Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

Special Replay: The Flaws and Benefits of Homeschooling Homeschooling IRL — Episode 15 | Updated replay for 2026 From the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. This episode is a special replay, updated for 2026. In it, veteran homeschooling parents Fletch and Kendra sit down with homeschool graduate Matthew Mason for one of their most-talked-about conversations — an honest, gracious look at the good, the hard, and the complicated of growing up in the Christian homeschool world. Sponsor This episode is brought to you by CTC Math. Finding a math curriculum that works for your family can be a challenge! With CTCMath, all of your kids from K–12 can learn at their own pace with one family subscription. With a CTCMath membership, you have access to all grades and lessons, which means your children can work at whatever level is best for them — whether they need to catch up, keep up, or move ahead. CTCMath is offering listeners a half-price discount plus a bonus 6 months when you register for a 12-month membership. That means a complete online homeschool math curriculum for all your kids for 18 months! Learn more and claim the offer → About This Episode Matthew Mason is a homeschool graduate and a longtime friend of Fletch and Kendra’s family. Homeschooled K–12 and adopted before birth by a pro-life activist mother, Matthew grew up inside what he calls “the bubble” — a reformed, close-knit Christian homeschool community. As a young adult he came out as gay, left that community, and began searching for truth on his own terms. In this candid studio interview, he reflects on what homeschooling gave him and where it fell short. Together they dig into the questions a lot of homeschool families are afraid to ask: What do we do when a child walks away from the faith or the lifestyle they were raised in? How do we love well when we disagree deeply? And how do we keep our hope anchored in Christ rather than in our parenting? What Fletch & Kendra Talk About The fear of raising a “prodigal” — and why hope shouldn’t rest in your parenting or results “Hope shifting”: where homeschool parents quietly place their trust Matthew’s story: adoption, the pro-life movement, speech competitions, and leaving the bubble The pros of homeschooling — a tailored, interactive education from the person who knows the child best The flaws — filtered books and music, a single worldview, and kids who never learn to think for themselves How the church and homeschool community can respond with compassion instead of rejection Listening to your kids — really listening — and keeping the lines of communication open A Listener Note This is one of Homeschooling IRL’s more honest, “hot potato” conversations. Fletch and Kendra interview a guest whose beliefs and choices differ from their own and from many listeners’ — not to endorse, but to model gracious, open dialogue. As they put it, when your identity is anchored in Christ, you can listen to anything without fear. More From Homeschooling IRL If this episode resonated, here are other Homeschooling IRL conversations referenced in it: Love in the House — with Chris Jube, on a large homeschool family that decided to “figure out the love thing.” How to Raise a Pagan Kid in a Christian Home (Ep. 13) — with Barrett & Jennifer Johnson. Homeschooling Will Save Your Children — the two-part series on where our hope for our kids really belongs. How Do I Talk to My Kids About Sex? (Ep. 16) — the follow-up episode, again featuring Barrett & Jennifer Johnson on their book The Talks. More Shows on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network There’s a homeschool podcast for everyone on the network. A few you may enjoy: The Homeschool Sanity Show — Melanie Wilson on keeping your sanity while you homeschool. Vintage Homeschool Moms — Felice Gerwitz with practical, been-there encouragement. Making Biblical Family Life Practical — Hal & Melanie Young on faith and family. Finish Well — Meredith Curtis on homeschooling through high school and beyond. The Homeschool Highschool Podcast — Vicki Tillman on navigating the high school years. Homeschooling with Technology — Meryl van der Merwe on tech tools and tech wisdom. Creation Science Podcast — faith-based science for curious families. Homeopathy for Mommies — Sue Meyer on natural remedies for the home. Homeschool Curious Podcast — for families just exploring the homeschool path. Ultimate Homeschool Radio Show — foundational help for getting started. Browse the full lineup at ultimateradioshow.com. Connect With Homeschooling IRL Website: HomeschoolingIRL.com Facebook: facebook.com/HomeschoolingIRL Email: info@homeschoolingirl.com The Homeschooling IRL podcast is a production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. This 2026 replay is sponsored by CTC Math.

