Ep. 129 - How to Set Up Your Homeschool Year: The Episode I Needed a Decade Ago (Part 1 of 2)

You planned the perfect first week — and by day three it was already falling apart. What actually torches the start of a homeschool year has nothing to do with school supplies, curriculum, or the color-coded spreadsheet you built in July. It's your expectations. Homeschool expert Christy-Faith, an education and parenting expert with over 20 years of experience, walks through the seven mindset shifts that make setting up your homeschool year sustainable instead of soul-crushing. 🎁 Free Resource: My Curriculum Recommendations I spill the tea! No paid sponsorship placements! Grab the list, by subject, of the most reputable homeschool programs on the market (in my opinion). 👉 Free Download In this episode, you'll learn: Why everything is hard at the beginning — even in year 15 — and the three-things rule that keeps week one from burying you Why the first weeks of school are the worst possible time to teach brand-new content How to prep before day one so your kids aren't learning new systems and new material at the same time Why your July and August plan is supposed to fall apart — and the documented brain glitch behind it How much margin to build into every single slot in your homeschool schedule Why there's no "teacher hat" to put on, and what changes when you teach as yourself Why you were always the variable, not the curriculum box Why that bone-deep week-one exhaustion is proof your brain is doing hard, honest work Sponsors: BJU Press Homeschool ✔ Flexible curriculum to fit your family's needs ✔ Biblical worldview and critical thinking built in ✔ Hands-on learning for every grade level 👉 View Samples CTC Math ✔ Get 50% off my favorite online math program ✔ Adaptive lessons so kids build confidence at their own pace ✔ Teaching, grading, and testing — all done for you! 👉 Free Trial 👉 Get 50% Off LearningRx ✔ Backed by 35 years of research ✔ Real long-term help with ADHD and dyslexia ✔ Strengthens attention, memory, reading, writing, and math ✔ Use code HOME50 for $50 off your cognitive skills assessment 👉 Get $50 Off Your Cognitive Skills Assessment Summit Healthshare ✔ Save 40–60% vs. traditional health insurance ✔ See any doctor — no networks, no permission slips ✔ Free labs, office visits, prescriptions on select plans 👉 View Health Plans & Savings Resources mentioned: Free Sample Homeschool Schedules — Christy-Faith's real schedules for every age and stage, PK through 12th: Get the Schedules Free Curriculum Recommendations — The vetted list, by subject, with zero paid placements: Free Download New to Homeschooling? Start with Episode 101 — the New Homeschooler Series is the best place to begin The Christy-Faith List — Find homeschool-friendly providers: christy-faiths-list.com Thrive Homeschool Community: Learn More Connect with Christy-Faith: Instagram: @christy_faith_homeschool TikTok: @christy_faith Website: christy-faith.com Book: Homeschool Rising 🎧 Love the show? Follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen — it helps more homeschool families find us! (00:00) - The Day That Fell Apart (02:07) - Why I Threw the First Draft in the Trash (03:41) - Expectations vs. Systems — What Part 1 Covers (05:20) - Mindset 1: Everything Is Hard at the Beginning (06:11) - The Three-Things Rule (07:36) - Mindset 2: The Worst Possible Time to Teach New Content (09:20) - Start Prepping Before Day One (12:51) - Mindset 3: Your July Plan Is Supposed to Fall Apart (13:35) - The Planning Fallacy (14:55) - Why Every Schedule Needs Margin (15:46) - Mindset 4: There Are No Hats (17:00) - Mindset 5: You Were Always the Variable, Not the Box (19:40) - Mindset 6: Go Easy on Your Kids Too (24:04) - Mindset 7: Why Week One Levels You (25:47) - Your Expectations Weigh More Than Your Curriculum (27:01) - The Recap — and What’s Coming in Part 2