The Happy Homeschooler Podcast
The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a digital support group for everyone interested in a learning lifestyle. Join us the second and fourth Friday of each month as our hosts Holly Williams Urbach and Jennifer Jones discuss topics like the benefits of homeschooling, finding the right curriculum for you, navigating the line between parent and teacher, and more!
Episodes

Tuesday Feb 19, 2019
Can You Work and Homeschool?
Tuesday Feb 19, 2019
Tuesday Feb 19, 2019
On this episode of Beyond Transcripts we’re joined by Holly Urbach, long-time homeschooler. Today we tackle an important topic: can you homeschool and work? Previously, families may have had a stay-at-home parent who took on the responsibility of homeschooling the kids. Today, however, many homeschooling families have two working parents.
How can you work and homeschool?
The reality is that many households need or want to have two incomes. They may also want to homeschool their kids and do it well. Though it may feel like more of a challenge to work and homeschool, it can be done. If your job is flexible, or has non-traditional work hours (for example, part-time, working on weekends, or shift-work of several longer shifts and then several days at home), then homeschooling and work is definitely doable. Even if you have a more traditional job, homeschooling can still be an option.
When Holly’s husband worked later in the day, she worked in the morning. This worked well for her teens who liked to sleep in and took their time in the morning getting ready and doing chores. When she was home from work, they could then start their homeschooling lessons and finish later than a typical school day. When you’re homeschooling, as long as you’re hitting your state’s requirements, you can be flexible with when the homeschooling occurs. Working from home is another option for homeschooling- Holly has found this to be a good fit for her family now, as she is homeschooling her kindergarnter.
Other tips for working and homeschooling including getting organized at home and looking into enrichment programs where your child can be in an activity during the day and then you can work. There are many great options, from considering the type of work you pursue, looking at how you schedule your day, and using community support to help you be successful at working and homeschooling.
Resources Mentioned:
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Tuesday Feb 05, 2019
Understanding Student Learning Styles
Tuesday Feb 05, 2019
Tuesday Feb 05, 2019
When you’re homeschooling your kids, it’s helpful to understand as much about them and their learning style as you can so that you can best meet their needs. On this episode of Beyond Transcripts we’re joined by Holly Urbach who has homeschooled for many years and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to homeschooling and learning styles.
4 Learning Types
We’re talking about Wiggly Willys, Perfect Paulas, Competent Carls, and Social Sues. By learning about this framework of learning styles, and typical characteristics, you’ll be able to apply this information immediately in your homeschooling. We discuss some classic characteristics of these different learning styles: both the strengths and some of the challenges. Chances are, as you listen, you’ll be nodding your head as you start to see your kids (and yourself) within the descriptions of these learning styles.
Understanding these learning styles will help you choose curriculum that will best meet your child’s needs. For example, Holly had used one particular reading curriculum for reading for several of her children but found that another was very resistant. After considering his learning style and looking at the options, she found a curriculum that would likely better meet his needs. When she introduced it to him, he was excited about- it was a game-changer. Even if you can’t change the curriculum, you can make adjustments of the assignments and the way you teach so that your students are best able to learn.
When your kids are younger, you probably won’t be able to determine their learning style but as they get older, you’ll notice their tendencies. As they continue to develop, you can also help them understand that while they do have tendencies and preferences, when they enter higher education, instructors may not be as accommodating or teach to all styles, so it’s also important to be flexible.
Holly has a few suggestions for books and resources, if you’d like to learn more about these different learning styles. When you homeschool your children, you have the ability to make adjustments, so using their learning styles to improve the way you homeschool can improve the experience for everyone.
Resources Mentioned:
The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias
Making the Most of Your Child’s Learning Style by Cynthia Tobias
Get support as you start homeschooling with Smoothing the Way
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Tuesday Jan 22, 2019
How to Graduate College in 4 Years Or Less
Tuesday Jan 22, 2019
Tuesday Jan 22, 2019
College is an exciting time for students and parents, but if your student isn’t careful, they can end up in college for longer than 4 years! At first thought, this may seem fun, but when it takes longer to graduate from college, this will cost you more and delay the next steps for your student, whether that’s into the workforce or another degree of study. Founder of Transcript Maker, Matt Bass, is covering tips to graduate from college in 4 years (or less!)
Can you graduate in 4 years?
Though it seems that many students end up taking longer, you can still get a degree in 4 years, or less. However, this won’t just happen on its own because it’s very easy for students to get off track with the classes they need or the timing of those classes. These tips will help your student graduate from college on-time, or possibly early, saving money and time.
7 Tips to Graduate On Time (Or Early!)
Create a plan: Students need to know what courses you’ll take and when. Plans can change, but be aware of what the degree requires, talking with the college counselor if needed: that’s what they’re there for!
Consider your major: Choosing a major you already have interest in will help you be happy with that choice- changing majors can mean that you need additional courses which can slow you down. If students do want or need to change majors, try to do it within the same broader area of study.
Be wise with your selection of courses: Hopefully you follow tip number one and have a plan. But then, you need to stick with it. Make sure that the courses you select fulfill requirements. Electives are fun, but don’t take too many; be aware of how demanding the classes are when you plan your semester or quarterly schedule- you don’t want to have to drop classes or change plans mid-way through the term.
Don’t change schools midstream: If you change schools, chances are some credits will transfer, but not all, so you end up needing more time to make-up classes. It can also take time to get used to a new school, people, and living arrangements. Try your best not to change schools, unless it’s a part of your plan, like starting at a junior college and then going to a 4-year University.
Don’t work too much: We’re very supportive of having a job to help make college more affordable, but if you work too much and this gets in the way of taking classes or studying for them, then you’ll end up taking more time to get your degree.
Earn college credit while still in high school: Dual-enrollment is a great option, as well as AP classes when you’re in high school, so take a look at what courses might count for college credit.
Get credit for previous work experience: Depending on the work you do before high school (or even those summer jobs while you’re in college), you may be able to get credit for college. Talk with your counselor to see if any past or current work experience can get you college credit.
With all of these tips, it becomes much more realistic to graduate from college in 4 years (or less!).
Resources Mentioned:
How to Make College More Affordable
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About Our Hosts
Jennifer Jones (left) is a dedicated homeschool advocate and community leader with over two decades of experience homeschooling her eight children in Marble Falls, Texas. After joining The Happy Homeschooler Podcast as a guest, Jennifer was thrilled to join the podcast as a co-host in 2022. She hopes that by sharing her own experiences on the podcast she is able to make homeschooling more approachable for new families. She believes homeschooling is truly a lifestyle, not just an educational choice, and encourages listeners to embrace it as an adventure for the entire family.
Holly Williams Urbach (right) is a dedicated homeschooling mother of six wonderful people (five of whom are now adults). She began homeschooling in Texas in 1993 when homeschooling was not yet fully legal. She is passionate about the benefits of the homeschooling lifestyle and shares her passion by mentoring new homeschoolers in person, through the local Facebook group she moderates with other seasoned homeschoolers in her community, and by being a co-host of The Happy Homeschooler Podcast.
Melody Gillum (not pictured) was a founding host of The Happy Homeschooler Podcast. In 2025, she retired from the show to spend more time with her husband Jon, with whom she homeschooled her seven children.