Homeschool Minnesota

Summary In this engaging conversation, Christine Devane shares insights about her children's book 'Elephant Beach,' which encourages children to embrace new experiences and friendships. The discussion delves into themes of shyness, kindness, and the importance of social interactions among children. Christine reflects on her experiences as a teacher and a mother, offering valuable advice on how to support shy children while fostering their social skills. The conversation also touches on the unexpected moments in parenting and the significance of consistency in encouraging children to step out of their comfort zones. Christine hints at her upcoming book that addresses themes of grief, showcasing her versatility as an author. Links Amazon: https://a.co/d/3cn1c9w MACHE: https://mache.org/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Christine Devane and Elephant Beach 01:38 The Story Behind Elephant Beach 04:04 Encouraging Shy Children 05:46 Teaching Kindness and Acceptance 07:10 The Adventures of Elephants and the Little Girl 07:35 Key Takeaways from the Book 09:41 Handling the Unexpected 12:21 The Importance of Consistency in Parenting 14:30 Looking Ahead: Future Projects Keywords homeschooling, children's books, shyness, kindness, acceptance, parenting, social skills, reading, family, education

Summary In this episode of Home School Minnesota, Dayle Annand and Mellany Zepelak delve into the importance of self-care, particularly for homeschooling parents. They explore what self-care truly means, its biblical foundations, and how it is essential for maintaining one's mental and spiritual health. The conversation emphasizes that self-care is not selfish but a necessary practice to avoid becoming 'dilapidated' in life. They discuss practical steps for self-care, the significance of resting, and how to connect with God as the source of strength and renewal. The episode concludes with an invitation for listeners to reflect on their self-care practices and take intentional steps towards improvement. Links: Sanctuary of Home: https://www.sanctuaryofhome.com/ MACHE: https://mache.org/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Self-Care Series 03:24 Understanding Self-Care 09:06 What Self-Care Is Not 10:12 Biblical Foundations of Self-Care 13:36 The Importance of Rest and Renewal 16:52 The Masterpiece Analogy 18:52 Avoiding Dilapidation: The Need for Self-Care 22:25 The Role of God's Love in Self-Care 24:22 Jesus as Our Source of Strength 29:30 Practical Steps for Self-Care 31:14 Invitation to Reflect on Self-Care Keywords self-care, homeschooling, mental health, spiritual growth, family, rest, renewal, self-love, God, Jesus

Summary In this conversation, Dayle Annand and Lee Jenkins discuss innovative approaches to homeschooling, emphasizing the importance of mastery, resilience, and wonder in education. Jenkins shares his experiences and insights from his work with Crazy Simple Education, advocating for a hands-on, child-led learning environment that fosters a love for learning. The discussion covers practical strategies for implementing these concepts in homeschooling, the role of curriculum, and the significance of creating a supportive learning climate. Links MACHE: https://mache.org/ Crazy Simple Education: https://www.crazysimpleeducation.com/store Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Homeschooling Insights 02:18 Avoiding Common Homeschooling Mistakes 03:39 The Crazy Simple Education Method 09:52 Mastery in Homeschooling 11:32 Creativity and Hands-On Learning 15:46 The Power of Hands-On Learning 16:58 Building Resilience Through Creativity 18:35 Creating a Climate of Wonder 20:07 The Importance of Performance in Learning 21:27 Pumping Up Wonder for Resilience 22:44 The Role of Curriculum in Homeschooling 24:35 Implementing Effective Learning Strategies 26:25 Listening to Children in Education 28:25 Embracing Mastery, Resilience, and Wonder Keywords homeschooling, education, mastery, resilience, wonder, Crazy Simple Education, Lee Jenkins, curriculum, hands-on learning, teaching methods

