This Golden Hour

96. Brad Cornish and Loving the Homeschool Life

• Timothy Eaton

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In today’s episode, we get to spend time with Brad Cornish from Stirling, Alberta. Brad is a dentist, golfer, reader, outdoor enthusiast, and most importantly, a homeschooling father of five. He describes how his family unexpectedly fell into homeschooling during Covid when his kids decided they liked how things went down at home better than what they were experiencing at school. He discusses the evolution of their educational approach, the advantages of their flexible lifestyle, and the significant impact homeschooling has had on his children's lives. Brad loves the incredible benefits that homeschooling has blessed his family with, and he encourages anyone considering the homeschool route to simply do it! Brad and his spouse enjoy a mutual commitment to fostering a rich, individualized learning environment for their children, and they are especially grateful to spend such quality time as a family. This conversation is rich with insights into homeschooling philosophies, decision-making, and maintaining a balanced family life.

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Brad Cornish:

we're quite flexible when we start, when we finish when a kid is feeling the initiative I find my kids have different times of the day when they are like geared up, ready to get down to work. And it's not always in the morning, it's not always in the afternoon. Sometimes it's eight o'clock at night and we're sitting down at the table and we're hammering out some topic or subject that they want to get to the bottom of. Or we're driving in a vehicle we're going to the city. We're going somewhere. And we open up a full conversation

Timmy Eaton:

Hi. I am Timmy Eaton, homeschool father of six and Doctor of Education. We've been homeschooling for more than 15 years and have watched our children go from birth to university successfully and completely without the school system. Homeschooling has grown tremendously in recent years, and tons of parents are becoming interested in trying it out, but people have questions and concerns and misconceptions and lack the confidence to get started. New and seasoned homeschoolers are looking for more knowledge and peace and assurance to continue. New homeschooling. The guests and discussions on this podcast will empower anyone thinking of homeschooling to bring their kids home and start homeschooling and homeschoolers at all stages of the journey will get what they need and want from these conversations. Thank you for joining us today and enjoy this episode of This Golden Hour podcast. As you exercise, drive clean or just chill. You're listening to this Golden Hour podcast. In today's episode, we get to spend time with Brad Cornish from Sterling Alberta. Brad is a dentist, golfer, reader, outdoor enthusiast, and most importantly, a homeschooling father of five. He describes how his family unexpectedly fell into homeschooling during COVID when his kids decided they liked how things went down at home better than what they were experiencing at school, he discusses the evolution of their educational approach, the advantages of their flexible lifestyle and the significant impact homeschooling has had on his children's lives. Brad loves the incredible benefits that homeschooling has blessed his family with, and he encourages anyone considering the homeschool route to simply do it. Brad and his spouse enjoy a mutual commitment to fostering a rich, individualized learning environment for their children, and they're especially grateful to spend such quality time as a family. This conversation is rich with insights into homeschooling, philosophies, decision making, and maintaining a balanced family life. Welcome back to this Golden Hour podcast. We're really excited today to have with us Brad Cornish from Sterling Alberta. Brad, thanks for being with us, man.

Brad Cornish:

You bet. Glad to be here.

Timmy Eaton:

So good. So good. So I'll just give a brief bio. Brad and I know each other'cause our families have hung out quite a bit in the last couple years and I actually interviewed his wife. I think this is the first time where I've interviewed. The spouse earlier on and the, and then another spouse later. But I think I'm gonna be doing a more of that especially as I talk more with dads about homeschooling. But Brad is a dentist in Sterling Alberta, homeschool father of five, and I think grew up around Pincher Creek, didn't you?

Brad Cornish:

Pincher creek's both home stomping grounds.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah. Awesome man. Love it. Yeah. No wind. No wind there.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah, no, we grew up, acquainted with walking sideways, downtown.

Timmy Eaton:

Serious. Everybody from Pincher in this area is gonna have back problems just from the wind. But yeah. Anything else you wanna tell us? Bio and then we'll go jump into some questions.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah, no, happy to be on talking about what we're talking about here. This is, it's something I'm passionate about. You are obviously passionate about.

Timmy Eaton:

Obviously not all listeners have heard your wife's episode, which I would encourage them to listen to that. But maybe just refresh all of us. And how did you guys get into it? What happened that you guys were like, no, we're gonna do this full time?

Brad Cornish:

Yeah, so that's a funny story actually. It started with the beginning of Covid and had to do mostly with the fact that throughout that period our experience was, school was on again, off again, on again, off again, on again, off again. We got tired of that cycle and thought, you know what? Our kids are probably gonna get as good an experience at home with us, just consistent as they are going there, coming home, going there, coming home on again off again. And so we just stumbled into it by accident a little bit unintentionally actually, which is I think that's a cool way. For it to start for us anyway.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah. And then

Brad Cornish:

the next year came and school was on again, more normal. And we decided we'd give the kids the opportunity. We said, Hey, are you guys gonna go back to school? Just small talk, chatting and it was funny'cause not a single one of'em expressed the interest to go back. They were like no. We want to keep doing what we're doing.

Timmy Eaton:

What was their age range again? Remind me.

Brad Cornish:

So at that time, my oldest would've been 12, and then they, Griffin would've been like one, so 12 to one.

Timmy Eaton:

Crazy man. So it's been how many years then?

Brad Cornish:

Five, yeah, five years. It just snowballed from there. So we just year after year, we'd give the kids the opportunity if they want to go to public school and not, not a single one of them has wanted to go back.

Timmy Eaton:

Do you remember like, when you guys made the official decision together? Okay, we're gonna actually do this like full on.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah, so like when we started to get more serious about it was probably when we realized the kids didn't want to go back that next year. And then we started looking into curriculums. We met some homeschool families. Your family the Walters and Michelles, just a bunch of, close family friends that had a few years experience that we could pick off of. Glean from and then establish a little bit of a curriculum. I think initially we struggled because we tried to follow too much of the public school setup. We didn't go like full homeschool mode. We still felt we had to have the typical structure of a public school experience.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah. And

Brad Cornish:

so that kind of evolved over time too, where you let go of a lot of that framework kinda rigidness of, that style of learning and homeschool is on the other end of the spectrum for us now, for sure.

Timmy Eaton:

Isn't that funny, man? I, it's funny that you're saying that right now.'cause I just finished writing this thing yesterday on Deschooling and I, after all that I've read about Deschooling, I feel like the best thing that I can come up with is it's a transition from. A institutional public school system way of thinking to like more free thinking and thinking for yourself, self-reliance and really a lot about freedom. But yeah, what you just described sounded so much like these schooling and you guys and I think it's an ongoing process. I feel like you guys naturally are more out of the box than I am personally. And Sarah definitely is more out of the box than I am. And so it's been a long process for me to deschool and to get my thinking done. I feel like I have to ask for permission for everything, and I'm so liberated by people who are like, it's our family. Like whatever. It's like we're doing how we want. So do now do you remember what did you think of homeschooling before that? Did you have any exposure before that was just thrusted upon you through the Covid experience?

Brad Cornish:

Yeah, good question. Not a thing. I had zero exposure to homeschool. Yeah. And subject to all the kind of misconceptions of what homeschool is. And fully under the spell of you can't succeed in life without a high school diploma. And, public school is the only path to success. I was, initially I was apprehensive, I was fearful. I thought for a lot of the time initially what are we doing? Are we making a mistake? Is this something we're gonna regret? And yeah, it's been absolutely the best thing we ever did. I know, man.

Timmy Eaton:

I can't tell you how many times Sarah mentions your family in like the ideal way of a homeschool family functions. Oh. Like literally every time she comes home from a co-op talking to Jacqueline, observing your kids, she's that's how it's supposed to go, man. And sometimes she laments that. We're not more like that.'cause we've been doing it for so long and our kids have been exposed to it. They don't know anything different and, but anyway. So that, that always comes up. What about your family? How have they evolved with your decision and would they think initially and stuff like that?

Brad Cornish:

Like extended family, parents, siblings, that stuff?

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. You know what? I think they've been supportive in general. I think anything we decided to do as a family unit, they would get behind. Yeah, we haven't had any real issues that way.

Timmy Eaton:

That's awesome, man. Yeah'cause at least most, I feel like are little, like you said, apprehensive and think it's interesting or even afraid for what's gonna happen to their grandkids or their nieces and nephews. So that's cool to hear that they've Yeah. Yeah.

Brad Cornish:

I get it. Yeah, I get it.

Timmy Eaton:

This is a hard question to because I mean it's hard to nail down, but how would you describe, like the evolution. From the early days right after Covid to like what you guys, how you function now. Like I, I don't know if you wanna describe what goes on now in the Cornish household and I know that you guys in particular, it's like not about necessarily being in the household'cause you guys are always outside and doing stuff. And so I think it'd be cool for people to hear like, how did you start, like you said you, you definitely were trying to replicate what happened in the school. Yeah. But then how, what has it evolved to,

Brad Cornish:

yeah. Okay. So that's an interesting question. I think initially, yeah, like I said, we fell within the framework of what public school looked like. And so it was a lot of like classwork multiple subjects fairly intense as far as, start time, finish time, and had to check all the boxes.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah.

Brad Cornish:

And very rigid, I would describe it. Not very free, not very, it was information coming from the outside and this is what you're gonna learn. This is what you're gonna study. And you had to check all the boxes to where now, if you flip that, on a spectrum and go to the other end where it's it's more driven from internal desire, what I would like to learn, what I would like to study and free in the sense that, we get our stuff done, but we're quite flexible when we start, when we finish when a kid is feeling the initiative I find my kids have different times of the day when they are like geared up, ready to get down to work. And it's not always in the morning, it's not always in the afternoon. Sometimes it's eight o'clock at night and we're sitting down at the table and we're hammering out some topic or subject that they want to get to the bottom of. Or we're driving in a vehicle we're going to the city. We're going somewhere. And we open up a full conversation and yeah. So if that kind of paints a picture, I guess it's a lot more free now. It's a lot more it's a way of life. Yeah. It's a way of life. Yeah.

