Hello, fellow homeschool moms! How is school going? Are you facing struggles with your homeschool day? Are you discouraged? I understand what you are going through, because I’ve been there too. Today I would like to introduce you to the lady and service that helped me. So get comfy and come enjoy our visit with Charmaine Wistad with Victory Coaching.

TOS: Hello, Charmaine. Thank you for joining us today. What is “Victory Coaching”?

CHARMAINE: Victory Coaching is a life coaching and mentoring service provided by a certified coach, me—Charmaine Wistad.

TOS: Who will Victory Coaching benefit?

CHARMAINE: Victory Coaching will benefit any woman who desires to move forward in areas of her life where she feels “stuck,” discouraged, or uninspired. Through one-on-one telephone coaching sessions, I, as the coach, provide help and accountability for goal setting, parenting skills, homeschooling challenges, organizational skills, spiritual growth, or any number of personal life challenges.

TOS: What experience do you have with homeschooling?

CHARMAINE: Homeschooling has been a central part of our family life from the time our two children were in preschool and all the way through their high school years. It has been my life and my passion as well as a way for me to serve my community. I have lived it, studied it, taught it, talked about it, and loved it for more than 15 years!

For the majority of our homeschooling years, I was the leader of our local homeschool support group. In addition to leading monthly Mom’s Meetings, I offered and taught many courses to groups of homeschoolers, such as drawing, art history, logic, Shakespeare, ballet appreciation, dance, nature study, and various one-time events. I hosted writing workshops and coached an all-homeschool Odyssey of the Mind team.

Both of our children have now graduated from our homeschool. Our 20-yearold son is in a plumbing apprenticeship program and also runs his own taxidermy business out of our home. Our 18-yearold daughter is currently living in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, studying fiddle and step dancing.

TOS: How can you as a coach help a homeschool mom?

CHARMAINE: As an experienced homeschooler, I know what homeschooling moms go through! I understand the time and energy that is put into choosing curriculum, organizing the day, teaching difficult subjects (or difficult children!), and feeling like there’s not much left over for Mom at the end of each day. As a personal coach, I can help homeschooling moms in the following ways:

• Wade through the overwhelming choices of curriculum and find what works best for Mom as the teacher, as well as for the children.
• Establish routines that ease the stress.
• Set goals and provide accountability.
• Implement discipline to bring order and peace into the homeschool lifestyle.
• Address the issue of burnout and find ways to relieve it.
• Get organized and conquer the clutter!
• Find creative ways to teach multiple ages and grade levels.
• Deal with all those daily interruptions.
• Determine a unique homeschooling style so there’s no temptation to compare with other homeschool families.
• • Get it all running smoothly so that there is time and energy left over for Mom at the end of the day.

By using skills such as deep listening, powerful questioning, timely challenges, and continuous support, I assist my clients in reaching their desired goals and solutions.

TOS: Why did you start coaching?

CHARMAINE: As my children approached high school and I began nearing the end of my official homeschool career, I started to ask the Lord what was next for me. How could I continue to serve Him and use the gifts and experiences He had given me? It wasn’t long before He showed me that personal life coaching (especially with homeschooling moms) was the direction He wanted me to go. I had been unofficially coaching homeschool moms for many years, so it was just a matter of making it more official and finding a way to offer my services to more people. I enrolled in a Coaching Certification Course through Coach Training Alliance and launched my coaching practice in January of 2003.

TOS: How long does a coaching session take?

CHARMAINE: The first session (which is a free sample coaching session) typically takes 45-50 minutes. If the client decides to continue with more coaching sessions, the regular ongoing sessions are 30-40 minutes long.

TOS: How many sessions does a homeschooling mom need to take to receive the benefits of coaching?

CHARMAINE: A homeschooling mom will experience benefits from just the one free sample session! Beyond that, it totally depends on how many challenges she wants to work on and how quickly she attains her set goals. On average, my clients find the best results come from 2 or 3 sessions per month for a minimum of 3 months.

TOS: How are the sessions done?

CHARMAINE: There are two distinct types of coaching sessions: the initial free sample session and the regular ongoing sessions.

The initial free sample coaching session begins with a brief explanation of the coaching model and a short “getting to know you” time. Then we spend 20- 30 minutes coaching on the following questions:

1. What one goal would you really like to work on in your personal life, family life, or homeschool in the next 3-6 months?
2. What has kept you from already making the necessary changes to meet this goal?
3. How will you feel and what positive benefits will you enjoy when this goal is achieved?

Once we both feel that the coaching time is complete and the homeschool mom has received some real value from the free session, we then discuss if future coaching would be of benefit.

Regular ongoing coaching sessions are a bit different than the initial free session.

The client always sets the agenda and, as the coach, I listen deeply and ask powerful questions to help the client determine the best approach to dealing with her challenges. A plan is made, goals are set, and the client decides if she wants accountability. But the session is not always just planning and goal setting. We sometimes laugh about the funny things the children are doing or cry together over a hurtful event, and many times we pray together. There is a real sisterhood that develops between me and my clients. We are co-creators—working together toward the future that the client envisions.

TOS: I have heard that coaching is very expensive. What are the fees for your sessions?

CHARMAINE: My fee is determined after the free sample session. If we both feel that I can be of help and that we are a “good fit,” then we determine together what would be a reasonable fee for both of us. I want coaching to be within the financial reach of anyone who is ready and willing to move forward and make some significant changes in their life.

My standard fees (on a month-by-month basis) are $50 for one session per month, $65 for two sessions per month, $95 for three sessions per month, and $125 for four sessions per month.

If you have looked at other coaches’ websites, you may wonder why my fees are so low in comparison. After praying about it, I felt that the Lord wanted me to offer my services at a lower rate because I am working primarily with one-income families. Also, my coaching practice is more than just a way of earning income— it is also a ministry to women and mothers. I am willing to work with people on an individual fee and payment plan.

TOS:What do you like most about being a coach?

CHARMAINE: I love having the opportunity to give support, encouragement, and mentoring to homeschooling moms who are timid about getting started or are feeling burned out, alone, and discouraged. I believe so strongly in home education and in the intrinsic value of Mom in the home that it’s a joy and a pleasure to support, encourage, and inspire that role in any way that I can.

TOS: How long have you been a coach?

CHARMAINE: I have been coaching professionally since January 2003. However, I have unofficially been helping homeschooling moms for much longer than that.

TOS: How would someone contact you to request more information or to schedule a session?

CHARMAINE: Website: www.victorycoaching.citymax.com. Email: wistad@chibardun.net. Phone: 1-715-635- 7408. Mail: PO Box 343, Spooner, WI 54801.

Charmaine Wistad lives with her husband, Tryg, on 160 wooded acres in the proverbial “middle of nowhere” in northern Wisconsin. She has successfully homeschooled their two children from preschool through high school and is now turning her attention toward helping Christian women and homeschooling moms through personal coaching. Charmaine also teaches worship dance and enjoys classical literature and art.

Judy Wales is a homeschooling mom to five children and wife to the love of her life. Her family has been homeschooling for the last four years.