030 – The Hidden Life of Working Homeschool Moms with Jen Mackinnon

030 – The Hidden Life of Working Homeschool Moms with Jen MackinnonWhy belonging should never require you to split yourself in twoWorking moms are often told they cannot give enough to their children.Homeschool moms are often told they should give everything to their children.So what happens when you are both?In this episode of Find Your Freaks, Tonya Kubo sits down with Jen Mackinnon, founder of Practical by Default and the Working Homeschool Mom Club, to talk about living at the intersection of two communities that were never designed to overlap.Jen shares why she began homeschooling reluctantly, what it was like to return to work outside the home, and how advice from both sides often amounted to the same thing: quit your job or put your kids in school. What began as one mom looking for people who understood eventually became a worldwide community of more than 30,000 working homeschool moms.Together, Tonya and Jen explore the judgment these moms face, the practical systems that make an unconventional life sustainable, and why the answer is rarely giving up one of the things that matters most.If you have ever been told that two important parts of your life cannot coexist, this conversation is your reminder that belonging does not require you to split yourself in two.You’ll hear how:Working homeschool moms can feel like outsiders in both working-mom and homeschool-mom spacesAdvice becomes judgment when the proposed solution requires abandoning your valuesThe pandemic changed public perceptions of homeschooling and created new challenges for familiesGrace and empathy make room for families to choose what actually works for themPractical systems should support your life instead of asking you to organize your life around themA buffer block creates breathing room when plans, deadlines, and family needs changeBudgeting your energy can be just as important as budgeting your timeOnline and asynchronous connections can provide meaningful community for busy momsListening without judgment is more helpful than assuming work or homeschooling is the problemTeaching children how to learn matters more than getting every lesson perfect Episode Highlights[01:30] Meet Jen Mackinnon and the working homeschool moms who are her kind of freaks[09:50] Why judgment doubles when moms work and homeschool[15:50] Realizing this was not just one mom’s problem[20:00] What makes a system practical and sustainable[24:50] The buffer block and why leaving space in your week matters[30:50] Rethinking what community can look like for working moms[38:00] Why making mistakes does not mean you are failing your childrenResources & MentionsPractical by DefaultWorking Homeschool Mom ClubThe Canadian Homeschooler Meet Our GuestJen Mackinnon is the founder of Practical by Default, where she helps working homeschool moms balance their careers, their children’s education, and everyday life with confidence. After struggling to find advice that did not tell her to quit working or stop homeschooling, Jen created the Working Homeschool Mom Club to connect with other moms making both work. What began as a small Facebook group has grown into a worldwide community of more than 30,000 members. Through practical resources, flexible planning tools, and honest conversations, Jen helps working homeschool moms create systems that support their real lives.Meet Your HostTonya Kubo is a community strategist, writer, and rebel with a cause: helping people find the place where they truly belong. She’s spent nearly two decades building online spaces that feel more like chosen family than comment sections, and she’s not afraid to call out the fluff in favor of real connection. As the founder of Find Your Freaks, Tonya brings together unconventional thinkers, builders, and bridge-makers who believe that “normal” was never the point. When she’s not hosting the show, she’s raising two daughters, leading client communities, and making meaning out of the mess.Support the ShowIf Find Your Freaks matters to you, help us keep it ad-free by buying us a coffee (or two!). Every dollar goes to production so more weirdos can find their people.You can purchase Find Your Freaks merchandise online through Abilities and Attitudes.Let’s Stay FreakyFacebook GroupLinkedInInstagramPodcast Hub What’s NextSince recording this conversation with Jen, Tonya has started homeschooling her twelve-year-old again, this time with more experience and a different perspective. Next episode, she explores a question that keeps becoming more important online: When everyone sounds like an expert, who do you trust?