Shows / Making Everyday Magic: The Podcast
Making Everyday Magic: The Podcast
Welcome to Making Everyday Magic, the podcast where we explore the ins and outs of homeschooling, family life, and finding joy in the everyday moments. Join Shanna as she shares real-life experiences, tips, and insights on navigating homeschool with a secular perspective, making family memories, and balancing the highs and lows of home education. From practical advice to mindset shifts, each episode is designed to inspire and empower you to create a fulfilling and magical life that's uniquely…
Episodes
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastOur First Homeschool Quarter: What's Working, What's Not, and What I'm Changing
We're eight weeks into our homeschool year, and it's time to take an honest look at how things are going. In this episode of Making Everyday Magic, I'm sharing…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastMy Why for Homeschooling Has Changed After 10 Years
Why did we start homeschooling—and why are we still doing it ten years later? In this episode, I'm talking honestly about our reasons for homeschooling, how…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastIs Houston a Good Place to Homeschool? My Honest Take After 10 Years
Is Houston actually a good place to homeschool—especially if you're a secular homeschooler? I've spent all 10 years of my homeschooling journey in and around…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastWas Delaying Homeschool Worth It? Making Room for Family Life
We started our 2026–2027 homeschool year later than ever before, even with one child beginning high school. And while I was nervous about falling behind our…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastIt's Not About You: Why Your Choices Make Other People Uncomfortable
Why do people get so upset when you make a decision that has absolutely nothing to do with them? After 10 years of homeschooling, I've had plenty of experience…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastHomeschool Is Not My Identity
After ten years of homeschooling, I've had plenty of time to think about what happens when something becomes such a huge part of your life that it starts to…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastHomeschool Isn't the Answer. It Isn't the Enemy Either.
After 10 years of homeschooling, I'm increasingly convinced that we need a better way to talk about education. Homeschool can be wonderful. It can also have…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastHow I Homeschool Multiple Grades: 9th + 5th Grade
How do you homeschool multiple children when they're in completely different grades? In this episode, I'm sharing exactly how we make our 9th-grade and…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastWhat Do Homeschool Parents Actually Do?
What happens when you don't homeschool and your idea of homeschooling comes mostly from the loudest and most extreme examples? I understand the skepticism…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastI Don't Love Homeschooling Every Day: The Truth About Hard Homeschool Days
I've been homeschooling for 10 years, and I don't love homeschooling every day. I know that's probably not what you're supposed to say when you have built an…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastWhat's Next? Life After Homeschooling, Learning New Things, and Making Wigs
We're entering our 10th year of homeschooling, and with a 9th grader and a 5th grader, I'm starting to think about what life looks like when my kids need me…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastWhat You Tolerate, You Endorse: Boundaries in Homeschooling and Parenting
There is one phrase I come back to over and over again in homeschooling, parenting, relationships, business, and honestly... life: What you tolerate, you…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastI Don't Want My Kids to Have a Normal Childhood
I don't want my kids to have a normal childhood. After 10 years of homeschooling, I'm realizing that I'm not trying to recreate the childhood I had—or the…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastBuilding a Custom High School: Our Magnet-Style Homeschool
What happens when you stop trying to recreate traditional high school at home and start building an educational experience around the actual learner? In this…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastHomeschool Guilt Lives Between Idealism and Reality
What did you think homeschooling would look like before you actually started? Because I can tell you... mine did not look like this. In this episode, I'm…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastHomeschool Haters, Internet Trolls, and Why I Don't Need to Defend My Life
I recently got a hateful comment about my homeschooling, my parenting, my personality, and apparently my nose ring. And honestly? I thought it was hilarious…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastThe Systems That Keep Our Homeschool Running After 10 Years
After a decade of homeschooling, I have learned that sustainability doesn't come from doing more. It comes from building systems. In this episode, I'm sharing…
Making Everyday Magic: The Podcast10 Years of Homeschooling: What Actually Matters
After ten years homeschooling two children, I'm sharing the lessons that have actually lasted. From learning styles and curriculum to consistency…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastThings I'm Seeing That Make Me Think the Economy Is Changing
I'm not an economist, financial advisor, or market expert. I'm just a mom who's paying attention. In this episode, I share the real-world changes I've been…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastWhy Doing Less Makes Your Homeschool More Successful
As we head into our 10th year of homeschooling—and our very first year of high school—I'm reminding myself of something I seem to forget every single year: I…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastHow We're Building a High School French Plan Without Being Fluent
