Reading a book on a rainy day with my little ones surrounding my chair is one of my favorite joys. Something that I have been doing that has helped me reach my goal of reading a book a month is to read aloud what I am reading while the kids are playing. I have been loving it! It gives me the opportunity to read some of my book list favorites while also keeping engaged with my sweet littles. I thought I would share some of my favorites/must-haves from this year so far. They are in no particular order but have been thoroughly enjoyed!
1. Mother Culture
I have quite a few motherhood book favorites, but this is one that I can read every single year and learn something new! It’s an absolute must-have for homeschooling mamas, and is the only book that I can 100% say has actually impacted my mothering journey. You will be incredibly encouraged and uplifted by this read!
2. Lessons at Blackberry Inn
Could you use a few soothing moments of Mother Culture®? The pages of Lessons at Blackberry Inn calm the soul. You will find yourself sweetly transported to the village of Appleton, in the 1930s. Here Carol serves her family with Christian faith, hope, and love. Such an inspiring story!
3. Pocketful of Pinecones
By Karen Andreola, author of the Charlotte Mason Companion, this book is a teacher’s guide to studying nature. It is cleverly written in the form of a story, told through the diary of Carol, a beginning home-school mom in the 1930’s. Taking Charlotte Mason’s advice, she gives both of her children a nature notebook and encourages them to fill them with drawings, information, and discoveries.
4. Charlotte Mason Companion
Why are the time-tested principles of respected 19th-century British educator Charlotte Mason so popular with homeschoolers? Because they work! Andreola shares her experiences in homeschooling the “Charlotte Mason way.” Discover how to teach children to think independently, retain what they learn, and communicate clearly by narrating what they read in “living books.”
5. The Early Years Handbook
What should I be doing during the preschool years for homeschooling?
“In this time of extraordinary pressure, educational and social, perhaps a mother’s first duty to her children is to secure for them a quiet growing time.” This book is another must-have for mamas of little children. I have used this book as my guide so much to the point that my copy is in three pieces! When it comes to homeschooling littles, this is a beautiful guide of how to educate little ones while preserving their beautiful childhood.
6. Long Days of Small Things
Rich, soul-inspiring practices for moms who have neither quiet nor time.
Dirty laundry, crayon-smeared bills, and smashed crackers . . . And there’s your Bible―buried under a pile of diapers. In Catherine’s book, she encourages you to invite God into the sacred mundane of every mothering moment. This was another book that I can say has positively impacted my motherhood journey.
7. Balanced and Barefoot
Today it is rare to find children rolling down hills, climbing trees, or spinning in circles just for fun. We’ve taken away merry-go-rounds, shortened the length of swings, and done away with teeter-totters to keep children safe. Children have fewer opportunities for unstructured outdoor play than ever before, and recess times at school are shrinking due to demanding educational environments.
With this book, you’ll discover little things you can do anytime, anywhere to help your kids achieve the movement they need to be happy and healthy in mind, body, and spirit. M must-have for mamas of littles!
8. Mama Bear Apologetics
This mom-to-mom guide will equip you to teach your kids how to form their own biblical beliefs about what is true and what is false. Through transparent life stories and clear, practical applications—including prayer strategies—this band of Mama Bears offers you tools to train yourself, so you can turn around and train your kids. This has been my most recent top pick!
9. Laying Down the Rails
The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days.—Charlotte Mason
Charlotte likened good habits to rails on which our children’s lives could run smoothly, and it’s up to us to lay them down for our children.
Here, compiled into one volume, are all the habits Charlotte mentioned in her writings with her thoughts and suggestions for cultivating each one. This work also includes Charlotte’s help for breaking bad habits, hundreds of inspiring quotes, and lots of practical tips. This is another book that I have quite literally worn out. If you are new to Charlotte Mason’s habit training philosophy, this is a wonderful guide for parents of littles!
10. The Joy of the Ordinary Day
This is a story of mid-life longings and discoveries, of lessons learned in the search for home and a new sense of purpose, and the bittersweet intensity of life with teenagers—holding on, letting go. If you are a mama of littles, this is also a wonderful read, because you are able to learn about a mother’s perspective when their little ones are teenagers.
Do you have a favorite?
Thank you for being stopping by!
-Dana
Let’s connect!
I’m also a homeschooling mama, my oldest is just starting first grade (I chose to homeschool year round), then I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old. I started reading your blog when I found your beautiful preschool set, which I am now using with my 3, almost 4 year old.
I am very encouraged by your use of Mcguffey readers and Ray’s arithmetic.
I also love Karen Andreola’s books. I am reading everything I can on Charlotte Mason. It is new to me, but I am trying to implement it in my little homeschool.
You must be so busy with 4 little ones! How does it work for you to handle multiple grades, training multiple habits, or when they all get sick (yikes, lol!)
-Amy