194: How We Homeschool With Camille Kirksey

Join us today as we have a conversation with Camille Kirksey, the Intuitive Homeschooler, about what her homeschool life looks like. Fall 2022 Season Sponsors   We are so grateful to our Fall 2022 Season Sponsors. Use the links below for their special offerings:   Blossom & Root and use code HSUnrefined15 for 15% off your purchase   Outschool and use code Unrefined for $20 off your first class    Night Zookeeper for a 7-day, risk-free trial, as well as 50% off an annual subscription  LTWs    Maren: Magnetic Card Wallet Holder   Angela: Dry Erase White Board Sheets   Connect with us!  Visit our website  Sign up for our newsletter and get our Top 100 Inclusive Book List We are listener supported! Support us on Patreon Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and see video episodes now on Youtube Angela on Instagram: @unrefinedangela | Maren on Instagram: @unrefinedmaren and @alwayslearningwithmaren  Email us any questions or feedback at [email protected]   Complete Episode Transcript [00:00:00] Angela:  [00:00:09] Hi, we're Maren and Angela of homeschool unrefined. Over the past 25 years, we've been friends. Teachers, homeschool parents and podcasters. Together with our master's degrees and 20 years combined homeschooling, we're here to rethink homeschooling, learning, and education with an inclusive and authentic lens. [00:00:30] Maren: At Homeschool Unrefined, we prioritize things like giving yourself credit, building strong connections, respectful parenting, interest led playing and learning, learning differences, mental health, self care, listening to and elevating LGBTQ plus and BIPOC Voices. [00:00:51] Angela: We are here to encourage and support you. Whether you're a new homeschooler, a veteran, you love curriculum, you're an unschooler. Whether [00:01:00] all your kids are at home or all your kids are in school, or somewhere in between. Wherever you are in your journey, we are the voices in your heads telling you, You're doing great, and so are your kids. [00:01:10] Maren: This episode is 1 94, How We Homeschool with Camille Kirksey. We are going to first share our conversation with Camille, the intuitive homeschooler, and then we'll end like we always do with our lt. Ws loving this week.  [00:01:27] Angela: All right. We wanted to let you guys know before we get started about our newsletter. [00:01:30] We would love to have you sign up for it if you don't already get it. It comes out every week on Fridays. It's packed with everything for the week and a little bit of inspiration for you. If you sign up for it, you get a free gift, which which is our book list. This is our top 100 inclusive book list. [00:01:49] We're so proud of this and so excited for it. So if you don't have it yet, you're gonna wanna. Yes, and  [00:01:54] Maren: it's a PDF with links. Yeah, just click something. It's so great. We are starting something new [00:02:00] this season where we are bringing you three new sponsors for the entire fall season. We were very intentional about who we chose for sponsors. [00:02:10] We pre appreciate you taking the time to learn about them because we think they're really good companies. Also, they're giving discount codes, so you will definitely want to listen for. We're so happy to work hard on this podcast and we appreciate the financial support in making it happen. [00:02:29] You've heard us rave about out school in the past because they're one of our favorite ways to outsource your homeschool. We know that kids who love to learn don't just prepare for the future. They create it. That's why Out School has reimagined online learning to empower kids and teens to expand their creativity, wonder and knowledge. [00:02:49] Empathetic, passionate teachers encourage learners ages three to 18 to explore their interests, connect with diverse peers from around the world, and take an active role in leading [00:03:00] their. Out school has created a world filled with endless possibilities for every schooling journey. Explore over 140,000 fun and flexible live online classes to find the right fit for your family and join us as we set learning free. [00:03:18] Sign up today at Out schooler.me/homeschool unrefined. And get up to $20 off your first class when you enroll with Code  [00:03:27] Angela: UNREFINED. We absolutely love teaching, reading, and writing in ways that are creative and fun, and that's why we are excited to introduce you to Knight Zookeeper. Is your child a reluctant writer? [00:03:41] Do they struggle with reading? If your answer to either of these questions is yes, the Night Zookeeper may just be what you're looking for. Night Zookeeper is an online learning program for children, ages six to 12 years old that uses a gamified and creative approach to help keep kids engaged and focused [00:04:00] on developing awesome reading and writing skills, all while having fun at the same. [00:04:05] Some of the features we love include the educational games, the personalized feedback on writing from real tutors and the super safe community pages where children can work with each other and learn together. If Night Zookeeper sounds like the perfect learning program for your child, you can try it for free by clicking on the link in our show notes. [00:04:24] When you register it, you'll get a seven day risk free trial, as well as a huge 50% off an annual subscription. That's a great deal if you ask. We  [00:04:38] Maren: know how hard it is to find curricula that's a good fit for you and your kids. Blossom and Root is a nature focused secular homeschool curriculum focusing on creativity, science, nature, literature, and the arts. [00:04:52] Blossom and Root has been gently encouraging and supporting homeschooling families around the globe since 2016. [00:05:00] Blossom and Root currently offers curricula for pre-K through fifth grade with new levels being added in the future. Additionally, a three volume inclusive US history curriculum told from a variety of viewpoints is currently in development as of August, 2022. [00:05:18] Volume one is available for purchase, and volume two is available on pre-sale. All profits from this history curriculum, a River of Voices will be used to support story. And artists from historically excluded communities. You can find samples, scope, and sequences and information about each of their levels [email protected]. [00:05:42] You can also find them at Instagram at Blossom and Root. Blossom and Root has created a special discount for our listeners. Use the code Hs. Unrefined 15 at checkout for 15% off your.  [00:05:56] Angela: All right. Hi Mar. Hello. [00:06:00] So happy to be here. So happy. Yeah. Today we have Camille Kirksey with us, and if you are, don't already know her, you might know her from her Instagram reels. [00:06:09] Mm-hmm. That's where we found her first. Mm-hmm. . Camille Kirksey strives wholeheartedly to be honest and transparent about the transformative experience homeschooling offers, shifting the narrative of what home education can be. Since beginning to homeschool in 2013, she has helped thousands of homeschool parents by simplifying the how to homeschool learning process, making it easier, quicker, and less intimidating for newcomers through veterans A. [00:06:36] Camille is an author and homeschool mindset coach that recently launched her first masterclass for new homeschool parents Empowered Beginnings under her upcoming online coaching program for Parents Homeschool U Academy. Which launches in 2023. And here's our conversation with Camille. [00:06:57] Welcome Camille. Thanks for being [00:07:00] here.  [00:07:00] Camille: Hi Angela. It's so nice to be here. Finally meeting. I know. Finally in person. kinda  [00:07:05] Angela: in person. Person. Yeah. Yeah. This is fun. Yeah. So yeah, I first discovered you doing reels and if you're not following the intuitive homeschooler and doing on reels on Instagram, you're missing out. [00:07:19] So . So thank you for bringing that joy into my life. First, tell us a little bit about yourself, your job, your family, things  [00:07:28] Camille: like. So I'm Camille. I have three kids, teen all the way to seven. Okay. We've been homeschooling since 2013, so this is year nine for us. Okay. As you said, I do reels. That is my happy place. [00:07:44] I take all the crazy things that go on in my head and and give it to the people, and people seem to like it. Yeah. And that's just about being relatable. One of the things I really like to do is highlight things that I think we're all thinking and do it in a funny [00:08:00] way. So that's something I really enjoy. [00:08:01] What else? So I'm a homeschool mom. I run a business, a digital media Okay. Business. Where we create content. I release a book in 2020 for new homeschoolers called Coming Home, and that has turned into a new master. And next year, 2023, a digital academy for our homeschool parents where we can go and learn some things. [00:08:24] The kids get to have a lot of fun online, but we, we need to do that too, so.  [00:08:28] Angela: Okay. That's awesome. Yeah. That's awesome. I have to ask you about your reals because you have a talent for finding audio .  [00:08:38] Camille: Oh. Like, you  [00:08:40] Angela: find a piece of audio that you think wouldn't relate. And then you make it relatable. And I'm wondering like, has this just come to you? [00:08:48] Like, are you just like, Oh, I don't, I know what to do with that ? Yeah.  [00:08:52] Camille: You know, they find me. Okay. It's just, especially on Instagram, I know it's different on TikTok, Instagram, you can't really find a audio [00:09:00] anyway, so you kind, you gotta come across it, but it just happens in my head. If it's funny and I can make it work, then I do. [00:09:08] Angela: That's awesome. That's awesome. And you know what, You're also like not afraid to say the thing that other people might be afraid to say. So I appreciate that.  [00:09:15] Camille: Oh, of course. It's, that's been a gift and a curse my entire life, even as a kid. So, and my mother can attest to that. She's told me many stories of her, like looking like, Is my child about to get in trouble with some other people? [00:09:29] Let me make sure she's okay. Yeah. Cause she speaks her  [00:09:32] Angela: mind. So yeah, it's definitely a gift. It's a gift. Okay, I accept that. Yeah. Yeah. So how did you get started homeschooling and like, what made you decide to do that?  [00:09:43] Camille: So, It was a real kind of random thing. I found myself on Facebook at like two in the morning as, as one does back in the day. [00:09:54] And I saw a black woman from, I think she was from Seattle. [00:10:00] She was from No, Colorado. Denver. Okay. And she had like seven kids and they were homeschooling. And that was the first introduction I ever had. I didn't, I had never heard of it until then. Mm-hmm. , this was 2013. Wow. Okay. And my oldest was four and he was in school like a pre-K, and it was fine. [00:10:19] We didn't have any problems. I didn't, you know, homeschool as a reaction to him being at school. But when I saw her and I saw how she presented herself and I saw this freedom and just, I just was like, I like that, I want that. So I kind of started looking into it, you know, back in 2013, you really can't find like, A breath of information about homeschooling. [00:10:39] It was very basic. Yeah. Lot of YouTube wasn't happening yet. Yeah, definitely not podcast. No. And so yeah, that was kind of my first aha moment. And then a couple things happened at the school and I was like, you know, let's just try it and that, and it kind of just stuck.  [00:10:53] Angela: So you're one of those people who just decided to try it and then it worked and you were. [00:10:59] That's awesome. [00:11:00] Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. And you've just stuck with it for nine years now? Yeah. This  [00:11:04] Camille: is nine September. Yeah. It just, it, it really. Had I known about it growing up, I probably would've had it on my radar. Mm-hmm. . But we just were I guess a typical family. Everybody went to school. My parents went to work. [00:11:18] Yeah. So I didn't even know there was an alternative way of learning. Yeah. Right. Yeah.  [00:11:23] Angela: Right. And so what is your, do you have like a homeschool philosophy or what kind of homeschooler are you?  [00:11:29] Camille: I don't, I mean, I'm kind of just a go with the flow, kind of, I guess. Intuitive . Yeah. Because I just really trust myself and my kids to let. [00:11:39] To, so all of us can just kind of flow together. Mm-hmm. That's kind of how my life has been. I thought I was gonna be a lawyer from when I was little and then I had a law class in high school. I was like, Nah, that ain't, that ain't it. So I just learned like, life is gonna bring me what I need to know. [00:11:55] Yeah. I just gotta trust the process. So yeah. I'm just, that's so interest. [00:12:00] Technically, I guess I would be eclectic cause Yeah, it's just kind of rolling. But yeah, it's just flow. That's just. where I find myself always going to, and when I, when I trust it, it works.  [00:12:11] Angela: Okay. Okay. Yeah. So do you do like curriculum? [00:12:15] Some curriculum? Yes. Curriculum.  [00:12:17] Camille: I, I call it educational resources. Okay. Because curriculum feels too constraining to me. It feels like, you know, it's only one way to look at things and I look at life as the curriculum. Life is the journey. So yeah, I just pull in whatever works. It it. Okay. It doesn't have to look a certain way. [00:12:36] Angela: Okay, great. And do you guys do things like co-ops or,  [00:12:41] Camille: Oh, yeah. Yeah. We actually started in a co-op. We found it, we were one of the founding families in a co-op local to us. Look at you. Okay. When we started, and I was still working at the time, so that was very interesting cause I had Oh wow. Okay. So I had a five year old and a two year old. [00:12:56] No. He was one. Okay. And I was working from [00:13:00] home so I could like work anywhere. So we were at the co-op and it was beautiful. We, we loved it. That really worked for a few years. Okay. But since then we've done homeschool groups. Like my kids are at a homeschool group now, like a drop off homeschool group. [00:13:14] Okay. Yeah. Yeah, we do, we do like homeschool nature class. We, we get out and, and do a lot of homeschool type stuff. Yeah.  [00:13:21] Angela: Yeah. Okay. That's great. So what would you say makes your homeschool unique? And I asked this because in the last episode we did, we talked about making your homeschool unique and how you know, Every child is unique. [00:13:34] Every parent's unique. And so you gotta do what works for you. So what do you think makes you all unique in the way that you homeschool?  [00:13:41] Camille: Well, I think I, I really trust my, myself and I trust my kids and I really try to give them a say in a lot of things, even though we're not unschoolers. Mm-hmm. I really. [00:13:54] I really try to involve them as much as possible. It's kind of difficult cause my kids are kind of really [00:14:00] go with the flow kids. Like they don't have a specific thing, like, I wanna study this. They're kinda like going with whatever I do. But I think you over Yeah. Yeah. They're able to, you know, kind of narrow it down a little bit more. [00:14:13] Yeah. But yeah, I think, I think what I see out there in the homeschool community is a lot of us don't always trust ourselves and our kids. Yeah. And I think that's one of the things. Probably appeals to people about me because I thousand percent trust us to figure this thing out together.  [00:14:29] Angela: That is such, that is so important and such an advantage that you have because you're right. [00:14:33] Like a lot of people and in myself included at the beginning, were like unsure or not self-confident in what you were doing or you know, because you're already like doing something different. You know, you're already like, You know, people probably think you're weird or like, what's, what's that family doing? [00:14:52] Or whatever. So that can be hard to be really confident in yourself and trust you and your kids and that you, you know what you're doing. Yeah. And so [00:15:00] I really think that's an advantage. Is that something that's like kind of just the way you are, it's kind of like in you born in you? Or is that like, come with practice? [00:15:09] Camille: Oh, it's absolutely practice. As far as homeschooling goes me personally, I, I am just a very, I do what I and my mother can say. I, I do what I want. I've been like that for a long time. If it's something that I want to do, I'm gonna do. But when it came to homeschooling, I absolutely didn't start out confident. [00:15:25] I started out very excited and curious, but clueless. Mm-hmm. , completely clueless. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . And so I, over, over the years, I've just, I have, you know, one thing about me, I'm not afraid to try things. I don't because I, I never think I fail at anything. I just learn, Okay, well that didn't work or part of it worked, or mm-hmm. [00:15:47] So yeah, it, it took me five years. I always tell people it takes between three and five years to really, really get it, like really live it and understand. Interesting. Mm-hmm. that three are Mark for sure, but for me it was. Because I burned out [00:16:00] and I wanted quit. We were looking for school. Oh, did you? [00:16:02] Okay. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. But after that I was like, You know what, we're just gonna sell it in. And I didn't give myself an out. Mm-hmm. , you know, I said, We're gonna go, we're gonna go with this thing. We're not gonna go year by year. We're gonna go with this thing. And yeah. So after a while it just kind of stuck. [00:16:20] Yeah. Cause I'm like, well, I can't, I can't not do it. So  [00:16:24] Angela: we're gonna do. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So what did you learn in that time? Like what kinds of things were you maybe thinking or doing at the beginning that you you know, decide, you realized like, this isn't working. I need to fix it and do it a different way? [00:16:40] What changed  [00:16:40] Camille: for. Well, I jumped in like a lot of us do with, you know, buying curricula upfront. Yeah. Not, not understanding like my rhythm, not even knowing about rhythm, you know. Mm-hmm. , I did what schools do, what I went through, you know, most of us go through mm-hmm. And. A lot of that can [00:17:00] be helpful at first for transitioning mm-hmm. [00:17:02] Because it gives you some sense of normalcy, like you are familiar with that. Yeah. But over time, you know, and I know we talk about your, like finding your kids Like their learning styles. And you know, after a long time into that, I was like, That's, that's just not real. That's just, it's just not a thing. [00:17:22] Okay. It's something that feels good, but in real life we don't only have one learning style. We learn things multiplicity of ways. So, yeah. You know, I just jumped into the traditional way of homeschooling and I, I just found that. It didn't feel good. Maybe it checked off the boxes. Mm-hmm. , but it didn't feel right. [00:17:42] And yeah, I tried everything. I tried Waldorf, I tried unschooled, I tried, I went down. I did it all cuz I didn't know what else to do, you know? Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, so it's probably nothing I haven't done at this point. That just gave me the confidence. Okay, well those didn't work. It has to be something else. [00:17:58] Mm-hmm. . And once I started [00:18:00] listening to myself and learning my kids Cause it's also hard when your kids are little because they, Yeah. You know, they don't really, they can't really direct you in a way. Some kids can, but my kids were very open, so it's kind of left up to me. And that's hard too, cuz I don't know. [00:18:15] Yeah,  [00:18:16] Angela: that is such a good point that. Hadn't thought of until now that when you're, you, some people start when their kids are younger. A lot of people do. Yeah. And then so you think you figured it out or you think you, you've got this or whatever, and then your kids get older and you're like, Oh Now my child is showing me who they are and what they need. [00:18:34] And things need to change a little bit.  [00:18:36] Camille: Absolutely. It's, yeah, it's really difficult to know. I mean, and I think that's why a lot of kids end up going to school when they get older because things change. They need different things. Yeah. And. You know, you just have to try to meet them where they are. But it's hard to do when they're little because they're, you're the leader at that point. [00:18:55] Yeah. You know? Yeah. And it's hard to, you know, let them lead unless they're very [00:19:00] strong. Some kids are very, very particular and they know what they want. Yeah. But a lot of them don't. So you kind of left, I dunno.  [00:19:07] Angela: Yeah. Yeah. So what are some of your favorite resources? Do you have like one or two that you love to use? [00:19:15] Camille: Ooh.  [00:19:16] Angela: Doesn't have to be specific. You can be like YouTube  [00:19:18] Camille: or, you know, I'm a workbook person. Like, personally, I really do like workbooks. And I, I've done all types of workbooks, but I, I feel like. My kids like to know what they have to do. Like Yeah. And it's easy to say this is it, you know? Yep. But yeah, probably more workbooks. [00:19:37] They don't really, they don't really gravitate towards anything else. I'm kinda like a workbook. Make sure you read, you know, for however many minutes mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. a person. So kind of just like a mix between like, let's see what's at the library with that and workbooks, but it's not one particular. You know, I don't have a particular resource that I like a go-to. [00:19:59] It's [00:20:00] just like, this works right now, kind of  [00:20:02] Angela: thing. That's just it. That's how it has been for me too, a little bit. It's just like you find a thing, it works for a few months and then you gotta find another thing. . Mm-hmm. . There's very few things that work the whole way through. Because people change, kids change and needs change and you get bored or mm-hmm. [00:20:19] you know, you need a variety or whatever. So that makes a lot of sense. Yeah. Yeah. So what does a typical day or week look like for you?  [00:20:28] Camille: You know, honestly it's pretty boring because it's so monotonous. . I think my kids are bored a lot because we do the same thing. They just know, you know? Okay. But it's the standard, you know, we start school probably around 10, 11 ish, cuz my kids will be older. [00:20:44] They wanna sleep in.  [00:20:45] Angela: Yeah. And so you let 'em sleep in? Oh, absolutely. My  [00:20:48] Camille: oldest. Sometimes he's not up till like two in afternoon. I'm like, Oh, I forgot you were here because I haven't even seen you today, . That's many a days. Okay. But yeah, so we'll get up, get dressed, [00:21:00] you know, typical stuff, and then we'll do school. [00:21:03] School takes about a couple hours. Okay. Right now we're doing th three days a week cuz they have homeschool group and we have other stuff going on. Mm. Yeah. Okay. And yeah. And then in the afternoons, I'm normally doing my work stuff or just vegging out watching something reels. I watch a ton of reels, [00:21:20] I guess that's my research. . Well, yeah, for  [00:21:23] Angela: sure. It's for  [00:21:23] Camille: research. Yeah. Yeah. . And so our weeks are pretty, they're, they're pretty, like I said, they're monotonous. They're the same thing. We may meet up with friends, you know? Mm-hmm. , if we can do that. Or a field trip or you know, the, Definitely the library. [00:21:38] Yeah. But we're, we're just really go with the flow. Like whatever, I try to have, you know, pay attention to the schedule, but I, I'm not a slave to the schedule. I'm kind of like, we'll go with the flow kind of thing.  [00:21:50] Angela: That's nice. That's nice. So what do you, what for you is the best part of homeschooling? Like, why have you stuck with. [00:21:58] Camille: You know, I [00:22:00] really, when I used to work outside the home, I always wanted to be with my kids. Like, I just love the idea of being like going to the zoo and, you know, Yeah. Going and just hanging out. So I really do enjoy being with my kids. Mm-hmm. . But I also love that it's a second chance for me to really learn. [00:22:17] So much, so, so much. And to see things through their eyes because, and this is one of the things that I think a lot of homeschoolers have a problem with. We, our kids are different. Than us. Mm-hmm. , a lot of us, most of us grew up in the 19 hundreds. Let's just be clear and as long, as long as we, you know, continue to look at things from like the 20th century, we're gonna miss a lot of opportunities for our kids. [00:22:46] They are growing up in a different time. They have access to so much we didn't. Mm-hmm. , they have autonomy the way we didn't, you know, we. You know, parenting techniques that really give them this [00:23:00] voice. Mm-hmm. that a lot of us didn't have. So I really appreciate being, being in this modern time where, you know, maybe society wise, children aren't always seen as whole people, but there's this. [00:23:12] Movement of parents. Yeah. Especially with homeschooling. They're like, No, my kids mental wellbeing is important. Mm-hmm. , you know, how they, what they think about and how they express themselves is important. So I love being part of this movement of homeschooling that is very recent. Yeah. More modern. It's really honor. [00:23:31] Yes. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, that's, that's probably my  [00:23:34] Angela: favorite part. Yeah. That's awesome. I love that. That resonates with me so much. I agree with you. I think there is a movement to, you know, a lot of people look back with nostalgia, but especially among homeschoolers, that can be the case. But I agree that there's so much. [00:23:51] There's so many positive things about the time that we're living in. Mm-hmm. . I know there's a lot of scary things too, but, you know a lot of it is positive and if we embrace it [00:24:00] and realize, like you said, our kids are growing up in a totally different world. This is amazing for them. It really is. [00:24:05] It's amazing. And you're right, it's a second chance for us. Like yeah. We are now getting to experience a lot of these things that they are too. It's. It's invaluable, so I really appreciate that. Yeah. What is what's one of the hardest parts for you about homeschooling, if anything?  [00:24:25] Camille: Hmm. What's hard about it? [00:24:27] I guess just personally, because I guess I'm like a public figure or whatever. Just seeing people struggle with the things that I don't, I just know they don't have to struggle with, but they don't know it yet. Yeah. And I think that's probably the most difficult, like seeing how the community is changing, but it's, it's not always. [00:24:49] Inclusive and, and is diverse and mm-hmm. and supportive as I want it to be. And so obviously that's what I try to do. Yeah. Is provide that. But I think that's the [00:25:00] hardest seeing people, you know, In, in spaces where they're, they feel defeated or they can't do it. And I'm just like, Come here. Like no [00:25:09] Angela: Yeah. It doesn't have to be that hard. It doesn't have to be that hard. Yeah. Yeah. And it is really hard to know that when you're first starting out, or you're right. If you're in a space or you know, I think a lot of times you're looking around and wanting to do things the way other people do it because you don't know. [00:25:25] Right. And so that can be hard to know. Like there is a different way and it can be easier, it can be more relaxed.  [00:25:31] Camille: Right. Absolutely. Yeah.  [00:25:32] Angela: Yeah. So it sounds like where you live, I don't know, you didn't say where you live, but it sounds like where you live, you have a good comu, a homeschool community that you feel You know, is, is good for your family and that's amazing. [00:25:46] Camille: Yeah. Yeah. We do, We have access to, I mean, it's way more homeschoolers than I thought. Like when we, we first were part of the co-op. We're not with them now, but it was, it was so many families from so many different spaces and that was, I [00:26:00] was very surprised. I just didn't realize how many. Like within five minutes of me. [00:26:04] It was ridiculous. Wow. But yeah, we're kind of like adjacent to the homeschool, homeschool community. I haven't really found like a group of people. I have hand, like a, maybe a couple people. Yeah. . But online is like amazing . Yeah. But yeah, in person, it's kind of like we haven't, we've never been able to find our, our people like a group. [00:26:28] It's here and there, but not consistent. Yeah.  [00:26:30] Angela: Like you kind of have your fingers in different places, but it's, you don't feel like, And I think that's okay too. I just, I want people to know like, there isn't always gonna be a perfect community for your family. Right. There probably isn't. Right. You know, if you have that count yourself. [00:26:46] Lucky because Yeah. That's amazing. That's amazing. Yeah. Yeah. But more like, for me at least, it was cobbling together a lot of just different things and some, some non homeschool things too, like after school or evening [00:27:00] type activities too, was where we met like kids who went to traditional school. [00:27:04] Yeah. Yeah, too.  [00:27:06] Camille: So it was more, I think it's more common than not though. I mean, that's the thing, Yeah. With mm-hmm. , there's so many reasons why it's kind of disjointed that way, but mm-hmm. , I think that's more common than having like this. Yeah. You know? Mm-hmm. Especially like for me, you know, we're a secular family and we don't have like a set, like a church group or, you know. [00:27:27] Yeah. That's way. But I think that's less common that in the homeschool community to really have that set group that you could just come into and you feel comfortable, you feel belong, like you belong. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . Um, Cause I can get along with a lot of folks, but I don't, I have yet to find somewhere I feel like I belong in person. [00:27:47] Mm-hmm. . And that's just, that's really, that's a struggle. But you know, like you said, it just, it is what it is and that's,  [00:27:53] Angela: Yeah. Yeah. I think that's definitely a A way the homeschool community could grow, you know? Mm-hmm. is being [00:28:00] more inclusive and we talk about that a lot, but it is hard to be, to feel like you don't fit for whatever reason. [00:28:06] Yeah. And, or feel like you're excluded for whatever reason in a group, or just to see, at least for me, it was hard to see like a lot of other groups getting together and then feeling like you don't really belong with that group. Then you're like, I feel like you miss out. You know? Right. Especi for something with  [00:28:23] Camille: kids, you know, that's, It's okay if. [00:28:27] I'm the one that doesn't feel like a fit. I'm okay with that. But for the kids it is, it is difficult to see that because Yeah, like if you don't have, like, we don't have kids in the neighborhood and we don't, you know, so it is like, it's very intentional that I have to get out there and do it. Yep. Yep. Yeah. [00:28:43] It, it can be challenging for sure.  [00:28:45] Angela: Can be challenging. Yep. So just for fun, because I'm curious, and I always, we talk about this a lot too. What kinds of things are you into right now? Like maybe you're reading, maybe you're watching something, maybe it's music you're listening [00:29:00] to. I'm just curious if you wanna share anything fun that you're into. [00:29:04] Camille: I mean, reals, that's probably like the most fun I have in a day. Yeah. And just, you know, engaging with people online. Yep. I am doing a cohort right now with moms, new homeschool moms, and it's every week and. I love doing that. Like I, I just love getting to know people and helping them be their best sales. [00:29:25] Yeah. So that's kind of how I spend my days for the most part. And all of it's fun to me, like Yeah. All of  [00:29:31] Angela: it. . Yeah. You know, I love how you're normalizing that because I think people can feel, especially your homeschool parents or just parents in general, can feel guilty. Hmm. About the time that they're spending online, or especially like watching reels or  [00:29:46] Camille: whatever. [00:29:47] Oh, no. don't do that. , that's like, I, I just, I've always, I remember being a little kid, like, I'm not gonna be these like, stuffy adults that don't laugh and, you know, are silly. Like, that's my. [00:30:00] State of mind. I, I, I find funny things and just probably the craziest places and mm-hmm. . Yeah. Like, yeah, I don't want, I don't want, don't do that like do. [00:30:09] So, and, and I think a lot of people, a lot of women moms, Yeah. Feel like, you know, self care has to be this. Like bubble bath or spot. Yeah. No, my laughing at these reels are, is laughing. That does that for me. That's laughing.  [00:30:23] Angela: Yes. Are you on TikTok too?  [00:30:26] Camille: Are you having I am not. No. I couldn't do both. Really? [00:30:30] Angela: That's, Yeah. It'd be easy. You just like put it over there too. You just like, No, actually it's not that easy. It's cuz we're, we're doing both too. Okay. And I you. Yeah, it's not as easy to, to do both. Like you can't just copy paste. If you could, that would be, Yeah.  [00:30:46] Camille: Yeah. I, I tried that a little bit cause my, one of my friends was like, You have to get on TikTok. [00:30:50] Even my cousin, you have to get on TikTok. And I was like, No, , okay. I tried it, but it's like, I feel better, I feel more at home on Instagram. [00:31:00] Yeah.  [00:31:00] Angela: Right. Yeah. I get. Yeah. Okay. So I am curious too, something that we always talk about is, are things that we don't do. So like a lot of other people do things that we sometimes think we should do. [00:31:16] Hmm. But you know, like for example, like I don't when my kids were little, I didn't do their laundry. They did their laundry or you know, I don't garden , , you know, I love other people gardening or like, you know, I think that's amazing. If that's your hobby and you like doing that, I'm not gonna do that. [00:31:34] Yeah. So just embracing the things that you don't do mm-hmm. then you're making room for the things that you really enjoy doing. So what are. Something that you  [00:31:42] Camille: don't do? I mean, it's a lot. I don't do . I, I, I've, I've always, I've never been afraid to say no. That was probably my default for a long time. [00:31:50] Yeah. Because I don't. I'm an introvert. Like it doesn't come out like that, but I really, I really am. I really? Yeah, I believe you. Yeah. . So [00:32:00] I say no to most things. Yeah. But like you said, it is because I, I wanna, you know, really. Pay attention to the things that really matter to me in my kids. Mm-hmm. [00:32:11] Mm-hmm. . So, I don't know, like, I can, I think I say no to so much. I, I don't do drama. Like I, you know, even though I post some things that can be controversial sometimes. Oh yeah. That's very intentional. I'm a conversation starter. I want to do that. But most of the time I'm, I'm just kind of to myself, so I guess. [00:32:30] I normally, I can't even think of any particular thing I don't do, cuz there's so much I don't do. Yeah. I'm a minimalist too. Like, I keep things so simple. Yeah. Like I will say for homeschooling, I don't have a bunch of stuff. I don't, I don't find joy in keeping curricula that doesn't work or you know, just because I pay for something, I'm going to try to, I would give stuff away before I sell it. [00:32:52] Yeah. So I guess it's something I absolutely don't do. I don't hoard things just in case even I know you mentioned like earlier where [00:33:00] you know the curriculum is boring and you kind of move on and Yeah. I'm like, I don't put it on the shelf. Most times I kind of give it away because I don't You get  [00:33:08] Angela: rid of it  [00:33:08] Camille: right away. [00:33:09] Yeah, because I'm like, I'm not gonna save it. And some, some stuff. Very little. Very little. Yeah. But yeah, I kind of keep stuff real streamlined and, and moving.  [00:33:20] Angela: That's just, You're not attached  [00:33:22] Camille: to I am not attached, no. Yeah. I'm not attached to a lot of things. I'm not, I'm not even attached to the outcome of this homeschool journey. [00:33:31] Oh, I'm not attached to that. Say more about that. Yeah. I, I don't, I don't, and that's one of the things I went through a period of time where I was just binging so many, like, I guess self-improvement type books and just this really, I, I just, that's where I think my intuition really, really solidified for me, where I was. [00:33:50] I cannot be attached to the outcome of what happens. All I can do is do my best today. Mm-hmm. and whatever happens going forward is outta my [00:34:00] control. Mm-hmm. . So when it comes to homeschooling, I'm like, I'm gonna show up as much as possible and support my kids as much as I can. But what would they do with that that's on them, You know, just as adults, they, I can only. [00:34:14] Give them the best of me and they have to take whatever they can and, and go forward. I mean, that's for me, that's, that's how I don't get attached