When we started homeschooling, I knew there would be moments where I had to learn alongside my kids. High school French is one of those moments. In this…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastThe Homeschool Problem Nobody Talks About: How We Show Up Matters
Homeschool parents spend a lot of time looking for solutions. A new curriculum. A better schedule. A different planner. Another resource. And sometimes those…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastPlanning Homeschool High School History: Making Curriculum Fit Real Life
Choosing homeschool curriculum is often the exciting part. But what happens after you buy it? In this episode, I share how I'm planning world history for my…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastThe Homeschool Conversation Nobody Wants To Have: Accountability, Progress, and Educational Neglect
Homeschooling gives families incredible freedom — but that freedom comes with responsibility. In this episode, I'm having an uncomfortable conversation about…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastThe Homeschool Curriculum Question I Stopped Asking After 10 Years
After 10 years of homeschooling, I make homeschool decisions very differently than I did in the beginning. When I first started, I was searching for the right…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastFamily-Centered vs Kid-Centered: A Parenting Perspective
What happens when children aren't the center of everything? In this episode, I'm sharing why our homeschool family intentionally built a family-centered home…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastChanging Your Child's School Isn't Failure | Homeschool, Public, Private & Legacy Online School
As homeschool parents, it's easy to become attached to educational labels. But what happens when a different path might better serve our children? In this…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastDigital Planning, High School, and the Reality of Changing Systems
After nearly 10 years of homeschooling, I'm finding myself in another season of change. What started as a conversation about digital planners quickly became a…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastWhen the Plan Changes: Homeschooling Through Uncertainty
After years of approaching homeschool planning the same way, this year looks very different. In this episode, I'm sharing how we're planning our tenth…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastThe Hidden Cost of Homeschooling (Beyond the Budget)
In this episode, I'm talking about homeschooling cost—but not just in the way we usually think about it. Yes, there's curriculum, supplies, and budgeting. But…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastWhy I'm Buying Less for Homeschool This Year
This conversation starts with homeschool curriculum and ends somewhere much bigger. As I planned our 2026–2027 homeschool year, I realized how often…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastSaying the Hard Thing: What Silence Costs Us in Parenting
In this episode, I'm reflecting on something I've noticed in my own parenting and homeschooling life: how often we stay silent in the name of keeping the…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastWhy Homeschooling Never Feels Like Enough
Lately I've been thinking a lot about overconsumption in homeschooling and motherhood — and honestly, I don't think it's really about the curriculum. I think…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastWhy I'm Buying Less for Homeschool This Year
Usually by this point in the year, I've already ordered curriculum, planned everything out, and started preparing for the next homeschool year. This year is…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastConsider the Source: Homeschool Criticism & Confidence
Homeschooling can make you feel surprisingly vulnerable — especially when everyone seems to have an opinion about your choices. In this episode, I'm talking…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastFree Homeschool Curriculum That Actually Works (Middle & High School Focus)
In this episode, I walk through free homeschool curriculum and learning platforms that work well for middle and high school students. These are real tools I've…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastDoing Less in Homeschooling Without Falling Behind
In this episode, I'm talking about something I've had to remind myself of often: doing less does not mean doing too little. We'll explore why homeschooling can…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastHomeschool Socialization: Proximity vs. Real Community
Everybody talks about homeschool socialization, but I think we're asking the wrong question. After almost 10 years homeschooling, I've realized that simply…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastHomeschool Transcripts Felt Overwhelming… Until This
If homeschool transcripts, grades, or high school record keeping have been sitting in your mental "deal with later" pile… you are definitely not alone. In this…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastPlanning Homeschool High School Without Overwhelm
High school doesn't have to feel chaotic or complicated. Today I'm sharing our homeschool high school plan—how we built it, what we're prioritizing, and how…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastThe Curriculum We Never Quit (After 9 Years of Homeschooling)
After nearly a decade of homeschooling, we've tried a lot of curriculum—but one resource has stayed consistent year after year. Today I'm sharing why we keep…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastWhy Your Homeschool Needs to Evolve (Year 10 Reflections)
After nearly 10 years of homeschooling, one thing is clear: Nothing stays the same. In this episode, I'm sharing why homeschool evolution is not a sign of…
Making Everyday Magic: The Podcast5 Secrets to a Homeschool Routine That Actually Works ✨ Simple, Flexible & Real-Life | Making Everyday Magic
If your homeschool routine isn't working, it's probably not because you're doing it wrong—it's because it doesn't fit your real life. In this episode of Making…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastI'm Pro Public School… So Why Do I Homeschool?
It's not something you hear often in the homeschool space: I'm pro public school. In this episode, I'm sharing why I still believe in public education, what it…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastThe Quiet Shift in Homeschooling (What Parents Need to Watch)
There's a quiet shift happening in homeschooling—and in education as a whole. From vouchers to AI-driven learning to for-profit models entering the space…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastPacifier Parenting: The Pattern We're Not Talking About
We keep saying kids are getting worse. But what if that's not the real issue? In this episode, I'm sharing a pattern I've been noticing—what I'm calling…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastCrash Course + Teachers Pay Teachers: My Go-To Homeschool Game Changers ✨ | Making Everyday Magic
When you're homeschooling multiple grades, finding resources that actually work matters. In this episode of Making Everyday Magic, I'm sharing why Crash Course…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastNinth Grade Homeschool: When It Starts to Feel Real
Ninth grade changes everything. After ten years of homeschooling, this is the point where transcripts, credits, and long-term decisions start to matter in a…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastFamily Anchors: The Secret to a Calm, Consistent Homeschool Routine ✨ | Making Everyday Magic
Can something as simple as a "family anchor" really change your homeschool? In this episode of Making Everyday Magic, I'm sharing how family anchors—those…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastSimple Homeschool Time Management That Actually Works ✨ From Overwhelmed to Balanced | Making Everyday Magic
Feeling overwhelmed by your homeschool to-do list? You're not alone—and you don't need a more complicated system to fix it. In this episode of Making Everyday…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastI Judged 10 Homeschool Curriculums in 15 Minutes… Here's What I Found ✨ | Making Everyday Magic
Can you really find the best homeschool curriculum in just 15 minutes? In this episode of Making Everyday Magic, I put that question to the test—sitting down…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastLetting Go of Perfect in Homeschooling ✨ Why Progress Matters More Than Perfection | Making Everyday Magic
Perfection doesn't exist — and waiting for it might be the very thing holding you back. In this episode of Making Everyday Magic, we're talking about letting…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastIs Homeschooling Really That Easy? The Truth About Homeschool Mom Burnout ✨ | Making Everyday Magic
Is homeschooling really as easy as everyone makes it look? Let's tell the truth. In this episode of Making Everyday Magic, I'm talking honestly about…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastHow I Find FREE High-Quality Homeschool Resources (Step-by-Step) ✨ | Making Everyday Magic
Ever wonder how people keep finding amazing free homeschool resources you've never heard of? In this episode of Making Everyday Magic, I'm showing you exactly…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastTop FREE Homeschool Websites Every Family Should Try ✨ Secular & Budget-Friendly | Making Everyday Magic
Looking for the best free homeschool websites that actually work? In this episode of Making Everyday Magic, I'm sharing my favorite free secular homeschool…
Making Everyday Magic: The Podcast8 Weeks Into Homeschool: The Good, The Hard & The Honest Truth ✨ | Making Everyday Magic
It's time for our 8-Week Homeschool Update—and I'm keeping it honest. Eight weeks into the school year is when the real picture starts to form. The excitement…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastFREE SAT & ACT Prep Resources Every Homeschooler Needs Right Now 🎓 | Making Everyday Magic
Big changes are happening in college admissions—and homeschool families need clear, calm guidance more than ever. 🎓 In this episode of Making Everyday Magic…
Making Everyday Magic: The Podcast9 Years of Homeschooling: What Worked, What Didn't & Why We'd Choose It Again ✨ | Making Everyday Magic
After nearly a decade of homeschooling, I'm pulling back the curtain and sharing what we've actually learned—the good, the hard, and the surprisingly magical…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastThe Dark Side of Forced Socialization (What Homeschoolers Need to Hear) ✨ | Making Everyday Magic
Stop forcing socialization. Let's talk about homeschool socialization in a way that's honest, grounded, and long overdue. In this episode of Making Everyday…
Making Everyday Magic: The PodcastIs Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts Worth It? 4th Grade MCT Level 2 Review
Curious if Michael Clay Thompson's Language Arts Curriculum is worth it for your homeschool? In this episode, I'm giving an honest, real-life look at how we…