Timmy Eaton:

It is and and that's the terminology I've been using lately is it's a lifestyle. Homeschooling is a misnomer. It doesn't really match what we do. When you talk to any homeschool family, and I don't know if people really put enough emphasis on just those family talks. There is so much education that is happening for better or for worse, but there's a ton of good conversations, and I don't know that anything that we do planned accomplishes what they hear when we're talking about what's going on in the world or politics or religion or whatever we're talking about as a family or relationships. Kids are gleaning so much from that. And so I'd love to hear that. Like at eight o'clock you're at the table and a you a, a discussion ensues and it's like there's so much education that comes from that they wouldn't look back and say that they wouldn't be like. Oh yeah, that's why I know how to do this. Or, but it is

Brad Cornish:

yeah. That's powerful. Yeah.

Timmy Eaton:

You learned a lot. So give us a couple examples.'cause that's one thing that has been very impressive to us is personally like, is how self-directed your kids are. And I know a couple of examples is like you know how homeschooling fosters entrepreneurship and the school definitely doesn't. At least schools and like I've noticed that your kids have done things and they've gone deep on subjects. Like you said, you've changed from many subjects to really focusing. So a couple of examples of that. Business ideas, that kind of thing.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah, sure. So my oldest Cohen's 17 now, he's actually in Houston right now at World's Competition and Robotics. And that says enough in and of itself what he's interested in. He's my, he's nerdy kid. Loves science, loves engineering, and has engaged in a ton of extracurricular activity that's fostered that education. The robotics team is definitely one of them. On an entrepreneur angle, he. He worked with a kid in, in the town we live in Sterling that detailed vehicles. And he learned the ropes. That kid ended up going on a mission for the church. And so he bought the business as he went out and he's been detailing these vehicles for probably three, going on four years. And he works out of the garage. He tries to keep it balanced. So like maybe two to three vehicles a week. That's a full week for him because they typically take anywhere from six to eight hours Yeah. Per vehicle. Wow. Yeah. But he's managed to save a bunch of money doing that. He bought a 3D. With that money and has made and manufactured an endless amount of parts for their robot. He's manufactured all kinds of things for around the house. Silly things like, like our air hockey table doesn't have a holder for the paddles. So he designed and printed a holder that mounts on the side of the table for the paddles to fit in and everything in between. Yeah. How big, How

Timmy Eaton:

big is your printer?

Brad Cornish:

It's probably a two foot tall unit. It's all enclosed.

Timmy Eaton:

Oh, so it's a big one.

Brad Cornish:

It's a rabbit hole. He spends maybe more time on that than he should, but again, it's another interest of his engineering creating. Making, designing all of that stuff. He just he loves it and he's had way more time to, to dedicate to that than he would in any other type of situation where he was in public school.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah. Any other examples come to mind?, it's always hard to ask for examples of stuff

Brad Cornish:

yeah. No, another one, with my girls. They are on the other side of the spectrum as far as education. What they're passionate about falls more in line with performing arts musical theater. They're a part of lots of the productions in the small town ground here in Lethbridge. And then they do our Kiwanis Music Festival, which is a gamut of musical theater voice. And everything in between. And so they compete in that. They're going to provincials the end of May, and that takes a lot of time. A lot of those lessons are during the day. And yeah. So they,

Timmy Eaton:

you can't even do them if you're not homeschooling.

Brad Cornish:

No. Yeah. Not a chance. Yeah. And so they've really been able to excel in that because of the time they've been able to dedicate towards that. My wife is big into that and that it should be said that. I am not taking any credit for the success of our homeschool program. Me neither. 90, 99% of this. I'm actually flattered. You've got me on here. I'm gonna talk like I'm a big part of it, but

Timmy Eaton:

I'm in the same boat, so

Brad Cornish:

you and I both know the heart of the home is those ladies. Yeah,

Timmy Eaton:

no, for sure. Yeah

Brad Cornish:

That's one of her passions. And so she's been able to really engage in that together with the girls in helping them develop those talents. And that's a beautiful thing to watch.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah. Yeah. I know that like they had a recent performance and Sarah and our kids went to it. And I know that you were actually busy going to a lot of those shows too and supporting that, and so that's awesome. I get different responses from this, but has there been something that's been like clearly the biggest challenge in the decision you've made to homeschool? Because the insight you just gave was a unique one. I don't know if a lot of parents understand that. And I wish we would've done more of this, the parent can do something with their kid. Like Jacqueline with your kids doing performing arts as an example. Or if a mom was into cello, she could do cello with her daughter, whatever. You can't really do that unless you make that lifestyle decision. But as far as challenges, anything come to mind that's been like, oh no, this has actually been a reality a rough part of it?

Brad Cornish:

That's a good question. That has me thinking, so I can't honestly say there's anything that consistently grinds on me. There's a lot of things in my life that grind on me but homeschooling honestly hasn't produced a ton of, I know my wife would say just. The social impact of being together all the time.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah.

