February Books 2025

What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella

This is her newest, and it's a autobiographical novella. While I see what she was trying to do, I found it really sad. It was okay, and I wish her the best in her health journey. I've always loved her books so I hope she continues writing. 

Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto

I could say so much about this book. Essentially, the gist that I took from it was that, students are being sent to school and are not actually being taught anything. It struck me as significant back in maybe 2014ish when I realized what I did every day was about management, not about teaching content. This year, I've become overly concerned about making sure I'm teaching content to a fault. I'm cramming in every piece of knowledge I can; I've been blessed with a group of children who truly love to learn and I'm taking advantage of that. 

*I am a proponent of school and education but too often our schools have turned into community centers, holding pens, and needs-meeting-buildings that don't actually teach anything. I'm not saying kids should starve without free lunch (don't get me started...free lunch should *not* exist for all) but I'm saying when you're more focused on feeding kids rather than on making sure they're learning, you're not meeting your basic purpose. 

Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley 

I'm not going to lie: I couldn't finish this. I've seen it recommended by many moms I know and I just don't get the hype. It's overly anecdotal. It's a bit self-aggrandizing. Honestly, I'd never heard of this guy before. I'm not sure what makes him an expect. Did you read it? 

The Four-Hour School Day by Durenda Wilson 

I feel like I can loosely count this because I did read most of it. It was too-too anecdotal without giving actual advice. Maybe I just didn't get to that part? Like, I get that kids have special needs and the school environment isn't always the best place for them (boy, do I ever!) but a story about an autistic child who was being locked in a closet at school doesn't help me make a decision about whether or not I should homeschool. What I'm saying is, she stuck to talking about fringe cases. I want the basics. I think it's a hard topic to give real actionable advice on, though, because every family's situation is so different. I've heard her on podcast interviews and like her a lot, but the book wasn't the instruction manual I expected by the title/subtitle.

In case you missed it: January Books