miss! We may challenge you to rethink about how you listen to your kids, how to look for and complement their strengths, but mostly we will remind all of us how important it is to just point them to Jesus. Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

What happens when a family goes from relying on rules and rigidity to understanding what it means when Jesus tells us that the grandest commandment is love? Chris and Wendy Jeub are raising (or have raised) 16 children in a home that has seen both the letter of the law and the sweetness of grace and love, and they're joining us to tell us how love in the family has absolutely changed theirs for the better. It's an episode you won't want to miss! Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Last fall, Barrett Johnson wrote a viral sensation entitled, How to Raise a Pagan Kid in a Christian Home. Writing from his heart on a topic he was keenly aware of in the church, he never expected the speedy response he received from parents in the broader Christian community, many of whom were replying with a hearty, "Amen!" and  a social media engagement. On this week's podcast, we sit down to talk with Barrett and his wife Jenifer, and we discuss exactly what they mean when they say, "We work so hard to shelter our kids, but we can shelter them so much that we don't equip them to have a faith that stands out in this world." Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Tune into this light and serious, fun and deep discussion about grace and raising kids with author Jessica Thompson. You won't want to miss this episode! Great advice and practical suggestions are offered on this episode when we discuss: What do we do when a child seems unrepentant, or when we feel all of our buttons are being pushed, all at once? In a hilarious round of "Q&A with K&A" Fletch talks about how he would survive prison and Kendra discusses life in Downton Abbey. Tune in as we try to stump each other with a hard-to-answer, often personal question. Silly good fun.   Exploring Grace Together Giveaway on HomeschoolingIRL Other places where you can find Jessica: Twitter: @givethemgrace Twitter: @thejesslou Give Them Grace Website Dropping Keys Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Put on your crazy wigs and plug your favorite electric guitar into your amp, because  this show is all about rock and roll.   On this episode, Fletch and Kendra interview Brian Tompkins, an old friend from their days in college (and fraternity brother of Fletch).   Brian is a single father and one half of the Blue Eyed Maniacs rock band that he started with his daughter. When Brian found that his daughter Victoria was not putting in the practice required for her guitar lessons, he came up with the idea of starting a band. Since then, not only have her practice levels improved, but they have created giant memories and educational opportunities along the way.   Over the years, we have followed Brian's life through annual Christmas cards and we have enjoyed how much he enters into the life of his daughter. He is creative, energetic and not afraid to get down to her level. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we have. Rock on HIRLers!   -Show Notes- (Affiliate links below) The Blue-Eyed Maniacs  Ignite 6 - How to Start a Rock Band With Your Daughter 50 Dangerous Things You Can Do With Your Children Teach Them Diligently Conferences From the HIRLers Treasure Chest: The Prodigal God How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci The Reluctant Prophet   Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

On the last episode we talked about boys. This week it's all about the girls! We love our girls and we love homeschooling them. On this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, we’re talking all about girls. How does homeschooling girls differ than boys? Does college and career planning look the same? Should girls have a "fall back" plan, just in case everything doesn't work out? If you can expect anything from Fletch and Kendra, it's the desire to be very very real! Listen in to our discussion and then join us with your own thoughts! Episode 10 Show Notes Honda Odyssey  2to1 Conference Jesus Girl - Undercover Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

BOYS. Do you have them in your home? We do, too! On this episode of HomeschoolingIRL, we’re talking boys and boy stuff and the funny antics that come with raising boys and the difficult topics, too. You know us: we won’t skirt the trickier subjects. Hal and Melanie Young, authors of Raising Real Men, join us for today’s episode, too. Parents of 6 boys, Hal and Melanie get what makes boys tick and we had a super time chatting and laughing together. Let’s get in there and talk BOYS!   Episode 9 Show Notes (affiliate links) Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching, and Appreciating Boys - Hal and Melanie Young's super helpful book on the topic of raising boys to be men Wild at Heart -  The book that made Kenj more willing to let boys climb ridiculously tall trees Calvin and Hobbes - If you aren't familiar with Calvin and Hobbes, where were you during the '80's??? Freebie eBook -  Raising Boys: 10 Simple Tips - Come and get it!  We wrote it and it's FREE iHomeschool Network - Friends of HomeschoolingIRL and a podcast covering the nitty gritty good stuff of homeschool logistics, from bloggers around the homeschool blogosphere.  

Live on location in Paris, France! One of our very favorite episodes to record, because in this show we record straight from the streets of Paris, France as we interview our former exchange student about life in the home of a large homeschooling family. Tune in as we talk about homeschooling with exchange students and discuss the benefits and potential challenges for families thinking about opening their home to international guests. Show Notes: La Favorite de Sam - the restaurant where we recorded the interview Sister Cities International America's Worst Photographer  Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.      

