Ep. 115 - Why Your Child Says Reading Is Boring (And What to Do About It) // Janel Nansenn

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!

Is your five-year-old refusing to do their letters, or is your seven-year-old melting down over a single phonics page? In Part 1 of the Smooth Homeschool Days series, homeschool expert Christy-Faith explains why most of what looks like a behavior problem in kids ages 4 to 7 is really brain development — and how to homeschool pre-K to 2nd grade without constant battles. 🎁 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: Why most “behavior problems” in kids ages 4–7 are really brain development Attention span by age — how long young kids can really focus on assigned work Why a 4-year-old can only hold about two pieces of information at once (and how to give instructions that stick) The “yesterday vs. today” problem — and what’s really behind it Why young kids need to move while they learn, plus the “upside-down kid” test Co-regulation: why young kids can’t calm themselves down yet Refusal vs. meltdown — a 60-second protocol and the 3 types of meltdowns How long to homeschool each day from pre-K to 2nd grade 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: The Christy-Faith List — Find homeschool-friendly businesses and providers Thrive Homeschool Community — Christy-Faith’s membership community for homeschool moms Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University — Research on executive function, including attention, working memory, and self-control Wiley Blevins — Early literacy expert and author of A Fresh Look at Phonics ⭐ 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!