Books for motherhood. Does that sound like an oxymoron to you? It does for me. I buy SO many books for my kids, and I'm reading to them constantly, but let me tell you something: I struggle A LOT with finding time for myself to read & to grow myself. It is a major challenge for me. I love reading and I want to model a lifestyle of reading for my children, but it. is. hard. Finding time to read, is one thing, but finding time to read and not fall asleep is an entirely different battle. Despite the challenge, I want my kids to see me reading, so I'm working hard at it. I've round up some of my favorite books that I always come back to for various reasons in three different categories: infertility & pregnancy, the early years, and homeschooling. I've made this a 3-part series so that my brain isn't overwhelmed. Today, I'm tackling my favorite books on the early years.
Also in this series:
Before I really start I have to say: parenting books are not my thing. I'm NOT a big parenting book person. Parenting books are overwhelming, over the top, unrealistic, don't apply to me, make me feel worse about myself, or I just plain don't agree with the presented philosophy. All that to say, I'm very selective about what book I'm actually going to try really hard to read. I don't have a lot of time so I'm not going to waste it on just any book. Occasionally I find a gem of a book that works really well for me and these are the ones I'm sharing with you today.
This first book goes in all of the categories. I can't tell you how many copies of this book I have gifted to others, because it addresses ALL of life's issues. The Greatest Book of all time, the Bible. I like this one just because it's pretty :-) There is a devotional that goes with it that I just ordered to try.
Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakeable Peace: Homeschooling is hard. It is especially challenging for the Type A person.....that's me :-) I can often get wrapped up in making sure I get all the checks for completing all the things. Frequently I rush and forget to make sure I come from a place of rest and peace. That place is better for my sanity but it also promotes better learning for my kids. This book I have reread many times to remind myself to calm down, focus on the calling of homeschooling, make sure I'm focused on what I desire for my kids to learn, & to not compare myself to other homeschooling families.
Our Read-Aloud Family Journal: This is not a book you read, but a journal (duh Darby, the title told them that!) of what you have read. It is also the same author as the above book (Clearly, I'm a big fan). This was a gift to me from someone who knew I love to read to my kids, and I have already gifted it to others because I love it so much. This journal gives you a place where you log each book you read together. I ask my kids what their favorite part was, if they had a favorite character, what was sad or funny, etc. I can already tell that I like it because I have flipped through some of our first entries and remember some of the funny things they said. This is a great journal for reading families.
Are You Enough? Encouragement for the Overwhelmed & Exhausted Homeschool Mom: You are NOT enough. BUT GOD. But God. But God equips the called. If you have been called into the homeschooling world, then He will provide everything you need to be the best teacher for your children. When I attended the Homeschool Convention at the beginning of June, I attended the author of this book's session. I can't express how refreshed I was after hearing her speak. I immediately purchased the book, and have referred it out so many times already. The author has 4 children that she homeschooled and she tells what she learned along the way. She provides so much Biblical encouragement and resources from her own story of humility for teaching your children, thriving your marriage, & deepening your relationship with the Best Teacher. I absolutely love this book!
The Unhurried Homeschooler: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on Homeschooling: This book revolutionized my mental set as a homeschooling mother. I find that a lot of homeschooling books are written so eloquently. And while they are beautiful, I am at a point in my life where that does not interest me. I need parsimonious writing, that is clear, and to the point with a lot of tips for application. This book does just that. My biggest mantra that I adopted from this book is: CALM DOWN DARBY!
The Unhurried Homeschooler: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on Homeschooling: This book revolutionized my mental set as a homeschooling mother. I find that a lot of homeschooling books are written so eloquently. And while they are beautiful, I am at a point in my life where that does not interest me. I need parsimonious writing, that is clear, and to the point with a lot of tips for application. This book does just that. My biggest mantra that I adopted from this book is: CALM DOWN DARBY!
After The Fall: Yes, this is a children's book, and I would absolutely recommend it for kids, but I would also recommend it to a mother. You are going to fall, and it's going to be a hard fall. But for your kids, you have to get back up. And this is the story of how Humpy Dumpty got back up on the wall. You can read it to your kids for character development, but you're also going to get a bit out of it too. I know in my own life sometimes I fall, or I experience trauma, and it is really tough to pull myself back up. Especially after a particularly challenging homeschool day, it is hard to keep coming back with a smile. Maybe it is the very simple language, but I think children's books can be very powerful for adults. I highly recommend this book to children and adults.
These are a lot of great books out there but there are definitely my favorites right now. What others have you come across that you would add to this list or recommend for me to read?
Don't forget to check out my other book recommendations:
Obligatory Blogger Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this review; I genuinely enjoy these books.
