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10 Best Books for Homeschool Moms

There are books every homeschool mom needs to have in her library.

When I finally decided to abandon the ideal of public school, a friend loaned me a bag of books to borrow during our beach vacation. 

They were her stash of best homeschooling books for moms. I devoured them on the car ride there, while we were on the beach, and on the car ride home. 

I learned SO MUCH from those books. They gave me inspiration, motivation, ideas, encouragement, and just the TOOLS I needed to begin my journey.

I have since invested in many of those same books (plus my friend wound up giving me some of them!) and happily loan them out to my friends. I also re-read these books frequently. I have also added to the books as I hear of new recommendations.

My children are constantly changing, and I constantly need encouragement and ideas.

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details. 

10 Best Books for Homeschool Moms

Best Books for Homeschool Moms

1.  For The Children's Sake:  Foundations of Education for Home and School

This was the VERY FIRST homeschool book I read, and I still read it each summer. It is full of so much gentle wisdom, inspiration, and advice. 

2.  A Charlotte Mason Companion:  Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning

This was the SECOND book I read. It was so helpful to me in forming my homeschool philosophy, which ultimately became an Classical/Charlotte Mason/Interest Led mix! 

3.  The Well Trained Mind:  A Guide to Classical Education at Home

This is the primer on Classical Education. It contains curriculum suggestions, a thorough explanation of the stages of learning, and so much more. I have been reading this book A LOT lately!

4. The Core:  Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education

The Core is another great primer on Classical Education. I read this book last year and it convinced me we needed to join Classical Conversations (which we start in August). Leigh Bortins offers WONDERFUL suggestions if you are interested in educating your child Classically. 

5.  Educating The Whole Hearted Child

Sally and Clay Clarkson have put together a must have resource for homeschool families. This book is full of encouragement, curriculum suggestions, book suggestions, schedules, chore charts - you name it, they have included it in this homeschool bible of sorts. 

6.  The Handbook of Nature Study

Normally this book stays in the back of my van, because I love to use it as a reference when we are out and about. If you're like me, you didn't know a lot about nature study when you started homeschooling, and I feel it is such an INTEGRAL part of appreciating God's world. 

*Guess what?  My friend Barb has an entire blog, The Handbook of Nature Study, devoted to this book. It's a fabulous resource.

7.  Pocketful of Pinecones:  Nature Study with the Gentle Art of Learning

This book, actually in story format, inspired me to slow down and enjoy my children. It showed me that we needed to spend time being TOGETHER, not me scheduling "activities" for them to do. It's a sweet read that refreshes tired souls. 

8.  The Homeschool Experiment

I laughed OUT LOUD while reading this book. It's written by a young homeschool mom who shares her escapades, triumphs, failures, and dreams in story format. I read it in two nights - it was THAT good. 

9.  Soundbites from Heaven:  What God Wants Us To Hear When We Talk to Our Kids

This is a great devotional - and it made me think a lot about how I speak to my children, and what that says about myself and my walk with God. It was a bit painful to read, but I believe it grew me in an area where I needed (and still DO need) work.

10.  Weapons of Mass Instruction:  A Schoolteacher's Journey Through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling

If there are ever days where I feel tempted to flag down the big yellow bus, I sit and read this book. John Gatto tells the tale (in no uncertain terms) of the effects of compulsory schooling on our culture. While I believe everyone makes their educational choices for different reasons and homeschooling doesn't work for everyone, I FIRMLY believe our current system of compulsory schooling fails our children. 

You CAN Homeschool: Encouragement for the the Journey

Another book I think you MUST have (wink) is my free eBook!  I wrote this book to encourage and equip homeschooling parents.  

Download the book for free -- I hope it blesses you! 

 

 

 

Do YOU have a favorite homeschool book that has helped you greatly on your journey? I'd love to know what it is!

10 Best Books for Homeschool Moms

A Planner for Classical Conversations

I've struggled over the years to find a planner that would suit our needs for Classical Conversations - AND homeschool and life in general (you know - meal plans, grocery lists, books I wanted to read - all that good stuff).

Having children in both Foundations and Challenge made it hard for me to keep all of MY planning in one place, and I always wound up purchasing/making customized planners for my own children. 

As is generally the case with CC moms, when there is a need they are among the first to fill that need. 

