23 Feb My Review Of The Book, For The Children’s Sake

If I would have fully understood what was involved in homeschool, I would guess that would have never undertaken it. I had not idea how incredible the task was. Since I began in ignorant bliss, I knew I had a lot to learn. I made it my responsibility to research as much as I could about the different philosophies of education, curriculum, styles, etc. Almost immediately, I was enamored with the Charlotte Mason approach. I began to look deeper into this philosophy.

I was referred to For The Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaeffer Macauley through the book, Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola, which I recently reviewed. Karen Andreola mentioned in her book how she had been deeply inspired by For The Children’s Sake. This led her to a much more in-depth research of Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy. Similarly, I was so impressed and inspired by Karen Andreola’s book, that I knew I had to read Susan Schaeffer Macauley’s book!

This book, short and to the point, begins by telling us a little bit of who Charlotte Mason was. It then outlines the educational philosophies under which she taught. Often quoting Charlotte Mason’s own words, the author summarizes for us the foundation upon which to build and grow a thriving environment of learning.

What I Loved

What I loved about the For the Children’s Sake is that it painted a vision for me as to what our homeschool could look like. Instead of a constant struggle to get my children to do their assignments, I pictured quiet mornings together, walks in nature, joyful afternoons, and peaceful evenings. The authors helpful hints were enlightening for me as a parent and as an educator of my children. Over time, we have been blessed to see the results of implementing this approach.

What I Didn’t Love

What I didn’t love was the author’s personal and frequent interpretations of the Bible. I understand and appreciate that Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy is based in Christianity. However I do not love being lectured to from someone else’s Biblical understanding. This may be based on my personal belief that our understanding of the Bible is by personal revelation from God alone. I found that many times throughout the book, the author attempted to pass on her individual Christian beliefs to the reader. Although I often agreed with the author, there were times that I found this overbearing and “preachy.”

Overall, I highly recommend this book to not only homeschooling parents, but to all parents. It is a fantastic introduction to any family considering a Charlotte Mason education. It also describes beautiful parenting skills. I will read this book often as a reminder of my goals for my children’s education and training.