Liberty First: Raising Constitution-Loving Kids with KrisAnne Hall (Replay) Show: Vintage Homeschool Moms Host: Felice Gerwitz Guest: KrisAnne Hall, JD — Constitutional attorney, author, and founder of Liberty First University Network: Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network Episode type: Encore / Replay (originally aired 2014 — refreshed for 2026) Constitutional attorney KrisAnne Hall joins Felice Gerwitz to show homeschool moms how to raise liberty-minded kids, why she walked away from a paycheck to teach the Constitution, and what every parent should know about Common Core and school choice. A timeless replay, updated for 2026. Episode summary In this fan-favorite conversation, host Felice Gerwitz sits down with constitutional attorney and homeschool mom KrisAnne Hall. KrisAnne shares the powerful story of how she chose to keep teaching the Constitution even when it cost her a $60,000-a-year government job, and how God provided for her family every step of the way. Together they talk about why liberty is a Judeo-Christian inheritance worth passing on, why most Americans can’t name the five freedoms in the First Amendment, and how parents — not the government — hold the real responsibility for raising the next generation. KrisAnne also answers listener questions about Common Core, charter and virtual schools, vouchers, and the best way for parents to get up to speed on the Constitution so they can teach it to their kids. It’s encouraging, challenging, and packed with the kind of “I never thought about it that way” moments KrisAnne is known for. 🎧 Host’s Note — Updated for 2026 This episode first aired in 2014, when “Common Core” was the education debate at every co-op meeting and kitchen table. The heart of KrisAnne’s message — that liberty is a gift we steward for our children — hasn’t aged a day. But a few of the headlines have changed, so here’s a quick update so you’re listening with 2026 eyes: Common Core has largely faded — but the framework lingers. Several states formally repealed and renamed the standards, and roughly two dozen have revised or rebranded them. Here in Florida, Governor DeSantis signed an executive order to eliminate Common Core and replaced it with the B.E.S.T. Standards (Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking), phased in beginning the 2021–22 school year, which notably weave civics and the U.S. Constitution through every grade. That said, education analysts point out that many “new” state standards still carry Common Core’s DNA — so KrisAnne’s underlying point about who controls curriculum (and who funds it) is as relevant as ever. School choice exploded. When this aired, KrisAnne urged caution about vouchers and warned that “where government pays, they will dictate.” Since 2021, Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) have become the dominant model, and as of 2026 around 18–19 states offer universal eligibility. Florida now has universal school choice; Louisiana launched its LA GATOR program in 2025; and Texas’s $1 billion ESA program — the largest initial funding cap in history — launches for the 2026–27 school year. As you listen, it’s worth weighing KrisAnne’s “strings attached” caution against the new landscape and deciding where you land for your own family. Where to find KrisAnne now. She is the founder and president of Liberty First University (online courses from about $20/month at libertyfirstsociety.com), still writes and teaches, and hosts The KrisAnne Hall Show. Her books referenced in this episode — Not a Living, Breathing Document, Bedtime Stories for Budding Patriots, and Essential Stories for Junior Patriots — are still available, along with newer titles like Sovereign Duty and Liberty First: The Path to Restoring America. What you’ll learn Why KrisAnne walked away from a $60,000 government job rather than stop teaching the Constitution — and how her family saw God provide Why liberty is a Judeo-Christian inheritance, not a government grant The five freedoms in the First Amendment (and why “when one falls, they all fall”) Why she believes the government didn’t intrude into education — parents invited it The difference between government, charter, and virtual schools — and her caution on vouchers How busy, traveling, on-a-budget parents can still make homeschooling work The best resources for parents to learn the Constitution well enough to teach it Episode segments (Approximate — adjust the timestamps to match your final audio file.) [00:00] Welcome and introduction — how Felice met KrisAnne at a Fort Myers history fair [03:00] “History always repeats because human nature never changes” [06:00] KrisAnne’s homeschool partnership: teaching 265 times across 22 states [10:00] The day she had to choose: keep her job or keep teaching the Constitution [15:00] Esther, Mordecai, and stepping out in faith with no income [19:00] Why government schools “cannot teach your child to love God” — and the prayer-in-school myth [24:00] Why liberty? The Judeo-Christian foundation of freedom [28:00] The five First Amendment freedoms — and why most can’t name them [31:00] Break — American Government & Elections class (Media Angels) [33:00] How to book KrisAnne to speak (it’s a ministry — no speaking fees) [37:00] American exceptionalism and the immigrant’s true search for liberty [42:00] Listener Q&A: Common Core and the government’s role in schools [47:00] Listener Q&A: the best way to learn the Constitution yourself [51:00] Listener Q&A: charter schools, virtual schools, and the truth about vouchers [57:00] Final encouragement: homeschooling as a legacy, and a standing invitation to return Memorable quotes “The God that gave us life gave us liberty.” — KrisAnne paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson “Every liberty that you have, you have to keep. And if you do not know what your liberties are, you don’t even know when they’re gone.” “The government hasn’t intruded itself into our school system. We’ve invited it.” “Liberty is not a gift that you purchase for yourself… We purchase liberty for our children.” “Where government pays, they will dictate.” — KrisAnne on vouchers Resources & links KrisAnne Hall Website: https://www.krisannehall.com Liberty First University / Liberty First Society: https://libertyfirstsociety.com Books: Not a Living, Breathing Document: Reclaiming Our Constitution, Bedtime Stories for Budding Patriots, Essential Stories for Junior Patriots, Sovereign Duty, Liberty First: The Path to Restoring America DVD set: The Roots of Liberty: The Historic Foundations of the Bill of Rights From Media Angels & the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network Media Angels: https://MediaAngels.com Vintage Homeschool Moms: https://VintageHomeschoolMoms.com American Government & Elections class Scripture referenced: 2 Timothy 1:7 · Matthew 6 · the Book of Esther About the guest KrisAnne Hall, JD, is a former state prosecutor and constitutional attorney who left her position rather than stop teaching the original intent of the Constitution. A disabled war veteran, attorney, wife of a pastor, and homeschool mom, she now travels the country teaching the history and application of the Constitution and serves as founder and president of Liberty First University. She is the author of multiple books on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and host of The KrisAnne Hall Show. About the show Vintage Homeschool Moms, hosted by author and publisher Felice Gerwitz, encourages, educates, and inspires moms with answers to their most pressing questions — from homeschooling and marriage to parenting and faith — because every moment counts. It’s a production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. Subscribe & connect If this episode encouraged you, share it with a homeschool mom who needs to hear it, and leave a review — it helps other families find the show. Visit VintageHomeschoolMoms.com and MediaAngels.com for more. Disclaimer: Guests share their own views and resources. Felice vets her guests but does not necessarily endorse every statement made by show hosts or guests across the network.

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Best Homeschool Tips – Survey Response – Episode 501 Homeschooling can be a wonderful experience, and in this episode of Vintage Homeschool Moms, we discuss the best homeschool tips. We surveyed our listeners. Join me to find out what they advised. Thanks to our sponsor CTC Math. CTC is a highly rated math curriculum for homeschooled students for grades K-12. The family math package makes it ideal for large families at one low price. Visit the website for more information. Last week I shared a milestone episode, 500, and the topic was Homeschool Do Overs; this episode is a continuation with a twist; I selected some of the best advice for homeschool moms who answered our survey. While the question centered on the idea of a homeschool do-over, I found that their advice better fit the category of “The Best Homeschool Tips.” Check out Homeschool Do-OVER here. During my years of homeschooling, I’ve received the most encouragement from like-minded families. I still consider my past homeschool friends to be among my closest, the reason. They experienced what I experienced; they put aside their goals and aspirations to focus on their relationship with God, their spouse, their children, their home, and their homeschool. These ladies were faithful, and most continued the homeschool journey throughout high school. Everyone did what was best for their family; my friends are wonderful news. Keep your eyes on what you and your family think is important, and ignore the rest. I learned that extended family might be well-meaning – yet, we have to decide what is best, which is a good place to start. If you have not taken the time to decide on your family goals, begin there. Best Homeschool Tips As a synopsis of the pages of recommendations and suggestions, I’ve placed them in categories; Faith, Family, Homeschool. I have edited the comments to make them easier to read on-air and kept the names anonymous! If you hear a comment you made on the survey and want to share your name, visit the podcast page at Vintage Homeschool Moms, look for episode 501, Best Homeschool Tips, and leave your comment there! See if any of these ideas resonate with you! Faith Tips: God’s to-do list and my to-do list are often very different. This mom shared that while she did make plans and lists, she found her day would go so much better when she placed her plans into God’s hand and asked him to help her accomplish what He wanted her to do. This same person shared that she prayed about her homeschool year and would lay out the curriculum and ideas, even extra curricula, before the Lord. I love this idea because being in God’s will is the goal for us as Christians. One mom said she wished she had focused more on the Bible/Apologetics and given her kids a solid foundation to launch them into a world that doesn’t value what we value. [This friend is one of the main reasons people homeschooled in the past, and it seems to have fallen off. It should be one of your main goals as homeschooling.] I would have prayed more. My passion for praying for God’s will has grown as my walk with the Lord