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Homeschool Coffee Break

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by Kerry Beck

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Homeschool Coffee Break helps you stop overwhelm and gain confidence so you know you're doing enough with your kids' education. Our top-notch interviews, practical tips & tricks, and real solutions will give you confidence in your homeschool.

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Recent Episodes

July 20, 2026

196: Shark Week Activities to Beat Screen Time This Summer

Your kids are glued to screens all summer and you are running out of ideas to pull them away. But what if 3 items from your kitchen pantry could spark more curiosity than any tablet ever could? Shark Week is the perfect excuse to make it happen.This episode walks you through 3 hands-on shark week activities that bust common shark myths, teach real marine biology, and get your kids off screens without a single worksheet or complicated plan:✅Why hands-on observation builds deeper thinking skills than any screen or textbook✅Discover how Shark Week can spark curiosity beyond marine biology, inspiring kids to ask better questions and pursue learning on their own.✅How following your child's natural interests develops confidence, critical thinking, and the drive to keep learning long after the lesson ends.✅Practical ways to replace passive learning with hands-on exploration that encourages curiosity, resilience, and independent learners.Resources for You:<a href="https://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/shark-unit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">Shark Unit Study Flash Sale</a> — save $10 with code SHARKWEEK (you pay only $5)Show Notes:Your Secret Weapon for Getting Kids Off Screens This SummerIt's a hot summer morning in July. You planned for a peaceful, screen-free summer. Instead, you're exhausted, and that phrase — Mom, I'm bored — is just echoing through your house. There's a magnetic pull between your kids and their tablets, the TV, the video games. And somehow that is winning the battle, especially with high-energy boys. They're zoning out in front of those screens and you feel guilty because you want them to love learning, not consume a bunch of pixels.I've got a secret weapon for you today. You don't need a complicated curriculum or a lecture to fix this. You need a topic that instantly captures their imagination. And with Shark Week coming up next week, we're going to use sharks to get your kids off those tablets and into real learning — right at the kitchen table.Mary Anning and the Power of CuriosityBefore we dive in, I want to give you a little historical background. There was a woman named Mary Anning in the 19th century. She was completely self-taught. She lived in England, gathered fossils, and had no formal science background. Out of 9 kids, only Mary and her older brother Joseph survived to adulthood. Life was hard.But she had a dad with great influence. Her father Richard was a cabinet maker and an avid fossil collector. His five-year-old sidekick Mary would come along and he would show her how to collect fossils at the beaches where they worked. He meticulously taught her how to locate specimens, get them out safely, and clean the delicate finds. Then he would put what they found in the storefront of his cabinet shop.Dads, you have a great impact on your kids.Mary was denied formal education — like most women and girls of her time — but she taught herself to read. And she used curiosity, drive, and perseverance to make contributions to science that are still recognized today. That is what I want for your kids in this episode.Before You Start — Grab Three ThingsGo to your kitchen cabinet right now and get these three things. A bottle of cooking oil. A small empty plastic bottle. And a handful of pennies. Just put them on the counter. Physically setting them out says — today is a hands-on