117. Ruth Regehr and Cheeriosity

In today’s episode, we get to spend time with Ruth Regehr from Alberta. Ruth is a mother of four, grandmother of three, and the founder and developer of the game, Cheeriosity. We started our conversation by learning about Ruth’s short experience homeschooling her children when they were quite young. Ruth loved it, and so did her kids. We transitioned to Cheeriosity, a game that consists of 12 blocks where players make words based on 353 positive attributes that they notice in others or want to acquire themselves. Listeners will enjoy Ruth’s positive vibe and the encouragement she gives us all to love on others, including a reminder that words matter! 

Connect with Ruth

ruth@cheeriosity.ca

Cheeriosity

YouTube Channel

Proactive Homeschool Dad (PHD) Course

PHD Course

This Golden Hour

Transcript

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Ruth Regehr 0:00

I have so many wonderful homeschooling mom friends now, even like my kids are growing up, but other moms who I am just so drawn to and I admire their. Eagerness to just utilize their drive time going to a sports event, to have meaningful conversations, to just be so intentional about all the time they spend.

Timmy Eaton 0:26

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 Ruth Regere from Alberta. Ruth is a mother of four, grandmother of three, and the founder and developer of the game. Curiosity. We started our conversation by learning about Ruth's short experience homeschooling her children when they were quite young. Ruth loved it and so did her kids. We transitioned to curiosity, a game that consists of 12 blocks where players make words based on 353. Positive attributes that they notice in others or want to acquire themselves. Listeners will enjoy Ruth's positive vibe and the encouragement she gives us all to love on others, including a reminder that words matter. Welcome back to this Golden Hour podcast. We're so excited to have with us today, Ruth Regere from Alberta. Thanks for being with us. Ruth.

Ruth Regehr 2:09

Thank you for inviting me

Timmy Eaton 2:11

and you're coming to us from Fort Saskatchewan today. 'cause you're painting a deck is what you are saying

Ruth Regehr 2:15

yes, indeed. I am. It's the weather's holding for the day, so it's a good time to get it done before winter.

Timmy Eaton 2:21

So I just wanna give you a brief intro and then let you take over from there. Ruth is a mother of four and she is a founder and developer of Curiosity, which is a game that we're gonna talk about throughout this episode and why that's of interest to homeschool family. Nice. Ruth, give us anything else you want to as far as biography?

Ruth Regehr 2:38

I have three beautiful grandkids with one more on the way now.

Timmy Eaton 2:43

Congrats

Ruth Regehr 2:43

and thank you. And I love being a mother-in-law. I have a wonderful daughter-in-law as well as a son-in-law. And my church family is a pretty big deal. Doing life with other believers is pretty amazing. And just using opportunities as we run into people to just share how much God loves them and has good plans for them is a real easy icebreaker for people that I love to share why I bother living a life for the Lord instead of for myself.

Timmy Eaton 3:16

Thank you very much for sharing that. Appreciate that. I thought we could we definitely want to spend the bulk of our time on curiosity the game you developed and we were talking before the interview, you said that you had a little stint with homeschooling yourself. So do you wanna just tell us a little bit about that, just to connect with our audience?

Ruth Regehr 3:32

Sure. This was oh, at least 20 years ago now. But I wanted to homeschool. I had the dream that my husband and I could travel with our kids and, do things that I do hear other homeschoolers doing. But, I did do one year of homeschooling and I had asked somebody who was homeschooling her two boys the same grade to help me get signed up, and I ended up 90% aligned with Alberta curriculum, so I was just buried in paperwork and, I loved the homeschooling aspect and my husband wasn't too sure about it. He worked at a town a fair bit and I guess I didn't really have his full understanding support at that time. It wasn't particularly very popular or common. He wasn't so sure that would be a good plan.

Timmy Eaton 4:26

Yeah.

Ruth Regehr 4:27

So we got through one year, which was super fun. We had a wonderful time with all kinds of friends. And I was just grateful that they still all made their grade

Timmy Eaton 4:38

Before we

Ruth Regehr 4:38

slipped them into a Christian school at that time.

Timmy Eaton 4:41

How old were the kids at that time?

Ruth Regehr 4:43

Grade two, three and four. 5, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Timmy Eaton 4:47

No way. No way. And you did every, everybody at that point, how many kids were? Yes. Did you have at that 0.4, you did have four. Oh, wow. Yeah. Excellent. And how did you even know about the option? Like how did you know about it and like what to do and where to start and that kind of stuff?

Ruth Regehr 4:59

I did know a couple people who were homeschooling and I just felt like that was a great direction for me. But then again. If you don't have full support at home, it makes it quite a bit more challenging.

Timmy Eaton 5:13

What did you see then as the greatest benefit or what was the most attractive thing about it? And then what was like the most challenging thing, about it?

Ruth Regehr 5:22

The best thing about it was that I got to spend the time with my kids. Learning, doing. I love hands-on learning. I love getting kids excited about learning without realizing they're learning.

Timmy Eaton 5:35

Yes. Kinda

Ruth Regehr 5:36

Tricking them into learning or making them think they're just having fun while they're learning,

Timmy Eaton 5:40

which is what curiosity is, isn't it?

Ruth Regehr 5:42

That's true. Yeah. And I loved the getting together with other parents. So that you could both have a little bit of like-minded conversations and interests so that your kids are, hearing and seeing that not just learning, but faith integrated into life is just normal. It's not something odd. And I just, I really loved the flexibility of powering through paperwork. And then being able to hang out with friends and just have more flex time.

Timmy Eaton 6:17

Yes. Yeah. Flexibility for sure. Yeah. What about challenge? I know it was a limited amount of time, but what did you see as a challenge? Yeah. Like you, you had mentioned, when you don't have the support at home, that is really, that's hard, right? That's one of the biggest things.

Ruth Regehr 6:29

Yeah, because then it was all about trying to have everything aligned with Alberta curriculum, which that wasn't my vision going into it.

Timmy Eaton 6:38

Yeah. Amen to that. And it

Ruth Regehr 6:39

was, the paperwork was overwhelming.

Timmy Eaton 6:42

Yeah. For four

Ruth Regehr 6:43

completely different curriculums.

Timmy Eaton 6:45

Do you remember what your kids like, how their experience was or how they would describe it? I know that's probably hard to do for them, but, and they were,

Ruth Regehr 6:52

they loved it.

Timmy Eaton 6:53

Oh, cool.

Ruth Regehr 6:54

Yeah they had no problems with that because I love people. I like to gather with people. I like to have groups of people have fun and learn. So it was a great experience for them and they didn't think they did much homework.

Timmy Eaton 7:11

Yeah. Like you said, they were just enjoying learning and living and Yeah. And that's what it is. Homeschool is such a lifestyle and so that's beautiful. It seems like you would've been quite the natural homeschool mom, like throughout the years. In a way that makes me kind of like, oh man, I wish you had the full go at it,

Ruth Regehr 7:25

yeah.

Timmy Eaton 7:26

But

Ruth Regehr 7:26

on the other hand at the school there was so many kids that I was able to reach out to and love on and

Timmy Eaton 7:34

yes, make

Ruth Regehr 7:34

them feel included. 'cause our house was the house where all the kids came after school.

Timmy Eaton 7:39

Because we

Ruth Regehr 7:40

were just a block from the school. There were some. Upsides to it too, so

Timmy Eaton 7:43

And have you noticed like where you live, is there growth in homeschooling and Absolutely. And do you know why that is? What's happening that there's so many more people? We know COVID OD had influence, but in your mind, what's going on?

Ruth Regehr 7:56

I think people are really starting to feel an attack on their faith. And their belief systems not wanting their kids exposed to teaching and behaviors that are just completely so far from what we want our children to learn and grow into. And parents don't want the harms that can come. For their kids. And so it's not just protecting them though, it's also wanting to equip kids. To deal with this world, but not be overwhelmed by it.

Timmy Eaton 8:29

I've interviewed a few people that have used the phrase meet the world with their children. And I really like that. I like the idea of meeting the world and being able to not avoid it, but to navigate it together with loving parents,, which again, it's not like only homeschool families can do that, but when you have that much time together. That's a benefit, and I think that's true. It used to be a few people did it for the, the same reasons, and now the spectrum is like huge. And and we see such an increase in, especially US Canada,

Ruth Regehr 8:55

I was gonna say, I have so many wonderful homeschooling mom friends now, even like my kids are growing up, but other moms who I am just so drawn to and I admire their. Eagerness to just utilize their drive time going to a sports event, to have meaningful conversations, to just be so intentional about all the time they spend. And I just think it's so wonderful because like for myself growing up, I didn't really have, I don't know any kind of a relationship with my mom. And so to see other parents who are just eager to train and help develop a person's not just self-awareness, but critical thinking capacity, like that right there is just so important to be able to make good decisions for yourself and know why.

Timmy Eaton 9:47

I noticed at the AHE conference where you and I met my wife was able to go over and talk with you, and I just noticed that you definitely fit in, if that's the way to say it. And again, I don't even like to use the term homeschool because I just feel like you use the better term for me intentional parenting. And there's lots of parents that are intentional that don't homeschool per se, but that it really does take it to a different level. Again, because of the time that you spend and you're, you fully take on that responsibility of the education and the lifestyle of that your family's gonna live. And so I agree. I'm with you on that. Let's transition to curiosity. First of all, tell us what that is. Why the name? I've read a lot about it, but let our audience know. And then how do you play it?

Ruth Regehr 10:26

Sure. I always tell people, come with curiosity, leave with more cheer, curiosity.

