A toddler is not an interruption to your school day. A toddler is a permanent feature of it, and your schedule has to admit that out loud.

This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode

• Why you only need a solution for thirty minutes, twice
• Giving the toddler their own school, and rotating it
• Which work survives being interrupted and which does not
• Lowering the bar on purpose for this season

Go deeper on the network

Homeschooling Preschool While Keeping Your Sanity

Our Sweet 13 sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Eden’s Table — Biblical herbalism for the elementary grades. One plant a week, with science, history, art, reading and handwriting running through it as a single unit study. Open and go, no prep the night before. The first nine weeks are $39.

This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to.

It is our 13th birthday all month long.

More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four.

Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

The post Ep 9: Homeschooling With a Toddler appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Nobody reconstructs a school year accurately from memory. Not one person. And yet nearly all of us try, usually in the spring, usually the night before something is due.

This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode

• Two different lists: what your state requires and what your child will need
• Where to get your state’s rules, and why not from a comment in a group
• What to keep in the elementary years (it is very little)
• What changes in ninth grade
• The one thing worth keeping that most families skip

Go deeper on the network

Middle Schoolers, Transcripts, and High School Courses

Our Sweet 13 sponsors

This episode is sponsored by True North Academy — an accredited online high school meeting live over Zoom. Real classes, real teachers, real discussion, with your student still at your kitchen table.

This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to.

It is our 13th birthday all month long.

More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four.

Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

The post Ep 8: Write It Down As You Go appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Before you decide your child is behind, be sure you know what you are measuring against. Grade level is an average, not a standard.

This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode

• Why half of all children are below the middle by definition
• The four patterns that genuinely warrant attention
• Why catching something early beats waiting it out
• The comparison that actually helps: your own child, six months ago
• Why going back to solid ground is faster than pushing forward

Go deeper on the network

Homeschooling a Struggling Learner

Our Sweet 13 sponsors

Thanks to CTCMath for supporting this show. Every lesson is taught on video, so you are not the one explaining long division at eight in the morning. One membership covers every child in your house at every grade level.

This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to.

It is our 13th birthday all month long.

More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four.

Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

The post Ep 7: Is My Child Actually Behind? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

There is a weak version of the socialization question and a serious one. Homeschoolers have gotten so good at dismissing the weak one that we sometimes miss the real one underneath it.

This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode

• Why age-segregated classrooms are an administrative convenience, not nature
• The version of the question that genuinely deserves your calendar
• Why regular beats occasional, every time
• What to actually say at Thanksgiving

Go deeper on the network

How To Help Your Child Make Friends This Year

Our Sweet 13 sponsors

This episode is sponsored by True North Academy — an accredited online high school meeting live over Zoom. Real classes, real teachers, real discussion, with your student still at your kitchen table.

This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to.

It is our 13th birthday all month long.

More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four.

Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

The post Ep 6: But What About Socialization? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

The thing that breaks multi-age homeschools is running parallel grade levels: four separate little schools under one roof, taught by one person.

This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode

• Which subjects combine beautifully, and which cannot
• One lesson, several levels of response
• Why the skill subjects are shorter than you think
• Putting the older children to work without it being exploitation
• Accepting the noise

Go deeper on the network

Morning Time For Mixed Ages

Our Sweet 13 sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Eden’s Table — Biblical herbalism for the elementary grades. One plant a week, with science, history, art, reading and handwriting running through it as a single unit study. Open and go, no prep the night before. The first nine weeks are $39.

This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to.

It is our 13th birthday all month long.

More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four.

Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

The post Ep 5: Teach Them Together appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Ep 4: Read Aloud Longer Than You Think You Should

Most parents stop reading aloud the moment a child can read alone. It is almost exactly the wrong moment to stop.

This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode

• Why listening comprehension runs years ahead of reading ability
• The three things a child who hates reading is usually telling you
• How to tell whether it is still physically hard
• Why comics, repeats and audiobooks all count
• What to do when reading has become a daily fight

Go deeper on the network

Late Reader? When To Wait And When Not To

Our Sweet 13 sponsors

This show is part of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network — homeschool podcasters who have been doing this on the air for thirteen years. Whatever you are walking through, somebody on this network has an episode about it.

