100 Episodes In: The Journey of Bringing Education Home
Bio - Kristina and Herbert have been together for an incredible 33 years. From the moment they met in college, their love was undeniable. Kristina followed her passion into teaching for 27 years while Herbert followed his into business and entrepreneurship. Drawing from their knowledge and expertise in diverse fields, they have combined their life experience to create Vibrant Family Education and the Bringing Education Home podcast. They’re committed to helping families strengthen relationships by reimagining the education of their children and giving parents the tools necessary for creating Happy, Healthy and Successful children for better communities and a better world.
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Podcast website: https://bringingeducationhome.com
Celebrating their 100th episode, the hosts reflect on the journey of their podcast, "Bringing Education Home," and what it truly means to them. The name itself symbolizes a shift from traditional schooling to a more holistic approach to education that embraces the whole family’s learning experience. They share insights about their unique interviewing process, emphasizing the importance of vetting guests to ensure that the information shared is both relevant and beneficial to their audience.
As they discuss their favorite topics and the joy of learning from diverse guests, they highlight the value of making education a good fit for each family. With a playful tone and a sense of gratitude, they look forward to the future, hinting at exciting changes and new guests in the upcoming season.
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Copyright 2024 Kristina & Herb Heagh-Avritt
Hello. And today I have the pleasure of introducing her favorite co host of Bringing Education Home.
Herb:And I have the pleasure of introducing Kristina Heagh-Avritt, co host of our podcast, Bringing Education Home. And Today is our 100th episode. And so we thought we would do a little something different.
We're doing this completely off the cuff, no notes, but we're just going to be talking a little bit about our podcast and why we do it and what we've been finding.
Kristina:Where did that name Bringing Education Home come from?
Herb:Wow. That. That, you know, names are a different thing for me.
So we spent quite a few time while trying to come up with this, and we wanted to separate it from homeschool, because what we talk about isn't really homeschooling. And. And when we came up with Bringing Education Home, it just.
It just fit so well with what we're trying to do, because it's not bringing school home, and it's bringing education home because the parents get an education through this process, the children get an education through this process. So it's. It's a full learning for the. For the whole family. And so Bringing Education Home was what we came up with.
Kristina:I remember your mom. She was so amazing.
As we started coming up with names and different things like that, she would actually write them down on pieces of paper, and then she would doodle and scribble around the edges with stars and hearts and different things.
And so we had several different versions of our name, and she put those on these special pieces of paper around the house, and we got to see them and really internalize them. And, yeah, Bringing Education Home was just the name that fit everything.
Because as we're talking about this education, education for us isn't academics. It's not reading, writing, math. It's that whole child, that whole person like Herb was talking about.
And in the podcast, it's for the parents to help with all of that.
Herb:And if you're here and you've been listening to our podcast, you know that we are about Bringing Education Home. It's not about schooling. This podcast isn't just about schooling. We've had so many different guests and so many different things to talk about that.
It's just been amazing how much learning we've done. So that's.
That's one of my favorite parts of doing this podcast, is the times where I've learned something new, and there's been times where we've had people on that is like, wow, I really don't agree with what this person's talking about. But after learning more about it, hearing more about it is like, okay, I really can see how that helps, and I can understand that more.
And while I was always kind of opposed to this concept, after hearing how it changes lives and hearing how it worked is like, wow, I really wish I'd been able to incorporate that a little more in what we were doing.
Kristina:And the other part of that is that even though it's not a good fit for us, it might be a good fit for another family.
And that's one of the things we talk about as well on the podcast in everything that we do, is that you need to make sure that education is a good fit for you and your family, what works well for you, what really helps your family grow and shine. So that is also super amazing that even though we might not 100% agree with someone, we can see the good.
We can pick out the nuggets like we say, and take them and use them in a great place. How do we get our guests?
Herb:I have no idea.
Kristina:Exactly. And so why did I ask you that question?
Herb:Probably so I could point out that you get the guests and you do the work behind the background.