Summary In this conversation, Dayle Annand from Homeschool Minnesota interviews Amy Buchmeyer from HSLDA about the current state of homeschooling legislation in Minnesota. They discuss the role of HSLDA in advocating for homeschool freedoms, the legislative landscape including key bills that could impact homeschooling, and specific concerns regarding vaccination laws and the definition of homeschooling. The conversation emphasizes the importance of parental rights in education and the ongoing efforts to protect homeschooling freedoms. In this conversation, Amy Buchmeyer discusses the implications of the Elford's plea in the context of homeschooling and criminal justice. The discussion highlights the impact of criminal records on the ability to homeschool, the lack of nuance in current laws, and the existing protections for children. The legislative process surrounding homeschooling laws in Minnesota is explored, including advocacy efforts by families and organizations. The conversation emphasizes the importance of community engagement and collaboration in shaping education policy. Links To become a member of MACHE: https://mache.org/ To become a member of HSLDA: https://hslda.org/ To find out who is serving on the Legislative Working Group for the education bill: https://hslda.org/post/minnesota-senate-file-1740 Chapters 00:00 Introduction to HSLDA and Its Role 02:21 Minnesota Legislative Overview and Key Bills 05:02 Impact of Budget on Non-Public School Aid 09:14 Vaccination Legislation and Parental Rights 12:22 Concerns Over Homeschooling Definition and Regulations 19:34 Understanding Elford's Plea and Its Implications 20:31 The Impact of Criminal Records on Homeschooling 22:12 Nuances in Criminal Law and Homeschooling Rights 24:24 Existing Protections for Children in the System 26:14 The Legislative Process and Homeschool Advocacy 28:40 Current Status of the Homeschool Law in Minnesota 32:21 How Families Can Engage in Advocacy 34:15 The Importance of Community and Collaboration Keywords HSLDA, homeschooling, Minnesota legislation, parental rights, education policy, vaccination laws, non-public school aid, homeschool definition, legislative advocacy, education freedom, Elford's plea, homeschooling, criminal justice, advocacy, Minnesota law, education policy, child safety, legislative process, homeschooling rights, community engagement

God teaches us so much through nature and His natural world! What do gardening and parenting have in common? More than I realized! Today I share what I have observed as I learn a bit about gardening and seeing some parallels in parenting. Also, I reveal our summer series with Melany Zepelack! To hear more from Melany: https://open.spotify.com/episode/49cEqJR0crpjCwVhbidW1V?si=w2NMXzZiSJy8dFTzmzR64Q Her blog: https://www.sanctuaryofhome.com/blog.html To find Carpooling With Jesus: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Rb1OKaKBGdNDanRvndVvv?si=EpCNZfjIQ8aqURo0QwAdIw

Teaching our kids about their Christian history is a way to make their roots go deeper into their faith. Marilyn Boyer has just released the first of four church history books that will make up the Legends of Faith series, Early Church Fathers! In typical Marilyn Boyer style, this book is engaging for all ages with stories about people that will challenge and inspire. These stories are unforgettable! Check out Early Church Fathers at Master Books: https://www.masterbooks.com/early-church-fathers For more on her Notable Lives in History Box set: https://www.masterbooks.com/what-a-character-notable-lives-from-history-box-set Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators: https://mache.org/

Are you thinking about homeschooling? Have you been homeschooling for a couple of years and wondering if you’re doing it right? Have you been homeschooling for years and hoping your kids aren’t missing anything they need in life? This book is for you! Ginny Yurich gives us 10 principles of homeschooling that you give to your kids without realizing it and how that shapes them to become who God created them to be. Join us today as Ginny encourages us not to give up! To order Ginny’s new book: Homeschooling: You're Doing It Right Just by Doing It https://a.co/d/6H4SQ1p To listen to Ginny’s podcast, 1000 Hours Outside: https://open.spotify.com/show/4hoZOjyZOnY7y2io5lI18l?si=bhBdX5IjQueksyDhlWI4lA

She’s back! We are excited to have another episode of MÂCHÉ Book Club just in time for relaxing, traveling, and beach days of summer! As always Susan gives wonderful recommendations for everyone in your family. Don’t forget to check out the MÂCHÉ Book Club book list on Amazon so you can see all the books that were talked about on not only this episode but all our other Book Club episodes as well! https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2RCLMLEBP73VY?ref_=wl_share