Timmy Eaton 10:32

I do wanna say people need to go to curiosity.ca and look up Ruth's YouTube channel and you'll see lots of different testimonials and different things. And I'm pretty sure you'll be interested to get this for your family. So go ahead.

Ruth Regehr 10:42

Curiosity is a game of basic, racing to spell a word, and each person has 12 blocks that have letters on all sides, which took me a long time to figure out, to make them work like a puzzle.

Timmy Eaton 10:56

I saw a video with your different iterations and all the work you did and paint and all that. That was amazing.

Ruth Regehr 11:02

Yeah. It virtually can spell up to any 12 letter word it is like a nerdy thing, but I was like, how can I make this? My first idea came when my son was playing with my Thanksgiving blocks that said, give thanks, and he switched them around, so it said King Ash. And I was like, I just had this epiphany. I'm like if there was letters on all sides, he could actually spell something that means something. And that was where my idea started from. And then once I turned it into a puzzle, I chose 12 because. I'm a disciple of Jesus. He had 12 disciples and I like to bake and, baker's dozen. So I decided on 12 because there's a lot of great words that you still can get within 12 letters and there has to be a limit. Once we had the puzzle working, I was like what can you do to make a game that will allow you to. Do something positive, not just anything. Like some games you can use any random type of words. And I, I feel like if we're gonna spend the time playing game, let's make it purposeful. So I was like, how can we include identifying positive character traits in each other? And so then began my research to come up with our 353 positive character trait cards. And they all have the correct spelling on the card with a definition in the center speech bubble. And each person is dealt seven cards. And you can generally pick something for somebody out of that hand. And if you happen to not like everything you have, you can exchange it. The rules are all about, modify it to make it work for your family. So everybody gives a card to the person whose turn it is that they see some of in them to say patient, that means I see you be patient. Sometimes it doesn't mean you're patient 24 hours a day. Yeah. But you do have some patients, because I think people are too quick to say, oh, I don't, I don't have that. Yeah.

Timmy Eaton 13:02

Because I got

Ruth Regehr 13:03

mad. Yeah. We just draw

Timmy Eaton 13:04

a clear line and say, I'm not that

Ruth Regehr 13:06

right. Whereas it's just you do have some of this, I see some of this in you when you do, then it also leaves room for conversations. But. To help people not only receive words of affirmation from others, but for themselves, they actually choose a self-reflective card, something they wanna grow in. So perhaps I would like to be more organized. And then you read them out loud. So people can improve both their vocabulary and their comprehension.

Timmy Eaton 13:38

But

Ruth Regehr 13:38

also you're edifying them because other people are hearing these positive traits that we see in someone and everybody is also growing their vocabulary and comprehension. And I just love that. Parents get excited when they see words they didn't know.

Timmy Eaton 13:55

Yeah. They're like, oh my goodness. I'm sure that's common.

Ruth Regehr 13:58

My favorite word out of the game is xdo. It's the opposite of xenophobic.

Timmy Eaton 14:04

Yeah.

Ruth Regehr 14:05

Do you know what it means?

Timmy Eaton 14:06

I'm just assuming it has to do with some kind of acceptance or love,

Ruth Regehr 14:10

warm and welcoming of strangers.

Timmy Eaton 14:13

Yeah.

Ruth Regehr 14:13

And, I didn't know that word before I was researching words for this game. So anyways, it's great to give people, equip people with vocabulary To use because even as I was playing this with somebody the other day who was like. Mid twenties and they're like, oh, I'm gonna go to work and tell my welder friends. This word, he says, none of them will know this. Of course, he only just learned it himself.

Timmy Eaton 14:42

Yeah.

Ruth Regehr 14:42

At playing the game. So it's quite fun to have just a different approach to why would we bother growing or vocabulary? And when you start looking at cards and definitions, those words start running through your head. Then you see opportunities to use them as well. So then you're on purpose looking for the good in people instead of just being quick to complain or comment on what we don't like.

Timmy Eaton 15:08

Yeah. I like that approach of why wouldn't we take a game that we're gonna play? And, if we're gonna choose to spend time why don't we choose it to edify each other and build each other up and learn in the process, right? Learn. New vocab. And that's such a cool idea. So how did you come up with it? So you started with your son, but I'm saying why a game and like why did you wanna do that?

Ruth Regehr 15:27

Now you're trying to open a big can of worms. My husband had a really bad motorcycle accident and I was like, what? At age 49, I need to learn how to be the income earner. So basically that was probably why I was really trying to create a game that I could sell. But I was like, if I need to do something, it's gotta be meaningful. So that I can, care to push

Timmy Eaton 15:51

through.

Ruth Regehr 15:53

Yeah.

