Simplified Parenting

by Rebecca Berg Manor

I have recently been reading Parenting, Inc.: How the Billion-Dollar Baby Business Has Changed the Way We Raise Our Children by Pamela Paul and have found it to be both infuriating and reassuring. In exposing the pervasive influence marketers have had on parents, Paul shows us how we are constantly inundated with the message that as parents we are never enough. We aren't aware enough, we aren't safety conscience enough, we're not qualified enough, educated enough, expert enough to raise our children without the help of "experts" and this nifty product that is helpfully being offered at a price.

By tracing the development of the "mama market" and it's reliance on fear-mongering Paul shows that many contemporary parenting anxieties are really constructs that have been so pounded into parent's heads it can be difficult to sort through the noise and hone in on the truth.

As someone who was raised in the 1980s and became a parent in 2013, I know a bit about fear-based parenting. Widely publicized kidnappings during the 1980s made parents nervous and children's formerly unrestricted wanderings were suddenly curbed. Enter the hyper-competitive nature of the 1990s and suddenly kids were not only given no time to freely wander, their free moments were rapidly shrinking, filled with private tutors, Mandarin lessons, ballet, etc. Parents viewed an increasingly global economy as a place filled with opportunities open to only those children who were most prepared. Add in technological developments and the Internet and homes were no longer insulated from every bad-news story. Local news, national horror stories, expert opinions, educational experts, and a million other voices were streaming into our homes, most of them telling parents that we're inadequate. It may seem a bit melodramatic to call this a tragedy, but I do think it is one. In my own friends I've seen mother's riddled with anxieties due to poorly researched news stories. I've experienced the worry of wondering if my son is at risk for "dry drowning" - an extremely rare event that has been broadly trumpeted on morning news shows, Facebook, and email.

This age of information makes all content see useful, but that's not true. I've seen information-overload in person at countless homeschool conventions. Spending over a decade attending these conventions gave me a window into how overwhelming it can be to take on the responsibility of educating your children at home. As a mother myself, I can surely empathize and am so grateful for those voices of reason and experience that help me tune in to my instincts and reject the fear. Here's what I found useful.

1. Read Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie. It's the best book for home schooling parents, hands down.
2. Choose an educational style/curriculum that suites your personality. If you are someone who craves structure, find a style that provides guidance but does not turn you into a servant to a schedule or checklist. If you're more carefree, find an approach that provides structure without squelching your spirit.
3. Remember that you know your children best. Take time to enjoy your little ones, getting to know their idiosyncrasies so that when you start questioning your abilities in light of some new study or  trend, you can make the best choices for your family.
4. Choose joy. One of the greatest dangers of this information age is the ever present temptation to compare ourselves to other moms. When we can be inspired by other moms, that's wonderful. When

picture-perfect Instagram pictures start to make us feel inadequate and begin stealing our joy, it's time to step back and refocus on our own families.
5. Make your own education a priority. When we model curiosity to our children and show them that investing in our own development brings us joy, we're setting a good example.
6. Seek wisdom from your spouse. The moments when I feel most inadequate are when I want to shut down but my kind husband has shown me that those are moments when I need him to speak in to my life, to provide a better perspective.
7. Step back. It's so tempting to take on too much responsibility for our children, believing that if we just parent well enough, we can protect our kids. By trusting God with our children, we give ourselves the freedom to be even better parents; parents who engage with our children out of joy and not fear.
8. Have fun together. When the tyranny of school schedules becomes too much, take a day off and do something you all enjoy together. These breaks are so important. When my husband was writing his dissertation there were months where he would be trudging through research and would feel like he kept hitting the same wall. This was when I knew he needed a break. We'd take off on a mini-holiday and the time off always resulted in a breakthrough in his thinking. Breaks are not time wasted, they're essential to reordering perspective and making way for new thoughts and inspiration.

As we approach a new school year, I hope this is encouraging to you. Try to ignore the doomsday voices of our age, remembering that God chose you to parent your children and equipped you in just the right way.

See our video "Why BFB?"

Want to lean more about Beautiful Feet? In two minutes we explain how literature-rich history curriculum can inspire, educate, and build character. It's the power of good books!

