The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 405 - Encouraging Your Child to Be Who God Made Them to Be May 20, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re bringing back an episode from a while ago where we talked about how to encourage your child to embrace who God made them to be and to value what truly matters when it comes to success. This is one of our favorite topics, and we think it led to a really meaningful conversation that we hope encourages you today!

We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are one of the best math curriculum around, and we believe they help more homeschoolers smile, and you should use their math curriculum for this school year. So go check them out at teachingtextbooks.com.

Today’s show was also underwritten by
Samaritan Ministries and Redem Healthshare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries here https://hubs.ly/Q03VZL7Q0

Lastly, Todd is currently on his way to the Florida Homeschooling convention, so if you are going to be there, make sure to come up and say hi and get your free homeschool personality sticker!

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Episode 404 - Raising Capable Kids for the Real World - With Lisa Nehring May 13, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we are talking about raising capable kids. As homeschooling parents, it can be easy to get focused only on academics, grades, and checking boxes, but at the end of the day, we want to raise young adults who can work hard, solve problems, serve others, and confidently step into the real world.

This week, we are joined by Lisa Nehring from Truth North Academy, It's Not That Hard to Homeschool, and Blue Collar Homeschool, and we talk about encouraging kids in their strengths, preparing them for life after homeschool, and why college isn’t the only path to success. We think this conversation will be a huge encouragement to parents who want to raise confident, capable kids. You can find more from Lisa at truenorthhomeschool.academy

We want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are the math curriculum our family uses, and it has helped us smile more, and we think it will do the same for your family. Go support them and check out a free trial over at teachingtextbooks.com

Today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem Healthshare, where members are committed to honoring Christ through a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bill. Redeem HealthShare helps families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries here https://hubs.ly/Q03VZL7Q0

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Episode 403 - Homeschool Moms Are Changing Lives May 06, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re taking some time to encourage moms as we celebrate both National Teacher Appreciation Day and Mother’s Day.

Homeschool moms don’t get nearly the recognition they deserve, so today is all about recognizing you and everything you do for your kids. From wiping runny noses and teaching your children to read, to dealing with attitudes, discipline, discipleship, and the countless other responsibilities that come with motherhood and homeschooling, the work never really ends, and often goes unnoticed. But we truly believe the impact you are making on your children is deep, meaningful, and lifelong.

Our goal today is simply to encourage you and remind you that what you’re doing matters more than you know. We hope you enjoy the episode!

Before we start, we want to thank Teaching Textbooks for all of their support of the Smiling Homeschooler. They are the math curriculum our family uses, and it has helped us smile more, and we think it will do the same for your family. Go support them and check out a free trial over at teachingtextbooks.com.

Today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem HealthShare, where members are committed to honoring Christ through a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bills. Redeem HealthShare helps families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries here https://hubs.ly/Q03VZL7Q0

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Episode 402 – Planner Moms, Relaxed Moms, and Everyone In Between Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler podcast. We’re having some fun this week talking about the four homeschool personalities and some homeschooling “hot takes.” From planner moms to relaxed homeschoolers and everything in between, we’re seeing just how much our personalities shape the way we homeschool.

We’ll read through different homeschool scenarios and decide together which personality they fit best and along the way, hopefully remind you that there’s no one “right” way to homeschool. Whether you’ve mapped out your child’s education through graduation or you’re figuring out school over breakfast, this episode is for you!

Today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and redeemhealthshare, where members are committed to honoring Christ through a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bill. Redeem Health Share helps families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more here https://hubs.ly/Q03VZL7B0 about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries.

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Episode 401 – Parenting Adult Children (Even If Yours Are Still Young) Apr 22, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler podcast. This week, we’re talking about one of the biggest shifts in parenting, which is what it looks like to move from being in control when our kids are little to slowly letting go as they grow into adulthood.

We discuss the tension of parenting older kids, learning when to speak and when to stay quiet, and what it really means to “pass the baton” while maintaining the relationship. Even if you don’t have adult kids yet, this is such an important conversation because the way we parent now lays the groundwork for those future relationships.

It was a great conversation, and we hope you enjoy!

Today’s show is underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and redeemhealthshare, where members are committed to honoring Christ through a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bill. Redeem Health Share helps families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more here https://hubs.ly/Q03VZL7B0 about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Episode 400 – Celebrating 400 Episodes of Encouraging Homeschoolers to Smile Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to the Smiling Homeschooler podcast! In this special episode, we’re celebrating 400 episodes of The Smiling Homeschooler and taking some time to reflect on the journey so far.
We look back at the very beginning, including our first episode and talk about what led us to start the podcast in the first place. We revisit the heart behind The Smiling Homeschooler—encouraging families, bringing a little humor to the journey, and reminding parents that they’re not alone.

We also spend some time sharing a few of our favorite guests and moments over the years, and how those conversations have impacted us personally
Finally, we talk about where we hope to go from here and what we’d love the next 400 episodes to look like as we continue encouraging homeschoolers to smile.

Before we get started, we want to thank Teaching Textbooks for making what we do possible. They help thousands of homeschoolers smile every day, and if you haven’t checked them out yet, you can do so at teachingtextbooks.com.

Today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and redeemhealthshare, where members are committed to honoring Christ through a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bill. Redeem HealthShare helps families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more here https://hubs.ly/Q03VZL7B0 about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries.

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Episode 399 - How to Stay Motivated at the End of the School Year Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re talking about something nearly every mom struggles with at the end of the school year: motivation!

As the school year winds down, motivation can be hard to find, and it’s easy to start questioning everything. Are we doing enough? Does this even count as school? Are our kids going to be ready for what’s next? We have a great conversation about those fears, and hopefully leave you encouraged to finish the year with confidence and peace.

Today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and Redeem Healthshare, where members are committed to honoring Christ through a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bills. Redeem Healthshare helps families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more here, https://hubs.ly/Q03VZL7B0 about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Episode 398 - Juggling It All & Getting Kids to Care Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week we’re talking about something I think a lot of you are going to relate to.

We start things off with a message from a homeschool mom who shared that she’s feeling overwhelmed right now—trying to juggle schooling her last two kids, being a grandma, planning a wedding, and everything else life is throwing at her. If you’ve ever felt like you’re spinning a dozen plates at once, you are definitely not alone, and we want to encourage you today.

We also discuss something that multiple listeners brought up: how do you get your 10–12-year-olds to actually care about what you’re teaching? Sometimes they just don’t see the value in what they’re learning. We offer some tips and encouragement for that as well.

As always, we hope this episode leaves you feeling encouraged!

Today’s show is being underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and redeemhealthshare, where members are committed to honoring Christ through a community of Christians that pay one another’s medical bill. Redeem health share helps families take a safe step of faith as they feel God’s Leading in career or ministry changes or in bringing mom home. You can learn more here https://hubs.ly/Q03VZL6M0 about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Episode 397 - Shaping Your Homeschool Approach Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re introducing the newest regular member of our podcast crew, Katherine Petgen!

Katherine is Todd’s daughter, a homeschool mom, a wife, and a homeschool graduate. She shares how homeschooling has impacted her life for the better, along with some of the lessons she’s carried into her own family. We also talk about her homeschooling personality type and how that can shape the way we approach teaching our kids. Lastly, we dive into the question so many parents wrestle with, when should you start structured homeschooling and how to push back against the pressure to begin too early.

Today’s show is also underwritten by Samaritan Ministries and REDEEM HealthShare. Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through healthcare needs. As Todd likes to say, “We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries.” You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries here https://hubs.ly/Q03VZL6M0

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Episode 396 - Encouragement Every Homeschool Family Needs to Hear - With David and Shirley Quine Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast! This week, we’re bringing back a conversation from a couple of years ago that we think you’re really going to love. We had the opportunity to sit down with two very special guests—homeschooling pioneers David and Shirley Quine from Cornerstone Curriculum.

They share so much wisdom from their decades of experience, along with a real heart for family and homeschooling. It’s one of those conversations that’s just packed with encouragement, and is something every mom needs to hear!

We hope you enjoy!

Before we start we want to thank Teaching Textbooks for Making what we do possible! They help thousands of homeschoolers smile each and every day, and if you haven't checked them out, you should, over at teachingtextbooks.com

Today’s show was also underwritten by
Samaritan Ministries and redeem healthshare. Where Members are committed to honoring Christ and serving one another through health care needs. As Todd likes to say, "We use, love, and recommend Samaritan Ministries. You can learn more about REDEEM HealthShare by Samaritan Ministries here https://hubs.ly/Q03VZL6M0

Have a great week and don't forget to smile!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Smiling Homeschooler Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected