Podcast · Kids & Family

Well This Wasn't The Plan!

by Carson and Teran Sands · English · Kids & Family

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 39 min
Latest: 18 May 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

18 May 2026 · 24 min

33. We Hired A Sitter To Help Us Homeschool

Send us Fan Mail We crawl out of tax season, admit why the podcast went quiet, and share how hiring a sitter became the simplest way to keep work and homeschooling from crushing us. We break down exactly how we found her, what we pay, how we structure the homeschool block, and why the “six hours back” changes everything! Support the show Our Curriculum we LOVE Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year) Follow us on IG Find Our Free PDFs! The readin...

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E32 · 10 Apr 2026 · 23 min

32. The Week That Made Us Question Homeschooling

Send us Fan Mail Homeschooling didn’t break us, but tax season almost did. When you’re two full-time working parents, the hard days don’t look like a cute worksheet moment. They look like nonstop noise, kids picking at each other, and that very real parenting thought of “I just need five minutes of quiet.” We say the part out loud that many families hide, then we talk through what we’re doing about it. Support the show Our Curriculum we LOVE Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Ste...
E31 · 3 Apr 2026 · 19 min

31. Options For Working Parents Who Want To Homeschool

Send us Fan Mail A rapid-fire list of realistic ways to keep working while you homeschool • our long planning runway before homeschooling and why we tested changes for a year • switching a business to virtual work to make home learning possible • work-from-home options and early-morning schedules that open up school time • using online school and virtual curriculum for more independence • hybrid programs as a lower-risk step into homeschooling • learning pods, d...
E30 · 31 Mar 2026 · 49 min

30. Working With ADHD Instead of Against It: Our Words of Advice

Send us Fan Mail • early ADHD signs we notice first, especially screen hyperfocus and the crash afterward • why teachers see a people pleaser while we see meltdowns at home • low frustration tolerance with hard skills like reading, swimming, biking, and tying shoes • our medication conversations, including appetite and growth concerns • natural supports we try first, including cutting dyes, lowering sugar, omega-3s, focus drops, and a balanced breakfast • why da...
E29 · 20 Mar 2026 · 23 min

29. Taking Away Recess as Punishment: Should It Be Illegal?

Send us Fan Mail We share big podcast news, a new homeschool guide we built for working parents, and what our week looks like when the kids stay with grandparents during tax season. Then we dig into why recess gets cut so often, how that hits kids’ mental health, and we answer your biggest questions about homeschooling at every age. • why taking away recess feels harmful and how often it happens • the link between outdoor time, movement, ADHD, anxiety and school burnout • ...
E28 · 13 Mar 2026 · 54 min

28. Capable Kids: Chores and Homeschooling

Send us Fan Mail We juggle tax season, a broken leg, and a new homeschool rhythm while trying to build a house where everyone contributes. We share the chore routines that finally work, why we treat chores like teachable skills, and how teamwork language changes everything. • using a simple structure of daily chores plus laundry days plus a weekly family cleaning day • handling pushback, slow progress, and imperfect work without giving up • motivating with Fun Friday so fun follows follow-t...
6 Mar 2026 · 33 min

27. A 10-Year-Old Explains Why Homeschool Works (After 4 Years in Public School)

Send us Fan Mail We ask Saylor—the spark behind our homeschool switch—to answer your questions about slow mornings, ADHD-friendly learning, real social time, sports, screens, chores, and why she never wants to go back to public school. Two focused hours, long outdoor play, and a simple structure turned our evenings from chaos to calm. • why we chose two-hour school blocks and more outside time • why homeschool supports ADHD • the case against taking away recess • sports that feel fun when yo...
E26 · 27 Feb 2026 · 44 min

26. Public School Reality From A Teacher - Part 2

Send us Fan Mail We talk with Megan, a public school teacher preparing to homeschool, about curriculum realities, the third-grade shift to screens, the limits of standardized testing, inclusion’s classroom impact, and the persistent myth of socialization. The goal is not to bash schools but to equip parents with clarity, options, and courage. Make sure you subscribe! Support the show Our Curriculum we LOVE Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year) Foll...
E25 · 19 Feb 2026 · 39 min

25. Why A Public School Teacher Chose Homeschool And What She Wants Every Parent To Know

Send us Fan Mail We bring on Megan, a Texas elementary instructional specialist and former classroom teacher, who explains why she’s leaving the classroom to homeschool and what parents don’t see day to day. We compare school as it is with what kids actually need—sleep, protein, movement, and long blocks of unstructured play. • why a veteran teacher chose homeschool now • how tech in early grades shapes attention and behavior • full-day kindergarten, lost naps, and rushed lunches • sugar-hea...
E24 · 11 Feb 2026 · 24 min

24. Our Homeschool Curriculum and Why We Love It

Send us Fan Mail We share how we chose our homeschool curriculum and the pros and cons! • why pencil-and-paper • how open-and-go lessons cut prep to zero • placement tests and mixing levels by subject • free downloads and what to try before buying • high standards • family-style subjects • using short videos for independence • skipping repetition and replacing boring readers • pricing, value, and when to print instead • layering tools like journals, Time4Learning, Night Zookeeper, and ...
E23 · 2 Feb 2026 · 33 min

23. What Surprised Us the Most About Homeschool

Send us Fan Mail We share what shocked us about homeschooling as two full-time working parents: the time it takes, how fast kids learn one-on-one, and why our home feels calmer and happier. From tackling gaps in handwriting and grammar to an ADHD breakthrough, we lay out what actually worked. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss a single podcast episode! Support the show Our Curriculum we LOVE Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year) Follow us on ...
E22 · 19 Jan 2026 · 34 min

22. 2026 Goals + Keeping the Kids Busy While We Work!

Send us Fan Mail We trade the post-holiday slump for a simple “goals time” system that gives our kids clear daily reps and gives us reliable work blocks. Short, intentional practice drives Spanish, piano, and sports progress while we scale our accounting workload through tax season. • juggling homeschool with a 42-hour workweek and seasonal peaks • setting kid goals with specific daily reps and clear time limits • choosing fewer goals and ranking priorities to avoid overload • using a checkl...
E21 · 5 Jan 2026 · 48 min

21. Technology in Schools and Education

Send us Fan Mail We push past holiday overload to unpack a big question: what happens when schools move all work onto screens, and what do kids lose along the way. • school device policies and filter workarounds • screen time displacing handwriting, grammar and composition • our guardrails: shared computers, short videos, supervised access • targeted skills: typing, file basics, safe browsing • summer plan: light year‑round learning to prevent slide • choosing electives with limits, O...
E20 · 15 Dec 2025 · 45 min

20. We finished our FIRST semester homeschooling + working!!!

Send us Fan Mail We finish our first semester of homeschooling and share what worked, what didn’t, and how we balanced real jobs with real learning. Honest wins, hard pivots, and a few surprises changed our mornings, our kids’ confidence, and our plans for next term. • routine that protects work blocks and quiet hours • pen-and-paper curriculum improving writing speed and focus • testing revealing gaps • tailored pacing for Slate’s math acceleration • life skills growth in cooking, cho...
E19 · 8 Dec 2025 · 35 min

19. Bumps in The Road

Send us Fan Mail A holiday road trip, a house full of flu, and deadlines stacking up—then the realization that our “get back on track” grind was making everything worse. We decided to slow down, skip a day when fevers hit, say yes to hot chocolate and a matinee, and rebuild our rhythm around what actually makes our family feel good. The shift was simple and powerful: less pressure on perfect routines, more focus on presence, movement, water, sleep, and small, consistent moments that keep us c...
E18 · 1 Dec 2025 · 27 min

18. Homeschool, Holidays, and Why This Year Feels Different

Send us Fan Mail We unpack why we chose homeschool over private school, how we juggle work with learning, and what actually changed in our home life. From winter routines to Outschool wins and cutting December chaos, we share what’s working, what isn’t, and what we’re adding next. • letting go of pressure during holidays and keeping daily reading • handling family reactions and setting screen boundaries with cousins • adapting routines for cold, windy weather and morning focus • accelerating...
E17 · 24 Nov 2025 · 53 min

17. Leaving Public School the Million Little Reasons Why (Replay)

Send us Fan Mail EPISODE RERUN FOR THANKSGIVING BREAK! We walk through the million little reasons we left public school to homeschool three kids while running a business, trading rushed mornings and rigid schedules for slower starts, focused learning, and family time. Nothing against teachers; this is about fit, values, and the lives we want to build. Support the show Our Curriculum we LOVE Homeschool + Working Parents Guide (The Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Year) Follow us on IG&nb...
E16 · 17 Nov 2025 · 41 min

16. Life Skills We're Working On: Part 2!

Send us Fan Mail We share how better sleep, steady routines, and clear expectations made our homeschool days calmer and our evenings useful. Then we dive into kid goal setting, phone etiquette that starts with us, and everyday choices about cleaning products and food that keep balance and sanity intact. • shifting bedtimes to protect 10–12 hours of sleep • using mornings with purpose and avoiding late-night creep • turning big goals into small daily actions • letting kids’ interests drive ef...
E15 · 10 Nov 2025 · 59 min

15. Life Skills We're Teaching Our Kids - Part 1

Send us Fan Mail 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...
E14 · 3 Nov 2025 · 47 min

14. Our Public School Betrayal List

Send us Fan Mail 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 classro...
E13 · 27 Oct 2025 · 36 min

13. Your Questions Answered!

Send us Fan Mail 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 moveme...
E12 · 20 Oct 2025 · 34 min

12. Hello from Costa Rica! Homeschool On The Road

Send us Fan Mail 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 • ma...
E11 · 13 Oct 2025 · 40 min

11. Keeping the Kids Busy While You Work! Our Tips!

Send us Fan Mail 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 b...
E10 · 6 Oct 2025 · 34 min

10. Thinking About Homeschooling? Here's What You Should Know!

Send us Fan Mail 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 ...
E9 · 29 Sep 2025 · 38 min

9. Yes, You Can Homeschool in 2 Hours!

Send us Fan Mail "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 on...
E8 · 15 Sep 2025 · 41 min

8. ADHD and Homeschooling: Our 10-Year-Old's Perspective

Send us Fan Mail 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...
E7 · 8 Sep 2025 · 47 min

7. Choosing Our Hard: New Co-op, New Curriculum, and a Lot of Change!

Send us Fan Mail 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 cu...
E6 · 1 Sep 2025 · 44 min

6. Changing Our Curriculum + Week 3 Update!

Send us Fan Mail 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...
E5 · 25 Aug 2025 · 36 min

5. Hot Topics: Socialization + Sports

Send us Fan Mail 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 activi...
E4 · 18 Aug 2025 · 1 hr 18 min

4. We Survived Our First Week Homeschooling + Working! Here's How it Went!

Send us Fan Mail 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 ada...

About Well This Wasn't The Plan!

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..."

Well This Wasn't The Plan! is a English kids & family podcast from Carson and Teran Sands. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Carson and Teran Sands
Language: English
Category: Kids & Family
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 39 min
Latest episode: 18 May 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1832360658

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