Ep. 137 - How to Homeschool Pre-K to 2nd Grade Without Constant Battles | Focus, Behavior & Meltdowns | Smooth Days Part 1

Homeschooling more than one child and bouncing like a human pinball from phonics to fractions to grading essays? In the finale of the Smooth Homeschool Days series, homeschool expert Christy-Faith, an education and parenting expert with over 20 years of experience, shows you how to homeschool multiple kids without burning out — with a realistic teaching budget, boundaries that protect your sanity, and simple systems that build capable kids. 🎁 Free Resource: Sample Homeschool Schedules See how real homeschool days come together, and build a schedule that works for every kid in your house. 👉 Free Download In this episode, you’ll learn: Your real teaching budget: about 2 to 3 hours a day — total, not per kid How much of your time littles, elementary kids, and teens actually need Why everyone in the family needs a printed schedule with margin built in Multi-level homeschooling: which subjects to teach together and which to keep separate The interruption rule (“blood, fire, or flood”) and how to teach kids to wait Three boundaries that protect your homeschool: your phone, your personal space, and your core school hours Why chores are part of school — and how to anchor them to meals Building capable kids with “I do, we do, you do” and the parental involvement index Sponsors: BJU Press Homeschool ✔ Flexible curriculum to fit your family’s needs ✔ Biblical worldview and critical thinking built in ✔ Hands-on learning for every grade level 👉 View Samples CTC Math ✔ Get 50% off my favorite online math program ✔ Adaptive lessons so kids build confidence at their own pace ✔ Teaching, grading, and testing — all done for you! 👉 Free Trial 👉 Get 50% Off LearningRx ✔ Backed by 35 years of research ✔ Real long-term help with ADHD and dyslexia ✔ Strengthens attention, memory, reading, writing, and math Use code HOME50 for $50 off your cognitive skills assessment 👉 Get $50 Off Your Cognitive Skills Assessment Summit Healthshare ✔ Save 40–60% vs. traditional health insurance ✔ See any doctor — no networks, no permission slips ✔ Free labs, office visits, prescriptions on select plans 👉 View Health Plans & Savings Resources mentioned: Smooth Homeschool Days Part 1 (Ep. 137) — The early years: pre-K to 2nd grade Smooth Homeschool Days Part 2 (Ep. 138) — The elementary years: 3rd to 6th grade Smooth Homeschool Days Part 3 (Ep. 139) — The teen years: building independence without losing connection The Christy-Faith List — Find homeschool-friendly businesses and providers Thrive Homeschool Community — Christy-Faith’s membership community for homeschool moms Connect with Christy-Faith: Instagram: @christy_faith_ TikTok: @christy_faith Website: christy-faith.com Book: Homeschool Rising 🎧 Love the show? Follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen — it helps more homeschool families find us!

Is your teenager shutting the bedroom door, sleeping until ten, and tuning out every reminder — while you quietly wonder if you’re losing them? In Part 3 of the Smooth Homeschool Days series, homeschool expert Christy-Faith explains what’s really happening in the teen brain and how teen homeschooling can build real independence without losing connection. 🎁 Free Resource: 15 Questions to Ask Before You Join a Homeschool Co-Op Save yourself the time and misery of joining the wrong co-op. Grab my free guide and find the right fit for your family. 👉 Free Download In this episode, you'll learn: Why teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep — and why it’s okay to start school at 9 or 10 Attention span by age: what to expect from 12–14 vs. 15–18 year olds Executive function in teens: why knowing and doing run on different hardware Scaffolding that isn’t you: checklists, timers, and outside deadlines What the research says about teen moods, conflict, and family time How much independent work to expect in 7th–8th, 9th–10th, and 11th–12th grade The ladder of ownership: handing over the school day one rung at a time What to do when your teen says “I want to go to real school” — and how to repair a strained relationship Sponsors: BJU Press Homeschool ✔ Flexible curriculum to fit your family's needs ✔ Biblical worldview and critical thinking built in ✔ Hands-on learning for every grade level 👉 View Samples CTC Math ✔ Get 50% off my favorite online math program ✔ Adaptive lessons so kids build confidence at their own pace ✔ Teaching, grading, and testing — all done for you! 👉 Free Trial 👉 Get 50% Off Summit Healthshare ✔ Save 40–60% vs. traditional health insurance ✔ See any doctor — no networks, no permission slips ✔ Free labs, office visits, prescriptions on select plans 👉 View Health Plans and Savings Resources mentioned: Smooth Homeschool Days Part 1 (Ep. 137) — The early years: pre-K to 2nd grade Smooth Homeschool Days Part 2 (Ep. 138) — The elementary years: 3rd to 6th grade The Christy-Faith List — Find homeschool-friendly businesses and providers Thrive Homeschool Community — Christy-Faith’s membership community for homeschool moms ⭐ New to homeschooling? Start with Episode 101 — the New Homeschooler Series Connect with Christy-Faith: Instagram: @christy_faith_ TikTok: @christy_faith Website: christy-faith.com Book: Homeschool Rising 🎧 Love the show? Follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen — it helps more homeschool families find us!

Your child did long division perfectly on Monday — so why are they staring at the same problems like they’re written in a foreign language today? In Part 2 of the Smooth Homeschool Days series, homeschool expert Christy-Faith explains what kids in 3rd through 6th grade are really ready for, how much independence they can handle, and how to raise the bar without losing the relationship. 🎁 Free Resource: Sample Homeschool Schedules Wondering how much school is really enough? See what real homeschool days look like with my free sample schedules. 👉 Free Download In this episode, you’ll learn: What’s developing in the brain between ages 8 and 11 — and why abstract math can feel impossible Attention span by age for assigned work (and the video game myth) How much independent work is realistic at ages 8–9 vs. 10–11 Why skills seem to vanish overnight — and why unevenness is not regression The math anxiety loop: how worry freezes working memory The golden rule for frustrating lessons: two explanations, then stop The 3 academic hinges of the elementary years and grade-by-grade expectations The correction-to-connection ratio and how to batch your corrections Sponsors: BJU Press Homeschool ✔ Flexible curriculum to fit your family’s needs ✔ Biblical worldview and critical thinking built in ✔ Hands-on learning for every grade level 👉 View Samples CTC Math ✔ Get 50% off my favorite online math program ✔ Adaptive lessons so kids build confidence at their own pace ✔ Teaching, grading, and testing — all done for you! 👉 Free Trial 👉 Get 50% Off LearningRx ✔ Backed by 35 years of research ✔ Real long-term help with ADHD and dyslexia ✔ Strengthens attention, memory, reading, writing, and math Use code HOME50 for $50 off your cognitive skills assessment 👉 Get $50 Off Your Cognitive Skills Assessment Summit Healthshare ✔ Save 40–60% vs. traditional health insurance ✔ See any doctor — no networks, no permission slips ✔ Free labs, office visits, prescriptions on select plans 👉 View Health Plans and Savings Resources mentioned: Smooth Homeschool Days Part 1 (Ep. 137) — The early years: pre-K to 2nd grade Homeschool Rising — Christy-Faith’s book, including the chapter on deschooling The Christy-Faith List — Find homeschool-friendly businesses and providers Thrive Homeschool Community — Christy-Faith’s membership community for homeschool moms ⭐ New to homeschooling? Start with Episode 101 — the New Homeschooler Series is the best place to begin. Connect with Christy-Faith: Instagram: @christy_faith_ TikTok: @christy_faith Website: christy-faith.com Book: Homeschool Rising 🎧 Love the show? Follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen — it helps more homeschool families find us!

Why do so many Christian marriages struggle even when both spouses truly love each other? Homeschool expert Christy-Faith sits down with licensed professional counselor Debra Fileta to talk about her new book, Relationship Skills, and the four seasons every marriage passes through. Healthy marriages aren't found — they're built. 🎁 Free Resource: My Curriculum Recommendations I spill the tea! No paid sponsorship placements! Grab the list, by subject, of the most reputable homeschool programs on the market (in my opinion). 👉 Free Download In this episode, you'll learn: Why Christian marriages struggle from a lack of skill, not a lack of love The difference between a difficult, dysfunctional, and toxic relationship — and when to get professional help The four seasons of marriage: spring, summer, fall, and winter Why the goal of Christian marriage isn't just longevity — it's transformation How to change old patterns by starting with what you bring to the table The 90-second hack for building emotional intimacy in marriage How to apologize to your spouse in 3 steps: own it, validate, and share your plan for change Why marriage repair after conflict can make you stronger — and why there's hope even in winter Sponsors: BJU Press Homeschool ✔ Flexible curriculum to fit your family's needs ✔ Biblical worldview and critical thinking built in ✔ Hands-on learning for every grade level 👉 View Samples CTC Math ✔ Get 50% off my favorite online math program ✔ Adaptive lessons so kids build confidence at their own pace ✔ Teaching, grading, and testing — all done for you! 👉 Free Trial 👉 Get 50% Off LearningRx ✔ Backed by 35 years of research ✔ Real long-term help with ADHD and dyslexia ✔ Strengthens attention, memory, reading, writing, and math Use code HOME50 for $50 off your cognitive skills assessment 👉 Get $50 Off Your Cognitive Skills Assessment Summit Healthshare ✔ Save 40–60% vs. traditional health insurance ✔ See any doctor — no networks, no permission slips ✔ Free labs, office visits, prescriptions on select plans 👉 View Health Plans & Savings Resources mentioned: Relationship Skills by Debra Fileta — Debra's newest book on the four seasons of relationships People Skills by Debra Fileta — a great relationship-skills book for homeschool families Relationship Skills Quiz — free quiz to find which skills your relationship needs in this season Talk To Me: The Debra Fileta Podcast Debra Fileta Counselors Network — faith-forward, clinically trained counselors The Christy-Faith List — Find homeschool-friendly providers Thrive Homeschool Community About our guest: Debra Fileta is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, and founder of the Debra Fileta Counselors Network. She is the bestselling author of ten books, including RESET, Soul Care, and her newest book, Relationship Skills. Debra is the host of the popular podcast and nationally syndicated radio show Talk To Me, where she facilitates on-air, authentic counseling-style sessions with notable pastors and leaders. 👉 DebraFileta.com 👉 @DebraFileta on Instagram Connect with Christy-Faith: Instagram: @christy_faith_ TikTok: @christy_faith Website: christy-faith.com Book: Homeschool Rising 🎧 Love the show? Follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen — it helps more homeschool families find us!

What is a homeschool dad actually supposed to do when his wife is the one teaching? Most homeschool content is written for moms, so dads are left guessing — supportive, but unsure where they fit. Homeschool expert Christy-Faith sits down with Dr. Joe O'Tool, a board-certified functional neurologist and second-generation homeschooler, to answer the question directly: what every homeschool dad needs to know. 🎁 Free Resource: The New Homeschooler's Roadmap Your free step-by-step companion to this whole journey — all 8 steps, all the links, plus episode playlists organized by your biggest worries. Save it to your desktop — it's your command center. 👉 Free Download In this episode, you'll learn: What the dad's role in homeschooling actually is when mom is the primary teacher Why the best homeschool dads lead without micromanaging the day-to-day What to say to your wife when she has taught the same concept five times and hit a wall Why a dad's criticism is usually fear talking — and what to do with that fear The one action step Dr. Joe gives every nervous homeschool dad Why deschooling matters just as much for dads as it does for moms The skill that predicts academic success better than intelligence does How to explain your family's homeschooling to coworkers and friends without apologizing Sponsors: BJU Press Homeschool ✔ Flexible curriculum to fit your family's needs ✔ Biblical worldview and critical thinking built in ✔ Hands-on learning for every grade level 👉 View Samples CTC Math ✔ Get 50% off my favorite online math program ✔ Adaptive lessons so kids build confidence at their own pace ✔ Teaching, grading, and testing — all done for you! 👉 Free Trial 👉 Get 50% Off Summit Healthshare ✔ Save 40–60% vs. traditional health insurance ✔ See any doctor — no networks, no permission slips ✔ Free labs, office visits, prescriptions on select plans 👉 View Health Plans & Savings Resources mentioned: The Stinks — Dr. Joe O'Tool's children's book about getting outside and getting the stink off Lifestream Clinic — Dr. Joe's functional neurology practice in Ankeny, Iowa Homeschool Iowa — the state organization Dr. Joe serves on the board of Homeschool Rising — Christy-Faith's book, including the chapter on deschooling Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein — the book Dr. Joe references on struggle and long-term learning The Christy-Faith List — Find homeschool-friendly providers: christy-faiths-list.com Thrive Homeschool Community About our guest: Dr. Joe O'Tool is a board-certified functional neurologist practicing in Ankeny, Iowa, where he works daily with children facing learning, behavior, and development concerns, and with patients experiencing concussion, vertigo, brain fog, and dizziness. He is a second-generation homeschooler who grew up in a family of nine children, and he and his wife, Angie, homeschool their own kids today. He serves on the board of Homeschool Iowa and is the author of the children's book The Stinks. His personal motto is: "Step Up. Change Lives. Inspire Hope." 👉 lifestreamclinic.com 👉 Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn Connect with Christy-Faith: Instagram: @christy_faith_ TikTok: @christy_faith Website: christy-faith.com Book: Homeschool Rising 🎧 Love the show? Follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen — it helps more homeschool families find us!