August 22, 2023

Books That Schooled Us

31 minutes

It’s time to head back to school and find a learning routine groove. What books have caused you to change your life? Join us as we discuss books that schooled us and caused a significant shift in our lives.

“It strengthens thy heart to do a hard thing” is a powerful quote from A Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli. A cripple boy learns how to survive despite his hardships in this unique novel, includes lessons for kids and adults alike! Jennifer L. Scott’s books: Lessons from Madame Chic, At Home with Madame Chic, and Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic describe what the author learned living abroad with a family in France. She also has a TedTalk on the 10 item capsule wardrobe. Loads of lessons on living with intentionality. The Count of Monte Cristo provided countless lessons: patience, wisdom, grit, learning how to read people, asking the right questions and, of course, stamina. This book illustrates over and over that people were and still are perplexing no matter what century or country we are in. Anna Karenina was a confidence booster! Our first Russian novel will long be remembered. What an intriguing opening! “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” People Fuel had a plethora of lessons such as: Be Present, Convey the Good, Provide Reality, and Call to Action. We need people but we need to set boundaries to deal with them effectively, the author explains asking clarifying questions. The book, Boundaries, packs a punch in this area as well. We are limited, so we must set limits and uphold them in order to thrive. What a mindset changer Unoffendable by Brant Hansen was! We learned how to practice overlooking an offense by giving grace. It totally reframed our thinking, kind of like swimming upstream. Living for God not for self was also the theme in Goliath Must Fall. We learned we aren’t David in the story, Jesus is, He is our conqueror. The Tech-Wise Family was a recent read that gave many suggestions to help families be present and live creatively. By making a simple change you can make an upgrade! We are image-bearers to a God that is the ultimate creator, we need creative outlets. We should never consume more than we create. The Gift of Failure explained how learning that comes with challenge is stored more effectively! We should parent for tomorrow, not just for today. The Last Green Valley was an unbelievable journey back to WW2. Times were so hard they were forced to eat grass! The protagonist’s wonderful line can help us all. “I used to think life happened to me but now I know life happened for me.” Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth taught us to stick with hard things and never quit on a bad day. Mindset by Carol Dweck pairs well with Grit. When readers see the fixed and growth mindsets playing out it is easy to choose wisely. We have to rethink our vocabulary, switching out “You’re so smart” for a much more beneficial “Great effort” “Way to keep trying even when it is hard, it gets a bit easier every time”. The Five Love Languages of Children included a wellhouse of information in filling the love tanks of our children. A simple questionnaire is included to guide parents in discovering their child’s love language. Kids with a full love tank are less likely to act out and in turn will make better choices. Last but not least, The Read-Aloud Handbook by: Jim Trelease is a wonderful resource for parents that want to have a nightly read-aloud time with their kids, not all good books make great read-alouds. It is a huge help in creating a treasured memories in the lives of your children.