What if your homeschool didn’t feel like a checklist, but a life-giving journey? In this Best of Homeschool Super Heroes Workshop episode, Julie Ross shares the tools of a Charlotte Mason education and how they can bring peace, beauty, and connection to your home.
You’ll learn how to apply these tools—atmosphere, discipline, and life—in a way that nourishes both your children and yourself. This gentle philosophy isn’t about replicating school at home; it’s about building something far more meaningful.
Here’s what you’ll take away:
✅ What it really means to create a homeschool “atmosphere”
✅ How habits form the foundation of discipline (without nagging)
✅ Why ideas are the most powerful food for the mind
✅ How to foster solitude, attention, and curiosity
✅ The secret to cultivating beauty and truth in your home
🎯 Grab your FREE Pass to Homeschool Super Heroes. You’ll be inspired by 30+ veteran homeschoolers.
In this Best of Homeschool Super Heroes episode, Rachael Carman brings clarity to what matters most in your homeschool. After 26 years of homeschooling her seven kids, she shares why the most important subject to teach your children isn’t academic—it’s spiritual.
This episode will encourage and equip you to make the Bible the foundation of your homeschool. Rachael’s wisdom is practical, powerful, and deeply rooted in God’s truth.
You’ll learn:
✅ What happens when you put the Bible at the center of your day
✅ How to make worship and Scripture study a natural part of homeschooling
✅ Why your kids need heart-shaping more than head knowledge
✅ Tips to grow in your own walk with God as you lead your children
✅ What to do when you feel discouraged or spiritually dry
🎯 Grab your FREE Pass to Homeschool Super Heroes. You’ll be inspired by 30+ veteran homeschoolers.
As part of our Best of Homeschool Super Heroes Workshop series, we’re bringing back one of our most loved super heroes—with Andrew Pudewa! In this episode, we dig deep into teaching writing through imitation, from simple copywork to powerful storytelling. Whether you’re just starting out or need to reset your writing routine, this method can transform your homeschool.
Here’s what you’ll discover:
✅How to move your child away from “hating writing”
✅How to build confidence in your reluctant writer
✅What keyword outlines are—and why they work
✅When awkward writing is actually a good sign
✅How imitation paves the way for real creativity
🎯 Grab your FREE Pass to Homeschool Super Heroes. Be sure to watch Andrew’s new interview this year.
With 20+ years of experience, Jen Merckling, shows you how to make any homeschool curriculum work—even if it's not the "perfect" fit. These 5 tips will help you feel confident, supported, and ready for a school year full of peace and growth.
You’ll learn:
✅Why modeling matters more than early independence
✅How to pause and repeat without falling “behind”
✅What to do when grade levels don’t match your child’s progress
✅The truth about short lessons and how they help with consistency
✅When and how to cut assignments and still count it as a win
🎯 Grab your FREE Pass to Homeschool Super Heroes. You’ll be inspired by 30+ veteran homeschoolers.
There’s a lot we take for granted when it comes to homeschooling—especially our freedoms. In today’s conversation, you’ll hear how homeschool freedom is under threat in places you might not expect... and how one nonprofit is working to protect it.
From museum tours to national advocacy, Steven Policastro shares how God is using their work to equip homeschool leaders in 130+ nations. You’ll be inspired to pray, take action, and help families around the globe.
The surprising truth about where homeschool is illegal
✅Why parental rights and Christian education go hand-in-hand
✅How global leaders are uniting to defend freedom
✅2 creative ways your family can support the mission
✅How to turn this into a meaningful homeschool project
🎯 Grab the free resource mentioned in the episode to get started!
Homeschool Super Heroes Week FREE Pass - includes Prayer - Letter Writing Book
Steven Policastro is the founder and director of the International Association for Creation, a global Christian 501(c)3 ministry dedicated to bringing quality Christ-centered education to the nations. He leads a team from around the world that is dedicated to amplifying learning from a biblical worldview, increasing access to homeschooling, and protecting parental rights throughout Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. In 2020, in partnership with the national Christian homeschool leadership and the Ministry of Sports & Culture, the team initiated and drafted public policy that legalized homeschooling in Bolivia.
Today, he leads his team in:
1. Scaling success by equipping experienced community leaders across Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific with the tools necessary to provide sustainable, local solutions for students, parents, and teachers.
2. Facilitating high-level government discussions regarding the formation of education freedom zones in Mongolia.
3. Establishing a national education framework for the Ministry of Education in South Sudan.
4. Brokering refugee resettlement talks between national homeschool leaders in France and their European Union counterparts who are engaged in the current conflict over parental rights.
Steven has presented to and engaged in dialogue with top world leaders, including government officials and Ph.Ds. in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, leading his team in facilitating ground-breaking diplomatic discussion on education reform that is qualitatively and quantitatively transforming nations. His efforts have opened access to critical infrastructure and opportunities for millions of individuals to continue to benefit from strategies that are amplifying learning, increasing access, and protecting rights in over one-hundred nations. He is a media spokesman in various areas of expertise, from education reform to transformative peace processes.
Want to make a difference for homeschool families around the world?
Visit associationforcreation.org to learn how you can:
Discover the real challenges families face homeschooling across the globe
Encourage a homeschool family overseas with a personal note
Pray intentionally for those facing opposition
Show Notes:
Fighting for Homeschool Freedom Around the World with Steven Policastro
Kerry: Hey, everyone, Kerry Beck here with homeschool superheroes and homeschool coffee break. We're sort of doing a little joint thing. And this is going to be a podcast on my homeschool coffee break where we help you stop the overwhelm. So you can have a nice little coffee break. And today we are meeting and visiting with Steven Policastro, who is our title partner, and we are partnering with him and his nonprofit and making a donation to his organization. So welcome, Steven, so glad that you're here.
Steven: Thank you so much for having me, Kerry. It's good to be with you again.
Kerry: Very good. We've been partnering. I don't know 4 or 5 years, but I love partnering because I learned so much about what's going on around the world the way that God's working with Christian education and homeschooling. And we're going to talk about that. But Stephen runs a nonprofit that helps homeschoolers. Homeschooling be legal, or, you know, works in governments and that kind of thing, but also Christian education. Can you tell people just a little bit about how this all came to be, and what y'all do.
Steven: Yeah. So I'm the founder and director of International Association for Creation, and our mission is to make Christian education possible everywhere. And we do that through several different means, primarily through training Christians to give Biblical worldview tours of secular museums and then also training national Christian homeschool leaders to be able to advocate for parental rights and the autonomy of Christian education in their nations from their context.
Steven: And the way that we got involved in both of these is, I initially began the ministry to support local Biblical worldview professionals. We realized that there were so many people wanting the Biblical worldview that we thought, why not go give Christian tours of secular museums like the field in Chicago, the American in New York and the Smithsonian and DC. Just name a few, and then Covid rolled around and shut that all down. But we were approved to give virtual tours of the Smithsonian and the word got out really fast in the homeschool community. So we ended up giving a lot of tours to homeschool groups overseas. I think there were 400 kids from Kenya, a thousand kids from the Philippines, dozens of kids from all over Europe, Latin America, Namibia, Mongolia, all these wonderful homeschooling families who wanted to go explore the Smithsonian a few years ago, and we got to do that with them virtually, which was really exciting. And then, shortly after the 1st 2 or 3 of those tours I talked to the National homeschool leaders and asked them like, Do you know the person that's leading the homeschool movement in the country next door, and they would know I don't know them. So I was like, Well, you're Christians like you definitely should know each other. And so let's get everyone together. And so now we have leaders from 130 countries who are regularly praying with one another, taking action in their nations, helping one another to protect those parental rights and the autonomy of Christian education. As I mentioned earlier, so it's really going great. And it's exciting to see everything that God is doing all around the world to make homeschooling possible, not only for Christians, but for everyone. And that's important because when Christians lead the way. That leads to human flourishing for all.
Kerry: That is awesome. It is so exciting to see what's going on. And I've learned so much about different countries and countries that I thought would be really safe to homeschooling weren't necessarily. And then other places that you're thinking oh, they're not going to. And yet they make it, you know, somewhat legal. And so, anyway, I know I know you travel around. You go to different places, and you know, lobby or do whatever you do. Can you just tell us a story about. You know something that you've worked with recently, and helping homeschoolers around the world.
Steven: Yeah, so recently, we are working in Europe. And so the Pan, European Christian education and independent schools issues forum that we set up with some of our partners across the pond is to bring together Christian educators, including parents who are homeschooling and those who run independent schools, or maybe in the States what we would just call a private school and bring them together. Talk about what's going on in the realm of parental rights and Christian education. and we have a framework that we go through each year and kind of rate each nation where they're at. And it's interesting to see, because sometimes homeschool freedoms and parental rights are treated differently than when when it comes to Christian school freedoms and the parental rights there. So it's not always a 1-to-one translation, I guess you could say, but what came of that most recently is that we were able to hand deliver a letter to the special rapporteur at the UN. On education. and that was done in Geneva. And so we've been able to get some information into her and her team's hands about, where do we stand as Christians when it comes to parental rights and the ability to educate our children in the home.
Kerry: That is awesome, I know. I was surprised to hear this is back a few years ago, when you were talking about France, and even maybe last year with England, some of the, you know, the struggles they had, because you would think someone like that. That's similar, you think, to the United States would have freedoms. And yet that's not always the case over there. So I mean one. I just want to say, thank you for your work over there and supporting homeschoolers, and and just for helping and being there for them. I also know that we've got homeschool superheroes coming up, and we really try to encourage our families that come to the event to partner with you. That can be financially. But what are some other things that the families could do just to support you.
Steven: Yeah, I know that we often during that week go and look at what countries can we send letters to? So we have a pen pal program. And that allows families, you know, who are watching your program to write personal letters to national Christian homeschool leaders all around the world. And I know that those make real impact, and they truly encourage the leaders and the families that they serve. So that's an exciting opportunity, and then always praying, and I know that we go through like you said different countries throughout the week, talking about what they're facing, how we can be praying for them and knowing that it's not just policy that we're working on. But it's the people that we're helping, and that's so important to remember is that at the end of the day. Yes, we want to see homeschooling legalized. however, more important is that we want to see parents and their sons and daughters be encouraged in the Lord, whether what they're doing is protected by the Government or not. Ultimately, at the end of the day every mother and father has the God given right to educate their son and or daughter. How they see fit, whether or not the Government protects that right is another question, and that's what we're fighting for is for these parents rights that God has given them to be protected by their government, and not used to harm them, as is done in many places around the world, and some of the places that you mentioned just a moment ago, that you would never expect where parents are persecuted simply for keeping their kid at home and teaching them the ABCs and 123s.
Kerry: Yeah, it's so true. So praying and and writing letters, and everyone that signs up for homeschool superheroes, you can get a free pass. You'll be getting a little booklet that you can download, and we're going to highlight 5 different countries one each day, Monday through Friday, and in that booklet will be some geography pages, the prayer request, or the praises that you can pray through as a family. And then our letter writing. There'll be some pages sort of to let you outline it. Now, obviously, the easiest thing is to let them do it all on paper, and then maybe you or them get online and actually type it. Because I think, wouldn't you say, that's the quickest way to get it to you, Steven.
Steven: Yes, yeah, it would be great. So yeah, parents will need to go and fill out the online form that then submits the letter. So it would be great. And it's a good opportunity to like. Get all the kids at the table and pray and write and we could even like, turn this into a writing practice, you know. Get some homeschool like hours out of it. You know, you can wrap in geography, language, arts. Maybe some political science in there. So yeah.
Kerry: Definitely. That's what I'm always like. Hey, look, you can tie something that's really important. That's making an impact for parents. And I really do appreciate what you said. It's not just making homeschooling legal, which I know. That's sort of just a phrase that I sort of rattle off, but it's giving parents the freedom to raise their kids the way they feel like God is, or if they're not a Christian, but they should have the rights to be able to raise their kids. The way they feel is the best way, and that's what y'all are helping do. It's it's people. It's not just government. But we can still influence the Government through some of y'all's work as well.
Steven: Yeah. And and that's so important to note is that like, so the reason we started the Association for National Christian Homeschool leaders is because we truly believe, like you said earlier, is that when Christians lead the way it leads to human flourishing for all people, and so we want to equip, encourage, and pray for all the Christian homeschool leaders around the world because they are doing amazing work and honestly, even there are some countries where homeschooling is technically illegal. But then, when you are a Christian and you're teaching from a Biblical worldview, it all of a sudden becomes not so legal.
Kerry: So.
Steven: These are some of the nuances that we have to understand. We can look at a map, and we even have our own map. That shows where homeschooling is legal and where it's not. And we try and build a multifaceted framework to display on that map that not only shows the the letter of the law, but the sphere of the law, as well, because, as I mentioned, there are places where it's legal in writing, but in practicality Christians face persecution.
Kerry: So true. And we'll get a link to this map, a current map that we can share in our community. And then, wherever you're watching this hopefully in the show notes right below. We'll have a link to that map. So, and if I remember correctly, it was sort of color. Coded like green is pretty good. Everything but red is like illegal, no matter whether you're a Christian or not. That type of thing.
Steven: Yes, yeah. So it's like a stock. Why, you can think of it as so green is good. Yellow is, it? May be legal, but it's socially unacceptable. Or maybe in that country Christians are being persecuted. And then red is yeah, it's illegal, and there's not an opportunity to do so.
Kerry: So well, if you're listening to this, and you have not gotten to your your free ticket to homeschool superheroes, I hope you will use the link wherever you're listening to this to go, sign up. I will tell you that we have a vip. Pass that when you pay to get all the benefits, the lifetime and the private podcast and the Vip bundle and all of that percentage of that Vip pass is going to go directly to Steven's organization. And so I donate 5%. And then some of our speakers will donate 5% of their commissions, and then I will match theirs as well. So you might be actually donating 15% of your vip pass to to Steven's organization. So thank you so much for being here. Is there anything you'd like to say in closing.
Steven: Yeah, I just wanna say, don't take for granted the freedom that God is giving you and exercise your freedom. I think that's so important at the end of the day, like God, has given you rights, and the Government can't take your rights away. The only question we have to ask ourselves? Is my government protecting my right or not. because, again, governments don't give rights. God gives rights. God made government, then, to protect those rights that He gave us.
Kerry: Thank you so much. Well said so. Well, thank you all for spending time with me. I am Kerry Beck, with homeschool, coffee break and homeschool superheroes. We'll talk to you next time.
Ready to support homeschool freedom globally? Get your free resource packet with geography pages, prayer requests, and letter-writing templates for 5 different countries. Visit homeschoolsuperheroes.com to learn more about Steven's work and how your family can make a difference.
As we approach the Day of the Christian Martyr on June 29, 2025, talking to kids about difficult topics like persecution or the life of a Christian martyr isn't easy—but it's important. In this episode, Kerry sits down with homeschool curriculum author Bonnie Rose Hudson to discuss how to introduce these powerful stories to children in a way that honors truth, age-appropriateness, and their emotional makeup.
From personal stories to practical examples, you'll discover ways to guide your kids in understanding faith under fire. Bonnie also shares encouragement for parents and non-parents alike who want to support the global Church and disciple the next generation with bold, faith-filled examples.
In this episode, you'll learn:
✅How to gauge what details kids can emotionally handle
✅Tips for weaving Christian martyr stories into Bible, history, or reading lessons
✅Where to find trustworthy, age-appropriate resources
✅What to say when your kids ask "Why would God allow this?"
✅Encouragement for moms and dads who want their kids to live boldly for Christ
✅Special insights on observing the Day of the Christian Martyr with your family
🎯 Grab the resource mentioned in the podcast so you can start these conversations in your home today—especially as we prepare to honor the memory of those who gave their lives for faith this June 29th!
Resources Mentioned
Day of the Christian Martyr Free Digital Resources:
Show Notes:
Kerry: We are talking about the persecuted church and wait, first of all, let's talk about what that is, and then we're going to talk about maybe integrating that into your homeschool, and maybe why and how those kind of things. But before we dive into this topic, Bonnie, could you just tell people a little bit about yourself.
Bonnie Rose: Sure, I'm Bonnie Rose Hudson. I run write bonnierose.com. I have a lot of different subject areas for most ages. You will not find, ever find high school math on my site. I'm sorry. That's just not my thing, but I have a lot of history, science, Bible, language arts, geography, a lot of things like I said, quite a few different topics for most ages. Some of the material is a full year curriculum, others is supplemental. I do a lot of freebies every year. So if you sign up for my newsletter, you can get a freebie, usually on average, every 2 weeks, sometimes more often than that, and I just enjoy making resources as fun and affordable and easy to use as I can.
Kerry: I know I've seen a lot of them. It's been a few years since I've actually reviewed them, but I continue to see so much, and she really does have a wide range, and so wide that here we are talking about the persecuted church. So just out of curiosity, what drew you to learn more about this area?
Bonnie Rose: Well, I've had an interest ever since I was young. I heard stories growing up, but I kind of I think I tended to compartmentalize it. I thought it only happened, maybe in China or, you know, maybe someplace deep in Africa. And one year over Easter, I started reading some of the stories about people dealing with persecution from different ministry newsletters, and such, and it just really started to grow into a burden on my heart. And I wanted to share what I was reading about with the kids that I was writing for in a way that was age appropriate and sensitive because so much of almost all of the media that I was consuming was targeted directly for adults, and it just included more information than you want to share with your 8 year old, for instance.
Kerry: That's so interesting. And you know, I actually get a magazine called Voice of the Martyrs. And so it's very interesting. I've read some of their books, and we may even talk about some of those people, but I mean, those are current events, too. But yet it isn't always something that's appropriate for kids. So how widespread really is persecution for Christians today?
Bonnie Rose: Well, according to Open Doors, in the last 30 years the number of countries where Christians are suffering high or extreme levels of persecution has almost doubled. There are at least 76 countries, and those are countries where it goes beyond harassment or inconveniences. This is full persecution. And it's because of some of the digital technology advancements, facial recognition, it's getting even harder and harder and harder for the underground church to operate, and for believers, especially from certain other religious backgrounds, to meet, to grow, to access the information that they need. On average, one in every 7 Christians in the world are currently facing persecution. That number increases to one in 5 in Africa and 2 in 5 Christians in Asia. The Joshua Project says between 65% and 70% of the world's population live in a country that's considered religiously restrictive. So it really is in every corner of the globe on every continent, in some or almost every continent, in some form or another.
Kerry: That is just amazing, one in 7, and then it gets even smaller, depending on where you are in the world. And you mentioned the underground church. Could you just sort of describe or tell people what you mean by that?
Bonnie Rose: Sure, in the United States and in many other countries, it's not surprising at all to walk down the street and see a church, you know. I live in a very small town, and there's at least a half a dozen churches, probably within a 5 mile radius of my house, you know there's an abundance of churches. The Underground church is just a generic term related to people who can't meet openly. Sometimes they will meet discreetly. Maybe in a coffee shop. Sometimes it has to go even further than that. I remember reading about one country in the Middle East, and they said, if you have 8 or 10 people over to your apartment on December 25th, your neighbors know that there's probably something going on for Christmas, so you don't dare get together on Christmas to celebrate Christmas, so maybe you wait. Maybe your child has a birthday, February second, so maybe you have 10 or 12 people over to celebrate a birthday. But oh, by the way, we're actually celebrating Christmas. But no one outside that apartment knows that, you know. So it's very, and it depends on what part of the world in Saudi Arabia. Even that much would could very easily lead to death. It's just so sometimes people have no contact with other Christians, possibly only one person, maybe the person that led them to faith. But it's just the underground church is just any church that has to meet off the radar kind of off the grid.
Kerry: It makes so much sense. I have a friend. Well, one of my very best friends, her son he's in his well, he's 1 year older than my daughter, 37, and he lives in well, he lives in a country. I won't mention it because I wouldn't want anyone to put the dots together, but as a business person and they have a company that teaches English to these people. And so that's sort of how they've been able to enter in there as well, and she's still they're still able to go over and visit and everything so. But it's open. They, you know, God still uses that.
Kerry: Well, yeah, you know you think about persecution. And yes, I mean, there's even persecution. Let's be honest of Christians here today, because it's not the politically correct thing. But we're talking like bodily harm and other things, and messing with your mind. How do you sort of dive into sharing these kinds of stories with kids in an age appropriate way?
Bonnie Rose: I think one of the keys is to filter through the information first. It's not usually a good idea to let the kids read it or view it at the same time. You should always kind of filter it, and another word of warning. If there's a type of persecution, a type of crime, a type of, say assault that is, that you know if you read about it, you're going to have nightmares. It's going to haunt you. Don't feel like you have to read it. There's more than enough information out there for you to read, consume, and share with your kids. Don't, because it's too easy for the enemy to then use that to push you completely out of sharing it all. You know, if you're constantly reading stories that are giving you nightmares eventually, you're probably going to pull back and not share any at all. So be careful when you consume it. If there's a story that bothers you, put it prayerfully, put it away and move on to the next story. God will use you, and he's I don't think he's calling most of us to go through that kind of emotional trauma for ourselves. Like I said, there are so many other ways you can share. So as you go through the material, look for ways that you can connect what these people are feeling to your kids. Everybody knows what it's like to be hungry. I mean, how many times do kids say, I'm starving? Well, okay, they probably aren't, because they probably just had a snack 2 hours ago. But you know, so talk about it's not uncommon in Laos, for example, they villages will drive you from your home and you can live in the jungle. Well, you know, I mean, it doesn't take much imagination to think that living in a jungle where nobody else lives probably isn't easy, you know. You can't farm you can't. You probably have wild animals to deal with?
Bonnie Rose: If you're living in a place no one else lives. There's usually a reason no one else is living there. So look for things like that. They're hungry. Somebody's cold. They don't have the clothes they need. Maybe they lost their home. Maybe all they have is a tent, or, you know, maybe they're just trying to find shelter under a tree somewhere. You know they're wet when it rains. All of those things. They're scared. They don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. They don't always know if their family will stay together, and that's something you have to be a little bit more careful talking to your kids about depending on the emotional makeup of your child. But it's something that you know. All kids know what it's like to miss a parent, or a sibling or a loved one because of any kind of separation going, you know, work, any any situation, maybe a sickness. Well, sometimes these kids don't know when they're going to see their parents again, or even if they're going to see their parents again, or their siblings or aunts, uncles, etc. So you know, you can look at those things that they have in common with your kids, and then kind of extrapolate from there. Talk about what they can understand. You can tell them that someone was hurt or beat up. You don't have to go into every detail on how you don't have to describe every injury or torture, or things like that for the kids to understand that something hurt, that they're scared, that they're cold, that they're wet, that they're hungry. All those things your kids can understand without all of the details.
Kerry: That's so good. First, I want to go back to what you said at the beginning about adults, because there are times sometimes I actually was reading a book that my friend Andrew Pudewa recommended 2 years ago, and it wasn't necessarily about persecution. It is the first book I ever not that had nightmares, but I actually had to put it down for a little bit, because it was talking about the totalitarianism from Communists. And we're seeing it in the United States today, and it just sort of made me a little nervous, especially with my kids. And so I really appreciate your honesty and just saying adults, we need to protect ourselves now. We don't need to be blind to everything, but we do need to protect ourselves and our heart, and that was one of the times I actually put the book away. You know, I did pick it back up. And I started praying for people a lot based on that book.
Bonnie Rose: So I think I may have actually read the same book and had the same experience. I tended to read before I went to bed, and I can't read this before I go to bed. It was too much. It was just too much.
Kerry: It really was well, it but it opened my eyes a lot, too. Okay? So then the details, you know, all kids are different, like, for instance, my son was able to watch some boy movies sooner than my girls, because my girls would have nightmares when they were 8 right. And they're like, why does he get to watch? Well? And we would talk about it, because it doesn't affect him the same. Now, I'm not trying to do a gender thing or anything, but that was just a fact about our family. And so we had to really watch that type of thing, you know, and I want to share just quickly last summer, because I do superheroes of the Faith, and some of them are historical. But I started on Sunday night about a man from the Middle East, and it was a story I had read, and I'm telling this story. He's a Muslim that comes to Christ, and I mean the man is shot like 2 times, and he's thrown off a cliff, and you're just like, how is he still alive? You know. Now, I didn't share all the details. I didn't have time for that, but still I wouldn't. Depending on my kids. I may not share all the details of exactly what went on, because some of it was more detailed than what I'm telling you right now, I guess right? So I think that is wise. So appreciate that.
Bonnie Rose: And I think, adults. We all have our different thresholds. My sister and I both read Christian fiction. She will read like the CSI style Christian fiction, and she'll be like, oh, this book was good. You wouldn't like it like she'll. She'll just tell me, because she can read that and put it away. And it's fine, and I read that, and I'm like, Oh, my goodness, like, you know. Like all of a sudden, I'm scared to go to Walmart, you know, like, so you know, it's just. It's just different personalities and different emotional makeups. God put us all. She has a very different day job than I do, so you know. Her emotional makeup fits her line of work and and mine would not work in her line of work. Very well. So so it's just. It's just the way that God made us, each for a reason. There's no better, worse, you know, kind of a thing about it. It's just different.