learning day.Myth Buster #1: Sharks Sink Like Stones If They Stop SwimmingThe myth is that sharks sink like stones if they stop swimming. Here's the truth — bony fish have swim bladders filled with gas to float. Sharks don't have swim bladders. Instead, they have a massive, oily liver that acts like a natural flotation device. Oil is lighter than water, so that giant oily liver keeps them buoyant.Here's the activity. Fill your sink with water. Drop in your empty bottle and let your kids watch. It sinks. Now ask them — what do you think happens if I fill the bottle with oil? Don't tell them. Let them observe and be curious. Fill the bottle with cooking oil, close it tightly, and drop it in. It floats. The oil is lighter than the water and rises to the top. Super easy, but so powerful.Myth Buster #2: Sharks Can Smell Blood From Miles Away Through MagicIt's not magic — it's a highly acute olfactory navigation system. Sharks track scent gradients through water currents. God gave them the ability to smell, and that is essentially their steering wheel. Like we drive a car with our eyes, sharks navigate with their smell.Here's the activity. Get a bowl of warm water. Have your kids sit perfectly still. Drop red food coloring on one side and watch what happens. The current in that warm water carries the food coloring across the bowl — just like the way a scent pathway travels to a shark through the ocean. Let them observe, ask questions, and come up with conclusions.This is exactly what Charlotte Mason was talking about when she said kids learn best when they're allowed to interact with the real world — not reading dry textbook summaries. When kids use their own senses to observe nature, they develop deep analytical skills. No prepackaged textbook or screen can duplicate this.Myth Buster #3: Losing a Tooth Is an Emergency for a SharkFor us humans, we get two sets of teeth. Lose one from the second set and it's gone for good. Sharks are completely different. They have a conveyor belt system of teeth and can grow up to 35,000 teeth in a lifetime. Their teeth don't have deep roots, so they fall out easily while hunting — and new ones just move right into place.Here's the activity. You'll need Play-Doh or modeling clay and your pennies — or small pebbles. Roll the clay into a thick strip representing a shark's jaw. Push the pennies in one by one, layered behind each other like shingles on a roof. Have one of your kids pull out the front tooth and watch how the others shift right into place. Simple visual, powerful concept.What to Do From HereThose are your three myth busters — the oily liver, the olfactory steering system, and the conveyor belt tooth system. From here, get your library card and spend no more than five minutes searching sharks online. Pick up two or three books, or a documentary if you have DVDs. Give your kids immediate, high-quality material to dig into right after they make a mess at the kitchen table.Hands-on learning gets kids off the screens. I know for a fact — when I go visit my grandkids, they are not on their screens. They're not even watching TV. But it does take energy to plan, to find the books, to build activities, and to organize a week from scratch.If you want to skip the planning completely and be ready for Shark Week with everything done for you, grab our <a href="https://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/shark-unit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">Shark Unit Study</a>. Today is day one of our flash sale — use the code SHARKWEEK by Friday and save $10, which means you pay only $5. You get shark life cycle activities, a curated list of books and videos with activities to go with each one, these three myth busters, shark-themed snacks, crafts, shark binoculars, and an ocean unit tie-in as well. It's plug-and-play for your summer.If this sparked one little idea, would you share it with one homeschool mom or your co-op? That would mean the world to me.