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Choosing Freedom in Education

By Rebecca Berg Manor

I have been so encouraged in recent years to see a movement within homeschooling that's closely tied with the philosophy of Charlotte Mason and encourages an approach to education that goes beyond replicating a classroom within our homes. These homeschoolers embrace nature study, love literature, are character-focused in their teaching, and have a whole lot of fun! Some of the proponents of this approach document their education journeys and philosophies here and here and here and here and I'd encourage you to check them out. They embrace the freedom that can come from choosing this alternative path to educating our children and it is lovely to see and inspiring. 

In choosing to homeschool, we can view the choice as the undertaking of a huge responsibility, or we can see it as a choice towards freedom: the freedom to educate our children as individuals, the freedom to take school outside on a beautiful day, the freedom to stop a science lesson in order to

focus on a character-teaching moment, the freedom to step away from the demands of a frenetic world and choose to build an environment of peace within our homes. Seeing families do this across the country in their own unique ways has been so fun for me to witness. 

And it is proven that educating in this way is good for our children. Public schools are eliminating recess in order to teach for tests demanded by short-sighted politicians and classical academies feel pressure to stress academics beginning in Pre-K programs despite the fact that numerous studies have shown both approaches fail our students. Instead giving children room to explore, grow, and question develops the natural curiosity with which they are born. All children are born learners and embracing and encouraging this gift requires much less structured learning then we've been led to believe. Of course, there is a time for structure and discipline as these are aspects of education and character-training as well. It's finding the balance that works for your family and then tweaking it as needed. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed by homeschooling or just in a "it's nearly the end of the school year

and I'm feeling crazy" slump, I encourage you to take advantage of the warmer weather, skip the carefully planned lessons, and get outside with your children. Go explore for a day. Visit a museum. Go on a nature hike. Have a poetry tea-time. Play hookey - it's not going to wreck all the work you've put in to this year. You will probably find yourself refreshed, see your children with new eyes, and be ready to buckle down until the next break arrives. And if you need inspiration - hop over to Instagram where you can follow #wildandfreechildren for more inspiration. These families show that there are a million unique ways to embrace freedom in your homeschool. 

And, if you're like me and enjoy reading articles on education and what the research is saying about it, here are some good ones: 

Why America's obsession with STEM education is dangerous

Teaching kids philosophy makes them smarter in math and English

Why teaching poetry is so important

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At BFB we've been firm believers in flexible education for over 30 years. Our study guides are specifically set up to give parents the structure they want along with the ability to customize the curriculum to their own families. Each guide provides study notes, activities, and thought-provoking comprehension questions to encourage discussion of ideas and the development of rational thinking. Hands-on activities are encouraged over fill-in-the-blank worksheets. 

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Education for Ideals or Jobs?

In today's culture of productivity and measured worth it can be difficult to grasp hold of the idea of education for its own sake. Amazingly this shift in values is a recent development! As recently as 1967, 86% of college freshmen said that "developing a meaningful philosophy of life" was an "essential or very important objective" of their college education. Only 40% said that "being very well off financially" was an essential goal. Today those numbers have flipped with 82% stating financial reasons are essential and only 45% citing more philosophical motivations. These numbers come from the American Freshman Survey which has been given to thousands of college freshmen for the past 50 years. Such a striking change in values is truly symptomatic of a broader cultural shift. The monetizing of value has reduced the benefit of seeking a good simply for its own sake. Stand this in contrast to the great thinkers of the past who saw worth in things that had little monetary value. Charlotte Mason stated “The question is not,—how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education—but how much does he care? And about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? And, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”

Educating children to be engaged in the great world we inhabit requires a focus on more than simply marketable competences, it requires the cultivation of character, imagination, empathy, and kindness. Yes, we want our children to have skills that will allow them to earn a wage, but education is so much more than that! This summer try to focus on cultivating their hearts - volunteer, take nature walks, draw, play, enjoy quiet afternoons of reading, plan playdates with friends, soak up time with loved ones; build up those skills that will open the world beyond the marketplace to the things and experiences that will give life true meaning.

