The Christmas season is upon us and we are ready to slow down, rest and recover from another amazing homeschooling year.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank YOU, our beautiful listener, for your ongoing support. We are so grateful to have been able to connect, share and learn with so many of you this year. We are wishing you all a safe and happy Christmas!

Don't forget to listen out for our Summer Series, featuring special guests. They will be popping up over the January break!

Gemma and Holly

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Purchase our Journal Kits here

Journal Kits

Join our Journal Club via our Patreon platform here

Journal Club

We would love to answer your questions and help you share your stories.

Write to us at:
hello.sisterswhohomeschool@gmail.com

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We come to you a bit lost, as one week rolls into another, and Christmas is almost here! But we made it, and are here to chat to you about how we are wrapping up the term for our families PLUS how seasonal homeschooling is helping us realign our days.

Reports are a hot topic for both of us with January reporting due soon. Gulp!

In exciting news, the Sisters Who Homeschool Patreon platform is open from today as we slowly begin the prologue of our Journal Club. And, what a beautiful time of year to rest and reflect.

We explain the different ways you can join our Journal Club and give you a sneak peek into what will be on offer for our homeschooling community. Please follow the link in our show notes to become part of our Journal Club where we will share and celebrate all the unique experiences of homeschool life.

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Purchase our Journal Kits here

Journal Kits

Join our Journal Club via our Patreon platform here

Journal Club

We would love to answer your questions and help you share your stories.

Write to us at:
hello.sisterswhohomeschool@gmail.com

Follow us at:
Facebook
Instagram

Today we break down a hard topic - how to navigate when people are negative towards your decision to homeschool.

We share our experiences as first-generation homeschoolers, exploring why we think this is a common occurrence for homeschoolers - whether from a stranger at the shops or a close family member.

We are here to help you handle these hard moments and protect your own energy when advocating for your child and family. We want to support you as your move forward through these conversations and learn to pick your battles. Sometimes agreeing to disagree may be the only option.

Surrounding yourself with the right people who grow with you and listen to learn, will make all the difference on your homeschool journey.

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Purchase our Journal Kits here

Journal Kits

Join our Journal Club via our Patreon platform here

Journal Club

We would love to answer your questions and help you share your stories.

Write to us at:
hello.sisterswhohomeschool@gmail.com

Follow us at:
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In this episode we start to unpack some questions sent to us by you!

We have a big and beautiful question (asked more than once) around the fear that a homeschooling child may have less opportunities to 'join in' and celebrate milestones that are seen in traditional school settings.

We are here to put your worries at ease. We both discuss our experiences of being in and out of mainstream schooling and why forced participation isn't always a good thing.

Gemma reminds us to look deeper into what may be driving resistance around changing how we view participating and being included. Is it being driven by our own experiences and expectations? We take a moment to reflect on leading your homeschooling journey your own way, that suits your child's needs the best!

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Purchase our Journal Kits here

Journal Kits

Join our Journal Club via our Patreon platform here

Journal Club

We would love to answer your questions and help you share your stories.

Write to us at:
hello.sisterswhohomeschool@gmail.com

Follow us at:
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Today we are share a little bit about what has been going on in Holly's home after adopting a kitten into their family and how it accidentally became the best learning experience as they planned and prepared for his arrival. Gemma shares how a Dachshund charity sparked the inspiration her homeschooler needed to create, plan and launch a creative project to raise funds for a worthy cause.

We also have the most exciting news to share, that our very own Gemma has published her very first book! And, yes it's focused around homeschooling in Australia with co-author Dr Rebecca English!! Gemma shares an insight into the inspiration around Canaries in the Coalmine, unexpected moments and how she found the writing process.

Here is a little about the book:

Canaries in the Coalmine draws from interviews with early childhood, primary, and high school educators who homeschool, authors Dr Rebecca English and Gemma Troughton explore the ways their experience influences their understanding of themselves as both teachers and parents. Canaries in the Coalmine delves into the reasoning behind following an alternative education path, the approaches taken by home educators, and how they navigate the differences from mainstream education. This book also invites readers to consider the wider implications of this movement: what does this choice mean for schools, the community, and the teacher shortage?

Details to purchase this book are listed below. It is also available for download in eBook format.

Thanks for listening!

To purchase a copy of Canaries in the Coalmine, head to the link below

Canaries in the Coalmine

To purchase a Sisters Who Homeschool Journal Kit, head over to our website

Sisters Who Homeschool

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Purchase our Journal Kits here

Journal Kits

Join our Journal Club via our Patreon platform here

Journal Club

We would love to answer your questions and help you share your stories.

Write to us at:
hello.sisterswhohomeschool@gmail.com

Follow us at:
Facebook
Instagram

Today we chat about the wild weather of South-East Queensland and how sometimes there are learning opportunities to be found in the unexpected moments of life!

We chat about the most amazing time we had (adults too) at the Hello Kitty Cafe in Pacific Fair Shopping Centre. If you have and anime loving homeschooler, it is an experience to pop on your to do list!

Gemma talks cooking up a high tea with her daughter and how tit turned into a beautiful afternoon of learning through life. Gaining confidence and joy through cooking has to be one of our favourite ways to share our homeschooling days.

Don't forget our official Sisters Who Homeschool Journal Kits are available for purchase this week! Our kits go on sale Monday 3rd November 2025. Please head over to our website to find out more.

https://sisterswhohomeschool.com/

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Purchase our Journal Kits here

Journal Kits

Join our Journal Club via our Patreon platform here

Journal Club

We would love to answer your questions and help you share your stories.

Write to us at:
hello.sisterswhohomeschool@gmail.com

Follow us at:
Facebook
Instagram

Did you catch our exciting announcement last week? We are so excited to bringing to life all beautiful dreams we have for Sisters Who Homeschool.

This episode we look at navigating the unexpected changes that pop up through life, and what it looks like moving through these times as a homeschool family. Gemma and I share our experiences of unplanned moments that have shaped our homeschool rhythms.

Whether it be a group change, family change or a house move, there are benefits that can emerge in moving through unexpected challenges together. Adapting, learning and growing from these moments offers an unexpected opportunity to create valuable learning experiences.

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Purchase our Journal Kits here

Journal Kits

Join our Journal Club via our Patreon platform here

Journal Club

We would love to answer your questions and help you share your stories.

Write to us at:
hello.sisterswhohomeschool@gmail.com

Follow us at:
Facebook
Instagram

We have been dreaming up this episode for a very long time and are so excited it is finally here!

We begin with post-market chats and how it has become one of our favourite ways to celebrate homeschooling in all its uniqueness.

Gemma dives into how journalling has been a tool that has brought so many beautiful benefits to her life. We have both fallen in love with the process of writing out our inner most thoughts and the emotional shift that comes with it. We further dicuss how it has supported our experience as homeschooling parents and navigating this unique role.

Keep listening as we share our big plans and create another beautiful branch to the Sisters Who Homeschool Podcast. We hope this will be hugely impactful to the homeschooling community and we cannot wait for you all to join us on this new journey.

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Purchase our Journal Kits here

Journal Kits

Join our Journal Club via our Patreon platform here

Journal Club

We would love to answer your questions and help you share your stories.

Write to us at:
hello.sisterswhohomeschool@gmail.com

Follow us at:
Facebook
Instagram