July 14, 2026

195: Why Some Homeschool Graduates Thrive (and Others Struggle)

Some homeschool graduates launch into adulthood with confidence, while others finish all the curriculum and still feel stuck. The difference is rarely grades — and this episode is going to show you exactly what it is.We are breaking down the shift from raising students to raising homeschool graduates who are truly prepared for real life, with 3 practical things you can start doing this week:✅Why completed curriculum and good grades do not equal real-life readiness✅1 question every homeschool mom needs to ask about building life skills in your kids✅What truly successful adults have in common — and how to build it before they leave home✅Why character, initiative, and problem solving matter more than any test score✅How to let your child solve one problem this week without stepping in — starting todayGrab the Free Character Building Mini Chart mentioned in this episode and start building what really matters in your homeschool today.Resources for You  <ul><li><a href="https://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/character-building/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">Free Character Building Mini Chart</a>   </li><li><a href="https://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/wait%C2%A0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">New homeschool support community early access</a>   </li></ul>Show Notes:Why Some Homeschool Graduates Launch Into Adulthood With Confidence — And Others Don'tHave you ever wondered why some homeschool graduates launch into adulthood with confidence while others seem stuck — even though both finished their curriculum and both made good grades? What if you are checking off all the boxes but missing the thing that actually prepares your child for adult life?Today we're talking about the difference between information and preparation for real life.What Traditional Education Rewards vs. What Real Life RewardsMany graduates know facts, but they struggle with decision-making, responsibility, work ethic, communication, and initiative. Traditional education — at least for the past 200 years — rewards compliance and completion. Real life rewards wisdom, perseverance, and leadership.We tend to measure success by completed curriculum, grades, transcripts, and test scores. Those things are easy to measure, so we feel secure in them. And yet that isn't always what is best for our kids. The things that are easy to measure aren't always what will prepare them for real life. Character, wisdom, initiative, responsibility, leadership — those are harder to measure. And yet those are the qualities that determine success as an adult.So I want you to ask yourself this question today. What adult skill are you intentionally building in your children right now? Time management? Communication? Problem solving? Responsibility? Grab a piece of paper and write down three things you want your kids to be able to do or be known for at the age of 25. Then see if those are things you're actually working on with them right now.You might notice that most of what you write down are character qualities — not academic achievements.Clara Barton Didn't Change the World With a TranscriptClara Barton started the American Red Cross. She was educated largely at home because she was very shy and struggled in traditional settings. She had very little formal schooling compared to what standards are today. Why? Because her family focused on character, service, and practical responsibility.She later founded the American Red Cross and became one of the most influential humanitarians in our history. Her impact didn't come from a high school transcript. It came from compassion, leadership, courage, and a willingness to take responsibility when others wouldn't. Does anyone remember Clara Barton because she completed a curriculum? No. They remember her because she had an impact on others. She served others well.The Real Question Is Not Can They Find InformationInformation has never been more readily available. Kids can find any fact they want instantly on their phones. The question is not can they find information. The question is can they use that information wisely? Can they solve problems? Can they make wise decisions? Can they think critically? Can they follow God when life gets hard?Those are the things I wanted for my own children. Now that I watch them going through some trials — they're all in their 30s — I am thankful that God is still working in them and they are making wise decisions.What qualities consistently show up in successful adults? The ability to think critically and biblically. To communicate. To solve problems. To keep learning. To have a strong character and a strong work ethic. To persevere. To have integrity and dignity. These are not measured by a worksheet or a test score.Booker T. Washington and the Tuskegee ModelBooker T. Washington is one of my favorite historical characters. He was born into slavery. He had very little formal education. He pursued learning relentlessly and went to Hampton Institute, where he was trained not only academically but in discipline, responsibility, and leadership.He later founded Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. When you went to Tuskegee, yes, you chose an academic major — but you also had to choose a practical activity you would use to help build the university. Some students were construction workers who built the new buildings. Some were cooks who cooked the food all the students ate. Some were gardeners who grew the food. It was a dual pathway to graduation — academics and real-world responsibility together.Booker T. Washington's success came from perseverance, leadership, and responsibility. And in one particular year, there were more millionaires from Tuskegee than from Harvard, Yale, and Princeton combined — because his system worked. He didn't just teach academics. He taught life skills that students could use for the rest of their lives.The education that changes life isn't just information. It includes character formation and practical wisdom.Who Is Your Child Becoming?Many moms can plan subjects, lessons, and activities. But few intentionally plan character building, leadership opportunities, decision-making practice, independent thinking, real-world responsibility, work ethic, self-discipline, communication, and biblical wisdom. Those are all things your children need to be successful as adults.Most homeschool moms ask — what should my child learn? But the real question is — who is my child becoming?Make a list of who you want your child to be when they leave your home. If they're five, you have lots of time. If they're 15, that's okay too. There is still time. God is gracious and He has the Holy Spirit — and that is what can take you through and get your kids prepared.Most adults don't struggle because they forgot algebra. They struggle because they can't manage money, relationships, priorities, or decisions.If your child graduated tomorrow, what would you want people to say about them? I know what I wanted. I wanted someone to say they're following Jesus. They honor Jesus. They live a life of godly character. They have perseverance, work ethic, and integrity. It's not what your kids are memorizing — it's who they become.What to Do This WeekLet your child solve one problem without you. Don't step in immediately. Give them time to think it through. That builds lifelong skills. If they're not sure where to start, ask them — what do you think you should do first? Let them find the answer.That one shift — from solving it for them to asking them to think — is the beginning of everything.If this episode helped you, would you please share it with someone? That would mean the world to me.I also have two things for you. First, a free <a href="https://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/character-building/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">character building mini chart</a> — the link is in the show notes. Second, I'm building a <a href="https://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/wait" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">limited community of homeschool moms</a> where we can encourage each other and answer questions about where you are right now. If you'd like early access, there is a sign-up link in the show notes as well. year?