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Friday Wisdom

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Friday Wisdom

We would love to hear what you think! Chime in below in the comments section and share your thoughts. Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Pinterest pages.  To learn more about Beautiful Feet Books, click here.

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Learning with Littles

Source

The earlier the better, right?

There has been a commonly held belief that the earlier formal education begins the better the outcomes for children. This belief, widely accepted and promoted, is behind preschool reading programs, head-start schools, and other educational initiatives that often find widespread political support. It is now expected that when a child enters kindergarten, he will have a grasp of the alphabet and may be able to write his name. But what if the evidence contradicted these initiatives? What if the early introduction of formal education actually had the opposite effect of what was intended? What if evidence showed that play was more important than lessons for youngsters?

What the research says

I am fascinated by educational research, as regular readers have probably deduced. Just like nutritional research so much information is contradictory and confusing because anyone can find numbers or a study to support their position. What I am most interested in is research that ends up supporting long-held beliefs and traditions. There may be a thousand studies that elevate one food group above another but they all eventually fall by the wayside as researchers agree that moderation and exercise are truly the keys to healthy living–not an açai berry and flax seed or no carb diet. Much the same is true of educational research, so when I started reading about programs designed to get children reading and learning math principles as early as 3 or 4 years of age, I had a sense that something was amiss. 

Sure enough, an article at The Conversation website shows that:

"There is no research evidence to support claims from government that “earlier is better”. By contrast, a considerable body of evidence clearly indicates the crucial importance of play in young children’s development, the value of an extended period of playful learning before the start of formal schooling, and the damaging consequences of starting the formal learning of literacy and numeracy too young."

This is something every parent has probably sensed as they watch their child grow and learn. I get weekly emails from a parenting website that lists developmental milestones my son ought to have reached. After reading these for weeks and finding them to be nothing but a source of anxiety I quit opening those emails because I found that my son learns at his own pace. Sometimes he hits a milestone weeks before the email outlining that one hits my inbox, other times it's weeks afterwards. This is something parents catch on to and when we do our anxiety is lessened as we accept the individuality of our children and enjoy watching them develop at their own pace. But our culture is one based on measurable achievement so when our children reach school age (now seen as 3 or 4) the pressure is back on.

Achievement based programs in preschool

With the pressure on schools to prove performance through testing, more and more schools are introducing structured educational lessons in pre-K programs. Instead of Kindergarten purely being about play, creative exploration, and social interaction, schools are now expected to teach subjects that have "measurable" outcomes. The trouble is that at this age children's brains may not be ready to process these sorts of lessons. 

Playing is more important!

Source

On the contrary, research has shown that playing causes developments linked to "enabling humans to become powerful learners and problem solvers" (link). Pushing formal learning before children's brains are reading to process it causes a short-circuit in this development! There is a tragic irony at work here. Researchers James Christie and Kathless Roskos have compiled evidence that shows "a playful approach to language learning offers the most powerful support for the early development of phonological and literacy skills!"

I think that this sort of evidence should be so encouraging to parents, especially homeschooling parents! There is a beauty in allowing children to just be children. When you create an atmosphere of learning within your home environment and provide stimulating toys, read stories, play games of imagination–this can all be chalked up to education but without the stress of formal instruction. Parents of young children can enjoy those precious years of play without feeling as though their children are going to fall behind. In fact, they are laying the groundwork for academic success! In fact, according to other research the reading-ability gap between children who begin formal education at age 5 verses age 7 disappears by age 11–except that the group who began younger has a negative attitude toward reading and scores lower on text comprehension. 

The article linked above has all sorts of links to studies and further analysis if you are interested in learning more. And I want to hear from you? Have you pursued a play-based approach to the early years? What does your homeschool look like for your youngsters? How has pursuing a Charlotte Mason approach helped you feel comfortable in a less-structured approach? Or have you found success with a more formal approach?

We would love to hear what you think! Chime in below in the comments section and share your thoughts. Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Pinterest pages.  To learn more about Beautiful Feet Books, click here. And if you've enjoyed this, please feel free to share using the buttons below!

