Book Review: Homeschooling for the Rest of Us by Sonya Haskins

Homeschooling for the Rest of Us: How Your One-of-a-Kind Family Can Make Homeschooling and Real Life Work By Sonya Haskins / Bethany House

This is a refreshing read for homeschooling parents. Sonya Haskins offers a real life view of what it means to homeschool in a non-perfect household. She is also respectful of the reader's time, not over-emphasizing her points just to produce a long book. Sonya gets to the point and moves on; I read this book in one evening.

This is not a book that lists and evaluates curriculum choices and teaching methods. Instead, it offers suggestions on how to incorporate homeschooling into your life. The focus is on rejecting perfectionism, building a foundation on positive relationships, and recognizing that the burden and responsibility of education is on the student. I'm all about rejecting perfectionism, so I was hooked from the beginning when I read, "Even if perfectionism could be achieved, what's the cost to your sanity?"

I enjoyed reading Sonya's stories of living in a "very messy house" and serving sandwiches and leftovers during the times when she needs to be a working, writing mom who happens to homeschool. I also enjoyed reading the stories and insights of other homeschoolers, which are included in the margins throughout the book.

This book is very honest about frustrations that homeschooling families face, and helps to sort out what needs to be addressed and what needs to be ignored. She covers socialization, public perception, dealing with relatives and friends, and working with a tight budget.

I believe that Sonya achieved her stated goal to offer helpful suggestions without being judgemental. She offers examples of routines and schedules while noting that a more relaxed atmosphere is okay. She gives a well-rounded view of support groups and extra-curricular activities, but leaves it to the parent to decide how much is appropriate. Any time her own methods are given, they are truly given as options she has chosen that may not work for everyone. Finally, she recognizes that public or private school may be the right choice at certian times. In the end, she reminds us to sift through the advice and find our own path.


Buy Homeschooling for the Rest of Us at Christianbook.com.

A copy of this book was provided to me by Bethany House for my honest review of the product. All views expressed are my own. Tabitha's Team is an affiliate of Christian Book Distributers, and purchases made through the links on this post will support Tabitha's Team Inc with a commission.



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