July 7, 2026

194: Why Your Homeschool Doesn't Need More Curriculum

You have been researching homeschool curriculum for weeks, filling carts, reading reviews, and asking everyone what they use. What if none of that matters as much as what you do before you ever open a single book?This episode shares 3 simple tips that will make a bigger difference in your homeschool this year than any homeschool curriculum purchase ever could:✅Why your attitude and atmosphere are more important than the curriculum you choose✅How to take a CEO planning date that prepares you for the whole year✅1 tradition that creates lasting memories your kids will still talk about decades from now✅3 questions to ask about each child before buying any homeschool curriculum✅Why knowing your learner always comes before choosing any programJoin the waitlist for the new homeschool support community mentioned in this episode and be first to know when it opens.Resources for You  <ul><li><a href="https://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/rlnf-wait" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">Raising Leaders Not Followers Course waitlist</a></li><li><a href="http://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/wait" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">New homeschool support community waitlist</a></li></ul>Your Biggest Homeschool Decision This Year Is Not CurriculumRaise your hand if you've already started looking for curriculum. Maybe you've already spent hours reading reviews or filled up an online shopping cart. What if I told you your biggest decision in your homeschool this year is not curriculum? It's the atmosphere and the expectations you create before you ever open a book. Today I'm sharing three simple tips that will make a bigger difference in your homeschool than which curriculum you buy.Tip #1: Prepare Yourself Before You Prepare for SchoolThere are moms like yourself that spend weeks organizing books, labeling bins, printing out schedules — but almost no time preparing themselves. What kind of mom do you want to be this year? Peaceful? Flexible? Intentional? Joyful? You really do need to decide that before you move forward, because when you are ready, your kids will automatically follow along.I want to strongly encourage you to take a CEO homeschool planning date. I used to do this. I still remember one particular planning date — we were living in Idaho, and there was a coffee shop called Bootser's. I went up there for a whole Saturday morning and worked on things to prepare for our homeschool that year.Get somewhere you can be by yourself with a notebook and a calendar. You're not going to plan the whole year — I don't even understand when people say they plan the whole year in a day. What if your child, three weeks in, doesn't understand the Pythagorean theorem and you've got to go back? Plan an overall idea of what you'll cover each month, but the weekly details? Plan one or two weeks at a time. Life happens. My past two weeks, I had no idea I was going to spend two weeks helping my mom recover from surgery. That just wasn't what we expected. But I had the freedom and the blessing to go be there for her.One of the most important things you can do before that planning date is pray. Ask God what He wants you to do, how to plan for this year, what is special about each of your children right now. When mom is prepared emotionally, the whole homeschool changes.Charlotte Mason was having dinner at her home once and asked her guests — what is the most important thing in your home? Someone said bookcases. Someone said the cradle. She said no. Space is the most precious thing, because that will help you clarify your attitude and create a life-giving atmosphere.Mom, a life-giving atmosphere starts with you. For some of you that may mean purging the clutter. Have a garage sale before September. Maybe it means getting rid of some extra activities — even that tournament team your kids are on. You need to look and see what is really life-giving and what will make a lifelong impact on your children.Charlotte Mason said — education is an atmosphere, a discipline of life. And a mother's attitude shapes the home more than the curriculum you choose. She spent enormous time preparing mothers, not just preparing lessons.Tip #2: Create Traditions Your Kids Will RememberAlmost all of you get on social media and take a first-day-of-school photo — and those are cute, I love them too. But I want to challenge you to create at least one tradition that goes deeper than a photo.My mom took each of us four kids out for an individual back-to-school lunch before school started. I still remember sitting in a little restaurant in the mall with the windows open where you could watch people walk by. We'd go buy school supplies after lunch. I do this with my grandkids now — usually Jason's Deli because they can get a free ice cream cone with their meal.But the number one tradition in our home? Ice cream sundaes for breakfast on the first day of school. The first year I did this, my kids