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 will be the home of our new blog, our online store and an all-in-one location for listeners to connect with Fletch and Kendra. Gift #2 - A 100$ Amazon Gift Card This very easy contest and rules are located over on our blog at the new website. To play along, follow this link. Good luck! Gift #3 - A Pound of Coffee from Fletch You know how much Fletch loves coffee? I still can't believe he's giving up a pound of his very favorite beans. Listen to the podcast and play along with Fletch's Christmas Movie Quiz. Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Thinking about homeschooling? Have a friend who is?  Are you thinking about homeschooling? On this episode of Homeschooling IRL, we’ll answer your burning questions about homeschooling, such as, “Will my kids have to raise their hands to ask to go to the bathroom?”, “What about the prom?”, and “Who gets to be the lunch lady?” Just kiddin’. We’ve polled moms and dads who are thinking about homeschooling and asked them what concerns them most. We didn’t prompt or suggest their comments, and you just might find yourself relating to what they have to say. When told they fear burnout, kids who turn out wacky, and their own academic shortcomings, we responded with honesty and transparency with some good old fashioned humor and self-deprecation mixed in. This is the stuff of real life! Show Notes: On this episode, Fletch recommends Kean Coffee Kendra recommends Good Earth Sweet and Spicy Original Tea   Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Money. Sex. Popularity. Cars. Perfect bodies. Homeschooling. Wait. Homeschooling? When we look to something like money or sex to provide us with a sense of worth or value, if we're hoping that our popularity will make us feel more loved, if we're striving for sex appeal, and yes, even if we're placing our hope in homeschooling, we have created idols for ourselves that enslave us and keep us from walking in freedom. Join us on this episode of Homeschooling IRL for a thought-provoking discussion of what it means to shift our hope from Jesus to anything else. We might easily point fingers at others who seem to be worshiping the obvious idols the world offers, but what about when the idols are good gifts from God, gifts such as homeschooling? And ultimately we'll ask the question, are you a hope shifter? Do you believe that homeschooling will save your kids?   Show Notes: You can listen to Jim Applegate's sermon series in Exodus from Redeemer Church, Modesto, CA. The first sermon, In Need of a Redeemer, can be found at this link.   Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Homeschooling Will Save Your Kids? Most of us won’t say outright that we think homeschooling will save your kids, but many of us pack this idea in the back of our minds: if we only do it right, our kids will turn out to be good, godly adults. Is that true? Can we trust that homeschooling will save your kids? On this episode, we share our own homeschool journey, where we think we got it right, where we know we got it wrong, and then we'll bring some levity to the whole show by recommending some things we love and a new segment called "Q and A with K and A."  Join us for Homeschooling IRL Episode #4, where we peel back the layers of our own hearts and expose the areas where we may be relying on our own good works to deliver our kids to the finish line.   SHOW NOTES: EPISODE 4 - HOMESCHOOLING WILL SAVE YOUR CHILDREN, PART 1 HIRLers Treasure Chest: Dollar Shave ClubDollar Shave Club Listerine Pocket Packs Q&A With K&A: Evernote Join Fletch (from theMangoTimes) and Kendra (from Preschoolers and Peace) podcast every two weeks as they interview guests and talk through some of the goofiness they have experienced in nearly two decades of Homeschooling In Real Life.  

Homeschooling, 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 turn into a newt. You won’t be made fun of or persuaded to change your mind (unless the Holy Spirit does that), and we won’t send you out into the neighborhood looking for the scariest costume this year. We just thought we’d put it all out on the table, with a big bowl of candy corn just to make sure we keep it sweet. Join us?   Show Notes for Episode #3 70 Vintage Halloween Costumes That Were Really Creepy, from Stuff You Should Know From Christians and Halloween, Grace to You: Evil spirits are no more active and sinister on Halloween than they are on any other day of the year; in fact, any day is a good day for Satan to prowl about seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). But "greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). God has forever "disarmed principalities and powers" through the cross Christ and "made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them through [Christ]" (Colossians 2:15). Dolores Umbridge Speech (YouTube clip) from Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix   For more information about this podcast or to connect with Fletch and Kendra directly you can follow HomeschoolingIRL  on Facebook and Twitter. Fletch blogs regularly on theMangoTimes and is a monthly contributor to the Homeschool Post. Kendra can be found on either of her blogs Preschoolers and Peace or on her author site, KendraFletcher.com.  

HomeschoolingIRL 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 to connect with Fletch and Kendra directly you can follow HomeschoolingIRL  on Facebook and Twitter.