So she really does go out of her way or go above and beyond to talk to and vet the people for our podcast, and I just get to show up and have the fun part, an interview. So there's a lot of times where I have absolutely no idea what we're going to be talking about before this starts.
And I'll hear about it, like, two or three minutes, I'll read through the bio, and I'll come up with questions, and then we just go.
Kristina:But that's also your strength is knowing how to ask questions on the fly or going deeper on something whenever we need to go there.
Herb:Right.
Kristina:So even though I've done the background and the research and I update him, he knows how to take that conversation to a really great level. So he's. He's downplaying his role. He does it so much more than just showing up. But, yeah. Where do these guests come from? How do we. How do I vet them?
What is this process?
Because part of this is, you know, when you're hearing information, you have to be critical yourself, making sure that you either resonate with the information or you understand where the information came from and that it is not only a good fit for your family, but that it is accurate to the best of our knowledge. So most of the people that we have on our podcast are people that I've met through different summits, different Podcasts.
I've been on different networking events. I'm in several parenting groups, right.
And I go and visit very different homeschooling and education websites, as well as Facebook groups and things like that. And so these people, every single person, has to have a face to face meeting with me before I will let them come on the podcast.
So it is my complete intent that we're giving you as accurate of information as possible or information that is super helpful.
So as I am talking with them and making sure that they're a good fit, we also do talk a little bit about what we can't, which direction we kind of want the show to go.
And we make sure that we know each other, that they're a good fit for us, that they understand that homeschooling is one of our passions at really making sure our families grow and thrive as a passion, and that whatever they're doing and bringing to our show is something that will help families. Right? So that is something. And that's actually been changed since the beginning of our podcast.
When we first started, way back in episode 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, et cetera, we were actually interviewing entrepreneurs as well as education and family experts.
And we shifted away from the entrepreneurs because even though that was super helpful, we really wanted to make bringing education home a resource for parents on when they have a topic or a concern that they would like to know more information about.
So we are doing our best to make sure that you are getting great information every single time and that we, you know, are bringing things that are helpful to you.
Herb:So what is something that you necessarily don't like about our podcast or you have issues with? Because. Because I, I have a pretty cool answer for that. So I just, I just kind of want to hear what, what you think.
Kristina:I love our podcast.
I love sometimes that we could maybe go longer, but then I know the whole rules around, not the rules, but what a lot of people say is that, oh, if it's past a certain length, people won't listen or they get broken up, especially our. So I try to keep it a little bit on the shorter side. And he's always like, oh, let's make it go longer.
So that's something that we as we as a team are working on kind of getting a consistent thing there. The only other thing is promotion. I really, really wish more people would find this.
I really wish more people would know what we have here and how we're helping families. Because that's the hard part is getting the word out there. Sometimes.
Herb:A little More personal to me.
I used to watch other people's podcasts, and they would have a guest on that had something that I had agree with, and then they would have a guest on that even they wouldn't necessarily agree with.
And then several days later, I would be watching them again, and they would have discounted all of the stuff from their previous expert who was like, you just heard from this guy. So we've had so many different experts on and so many different things that there are times I wish I could go deeper.
It's like, wow, I understand that. I want to go deeper. I want to learn that. We've been invited to classes to go deeper.
And sometimes it's like we just don't have the time because we have so many different amazing people on that. It gets overwhelming how much stuff we realize that even we still have to learn that we want to learn.
And to just pick a couple to go deeper on is a daunting task because next week we have another expert, and the next week we have another expert, and it's like, wow, I want to. I want to learn more about this. But then we have another expert. It's like, wow, I really want to learn more about this. And so sometimes it's.
It's overwhelming how much I want to go into different topics and finish reading books and go deeper into something, but then we're off and running to the next. And that's one of the things that we actually try and talk to parents about, is like, no, keep it really simple, Start small, build up. But.
And it's like, take one idea, work that in, take the next idea, work that in, maybe take a couple of weeks. But here in the podcast, because we're doing so many so often trying to.