Are you looking for a great curriculum to begin the Biblical foundation of finances with your children? Are you looking for a practical finance class to give to your teenager for a high school credit? Or are you looking for a great book to help you rethink the way you manage your finances as a family? Compass Financial Ministry has some great options for you! Dan Nicewander tells us all about the curriculum they have for students ages 5-graduation and even into college! These are comprehensive, Biblical approaches to finance to help your child grow to think in a healthy way and set them up for success. https://compassfinancialministry.org/store/

What do you do when you have multiple ages and stages to homeschool? How do you do individual work with each child when needed and also keep that toddler busy? If you’ve ever had any of those questions, this is the podcast for you! Join our conversation with Kelly about how to balance things and to give yourself grace in times when things just don’t go right. Tips and tricks from a couple of veteran homeschooling moms!

Sometimes we need a Bible that brings it all together for our family in an easy, but, thoughtful way. This is the Bible that does that! If you are looking for a great way to bring the Bible to life and start great conversations as a family, check this one out. Katelyn talks with us all about how this Bible works and how she has used it with her family! To order the True Story Bible: https://www.masterbooks.com/true-story-bible MACHE: www.mache.org

Science can be intimidating for parents to teach., but, today we have a great answer to that problem--Let's Talk Science! Carrie Lindquist is the author of the K-4 science curriculum and discusses why she wrote it and how she made it so parent-friendly. We also talk about the online classes that go along with the books that include not only a read aloud of the lessons, but, video of Carrie and her boys doing the hands-on parts of the lessons as well! This is a great way to take a bit of pressure off your plate as a homeschool parent! Master Books Let's Talk Science curriculum: https://www.masterbooks.com/lets-talk-science Master Books Academy online Let's Talk Science classes: https://www.masterbooksacademy.com/course/letstalksciencelevel1 MACHE: https://mache.org/

Start off your day with a time of intentional discipleship with your family using Morning Baskets! Morning Baskets are curated groups of materials--books, coloring pages, Bible studies, music--that you can use to guide you in talking with your family about theology, world-view, and relationships. They can be used anytime of the day, but are called morning baskets because usually homeschooling families start their day with them. This time with Morning Baskets can be as long or short as it fits with the schedule of the day! Kristy Smith and Katelyn Morris talk about the importance of biblical discipleship, setting intentional relational family time, and how they have utilized Morning Baskets in their family and homeschool! Check out pre-packaged Morning Baskets here: https://www.masterbooks.com/books/morning-baskets

Speech and Debate is not just for the outgoing, argumentative child it’s for every child! Christy Shipe from NCFCA will discuss with us the history of speech and debate clubs in homeschooling and the importance of what it adds to a student’s skill set. So much is done in communication as our kids launch into the world and this organization can help with building up a solid foundation of communication, apologetics, and confidence. To learn more you can visit their website at https://ncfca.org/ For more information on Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators (MÂCHÉ) you can visit our website at https://mache.org/

Praying for our teen boys is essential for them to become godly men. Brooke, a mother of 2 teenage boys, talks about her upcoming companion book to Praying for Teen Girls as a guideline on how to pray for your boys and challenge them when needed. She is passionate about covering our kids in prayer and has a podcast, Million Praying Moms, which helps lead in prayer for our children daily. You can save 30% on Brooke’s book when you pre-order from Baker Books: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/598735 You can find Brooke’s podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/00oFF2t7GXFoEZ1cIv6xgo?si=c5_chnZWT6yALcGEz2V0uw

Praying for our teen daughters is one of the most important things we can do as parents. In this episode, Stacey Thacker discusses her upcoming book, Praying for Teen Girls: Partner with God for the Heart of Your Daughter, as an encouragement and guideline for parents raising teen girls. Stacey gives us 4 of her 7 key areas to pray for your daughter as well as encouragement to unlock the power of parenting through prayer in this episode. Save 30% when you pre-order at Baker Books: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/598736 You can find more about Stacey and her other publications at www.staceythacker.com

Many times as homeschooling parents we spend a lot of time on discipling our kids' hearts and minds and aren't always sure about teaching them to maintain their physical health. With so many other things to think about we put PE on the back of the priority list. Signing our children up for sports and other activities are great, but, how do you maintain a lifestyle of physical health? Master Books Academy and John Stamper have a great answer to this dilemma! Join us in this episode as we discuss the importance of a lifestyle of fitness and the classes that John teaches from K-12! Master Books Academy P.E. Class: https://www.masterbooksacademy.com/course/physicaleducationk1 https://www.masterbooksacademy.com/course/physicaleducation23 https://www.masterbooksacademy.com/course/physcialeducation4-6 https://www.masterbooksacademy.com/course/physicaleducation78 John's Book, Conflicted: Pulling Back the Curtain on Public Education: https://www.masterbooks.com/conflicted Courage to Stand: Profiles in Enduring Fatih: https://www.masterbooks.com/courage-to-stand

Can we give our kids curriculum that is “neutral”? Is there such a thing as a neutral curriculum? How can we best give our children a solid Biblical foundation in their education? These are questions that Nicki answers in today’s episode. Join us as we discuss the importance of relying on God and His plan for our kids including what type of curriculum we chose to teach. To find Nicki’s blog post on this subject: https://nickitruesdell.com/christian-homeschooling-and-the-good-and-the-beautiful-curriculum/ For Elizabeth Urbanowicz’s video on this topic: https://youtu.be/N0K6bR6qvVw To listen to Nicki’s podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6MpilIFNVZi5mk1JcjG5JL?si=ItTV74sCQCGkCnKOhCKRGA

“Reading and learning challenges can be overcome, affordable and in a reasonable amount of time with Master Books’s WowzaBrain online learning courses.” (Master Books Academy)This course, which works with children who have reading challenges, also works for training anyone to be a better reader and have a better grasp of English! WowzaBrain utilizes games used to help parents help their children succeed not only in reading but in math and other subjects as well as attention span, visual processing speed, and more! You can check it out here: WowzaBrain Better Letters: https://www.masterbooksacademy.com/course/wowzaletters WowzaBrain: Brain Ready Reading: https://www.masterbooksacademy.com/course/wowzabrainbrainreadyreading WowzaBrain: Brain-Connected Reading: https://www.masterbooksacademy.com/course/wowzabrainconnectedreading

30 years ago God gave Patti the vision to leave her volunteer position with the Girl Scouts and start something that with disciple girls in the foundations of the Word of God, so she started American Heritage Girls. She had no idea that 30 years later there would be troops in every state and all over the world raising up girls into godly young women who are confident in their identity in Christ and with vision and purpose! Today, Patti talks with us all about the process of starting AHG and also goes into the importance of choosing extra-curricular activities for our children that align with our faith. To find out all about American Heritage Girls and how to start a troop or find a troop near you: https://americanheritagegirls.org/ To order Patti’s book, “Why Curse the Darkness When You Can Light a Candle?”: https://store.americanheritagegirls.org/products/why-curse-the-darkness-when-you-can-light-a-candle?srsltid=AfmBOooSbqTolUhtqej8_atOWRdsuP_RDTbf8-EsLI5PoWsnbPVODSD5 To find the Raising Godly Girls podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3xYW29TBukmcyq6dSpM5Wv?si=BXH0HTmUSiG7MKB63BWi4A

Greta is a second-generation homeschool mom of 4 who was lead to write this book as a response to not only today’s culture, but, her husband’s confession and journey out of a porn addiction and how that impacted their family. This book equips parents to have age-appropriate, honest, and hope-filled conversations about porn with their kids of any age. She helps navigate the tough conversations and dealing with porn issues for children of all ages by creating a safe space and loving, open relationships within the family. Resources for people who are struggling with the impact of porn in their life: *For a wife who is dealing with a partner or spouse who is walking though porn use or addiction, I recommend this book https://a.co/d/aRgDVEj and this organization https://fightforloveministries.org/ for help. *For anyone looking for help with recovery, I highly recommend this ministry https://puredesire.org/ They are especially helpful with men who are struggling and wives who are dealing with betrayal trauma. *For women who are dealing with porn use and addiction, I recommend this book https://a.co/d/bKTnjjm *For parents whose kids have been exposed to pornography or are using pornography, I recommend my book https://a.co/d/3MyDLl1

“Mom, I’m bored!!!” How many times have you heard that from your child? What do you do? What should you do? In this episode, we dive into boredom! What does boredom give our kids? How should we, as parents, react to our children being bored? What are some things we can do to set up our home for success? Join me today as we explore the importance of boredom!

In this episode, we sit down with Brock Eastman of David C Cook Publishing to dive into the world of The Action Bible. Join us as Brock shares the story behind this dynamic and visually captivating retelling of biblical narratives, how it’s resonating with readers of all ages, and the impact it’s making in bringing the Bible to life in a whole new way. Don’t miss this insightful conversation on faith, creativity, and the power of storytelling! Brock also tells us how The Action Bible and the Faith Action Bible can be an important tool in discipling our family! To find The Action Bible, The Faith Action Bible, and all the products relating to them: https://www.theactionbible.com/shop The Action Bible on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@theactionbible?si=1VpOZ3VVsdcQZACu To find The Action Bible in audio on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0NvPcsMZgsL1ylHxWyKmV7?si=aVrYsaCNQ7y6A3cA3-jmNw

Matt Hammitt has been on the Strong Families, Strong Communities tour with Kirk Cameron and Brave Books with the vision of recapturing the biblical vision of victory, reawaken our Christian birthright of courage, and remind us that true revival comes from strengthening our families first. “We aren’t working for victory, we are working FROM victory!” Matt talks about the tour and also his journey as the lead singer of Sanctus Real from 1996-2016 and stepping down to be home with his own family and their journey through the chronic illness of their son, Bowen. Join us to be encouraged from Matt Hammitt! If you are interested in Brave Books, you can listen to our most recent episode with the CEO and you can also visit their website: https://www.bravebooks.us

“Too many boys are turning to virtual worlds of television, video games, digital media, and the internet to find realms they can conquer and areas where they can excel. The result of this virtual conquest is often apathy, apparent rebellion, or outright resistance to real-world challenge.” This is why Trail Life USA is such an answer to prayer for families with boys! Trail Life USA gives boys a chance to conquer the great outdoors and life skills with the mentorship of godly men who pour into these boys the Biblical values we all hold dear. Mark Hancock, CEO of Trail Life USA, discusses the beginning of the program as well as the vision and mission of this important organization. For more information on troops near you, or to begin a troop in your church, go to this link: https://www.traillifeusa.com/

So many times we think about celebrations with our family and how can we make holidays and special seasons more memorable. One thing I hear often is, “What do you do about Easter?” Well, today Kirsten Hitchcock from David C Cook Publishing is telling us all about their new Lent and Easter season event, Around the Table: A Taste of Passover. This package includes 5 Bible lessons and a handbook for doing your own Seder celebration with your children, friends, and family during this season. The Bible lessons can be done 4 before Holy Week and one the week after Easter. The handbook breaks down all you need for the Seder celebration from shopping lists to the entire outline of the story and what to say when during the meal. It is such a great opportunity to help our children understand the roots of Jesus and His redemptive story in the Old Testament as we celebrate and remember His death and resurrection from the New Testament. It will become a family tradition! To purchase the download of Around the Table: A Taste of Passover, you can go to this link: https://wonderink.org/easter-sunday-school-lessons/ To see more of what David C Cook Publishers has to offer, go to this link: https://davidccook.org/

Brave Books has a lot of new, exciting projects coming up and Trent Talbot, CEO of Brave Books, joins us to talk about them! Trent tells us all about Brave+, a new streaming service for your family with content for everyone. For more information on Brave Books, click here: https://bravebooks.us/