I’m always looking for new books for homeschool parents to add to my reading list.
Although I’ve read lots of books about homeschooling, I’ve found that I can always benefit from new sources of encouragement and practical ideas.
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I’ve shared some of my favorite must-reads for new homeschoolers before, but today’s list is probably more helpful for homeschooling parents who have been at it long enough to need some practical advice or fresh inspiration.
You may already be familiar with most of these books, but hopefully you’ll find something new to help you in your homeschool journey.
Practical & Encouraging Books for Homeschool Parents
The Brave Learner
I mentioned The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart in my reading suggestions for new homeschoolers, but this is one that benefits homeschool parents regardless of how long they’ve been homeschooling or what ages they’re teaching.
It’s full of homeschool inspiration and encouragement, but it’s also full of practical ideas for partnering with your kids, connecting with them in new ways, and making memories along the way.
Teaching from Rest
Feel like your homeschool is at a standstill? Maybe you’re simply exhausted, frustrated, or don’t know how to keep going on your homeschool journey.
Regardless of how you’re struggling, Sarah Mackenzie’s Teaching from Rest has encouragement that will speak to your heart. It’s a treasured source of encouragement for many homeschooling families; in fact, I know homeschool parents who start each new year rereading this one.
Better Together
Looking for ways to bring your kids together each day, regardless of age or grade level, and make room for those things that always seem to get pushed aside for “core subjects?”
Enter Pam Barnhill’s Better Together. It shares practical ways to do those things through Morning Time and gives you plenty of resource suggestions to help you make it a natural part of your homeschool day.
The Big Books of Homeschool Ideas
The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas and The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas Volume 2 are great to have on hand because they contain help and encouragement for pretty much any homeschool stage or scenario you can imagine.
Also worth noting here, I’m a contributor for Volume 2. In it, I share my best tips for homeschooling in small spaces and lots of ways to homeschool with the help of your local library. :)
Homeschooling:
What to Do When You Want to Quit
You probably already know how I feel about this book if you read When You Want to Give Up on Homeschool, but I wholeheartedly believe this is a book that every homeschool parent needs to have on hand.
The opportunity to educate our children at home is a blessing, but it’s not sunshine and smiles all day, every day. Homeschooling: What to Do When You Want to Quit tackles the big I don’t think we can keep homeschooling scenarios, the disheartening day-to-day challenges, the little things that add up over time, and everything in between.
Minimalist Homeschooling
Feel like clutter’s taking over your homeschool? I’m not necessarily talking about physical clutter here, but I’m talking about clutter that shows up in the form of a too-crazy schedule, curriculum choices that aren’t worth the hassle, or a gotta do it all mentality.
If you can relate, Minimalist Homeschooling was written for you. If you feel like you need a little help simplifying and regaining your sanity, this is one to add to your to-read list.
The Unhurried Homeschooler
I read The Unhurried Homeschooler over the summer and loved its “mercifully short” message. It’s easy to get caught up in pressure to pack our homeschool days and take advantage of every learning opportunity out there. Thank goodness Durenda Wilson is here to remind us to focus on what truly matters in our time as homeschool parents!
I also appreciate that it’s a quick read. I love to read as much as the next person, but I don’t always have time to dive into lengthy books. This one is to the point, helpful, and encouraging — everything it needs to be!
For the Children’s Sake
For the Children’s Sake is one of those books that shows up on pretty much all of my recommended reading lists for homeschoolers. I didn’t read this one until a few years ago, but it turned out to be a huge help in connecting the dots between homeschooling and parenting and that’s why I always share it.
That said, it’s written with a Charlotte Mason education in mind and therefore may not be as helpful to homeschoolers who don’t implement any of Miss Mason’s teachings. My copy is full of highlights and notes, but that may not be the case if you’re following a different path with your kids. ;)
The Fringe Hours
If you’re familiar with this book, then you know that it’s not about homeschooling at all. However, that doesn’t mean Jessica Turner’s Fringe Hours message isn’t relevant to the daily demands of homeschool life. This message is more than relevant. It’s one that homeschool parents need to hear:
Pinterest, and the internet in general, cannot be your yardstick for who you are as a woman, what you should love, how you should cook, or what you should prioritize. It does not define you as a mother, as a giver, as a person.
– Jessica N. Turner, The Fringe Hours
If you’re a homeschool parent, you need The Fringe Hours because you need the reminder that you don’t have to be everything to everyone and the importance of loving yourself well.
The SuperMom Myth
Also not a book with homeschool advice or methodology, The SuperMom Myth is included in this group of books for homeschool parents because we all need to be reminded that we’re not SuperMom and no one expects us to be.
The homeschool life comes with its own temptations to do and be everything, but the truths in this book spoke to the heart of this homeschool parent, for sure. (You can see my review if you’d like to learn more.)
The Homeschool Highway
There are times in homeschooling that call for researching educational philosophy and methods and then there are times when you just need someone to tell you what it’s *really* like to homeschool your kids. That’s exactly what Hmmmschooling Mom Amy Dingmann does in The Homeschool Highway.
This book does a wonderful job keeping it real without scaring you straight into the registrar’s office of the local school district. There’s humor, real talk, and encouragement; that’s a valuable combination we all need from time to time.
It’s your turn now: what are your favorite books for homeschool parents? Share them in the comments below. I want to learn more about your favorites and add them to my wishlist!
