A Christian Woman's Guide to Finding Clean & Captivating Fiction Books

To say that I'm an avid reader is a bit of an understatement. On any given day, I can have ten or so books stacked up on my nightstand awaiting my attention. My TBR list feels more substantial and overwhelming than the national debt. (That may or may not be a bit of an exaggeration. I'll let you decide.)

For years, I gravitated towards non-fiction. As a Christian woman who's compelled to honor the directives found in Philippians 4:8, I found fiction books to be tricky to navigate. They were either clean but not very captivating or captivating but not at all clean.

Nurturing a Hyggelict Homeschool

Cozy. Peaceful. Calm. 

I'd venture to guess that when you began thinking of homeschooling, these were the words that played on permanent repeat in your head. You envisioned pastoral scenes--children meandering through lush fields, collecting nature samples in hand-woven baskets or gathered on an heirloom quilt in the backyard, reading a hardbacked classic out loud to one another.

You hoped for the stuff of Instagram.

But a week or so in, and you're realizing that your homeschool looks nothing like the picture on the front of the homeschool catalog. Your days are loud. Disordered. Chaotic.

What We're Reading in September 2020

All good things must come to an end. Or at least that's what I've been told. After 16 years of sitting by my side for our daily read alouds, my daughter has officially opted out and will not be joining us for our afternoon tradition anymore. Her work schedule is very unpredictable, making it difficult for her to commit to anything other than her college classes and our family Morning Time on any given school day.

6 Simple Ways to Make Traditional Curriculum More Delightful

Boxed sets of curriculum often get a bad rap in homeschooling circles. Because of their one-size-fits-all approach to learning, they are seen as rigid and uninspiring. Veteran homeschool moms will say that the assignments often lack value and become place-fillers and busywork; that the textbooks are dry; and that the course loads are laden with the unnecessary burdens of a traditional classroom.

Moms who've been homeschooling for any length of time tend to shy away from boxed sets because they much prefer to create a tailor-made education for their child--one that will nurture curiosity, develop individual gifts, and present material in an engaging and interactive way.

Distance Learning That Isn't a Dumpster Fire

When faced with the task of deciding how best to educate her kids next year, a friend sent me a private message asking for advice regarding alternative options. She’s a working mom whose kids had previously been enrolled at the public school.

Our school district’s offerings for the upcoming school year are less than appealing and she’d like to go a different route. Trouble is, she's just not sure she can hold up an entire homeschool and put in a full day of work.