came to the table and their eyes got wide as saucers. Hunter, the youngest, as a senior in high school, still expected ice cream sundaes. Last year I started it with my grandkids, and they came downstairs and were thrilled — because they'd heard all about it from their parents.These weren't educational moments. But they are something my children remember. And something my grandkids are already hearing about and looking forward to.Choose one tradition this year — not ten, just one. Maybe it's pancakes shaped like their age. Maybe it's donuts with dad. Maybe it's a special prayer or a family blessing over the children on the first day. Maybe it's a lunch date or buying something new.You see, God knows children remember experiences better than lectures. In Deuteronomy 6, God created annual family traditions around Israel's calendar. In Joshua 4, they built a stone memorial so that when children asked, what do these stones mean, the parents could tell the story of what God had done.I have a memory from 50 years ago — I was in a high school youth group, we went to Colorado, we were studying Joshua, and we each brought back a small stone and built a stone memorial in the churchyard. I don't know if it's still there. But I still have that memory. That's the thing about memories. They come back and jog your mind. What experiences are you giving your children?Tip #3: Don't Choose Curriculum Until You Know Your FamilyMany of you are going backwards. You're choosing the curriculum first and then trying to fit your family into it. Instead of asking what curriculum should I buy, ask these questions first.Who are my children? How do they learn? What season is our family in? What kind of homeschool do I want?If you're homeschooling a six and eight-year-old while a two and four-year-old are running around, that is going to look completely different than when those older ones are teenagers. You need to know your family before you ever start choosing homeschool curriculum.What is your personality? Are you willing to change something if it's not working for your kids? I remember using a particular math program all the way through, but when it came to algebra, it just was not clicking for one of our kids. I changed it and found something that worked. Are you so tied to the choices you already made that you'd fit the child into the curriculum instead of the other way around?What is your family's schedule? Do you have special needs in your family? How big is your house? What is your stress level? Just because your friend loves a curriculum doesn't mean it will be right for your family.Before buying anything, write down these three questions for each of your children. What is one strength of this child? What is one struggle of this child? What do I want this child to love this year? Then buy the curriculum.Maria Montessori developed her educational ideas at the turn of the 20th century by observing children before she ever created any materials. She didn't begin with the curriculum — she began with the child and their needs. Her students became confident, enthusiastic, and self-directed learners. They had the tools of learning. They could think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly. Great educators always start with the learner, not the program.What You Actually NeedAs I've talked to hundreds of homeschool moms, I've realized something. You don't need another curriculum recommendation. What you need is encouragement. You need a community of other people walking beside you. You need accountability.So instead of asking what should we study, ask — who are we becoming as a family? What atmosphere do I want in our home? What traditions will my kids remember? What actually fits our family — not everyone else's?Those questions will shape your homeschool far more than another curriculum purchase. Moms don't need more curriculum. They need support. You don't need another planner — you need confidence. You don't need more information — you need community.If you'd like to hear first when our new homeschool support community opens — with a special founding member discount — join the waitlist at <a href="http://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/wait" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">howtohomeschoolmychild.com/wait</a>. The link is in the show notes wherever you're listening.And if you're watching on YouTube, would you please leave a comment and let me know your biggest takeaway? What is the one thing you're going to implement this week as you plan for your next homeschool year?

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What is Homeschool Coffee Break?: Homeschool Coffee Break helps you stop overwhelm and gain confidence so you know you're doing enough with your kids' education. Our top-notch interviews, practical tips & tricks, and real solutions will give you confidence in your homeschool.
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 8 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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