Mentors can come into our lives in various shapes and sizes. The following books have been mentors to me at the times I needed and since then. They have helped me become a better person, a better mentor, and a better mother and wife. This list of books has my thoughts on the books and how they helped me in my journey.
How to Read a Book
By Mortimer Adler
This book was monumental for my understanding of how to read a book, what questions to ask of each book, and how to read specific genres. It has been helpful for me to know how to lead discussions with my children in their readings and what I want to teach them to get out of books. He also teaches you how to mark your books and the importance of doing so. This has to be one of the most valuable books on educating myself and my children that I have read. It is full of the tools you need. It goes along with the Chinese Proverb: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Arm the Children
By Arthur Henry King
One of the most intensely intelligent books I have ever read. I had to pauses after each chapter and truly digest the rich meat of wisdom. I have written several articles based on a few things he talks about in this book. Every LDS parent should read this book. It isn’t just about children, however. This title may fool you a bit. It includes everything from Arthur King’s conversion to education in the home, to art, to his views on the atonement. This is on the top ten of my lists of books to read and reread.
The Well Educated Mind
By Susan Wise Bauer
This book was very helpful to me as a mother learning about the classic books that are available and trying to decide which ones will be worth reading. I’m always trying to find classic books that will help make us better individuals while discerning which ones may not work well for our family. Her lists helped tremendously for me to know which ones I’m interested in and which ones to steer clear of. I also appreciated her knowledge and insight of how to read certain classics and along with How to Read a Book I feel I have a good idea of what to look for in books. I also have a greater understanding of the classic trivium now thanks to this book.
The Read-Aloud Handbook
By Jim Trelease
This is an excellent book filled with information that every parent and grandparent should read. It is one I will often re-read to keep myself inspired on reading aloud to the family and the importance of keeping up with the sustained silent reading (SSR) as a family.
Honey for a Child's Heart: The Imaginative Use of Books in Family Life
By Hunt, Gladys
Both this book and the Read-Aloud Handbook together give you excellent lists and resources sharing and explaining the importance of reading to your children.
All of the books by Oliver DeMille regarding the Thomas Jefferson Education {or leadership education} and have been helpful for me as a mother and mentor. These books in succession began me on the journey to homeschool and giving me knowledge and confidence when I needed the boost. They keep me inspired and empowered again and again.
Our family’s central canon includes the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. These are read regularly as a family and also individually. As a mother, I go to my religious sources {our central canon} and in prayer to find many answers in raising my family and to be more in tune to their needs.
Keeping Our Children's Hearts: Our Vital Priority
By Steven and Teri Maxwell
Written by parents of eight children, I've looked to the Maxwell's book for wisdom in raising my large family since 2005. This has been a core book detailing why we do what we do and make the rules we do as parents. We started implementing the suggestions in this book at a crucial time when I felt that I was losing my children's hearts. This was upsetting to me and just at the time I didn't know where else to go, a mentor lent me this book and it was instrumental in changing our children and reclaiming their hearts. Because of this knowledge and the information shared in this book that we implemented in our family, we've entered the teen years with our children with confidence and peace. I can't say enough great things about this book and how helpful it has been for me as a mother.
Bonds That Make Us Free: Healing Our Relationships, Coming to Ourselves
By C. Terry Warner
This book has changed my life. It has helped me see something I've tried for years to figure out, but could never quite get it and that is self-deception. Self deception causes many problems in relationships and in yourself and the struggles you may be having. It was an amazingly powerful book. The first half explains in great and simple detail what self deception is and the many forms it takes. The latter half explains to you how to get rid of it. I love how this book makes you do the thinking and is not a "step by step" process on how to live your life. As a mother it has helped me in making sure I’m coming from a pure place and being able to see the signs of self-deception in my children so that I can teach them another way.
As I’ve been putting together the previous resources I’ve used over the years I’ve had many memories of the searching and struggles before I found these books. Tears have come to my eyes as I’ve recalled these moments of searching and pondering. The tears are mostly from gratitude that I’ve been so blessed to be led to these resources. Please keep in mind that this is not a randomly thrown together list, but a list full of years of searching and finding, asking and receiving, and because of this these are some of the most important books I have been blessed with thus far {as my journey is far from over}. I’m grateful for the journey and I’m grateful for the knowledge presented to me in these books. I hope they are helpful to you for your journey as mentor and mother.
Our house feels like a small zoo with animals and kids galore. Just in time for spring we ordered butterfly larvae and a butterfly garden to keep them in. Painted ladies to be exact. They just emerged from their cocoons today and the children are so excited. What a fun learning experience it has been.
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| My daughter Cailynn and I |
