Books
Today is the big day. My first post at Simple Homeschool. It only took me hours to write the darn thing. Don't let post length or brevity deceive you. I swear the more concise a post needs to be the harder it is for me to write. Writing according to another person's style guidelines was and is challenging but I'm excited about being stretched in this capacity; keeping it short, to the point and helpful.
Oh but don't worry, I'll still ramble on over here at FIMBY where I'm in charge (smile). So this is my ramble today, which is really to introduce and give more story behind the post at Simple Homeschool.
I remember a few years ago when my good friend introduced me to the simplicity of Charlotte Mason's thoughts on education. She loaned me A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola and I ate it up. It just made so much sense based on what I had already observed in my children and fit well with what I wanted our homeschool environment to look like.
Fast forward to today. What we do (or mostly don't do) doesn't look a whole lot like a Charlotte Mason homeschool. But that's ok, because it's not. It's the Tougas family homeschool. But I did learn so much from Andreola's summary of Mason's ideas; applying what worked for us and letting go the rest (without feeling too much guilt).
Recently I had the same "ah, I love this, I must chew, swallow and digest everything about this book" experience in reading Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning by Rachel and Oliver Van DeMille. This book shares a lot in common with Mason's idea but from a different angle. I know by now though that I'm not going to follow this book to the letter just as I haven't followed any other educational philosophy to the letter.
I'm going to read it, pray about it, bounce the ideas off my husband, view it through the lens of our family's goals and purposes, apply what works for our family and carry on. Further inspired, challenged and encouraged.
That's how we're supposed to feel when we read about what other people are doing in their lives or homeschools. We shouldn't feel that we don't measure up, we're doing it all wrong or that we have to run out buy the curriculum they're using (or follow the guru they follow).
My sincere goal in being a homeschooling advocate is not to say "this is how I homeschool my children, now you should do the same". My goal is to say "this is how I homeschool my kiddos (aren't they just the cat's meow). If you like what you see you might want to try some of the things that have worked for me but only if they fit with who you are as a family."
So friends between this post here and what I've said at Simple Homeschool today I think that's all I want to say on the subject, except this:
be who you are and let that light shine.
Link to all my posts (all one for right now) at Simple Homeschool.
If you read any of the blogs I read regularly, most of you are probably already in the know about the release of Jamie Martin's new book Steady Days: A Journey Toward Intentional, Professional Motherhood. Since the official launch two weeks ago reviews of Jamie's book have been featured at Small Notebook, zen family habits, and Simple Mom. Now I'm adding my voice to the chorus of mommy bloggers in praise of this book.
A few months ago I had a conversation with a friend about baby schedules, the toddler years, setting the tone in your home and general at-home mommyhood. I shared with her all I could remember of those years; establishing a routine, how to get stuff done around the house, toddler friendly activities and my overall mothering philosophy. But I was wishing I could recommend a book to her. Something that could encourage her in her career as a mother and give very practical tips for making it work. This, my friends, is that book.
Book Review
If I was going to write a book with a "you can do it" message and "here's some hands-on ideas to help you" this is what it would look like. Having been a mother for almost 12 years myself and choosing from the beginning to make this my profession, I have already learned and applied many of the organizational principles Jamie discusses. But I was very encouraged by her overall message and especially appreciated the wisdom found in the retaining enthusiasm section of the book.
Jamie wrote this book in forty, very short, easy to read chapters that are divided into 4 overall sections:
- Getting Organized
- Retaining Enthusiasm
- Learning Together
- Making Memories
In each of these sections she generously gives both inspiration AND very practical tips for becoming a better mother, regardless if you are a SAHM, work outside the home mother (don't know the short hand for that one) or some combination thereof. If you are a mom getting started on this exciting journey, wanting to know how to mother in a more joyful, organized, and meaningful way I highly recommend this book.
One of the messages I took away was the reminder to feed my own intellect and creative spirit. To seek those things that inspire me as a person and professional, that I may then inspire these three beautiful people whose education and upbringing I am largely responsible for. Another thing I really appreciated about this book was the affirmation that I am the expert in my home; not a magazine article, a parenting book or my favorite mommy blogger.
To conclude this short review, that doesn't quite do the book justice, I'd like to leave you with a quote from the book, "Professionalism is not about achieving a desired result but is about living with purpose and focus. When we live with intention, we invest in our future and the future of our children."
If you want to be purposeful about motherhood I think this book is a great place to start.
Giveaway!
Want to get your hands on a copy? You can buy one at Amazon (I don't make any money if you do), or you can enter a giveaway here for one signed copy of Steady Days.
To enter your name please leave a comment saying one thing you appreciate about your own mother. Mothers, fathers, children; anyone is eligible to enter and this book would make a great gift for a mother of young children in your life.
Giveaway ends Sunday, January 31st at 9pm E.T. Comments will be closed then and I will randomly draw a name.
PS. I forgot to mention that Jamie blogs (on the same themes as she presents in her book) at Steady Mom. Good stuff, you should check it out.
You know me, I can't stay away from this space too long. I had a lovely, exciting surprise (which I will be sharing more of in the new year) that energized me today. The creative juices started to flow again and amazingly I didn't feel like going to bed at 9pm, which has been a regular occurrence these days. A nice occurrence mind you, but one that doesn't leave much time for my usual hour of creative downtime after the kids are in bed.
Anyway, here I am using this last half hour of Wednesday night to share a few photos from the past couple days and a some book links. I've been reading a lot, which seems to ebb and flow with my creative pursuits. If I'm taking lots of photos, I'm not reading much. If I'm reading lots, I'm not sewing or knitting. There's a give and take to my activities; in the same way there is to my mothering/homemaking - days that I'm a great mother I feel like a lousy housekeeper. You know that story.
Our days have looked like this; in between getting packed up for our Christmas trip and putting the finishing touches on gifts, cards and soap. The kids and I have been reading Christmas and winter stories and we just finished the classic My Side of the Mountain, which left Laurent literally hopping up and down with excitement; that boy loves the woods.
My personal reading has been quite eclectic. During breakfast and lunch this week I've been laughing my way through Pilgrims: A Wobegon Romance. I started (and was greatly inspired by) reading Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning during a hot bath this past weekend. A couple weeks ago I enjoyed the pat on the back I received from In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms and before bed I've been listening as Damien's been reading to us all Zero Days: The Real Life Adventure of Captain Bligh, Nellie Bly, and 10-year-old Scrambler on the Pacific Crest Trail.
I've been kind of missing the usual love affair with my camera (though I have to say the waning light makes it tricky) but reading has been nice and just perfect for these dark and wintry days.