This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to.

It is our 13th birthday all month long.

More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four.

Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

The post Ep 4: Read Aloud Longer Than You Think You Should appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

How Much Curriculum Should I Buy?

Here is a sentence that may save you several hundred dollars this year: you do not need a curriculum for every subject. You need one for the subjects that build in a strict order.

This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode

• The two subjects worth real money, and why
• Where your library genuinely covers it
• Three questions to ask before you buy anything
• Why you should ask what a program needs from you on a bad week, not a good one
• Permission to stop using something that is not working

Go deeper on the network

Questions You Should Ask When Choosing Curriculum

Our Sweet 13 sponsors

Thanks to CTCMath for supporting this show. Every lesson is taught on video, so you are not the one explaining long division at eight in the morning. One membership covers every child in your house at every grade level.

This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to.

It is our 13th birthday all month long.

More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four.

Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

The post Ep 3: Buy Less Curriculum Than You Think appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Your six-year-old finished everything in ninety minutes and you are standing in your kitchen feeling like a fraud. That feeling is the most common feeling in a first-year homeschool, and it is aimed at completely the wrong thing.

This is part of 13 Things We’d Tell a Brand-New Homeschool Mom — thirteen short episodes marking thirteen years of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In this episode

• Why a six-hour school day was never six hours of teaching
• Rough hours by age, from early elementary through high school
• Why one-on-one instruction is so much denser than a classroom
• The real risk: stretching a good twenty-minute lesson into an argument
• What to do with the rest of the day, and why it may be the most educational part

Go deeper on the network

Teaching English Doesn’t Have To Take All Day

Our Sweet 13 sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Eden’s Table — Biblical herbalism for the elementary grades. One plant a week, with science, history, art, reading and handwriting running through it as a single unit study. Open and go, no prep the night before. The first nine weeks are $39.

This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we would point our own families to.

It is our 13th birthday all month long.

More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and everyone who enters gets Sweet Treats, a free collection of resources from the hosts across the network. One entry puts you in all four.

Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

The post Ep 2: The Day Is Shorter Than You Think appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Thirteen years ago, on the very first episode of this show, Felice Gerwitz said something out loud that most people would have edited out: “When I had this idea to create this radio network, I had no idea if it would even work.”

Within three weeks, the shows launched anyway. HomeschoolingIRL on September 13th. The Homeschool Sanity Show on the 14th. Vintage Homeschool Moms on the 17th. Two more by the 25th. Every one of those episodes is still on this website.

So it worked. And to mark thirteen years, we’re doing thirteen short episodes — thirteen things we’d tell a brand-new homeschool mom.

This is the first one, and it’s the mistake nearly all of us made.

We tried to build a school in the dining room. Desks. A bell schedule. A wall calendar with somebody else’s year printed on it. And it lasts about three weeks — then one Tuesday nobody comes to the table, and you sit down certain you’ve failed.

You haven’t failed at homeschooling. You’ve failed at being a school, which was never the assignment.

In this episode:

• Why a school is an answer to a problem you don’t actually have — one adult, thirty children, a building, a bus schedule, a fire code
• How much of what looks like “school” is really crowd management
• Why copying that form into your house makes everything feel so heavy
• The difference between structure (good, necessary) and institutional machinery (not yours to carry)

The one question to answer in writing today:

• what problem are we actually solving?
• Why you give yourself a one-year trial with a date on the calendar — and why week three is when everybody wants to quit

Timestamps

• 00:54 — Felice Gerwitz, August 2013, on the first episode of this show
• 01:50 — The three weeks in September 2013 when the network actually launched
• 02:14 — Why thirteen short episodes instead of a retrospective
• 02:47 — The mistake: building a school in the dining room
• 03:26 — A word from Eden’s Table
• 04:21 — A school is an answer to a problem you don’t have
• 05:30 — Structure is good. It just comes from your family.
• 06:06 — Write down the problem you’re actually solving
• 06:49 — Give yourself one year, then judge it
• 07:11 — Why week three is the worst of it
• 07:59 — Next time: the day is shorter than you think

Go deeper on the network

Before you commit to a year, listen to Should You Consider Homeschooling? — it walks through the decision honestly, including the reasons not to.