Hooray for Real!

A while back we asked if any of you were using e-readers and the response was overwhelmingly "NO!" You spoke of the feel of pages, the smell of books, the beauty of books on shelves. And we agree. At BFB, we love our books and we're all avid book collectors. And while the reasons are often sensory or sentimental, there is now research that shows reading a printed book is better for our brains!

Recent research shows that e-reading and reading a hardcopy are two very different experiences. Science backs up the idea that reading on a screen results in lower reading comprehension, less retention, and reduces the relaxing effect of reading. All of these findings are something to consider as parents and educators. As students spend more and more time in front of computer and on tablets they are developing habits that could impede their ability to read for pleasure as well as hinder the development of reading skills such as plot comprehension.

There is fascinating research linking the tactile experience of reading a printed book with greater comprehension and retention. One 2014 study showed that people who read short stories from a Kindle had less retention of the story than people who had read a printed copy. And "slow reading", the sort required by a novel or long written work, is a skill that can be lost if it is not exercised. When reading electronically formatted articles or literary works, our reading pattern shifts into something more resemblant of skimming, as opposed to the concentrated reading that results in you being lost in the story. And if the book has hyperlinks built into the text, the distractions drastically increased and the ability to focus solely on the story is constantly interrupted. As we get more and more used to jumping around on our tablets, skimming articles, clicking links and jumping to other websites, our brain is being trained to process information that is not conducive to thorough, detail oriented reading.

I believe the ramifications of this lost skill are widespread, whether it's a reduced enjoyment of the relaxing practice of reading a novel, or accepting soundbite encapsulations of complex ideas and arguments, or a closing of one's world and experience due to an inability to persevere in reading a challenging story, we have a lot to lose. When children are not challenged to do anything more than read books they find to be fun and easy, there is a great risk that they will never come to know the satisfaction of making their way through a work like War and Peace. While we often talk about the pleasures of reading on this blog, I think it's important to sometimes remind ourselves that it is also a discipline and a skill that requires practice, especially for children. I was always an avid reader and it was not something I struggled to learn but I did have to learn how to persevere in my reading. I distinctly remember my mom assigning me Ivanhoe when I was about 12. Up to this point, reading was pure pleasure for me but I was in tears by the end of the first chapter. The exasperatingly detailed descriptions of a shepherd and the blades of grass being eaten by the sheep bored me beyond reason. I begged my mom to let me quit and read something else. She wasn't swayed by my arguments and so I struggled through, hating every second...until I suddenly was caught up in the fascinating story of Rebekah and the Black Knight and evil King. To this day I am not a fan of flowery Victorian prose, but I learned a valuable lesson in reading Ivanhoe. Reading is not always easy, sometimes it's work. But it will pay off. And the discipline of slowing down my frenetically paced reading, absorbing details, re-reading paragraphs and sentences that are especially beautiful is so much easier in a real book. So while the sentimental reasons for preferring books to e-books are still strong, we now know that they're better for our brains as well as our hearts. So take your kids to the library, give them books for their birthday presents, help them build their own libraries - it's a gift that will benefit their whole person.

To read more about the research on e-reading vs. reading as well as the relaxing and sleep-enhancing benefits of reading, check out this article.

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Arguing for Simplicity

In a time of polarizing opinions, little "across the aisle" dialogue and gridlock it's been refreshing to read two books, written by very different authors, that end up arguing for a similar cause. Ten Way to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child is written by Anthony Esolen, a college professor, Christian, and social commentator. The Idle Parent is written by lefty British anti-authoritarian Tom Hodgkinson. While they come at parenting from completely different positions, they both end up advocating for an educational approach that includes cultivating an atmosphere of learning within the home. They're both positive about home schooling. They encourage parents to take responsibility for their children's education. They advocate plenty of free time, outdoor play, limiting structured activities overseen by adults. Imagination is valued and great literature is used to encourage its development.