Kristina:Get you guys good content every week, it's.
Herb:It's not very easy for us to. To adopt and to dig into some of these topics that.
That we find interesting, because it's like we have the next topic coming up, and to bring you the show, we have to keep going.
Kristina:Yeah, exactly. And, you know, that's the beauty of being at episode 100. And they're there for you.
You can go back and listen to them as many times as you want, as much as you want. You can find something that you want to dig in.
That's why we bring some of the experts and we always give you that contact information because we are not knowledgeable what everything.
We have our specific place of beginning homeschoolers, and then we want to make sure that the families get the support they need through all these other different things. Yeah. So what's one of the things that has been the most fun?
Herb:Fun. Okay, so this isn't necessarily the most fun, but we always have a slightly off screen partner here. So she's really, really good.
Is while the podcast is going on. But as soon as we say goodbye, she just always gets up in my face.
Kristina:So those of you who are only listening, he is holding up our little cute dog, Velvet. She is a little black dog, about eight pounds.
Herb:And most of the time she sits very calmly in my lap and is there through most of the podcast. Look, we got a thumbs up from, from, from you moving. Moving my hand like this. And she is really, really just quiet and calm.
But every once in a while you'll see her head pop up, you see old tarot pop up, and you'll see Christina like squish her down or see me squish.
Kristina:So you have to go over to YouTube for all those little Easter eggs to find.
Herb:But she's almost, she's in my lap for almost every single one of these. And you know, just in case you're wondering, because sometimes at the end of it she'll pop up and the guests will be, ooh, ah, look at that.
But you know, she's always here. Our other dog is actually just behind the screen looking at us, waiting for us to be done. And so, yep, I picked her up and she got a little loving.
Now she wants more.
Kristina:Yeah, so that's not. Okay. The most fun, but most interesting maybe I think the most fun is the way that our guests come on.
And lots of times they're really hesitant because they're like, there's two of you. How am I going to handle talking to two of you at the same time?
And it's one of those things that we've just realized throughout our marriage, through our experiences, etcetera, that most of the time it's not 100% great, but most of the time we know how to give each other the space and not talk over each other and things like that. And even when we go on summits and other podcasts, that the person who's interviewing us is kind of the same way.
It's like, oh my gosh, how do I talk to two of you? And so we always just say, just talk to us as one person and then we'll pick up who. Whichever part needs to be picked up.
Herb:Yeah, that's something that I've said for a lot of times, is there's actually three people sitting here. There's Christina, there's Herbert, and then there's us. And we, we are a unit and we are the same person, but, you know, she's her. I'm me.
But we are also a we. And that really comes across in a lot of the stuff that we do.
Kristina:It does, absolutely. And we each have our experiences, which also helps our bring our podcast into a deeper place. Right.
Because our tagline is both inside and outside of the box. Right. You'll see our. Oh, our brand new folk. I'm sorry, I just lost it. Our brand new cover art.
Make sure that you go check out how our cover art has changed. And that tagline is right down there on the bottom, both inside and outside of the box.
So as a season two launch, as episode 100 done, moving on to 101, which is going to be season two, episode one, brand new cover art heading out there. So make sure you go check that out as well.
Herb:So another kind of a fun thing is when we do events like Potapalooza or Health Wealth Wisdom, where we have a whole lot of people that we're interviewing, because sometimes we get set up with interviews with people that we haven't met beforehand. We have no idea what they're going to talk about. And they'll come on and it's like, oh, this is. This is what I do. You talk about education.
I don't know how I'm going to fit into, into what you do. And then within a couple of minutes of talking with us, they're like, wow, that really is about education. Wow, this really is about families.
And so working, talking with people is like, you think, wow, this, there's no connection here. And then through the questioning, through curiosity, suddenly it's like, wow, I really do have a lot to bring to families.
I really do have a lot to bring to education and how to educate children. And that's a really fun thing to. To be like, wow, I don't know how this is going to work. And suddenly it's working.
