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Well This Wasn't The Plan!
Well This Wasn't The Plan!
Author: Carson and Teran Sands
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© 2025 Well This Wasn't The Plan!
Description
We never expected to homeschool...but here we are! Life is funny that way, ya know?
After 4 years in public school, we've made the unexpected leap into homeschooling our 3 kids--while still working full-time! On this podcast, we're documenting the journey in real time: the good, the hard, the hilarious, and everything in between.
Whether you're a curious parent, a fellow homeschooler, or just here for the chaos, welcome!
Let's figure it out together--because sometimes the best things start with, "Well, that wasn't the plan..."
16 Episodes
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Send us a text We share the life skills that we get to teach now that we homeschool! Wins, stumbles, templates, and the small habits that build real responsibility. • moving to a new city and practicing friend-making on purpose • weekly meal planning with kid choices and a shared grocery list • kids cooking and cleaning entire meals to see consequences • balanced nutrition using a simple protein carb fat chart • kids packing their own bags with personalized checklists • family cleaning day w...
Send us a text We faced these issues head-on after years in public school with our three kids. Two full-time working parents, zero plans to homeschool, and a growing list of friction points pushed us to try something different. The result surprised us: calmer days, happier learners, and more time for the life skills we thought we’d lost. We unpack the exact moments that tipped the scale: recess cut to minutes and sometimes used as punishment, lunch rushed to the point of waste, and classroom...
Send us a text We talk through trading public school for homeschool while traveling Costa Rica, turning delays and detours into life lessons. From family pushback to new friends, movement tech to money talks, we share what’s working and what’s still hard. • why we left public school and what changed • travel setbacks as practice for patience and problem-solving • the Spartan race mixups and what we learned • ziplines, waterfalls, volcano hikes as hands-on learning • low screen, high movement...
Send us a text We make homeschool work while both of us work full time, even from Costa Rica before a Spartan race. We answer rapid-fire listener questions on hours, schedules, curriculum, reading breakthroughs, travel schooling, routines, and why we quit a co-op. • why a focused two-hour block four days works • how shift work can support homeschool • three-day and weekend-only schooling options • curriculum we use and why it travels well • early reading gains with daily micro-lessons • maki...
Send us a text We share the simple routine that lets two full-time parents homeschool three kids without chaos, and we get honest about the social tradeoffs and timing that make it possible. Expect practical rhythms, age-specific advice, and tools that keep kids learning all day without living on screens. • why the switch worked during a busy work week • curriculum fit and keeping lessons short and focused • the role of age in independence and responsibility • morning checklist, rotating bre...
Send us a text We share two months of homeschooling as two full-time working parents, the choices that made it doable, and the mindset shifts that dissolved our fear. From co-ops and Outschool to reading habits and life skills, we explain how short, focused days create more learning and happier kids. • why two hours of focused homeschool beats eight hours of school • large co-ops vs small groups for real socialization • being first in the family to homeschool and winning support • reading st...
Send us a text "Two hours a day? Impossible!" That was my first reaction when someone suggested we could homeschool our three children in such a short time. After all, traditional schools keep kids for 7-8 hours daily, so surely homeschooling requires the same commitment, right? Wrong. After unexpectedly becoming homeschoolers while maintaining our full-time careers, we've discovered the surprising math behind educational efficiency. In a classroom of 20-30 students, each child receives only...
Send us a text Curious what homeschooling really looks like through a child's eyes? This special episode features our 10-year-old daughter, the inspiration behind our family's decision to leave public school and embark on this unexpected homeschooling journey. Saylor shares why she begged us to homeschool her for years before we finally took the plunge. Her perspective is uniquely valuable - after completing four years in public school plus pre-K, she understands both worlds. When asked if s...
Send us a text Four weeks into an unexpected homeschooling adventure, we've discovered something surprising: time flies! The morning madness of rushing children out the door has been replaced with meaningful connections and personalized learning that actually work for our family. That's not to say everything's perfect. Our first co-op day brought a mixture of excitement and frustration as our kids navigated unfamiliar classes with varying levels of excitement. The transition to our new curr...
Send us a text We're discovering that homeschooling our three kids is surprisingly less stressful than sending them to traditional school, even while balancing our work as full-time accountants. • Comparing the stress of traditional back-to-school chaos with our current homeschool rhythm • Finding time to homeschool while working full-time (4 hours of work, 7 days a week) • Exploring co-op opportunities that offer community with minimal commitment • Discussing our curriculum switch from Me A...
Send us a text Two weeks into our unexpected homeschool journey, we're tackling the biggest questions we've received: "But what about socialization?" and "Can your kids still play sports?" Our children are actually socializing more intentionally now—through homeschool co-ops, park meetups, classes, and neighborhood connections—without it consuming their entire day. This intentional approach to social interaction leaves room for something we rarely had before: genuine family time and activiti...
Send us a text We survived our first week of homeschooling while working full-time jobs, and despite some bumps along the way, it feels right – like it was meant to be. • Children seem happier and more energetic compared to when they attended public school • Figuring out curriculum has been challenging – Mi Academy has pros and cons • Customizing education to each child's needs is incredibly rewarding • Oldest daughter's ADHD presents differently than teachers described, allowing us to adapt...
Send us a text We've decided to homeschool our three kids while maintaining our full-time careers as CPAs. How exactly are we planning to pull this off? This episode dives deep into our strategy for working and homeschooling! The surprising truth we discovered? Most homeschool families complete their core curriculum in just two hours daily—far less time than traditional schools require for the same material. Beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic, we're passionate about teaching practical ...
Send us a text What happens when three kids convince their full-time working parents to homeschool them? Our family is about to find out. When our 10-year-old daughter first suggested homeschooling over a year ago, we responded with an emphatic "No way!" As two parents juggling demanding careers, taking on the role of teachers seemed completely unfeasible. But as we listened to our children's experiences in public school, something shifted in our perspective. Their excitement about learnin...
Send us a text Homeschooling wasn't the original plan. As two full-time working parents with three kids thriving in an excellent public school, homeschooling never crossed our minds. Yet here we are, embarking on this unexpected journey. For us, it wasn't one dramatic event but countless small moments that gradually revealed the system wasn't serving our children. We realized we were fighting to maintain a schedule that made everyone miserable while simultaneously delegating more an...
Send us a text Ever feel like you're just managing your kids instead of actually parenting them? That's exactly where we found ourselves—rushing through mornings and evenings, always telling our children to hurry up while strangers shaped their days. We're Carson and Teran, accountants who run a business together and parents to three amazing kids. After 4 years in public education, we are homeschooling! And this was NOT the plan! Two years ago, we would have sworn homeschooling was only for...