to like where they should be, what they should be doing today. Here we are. Oh, that's, you,  [00:34:30] Angela: like healthy. That's just so healthy advice and I think most people are not there. [00:34:36] I, and most people put a lot of pressure on themselves to do it right. Because their kids' future depends on it or whatever. But you know, if your kids were in school, it would be the same. It would be like, yeah, I mean, you know, this is what we're doing, but you know, I don't know what the outcomes will be. [00:34:55] It's what you make of it, or it's, it's just what's gonna happen. This [00:35:00] is the best thing we're doing right now. I'm, I'm giving you, I'm given. I'm given a good try. Yep. And . That's it. . That's all I can do. Yeah,  [00:35:11] Camille: that's I can. I know what, I don't create a separation between myself and my kids. Like, Okay, adults do it this way and kids do it this way because I don't know what I'm doing on a daily basis. [00:35:21] This. Mm-hmm. like this podcast, we can only plan so much. Yeah. We're gonna, whatever's gonna happen is gonna happen. Yeah. So adults, as adults, we practice this all the time. This jumping into situations, new jobs, relationships, all types of stuff. Mm-hmm. . So I don't know why that would be any different for the kids. [00:35:37] We don't know what's gonna happen with us. As much as we planned. I went to college, I, I'm not doing any of the stuff that I thought I was gonna be doing, you know, like you have. But that's the fun of it. Like that's where the, we talk about lifelong learning and being curious for our kids, but at some point it kind of doesn't apply to us. [00:35:55] Mm-hmm. . Yeah, it applies to us. So that's kind of what I like to do. I like to [00:36:00] not know what's coming. I'm okay with that cuz I'm. I've been okay in the past. I'll be okay in the future. It's, it's all good. It's hard to,  [00:36:08] Angela: It's such a great, it's such a great attitude. It's such a great attitude. It's like it's ideal for homeschooling too, you know, to, to just Now, put that pressure on yourself. [00:36:18] What what happens will happen. Yeah. We love learning. We're just gonna keep, keep trying, keep experiencing things and yeah, this is life.  [00:36:27] Camille: Yep. Life is the curricula. You just keep moving and that's amazing.  [00:36:31] Angela: Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for being with us today. Of course. I'm so glad that we got to talk finally, and I wanted our audience to hear from you, and so will you tell our listeners where they can find you and what kinds of things you really want them to know about that you're doing? [00:36:51] Camille: Okay. So as for mentioned Instagram, I'm on there, the intuitive homeschooler. Mm-hmm. . My blog website is the intuitive [00:37:00] homeschooler.com. Okay. So all my places are on there. Yeah. I also have the new academy that is, we're kind of soft starting. Yeah. And that is homeschool. Academy, and that's just homeschool u.academy. [00:37:16] And so like the letter you or wireless? Yes. The letter You,  [00:37:18] Angela: I'm sorry. Thank homeschool u.academy Academy.  [00:37:21] Camille: Okay. Yes. And so that's coming out early 2023. It's gonna be, it's really an online coaching type of, Thing, but it's, it's gonna be interesting. Yeah. So yeah, they can just follow me, their Instagram for sure. [00:37:35] All my  [00:37:35] Angela: fun reels, . Yep. Gotta check those out. Yeah, absolutely. All right. Well, we loved having you. Thank you for being  [00:37:42] Camille: here. Thank you so much for having me. Byebye. [00:37:47]  [00:37:47] Maren: Let's move on to our loving this week. Love Lt. Ws. Angela, do you wanna get  [00:37:54] Angela: started? [00:37:55] What are you Loving this week? Sure, sure. So I'm loving something that. I, [00:38:00] somebody in our Instagram comments mentioned and I got it and now I'm wondering if you have already mentioned it to me, . So you'll have to tell me. Okay. You'll have to tell me. Okay. But I did a real, where I talked about our whiteboard as being like one of our favorite things in our house. [00:38:17] Right. And the thing that I put all of our, like, it just basically organizes our family and it sits in our living room like a big piece of artwork. Right. Yeah, exactly. Takes a place of an artwork. Piece of artwork, , and that's okay. Right? And then somebody in the comments, maybe one of you listening, said do you have the, like stickers for your fridge, [00:38:39] And I didn't. And then I looked them up. Oh, yes.  [00:38:43] Maren: You have those, The sticker whiteboards like, Yeah.  [00:38:46] Angela: Yeah. Except it's a big piece. It's not like a post. I don't have a big one. You don't have a big one. Okay, so I got these from Amazon. It is called Mc Squares. .  [00:38:59] Maren: Love  [00:38:59] Angela: it. [00:39:00] 11 i. They're 11 by 11. Okay. And they are not stickers actually. [00:39:05] So they clinging to your stainless steel appliances. It just cl. That's so nice. Yeah, so you can like remove it. It's not, doesn't not have a sticky back. I don't know how it clings. It's magic. It's science. Yeah. Doesn't matter  [00:39:18] Maren: if, if it works, just go with  [00:39:20] Angela: it. Right? So I got two cuz we have a fridge that's like, you know side by side or whatever. [00:39:26] So there's two sides, right? Mm-hmm. . So I got two, one for one for each side. 11 by 11 is perfect size. It takes up almost the whole space. Yeah. And one says like for is for everybody to write, like whatever grocer. They want me to get great. And then the other for what we're having for dinner. Oh, I love that. [00:39:45] Yeah, it's a great idea. Mm-hmm. and everybody's using it. They're all using it to write their, their requested items. And I love it so much. I,  [00:39:53] Maren: That is so nice because what happened before, What happened before you had the list , you know, somebody's like, Mom, can [00:40:00] you add this to the list? And you'd be like, you'd be like, I'm  [00:40:02] Angela: getting groceries. [00:40:03] I'd text everybody. I'm getting groceries. Does anybody want anything? And maybe one person would text me. Back a long list. Right. . Right. And the other people would be like, Oh no, I missed it. Did you already order? And so this is like, this is just always there. That's so great. A dry erase marker, always there. [00:40:22] And they can just use it. So  [00:40:24] Maren: Yeah. And that's when it's on their mind when they're at the fridge. Right. .  [00:40:29] Angela: And it's like, well, I always kind of like, I wanted. Dry erase for our fridge, but because we have stainless steel, you can't get like a magnet. Right. You can't get a magnet one. Exactly. Yeah. So it was just like, oh, our fridge is plain. [00:40:43] Which is fine, you know, it looks nice and clean. But this was, Oh, cuz the fridge is just like, it's like in the main, it's the main attraction in the kitchen. Right? Right. Definitely. So it take, this is. Prime real estate is what I'm saying. Yeah, it is. It totally is.  [00:40:58] Maren: Prime. That's awesome. Yeah, so I love it. [00:40:59] [00:41:00] Oh, I love this idea. What I had was I do have magnetic white, little square, white boards basically, and they go on the side of our fridge. Oh yes, we have this like three inch space on the side of a fridge. Remember? You know, Yeah. Our fridge goes into this, you know? Yeah. It's a built in, right? And so we have like three inches, and so I got these three inch squares, and at each square I put, you know, I have one for every day of the week, and so I just write down what we're gonna have each day  [00:41:28] Angela: for, for dinners. [00:41:30] Maren: Okay. Yeah. Which I love too. I love  [00:41:33] Angela: it. Now I remember you telling me about that. Yes. And I remember looking at it and I don't have three inches , like ours is also built in. Yes. There's nothing sticking out. There's nothing out. Yeah. ,  [00:41:44] Maren: so, So yeah. Nothing I know. So this is great for you. I love that. I'm really happy  [00:41:48] Angela: to, I'll put a link in the show notes there from Amazon, of course. [00:41:50] So, mm-hmm. . Yeah. All right. What are you loving this week, Maren? Okay. I am loving a  [00:41:54] Maren: new phone wallet. Oh, and yeah, I'm loving it because [00:42:00] it's magnetic it. And I know this is probably not earth shattering to anyone. You've probably had phones. It  [00:42:05] Angela: actually is to me .  [00:42:06] Maren: Yeah. Well I think many people have had phones that have the magnetic phone and phone case thing. [00:42:13] The MagSafe for a long time. I just got one of these, a phone case that is mag safe and it's so nice because then I. You know, Ally Hook my wallet right to the back and I love it. I love it. It looks stylish. It's called The Hive. It's fr, I think it's called Hive. Yes. Hive. Anyway, that's the brand name. Okay. [00:42:36] And I'll, I'll, I'll definitely. Give a link to this too. But I love it because number one, it fits, it says it fits six cards. Okay. There so many of these wallet cases fit  [00:42:49] Angela: one or two or,  [00:42:50] Maren: Okay. Yeah. Or I stretch it so much. Yeah. But it doesn't work anymore after, you know, So this one says six. I don't, I've never used six. [00:42:58] I usually, I like a good four. [00:43:00] Card, wallet. Mm-hmm. . And so this one fits my cards perfectly. It's just, it fits, feels really good. And then also I just, I mean, I am a person, I know, I've known this about myself for years. I need a wallet. On  [00:43:13] Angela: my phone, .  [00:43:14] Maren: Otherwise I forget my wallet. It is just the way it is. So I've been like hooked to these wallet cases for years. [00:43:22] Mm-hmm. , I need that. I know that, but I also just absolutely love the chance to take it off every once in a while and just have a phone that doesn't have a wallet on it, even just for a short amount of time. It's nice. I really like it.  [00:43:35] Angela: I appreciate. Yes, I saw you using this and yeah, I might have to copy you again. [00:43:40] I copied you on the phone wallet thing, which I have been using for years. Right, Which has been so handy. It's so nice, but the only problem with it that I have is that I can't charge it on a, On a wireless charger. Wireless charger.  [00:43:55] Maren: Yep. Yep. It's true. Yeah. And so that's another  [00:43:58] Angela: benefit. That's fine. [00:44:00] It's fine that I don't, I'm not able to do that. [00:44:02] But when I saw your wallet, removable wallet, yeah, I kind of liked that. Now, can you like put your phone in your back pocket without snagging or It can, Yes. Okay.  [00:44:12] Maren: Yep, it works great. Okay. Yes. The material is just perfect for fitting in. Yeah, so I just, I really love it. And also the, you know, the magnet is so strong, so I never worried that it's gonna fall off. [00:44:25] That was my concern always. Yeah.  [00:44:27] Angela: That the, I would  [00:44:28] Maren: just, my wallet would just fall, but this thing is  [00:44:31] Angela: really strong. That's nice. Yeah, because I think technology just keeps getting better. Obviously because I think when I considered this option mm-hmm. A few years ago they were like sticker wallets. .  [00:44:44] Maren: Yes,  [00:44:44] Angela: yes. [00:44:45] There wasn't a magnet. And then I, so I'm just, I haven't really looked, but now that I know, I think, Cause I'm not a purse person either, I'm, I'm not gonna carry a purse.  [00:44:55] Maren: You just have to be careful and get, You do need a phone case that is [00:45:00] makes safe. It says make safe phone case. Oh really? Yeah. That allows the magnet magnetism to work [00:45:09] So yes, you do need that. Okay. But a lot, There's a lot of them. Lots of choices. There's so  [00:45:14] Angela: many. Okay. Okay.  [00:45:16] Maren: I love it. Yeah. [00:45:17] Angela: A big thank you to our three sponsors out School Night, Zookeeper, and Blossom and Root. Be sure. Be sure to check out their links in our show notes.  [00:45:27] Maren: This podcast is created and hosted by Angela C and Marron Gorse. We are listener supported. To get extra content and the Back to School summit for free with your membership, go to patreon.com/homeschool unrefined. [00:45:43] You can subscribe to our newsletter and get our free top 100 inclusive book [email protected] slash newsletter. You can find Maron on Instagram at unrefined maron and at Always [00:46:00] Learning With Mar, and you can find Angela at unrefined. Angela.