Brad Cornish:

Which I think is, again, that's a beautiful thing to me. Yes, me too. To spend so much time together and to really foster a deep relationship the way that homeschool allows. Honestly, I couldn't say there's much, I think in the future, looking forward to what the kids decide to do coming out of school and education and moving on to that next step of career choice, education choice, post-secondary. We'll see. So Cohen already, he wants to do some sort of engineering and we've got his path mapped out. Fairly clearly as far as postsecondary education because he's going very traditional homeschool. He not getting a high school diploma.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah. That's how our kids have done it. Yeah. And that we've had three in a row like that, and we don't plan to do that with anyone.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. That, to me, in the beginning I was like, you're crazy,

Timmy Eaton:

right?

Brad Cornish:

You can't do that. That doesn't happen. And that's been an eyeopener for sure. But I guess depending on what a kid wanted to do, if there was any limitation there. Challenge wise, I could see, foresee that being maybe a challenge coming out of the situation. But otherwise nothing, man.

Timmy Eaton:

Wow. That's actually impressive, man.'cause a lot of moms say, they'll say it's hard to wear the hat of mom and teacher and stuff like that, and those are realities for them. But like you're saying from your perspective, it's it does seem like really positive. We've we've come across some challenges I've talked about with other ones, just like high school playing. High school sports has been something your kids have been in wrestling, but that's like a. It's something you guys have done together and anyway, so

Brad Cornish:

yeah, they've never been limited in any pursuit, not being tied to public school. I guess if they wanted to play basketball. Volleyball or one of the more smaller team sports, they would probably be limited. I don't think the school would be as cooperative. But they've both done wrestling, which, there's no limit to team size. Any of the extracurricular stuff they've been involved in. There's been no no challenges at all.

Timmy Eaton:

And like the wrestling season, the length of it tying you down if you want it to go away, do you guys just not go to it yeah. Or does it tie you down?

Brad Cornish:

We've committed the last few years pretty heavily towards it. It overlaps the girls with their musical cedar and stuff, so we're home anyway.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah.

Brad Cornish:

But as far as I'm concerned there's no, no sport that prepares you better for life than wrestling, than I am all in on that sport. It in so many ways develops kids ability, confidence. The more they can be around and involved in that, I think the better. We ski lots in the winter. That's another one that's hard to do. My wife will drop the day's plans if it's a good snow day and take her kids and spend the day on the mountain. And the ability to be flexible and capitalize on opportunities like that is definitely another benefit.

Timmy Eaton:

No, I love it. I, in my last episode, he talked a lot about going on vacation. I'll actually talk to you about it. He's, it was fascinating but, just the idea of not waiting in lines, going when there's not crowds going vacation when nobody else goes on vacation, that kind of thing. If you're cool, I wanna transition a little bit to just father role in homeschooling and just ask you some questions. My thoughts are on it.'cause I've just developed a course for homeschool dads and it's almost like a test run you, the first one I really. Asking about this. I've, I've been thinking about this for a year at least, or, long or than that, but I'm saying formalized. So anyway I'll just ask you a few questions and you just respond man. So are you doing anything to learn about homeschool philosophy or have you ever done anything like that where you like read books and like know about it, the history of it, like main names, that kind of stuff? I kinda wanna get. All, like how many guys are like and not even insinuating that's a necessity, but just, I just wanna know like how many people are learning about it so they can help the Deschooling process and just know what's out there.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. I'll be honest with you, absolutely nothing.

Timmy Eaton:

Okay.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. You'll probably be able to throw me a few bones there, I'm sure.

Timmy Eaton:

No no, that's what I'm saying. That's what I wanted to know.'cause I think that's actually more common, especially as homeschooling has grown and I actually like that answer because it makes what I'm doing, I. More relevant and I think helpful because I'm just giving people like very small bites of like suggestions to do, to be learning on an ongoing basis. Not to overwhelm'cause the dad's already busy with stuff. But just to be like, no, here are some suggestions of things you can do to learn on a very. Stretched out basis, but it, if you're gonna commit to this lifestyle, it's cool to know some history and the evolution of it and like where it came from and how it, I would love that. And the people that have like literally sacrificed a ton that you and I can legally do this. Nobody's breathing down our neck. That wasn't the case 10 years ago. Definitely wasn't the case in the nineties and eighties. Wow. And so that's one thing I want to educate dads about. And so that's, yeah.

Brad Cornish:

I would be super interested in that.

Timmy Eaton:

It's done. I'm just in the final stuff in this next couple weeks, so I'll tell you about it. Basically what I did is a course and I did six identities of a dad, and there, there be a learner, which I just talked about, like homeschool, learn about it a little bit, not a ton. And then be a companion, which is like being on the same page with your wife. So and maybe I'll ask you that question now. You're probably always talking about it, but how do you know if you're on the same page with Jacqueline about the way you want to do it? Like how have you guys come to your why about why you're homeschooling and do you feel like you're on the same page about the making?