Kerry: That's so good. So let me ask you a question, and you may have some of these, but we're talking about stories. Where could someone go and find these stories? I don't know if you have some that you use specifically with the products that you put out, or if you have books or anything that you might recommend.
Bonnie Rose: There used to be, and I'll include it in the handout. There used to be a beautiful site called Kids of Courage, and it was actually kind of like the Junior. The kids version of Voice of the Martyrs, and it was published by Voice of the Martyrs, and it was a beautiful site, and sometimes it would have the exact same story that the Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter had but tailored for kids. And I loved it, and for whatever reason they shut it down several years ago, and it's no longer available as a live website. But you can find it through the website archives. So I have some links and instructions in the handout to help you find that it takes a little bit of work and patience to find the stories, because all the features of the website don't work anymore. But it's really helpful. So I've enjoyed that written for kids. There's some of the the classic books like Christian Heroes Then and Now those series have some really good topics. The Generations curriculum also has explored some of those, and then I've tried to incorporate some that I have learned and rewritten for kids in my curriculum as well.
Kerry: That's so interesting. And as you were talking, there's another book that I don't know if you're familiar with, called Triumph and Trials, or Trials and Triumph. I don't know what it's a word like that. We'll put that there, but it is. It starts back in Greece or Roman time, and then just goes through time periods, and the stories we would read them out loud and like one of them was Blandina, who was killed during the ancient Roman times. And again, that may not, even though it's in a kid's book. It may not be because she was like thrown out into the Coliseum over and over, and she'd come back and just encourage these people to just stay strong in the faith. And she's very young and a woman, and so there are other, and then you go to the Middle Ages. But then we move even into the current age as well.
Bonnie Rose: Right that just popped in my head, I really think that's great.
Kerry: So. Okay, so we talked about, maybe some resources how to handle this. What can parents do to incorporate this idea about the persecuted church and bringing this to life, to their kids into what they're doing in their homeschool?
Bonnie Rose: There's a lot of different ways. You can incorporate it into almost any subject. Some are natural fits. Bible, for instance. I mean, obviously, there's the verses about persecution. There's an abundance of examples about persecution, and you can talk about. Why would God let this happen? You know? And I because I think that's a big question for kids, and to be honest for adults. Why, why, we know he can stop it. We all love Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. But what about the times that they weren't delivered, you know. And so then you can go to the story of somebody like Joseph. He couldn't see the end of the story. I would imagine that he prayed many times he sold, I mean, he didn't want to be a slave in another country. He didn't, certainly didn't want to be put into prison. All of those things, and and even the life of the Lord, things didn't. God didn't deliver him from the cross in the way that that if it were you or me. We would be hoping for at that time, you know, in place, so so that you can look, explore the question of why and examples, and how we can see that God works through them, even when the even when the end of the story, as far as what our physical eyes can see, doesn't look the way we wanted it to look.
Bonnie Rose: There's ways you can sign up online for prayer requests for persecuted Christians, for unreached peoples as well, I'll put some links in in the handout, but then there's other. You can do it with language arts. There are ways you can send letters to persecuted Christians that are in jail. And I'll include a link. History and geography are obviously natural fits. You've got the environment, the historical time period, some persecution today actually dates back to historic events that maybe ostracized a group of people. So you can. You can explore those geographies. Obviously. You know, readily apparent science you can talk about. Okay. So if a family doesn't have access to clean water, what does that mean? I mean, we completely take clean water for granted. We have filters on our spigots and on our water jugs and everywhere. But if you didn't have clean water, what does that look like? What does that cause what you know. I mean the fact that children die from diarrhea still staggers my mind. I mean, it's just. It's unthinkable. It's unfathomable. So you can talk about the science again, depending on how old your kids are. They could do a research report on the effects of drinking unclean water, you know, or or malnutrition. You know anything like that. Science for little ones can often be fun, because if you're talking about a country, especially something exotic in Asia, like China or Laos or Vietnam. Talk about the animals that live there. There are all kinds of amazingly cool animals that live in some of these countries that we never think about. You know, in the United States or in Canada, Australia, you know some of the some of the different countries that many of your viewers are probably from you can even work it into math. Math is a little trickier, but you could have your kids, especially if they're a little bit older. They could do reports on statistics.
Bonnie Rose: You know how different people groups, different majority religions different, you know. And if it says only 1% of a population are Christians. What does that mean? How many people is that? And how many people does that mean? Are not Christian? Or how many people have died for their faith in Christ. You know, you can look at statistics that way. You can also just do basic statistics like, compare the size of 2 countries or the population of 2 countries, you know you can pull it into that, or you can do math for little kids. You can do it in recipes. If you're learning about Bangladesh find a Bengali recipe online and and make it. And so you've got your teaspoons and tablespoons, and you've got your ready-made math lesson right there in the kitchen, so you can do all of those different things to just make the places more real and more relatable, and and something that the kids can can understand, instead of just a random name on a map that you know they may or may not have even heard of before.
Kerry: That's so good. I was just thinking you said one in 7 are persecuted in the world. There's a math problem right there like to come up with the actual number, like, based on whatever the total of people there are that they say there are right now, and the other thing you mentioned recipes. Then I go to my favorite thing, and that's eat your way through school. And so why not make some food based on the country that you're looking for is when you're going to learn a lot more about it, and we used to where I got it. I don't know if it's from Compassion. But I would get a little recipe book with some of the recipes from the area where we supported a child. So Compassion has had some great resources. They have a program. It's called Kate and Mac, I believe, and they'll send out. Yes, like the sorry. Go ahead. Tell them about it.
Bonnie Rose: No, no, that's fine, but it'll have recipes and games and stories, and I love Kate and Mac. I think they have lots of great stuff.
Kerry: Yeah, I bet my grandkids. If y'all want to know I'm recording this while I'm babysitting. Well, I'm not babysitting at this moment, but upstairs are their books, and I think I bought that book, or there was a book of something like that that is up there around the world. The other thing you mentioned was the prayer and the history and geography. Okay, I'm gonna put a shameless plug by the time you hear this, you know, we've got a prayer group with 5 countries of places that are persecuted. Well, I don't know exactly how persecuted, but homeschooling isn't legal, and so they're especially Christian homeschooling, and I just got the countries yesterday. I don't know them off the top of my head but you also in your Members area. There's a little book in there with prayer requests, letter writing, and then you could take those ideas and put them into wherever you're studying the persecuted church as well. Just thought.
Bonnie Rose: Anything else you want to say, that's great. Yeah, yeah, it's exciting. Stephen Policastro has just been so helpful, and every year he, you know, he goes. Let's wait till about first of July and come up with where God's working, and they're not all persecuted. Usually one or 2 of those countries. There are praises for what God is doing. So I think that's also something we need to realize that. Yes, we want to pray for them. But we also need to look at how God is actually answering some of our prayers as well.
Kerry: Absolutely.
Kerry: How could moms help their kids have an impact or make a difference?
Bonnie Rose: One of the things that struck me as I started reading the newsletters years back, was that I'm the kind of person who needs an outlet for what's going in. And so it struck me that there are probably many kids with a similar emotional makeup, and they need to do something. Because if you just read about the problems and don't take action. It can be very depressing and discouraging, because and like you said, it's also very important to balance it with the praise. I think that's wonderful. I think you definitely need to keep both both types of stories flowing. Because if you don't, it just you miss out on a lot of what God is doing around the world. The numbers of people coming to faith in completely unexpected places is just off the charts, and it's exciting and so very exciting. And so kids can do whatever it work. However, they're wired. They can build things with play-doh or plastic blocks, or they can do something on the computer. They can share the presentation with anyone. It can just be their family. If you're not plugged into a bigger community, let them put a presentation together and share it with you all because you're going to grow in your understanding as they share it. And you're also going to bond with your child, as you see how God is moving in their heart, what's standing out to them about something? They can share it with their Sunday school, with their Co-OP, with their neighbors, with. However, your dynamic, whatever your dynamic is.
Bonnie Rose: They can share it. They can write about it. They can draw a picture about it. They could cook food and share it with somebody you could throw. You could throw a youth group party, and you know, and work through it that way. So, however, they're wired, whatever they love doing, you can find a way to to incorporate that if they build things on some of the different computer programs where you build various cities and worlds. They could build one about what they're learning. You know. There's there's literally no end to what they could come up with.
Kerry: I love that, too, because that sounds like a hands-on project based on what they are, because even some kids like my one of the granddaughters that's coming home pretty soon. She loves to act and sing and like. Oh, she'll drag us up there, and they got an hour long presentation, and they got it all fixed up there and everything but you know, for some, and so she'll even write it all out. And for some kids it's like, No, thank you. Give me like her mom was like made a life size teepee one time. And so it's all this kind of thing. But I love your ideas because you go into where their strengths are. So that's awesome. I appreciate that.
Kerry: This is awesome. Let me just ask you, because I know people are going to want to follow up. How could people get hold of you, and do you have any like? Where could they find your resources and connect with you?
Bonnie Rose: Sure, the best place to connect is through my website. It's write bonnierose.com. You can also email me anytime. It's just write bonnierose@gmail.com. So those 2 ways are the most reliable ways. I am on social media, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. But I'm not on there as much as probably as I could be. So it's a little bit more hit and miss there. So like, I said the website, I have curriculum there that I've written also some free blog posts and materials there, and some different types of resources to try to help. And then again, in the handout that comes with this workshop, there'll be links to a lot of what we discussed and ways you can follow up. There's also some craft sites that you can use to kind of incorporate crafts into your hands on projects.
Kerry: That is awesome. Well, wherever you're listening to this, just look below this video and there'll be a text box one. The handout will be there and then 2, some of the links, the website, that type of thing we will. Hyperlink that so that all you have to do is click the link below, and you can make it and go find Bonnie Rose as well. So all right.
Kerry: Have a quick question. If you were to come back, and if you were to start all over homeschooling or persecuted church, or whatever in with your as a parent, is there anything that you would do differently. Put you on the spot.
Bonnie Rose: Wow! Well, actually, there's a strange story there. I sadly. I am not a parent. I am a homeschool author. But the Lord did not see wisdom to arrange for a spouse and children of my own. Which, of course, I was certain I just learned something. Yeah, okay, keep going. So so my story is kind of kind of unique. I have always loved children. I mean, when I was 12, 20, 22. Okay, even 32. I was sure I was going to have someone. Now I'm 44. And so here I am pretty sure that that has ruled, been ruled out. But that's okay. Because what God has done in the years preceding I worked on becoming a writer. I worked in various office jobs and such, you know, as far as paying the bills and all that sort of thing goes. But along the way I was working on learning to become a writer. I wrote some books for adults. They are not published. I wrote some books for children. One of them actually did get published by Journey Forth Press part of BJU so I wrote books, and as I was doing that then, as I was learning about the persecuted church, the 2 came together, I went to a homeschool conference one year at the suggestion of someone I had met in a writer's group, and she said, there is so much educational material out there. I think you'd be a great fit, she said. Go see what's going on.
Bonnie Rose: And I thought, Wow, that sounds awesome, because I feel like I was like unofficially, half like part-time homeschooled. My mom created everything, and we would school like all summer long. And then I went to a small Christian school during the actual school year, but also, I mean, she customized, go to the head of the class with questions. From whatever we had learned that year we had, I mean we. So I was. We were always learning, and she I live in Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania back in the eighties was extraordinarily restrictive, and she actually did consider homeschooling, but without the Internet and the Co-OP resources, and that she was not comfortable taking that leap. So we like, I said, we went to a small private Christian school instead. But I think my mom was a born teacher, and so we just she incorporated learning and everything. So when we went my mom was just as excited as I was. She says, oh, my goodness! I could have used that when you girls were small I could. I made something like that, you know, and so we were looking at everything, and it was just fantastic. So I kind of when I was there. I signed up with a homeschool website who was looking for writers. And then I started creating homeschool material from them. I worked for them for a number of years, and then kind of went out on my own with my website and creating homeschool materials I have. I've tested it out with numerous kids. I am an honorary aunt to 2 amazing boys who have challenged my idea of I mean, I thought all kids like to color. But apparently that's just not the thing. So so they have challenged me to create and inspired some resources along the way, too. So yeah, I'm kind of a non homeschooled single gal who has never been happier in my life than creating material for parents in the Christian homeschool world. So whatever I can do to support to support you is what I want to be doing.
Kerry: Thank you so much. First of all, thank you for what you're doing. Thank you for being so transparent about your story, and I just appreciate hearing that. And so, anyway, I just really appreciate that. And I just hope that God will bless you as well. I sometimes do this sometimes I don't. But we're going to pray right now. Is that all right?
Bonnie Rose: Absolutely.
Kerry: Before we close? I meant to. I keep meaning to do that at the beginning, and I've only prayed like on 2 or 3 of the interviews, because I keep forgetting. So as you were talking, it's like we're going to pray right now. So all right. Thanks. Oh, Father in Heaven, thank you for today. Thank you just for all the Bonnie has shared about the persecuted church, and we just lift up. I mean, I cannot even imagine how many people it is. Anyone beyond my little small group is unimaginable when I talk to you, and yet you know everyone that's living here on this earth, and I pray that you will protect them. You will give them courage and strength to stay faithful to you, that you will continue to draw more and more people into to your family, and that you will use these people that are in the persecuted church to to just be witnesses for you and that they will just be a picture of your love, and I pray that more areas would be open. You would just change governments and leaders to where they would open up these areas that are closed to Christianity. And just pray that you would continue to to share your gospel, your good news that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Thank you so much for Bonnie. I just pray that you will give her an extra blessing for sharing these ideas, and pray for each mom that's listening, or dad that you would just use this and help their families and their kids to be able to make a difference with what you are doing. It's in Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
Bonnie Rose: Thank you.
Kerry: Thank you. Well, I appreciate it. Carving time out of your day just to be with us. So thank you very much.
Bonnie Rose: I've enjoyed every minute. Thank you so much.
Kerry: All right. I'm Kerry Beck, with Homeschool Superheroes. We'll talk to you next time.
Bonnie Rose Hudson is the owner and publisher of WriteBonnieRose.com. Her heart’s desire is for every child to feel the love of God and know how special they are to Him. Her website exists to serve homeschoolers, home educators, and teachers around the world by creating practical resources that are fun, affordable, and easy to use. She has hundreds of resources in many subject areas for preschool through high school and releases an average of more than 50 new titles each year. Because she has a heart for the persecuted Church and the lost, some of her resources as well as much of her blog content are designed to help parents teach their children about missions and the persecuted Church. She has written for numerous publications and educational websites and is a former director of SchoolhouseTeachers.com, the curriculum site of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®. She is also the author of The Hidden Village, an early reader published by JourneyForth about unreached people in India.
If you’ve ever wondered how to slow down and connect while still “doing school,” this episode is for you. Today, I’m sharing how a simple walk with my granddaughter — and her obsession with roly-polies — reminded me why nature walks are a powerful tool in your homeschool.
You’ll discover how even 15 minutes outside can spark curiosity, lead to deeper relationships, and provide rich educational experiences — without the need for worksheets or screens.
We’ll cover:
✅How to make nature walks meaningful (without being a science expert)
✅Simple tools you can bring along for learning on the go
✅Academic subjects that connect with nature walks
✅How walking together builds family connection
✅A simple way to turn every walk into a moment of gratitude
Resources Mentioned
Christian Liberty Nature Readers
Show Notes:
Hey, everyone, Kerry Beck here with homeschool coffee break where we help you stop the overwhelm so you can take a coffee break. I think I'll take one right now. Today we are talking about why nature walks belong in your homeschool, even if you're not an outdoorsy person. Before we dive into this, I would love for you to subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so, or if you can leave a comment or a 5 Star Review. That would be awesome. And you may have a home school friend, just one home school friend that you could share this with, because we're recording this. It's summertime. It's a great time to be outdoors and do this.
The Roly-Poly Story
In fact, I'll just start. This episode was inspired by something that I did with my 8 year old granddaughter last week. She wanted to go on walks now. I'd get up early and go on my own sort of prayer, walk and fast walk, get some exercise in. But she wanted to go on walk, and on Friday, the last day we got out there, and she found a roly-poly on the sidewalk, and it was the first one. And it you know, those little ones say they roll up into a little ball. I mean she was talking to it somehow it fell off, and then she found another one, and we were walking down the sidewalk to get to the path, and there's a big stone wall, and there were roly-polies everywhere.
I'm telling you we went on a 15 or 20 minute walk, and I think she talked to these roly polys the entire way, and they would be crawling, and she's like, "Oh, you don't like this hand. You like this hand. They don't ever want to go into this hand," and just went on and on they fall off, and then she'd have to get another one. The last one she actually carried pretty far all the way back to that stone wall, because she wanted to leave this roly-poly near his friends, so he would have some friends.
Why This Story Matters
Now, why do I share that story? I was like it reminded me so much of some of the things that we did with our kids out in nature, whether it's a nature walk, or just going out and looking, maybe even at the stars at nighttime. But she loved going on a walk. This was not a fast walk. This was a slow walk we talked, we visited, and I saw wonder, curiosity, and learning. And that does not come from a book or a worksheet.
So nature walks are just such a simple, beautiful, powerful tool for your homeschool. And you can use it with all different ages, all at the same time as well.
Why Nature Walks Are So Valuable
Why are they so valuable? Well, with your kids, they're going to help your kids slow down and observe. You know, you might go to a park, you know we've got a park over here, and you can wander through this trail, and there's brush everywhere, and you'll see all different kinds of leaves and plants. And actually, a few years ago, the girl, my 8 year old, her sister. They were both with me, and we're going down there, and the next day I find out she got a tick, and I was like, well, she's the only one that climbed a tree while we were out there, and so, but they slow down and they start to notice things.
You can they can ask questions and maybe spark curiosity. I really had every intention of going back here and doing a little research with her about roly-polies and then rolling up, and then, when we got home, we had to get ready to take her to the doctor, and things sort of got busy. With your kids also, this can build a lifelong love of God's creation. God is the great Creator. So let them be out in that.
Benefits for Mom
With moms, you, mom, it'll help you get out of the house. It can refresh you mentally and emotionally. I think fresh air does wonders. I mean, sometimes I go on walks every day pretty much, but sometimes I just want to pray, and I go out. I've got a little circle drive, and I just walk back and forth 2 or 3 times, just going outside can refresh you. I remember when I did have Covid several years ago. I didn't feel good for about a couple days, but the one thing I did do is I went outside and walked up and down the driveway because fresh air and sunshine does something for you.
This also gives you a chance to bond with your kids in ways that curriculum cannot. You don't have that curriculum pressure. Even 15 to 30 minutes a week can shift the tone of your home school. Romans 1:20 says God reveals his invisible qualities through what he has made. And think about it. It's not even that. It's not just what we see. But a lot of times as I'm coming home from my prayer walk, I hear this morning I hear the birds singing to each other and to me. That's just I'm like, wow! Thank you, God. And so it's not just our sight but what we hear, maybe what we touch. She could feel that little roly poly and its little legs, or whatever walking around on her hand.
How to Do a Nature Walk
So lots of different ways that we can use nature walks to learn. So how do we do a nature walk? First simple, maybe just walk around the block or your backyard, or if there's a close by park. My other daughter used to live well, they both they still she still lives close to a park, but one of them you would walk down this sidewalk with trees and bushes and ponds and everything, and and that was just actually really cool.
I remember one time my 6 year old granddaughter Landry. She was probably 2 or 3 at the time, and I was pushing her in the stroller, and I was like Landry, look, there's a rabbit! And we watched that rabbit run away, and the next time I was driving, driving, pushing her to the park. The next day I was like you could hear going, "Bunny, come here, Bunny, come here" yelling at the top of her voice, but she remembered there were bunnies. Actually, when I went on, I don't know which walk it was with Elizabeth last week we saw 2 bunnies right there. It was so cool, you know, and so you can take those experiences and go home and learn more.
What to Bring on Nature Walks
You could take a nature journal. I was looking for my nature journal. One of the kids and I couldn't find it beforehand. Might take a magnifying glass or a Ziploc bag. Crayons might even take a phone to take pictures. I will say we went we had a natural scavenger hunt. And a couple years ago, when I did take the kids to the park, and we walked there. They each had a crayon and the scavenger hunt. So they were looking for things, and I do have a resource for you. It is nature it's a nature journal, and I think that's where I got this particular page. And it's just a fun way to keep track of what you're seeing, and there's lots of different things in that nature journal. You can look in the show notes to be able to get the link to that.
Following Your Kids' Lead
So you can take some supplies if you want, or just go for a walk, let them lead, look for what they are interested in. It might be roly polys. I was interested in the bunny. She's like, "Oh, we have bunnies in our backyard." So I was like, okay, and it's not like they live in the country, but there are bunnies around there, you know. But what are they interested in? Bugs, leaves, clouds, tracks? Do they see some tracks in on the path? And let them lead and then create a rhythm. Maybe just once a week you go, and this is something the whole family can do. Even your high schoolers could go with you on a nature walk. You could have nature walk Fridays, maybe.
Integrating Nature Walks into Homeschool
Now, how do we take this nature walk and integrate it into homeschool. I think, personally, just going on the walk is homeschooling. But let's talk about some academics in science. You can have observation. You can look at ecosystems or habitats, insects, weather, plant life, lots of different ways. You can tie it together.
You could have them write. You could have them come back and keep a journal and write down, maybe draw what they saw, and label the parts of a bug, or whatever she did say. This is an insect. We could have had her draw a roly-poly label the part. They could write a poem, they could have a descriptive paragraph. There's several ways you could do that.
Art. This is one thing we would do, and they could sketch what they see in nature. You could take your watercolors with you to a park and let them watercolor whatever they're looking at. Leaf rubbings are super easy way, especially for young kids as well.
Bible and Other Subject Connections
You could tie it to Bible. I've already mentioned the great Creator of God. You could study creation in Genesis One talk about the seasons, or read passages such as Psalm 19.
The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech. Night after night they reveal knowledge, they have no speech, they use no words, no sound is heard from them, yet their voice goes out into all the earth the words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent, for the sun is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber like a champion rejoicing to run the race. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit together. Nothing is deprived of its warmth.
Talk about that. Use some of this for copy work as well.
Geography. You could learn what the native plants and animals are in your region.
PE let's face it. Just going on a walk is physical movement, exercise. They may dance, they may run, they may do whatever, but they're moving, and that's PE so many ways you could tie it into your academics.
Building Relationships Through Nature
One of my favorite things is, nature walks, build relationships through nature, just walking side by side opens up conversation. Sometimes when you're face to face. They're a little afraid to say something, but if you're both walking in the same direction, or all of us. You may come up with topics that you may not normally talk about, because it's not that face to face tension.
Time in nature can help regulate some emotions. There's usually less fussing, although sometimes they I want this. I want that. But there's just more connection. Usually when we're walking, you can use it to connect, not just with your kids, but also with God, and talk about the things that God has made. Let your kids know you see what they see. Well, tell me more about that bug. Tell me more about that. What do you see here? What colors are they?
So one of the things my kids are like. "Yes, mom, you tell us every year we have oak trees." So in the winter all the leaves fall looks dead. But I love watching in spring. It just has these little dots that eventually turn into oak leaves, and I'm like "Y'all let's go look!" And each day let's draw what we see, and I think, after saying that for several years they got tired of me. But anyway.
Cultivating Thankfulness
But one of the most important things I think you can do is use your nature walks to cultivate thankfulness, to cultivate gratitude. They are a built in way to practice gratitude, and maybe, as you're walking, ask each child. I want you to tell me 3 things that you're thankful for on this walk. And just, and you know not a lot of pressure. But they can say whatever it is, model your own thankfulness aloud. I'm so thankful for the blue sky.
I mean on my way home from my walk. I'm like. Thank you for the purpose. Sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. Ignore that but thank you for the sunshine. Thank you for the rain. Thank you today that I got to walk in before it started raining 5 minutes after I got home. So look for things, you know. And going back to the roly-poly story that even a tiny bug leads to a sense of wonder and gratitude, and we can slow down, and that can help them be thankful.
The Challenge
Just something to consider. You don't need an elaborate plan. You don't need an elaborate science unit. Just take a walk. Let your kids explore, ask a few questions and thank God for what you see together. So I'm going to challenge you. Plan one nature walk this week and just see what your kids discover.
I do have a free nature journal. It's normally $10. But you can get it free through this podcast and there'll be a special link in the show notes that you can use, and I do have another blog post that'll be in the show notes about rest and renewal for mom, because I really think getting outside helps a lot.
Resource Recommendations
If you're watching on the video, I'm going to show you a few things. This was sort of overall our go-to book. It is big. Look at that Handbook of Nature Study, but that's the microscope wheel. Or you couldn't use a microscope. You can see it has all sorts of stuff in here. We've got insects. We've got plants how to begin a plant study, weeds, garden flowers, trees, climate weather. This is just a go to that you can do. There'll be a link there in the show notes.
Now, these are for younger kids. Usborne puts out the First Book of Nature, and I'll let you just see it's very simple. And it is going. This is actually, I think, a combination of 3 or 4 books, and it has birds, trees, flowers, butterflies, and moths, wild animals, fishes, and creepy crawlies, so that's a great one. I don't even know if this is still in print, but we'll look for a link and put it there and then.