has grown. Praying correlates to my daily peace of mind and joy, which spilled over into my homeschool classroom and my girls who were a part of it. ♥️ Praying together as a family nightly and sharing praise reports. What had God done in your life each day? Homeschool Tips: You may have regrets, but choosing to homeschool your children will never be one of them. Another mom wished she had unschooled and not tried to mimic public school in the early years. Another shared she never intended to homeschool and was, and I quote, “literally thrust into it with no other options at the time. I had no time to research…it was just gone. We only planned to homeschool one year…but this fall is the start of our 12th year, with 13 more years to go.” She said the younger kids definitely will benefit from my early misses. (I love this!) Another stated she wished she had been homeschooled from the start! [In fact, many of you said the same thing!] She began homeschooling when her daughter was in middle school, and it has been the biggest blessing for the family. She feels she missed out on time with her daughter. This is what many people say. Take more field trips and fun days in junior high and high school. Another mom shared she wish she had made school more fun. Have the children each try a class at the local college for dual enrollment, realizing it wasn’t all or nothing. (I did this with two high school students, and it worked extremely well. I was still part of their schooling; they took classes at home and experienced college-level classes where I could help them with good study habits.) This same mom shared that they would not stop doing math over the summer as I did for too many years, as her kids would have benefited from the extra practice. Helped her high schoolers prepare for and take CLEP exams. CLEP exams give a student credit for the class instead of having to take it in college. If your student tests well, this is a good option. One mother shared that her third child, for many reasons, went into a private school in the seventh grade. The world pulled him away from us, and we have major regrets. Another mom said she allowed her daughter to mainstream back into public school in 10th grade. She lasted two years before begging to homeschool again. It caused a lot of unnecessary trauma for the entire family. She said, knowing what I know now about what goes on in those institutions, she wouldn’t let any of her children set foot in public school again. [Friends, don’t think private or Christian schools are the answer; we can be hands-off. We must often grab our kid’s hearts early on; if not, we can start today! I published a book some years back, Secret Code Time: Creating an Unbreakable Bond Between Parent and Child. It is available on my website in limited qualities in print and eBook. I also have podcasts on the topic of kids and relationships. This is key! I wish I had focused on child-led learning sooner. I wish I had been better at making life skills part of our learning when my kids were younger. (We have a Life Skills podcast with Lisa Nehring that you should check out on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. Another said she wished they had more fun and more often. One mom said she would be confident about homeschooling, which comes from experience. Another mom said to avoid the online “all in one” curriculum. She admitted that using books with mom, lead teaching takes more time and work, yet she felt more in control and recognized the gaps her children had sooner. She said with online learning, her kids rushed through lessons, and it seems retained little. She also said it was difficult to change in middle and high school. I would encourage this mom that it is not too late to change, and while it might include allowing them to stay in this curriculum until she figures out what she wants to teach and how, it will be something she does not regret. Testing for learning difficulties early on so that intervention and different curricula would be used. Some parents spoke about specific curriculums. I don’t want to be negative about certain curriculums, but I want to say that Charlotte Mason’s inspiration is great, especially in her younger years. Avoid bandwagon curriculums or groups. We use unit studies early on in my children’s homeschool, and I loved the idea of learning together and supplementing with math and reading when needed. Family: One mom said – that when homeschooling multiple children, remember they were individuals, which would have released expectations that they would learn similarly. I wish I had modeled self-care a little bit more. Another mom said, “I … know my children better than anyone, and I love them more than anyone, and looking at the result, I would spend less time worrying about what other people think, including family members who are passive-aggressive toward homeschooling or just plain don’t understand it. I don’t have to explain myself to others, and in a do-over situation, I wouldn’t. Hindsight is 20/20! (Amen to this.) A mom of one said socialization was difficult for an only child. To this mom, I would recommend joining homeschool groups and finding moms with like-minded philosophies and kids. My children played with kids of all ages, and that was something that, as homeschoolers, we learned to do! One mom said she purchased a farm, thinking that was the best for her family, but in retrospect traveling the 50 states would have been something she would do over again. There were so many more great ideas; I invite you to listen to episode 500 if you have not already, and I want to thank you for joining me today.

