The Relatable Homeschoolers Podcast
The Relatable Homeschoolers are four homeschooling mamas with a combined 32 years of experience homeschooling their 12 kids.
Whether you are a veteran homeschooler, a new homeschooler, or just homeschool-curious, this is a podcast for you to find encouragement on your homeschooling journey.
More questions? Check out our FAQ.
Episode 0: Meet the Relatable Homeschoolers
Welcome to The Relatable Homeschoolers podcast. We’re so excited you’re here! In this first episode, you’ll meet Harmony Harkema, Annie Carlson, Heather Gerwing, and Lindsay Hufford, four moms with very different homeschools. Whether you’re a veteran homeschooler, new to homeschooling,…
Episode 1: How to Think Like a Homeschooler
What does it mean to think like a homeschooler? To think like a homeschooler means thinking beyond curriculum, standardized test scores, and sitting at a desk for six hours a day. But it can be challenging to transition from a…
Episode 2: Your Quickstart Guide to Homeschooling
This year, as COVID-19 continues and school districts nationwide are scrambling to come up with plans for educating kids online, in modified in-person scenarios, or using a hybrid approach, many parents are asking, “What would homeschooling look like for my…
Episode 3: Knowing Your Why and Finding Your Way
Knowing Your Why As a homeschooling parent, it’s important to have a “why.” Not only that, it’s important to have a positive why. On the days when homeschooling gets hard (and there will be hard days, you can count on…
Episode 4: Unplanned or Emergency Homeschooling
In this episode, we’re looking at what to do when you find yourself unexpectedly thrust into homeschooling, whether that’s because of COVID-19, a family emergency, or some other scenario. Emergency Homeschooling Emergencies are not fun! Usually, there is panic, and…
Episode 5: Homeschooling as a Working Parent
Do you find yourself homeschooling as a working parent? Perhaps you are curious about how parents can both work and homeschool their children. It probably sounds impossible, and if homeschooling looked like traditional schooling, it likely would be. But homeschooling…
Episode 6: Homeschooling Philosophies 101
School at home. Classical. Charlotte Mason. Unschooling. There are so many homeschooling philosophies to choose from, it’s almost like homeschooling has its own specialized vocabulary. Even if you’re a veteran homeschool mom, it can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to…
Episode 7: A Look Inside Heather Gerwing’s Homeschool
Hi friends! In today’s episode, you will get to learn a little bit more about Heather Gerwing’s homeschool. We will be sprinkling these Snapshot episodes throughout our seasons for you to get to know us a little bit better. It’s…
Episode 8: Getting Your Kids to Listen
Have you ever said something to your kid 7,426 times, and they still don’t acknowledge you? We get it! In this episode, we are talking about how to get your kids to listen, which matters even more when you’re in…
Episode 9: A Look Inside Harmony Harkema’s Homeschool
In this episode, we are doing another deep dive into the homeschool of one of our cohosts. Listen in as Heather interviews Harmony about her homeschool. Harmony Harkema is a full-time work-from-home mom who homeschools her two daughters in the…
Episode 10: Building Confidence as a Homeschool Mom
Do you struggle with confidence as a homeschool mom? In this episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers, we’re talking about building confidence as a homeschool mom. As seasoned homeschoolers, we have all struggled with fear and worry at some point in…
Episode 11: Welcome to Season 2 of The Relatable Homeschoolers
We’re Back! And we’re so excited to be bringing you Season 2 of The Relatable Homeschoolers podcast! We’re kicking off Season 2 talking about how homeschool has looked for us during the pandemic. While our homeschools haven’t changed much, we…
Episode 12: A Look Inside Annie Carlson’s Homeschool
Join us this week as we take a look at Annie Carlson’s homeschool. Annie Carlson is a mom who wears many hats, one of them as the homeschooler of her three children in a self-teaching and self-directed style. Annie works…
Episode 13: Feeding Our People
Feeding Our People It’s inevitable–our offspring need to eat. With a minimum of three meals a day, seven days a week, we are talking about over twenty meals a week. That is a lot of food we are feeding our…
Episode 14: A Look Inside Lindsay Hufford’s Homeschool
It’s time for another snapshot episode featuring one of our cohosts. This week, we hear from Lindsay as Annie interviews her about her homeschool journey. Lindsay is a wife, mom of three, and small business owner. She homeschools her three…
Episode 15: The Relatable Homeschoolers Talk Homeschool Math
We’re Talking Homeschool Math In this week’s episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers, we’re talking homeschool math. Math seems to be the subject parents worry about the most. There are several different ways to tackle homeschool math, and we discuss many…
Episode 16: The Relatable Homeschoolers Talk Homeschool Science
In this week’s podcast episode, we’re discussing homeschool science. As in last week’s episode on homeschool math, we are breaking down how we do science in our homeschools and the resources we use. Whether you are science-savvy or the thought…
Episode 17: The Relatable Homeschoolers Talk Homeschool History
We’ve been working our way through the core homeschool subjects. If you missed our previous discussions on math and science, check out episodes 15 and 16. Today on the podcast, we’re talking homeschool history, geography, current events, and more. Once again,…
Episode 18: The Relatable Homeschoolers Talk Homeschool Language Arts
In this episode, we’re breaking down homeschool language arts. We discuss what it covers, how we all approach the subject, and the many curriculums we’ve used. There are many ways to integrate language arts into your homeschool day. Whether it’s…
Episode 19: The Non-Core Subjects
Friends, we have such a fun episode for you today! We have covered all the core subjects, and now we are tackling the non-core subjects! After talking about the necessities like math, science, history, and language arts, we are now…
Episode 20: Self-Care for the Homeschool Mom
We’re wrapping up Season 2 of The Relatable Homeschoolers podcast by talking about the all-important subject of self-care for the homeschool mom. Self-care looks different in different seasons of life. Sure, self-care might look like a massage or a manicure,…
Episode 21: Catching Up with The Relatable Homeschoolers
Welcome to Season 3 of The Relatable Homeschoolers! We’re coming at you with a slew of new episodes we’re excited to share, on topics ranging from marriage care to schedules versus rhythms to using games in your homeschool. We are…
Episode 22: Homeschooling Schedules and Rhythms
In this episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers we are talking about homeschooling schedules and rhythms. We discuss the difference between and the defining characteristics of each. We also share what each of us tends to lean towards, resources we like…
Episode 23: Marriage and Homeschooling
Welcome back to another episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers. In today’s episode, we are talking all about marriage and homeschooling. In this episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers, we’re diving into what our marriages have looked like through our years of…
Episode 24: Using Games in Your Homeschool
In this episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers, we’re talking all things games. We define “gameschooling,” but we also talk about our favorite games, games we use to support learning and building basic skills like math and spelling, games that make…
Episode 25: Buying Curriculum
Buying curriculum can be daunting, even for seasoned homeschoolers. In this episode, The Relatable Homeschoolers are talking all things buying curriculum: what to buy, where to buy, how to spend and save well. We talk about how not to become…
Episode 26: Homeschooling over the Summer
To homeschool over the summer or not is the question we are tackling in this episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers. Homeschooling over the summer has its benefits, and you’ll hear how the three of us approach it differently. We all…
Episode 27: Homeschooling on the Go
In this episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers, we’re talking about homeschooling on the go. What we mean by “on the go” is when you take homeschooling outside of your home. Heather shares about her family’s experience last spring, when they…
Episode 28: Our Favorite Homeschool Things
Welcome to another episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers! All homeschooling parents have at least a few things they wouldn’t be willing to go without, and we’re no different. This week, we’re sharing our favorite homeschool things, our personal must-haves, the…
Episode 29: Our Favorite Homeschooling Books
In this episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers, we’re talking about our favorite homeschooling books, the books that have been foundational in our homeschool journeys. Our favorite homeschooling books have taught us, inspired us, and helped educate us on how we…
Episode 30: Your Homeschool Questions Answered
This episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers was such a fun episode to record! We held an AUA (Ask Us Anything) and answered all your homeschool questions. This is a wrap for Season 3, and we hope you glean something new….
Episode 31: Welcome Back and Season 4 Preview
Welcome back to Season 4 of The Relatable Homeschoolers! We are thrilled to be back with you for another ten episodes. If you are new to The Relatable Homeschoolers, let me introduce you to your hosts. Harmony Harkema is a…
Episode 32: Creating a Homeschool Space You Love
We have all searched Pinterest for “homeschool room.” We know you probably have, too. The perfectly decorated rooms with school-like borders on the wall, Ikea table and drawers that seat all your children, and an American flag in the corner….
Episode 33: To Co-op or Not to Co-op?
In this episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers, we are talking all about whether to co-op or not to co-op! First, it’s important that we look at the different types of co-ops (cooperatives) available to homeschoolers. The main type of co-op…
Episode 34: Homeschooling and Home Management
Welcome back to another episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers! In today’s episode, we’re discussing homeschooling and home management! What does home management look like when you’re homeschooling? In short, it can look like chaos! But it doesn’t have to. We…
Episode 35: Homeschooling Is Not Your Identity
Welcome back to another episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers. In this episode, we discuss homeschooling is not your identity. We hope you will join us and listen in. What, exactly, do we mean when we say that homeschooling is not…
Episode 36: Lazy Genius Your Homeschool Part 1
Friends, we have a fun episode for you today! We’re talking about how we can lazy genius our homeschools. What exactly does it mean to lazy genius your homeschool? Read on and listen in to find out more! Annie, Harmony,…
Episode 37: Lazy Genius Your Homeschool Part 2
Hi friends! Today we’re picking up where we left off last episode with Part 2 of How to Lazy Genius Your Homeschool! As you can see, the three of us are big fans of The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra…
Episode 38: Transitioning to Public School with Lindsay Hufford
In this episode, Harmony talks to Lindsay, our former cohost, about what it’s been like to transition her kids from homeschooling to public school. If you’ve thought about or are thinking about public school, wondering what questions you should be…
Episode 39: Holiday Gifts for the Homeschool Mom
Who doesn’t love gifts? In this episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers, we discuss holiday gifts for the homeschool mom! Annie, Harmony, and Heather had so much fun recording this episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers! We’re taking a break from the…
Episode 40: Homeschooling through the Holidays
In this week’s episode of The Relatable Homeschoolers, we discuss homeschooling through the holidays! It’s the most wonderful time of the year–the holidays! Are you curious as to how homeschooling through the holidays looks in other’s homeschools? In this episode,…