It’s our 13th birthday

More than $1,500 in prizes across four October drawings, and a free Sweet Treats resource bundle for everyone who enters. One entry puts you in all four.

Enter the Sweet 13 Giveaway

Our Sweet 13 sponsors

This series is sponsored by Eden’s Table, CTCMath, True North Academy, and the podcasters of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This episode’s sponsor is Eden’s Table — Biblical herbalism for the elementary grades. One plant a week, with science, history, art, reading and handwriting running through it as a single unit study. Open and go, no prep the night before. The first nine weeks are $39 at edeninstitute.health/homeschool.

This episode is sponsored. We only take sponsors we’d point our own families to.

The post School at Home Doesn’t Work (And What To Do Instead) appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

📚 Part of our guide: How to Start Homeschooling

How to Handle Homeschool Backlash from Family and Friends

A Homeschool Foundations replay from Talking Mom to Mom, now airing on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Show.

What do you do when family, friends, or even strangers question your decision to homeschool?

If you’ve ever felt caught off guard by skeptical comments, awkward questions, or criticism about your homeschool, you’re not alone. For many moms, one of the hardest parts of homeschooling isn’t curriculum or scheduling—it’s learning how to respond when other people don’t understand what you’re doing.

In this Homeschool Foundations replay, we’re talking about how to handle homeschool backlash from family and friends with confidence, humility, and grace.

Sponsored by CTCMath.com

Can You Handle Homeschool Criticism Without Losing Your Peace?

Yes—you absolutely can.

The best way to handle homeschool backlash is to stay grounded in your reasons for homeschooling, respond with calm confidence, and avoid getting pulled into unnecessary arguments. Not every question is an attack, but not every conversation deserves your energy either.

The longer you homeschool, the more confidence you’ll build. But even in the beginning, you can learn how to answer hard questions without feeling shaken.

Why People Question Homeschooling

Sometimes criticism comes from a negative place. But many times, it simply comes from misunderstanding.

Homeschooling still feels unfamiliar to a lot of people, even though it has become far more common over the years. Family members, neighbors, or acquaintances may ask questions because they genuinely don’t understand how homeschooling works.

They may wonder:

• What curriculum do you use?
• Is homeschooling legal?
• What about socialization?
• Do you need a teaching degree?
• How do you know your child is learning enough?

And if we’re being honest, many homeschooling parents have asked some of those same questions themselves.

That’s why it helps to remember: not every question is criticism. Some people are curious. Some are cautious. Some are skeptical. And some simply don’t know what homeschooling actually looks like in real life.

Common Homeschool Questions You May Hear

If you’ve been homeschooling for any length of time, you’ve probably heard at least a few of these:

“What about socialization?”

This is probably the most common homeschool question of all.

“Are you even allowed to teach that?”

Some people assume the state tightly controls homeschool curriculum.

“How do you know they’re on track?”

This question usually comes from concern about academics or future readiness.

“Wouldn’t your child rather be in school?”

This one can feel especially frustrating—especially when it’s directed at your child instead of you.

“Do you have a teaching degree?”

Many people assume formal teaching credentials are required to educate a child at home.

These questions can feel exhausting, especially if they come up repeatedly. But having a few grounded responses ready can help you feel more prepared and less defensive.

How to Respond to Homeschool Criticism with Grace

One of the best reminders for homeschool moms is this:

You do not have to prove yourself to everyone.

That doesn’t mean you should be rude. It simply means you are not required to defend every educational choice to every person who has an opinion.

Here are a few ways to respond well.

Start with a Calm, Confident Answer

A simple, steady response often says more than a long explanation.

You might say:

• “That’s a great question.”
• “We’ve put a lot of thought into this.”
• “This is the best fit for our family right now.”
• “We’ve found a rhythm that’s working really well for us.”

Confidence matters. People often take their cues from how certain—or uncertain—you sound.

If you respond like you’re constantly second-guessing yourself, they may feel invited to keep pushing. But if you respond with peace and clarity, the conversation often softens quickly.

Remember That Humility and Confidence Can Coexist

You don’t have to act like you know everything.

In fact, one of the best ways to respond to sincere questions is with humility.

You can say:

“Honestly, we had some of those same questions when we started homeschooling.”

That kind of answer lowers the tension immediately. It reminds the other person that you didn’t make this decision lightly or blindly. You’ve thought through the concerns, learned along the way, and are continuing to grow.

Confidence does not mean pretending homeschooling is always easy.
It means trusting that this is the right path for your family, even while you’re still learning.

Know the Difference Between Curiosity and Combativeness

This is such an important distinction.

Some people are truly asking because they care. Others are asking because they want to challenge your choice.

Those are not the same conversation.

A sincere question usually feels open and respectful.

A combative question often feels like:

• a jab
• a test
• a setup
• a criticism disguised as curiosity

When that happens, you don’t need to over-explain.

Sometimes the wisest answer is a short one.

You can simply say:

• “I appreciate your concern.”
• “We’re confident in our decision.”
• “This is what works best for our family.”
• “We’ve thought this through carefully.”

And then move on.

What If the Criticism Comes from Family?

This can be the hardest kind of homeschool backlash.

It’s one thing to brush off a stranger at the grocery store. It’s another thing when the criticism comes from grandparents, siblings, in-laws, or extended family members you love.

When family questions your homeschool, it can feel personal—even if they mean well.

In those situations, it helps to remember this:

You do not need family-wide agreement in order to homeschool faithfully.

If the conversation is healthy and respectful, it can be worth having. Some family members just need time, exposure, and reassurance.

But if the same topic turns into tension every time you’re together, it may be time to set a gentle boundary.

You might say:

“I know you care about the kids, and I appreciate that. But this is a decision we’ve made carefully as a family, and I’d rather not keep debating it.”

That is not disrespectful. That is mature boundary-setting.

If It’s an In-Law Issue, Let Your Spouse Help

If the criticism is coming from your spouse’s family, it can help for your spouse to take the lead in those conversations when appropriate.

That doesn’t mean you can’t speak for yourself. It simply means some family dynamics are better handled from within the family line.

If your mother-in-law, father-in-law, or sibling-in-law keeps pushing the issue, your spouse may be the best person to say:

“This is our family’s decision, and we’re asking for support even if you wouldn’t choose the same thing.”

That can prevent resentment and reduce unnecessary friction.

What If Strangers or Acquaintances Say Something?

This is a different category entirely.

Sometimes homeschool moms get comments from:

• neighbors
• store clerks
• medical staff
• church acquaintances
• random adults who notice kids are “out during school hours”

And honestly? You do not owe every curious stranger a 20-minute explanation in the middle of Target.

You can be kind without being available for interrogation.

Simple responses work well here:

• “We homeschool.”
• “This is part of our school day.”
• “We have a flexible schedule.”
• “They’re learning a lot, thank you.”

And if the person gets pushy or inappropriate, it is completely okay to end the conversation.

You can simply say:

“Excuse us—we need to get going. Have a great day.”

That is polite. That is enough.

What If Someone Questions Your Child?

This can feel especially upsetting.

It’s one thing when people question you. It’s another when they quiz your child, make assumptions, or ask leading questions like:

• “Wouldn’t you rather be in school?”
• “Do you even learn anything at home?”
• “Are you behind?”

That kind of interaction can be uncomfortable for kids, especially if they’re younger.

This is where your response matters even more—because your child is learning from how you handle it.

When you stay calm, confident, and gracious, you model emotional maturity and self-respect.

That doesn’t mean you have to allow rude behavior. It simply means you can protect your child without becoming combative.

A simple response might be:

“We’re happy with how things are going, thanks.”

Then redirect and move on.

A Christian Response to Homeschool Backlash

If you are homeschooling from a faith-based perspective, this part matters deeply.

Because while it may feel satisfying in the moment to come back with something sharp or sarcastic, that rarely produces peace—or fruit.

One of the most helpful verses for hard conversations is:

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
— Proverbs 15:1

That doesn’t mean you have to be passive.
It doesn’t mean you have to agree.
And it definitely doesn’t mean you have to stay in unhealthy conversations.

But it does mean your response can reflect Christ even when the other person’s attitude does not.

You can be gracious and still be firm.
You can be humble and still be confident.
You can be kind and still have boundaries.

That combination is powerful.

What If You’re Still Building Confidence Yourself?

This is important too.

Sometimes criticism hurts so much because it lands on a part of you that already feels uncertain.

If you’re still early in your homeschool journey, you may still be asking some of the same questions other people are asking.

That doesn’t mean you’re failing.

It means you’re growing.

One of the best things you can do if you’re feeling shaky is to strengthen your own foundation.

That may look like:

• talking with experienced homeschool moms
• reading trusted homeschool books
• listening to encouraging podcast episodes
• learning more about your state laws
• building a support system that reminds you why you started

Confidence often doesn’t come all at once. It grows over time.

And often, the longer you homeschool, the less outside opinions will rattle you.

Encouragement for the Mom Who Feels Judged

If you’ve been hurt by criticism, questioned by family, or made to feel like your homeschool choice is irresponsible or strange, here’s what I want to remind you of:

You are allowed to choose a different path for your family.

You are allowed to educate your children thoughtfully, intentionally, and differently.

You are allowed to grow into this role.

And you are allowed to protect your peace while you do it.

Not everyone will understand your homeschool.
Not everyone needs to.

But your children don’t need everyone’s approval.
They need your steady leadership.

And that matters more than outside noise.

Key Takeaways for Handling Homeschool Backlash

• Not every question about homeschooling is an attack
• Some people criticize homeschooling simply because they don’t understand it
• You do not have to justify every homeschool decision
• Calm confidence is often your best response
• Grace and boundaries can coexist
• Your homeschool does not require public approval to be valid

Listen to the Full Episode

This episode originally aired on Talking Mom to Mom and is now featured as part of our Homeschool Foundations series on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Show.

If you’ve ever struggled with outside opinions, awkward homeschool questions, or criticism from family and friends, this conversation will encourage you.

Listen to more Homeschool Foundations episodes here:
https://ultimateradioshow.com/ultimate-homeschool-radio-show/

You Might Also Enjoy These Episodes

• What To Do When Your Day Is A Dumpster Fire
• Renew Your Homeschooling
• What I Wish I Knew When I Began Homeschooling

• Navigating the Homeschooling Journey with the All-in-One SchoolhouseTeachers Platform

FAQ: Handling Homeschool Criticism

Why do family members criticize homeschooling?

Often, family members criticize homeschooling because they don’t fully understand it. Their concerns may come from unfamiliarity, fear, or assumptions about what education should look like.

How should I respond when people question homeschooling?

Respond calmly and confidently. If the question is sincere, answer kindly. If the conversation becomes combative, it’s okay to set a boundary and move on.

What if grandparents don’t support homeschooling?

If grandparents or extended family are critical, it helps to stay respectful but firm. You can appreciate their concern without allowing them to control your family’s education decisions.

Is it normal to feel insecure when people question homeschooling?

Yes. Many homeschool moms feel uncertain at first. Confidence usually grows with time, experience, and seeing your children thrive.

What does the Bible say about responding to criticism?

A helpful verse is Proverbs 15:1: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Responding with humility and grace can help difficult conversations stay calmer.

The post How to Handle Homeschool Backlash from Family and Friends appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.