For the homeschoolers. Or anyone with kids or grandkids, actually.

This is why I absolutely LOVE using Life of Fred for our math curriculum.

I'm an 'unschooler'. When my children were much younger (under 8) I would spend a lot of time reading with them from all sorts of books. After age 8 they pretty much directed their own learning and choose the books they wanted based on their own preferences. I'm a strong advocate for not following any curriculum or book series.
My children are now 18 and 12. The 18 year old is as university (yes you can get in if you are unschooled without a school transcript). The 12 year old is into all sorts of pursuits and rarely reads anymore (much to my disappointment because I'm an avid reader).
However she is busy and engaged with her pursuits and creating a fantastic body of work and skill sets.
I just can't get excited by pre-formed curriculum and book series. I think our kids need less beliefs handed to them and more self directed expression, discovery and adventure.

Get the toddler books! They are awesome for even ADULTS learning civics, economics and American revolution.

I have learned a bunch from them LOL they are toddler board books but for ANY age I would say. Each page has an in detail description.

I've always been fascinated with unschooling but too scared to give it a go. I do try to do some form of it. I don't insist my kids think a certain way but I do provide materials to guide them. They are free to think how they please.

I do select curriculum to teach the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic but let them choose from there what their interests are. One absolutely loves history and digs into it on his own. I do remind him that the winners of wars write history books and encourage him to seek out alternative stories.

One loves the outdoors so her project for the year was to grow a garden.

Each kid is different so I go with different materiels for each kid.

How did you go about teaching your kids the basics?

Yes, these books are phenomenal! I have used them for homeschooling, as well. It would be nice if there was an animated series to accompany them in order to reinforce the ideas.

For what age group?

Government does nothing well, even when they must do something. I'm hoping this teaching series shows that. It would be a major tool in the fight against Liberal horse manure taught by our schools today.

Excellent post OP! We home school too.

Unschooling is scary for sure, especially at first.
I had read a tonne about unschooling going all the way back to Tolstoy who was an avid believer in children self directing their own learning.
My first child I was more hands on, feeling and thinking I had to show her the basics....how could she learn to read without me teaching her? What about writing, math etc? But the theory and studies made so much sense that I persisted with unschooling and allowed her development to unfold at its own pace. I was however having kittens and shed more than a tear or two when by age 8 she still wasn't reading!
Then one day I heard her voice and found her curled up on the floor in her room reading a young adult novel at the age of 8! She read fluently, no phonics or hesitation. From then on and to this day she is a prolific reader.
When my second daughter arrived 6 years later I was much more relaxed. I knew first hand that all those 'basics' do unfold and arrive naturally especially in first world environments when the child is surrounded by books, conversations, ideas and stimulating materials/environments.
I never once gave my youngest a reading lesson or math lesson, I an just always on hand for any question that arises.
My youngest learned to read much earlier than my first, she was reading by age 4 and maybe that was because I never once asked her to read a word or sentence?
Books have always been important in my house, we have a library and I read to both of my children every bedtime when they were young.
It takes a lot of trust in human nature and the brilliant minds of our young to be able to unschool.
Most of us are programmed to believe we have to control every aspect of our Childs life or else they will fall into the gutter.
We would never have come so far as a human race if that was the case. Our children are for more capable and brilliant than we can accept.

Which ones are they? My daughter needs gifts for a toddler, around 4 years old, and her brother, a 6 year old. It would be much easier for my daughter to send books to them than shopping for toys or clothes. These kids live 2500 miles away, so sending something online would be so easy.

Are the books a series? That would be great. Perhaps something costing $50-$100 rather than one $6.00 book.

And yes...their mom is conservative....a patriot!

Thanks so much!

Last Edited by nutmeg on 05/16/2021 11:15 AM

Do you guys use the Spectrum Books for the basics, math, writing, etc?

Spot on Stella....Education Vacation...The Law....Show Business.....we have home schooled for 4 generations with very few in our clan going to "public school".....Lathering teaching with true love for the child works wonders!!




Last Edited by The Old Timer on 05/16/2021 11:20 AM

Yes they are a series and are actually on sale right now! They are 19.99 for 3 instead of 23.99 normally.

Just go to the tuttletwins site and then look for the toddler books.

They are called ABC'S of American revolution, ABC's of liberty, and ABC's of economics

Thank you!

would they have anything for british families. as rules of law are different in each country, searching sround uk sites for similar products to teach the kids and brong them away from the indoctrinated schooling theyve had drilled in them over the years.

covid did one thing for sure positive, and freed my kids from the hell hole they call publuc schools

sorry for mis-spelling.

my fingers pressing the keyboard 100 miles per hour

We homeschool and these books are a great piece of what our kids learn.

There's a lot to be criticized about consumer culture.

But to choose this thread to do it?

Ridiculous.

Thank you!!! I homeschool 3 out of my 4 kids. I'm still learning since I've only been doing it for 2 years.

We home school our boys, 10,twins...

We watch everything in it..

Plus if the boys see something wrong, they know it!

As they are also have a nightly Bible study!

All i have my boys focus on in school is reading writing and Arithmetic.. Thats it..

All the social stuff or world views, based on God's word!

I know some adults who could also stand to reap some knowledge by reading these books

I actually just ordered the 11 book set this past week. I found a 50% off coupon cide. My boys are 14&15, but I'm going to have them reading as a jumping off point.

Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding!

5 stars thank you

Thank you, op!!

We used Memoria Press and Kolbe Academy. We aren't Catholic, but our son, who is graduating from college soon with a BSN and BS Biology, has stated his high school diploma was worth more to him than his college degree. He feels he learned a great deal more overall.

He was originally a mechanical engineering major, but changed when he saw the direction the aviation industry was headed. I thank his flight instructor for steering him away from that hot mess.

He is a smart hardworking kid and graduate from Kolbe Academy at 16 with a Cumma Laude Diploma. It is very writing intensive.

[link to www.memoriapress.com (secure)]

Toddler to high school.

I would buy the elementary series for them then.