How to Anchor Your Homeschool in Changing Times

Homeschool Better Together with Pam Barnhill

Are you facing a move and feeling completely overwhelmed about starting over with your homeschool? Maybe you’re wishing for some sense of rhythm and comfort when everything else around you is shifting.

In this episode, I talk with Melaney Smith, a pastor’s wife and homeschool mom of three, about what it’s like to leave everything behind and begin again. Melaney recently moved her family from Stockton, California, all the way to the snowy prairies of North Dakota. She generously shares what it was like to grieve, adjust (and freeze!), and eventually discover her new groove as a homeschooling mom.

We talk about what really happens when your routines get tossed upside-down and how to handle the emotional load, the reality of creating community in a completely new place, and how tools like Autopilot became Melaney’s secret weapon during the chaos. In her story, you’ll find surprising insights about why familiar routines matter so much during big transitions and how flexible habits can truly anchor your family when everything else feels unfamiliar.

If you are walking through a big life change or just need some honest encouragement (plus a few laughs about frozen winters and missing good hot sauce), you’ll find practical help and camaraderie right here.

What you’ll learn:

• What actually happens (emotionally and practically) when you move cross-country with your family and begin homeschooling again
• How consistency and familiar homeschool rhythms can help everyone adjust after a big move
• Why planning tools and a supportive community are essential during chaotic seasons
• The basics of “Minimum Viable Days” and why these can be a lifesaver when your regular routines are impossible
• Creative ideas for adapting your homeschool to new climates, schedules, and cultures
• Why taking three to five years to feel at home is normal—and perfectly okay
• How letting go of perfection and choosing to show up faithfully brings peace and growth

Resources mentioned:

• Put Your Homeschool Year on Autopilot
• Homeschool Consistency Bootcamp
• Podcast episode on the Minimum Viable Day
• Homeschool Better Together Community

For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/hsbt42