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: How I Homeschooled with Natalie Mack. How I Homeschooled with Natalie Mack Our listeners tell us that one of their favorite podcast episode topics is when fellow homeschool parents tell how they homeschool! That’s because there’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school. It is encouraging and fun to hear how other parents are handling their educational adventures. One of our favorite people to have on the podcast is our friend and 7Sisters Cousin, Natalie Mack! Natalie is a force in the homeschool community! She has done TEDx Talks, is active in the military homeschool community, has helped with HSLDA’s work, and more. Every time Natalie Mack has been on Homeschool Highschool Podcast, listeners ask for more. Natalie’s story Natalie and her family are now a retired Navy chaplain’s family. Natalie’s husband was military active duty, along with a little bit of reserve time in two branches. He started out after college in the Army as an intel officer. Natalie married him a few years after college. They moved around the world as an Army couple with one child at the time, their oldest daughter. Then he was called to the ministry and left the military. They did some (“what we call ‘civilian time’”) for about seven years. They were living back in Maryland, their home. Her husband became a licensed minister after completing his Master’s in Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary. They had had three more children by that time. Then they looked at each other and said, “We miss military life!” So, they returned to military life as a Navy family, her husband as a Navy chaplain soon after 9/11 in 2001. Natalie had just started homeschooling that September, as well. Her husband was assigned to Camp Pendleton in California. The family accompanied him to several locations. The last assignment was in Naples, Italy. Back in the States in 2020, Natalie started working with HSLDA as a high school educational consultant. She also created their military outreach program. Next, Natalie started an LLC to consult with homeschooling parents. She did the TEDx Talk: The Impact of Homeschooling. She also started a nonprofit, Military Homeschoolers Association. Natalie, as you can see, stays busy. These days, Natalie spends part of her time helping recruiters and military education service specialists in the different branches of the military, training them on homeschooling, helping them understand what homeschoolers bring to the table. How Natalie’s family homeschools Every family homeschools in their own unique way according to their unique goals and priorities. Here are some of Natalie’s family’s goals/priorities. Focus on homeschooling geared to passions and interests A focus on passions and interests includes parents, too! As you can see from Natalie’s story, she was faithful to explore the interests God gave her, and he opened doors for her. Also, following passions and interests is good role modeling. Natalie intentionally worked with each of her homeschool high schoolers to have coursework, volunteer work, and other experiences that helped them explore their interests. For instance, one daughter loved languages and studied them enthusiastically. This helped her with missions trips and college major choices. Another of Natalie’s high schoolers was interested in international politics. Natalie made sure that some of their experiences included courses in these areas. This led to his college studies at American University in that field. One of the things that Natalie has used and recommends is the ASVAB Career Exploration Program. It is provided by the military, but there is no commitment to enlist. Academics Academics were always important to Natalie and her husband. They are first-generation college graduates, both with Master’s Degrees. They saw college as the next destination for all five of their children. All five also wanted to go to college, as well. That goal has held, as all five of Natalie’s kids have now been to college. The youngest has finished his freshman year of college, and the other four have graduated from college, and two completed Master’s degree programs, and one is in his second year of a Master’s in Urban Planning with Virginia Tech. Note: Natalie’s youngest was on the podcast during his high school senior year. It was a great episode where he shared about the senior project he was doing for the conservation district. Have conversations Natalie’s family prioritized conversations. A lot of them happened late at night. “And, and I tell you what. That is when the most fruitful conversations have been.” God is Guide Through all the homeschooling years, Natalie and her husband trusted God as their Guide. The wisdom He gave them helped them: Survive on a single income Find meaningful resources and opportunities on a budget (for instance, libraries, community centers, local bulletin boards) Enjoy opportunities as they came, for instance, it was a blessing to Natalie and her family when she started helping HSLDA as an advisor for military families Model values Natalie and her husband modeled family values like: Hard work Volunteering Investing in homeschool causes like Military Homeschool Association Being an ambassador for resources like Council for Foreign Relations and Retro Report Note: Natalie’s youngest was on the podcast during his high school senior year. It was a great episode where he shared about the senior project he was doing for the conservation district. And check out Natalie’s contributions to the homeschool community at: NatalieMack.com Natalie Mack’s YouTube Channel Facebook: Homeschool Natalie Mack Continue listening to encouraging interviews with Natalie Mack on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Emotionally Preparing Teens for College ASVAB and Homeschool High Schoolers Model Diplomacy and Homeschool High Schoolers Stress Management for the Holidays Handling Depression in Teens PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER Follow this link to our iTunes page. IMPORTANT STEP: Under our Homeschool Highschool Podcast logo, click on View in iTunes This will take you to iTunes and our own podcast page. Click SUBSCRIBE. Click RATINGS AND REVIEW. (Please take a minute and do this. It helps others find us. Thanks!) Thanks! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE VIA iPHONE Tap the purple Podcast icon on your phone Tap the search icon on the bottom-right of your screen In the search bar type: Homeschool Highschool Podcast Tap the Homeschool Highschool Podcast icon Tap *Subscribe* Please tap *Ratings and Review*