Brad Cornish:

Yeah, dude, that's a good question.'cause I think in order to do it right, you have to be on the same page in order for it to work well. Like everything in a marriage, man, you gotta be on the same page and that's not always the case. I would say I was slower to come along with the full public school engaged path we're on now and still am probably slower than she is. She's all in. You can see that this is absolutely the best way to raise a family. To raise kids to live. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. At the same time, I need to say I'm super grateful that we have the ability to do it right? Like I don't ever wanna have people have the impression that I think everybody, this is the best way to do it. And if you're not doing it this way, you're not doing it. As good as you could be because the reality is most parents have to work and in our day and age and culture it's not easy to have a situation where you can have one or both parents at home enough to make a homeschool situation work. But yeah, to answer your question, I think she's all in and I've been the one that she's had to drag along a little bit. But the more I see the results and the fruits of what we're doing, the more I feel like yeah, we're on the right path.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah. That's awesome. The one thing that I try to do in that second module of the, of that course. Again, it's called Be a Companion is is help people create a purpose document and a purpose statement. I'm gonna put you on the spot and just try to do it, but if you had to say one statement that like encapsulates the essence of what you guys are about when it comes to learning and lifestyle. That's, I know.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. No. I like that. I like that. I really like

Timmy Eaton:

that. And I'll let you think while I ask that, but what I have people do is craft that and then craft some supporting statements. I call'em value statements. That way when things come up, when your kids are in the youth years and whatever, if you start when they're younger or whatever, even after, to me, homeschooling is gonna last through my grandkids.'cause I don't think they have to homeschool in a in the traditional fashion of homeschooling. Anyway, I think there's gonna be more opportunities after our kids leave our home. The reason why I think it's worthwhile doing is'cause then when things come up and you go dude, that doesn't match our priorities or our values. So it tells you what to say yes to and what to say no to.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. Yeah. I like that kind of like a guiding

Timmy Eaton:

mission statement

Brad Cornish:

in the sense that yeah. No I don't know if I can put it in an ex, in an exact concise. Statement. But I can tell you, the heart of what I feel like we're doing is raising individual humans that, that have an understanding. Of themselves. They know who they are. They know what they're about. They have, a fairly defined sense of who I am what I'm interested in the key pieces of what a successful life looks like. One of the big things I'm always encouraging them to do is develop a well-roundedness. So a multitude of talents and exposure. But yeah, I would say just that individualistic piece because I think that's the difference when you have a public school education or experience, it's very much a outside in experience in the sense that you're told what to learn. You're told how to act. You're told what to think, you're told you know, everything. And fall in line. Listen, don't ask, so you got that experience. And then on the other end of the spectrum, a homeschool experience is very much Hey, as an individual, what am I interested in? What are my passions? I was just reading Adam Savage's new book. Every Tool is a Hammer. And he talked about, as a kid in public school having some unique interests and passions and feeling like every time he would express. A desire to learn something like that. There was definitely not the an encouragement

Timmy Eaton:

right

Brad Cornish:

to go along with that. It was quelled, it was made fun of. It was something that you learn to hide and just. Fall in line with what everyone else is doing. Yeah. And don't express any unique desire, passion. That's

Timmy Eaton:

why you have to deschool.'cause that's ingrained in all of us that it, that's so entrenched in the institutionalized, system that is, probably set up that way.

Brad Cornish:

That to me, the saddest realization I've made since we've come into. Homeschool is that was my experience. And I'm sure there's still layers within myself that are a result of that. But to get back to your original question, I think, yeah. It's creating and raising individuals that are individuals, they're themselves and they know who they are. And that to me, I don't know if we could give a better gift to a kid than that. Yeah. Awesome.

Timmy Eaton:

So good man. Wow. As you say that it's, it makes me excited'cause like when I start running this course, I definitely am gonna be helping people flesh that out.'cause I think when you nail down a statement and then you like do value statements after that, I. It just gives you this thing to operate from. And I make the case that it's it's definitely a flexible statement.'cause it does, it evolves. There's some things that have changed in our, the way our fundamentals have definitely remained the same, but there are some unique things that are introduced with each stage of the journey that you're like, oh, let's adjust that, and then you can adjust that document. The next module that I do is called Be. And I just find that the because the whole thing is about dads, like the course I'm doing is about dads being more proactive, but not more burdensome, just more proactive and like intentional about what they're doing.'cause they're already dads and they're already husbands. And so this is just to equip them with some intentionality. Do you guys have any set times that you're like, okay, let's have a homeschool talk, or is it more just organic and you're just like always talking about it? And then what do you see your role in your discussions like when you're talking about a particular kid or a matter of homeschooling, which again encompasses your whole life. What do you see your role as the dad in that?

Brad Cornish:

Yeah, so I like to be engaged in open dialogue with my kids so that they. They can use me as a sounding board. They can use me as a resource. I think as far as specific times, I think I deal with it like I do with my business is as the need arises I like to be present, available when the need is there, and last night I got home from work. I noticed my third child, Berkeley, she was she just looked a little off, maybe a little sad, something was bothering her. And I just I just, took her aside and said, Hey, let's go for a walk. And so we went out and we chatted and we cleared the air about some things. And a lot of that I think just has to do with normal life stuff.

Timmy Eaton:

That

Brad Cornish:

they're trying to figure out and, and deal with. CO's similar in the sense that he's got a lot of bigger decisions to make over the next little while about his next step in life.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah.

Brad Cornish:

And so being available to discuss those things and help them flesh out decision making processes and what's best and how do I know and to be there in that sort of sense. As far as specifics, no. We're kind of a roll with it. Yeah. And as things come up, we definitely make time to to stay on top of them.

Timmy Eaton:

I find that especially when it's with Sarah, I guess the insight that I've had. If I can get it, narrow it down to one is she's thinking about like their education in their lives as her principal role as a mom all the time. And she's always engaged in learning. She's always thinking about that. And I'm, I've got work and other things that I'm doing, so I don't commit the same time. I don't devote the same thinking or the space to that. So when she's talking, I'm learning to go, okay, like she's thinking about this all the time. There's something in there that I need to pay more attention to, because she's thinking about all the time and there's like insight that's coming to her that if I'm not deliberate about it, I'll miss what she's saying and I'll be like and I've done it a million times, like where I just blow it off and then it's frustrating to her'cause she's I. I've talked about this with you a million times and, I'm not catching it because my focus is on something else. Yeah. And I wanna say that I've improved, but it's a process. And so hopefully I can help dads, not do the stuff I've done for 20 years. Yeah if your kids were to hear you talking to somebody else about homeschool, how would they describe it? And here's why I asked that.'cause in the early days. I would like rip on it just to put people at ease and just be like, yeah, we're weird homeschoolers. And I'd say stuff like that yeah. To to just make it comfortable. Yeah. So like how do you talk about homeschooling with others?

Brad Cornish:

I just had one today with a lady in the office here. Most of the conversations I have in regard to homeschooling fall in line with. The typical perspective on homeschooling,

Timmy Eaton:

yeah.

Brad Cornish:

And almost the top of the list is what about the social aspect? Yep. Kids won't be socially adjusted or socially adapted or whatever. My comment to that has always been. I don't think the public school experience produces a premium social education at all. So I don't think we're missing out on anything there. And, we've got five kids. I guess if you were an only child and your parents has left you home all day, maybe you wouldn't develop the most socially, but. Maybe it was,

Timmy Eaton:

but that wouldn't even, that wouldn't be that different from a large percentage of the public system anyway.

Brad Cornish:

Exactly. Yeah, exactly. A lot of the common and misconceptions social stuff. And then I think the next one of the top of the list for conversations I've had anyways. What about a high school diploma? You can't be successful in life without a. Fell into the homeschool program a little more in depth, and now, I've realized that those things just aren't true at all. Yeah

Timmy Eaton:

I've seen it. I've lived it, I've lived it with three children and I've seen so many others. And the,

Brad Cornish:

were you homeschooled?

Timmy Eaton:

No, I was all the way in Chicago. Like Had no like, you know, had exposure barely to anybody, no. Until SAR started asking the questions, I was your very typical dude. I was. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It might be helpful for people to be equipped, like when people ask about the social thing I've thought a lot about this because I write a lot about it and I talk about it obviously in the podcast but help people see what they're actually asking. I think what they're actually asking, I. Is are they culturally accepted in the area where they are? Because they're not talking about socialization because nobody intelligent makes the argument that good socialization is nurtured and cultivated in the public school system. Gimme a break and if somebody did that, I'd be like, dude. You, you're joking. And I know that it's it's, the majority are exposed to that. What it is it's cultural acceptance. Yeah. Yeah. And here's the evidence of that.'cause I teach, a kid will come from homeschool and. They'll be eager to answer questions in the class. And after about a three or four weeks of seeing that, that you don't do that in a public system, man,'cause you're gonna look too smart. They see what's culturally acceptable and then they stop and then they fall into line. And I think it's good. You don't wanna be like oblivious to to societal norms, social norms. Yeah. And be like answering every question and be like, I'm really smart. And you do have to take cues, and I agree with taking social cues, but man, it is taken to a very different level in the public system and anybody who's been there knows that. And yeah, I think it's good to clarify people. Are you saying what's culturally acceptable or are you saying actual social development?

Brad Cornish:

Yeah, that's a great way of looking at it

Timmy Eaton:

because you have to, nobody can make the argument that it's more, like you said, premium than what homeschool is offering for that. Yeah. Depending on the family, obviously, but like the majority are giving a really good social they hang out with tons of kids, different ages, that kind of thing, so

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. And if you're engaged in extracurriculars, they've developed some passions and interests and things. You're involved in, clubs, you're involved in lots of interactions. Church, families, church. Yeah. A hundred percent.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah. Sports, music, theater. We've said a million in this podcast. That's so good.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah.

Timmy Eaton:

That's good. How do you participate most actively in their learning? And in their like, development? So for example some dads will be like, they really work on the sports with their kids, or they really do math or, it's, can be subject based or whatever. But what are your main ways of participating?

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. Good question. I think, I've had to learn how to be interested in what they're interested in. And so a lot of it is led by, by them in terms of my involvement. That's probably number one. Number two, I think the thing I love teaching my kids the most are literally the, the things that. That they can surround themselves with that will give them the best life possible. What's the best way to live? What are those principles? And so we have lots of discussions. I've got a couple of whiteboards at home that I crack out that we we into some really good, rich discussions that. Just surround the principles of what living a good life looks like. And so we'll pick a topic, we'll pick a principle and we'll just go to town on it. And then I would say, that's a big piece of my involvement and beyond that books so I love reading books. Last year I read almost a book a week. Read close to 50 books and and they were involved in a lot of the gems that were gleaned from that. Often the discussions we would have were sparked from what was read in those books. There was a period of time when the kids were younger. I worked three days a week. I took Mondays and Fridays off when we had Griffin. When Griffin was born, that was our fifth kid. I needed to be home more. Support my wife and to make the family situation work. And I would read Ryan holiday's, books and Josh Madcast books like Chop Wood, carry Water. Those classic principles. Awesome. We would literally read those books together. The Monk who sold his Ferrari was another one they loved.'cause they, they interweave stories along with life principles. Yeah. And so the kids would get engaged in that. They'd be like, Hey, can we read some of that book tonight? And we would read it, five or six pages before bed and, that piece I think is one of the ways that I've contributed as far as their education goes. And then physically, so we've got a gym in the house and the boys and I will get up in the morning and hit the weights, especially during wrestling season. Bought them how to lift and a lot of the CrossFit Olympic movements and stuff like that we've learned how to do together and

Timmy Eaton:

So many good examples in there. One of the cases I make in that part of that course is this idea of being a participant and I really emphasize reading and playing. And that comes from my own experience. Especially when the kids were younger, but through their years playing with the kids has been like an amazing way for me to deepen my relationship with my kids. And reading, like when they I mean I know you've had this experience, what you just said, but there, there's been studies, especially in the Scandinavian countries like Finland and I over there, and this idea that like when you're reading to kids, they can't not get closer to you and start cuddling, even if, as you do that, it's just it's just happens. And I love that connection. And and that's been like the co the, some of the best conversations have come from reading to them when they were little. And as they've gotten older to also and they've been read to by SAR every day of their lives, like literally until they leave the house. And that, that is you can't, I can't under state how important it's to read to your kids and at least from my own experience and then playing. The last question I wanted to ask you on this was, so the last module I do is called Be a Protector. And it sounds like a, and I toyed with the idea of def, defender, protector. And I kinda make the case that we need to protect like the homeschool schedule, like our lifestyle. We need to protect our priorities and values as a family, like when it comes to social questions and everything else. Obviously just making the decision to homeschool protects your family from a lot of. Ideology and whatever it is you wanna protect your kids from. But what would you say is your role as a father in or how have you, anything like that as far as. Protecting the family as a dad. And I don't mean maybe it involves like getting a gun and, protecting your family but more like values, priorities protect the schedule. And maybe I'll give a little bit of background on that one. So we had a, yeah. People would ask SAR to like, do errands for them or watch their kids and she's I wanna be flexible. And I love that homeschooling is flexible, but it's flexible in the way we want to. To use that flexibility. Not necessarily for others, and not that you're not gonna serve, but this is important work and a family needs to do it the way they want. And if they're cool with doing that, then that's fine, but you have to protect the schedule and the routines of your family.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. Yeah, dude, that's well said. I really like that. And that is a challenge actually. You know what, going back to your earlier question, what are the challenges, I think with the number of kids we have and the number of interests they have. Yeah. One of the challenges is managing the intensity of the schedule and the requirements of our time.

Timmy Eaton:

Yes. That,

Brad Cornish:

that we don't get so far in, in so many different directions that we end up falling apart. I love, lots of just quality time together as a family. That's probably what I my role in protecting is I'll sometimes. Voice, my, my opinion or dislike in the direction we're going when we get too full with our schedule. When things get too demanding and we're pulled in too many different directions that I don't feel like we're united and we start to lose our connection as a family. And

Timmy Eaton:

Yes.

Brad Cornish:

And and so protecting our time together I think would be. Where I play or contribute in that way.

Timmy Eaton:

So what would you do? What would you do?

Brad Cornish:

We would need, we would have discussions around, okay if we say yes to this, what does that look like in terms of time together? If you're gone now Monday and Wednesday night from, this time to this time, and I'm gone. Doing this, maybe we need to say no this year. Maybe we look at next year.

Timmy Eaton:

I can, I just laugh because that is our, that is literally our daily our daily talk. That's, yeah. Basketball ended just a few weeks ago and it's been magical because we hang out more. We literally on average during football and basketball season have one to two meals a week together.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. That's not enough.

Timmy Eaton:

I know.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. Yeah. That's not enough. But we're no different. And we'll often sit down Sunday.'cause Sunday's usually a day we take and just chill. Chill. Yeah. And we'll be having a meal together and we'll realize, holy cow. It's been, I don't think we had a meal together this week. It's been a week. And I think you know it the challenge I guess is drawing a balance, a healthy balance. What works for your family? I. What you feel is right, but I err probably on the side of the spectrum that has us home more Yeah. Than out and scattered. I feel like, lots of people probably don't feel that way or agree with that. I like to be connected with my crew. Yeah. And that requires time. You gotta spend time together.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah. You do. I talked to this one guy, oh, long, I guess a while ago, and he basically talked about highs and lows, check-in, check-ins daily with your children. And when it was little, when they were little, it was easy. I would, I tucked them in. That was my role and I loved it. I just totally, that was a win-win. Sorry, I had time by yourself and I just loved doing that. I'd sit on their beds and that you can't such good quality experience, but like that check-in of saying how are things going? And it happens differently now that they're older in my house but sometimes I wish I had been more consistent doing that'cause and I just love what you just, all the things you just said.'cause it reaffirms. That the importance of having that purpose statement that I was saying earlier, because you actually, I don't even know if you know it, but you said it, you basically said another value statement or maybe the actual mission statement is like the Cornish family. I. Prizes quality time. And maybe that's even and then a byproduct. Yeah. A byproduct of that is that your kids are they're, they know themselves because if they were all Yeah. Yeah. If they were always peer oriented and peer centered and, and they were in all these activities, where did they take time to be instilled by their loving parents with here's who you are. And so maybe the real statement is. We prize quality time together and real life discussions where we can instill values and beliefs that are crucial. And then from that, you, your kids go, man, I know myself.'cause we did that as a family

Brad Cornish:

dude. That is a home run. Yeah, that is a home run. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. Absolute grand slam.

Timmy Eaton:

Cool.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah.

Timmy Eaton:

Oh dude. So fun to do this. I'll just give you the last word. What would you say to two, two things. And then you can do whatever you want. And if you want to add something, you can. What what would you tell new homeschooling families that are frustrated and they're like, there's so much stuff out there. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm, I wanna do this, but I'm scared. What do you tell them? And then maybe even, what do you tell homeschool dads? What's your message to homeschool dads?

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. Okay. So the first one, I was that person. I was that person that had all the fear and apprehension in the world. I think it's very normal and natural to be that way, to feel that way. I would say take it a step at a time, but if you are able to homeschool and have one or both parents involved at home and make that situation available to your kids, it's worth every bit of effort and overcoming every bit of fear and apprehension. And it's it's so doable. It's

Timmy Eaton:

yeah.

Brad Cornish:

Everything that's holding you back is a misconception. Yeah. Yeah. And the further you go into it and the more you get into it, the more your eyes are open to the reality of your situation. Everything. Just tell yourself everything that you're thinking is wrong. It's all wrong

Timmy Eaton:

because you discover that it is over time. You said you can totally

Brad Cornish:

do it.

Timmy Eaton:

You said your eyes get open and I the other way to see that is like scales, fall from your eyes. And that's what it's been for me. It's been this constant or this continuous, I should say. And consistent like scales falling from my eyes. And I go, oh, and Sarah always sees it first. Yeah. And then she see it. But anyway.

Brad Cornish:

And let's make it, perfectly clear, it's never easy going against the societal norm, right? It's never easy going against the cultural norm. Oh, you're swimming

Timmy Eaton:

upstream the whole time. You're

Brad Cornish:

always, yeah.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah.

Brad Cornish:

But it is worth every bit of effort. I would say. Do it a hundred percent. And the second one was.

Timmy Eaton:

Yeah just dads like what? Any message like that. You don't have to, whatever.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. No. I think like the connections that you can have with your kids I like your style like the highlight of your day being, the fact that you can spend time tucking your kids in at night and have some quality time together before bed. I think there's, that's my highest prize possession in my life. That's the thing I value the most is my family, number one. I will I will do anything for them. I will yeah, as a father, I think there's few things in my life that are as rewarding. That's always the thing I sacrifice the most for time. Everything else that I love doing in life is put to the side. And the balance is always in favor of time with the family. And the rewards there for me, and I think potentially for anyone who does it are are massive. They're

Timmy Eaton:

massive man.

Brad Cornish:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's as good as it gets.

Timmy Eaton:

I agree. I agree, man. Thank you so much. Anything else you wanna say in general or give you the last word?

Brad Cornish:

I would just say do it. If you have the ability to do it, the benefits are immeasurable and you'll create a lifetime of reward for the kids that are brought up in that scenario. I think it's it's an amazing way to live life. It's hard to imagine it getting any better. I would say do it. If you have the opportunity, do it. Listen to Tim's podcast, get out there and get it done.

Timmy Eaton:

Oh, so glad you said that. Cool, man. Thank you so much for taking time. I appreciate it, brother.

Brad Cornish:

Absolutely. Glad to be here. Yeah, it was fun.

Timmy Eaton:

That wraps up another edition of this Golden Hour podcast. If you haven't done so already, I would totally appreciate it if you would take a minute and give us a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. It helps out a lot, and if you've done that already, thank you much. Please consider sharing this show with friends and family members that you think would get something out of it. And thank you for listening and for your support. I'm your host, Tim Eaton. Until next time, remember to cherish this golden hour with your children and family.