Christian liberty has some nature readers. This is book one you can see, very simple. So this is a coyote. The coyote trick. Let's see what we have the bear's coat, and it's just simple reading for a young reader. Then we can move to. This is Book 4. And you can see this is more like stories. Well, what is that? I don't know what that is. So let's see if we find something. Oh, it's a moth, anyway, you can, if there's reading on that level. And this covers a lot of different areas as well, it's got. Looks like 10 or 15 different animals in this one. So we'll put links to all of those in the show notes.
Closing
Most of all have fun, build relationships and enjoy yourself. Get out of being in front of your phone. Don't even take your don't even take your camera. Don't take your phone. Be away from your phone for just a little while, enjoy your kids, build relationships both with each other and with God. And just see what your kids discover. Hey, I am Kerry Beck, with homeschool coffee break. We'll talk to you next time.
Need some fresh ideas to keep your kids learning this summer—without pulling out the curriculum bins? Whether you're a year-round homeschooler or ready for a much-needed break, there are simple, creative ways to make summer learning fun, meaningful, and totally stress-free.
From read-alouds to banana caterpillars, this episode is packed with tips that encourage curiosity, build character, and keep everyone engaged (without screens!). We’re talking:
✅How to build a summer reading rhythm the whole family loves
✅Why boredom is actually good for your kids (really!)
✅Tips to combat negative attitudes with God's Word
✅Fun weekly learning ideas with zero worksheets
✅How to set family reading goals with big rewards
Grab Read Aloud Book List mentioned in this episode to make your summer easier and more fun!
Resources Mentioned:
Feeling overwhelmed by grumbling kids, comparison, or stress in your homeschool? In this episode, we talk about the power of being thankful for what you have—even in hard seasons—and how it can transform your heart, your home, and your family.
You’ll hear personal stories, powerful Scripture, and practical steps you can take to build a daily gratitude habit. This episode will help you fight overwhelm and experience the joy that comes when you shift from complaining to contentment.
✅Learn the science-backed benefits of gratitude
✅Hear how Kerry's 10,000 gratitude journal entries shaped her mindset
✅Get 3 simple tips for creating a family gratitude habit
✅Discover practical ways to help your kids choose gratitude over grumbling
✅Be encouraged with real-life stories of thankfulness in hard seasons
📥 Grab the resource mentioned in the podcast—link is in the show notes!
Resources Mentioned:
Show Notes:
Hey, everyone, Kerry, Beck here with homeschool coffee break where we help you stop the overwhelm so you can actually take a coffee break. No coffee with me. I'm actually recording this in the afternoon. Haven't had coffee for a few hours, but I want to help you take a break, slow down and pause. And today's episode is so good and so helpful to you, I can, I promise you, if you put these things into practice, it will change the way you think, the way your mind works, and even help with your kids as well. We are talking about moving from complaining to being thankful, building a gratitude habit in your homeschool, in your family, in your home as well.
Why does this episode matter so much? Let me just tell you. Actually, I think I wrote this down today. You'll be getting this in a few weeks. But I wrote this down today. I was sort of pondering what to do. But I've been keeping a gratitude journal since 2010. That's almost 15 years, and the first 2 or 3 years I wrote down 3 things but I discipline religiously every single day, and every year I did that I added a thousand things. Then I became a little less structured, but I still kept a gratitude journal throughout the year. I may not have done it every year, and sometimes, like here, you can see I sort of color coded. There you go. That's more than 3 things here. That's more than 3 things. So it just depended on the day there's 3 right there. But today, on May 27th 2025, I entered number 10,000. Can you see that? 10,000 right there?
And I'll just, I was a little skeptical last week. I was like, I don't want to write anything down. I want 10,000 to be something really great. But then this one I was like, just write what you're thinking about Kerry. So 9,999 were friends that had been praying for me, especially a few weeks ago, when my son got married, and there's just a little tension and everything. But I knew everything would be great, and we would have great joy because they were supporting me in prayer, but 10,000 number 10,000 I didn't really think about this morning, and I just wrote down my kids, faith in God and their protection of me. My kids have just been so supportive of me over the last several years, and that makes me feel good. I'm not. I wasn't trying to make that number 10,000. But that's just really what came to mind.
So that is what we're talking about. We're talking about gratitude and the power of gratitude in good times and in bad times, before we dive into that. If you have not subscribed to our channel, then I would strongly recommend that you do that. It will help us get this message out to more and more people, and don't more of us want our kids to go from complaining to gratitude. Don't we want to have victory through the gratitude? Don't we want to have joy through gratitude? I'm going to talk all about that today. So share this, find one person, you could click that, share button and share it with someone today.
So the power of gratitude and hard seasons. Now, I don't know if you know me very well, but I will tell you. For the past 9 years it's been a struggle for me. I've been lonely at times. I have felt rejection. I've had lots of financial struggle in and out. I've had lots of grief, both death, rejection, abandonment, and betrayal, and it's hard. About 5 years ago, I want to say, 5 or 6 years ago I had one of the hardest thanksgivings. Thanksgiving seemed to have been really hard in the last 9 years, but God showed up. I had an explosion at the dinner table in my own parents. It was pretty embarrassing, and my own parents house, and about 2 or 3 days later I had to say, Okay, God, I need to apologize, and I went from negativity to joy and peace in my life, and some of that was thankfulness to God that he is working in me, and he is helping me get past all these hardships.
I will tell you that faith is not about the absence of hardship. It's about how we trust God in the middle of all of it, and one of the ways we can show our trust is through gratitude. Being thankful is not natural, being selfish and wanting our own way, and getting everyone to pay attention to us and do what we want. It's easy being thankful and pulling back and being humble. That is a discipline. In 1st Thessalonians 5, 18. It says in everything. Give thanks. And I believe that is what can truly change the way. Actually, I don't just think there are scientific. There are scientific evidence that when we start to give thanks on a regular basis. We have better sleep. We have better relationships. Our kids, when they do it, become more generous. There are scientific studies that show this. They have done so much seriously. When we show gratitude, it changes the synapses, the wires, all those things up here, and if we give gratitude at least 30 days and more. It can truly change the way you think, and it can change the way your kids think.
So let's talk about 3 tips to help you with this. First, we need to thank God first, and as we thank God we should be modeling for our own children. God is always good. God is always in control. God is always working things for good. It may not look good like I'm going to tell you right now. They're like. Seriously, God, this does not look good in my life right now, and I'll just let you in on a little tip in case you haven't ever heard my husband left 9 years ago, and I've had to do a lot of soul searching. I've had to do a lot of work on myself, not me working, but allowing the Holy Spirit to come and work in my life, and his gratitude has me so far from that negative blame shift all those things to seeing that God is good, that God is love, that God is working. God is working in me. Praise God, thank you. But even more important. He's working at Steve, and I believe with all that she's bringing it back, and I'm praying for him. God is always good, even when it doesn't look like it, even when he doesn't look like he is working.
If nothing else goes right. I always know Hebrews 13, 5. God! He says, I will never leave you nor forsake you or abandon you. And he says in Philippians 1, 6, I am working in you until the day of Christ Jesus. I know that it's true for me. I know that it's true for my kids, just like I could be thankful. Number 10,000 for my kids walking with God, and I am trusting, and I still believe that he is working good in Steve's life. So how can I believe this now? Because I'm going to tell you 9 years ago that was probably not true.
Oh, I forgot my! I will give you 3 tips that will help change your brain seriously. Family gratitude journal during every morning, at breakfast or every night when you are eating dinner, or before you go to bed, open your gratitude, journal, and go around the table, go around the circle and say, Give me one thing you're thankful for today and write it down. You might color code it for different kids, so that you know who said what? Because then, when they start complaining, you can pull that gratitude journal out and say. Hey, let's take a let's just take a step back, and then read the things that they said they were thankful for.
But every day, once a day have everyone say something they're thankful for I wish that I'd had my children keep individual gratitude journals as they got older. If you have older kids, I would give them 5 or 10 min every day. Just make everyone stop, and we're going to all be grateful. Let them write it down, and then let them share it out loud as well, let your kids hear you. Thank God aloud, and if you don't think you can say thank you, I'm going to tell you what, if you are living in a house, you should be able to say, Thank you. If you have food today, you should be able to say, Thank you. There are so many things. We may think we're not making enough money, or we don't have the greatest thing because we're comparing ourselves to social media whole nother subject. But I am telling you. You need to be able to. There is always something to be thankful, a good night's sleep. It does not have to be material as well. There are so many things to be thankful for.
I will tell you that we have. I was looking for it. This resource is called oh, gosh! Can't really see it. Give thanks. A mother's prayer journal, and yeah, I don't know how many days are in it, but it does allow you to be able to give thanks and any any resources I mentioned. Just look in the show notes, and you can get those as well.
So tip number one. Thank God! First model this for your kids. Tip number 2. Choose gratitude over complaining. Gratitude is a choice. It is not a feeling. There was a man named Martin Rinker. Back in the Middle Ages there was a huge war. This is in the Black Plague, the bubonic plague. This man was a pastor, and during one year he was doing 50 funerals a day. 50 funerals a day, including one of them, ended up being his wife. I don't have the prayer with me right now, but he has written a beautiful prayer. I will link it to you in the show notes that kept saying, Now, thank we all are God. And he kept saying, Thank we all are God. How can you say thank you to God when you're performing 50 funerals a day? If that man can say thank you to God. In the midst of 50 deaths a day, and funerals, I should be able to say, Thank you for the many blessings that I have. You need to help your kids learn this, that we choose joy and gratitude, no matter, the circumstances.
I was actually listening to a podcast this morning. I don't know if you've ever read the book, the hiding place, but in the podcast they were referring to a section in the story. And this was Betsy. I cannot remember the person that wrote the book. Okay, is Betsy's sister, and you'll probably know who he is. She is. But they were in a concentration camp. They were Jews, they were not Jews, but they had hidden Jews. So now the 2 sisters are in a concentration camp together, and I want to say it was like 1,400 people in a place that 400 people should be, and they actually somehow had a Bible.
And they read, and we know no, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God, and we know that all things work together for good to those who are called according to his purpose. And so they decided that they were going to tell each other things that they were thankful for, and they were thankful for this Bible because it was hidden on her neck, and the guards did not see him, and they had to like strip naked to get into this concentration camp, and the guards were blinded to that, and they were thanking for things. And then, Betsy, the very calm person, says, Well, we need to thank them for the fleas and her sister like. I wish I could remember who's the author of the hiding place? She says. Fleas! No way. We are going to thank them. They were in a place right then that there was a Flea infestation, and so she kept saying, it doesn't say, only be thankful in the good times it is in all circumstances. So they said, Thank you.
And then they continued to have morning worship, morning whatever they called it, and were able to share the Bible with those around them, and then they decided to do 2 a day, and they wondered why the guards were not coming to see them. They weren't bothering them, and they could share Jesus. They could share the Bible with all these people. Well, guess what? Because the guards didn't want to have anything to do with fleece. Is that a reason to thank God? Yes, because they were able to share Jesus and his salvation with all these people in the concentration camp, and who knows what impact that may have had on them?
So we need to choose joy and gratitude, no matter what our circumstances are. Some practical tips would be a gratitude over grumbling jar anytime. Someone complains. They write down one thing that they are thankful for. If you hear a child complain? You've got a little stack of papers, or post-its, or whatever, and you just stop. Write it down and then put it in the jar, and then you have a history of the things that they are thankful for, and you can read those aloud. Maybe sometimes when they complain, we pull that jar out and we read them. Do this with your kids. You're not going to do it to them. You want to do it with them.
Another thing that you could do is to actually do some. Give thanks. Copy work. I have a let me see if I can find it there. It is this is called, give thanks to God again. You can't see it too well. Give thanks to God. Copy, work for all ages, different verses that your kids can copy, and y'all can talk about just copying that down, and they'll be thinking about it as they copy it down as well.
Tip number one. Thank God! First, model it for your kids. Tip number 2. Choose gratitude over complaining. Tip number 3. Create a gratitude, practice habits start small and they grow deep roots. Just think about me. I hit 10,000 not really trying, and know lately it's not been every single day, but I have that practice of being thankful. I was telling my son this morning. You know I can be going down our main highway, and I hit all green lights and all this I'm like, oh, thank you God! He gave me a blessing. I can be walking, and I hear the birds. Oh, thank you! God for the birds you start to notice so many more things that you can be thankful for.
