Dearest Witchey and Mama Friends,
whew it’s almost December and the last month of the year how did that happen again?
This month of November has been extra hectic to say the least for me and The Witches Brew. I’m constantly trying to find the time to balance it all. This month I wanted to talk about my November Read’s and what I’ve been reading. I’ve always been a book lover on the down low and get a lot of wonderful information in my spiritual practice from books, but this post is dedicated to the “parents and homeschooling folks.”
Last year I ventured into that life and after reading these books I feel inspired to go down that rabbit hole of intense learning again. I should say all of these books I got are either from the library or I purchased myself.
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The Books
Each of these books helped me in some way shape or form build the person I am today and the mother I am today to my kids. I felt empowered and inspired to be with the more and present in each moment. I hope if you get these books they bring some joy to you too.
This book gave me the confidence I needed to continue to teach my kids. It taught me that most learning happens outside of the classroom and gave me the confidence to defend my choice of homeschooling. It also gave me wonderful tricks and tips on bringing my family together like poetry tea time for example. If, you have kids and aren’t homeschooling this book can give you a little something to add into your routines also. I love that the author Julie is seeing homeschooling with a positive attitude and not one of banishing public school.
Biggest takeaways from this one: Creating an environment for learning is important. It’s okay to have bad days and good days. Show your children your love of learning and include them in it. Read to them and read to them often.
Bringing Up Book Monsters by the husband and wife team Amber Ankowski and Andy Ankowski the science behind reading and the wondrous joy books can create. It taught how our minds process language and how exactly to create the best environment for my kids.
Since I have a kindergartener who is going down this path of learning to read I deeply want to foster his joy of reading anyway I can. It starts with creating an environment that in conducive for reading. All the time not just bedtime. I love books but in my childhood experience we did not bond over books like what is described here.
There were a few times where my mother read to me. But, often I witnessed her just reading to herself. Now there was nothing wrong with this and sparked me wanting to read more. But, I want to do this differently with my children. I want to make reading all kinds of books a family event.
Biggest takeaways: The family that reads together stays together! The ending is my favorite line ” Talk to your kid, Read to your kid, Have fun doing both! If, you can remember those things often than not, and whenever you might be in doubt, then you and your bookmonster will always find your way.”
Holy Shit this book had heart for the homeschooling mama. I highly recommend this book if you have a kid that does not fit the mold of traditional school. It really gives you great information about not only the confidence in your choice as the parent/parents to homeschool, but it kind of helps you mentally prepare for other peoples reactions to homeschooling.
I have a “friend” who every time I talk about homeschooling my kids they like to throw this line at me ” Research has shown that kids in schools are benefitted from socializing.” They also can not name any “research studies”. My response is this “Are they not socializing right now when they are playing with your kids? update: The great things about friends is you get to pick and choose. Even adults bully when they don’t understand something. Just in a nicer way. Pay attention to how other adults speak to you about how you choose to raise your kid during this time. Its a jungle out here y’all.
Wild and Free gives you gentle confidence in your choices and also shows you that you have a community of support, you are a capable human being. So are your kids. This books take’s you as the parent on a journey to not only build the confidence to do this work, but to start an adventure through “nature journaling” to different ways to help your kids notice the weather outside and how it changes.
“Doing something so different can scare people, because it questions the assumptions on which they have built their lives. And when people get scared, they stereotype. Thus, the ever-present stereotype of the unsocialized and unworldly homeschooler.” – Blake Boles *Quote from the book.*
This book is still a work in progress and I’ll update the book review once I’m done with it. So, far this is a wonderful “self help” ish type of book that show cases the importance of reading aloud to her kids. But, in a different way. This book gave me idea’s so far on how to create a book club culture at home. I love how she was real and how the read aloud story for her began out of a passion to be close to our kids.
I won’t be posting a big take away for now because the book isn’t finished. But, if you are thinking about going on this journey. I say, don’t stop run. Your kids are only little once. If, this tarot reading, blogging mother can swing homeschooling and all of life has to offer, you can too!
Wishing you all the best,
Lexi
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PS: Here is a penpal question. You can write back through email or the form below.
What is your favorite genre to read? Even though I’m reviewing non fiction books I loveee steamy romance reads. I’m a sucker what can I say. It’s important for me to have something beyond being a spiritual person. Something that is for myself. What do you do that’s for you?