Timmy Eaton 15:53

So was your family like into games or like why a game? Was that something you had already had some experience with or,

Ruth Regehr 16:00

I'm always. Tinkering playing with stuff a game because I do love gathering people and I love to hear what other people think and see.

Timmy Eaton 16:11

And

Ruth Regehr 16:12

this way you can draw out of other people what they see in someone. And it. Mind blowing actually to me, how impacting it is. In fact, I don't know how many times it has brought me to tears some of the stories people come back to me with and where it's just like it helps people. It breaks down walls, it restores friendships. It's. Proverbs 1821, life and death are in the power of the tongue and of it you'll eat. Its fruit. What we say matters. Yeah. And if you're gonna bother saying something, say it good or say it better. Yeah. And make it positive.

Timmy Eaton 16:51

And why not? And why not have a game that kind of hones that that ability, that, that desire to look for the good in other people and so what's, how has the reception been of the game? Like how has it been from people?

Ruth Regehr 17:01

Oh, it's been awesome. Our shipment took way too long to come. So we had lots of excitement before we had any product. And so now we finally have our product, our game mats, and wherever I go, people are happy to buy it. At the a h conference, I had so much fun I had a prize for the person who could spell the word magnificent the fastest. And I had teenagers coming back to my booth between sessions, probably spending three hours to improve their time from like a minute and a half, down to 30 seconds, 20 seconds. The winner actually nailed it at 10.8 seconds. And they were so excited and a mom came along, she says, okay, I just wanna buy this. I tried to explain to her about it. She says, I don't care. I just wanna buy it. My kids like this. I was like, we don't have stock yet.

Timmy Eaton 17:54

And you and I were talking beforehand how in, in order to get into a market, you kinda have to target a niche and stuff like that, but why did you choose the homeschooling route as far as families to to begin with?

Ruth Regehr 18:04

Because curiosity, as much as it's a family game, it's also a really versatile teaching tool. And my granddaughters, when she only had letter recognition. She could nail a 12 letter word just doing one letter at a time on the blocks. And she couldn't read the word, but she could line up all the letters. Yeah. And so she was seeing success. There's so many ways that it's a good tool, but it takes a little bit of. Like a ball, you just bounce it because it's fun and it's, you can not think about it and just bounce bounce. But a game that is meaningful sometimes takes a person who on purpose, gathers people to say, Hey, let's play this. It does require some effort. Some people don't like to share what they think or feel, and this game makes it an easier platform for people to compliment somebody else without feeling too put on the spot. I've had people come back to me with that saying they really like how it gives them opportunity to say something but not feel. Uncomfortable doing it. Yeah. Because our culture isn't particularly very positive.

Timmy Eaton 19:14

Yeah. Not the current state of affairs. No. And I remember playing that that game. We've done it with our kids, like where you you take like a ball of yarn and somebody starts, and then you have to throw it to somebody else in the room, and then you say something kind and then they take it and throw it to somebody else. And by the end of the. The experience, you're all woven together. And so that's the kind of idea, just Oh, that's cool. It connects you. And I feel like curiosity is like that, where it's if you had a homeschool family with a bunch of kids I'm actually gonna interview somebody here shortly that has 13 children from Saskatchewan. And I thought, man, a game like that would just be so helpful 'cause it's true. And when, especially when you're home, all day together. You do get used to each other and you can definitely get under each other's skin. That's normal and natural and good. But it can be divisive at times. And so something like this could be a way to, to heal things and to just, I dunno, unite the family. I do wanna just again, let my audience know that they could go to curiosity.ca how else to find the game and, but are there any other ways to connect with you personally or just if they have questions? I know there's a frequently asked questions segment on the website, but what can they do to connect with you?

Ruth Regehr 20:18

Yeah, you can reach out to me on Instagram or. Even my email, ruth@curiosity.ca. We are going to be having some storefront in Stony Plain. Soon. There's a work in progress there and I will be putting it on my Instagram and Facebook when I'm hosting. Times it's gonna be Wednesday afternoons. Both to try out the game and, potentially purchase it in person. I am trying to accommodate for in-person sales

Timmy Eaton 20:52

That's great that people have a way to get ahold of you and get ahold of the game. Thank you very much for taking time today. I'll give you the last word and then we'll wrap it up.

Ruth Regehr 21:00

Okay. I just wanna say that, whoever you meet, there's always good to be found in them because each one of us are made in God's image. And when we look at people. Through the lens of how does God see them? There's always good to be found and the more we draw that out in each other, the more they rise up to be open to becoming more of who God's created them to be. And I just wanna say. Love on people and words matter.

Timmy Eaton 21:34

Thank you very much. And what a great game that you've created that like actually moves towards that end of loving others and also just like seeing the good and everybody around you. So thank you again, Ruth, for being with us today on this Golden Hour podcast.

Ruth Regehr 21:46

You're welcome.

Timmy Eaton 21:48

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.