So start your family or your homeschool day with gratitude. I've already mentioned the family gratitude challenge. If you want to do that another way, we have our 30 day gratitude challenge you can. When you get it, you can get it like this, which is a blank. 30 day calendar. And every day your kids write something down younger kids. You might want this. There is one idea on every single day, and there's space for them to write it down. A family member food. You enjoy something in nature, and that gives them a little prompt as to what they can write it down, and then the last thing would be, thank you. Cards or a Thank you letter, and in that, and there'll be links to all of this in the show notes. So you can just go get those is how to write a thank you letter or thank you. Card. There's a few questions that you answer, and then you actually write it. And I would say each week, encourage your kids to write a thank you letter to a neighbor, to a grandparent, to a pastor, to a friend, to a neighbor, or say, neighbor, any of these? And then, lastly, this is fun. It's a practical hands-on. These are our gratitude activities for kids, and you can be able to get that. I think that's in our gratitude. Give thanks, toolkit as well.
As we close. I just want to say, moms, I know you're tired. Homeschooling is stressful. Homeschooling, especially comparison is real, and we need to get rid of it. Gratitude is the way we fight comparison. Gratitude is the way we fight. Overwhelm gratitude is the way we fight. Worry those things sort of fall by the wayside when we can get our eyes in the right place. Psalm 16 11, says, in the presence of the Lord is joy, and then it says in Nehemiah, and the joy of the Lord is our strength, and the presence of the Lord is joy. Get up, and every day spend time in him, and that can give you joy that day, and then that joy, the joy of the Lord will give you strength to the rest of the day. If you are tired, that is a great way to start it. Presence of the Lord is joy, and the joy of the Lord is our strength.
Gratitude transforms not just our attitudes, but our kids, hearts, too. You can start today, and it does not have to be perfect. So here's my challenge. Say one thing you're thankful for today, and then do it again tomorrow, and then do it again the next day and the next, and build habit of gratitude. Help your kids do the same. Colossians 3, 17. Whatever you do, give thanks to God the Father through Him in everything. Give thanks.
What do you need to do pause. Breathe, breathe, can do lots alright, and reset the button, reset your life by being grateful. Now I will tell you we have resources for you. I've mentioned. Most of them are 30 day gratitude challenge our things to be thankful for. List. Our gratitude. Oh, I didn't mention this one gratitude journal for kids. It's a printable, and your kids can fill things out for that as well. And then we have our gift. Thanks, toolkit, which includes, give thanks to God, copy work for all ages. Give thanks to mother's prayer journal, gratitude activities for kids and a 30 Day gratitude journal. You've got a lot in there. So pick the one that would help you the most.
And I just look forward to hearing how your family, how your homeschool, and how your life changes by just starting to be grateful and finding one thing a day, just one thing a day to start it with, to be thankful. I know it can change your life. It has changed my life. I'm Kerry Beck, with homeschool coffee bright. We'll talk to you next time.
If you're wondering where to start homeschooling, the answer may surprise you—look in the mirror. In this episode, we talk about why your own education as a mom is the first and most important step in your homeschool journey.
Education and leadership don’t begin with lesson plans—they begin with you.
You'll hear why your kids will follow your lead more than your curriculum, and how a simple growth routine can shape your homeschool for the better. Whether you're a new homeschool mom or simply looking to refresh your perspective, this episode will help you take a powerful first step.
Here’s what we cover:
✅Why Charlotte Mason said, “There is no education but self-education”
✅The simple 3-step plan Kerry used for personal growth
✅How to model a love of reading and lifelong learning for your kids
✅How reading, journaling, and sharing weekly simplifies your homeschool and gives YOU freedom to study what is important to your family
✅Why summer is the perfect time to start your growth habit
👉 Grab the free resource mentioned in the podcast to kickstart your own growth routine and lead with confidence!
From Overwhelmed Mom to Confident Mentor
(use code: CONFIDENT10 to SAVE $10 & come free)
4 Steps to Raising Christian Leaders in Your Homeschool (FREE Limited Time Replay)
Show Notes
Hey everyone, welcome back to Homeschool Coffee Break, where we are pouring you a fresh cup of encouragement for moms who are raising the next generation of Christian leaders. I'm your host, Kerry Beck, and today we're diving into a powerful truth: education starts with you, Mom.
Leadership starts with you, Mom. Yes, you—not your curriculum, not the perfect schedule—you. Your habits, your mindset, your faith.
I want to unpack this through this episode as well. But before I do, I just would love to encourage you to click the subscribe button so that we can get this out to more and more people, and more and more moms like you can get the encouragement, simplify their life, and get rid of the overwhelm. Stop the overwhelm so you can take a coffee break.
All right. Let's start with Charlotte Mason. She says, "There is no education but self-education." What does that mean? True education is not external—memorizing a bunch of facts, saying, "I finished this book or this curriculum." It is all about internal. Real education is taking ownership, having that desire. You can't really even make your kids be educated because it has to be something from within them. And that is the same with you.
You know, kids don't become leaders, they don't become educated from tests. They grow in their education by watching and imitating real life. That's you. They grow in ownership and leadership skills by watching you and imitating real life.
So you cannot force education, but you can lead by example. And that's what it's all about. You need to lead by example. You need to take ownership of your own education, and then your kids will see what's going on.
My kids never doubted that I love to read. Now I will tell you, when they were little, maybe they did, because I'd fall asleep at night. I tried to read at night in bed, and, you know, I'd just fall asleep with the book on my chest. I was tired all the time. But as we got out of those little kid stages, I read. I still read voraciously. I read all the time.
And I'm watching my—especially my girls right now, because they've got kids at home—they are reading. They're actually reading instead of turning on that TV. That is a mom. They are modeling and mentoring a love for reading.
I am thankful that all four of my grandkids—we don't know about Sloane, Sloane's only four months old—but all of them, even my grandson that goes 90 to nothing—he is all out boy—"Gigi, will you read a book?" Or I walked in last week on Monday night, I was up there, and he was sitting in his dad's lap, listening just still as could be, listening to him read that book.
There is something special building relationships, but also you are modeling and mentoring for your kids the importance of reading, the importance of learning. And that is really a basis for moving forward to be a good leader.
Let me just say, when I say leadership, some people get confused, and they're like, "My kid's not going to be CEO or Mayor or whatever." No. Leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less. And you are a leader to your family. You are influencing. Your kids more than likely will grow up and have a family, and they will need to be able to lead and influence well.
You know, I do a class. And I did one recently—"4 Steps to Raising Christian Leaders"—and this is really Step 4. It is you, Mom. You go first.
And this is being published right before summertime. I don't know when you're listening to it, but this is being published right before summertime. It is a great time to take a step back and really work on your own education, growing yourself.
So let's talk about a very simple growth routine for you. This is something I was able to do even when my kids were at home, even when they were little. Okay? I had a morning growth plan, you could say. And what did I do?
I would say there's sort of two seasons, or maybe three. We had a membership at a gym. When the kids were real little, I would go to aerobics class. That was sort of a different thing. And before that, I would be here at home and read my Bible, and pray, and read books. But then it got to the point where I needed—when we were homeschooling—I didn't have time for that. So I would go up there, work on the treadmill, and while I was on the treadmill, I could read books.
I read John Taylor Gatto's book The Underground History of American Education. Oh, my goodness! Was I educated? I learned so much about where American education comes from. That's a whole different story. But I would multitask in that way.
As the kids got older, I would go for walks because we didn’t have that gym membership. I would go for a walk and I would pray. I'd come home. I would read my Bible, and then I would read a book. And then I would keep my journal. I'd write down any thoughts I had about what I had just read. It's a very simple one.
I wanted to exercise. I tried praying. I still to this day go for walks, and I pray while I'm on a walk. I read my Bible either before or after—it just sort of depends on the season. And then I read books at all different times now because the kids are gone. But when they were there, it had to be in the morning, because if I didn't do it then, it probably wasn't going to get done.
Super simple, and it doesn’t necessarily take a lot of time. You know, it is better if you could just read two or three pages of a book a day regularly than trying to cram in two hours on a Saturday.
So I am actually—I told you—I journal my thoughts. This is my reading journal. If you're watching on the video—this one, let's see—2007. We were reading Silas Marner. I think you can see it's nothing big. It's just a little bitty thing. And so I would just try to write a page or so. Sometimes it was paragraphs, sometimes it was just bullet points of things that I was thinking about after I had read. Whatever that book is—it’s nothing fancy, just reflections, notes, and sometimes just one or two sentences, just to get it out of my head and onto paper, because it will stick with me more then.
So this is not about being academic. It is about growth and habit and modeling and mentoring for your kids. So start small and then be consistent.
Again, summer is a great time—if you were listening to this when it first comes out—great time. Even year-round schoolers usually slow down a little bit in the summer as well.
So it becomes self-education first. Start a growth plan, a simple growth plan just like I told you that I do. Model it before you teach it. You need to work on a growth plan before you ever go teaching this to your kids.
Because this is what we did with our kids. I will tell you the 3-step plan: we would choose a classic book and read it every single day. Then write one page in my journal every single day, and then share it with one person during the week—or maybe you want to share it with your family.
Now, we took this a little step further. Once I understood what I was doing, then I started to teach my kids, and then it became a habit. They would read every day. They would write once a day. And then once a week, we would have a discussion about whatever the book is.
But I think this is just such a simple way to be able to educate yourself about anything. It could be a novel—like I love Jane Eyre. I like romance novels. I'm reading a mystery right now. But it could be nonfiction too. There's a book that I was sharing with our boot camp yesterday—it was How to Forgive When You Don’t Really Feel Like It. There’s another called The Well-Watered Garden. It was so impactful on me that seriously, when I was finished, I should have done it throughout the time, but I just went through—I went back to the book and wrote down notes in my journal, so I would remember what it was all about.
So, you want to practice this yourself before you teach your kids. This is a great way to develop critical thinking skills and decision-making skills with your children. But you need to understand the process.
Normally, I would encourage you—read one book, a classic. It can be a kid's classic. In fact, a few years ago, some moms and I read Anne of Green Gables. And it gave me a whole different perspective. She was so—what was the guy's name? I can’t remember—the guy that was giving her a hard time. But she was so angry at him, and forgiveness was a real theme towards the end of the book. And I didn’t even catch that when I read it like 10 years ago because I had walked through forgiveness in a way—I’d walked through being rejected.
And so every time you read a classic, it’s going to speak to you over and over again. It was great. And we kept a journal—I don’t even know where my journal is from that one—but I kept a journal, and so did the other moms that agreed to read Anne of Green Gables.
So read a classic—even a kid’s classic. Read it and write in your journal every day, and then once a week, share something about that book with someone. I would encourage you to share it at the dinner table and just let your kids know what you're reading.
Pick another book. It could still be a kid's classic. But by book number three, it needs to be an adult classic. I remember when we ordered The Iliad, and the kids were reading—it was a girl’s ancient—we were studying ancient history. And I mean, that thing—I wish I had it—it’s like that thick. It was really big.
And I was like, “Oh my goodness, are you really going to read that?” I thought, “Well, if I’m asking my girls, who are teenagers, to read it, I think I should be able to read it and understand.” It was a great book. And it wasn’t near as hard as what I thought it was going to be.
So pick an adult classic. The other reason you want to get to an adult—and I would do two or three adult classics—is when you read on your reading level, you experience some of the difficulty sometimes our children have or the frustration. When you read a kid’s classic, you're like, “Oh, this is easy, I understand it.” But you get to an adult reading level, and sometimes you really wrestle with some of the themes and the concepts and what the author is trying to say.
It helps you understand what your child is going through in 7th grade when he's reading something on the 7th grade level, and you're like, “That’s so easy.” No, it really isn’t. And it gives you more empathy for them as well. It also will grow your mind and your perspective on life in general.
So let's just talk about this self-education. There is no true education except self-education. You need to come up with a personal growth plan that works in your schedule and then use our Read-Write-Discuss method and work through that. Do it first, and then teach your kids next fall.
That way, you can use this with any subject area, with any book that is important to your family—or maybe your kids are interested in. If you're doing it with your kids next fall, I recommend starting with your read-aloud because everyone’s listening to the same book.
So your mindset, your faith, your habits—they shape how your kids view education, how your kids view learning, how your kids view leadership.
You have the power to lead your children by showing them how to grow educationally. Basically, just remember:
Leadership starts with you, Mom—not because you're perfect, but because you're present and growing.
Now, I do have two things I want to invite you to next week. Well, when you're listening to this, it'll just be in a couple of days. I am having an open house, and it costs $10. But guess what? I've got a coupon code, and you can save $10 and come for free.
The class is a one-time class: From Overwhelmed Mom to Confident Mentor. It goes right along with some of these ideas of how do we educate ourselves—from overwhelmed mom to confident mentor? We’re going to talk a lot about leadership, education, and how that will give you confidence. It will simplify your homeschool. It will set you and your kids free from the school system, expectations, from your own expectations—set you free from comparing to everyone else.
So all you need to do is use coupon code CONFIDENT10, and it will reduce your cost to zero. If you don't have the code, then it's $10 to come.
