Books to Renew the Homeschooling Mother

This is our 6th year homeschooling and I have a list of great homeschooling books that I love to turn to every year to renew my homeschooling goals or motivation.

When you were thinking of homeschooling or just starting out, you devour those beginning homeschooling books. However, this is our 6th year homeschooling and I’ve calmed down with the curriculum hoarding and I have a pretty good idea what works for our family as I make minor changes each year.

We’ve had the same routine with only a few new additions or changes each year so I have a good idea of the path we are heading on.

However, there are times when we get into a homeschooling rut, behaviours become a problem and I start to doubt my beautiful plan and question everything I’ve ever done, wait, you do that too right? I can’t be the only one.

Then I look back and try to remember  our reasons for homeschooling and then I realize that I’m in a homeschooling mommy rut. I have a group of awesome local mothers who I chat with but sometimes we just don’t get to see each other as often as I’d like or we’re just not facing the same issues.

Then I need to see how other mothers are homeschooling so I go and search other blogs and feel more inadequate because I haven’t read as many books or completed as many beautiful projects, and my children certainly don’t look like that while they are doing their school work.

I think I spend just as much time ushering my 6 year old to the kitchen table as he spends sitting there doing seat work.

So I turn off the computer and look at my books. These are my go to books to renew my homeschooling spirit.

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Books to Renew the Homeschooling Mother

My first go to book is The Well Trained Mind: S. Bauer, there are so many great book lists and resources and information in here. We do follow the 4 year history cycle so I love that the resources ate organized according to time period.

The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart, she’s the owner of Bravewriter and if you love her writing curriculum, you’ll love her take on instilling a love of learning in your child.

A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning: K. Andreola gives a great overview of Charlotte Mason education, this is my go to resource for CM info and I like how the important aspects like narration, living books and philosophy are broken down.

The Three R’s and You Can Teach Your Child Successfully: Grades 4-8: R. Beechick reminds me that I don’t need a curriculum for everything, particularly when I get down that I can’t purchase the best curriculum out there.

For the Children’s Sake: S.S. Macaulay and Educating the WholeHearted Child: C. & S. Clarkson remind me that my children are whole people who I not only homeschool but I am raising to be worthwhile adults. Sometimes when I face a homeschooling issue, I forget that we are there to help raise them up beyond those issues and not let it be the focus in our school.

These are not books but my ultimate favorite pick me ups are Susan W. Bauer’s audio lectures, I listen to them at least 2 times a year.

The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home[0143133225] [9780143133223] The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life-Paperback[Paperback] [Karen Andreola] A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of LearningThe Three R’sFor the Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School (Child-Life Book)Educating the Wholehearted Child

 

If you’ve skimmed the list, as I’m sure I would do, I gravitate towards the classical and Charlotte Mason way of homeschooling, but I would not classify myself as either. I am much more relaxed so if there was a relaxed classical/Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling that would be me.

If you’ve read anything about classical education, it appears as though it is anything but relaxed. But once you go through the books, I always find great resources and topics that I want to study. My son isn’t reading the Iliad or Shakespeare on his own but we’re reading good literature.

I realized that I have to make adjustments for him and not be afraid to change my homeschool plans. These are my homeschool essentials, what are yours?

Don’t forget to read the other posts in this series.

1. Homeschool Fun is a Requirement
2. Why You Need a Homeschool Space and Schedule to Maintain Your Sanity
3. The Top 10 Essentials to My Homeschool
4. The Best Mom to Homeschool Your Child

Check out what other members of the crew are saying: