BOOKS for YOU

This book shifted my thinking about how we use our time in family, and confirmed for me the decision to create a life we love, and trust learning to happen as a natural result of that values-driven life. (paid link)

This book covers similar principles as Atomic Habits, but uses them to see the story of God in everyday rhythms and routines. It has made the mundane and challenging things of parenting beautiful, when seen through the lens of following God's patterns. (paid link)

This book really shifted my relationships with my kids and my husband. It helped me see how the ways in which I was communicating was not only ineffective, but was actually causing MORE of the behavior I thought I was trying to stop. One caution: it has a bit of an unusual writing style because it's a narrative but meant to teach you a concept. So it reads like a story, but not fascinating like a novel so don't judge it like a novel. The concepts are VERY fascinating if you can get past the story. (paid link)

This is a lovely short read, and still packed with nuggets of wisdom to shift your view of your role as a "teacher" in your home. It invites you into the "rest" of the Lord which means trusting in Him to magnify your efforts, whatever they look like from day to day. (paid link)

Like the book says, this is a game changer. When we get married, and perhaps more so when we have kids, we sort of fall into "roles" and their assumed responsibilities. But the thing is, if we don't talk about it together, we are all operating under a lot of assumptions. Eve Rodsky spells out how to have effective conversations about what needs to get done in the household, who is doing it, and how. Clear communication really solves so many arguments and hurt feelings. I recommend her system to all of my clients! (paid link)

If you worry about your kids playing video games like I did, empower yourself to make decisions from a place of knowledge and peace rather than fear and frustration. This book will give you insights into games--why they are so captivating and how they can be used for good. It was a great insight for me when I was debating what place (if any) video games would have in our home. (paid link)

This book is the basis upon which I created our family systems and routines for self care and home care. I can't sing its praises loudly enough! (paid link)

This is one of the first books I ever read when I first started homeschooling. It completely shifted my paradigm about school and education. This one can rock your world, but in a good way. (paid link)

This book is actually written assuming you send your child to school. However, the discoveries they share about freedom leading to a sense of responsibility in children made me not only want to continue to homeschool, but to find ways to give my kids even more autonomy in their learning through unschooling. (paid link)

It might sound silly that I needed a book to teach me how to have fun. But really, as an overwhelmed mom, I think I had convinced myself that social media counted as socializing and self care. This book helped me see that every person has different definitions of fun, and that the important thing is to make time for your kind of fun. Being a martyr mom isn't healthy for anyone, and fun is one of the best antidotes to that. (paid link)

This is the book I plan to have my kids read and discuss with me when they start asking for a phone. I read this when I was trying to figure out my own boundaries for tech use because I could tell my phone was keeping me from connecting with my kids. I decided that if my kids want a phone badly enough to read this, and are mature enough to have a good discussion about it with me, then they are ready to have a phone. I myself was not ready apparently at 30+ years old! (So far no one has asked at our house. That's a benefit of homeschool I think!)

(paid link)