Respect for Children

The thing that struck me is that both authors have a healthy respect for children. As a parent, I'm

continually amazed at the developments of my son. Little ones come with so much pre-programed information and are so incredibly aware of their surroundings. Even during the first week of my son's life, he expressed interest and curiosity, staring at the lights and decorations on our Christmas tree. As he gets older that natural inquisitiveness has only increased. He also expresses, as all babies do, the purest form of joy. His affections are clear and shameless. These are qualities I want to preserve as long as I am possibly able. While many parenting philosophies and teaching ideologies seem to put an emphasis on "developing" the child, I think that can often result in misguided applications. Esolen and Hodgkinson seem to agree. They both make convincing arguments for freeing children from the pressures of performance based success. Replace a rigid class schedule with a more holistic educational approach that involves more time for exploration and discovery. Reduce the number of hours children are required to spend seated at desks and allow them to run free outside. Let them organize their own games instead of signing them up for youth soccer. Ultimately, it seems to me, they call for parents and educators to put a little more trust in the children entrusted to our care. In a culture that encourages helicopter parenting, I think there is wisdom in this idea.

Rejecting "Success"

As homeschoolers and parents, don't we all feel an enormous amount of pressure to ensure that our children succeed? That they stay on track with their traditionally schooled peers? That they're adequately "socialized"? Maybe we can relax a bit. According to Esolen and Hodgkinson, maybe we need to rethink what we mean by success. Both authors argue for a rejection of commercialism and an adoption of simplicity. How refreshing! Maybe success can't be equated with a 9-5 job and lots of stuff. As homeschoolers, we're already a bit outside the mainstream and I think that we all want more for our children. The authors certainly place a high value on innovation and entrepreneurship and giving back. By eschewing an educational system and philosophy that values order over innovation, time spent indoors over time spent exploring nature, fill-in-the-blank answers over critical thinking, we've taken the first step toward allowing our children to grow into the people they were created to be. And we're encouraging them to look at learning not as something that should be accomplished in 45 minute segments, but in everything they do.

Leaving room for joy

One of the most rewarding aspects of my jobs is hearing from parents who have been reacquainted with what it means to love learning. Time after time, I'll hear from parents who thought they hated literature or despised history. After getting rid of the textbooks and rejecting test-driven learning, these moms and dads have rediscovered their curiosity while encouraging their children's inborn inquisitiveness. They've spent hours together cuddled on the sofa with their children learning about Beowulf and Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Tubman and Augustus Caesar and Marie Curie. They've planned history field trips to state parks, something that a couple of years ago would have sounded like drudgery but instead has become a favorite family memory. Amazing how redemptive these experiences can be. Education stops being the mere transfer of information from an "expert" to a "student", it becomes an organic exchange between child and parent, both inspiring one another, perspectives shifting, eyes opening, stories unfolding. Left to their own devices, children will learn and explore (especially if there are no screens nearby to distract them from this important endeavor). So, as you start this new school year, in the midst of lesson planning, leave a little room for freedom, exploration, and joy.

You may also enjoy:

Our longing for connection

Busy-ing ourselves to death

Socialism and Narcissism

Raising Educated People by Jerram Barrs

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BFB Fundamentals: Why Teach History Through Literature?

 Hello! Today we bring you Part II in our series BFB Fundamentals. Rea is answering the question, "Why teach history through literature." For Part I, Why Teach History, click here. 

History is the essence of innumerable biographies. –Thomas Carlyle

Why Teach History through Literature? by Rea Berg

In our first installment of this series, we looked at the importance of the study of history. When we consider the question of how history ought to be taught and why we would consider teaching  history through literature, there are some interesting points to bear in mind: 1.  How has history been taught through the ages?  2. Why use literature to teach history?  3. Why is the use of literature the most effective way to learn history?

How has history been taught through the ages?

Waves of immigrants posed challenges to 19th century educators

In the nineteenth century, with the dawn of compulsory education in America, schools were forced to begin to standardize what should be taught to all these children sitting eight hours a day at their obligatory desks. Because the dawn of compulsory education coincided with industrialization and with a massive influx of immigrants, educators felt motivated, from a sometimes elitist mindset, to educate the masses for the purposes of creating a literate work force.  Presented with the challenge of getting all these children from varying backgrounds on the same educational “page”, it is easy to see how the textbook naturally evolved.  Certain events, personages, significant battles and historical milestones were deemed essential knowledge for the creation of good citizens and a stable workforce.  These “facts” were compiled into disseminated formats stripped of the narrative elements of story, resulting in dry works of little human interest and no literary value.