And those actually sometimes turn out to be some of the best, best episodes because the realization and the excitement is like, wow, I really am good at this. And I understand now how I can, like, you know, I guess entrepreneurs branch out and talk to other people and make more of an impact.
Kristina:So big hint here, bonus episodes from Potapalooza will be dropping in the next month or so because we just did that and we just had, like, three of those people do that exact same thing. I'm not sure why we're matched up to talk and then once we started talking, it just flowed and it was gorgeous.
And I absolutely love all the tips and hints from real life perspective. Right.
That's the other thing that we really try to bring with the podcast is that they're bringing in their real life experiences, their real life perspective, and then how things have changed or gotten better or those ups and downs. Because as we all know, as parents, as business people, as humans, we have our ups and downs, we have our good days, we have our bad days.
And it's really amazing to see that shift, that change, those beautiful things that happen as you're learning to strive and be better.
Herb:Yes, yes.
Kristina:All of that.
Herb:All of that.
Kristina:So as we were talking about, this is episode 100. We are officially closing season one. So you'll start seeing that naming and things be a little bit different for season two, for the next hundred.
So basically I'm going to do seasons as 100 at a time, which is basically about two. No. Yeah, about two years, because we try to drop one per week, but we are actually over 100 episodes because we have six bonus in the queue, so.
Or the six bonus on the screen. So we actually have one hundred and six already published. And we will be doing the next season, season two, starting with that one.
Herb:Yeah. So why did it take us so long to switch from season one to season two?
Kristina: e would just continue on just:Kind of like your lives when you do them, they just have sequentially ordered. And then I thought, well, you know what, maybe it's time to shake it up a little bit. Let's get a new podcast cover.
Let's talk about some different things a little bit. Let's just make season two. So maybe it'd be easier for people to find episodes as well.
Herb:Cool. What do you. What is your favorite topic when we're, when we're going through this because we've talked with so many different people. Right.
And so many different things. Sometimes it's like you get really excited and I don't get to say very much during.
During a thing because it's like you get focused in with the person. So what are your favorite topics and things to talk about?
Kristina:I think reading is absolutely one of them that I love talking about because I love teaching reading in my classroom. I love working with kids learning how to read.
And it is so vital for all of us adults and little people to make sure that we have good reading skills. So reading is one of those topics. If you pull on a reading expert, we can just go and go and go and go and go.
And unfortunately her just kind of sits here and goes, not sure I got all of that. But then he comes in with these great questions like, well, as a parent, I didn't understand that term.
Or as someone who isn't, you know, know how to teach reading. Explain that piece a little bit more. So that's super, super helpful. Like I was saying before, what about you? What's one of your favorite topics?
Herb:I, I like the stuff that gets into, let's call it the woo world. That really out of the box stuff. When we start going into energies and vibrations and meditations and becoming human again.
Because, you know, so many people think that, that life is about the job and the school and all of this stuff, but life is what happens underneath of that. It's, it's the being human. It's the, it's the being in the body. It's, it's the coming back into that. Because we're here to have experiences.
We don't, we don't come to this planet to get a job. We come to this planet to be here and have experiences. And so, so, yeah, and connect with other people.
So, so those that bring us back into ourselves bring back the humanity instead of it just being a class, just being a lesson, just being a job, just being this, it's like, no, there's a human being doing all of that. And so again, it kind of goes back into the diet, into the meditation, into the movement, into the stuff that, that brings us back to being people.
Kristina:And that meaningful communication that we're trying to have through the podcast around the podcast with our families as well. That's super meaningful communication.
Herb:Yeah. And I also really like the stuff around diet.
Even though I don't necessarily necessarily have a great diet all of the time that is just so important to healthy people. And, and so we, we actually have quite a lot of, you know, nutritional specialists coming at it from different ways.
And, and those, those are good because, you know, nutrition, there's a lot of people who, who have a lot of problems with that. And it can settle the families, it can settle issues. If you get the nutrition right, then a lot of problems go away.
