I decided I’m going to do a better job of sharing monthly book reviews this year. Maybe that way I won’t be overwhelmed at the end of the year when I’m trying to compile my booklist.
Here are the books I read this month and my thoughts about them.
Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen & Laura Wifler
I read this book because PURSUE is my word for 2021 and this book is about pursuing Christ in motherhood.
This book reminded me that mundane moments matter. These small moments add up over time and can have a significant eternal impact.
I think the best takeaways from the book can be summed up in these quotes:
“God lays out part of his plan for parents raising children, and it’s surprisingly uncomplicated. He charges parents to intentionally invest in their children and teach them to love God and his law…we are the ones overcomplicating it.”
“We’re tasked with living an authentic gospel-filled life before our children, teaching and training them with diligence, perseverance and hope.”
“If you are a mother facing the challenges of a child with differences, there is a purpose; God is working in your child’s life and through their challenges to display his glory – and he is working in you too.”
This is a good book, but I definitely think new mothers or mamas with really young children would benefit from it the most.
Let Them Be Kids by Jessica Smartt
My biggest take away from this book – I really want to break away from screens. Obviously, my kid doesn’t have a screen 24/7; but he still has one more than I’d like him to. I felt a lot of conviction reading this book.
Smartt writes, “There is too much to do in childhood to get stuck in front of a screen.”
I have to be honest, sometimes her suggestions felt out of reach having a child with a genetic disorder.
For example, she says it’s good to push kids a little harder to focus and improve mental muscle. Reading that caused me anxiety because even a tad too much pushing can cause my kid lots of anxiety, which leads to meltdown.
I found myself feeling a little guilty and struggling with shame in the early chapters; but I quickly reminded myself that I am not parenting a neurotypical child. I can try the suggestions that might work for our family, but not for one minute should I feel guilty if they won’t.
I definitely recommend this book if you want to give your child a childhood that resembles the one you had as a kid. Lots of adventures. Lots of love. Lots of grace. Lots of memories. Less screens. Less comparison. Less unhealthy expectations. Less growing up too fast.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
I’m not sure why I waited so long to read this book, but I’m so glad I finally did.
I was immediately mesmerized by The Marsh Girl’s story. I finished the book in two days – I could not put it down! The storytelling is poetic, the characters intriguing. The book goes deeper than an unsolved murder; it’s a story of survival, belonging and love
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
This book is about a tragic event that ties two families together forever. Despite the events that happen on that awful night, lifelong friends Kate and Peter cannot imagine their lives without the other one in it. They fall in love, but their commitment will be tested again and again over the next 30 years.
The book was good, but I felt like it was anticlimactic. I kept reading and waiting for something big to happen, but it never did. It took me longer than normal to finish because I got kind of bored at times. It definitely wasn’t the page turner I was expecting it to be.
The 5 Hour School Week by Aaron and Kaleena Amuchastegui
This book is everything I want our homeschool to be! I want to be brave enough to break away from traditional ways of doing things to pursue interest-led learning. I want to trade curriculum for connection. Instead of sitting at the kitchen table with workbooks, I want to explore the world around us.
This book is for anyone who wants to educate his or her children differently. The authors discuss how they spend five hours a week on focused, concentrated learning (math, reading, science, history) and the rest of the time pursuing whatever their child desires. They encourage interest-led learning, travel and teaching life skills.
Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne, M.Ed.
I’m only half-way through this book because there is a lot of information to digest. I decided to read it because I’m pursing simplicity this year – especially in our homeschooling.
The author writes, simplicity and slowing down are what our world needs most right now.
A major theme of the book is that children are over scheduled, stressed out and in need of a simpler life.
He writes, when we change the routine and quiet things down, we are placing an unspoken emphasis on relationship, connection.
The book discusses simplifying schedules, finding daily rhythms, creating connection and getting rid of clutter.
This month Jackson and his dad read the book, Pie by Sarah Weeks
Jackson and I have been reading this book during our read aloud time…