The other thing is I still have a replay up. It will only be available for a few more days: 4 Steps to Raising Christian Leaders in Your Homeschool. And I will put a link in the show notes for that, so that you can go and watch that replay because it is only available this week. I know I don't normally put timely things on my podcast, but that's what we're doing.
Hey, thanks for spending time with me. I am Kerry Beck with Homeschool Coffee Break. We'll talk to you next time.
Show Notes:
What’s the #1 thing you can do to raise confident Christian leaders? Teach your kids to own their education. Independent learning isn’t just a homeschool perk—it’s a leadership training ground.
In this episode, we explore how independent learning shapes responsible, motivated, Christ-centered leaders. You’ll hear stories, examples, and practical steps you can start using today.
✅Why independent learning builds leadership and responsibility
✅What Charlotte Mason and Benjamin Franklin can teach us about self-motivated kids
✅The shift from teacher to coach—and how it sets your kids free
✅Practical ways to build ownership in your homeschool
✅How real work and self-direction grow lifelong learners
🎁 Grab my free masterclass, 4 Steps to Raising Christian Leaders in Your Homeschool!
Resources Mentioned:
4 Steps to Raising Christian Leaders in Your Homeschool!
Show Notes:
When life is busy and homeschooling feels overwhelming, it’s easy to fall back on textbooks just to get through the day. But if you’re ready for a more meaningful approach, this episode will show you how to be a lifelong learner—and raise kids who love learning too.
We’re breaking down the mindset shifts and practical steps that help you get off the educational conveyor belt and spark curiosity, creativity, and deep thinking in your homeschool.
✅The real reason textbooks feel safe—and what to use instead
✅How curiosity fuels lasting learning far beyond any test
✅Easy ways to integrate your child’s interests into daily lessons
✅The 4-step method to develop real-world learners and leaders
✅Why boredom might be the best gift you can give your kids
Grab the free class mentioned in the episode to go even deeper!
Resources Mentioned:
Homeschool Freedom Bootcamp - May 13-23
4 Steps to Raising Christian Leaders in Your Homeschool (FREE Masterclass)
Use Read Aloud Book List for suggested readings
Show Notes:
Every day, your kids face choices—from what to eat for lunch to how to treat others. And as homeschool moms, we want to raise children who make wise, godly decisions… but how do we actually teach them how to make good choices?
In this episode, we talk about how to help your kids develop discernment, wisdom, and decision-making skills through stories, conversations, and daily life moments rooted in Biblical truth.
✅Why wisdom matters more than knowledge alone
✅ A simple, homeschool-friendly way to teach discernment
✅What King Solomon can teach your kids about making wise decisions
✅ How to create a “wisdom culture” in your family
🎁 It’s time to sign up for the Homeschool Freedom Boot Camp right here -
Resources Mentioned:
FREE 3-Step Critical Thinking Chart
Show Notes:
Hey, everyone, Kerry Beck here with Homeschool Coffee Break, where we help you stop the overwhelm so you can actually take a coffee break, no matter what time of day it is. I’ve been writing a blog post about rest and renewal for homeschool moms—it’s coming out later this week. I’ll link it in the show notes because it could really encourage you with this whole idea of taking a coffee break.
But today, we’re talking about raising our kids to make wise decisions—helping them develop discernment, knowledge, and wisdom from a young age. We all want our kids to make wise choices. We want to make wise choices too—and sometimes we don’t.
How do we teach our kids discernment? Today, I want to give you Biblical and practical tools to help your kids make decisions based on truth—not just impulse. The world tells our kids to follow their hearts. But God calls them to follow the truth.
Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom.” Wisdom is knowledge applied. Our kids make choices every day—some small, some big. Will they show kindness or selfishness? Will they think through their actions or react in the moment?
We need to give them opportunities to practice wise decision-making now, so they become adults who influence the world for Jesus. That’s part of leadership education.
If you're still stuck in a traditional school mindset, it’s time to step off the conveyor belt. Following a system of checklists and tests doesn’t teach wisdom. God honored Solomon’s request for wisdom above anything else, and we can help our kids do the same.
Let’s raise kids who seek wisdom over popularity, convenience, or screens. Raise kids who apply wisdom in their homes, churches, and communities.
Start with reading, writing, and discussion. Read stories and ask, “Was that the wise choice?” Use Bible stories, literature, even current events or peer situations to spark thoughtful conversation.
One of my daughters once refused to read Pippi Longstocking because, “She lies, Mom.” That hit me. She had discernment—and I needed to listen. Talk through situations like that. Ask, “What does God’s Word say about this?”
Role play tough situations—like being offered a movie at a sleepover. That gives your child a chance to think through decisions before they face them.
Let your kids practice making decisions early. Use movie reviews, books, or conversations at the dinner table. Make wisdom a part of your family culture. Maybe ask, “What was one wise decision you made this week?”
Let your kids hear you pray and talk through your own decisions too. That kind of modeling is powerful.
You and I aren’t perfect in this either. We’re growing in wisdom just like our kids. Model it. Talk through it. And remember, godly wisdom grows when truth is sown consistently through conversation.
Let your kids wrestle with stories, talk through decisions, and build a culture of prayer and reflection. They don’t become wise overnight—but you can plant seeds that grow for a lifetime.
Grab the free critical thinking chart, read-aloud book list, and sign up for the Homeschool Freedom Boot Camp—all linked in the show notes.
Homeschool burnout is real—and if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stretched thin, or just plain exhausted, this episode is for you. You don’t need a rigid schedule or a packed curriculum to be a “good homeschooler.” You need peace, purpose, and a plan that fits your family.
Let’s talk about how to simplify your homeschool, focus on relationships, and stop chasing perfection. These mindset shifts and practical tips will help you prevent burnout and enjoy the journey again.
✅ Why homeschool burnout happens (and how to recognize it)
✅ Simple shifts that bring peace to your homeschool days
✅ The power of rhythms vs. rigid schedules
✅ How to focus on relationships over checklists
✅ Real examples from Charlotte Mason, Finland, and more
🎁 Grab my free 3-day video course: How to Simplify Your Homeschool to start fresh with intention and joy!
Show Notes:
Hey everyone, Kerry Beck here with Homeschool Coffee Break where we help you stop the overwhelm so you can actually take a coffee break.
Let’s talk about something I know most of us feel by the end of the school year: burnout. How do we homeschool without burnout? How do we simplify our homeschool so we can enjoy the journey?
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stretched thin, like you're drowning in lesson plans, laundry, cooking, chauffeuring, and expectations—you are not alone. Burnout feels like constant pressure, guilt, exhaustion, and comparison. Which one do you feel the most?
Burnout brings mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion. And that exhaustion steals our joy—joy from our family, our children, our homeschool. So let’s talk about why it happens and what we can do.
Burnout often happens because we try to do too much and expect perfection. You might be modeling your homeschool after public school and feeling defeated. Or maybe you’re chasing a “perfect homeschool” that doesn’t even exist.
God calls us to faithfulness, not busyness. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
So what if we actually lived like that?
Let’s go back to Charlotte Mason. She believed education should be life-giving, not an exhausting checklist. She encouraged short lessons, outdoor time, living books—not busy work. Education in her time was full of rote memorization and long hours at a desk, and she pushed back on that.
And right now—if it's spring when you're listening—your kids should be outside half the time. It doesn’t need to be complicated.
You can simplify your life and homeschool by focusing on what matters most: relationships, character, a love of learning, and the tools of learning. Ask yourself, what do we really need to accomplish today? Not what’s on the lesson plan—but what’s essential?
Sometimes the right answer is to skip the science experiment and read on the couch with your child who’s having a tough day. That connection lasts longer than any worksheet ever will.
I love looking at history for encouragement. Abraham Lincoln had less than a year of formal education, but he read the Bible, Aesop’s Fables, and classics.
On his own.
No checklist.
No pressure.
And he became one of the most influential leaders in history.
Finland ranks among the top education systems in the world. They focus on fewer subjects, more depth, shorter school days, no homework for younger kids, and tons of play—especially outside.
Less is more.
In the early years, focus on language arts, reading, writing, and stories. History is a great fit, too. Then when they’re older and thinking abstractly, that’s when you layer in math, science, logic.
Make your days shorter.
We homeschooled from breakfast to lunch. That was it. And if it didn’t get done, it didn’t get done.
Choose fewer, richer subjects. Focus on what’s essential. Pursue your child’s interests.
We didn’t use a formal science curriculum in elementary. We picked a topic, went to the library, read about it, and did activities. Art and music were once a week. When your kids reach junior high or high school, then you start preparing for college—or a tech school or even a small business.
Another idea to simplify . . .
Combine your kids whenever you can. We had one hour in the morning—our family time. We did Bible devotions at breakfast. Then during that hour, we had art appreciation, hymn singing, poetry reading, citizenship, Bible study, and a 30-minute read-aloud. Everyone together.
Limit outside activities. One year, I was driving one daughter from one activity straight to the next. We decided to stop. They could choose two outside activities per year—and that was it.
Build rhythms instead of rigid schedules. We had a general flow to our day, not a strict timeline. Breakfast with devotions, piano practice, songs, family time, and individual work from around 9:00 to 12:00. Lunch, then afternoons for reading, hobbies, or sports.
This kind of flexible structure brings peace and predictability without stress.
You could even try loop scheduling. Wherever you stop one day, you just pick up the next. We did this with history. After a break during Hurricane Katrina, we picked up right where we left off—in Ancient Rome—and it ended up applying perfectly to what was happening in real life.
You weren’t meant to carry everything alone.
Go to God. Ask Him for wisdom to guide your homeschool. Focus on character, a love of learning, and relationships.
Burnout isn’t failure. It’s a sign to pause and reset.
Focus on connection over curriculum, peace over perfection, and faith over fear.
👉If you're ready to simplify, grab my free 3-day video course: How to Simplify Your Homeschool. You’ll get printables and ideas to help you focus on what matters most for YOUR family.
Thanks for joining me today. I’m Kerry Beck with Homeschool Coffee Break. We’ll talk again soon!
What if you didn’t have to force your kids through every lesson? What if they actually wanted to learn? That’s the power of curiosity learning—and in this episode, we’re talking about how to go from forced lessons to self-motivated learning.
You’ll hear simple mindset shifts and practical tips to create an environment where your kids want to explore, ask questions, and dive deep into what fascinates them. Yes, it really is possible!
✅How to follow your kids’ interests without losing structure
✅Real-life examples of how to spark motivation using everyday tools
✅Why curiosity is hardwired into your kids—and how to nurture it
✅The problem with rigid curriculum and checklist-style learning
✅What Albert Einstein’s childhood can teach us about homeschooling
🎁 Grab your free read-aloud book list to help spark curiosity in your homeschool!
Resources Mentioned:
Show Notes:
Hey everyone, Kerry Beck here with Homeschool Coffee Break, where we help you stop the overwhelm and actually take a coffee break.
Today we're talking about a big question: How do we raise kids who are self-motivated? I know some of you are thinking, "That’s impossible!" but I want to share how we can move from forced lessons to natural curiosity and interest. If you've ever felt like you're dragging your kids through every lesson or hearing constant complaints, we're going to talk about practical strategies that actually inspire them to want to learn.
You don't need to push them harder; you need to ignite them. And some of the mindset shift has to happen in us, not just our kids.
Motivated, self-driven learners are naturally curious. God wired our kids to want to learn. Why do three- and four-year-olds constantly ask "Why?" Because everything is new to them. But traditional lessons, rigid schedules, and comparison to "normal" kids often squash that natural spark.
In Proverbs 25:2, it says, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings." And Proverbs 18:15 says, "The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out." We want our kids seeking, discovering, and engaging—not just checking off boxes.
Even Albert Einstein struggled in traditional school but thrived when allowed to learn freely. His parents encouraged his interests—his father with a compass, his mother with music and books. Einstein credited curiosity as the foundation of his success. His mom believed in him and gave him freedom. Belief plus freedom equals self-motivation.
How do we create this kind of environment at home? Ditch the pressure. Fill your home with books, puzzles, maps, globes, art supplies, and nature materials. Our house had books in every room—yes, even the bathrooms!
Say "yes" more often when your child shows interest, even if it’s not in your lesson plan. I shared the story of Hunter, who was supposed to write a five-paragraph essay on an emperor but got excited writing about Derek Jeter instead. That passion led us down an incredible learning rabbit trail, covering math, science, reading, and more.
Let your kids follow their interests. Spark wonder. And leave room for boredom. Boredom leads to curiosity and creativity.
Focus on interests, not just instruction. Integrate passions into schoolwork. Math can happen with Legos. Writing can happen through comic strips. History can happen through stories.
If you're not ready to completely let go of control, offer freedom within boundaries. Create a basket of books or a list of approved activities—then let your kids choose. When kids have ownership, learning becomes personal and meaningful.
Use our "Read-Write-Discuss" method to dig deeper. Every day, read about a topic, write one page, and discuss it once a week. It’s simple but incredibly powerful for building critical thinking.
You don’t have to bribe, beg, or battle your way through homeschooling. First, change your own mindset: believe that any topic can be educational. Then trust your kids to wonder, explore, and create.
Invite curiosity. Celebrate progress. Trust that the spark God placed in your child is still there—maybe it just needs a little time and space to come back to life.
You don't have to entertain your kids or control every minute. You just need to open the door to learning.
If you're ready to nurture curiosity in your homeschool, grab my free Read-Aloud Book List!
It's full of ideas to spark wonder and help your kids fall in love with learning again.
Thanks for joining me. I’m Kerry Beck with Homeschool Coffee Break. We'll talk again next time!
Want to make Easter day the most joyful, faith-filled celebration of the year? In this episode, we’re sharing simple ways to start & finish the day focused on Jesus—without adding stress to your day.
✅ Start with Sunrise Worship – Ideas for family prayer, praise, and Scripture reading.
✅ Resurrection Breakfast – Fun, hands-on ways to connect faith and food.
✅ Jesus-Centered Easter Traditions – Balancing egg hunts with a resurrection focus.
✅ A Simple Easter Challenge – Encourage kids to share the Gospel!
🌟 Bonus: Download my free Holy Week Bible Reading Plan
🎧 Tune in and make this Easter morning unforgettable!
Resources Mentioned:
Free Holy Week Bible Reading Plan
Show Notes:
Hey, everyone! Kerry Beck here with Homeschool Coffee Break, where we help you stop the overwhelm so you can actually take a coffee break.
We are wrapping up our Easter series—though we might have one more episode next week! We've covered so much already: how moms can prepare their hearts for Easter, hands-on Holy Week activities, and even ways to integrate Easter into your homeschool while developing critical thinking skills. Today, we’re focusing on the greatest day on the calendar—Resurrection Sunday! Jesus conquered death, sin, and evil, and we should be celebrating! In this episode, I’ll share some simple, meaningful Easter activities for families.
Before we dive in, I’d love for you to subscribe to this podcast. That way, more families can hear these ideas and be encouraged to keep their focus on Jesus. If this episode blesses you, share it with a friend!
Start with Sunrise Worship
Let’s start at the beginning of the day—before the sun even rises! The women found the empty tomb at dawn, and starting Easter morning with worship sets the tone. That’s in Matthew 28.
Here are a few ideas for a simple family sunrise worship time:
Resurrection Breakfast
A special Easter breakfast is a great way to reinforce the meaning of the day. If your kids love food like mine did, this is a great time to engage them in conversation about Jesus’ resurrection.
Some fun Easter-themed breakfast ideas:
Read Luke 24:1-6 while you eat to reflect on the resurrection story.
Jesus-Centered Easter Traditions
We all love fun Easter traditions, but let’s make sure they’re pointing our kids to Jesus! Here are a few ways to balance faith and fun:
A Simple Easter Challenge: Share the Gospel!
Easter is all about celebrating the Good News, so why not encourage your kids to share it?
Easter morning should be joyful, meaningful, and centered on Jesus. Here’s a quick recap: ✅ Start with worship
✅ Enjoy a Resurrection Breakfast
✅ Create Christ-centered traditions
✅ Challenge your kids to share the Gospel
Easter is the greatest celebration because it reminds us of the greatest victory—Jesus’ resurrection!
If you need help with Holy Week activities, grab my free Holy Week Bible Reading Plan. It will guide your family through Scripture each day. Plus, I also have a free class, 3 Steps to Prepare Your Heart for Easter. You can sign up using the link in the show notes.
I hope this episode encourages you and gives you practical ways to focus on Jesus this Easter! If it was helpful, share it with a friend who wants to keep their family’s heart on Christ this season.
See you next time!
Are you looking for simple, hands-on ways to teach your kids about Holy Week? As busy moms, we want to make Easter meaningful, but finding fun and faith-filled activities can be a challenge. That’s why I’ve gathered four easy Holy Week activities to help your family focus on Jesus from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday!
✅ Palm Sunday Parade – Make palm branches & shout "Hosanna!"
✅ The Last Supper Meal – Take communion & talk about Jesus’ sacrifice.
✅ The Darkness of Good Friday – A simple but powerful object lesson.
✅ Resurrection Rolls Activity – A visual way to explain the empty tomb!
🎉 Bonus: Download my free Holy Week Bible Reading Plan to guide your family through Easter. Plus, sign up for my free class: "3 Steps to Prepare Your Heart for Easter!"
More "easy-to-use" Easter resources in our Skies of the Cross & Easter Prep Bundle
Show Notes:
Hands-On Holy Week Activities for Your Family
Hey everyone, Kerry Beck here with Homeschool Coffee Break, where we help you stop the overwhelm as a homeschooling mom so you can actually take a break. We’re in the middle of a series about preparing our hearts for Easter, and today, we’re talking about hands-on Holy Week activities you can do as a family.
Let’s be honest, moms. The struggle is real. You are busy. It’s hard to find meaningful ways to teach your kids about Easter, and you don’t have to do it alone. Today, I’m sharing simple activities that will walk you through Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday. You don’t have to do them all—just pick one or two that work for your family!
Palm Sunday Parade at Home
Palm Sunday is when Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, showing that He is our King! You can find this in Matthew 21. Here’s a simple activity to bring it to life for your kids:
One of my grandkids, when she was about 2 or 3, knew the word “Hosanna” because we talked about it every year. Even the youngest kids can learn how to worship God!
The Last Supper Meal
On Thursday of Holy Week, Jesus shared a special meal with His disciples before the cross. This is found in Luke 22:14-20. You can bring this moment to life in a way that fits your family:
You don’t have to make it complicated. A simple meal, some discussion, and reading Scripture together can make a huge impact!
The Darkness of Good Friday
Good Friday is one of the most important parts of the Easter story. You can read about it in Luke 23:44-46. Here are a few ways to make it tangible for your kids:
You could even go deeper and talk about what was happening in the sky—there was darkness, an earthquake, and a blood moon. Watching a video about these events could make it even more real for your kids.
Resurrection Rolls Activity
Resurrection Sunday is my favorite! Jesus didn’t stay in the tomb—He is ALIVE! You can find this in Matthew 28:5-6. One of my family’s favorite traditions is making Resurrection Rolls the night before Easter:
This is one of the easiest, most hands-on ways to help kids understand the meaning of Easter. Plus, it’s a delicious breakfast!
Holy Week Is About Walking with Jesus
You don’t have to do all of these activities—just pick one that fits your family this year. Holy Week is about walking with Jesus together, not about perfection.
If you’d like a free Holy Week Bible Reading Plan, I’ve got one for you! It will guide your family through Scripture readings each day. Plus, I also have a free class, “3 Steps to Prepare Your Heart for Easter.” You can sign up right here.
I hope this encourages you and gives you practical ways to focus on Jesus this Easter! If this episode was helpful, share it with a friend who wants to keep their family’s heart on Christ this season.
See you next time!
Are you looking for simple, hands-on ways to teach your kids about Holy Week?
As busy moms, we want Easter to be meaningful, but finding engaging, faith-filled activities can feel overwhelming. That’s why I’ve gathered simple, hands-on ideas to bring the Easter story to life in your homeschool! Your kids will love these Easter homeschool activities.
✅ Read as a Family Daily – Use the easiest tool in your homeschool tool belt to inspire your kids’ faith in Jesus
✅ Discussion Questions That Spark Faith – Open-ended prompts to help kids process Jesus’ sacrifice.
✅ Hands-On Easter Crafts – Create cross crafts, a resurrection garden, or Stations of the Cross.
🎉 Bonus: Download my free Holy Week Bible Reading Plan to guide your family through Easter.
Plus, sign up for my free class, "3 Steps to Prepare Your Heart for Easter!"
🙏 If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and share with a friend who needs encouragement this Easter season!
Show Notes:
Hey, everyone, Kerry Beck here with Homeschool Coffee Break, where we help you stop the overwhelm so you can take a coffee break.
We are talking about Easter, Holy Week, and Lent. How can we really keep our focus on Jesus instead of all the extra things, all the busyness? Let’s face it. The struggle is real. We know that you are busy, and sometimes it’s too hard, and you don’t have time to go researching all these fun activities or ways to be intentional with your kids.
That’s what we’re going to be talking about today. Easter and Holy Week homeschool activities. You could use these whether you're homeschooling or not. Some of them will be more specific to homeschooling because they include reading and writing, but all of them are designed to help kids engage with the Easter story.
One of the best things moms can do—homeschooling or not—is to raise their kids to think critically and biblically. We want them to be able to make wise decisions. If that’s a goal of yours, then using the weeks leading up to Easter as a time for reading, writing, and discussing can help develop those thinking skills.
The first thing I encourage you to do is read aloud with your kids. Read stories about Easter. One of our favorites is Vinegar Boy, a historical fiction book about a little boy at the cross. You can also read different Bible passages about Holy Week.
Here are some ideas:
Reading aloud helps kids hear and remember the story. Always take time to discuss it afterward.
Writing reinforces what kids are learning. Depending on their age, you can try different writing activities:
Writing helps kids process what they learn and develop their own thoughts about their faith.
Discussion leads to critical thinking. Talking about faith helps kids process what Jesus did for them. Try these questions:
One tip: Ask a question and then be quiet. Give your kids time to think before answering. If you jump in too soon, they’ll start relying on you for the answer instead of developing their own thoughts.
Crafting makes faith tangible for kids. Here are some simple ideas:
These activities reinforce the story in a way kids will remember.
Many families go big for Christmas but celebrate Easter quietly. But Easter is the reason for our faith—Jesus' victory over sin and death! 1 Corinthians 15:17 reminds us of this truth.
Consider making Easter the highlight of your family’s faith journey:
Read it, write it, discuss it. Then, create it and celebrate it! Lent, Holy Week, and Easter are times for joy, reflection, and family faith-building.
If you’d like a free Holy Week Bible Reading Plan, I’ve got one for you! It will guide your family through Scripture readings each day. Plus, I also have a free class, 3 Steps to Prepare Your Heart for Easter. You can sign up right here.
I hope this encourages you and gives you practical ways to focus on Jesus this Easter! If this episode was helpful, share it with a friend who wants to keep their family’s heart on Christ this season.
See you next time!
Does Easter sneak up on you every year?
Between homeschooling, daily tasks, and family activities, it’s easy to feel too busy to slow down and focus on Jesus. But Easter is the greatest day of the year—and I don’t want you to miss it!
In today’s episode, we’ll talk about:
✅ Why Easter is more than bunnies and eggs—it’s about Jesus’ victory over sin.
✅ How busyness can steal our joy and keep us distracted from Jesus.
✅ How to overcome that busyness and focus on what’s most important
✅ 3 simple ways to prepare your heart for Easter—even when life is chaotic.
✨ Join me for this episode and discover how to refocus on Jesus this Easter!
🎁 FREE GIFT: Sign up for my free class, "3 Steps to Prepare Your Heart for Easter," and start preparing your heart today!
Are you ready to boost your homeschool art and music lessons? In this episode, we dive into fun, simple strategies to integrate music and art into your daily homeschool routine—no matter your child's age. Whether you're teaching littles, elementary, middle, or older kids, you'll find practical tips to get started without feeling intimidated.
In this episode, you'll discover:
✅How to stop being intimidated with music & art in your homeschool
✅Simple tips to weave art and music into your existing lessons
✅Fun activities to help your kids remember and memorize key concepts
✅Where to find free demonstrations that make teaching music and homeschool art a breeze
Join us and transform your homeschool with engaging, hands-on ideas that will make your lessons come alive!
Resources:
Justina Thurston of Jus’ Classical is the host of the Music & Art Homeschool Summit and Bundle. She is a musician, video and course creator, and songwriter. She has a degree in music therapy and has worked as an early childhood music teacher for over 20 years. At her church, she also helps with the music ministry, playing oboe in the orchestra, and teaching Sunday school to early elementary-aged children, using her Westminster Shorter Catechism songs. Justina is also a blessed wife and homeschooling mom of three.
At Jus’ Classical, she seeks to encourage other homeschool moms and families, especially in focusing on Christ, and in enjoying classical music and great art through her courses, like The Composer Detective, a music appreciation course for families, The Artist Detective, an art appreciation course for families, Making Music with Handel, a music fundamentals and tin whistle course, and Drawing with Rembrandt, a beginning drawing course. She brings them all together for families to get both music and art in the Jus' Classical Fine Arts Membership.