Standardizing the teaching of history spelled the death knell for creating any love of history in that rising generation of new Americans. It also flew in the face of how history was taught for centuries.  From ancient times forward students studied history by reading history.  In other words, if a student say, in the Middle Ages, was studying history he read the works of Herodotus, Thucydides, Eusebius, Plutarch and Josephus. Of course, if you were a young French boy studying in a monastic school in Paris, reading these works meant learning Greek, Latin, and in some cases Hebrew, for ancient histories were not translated into vernacular languages until the late 1200s.  In some instances, it would be centuries before these ancient classic texts appeared in English.  An English schoolboy in London, would not have had Plutarch’s Parallel Lives in English until the late 1500s.   This is one reason why a classical education was always inextricably linked with the study of Latin and Greek.

Why use literature to teach history?

Our ancient young predecessors, sitting by candlelight or lamplight, reading history, actually read history through literature.  There simply was no other way to study history–which brings us to our second point. History has effectively been taught through literature since ancient times.  Only just the last century or so has this vibrant subject been robbed of its human connection by the ubiquitous textbook.  As Neil Postman urges in his book, The End of Education, those who desire to improve teaching ought to get rid of all textbooks which, in his opinion are “the enemies of education, instruments for promoting dogmatism and trivial learning” (116).  Exchanging literature–biographies, classical works, even historical fiction, for the history textbook not only restores this discipline to its historic roots, but also reinvigorates it with its inherent passion, human interest, and wonder.  A middle-grade child reading Johnny Tremain for her studies of the American Revolution will learn far more about the essence of that struggle than even the most colorful textbook could ever impart.

Why is the use of literature the most effective way to teach history?

Literature, as defined by the Oxford reference is “written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit.”  Now, I’m not sure about you, but I have yet to hear of a single history textbook to win a Pulitzer or a Nobel prize for Literature.  Written works achieve the status of literary merit by their ability to speak to the human condition and the experiences, trials, and aspirations of the human heart. In this way, the best works draw the reader into the drama of the story and through the emotions open the mind.  David McCullough, Pulitzer prize-winner for his work John Adams, affirms that the most effective way to teach history is to “tell stories.”

That’s what history is: a story.  And what’s a story? E. M. Forster gave a wonderful definition to it: If I say to you the king died and then the queen died, that’s a sequence of events.  If I say the king died and the queen died of grief, that’s a story.  That’s human. That calls for empathy on the part of the teller of the story and . . . the listener to the story. (“Knowing History”)

The notion of emotion and empathy as a critical component of history’s ability to speak to the human heart, was promoted by Charlotte Mason, the 19th century educational reformer. She advocated the use of “living books”–literature, history, biography—”to open limitless avenues of discovery in a child’s mind”.  She taught that all, “Education should aim at giving knowledge touched with emotion” (For the Children’s Sake). It is the connection between the human heart, mind, and will, that makes the study of history so enjoyable and memorable to those fortunate to study it through the best books. As a wonderful by-product, students brought up on an educational curriculum rich in the best literature often become compassionate, engaged, and thoughtful adults–the best possible educational outcome.

Works Cited:

“Knowing History and Who We Are.”  David McCullough.  Imprimis.  Hillsdale, MI: Hillsdale College. April 2005.

Susan Schaeffer Macaulay, For the Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School, Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1984.

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Reasons To Choose Home Education

Lisa Nielsen, a public school administrator and teacher, has compiled a list entitled "The 12 Most Compelling Reasons to Homeschool Your Child" and you can read it here. The list contains many valid reasons for choosing this educational method for your children and many that I hear about in my conversations with home educators. What was missing from the list, in my opinion, are some of the opportunities to make education less self-centered and more intuitive. And so, to Nielsen's very good list, I would add the following:

1. The ability make education a family affair:
The modern educational system divides students arbitrarily, according to age or talent. The decision to homeschool breaks down these boundaries as education becomes an endeavor undertaken by the entire family. It's much easier to create an atmosphere of learning when parents see education as part of their responsibility. This is different from making sure that children do their homework. When a family homeschools everyone contributing to education. Older siblings can teach younger siblings. Parents learn along side their children. Learning together builds strong relationships as each person sees himself as an integral part of the family, and a contributor to the education of others.


2. The ability to take learning out of the classroom:
When you homeschool, I think that a switch is flipped and you begin to see that education is not something that just happens in a classroom. It's a lifestyle. Think of all that your child learned before she was formally enrolled in school. Even if she began attending preschool, there was an incredible amount of learning that happened before then, major accomplishments like speech! Children learn by observation and doing. When we take these inquisitive minds and send them to a school, telling them that this is where they will learn, we begin to divide learning from living. Of course, many students flourish within a classroom, and many families do a wonderful job of continuing to educate their children outside the classroom. But for those who find classrooms stifling and uninspiring, it can be a short leap from "I hate school" to "I hate learning". Homeschooling does not create artificial boundaries around the learning process.

3. The ability to see outside one's world:
When children are enrolled in schools according to zip code, there is a high likelihood that he or she will be attending school with other children from the same socio-economic circle and racial background. While there is comfort in this, there is also a lot of danger. As our nation becomes more and more segregated by factors such as income, we are losing our ability to empathize with people different from ourselves. While neighborhoods used to be much more integrated in terms of economic class, a startling trend of self-segregation has taken place across the US, resulting in homogenized neighborhoods. It used to be that bankers, doctors, school teachers, auto mechanics, and people working minimum wage jobs could all be found in the same neighborhoods. Now it's rare to live next to someone who is from a decidedly different economic background. This distance has allowed for an increasingly calloused view of the poor and an antagonistic view of the well-off. When you choose to homeschool, you can make a conscious effort to show your children how other people live. Whether that means volunteering in a homeless shelter, visiting the elderly at an affluent retirement home, or giving your time to a cause you believe in, you will be giving your children the ability to understand the world beyond their own neighborhood.

4. The ability to relax:
While school systems are being crushed by constant reforms, increased paperwork demands, and constant evaluations, you have a lot more freedom. Yes, your state may require testing or a submission of lesson plans, but you can set up your own schedule. You can work with your student's own learning style. When you sense that your children are fed up and you're at your wit's end, you can call it a day and go to the pool. While you may feel a lot of pressure, it's so important to remember that your children are constantly learning. It's important to have fun together, to read together, to play together. And when you're homeschooling you have so much more time to do those things.

I would love to hear your thoughts on homeschooling. Why did you decide to make this educational choice? What benefits have you discovered and found surprising? What about drawbacks?

And if you're ordering curriculum for this coming school year, now's the time to do it! Ordering now will ensure that your books are delivered in time to start your school year. And remember, all orders over $200.00 ship for free! Check out our history curriculums and study guides at bfbooks.com.

Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Pinterest pages. And if you've enjoyed this, please feel free to share using the buttons below!

We value YOU! And here's our Summer Promotion!!!

Here at Beautiful Feet Books we have been in your shoes. We know how important each dollar is and what it's like to homeschool on a single income. We also know that your time as homeschooling parents is limited and valuable. It is with these experiences in mind that we seek to make your curriculum buying process as easy, efficient, and cost effective as possible. Whether it's keeping the prices of our study guides low or assembling book packs to make shopping as quick and easy as possible, we think about you, our customers, every step of the way. And we guarantee that we can beat any price out there. For example, if you've thought of purchasing your Beautiful Feet Books curriculum through Amazon, here's some price comparisons.

Early American History Primary Jumbo Pack

BFB's Price: $209.95  Amazon's Price: $236.20

BFB SAVINGS: $26.25, save over 11%

This reflects purchasing all the available books at Amazon and purchasing the missing items from another source.

History of Classical Music Jumbo Pack

BFB's price: $163.95  Amazon's Price: $194.12

 BFB SAVINGS: $30.17, save over 15%

This reflects purchasing all the available books at Amazon and purchasing the missing items from another source.

When you order directly from Beautiful Feet Books you benefit in many ways. First, because we value your time we have put together our book packs with all the correct editions of the titles needed for each study. If an edition goes out of print, we include amended notes to make the change easy for you! When you order elsewhere there is no guarantee that you will receive the correct editions.
Secondly, our packs are complete! You do not need to place another order for additional supplies. We're a one-stop-shop! Your pack will contain all the required materials. Order from Amazon and you will have to place another order with another company because they do not carry all the items required for our studies. And lastly, you will save money. We have priced our packs to beat Amazon every time. Yes, sometimes it's only by a few dollars, but we want you to know that we value you and your business and are committed to helping you in your homeschool journey. And we also offer an incredible $10.00 best-price guarantee. If you find a Jumbo Pack listed for less, just let us know and we will happily match the price AND give you a $10.00 credit on your order! And to save you even more time, we've done the math and here are the Amazon price comparisons on our packs!

Early American Intermediate Jumbo Pack

Our Price: $200.00  Amazon's Price: $208.64

BFB SAVINGS: $8.64, save over 4%

Ancient History for Sr. High Pack

Our Price: $204.95  Amazon's Price: $229.18

BFB SAVINGS: $24.33, save over 10%

Ancient History for Intermediate Pack

Our Price: $183.95  Amazon's Price: $190.41

BFB SAVINGS: $6.46, save over 3%

Early American and World History for Jr. High Pack

Our Price: $127.95  Amazon's Price: $145.23

BFB Savings: $17.28, save over 11%

Medieval History Through Literature for Intermediate and Jr. High Pack

Our Price: $209.95  Amazon's Price: $228.38

BFB Savings: $18.43, save over 8%

Medieval History Through Literature for Sr. High Pack

Our Price: $168.00   Amazon's Price: $170.89

BFB Savings: $2.89, save over 1%

Teaching Character Through Literature for Primary Grades Pack

Our Price: $99.95  Amazon's Price: $108.17

BFB Savings: $8.22, save over 7%

Teaching Character Through Literature for Intermediate Grades

Our Price: $102.95  Amazon's Price: $107.07

BFB Savings: $4.12, save over 3%

Geography Through Literature Pack

Our Price: $63.95  Amazon's Price: $67.49

BFB Savings: $3.54, plus the ability to purchase additional map packs at an additional discount!

California History Through Literature Pack

Our Price: $124.95  Amazon's Price: $132.95

BFB SAVINGS: $8.00, save over 6%

The History of the Horse Pack

Our Price: $112.95  Amazon's Price: $114.74

BFB SAVINGS: $1.74, save over 1%

Our US and World History Parts I & II and Parts III & IV packs and History of Science Pack are all the same or slightly less than Amazon. 

If you are thinking about purchasing one of our Exclusive Author Collections from the D'aulaires, Albert Marrin, James Daugherty, Genevieve Foster, or Brinton Turkle, the savings are exceptional!

The D'aulaire Biography Pack

Our price: $84.95  Amazon's Price: $107.95

BFB SAVINGS: $23.00, save over 21%

The Genevieve Foster Collection

Our Price: $85.95  Amazon's Price: $111.24

BFB SAVINGS: $25.95, save over 22%

The Albert Marrin Collection

Our Price: $71.95  Amazon's Price: $77.78

BFB SAVINGS: $5.83, save over 7%

The James Daugherty Collection

Our Price: $49.95  Amazon's Price: $58.59

BFB SAVINGS: $8.64, save over 14%!

The Obadiah Trio

Our Price: $18.95  Amazon's Price: $20.61

BFB SAVINGS: $1.66, save over 8%

 And now, just for you we are offering an additional savings!

For one week only, you can get 15% off all BFB products! So if you've been wanting to check out a study guide or two, stock up on some titles for summer reading, or get some timelines, this is your chance! Simply enter BFB15 in the promotion code box when you place your order. This is valid on all items published by Beautiful Feet Books including study guides, timelines, books, and maps! 

ALL ORDERS OVER $200 SHIP FOR FREE!

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