JH46: Crazy Homeschool Adventures with Penny Rogers

Homeschooling is an adventure and our relationship with our kid’s trump academics. Come and chat with me and Penny Rogers where we talk all about crazy homeschool adventures and homeschooling teens.

Today’s episode of the Joyfully Homeschooling podcast is with Penny Rogers. Penny is the blogger behind Our Crazy Adventures in Autismland. On her blog, Penny shares how she is homeschooling her teenage son with autism and the rest of her goofy (her words) family. Penny is gluten free, Jesus loving momma who utilizes the Charlotte Mason approach mixed with lots of field trips. Her goal is to share her adventures with you, to make you feel better about your family, and hopefully share a tip or two in the process.

I have known Penny for a few years and love her spirit and joy. I was excited to chat with her and know it will encourage you all on your homeschooling journey.

Be sure to listen to the whole episode. This is just a small snippet of our conversation.

What is one struggle or fear you have had regarding homeschooling?

Penny struggled with the fear that her kids wouldn’t learn enough. This was compounded by her child’s Autism diagnosis.

How have you overcome it? Or are you still working on it

Many veteran homeschool moms came alongside Penny and encouraged her. Also, she realized quickly on that the relationship with her kids was a lot stronger than those families who had kids in public school.

What is ONE thing you have learned as a homeschool mom

This is a hilarious conversation about Thomas Jefferson, history and what the public schools DON’T teach you!

How do you find joy in your homeschool day?

Penny and her family find joy in reading books and focusing on the relationship they have with each other.

My big take away

My biggest takeaway this episode was another perspective on relationships trumping academics. Homeschooling truly allows us to KNOW our kids and build relationships with them. I love that this season has brought that truth to the forefront. It is interesting to see how God aligns these interviews throughout the season. The first season we talked a lot about homeschooling being hard, and how to find joy through it. The second season we talked a lot about high school, and this season has focused a lot on relationships instead of academics. None of this was planned. It just aligned perfectly with the interviews and people we had scheduled. God is SO good and I love how He knows exactly what we need to hear.

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