Kristina:Exactly. What was one of the, I don't know, kind of off topic or out of the box episodes that we've had recently that you remember? I'm Trying to have.
Have them pop into my head as well.
Herb:Well, it's kind of funny when I. When I talk about the weird stuff that we talk about. The one that that comes up most is, was, I think, Nikki Golly, when we were talking about poop.
Kristina:Yeah, it'd be so much fun because.
Herb:It was just such a. But we've had so. So many amazing ones and. But. But. Yeah, just talking because. Because I kept throwing in lots of double latches.
Because that was a really crappy conversation.
Kristina:Exactly.
Herb:Yeah, that.
Kristina:Yes, exactly. But then we've had our nature expert and we've had our.
Herb:Oh, the sensory garden.
Kristina:Sensory garden, yeah, that's. Oh, that one hasn't been. Has that been released? That one might not have. I don't know. You might have. You might have given one away. No, just kidding.
It's all awesome. And we are learning.
We're diving more into supporting families who might be a little bit medically fragile or have a child who has huge education challenges. So we're supporting autistic families right now.
And so one of the episodes that we just had was about a spelling method that helped a nonverbal child person become verbal and share what's actually kind of like stuck in their brain. So those kinds of things are super, super exciting to me.
Herb:We've also brain with people who are already homeschool schooling and who had issues and then they started homeschooling and they were just amazed at what happened and how their families come together.
So I really love to talk with people who are already doing what we're helping people get involved with because we really hope that that inspires people to take that step because, you know, it does seem scary. It does seem. And so many people were like, oh, yeah, I want to homeschool. Oh, yeah, I'm going to do this.
And then when it comes time to actually do it, they, like, back out and it's like they get scared or frightened and it's like, no, we really want to encourage people that they can do it.
And so part of all of this, and maybe it's because they also get overwhelmed with how much information is out there, but again, we help break it down. We help make it simple. We take you step by step through the process.
Kristina:Exactly.
And that is one of the shifts for season two, is I really want to start balancing between expert information that will help them families, and then bringing in other people who have homeschooled and give you their experiences and things so you can see what's going on and what's happening with that. So a little bit of a shift there in the kinds of episodes you'll be seeing as season two starts to unfold.
Herb:So the autistic one that was, did come out. Just.
Kristina:That was exactly. That was episode 98. Yeah. With David. Yep. And then we had another David that we're going to be talking that will be released here really soon.
Actually, he was just released in 99. So we had the two Davids back to back. I forgot about that. 98 and 99. But I don't want to just name certain people.
I am so grateful, so happy, so blessed for all of the 100 people who have been on our podcast. Well, 100 plus and all the people who. Especially this last half because we did a wrap up at episode 50 with the first 50 people.
And this episode we literally want to make sure that we're tagging and, and highlighting those people who were on for this last set of 50. So thank you, absolutely everybody, every single guest who has been on. Thank you audience for listening. We are growing.
Our staffs are getting better, which is amazing. And like I said, just share it out. There's somebody out there who this podcast is a good fit for.
Herb:And you know, another thing that I know that you're really excited about but didn't come up yet is how far away we get people.
Kristina:Oh, yeah, that's been so much fun.
Herb:So we are, we are an international podcast. We've had people from several other different countries.
Kristina:Yes, Germany and oh my gosh, Spain and of course Canada, our lovely neighbors up north. We get a good crew from there. But then we also had a lady from. Oh, it used to be the Czech Republic and now it's.
Herb:Oh, I don't remember.
Kristina:I don't know either. No, not quite. But we are an international podcast and. Well, I, I don't want to embarrass anybody, but when someone comes on with a nice accent.
Oh yeah, Australia, Scotland. We've had a couple. Yeah. Different places, different.
So when people come on with accents, I always have a lot of fun because I love listening to the accents and I'm not trying to be rude or politically incorrect there, but it's just amazing that how parents and experts from around the world can talk to our American audience as well and still get some really great information out of them.
Herb:And from where we're from in the Pacific Northwest, we are considered to have the least accented speech anywhere in the world. So our accent is non accent. So it's actually kind of funny.
Kristina:Yeah.
Herb:So, you know, a Lot of voiceover actors and stuff come from this area because we do speak. Speak with. With the least amount of accent of anybody.
Kristina:Okay, a little bit of future. Future pacing here. What is your hope and dream for the next 100 episodes? Is there anything that pops into your head that. What about this?
Herb:Wow. I would like to talk to some of the really big names out there, like the people that were almost too embarrassed to ask.
I would love to be able to talk with Jordan Peterson, but he seems so much out of. Of out of our league. And I, you know, I consider myself, you know, an intelligent person, but listening to him sometimes makes me feel not so much.
And. And so to have somebody that could really challenge us and what we're doing, but then also possibly support us.
Kristina:Yeah, exactly. I have. I have a company that I've been following for a long time called Love and logic, and so Dr.
Charles Fay, who has that group and is all about parenting and education, and so maybe having somebody like that person on would be great. So aspiring to some bigger names coming and joining us.
Not that our guests aren't amazing, because they absolutely are, but, you know, every once in a while, you want to reach for the stars too.
Herb:Yeah, exactly.
Kristina:All right. This was just an episode to kind of say, hi, how are we? What have we learned through this experience? What are we grateful for?
Making sure that we are reaching out to you, our audience, and letting you know. Also, we appreciate you so much. We can. We wouldn't be able to do this anymore.
Herb:Well, yeah, we would. We would.
Kristina:We would still do it. And it's not as much fun without seeing those likes and reviews pop up and things like that. So if you like our show, review our show.
Help us reach out to other people.
Herb:Yeah. So I remember when we first started as, like, I. I had started doing, you know, a live recording every day on my.
On my thing, and Christina's like, well, let's do a podcast. But she was so nervous and so freaked out, and she. And so when we first started, she's like, I don't know that I can do this.
But then after, like, two or three episodes, she's like, oh, my gosh, this is so much fun. So, yes, we do this to bring parents better information to do this for you.
But again, she has so much fun doing this that even if we didn't have anybody watching, she would still continue to do this just because of how much fun she has. You know, she likes seeing herself on the camera.
Kristina:That's not it at all. I don't like Hearing myself talk so Vain now, now. Mr. All right, yeah, see, we're going off track. It's time to wrap.
Herb:But, yeah, but. So, yeah, so the, the joy that she gets from doing this. She has fun interviewing. She has fun getting the people chats.
So, you know, it's just, it's, for me, it's, it's joyful to watch her doing this because there's no strings attached to it. She's just doing it because she enjoys it.
And I get to come along and have fun and watch her enjoy it and add some stuff along the way a little bit as I can.
Kristina:All right, well, Mr. My inspiration, you know, this is a team here sitting here working together for many, many years and inspiring each other.
Herb:Here comes the tears.
Kristina:No tears. There will be no tears.
Herb:Okay.
Kristina:Anyway, I, I'm just so very, very grateful. I'm glad we get to do this together because like you said, it's fun watching him as well, interacting with the different guests and things like that.
So we're gonna wrap up episode 100 a little bit short and sweet today, but that's just because it's us and we didn't have a lot of interesting conversation with another person. But we are bringing you a whole new lineup. As a matter of fact, we already have 15ish episodes ready for season two.
So we have already started full on making sure season two is ready for you.
Herb:Yeah, it's actually kind of funny because sometimes I'll start talking about a podcast and she's like, oh, we haven't released that one yet. It's like, oh, okay, well, that one's coming soon. And.
Kristina:Yep. Oh, no, we're good.
Herb:She's starting to wake up again.
Kristina:Yep. Anyway, audience, thank you again. Guests, thank you for being here. We will be tagging you. And audience, please share this around.
And hopefully we have given you benefit. That is one of the main goals and making sure families have something that they can use.
Herb:And so from inside and outside the box, have a wonderful day. Thank you for joining us, and bye for now.