I've discovered the BEST planner for CC - for students and parents - and it is has been developed by a talented, creative CC mom, who just KNOWS what we need in a planner. 

I'm excited to share the 18 month Classical Homeschool Planner from Hot Pink Lime with you!

*I was given a copy of the digital and physical planner for my review. This is a compensated post, but I never recommend anything we don't use and love in our own homeschool. Period.

About the Classical Homeschool Planner

The planner can either be purchased as a downloadable product, or a physical, spiral-bound planner which will be mailed to you. When you purchase the spiral bound planner you will also receive the downloadable planner.  

The advantage to purchasing the physical planner would be that you would have a beautiful, spiral-bound planner for yourself, as well as the option to customize and print planners for your students from your downloadable planner. 

This is the Sunflowers design - there are lots of other super fun designs to choose from.

A Printed Planner Includes:

– Month-on-two-page format with calendars for June 2017 – December 2018.

– Holidays for 2017 & 2018

– Undated Attendance Logs for the entire year that can be used for up to 6 children

– Lesson Plans: 24 weeks specifically designed to coordinate with CC, plus 16 Weeks of Generic Lesson Plans

– 24 Weeks of Community Day Sheets – perfect for taking weekly notes or Tutor Planning

– Weekly Class Notes Pages – ideal for taking notes during Essentials or at a weekly co-op

– Memory Work Review Rotation Schedule – prefilled in each lesson plan to simplify memory work review

– Reading Log for Multiple Students

– Resources include a Skip Counting Chart and Multiplication Table – both go through the 15s!

– Just for Mom: Book Log, Goal Planning, Bucket List, Moments to Remember & more

– Field Trip Planning Pages and Field Trip Scheduler

– Web Resources list to keep track of useful websites for your homeschool

– To Do list pages, (6 pages, double columns with check boxes)

– Lined Note pages (14 pages)

– Christmas & Special Occasion Gift Planners

– Planning pages for 2017-18

– Mileage Log

– Master Meal Planner and special Holiday Meal Planner sheets

– Coloring Pages

– Exercise Tracker

– Expense Tracker

– Mileage Log

– New School Year Checklist

– Curriculum Shopping List

Extra items only included in the Digital Download:

– Week on One Page – for those who need more calendar room.  This is an undated page with fillable fields for the dates.  Print as many as you need!

– Health Tracker – to log food, water, exercise and sleep all in one place

– Individual Student Plan

– Weekly Student Checklist  

(Thought I'd snap a shot of what the planner looks like as a downloadable file on my computer)

– Unit Study Planner

– Three complete digital planners, ready for printing:

– All Color Version

– Mixed Version – covers + calendar pages in color, with the Planning and Homeschool pages in black & white for economical printing.

– No Background Black & White Version – plain pages with no background for the most economical printing, or where you need “un-themed” pages, such as student planners or checklists.

What I Like About the Classical Homeschool Planner

Honestly, I've been pleasantly surprised by this planner. I'm NOT much of a planner person, but I can get on board with using this planner, and here's why:

  • Everything is is ONE PLACE:  All of my planning pages are right there, and my kids' planners can be customized and printed right from the downloadable file. Everything for meal planning, books I've read, and just notes in general are is included, too. Just put the planner in your bag and you're set!
  • Good for ALL LEVELS of Classical Conversations: There is something for everyone here - from Foundations to Challenge
  • Plenty of space to write:  And, if you need more pages for more room, just print them! 
  • SUPER CUTE!  Ok, I admit it. This really appeals to me. All of the designs just make me happy and I could see being quite encouraged to really use the planner because it looks cute. There are many fun planning accessories to purchase, too (if you're a planner junkie!).
  • Designed by a CC Mom:  This is a big deal. Eileen, the woman behind Hot Pink Lime, is a CC mom and gets it. She's in the trenches with us and knows what we need.

Other Details About the Classical Homeschool Planner

 

Free Download & Giveaway

Hot Pink Lime has designed a coloring sheet with my favorite Bible verse as a special free download for my readers.  I hope you enjoy this...

Download the Exodus 14:14 Coloring Page

Hot Pink Lime is also giving away TWO DIGITAL PLANNERS:  

ONE of the Classical Homeschool Planner (designed for CC families) and ONE of the Traditional Homeschool Planner (designed for any homeschool family).

Please follow the instructions in the widget below to enter: