Homeschooling a large family means keeping many balls going at the same time. Depending on the age differences of your kids, you might be teaching geometry with one and doing simple counting with another. There are times it can feel chaotic, and that you aren’t doing enough. That’s when you need some loving encouragement and practical advice from a Christian mom who has been there. You need Large Family Homeschooling by Amy Roberts.

This eBook is 170 pages of help and inspiration. It’s broken down into four main sections, with several chapters in each. There is also an appendix with checklists, lists, and other resources to help you implement the strategies you learn.

The first section of the book speaks to the heart of the family and the homeschool. After all, if your heart isn’t in the right spot, nothing else will be either. This section focuses on adopting a large family mindset, loving your children, and the concept of heart-schooling.

If your goal as a homeschooling mom is to teach to the heart of your children, this section is such an encouragement. Amy shares her journey of transformation and highlights significant changes she made along the way. Through scripture, stories, and practical advice, this section of the book offers powerful words to help edify other mothers.

The second section of Large Family Homeschooling dives into the practical things. In the nine chapters of this part, Amy helps you develop a plan for taming the chaos and balancing all aspects of your life. She talks about various aspects of homeschooling that are a great fit for larger families, and how to train your kids to learn independently. The book also includes tips for keeping track of all the records and requirements.

This section is really the nuts and bolts component of homeschooling. It dives into the day-to-day operation of a large family homeschool. However, since there aren’t two identical families, what works for the author’s family won’t necessarily work for yours. Amy gives tips to adjust and adapt based on your children’s learning styles, and your family’s preferences.

The third section of this book covers the extra things, like having fun as a family. Amy also shares some ideas for inspiring your children to love learning. She shares some different strategies for igniting the desire to learn for each of your children. There are also tips for evaluating extra-curricular activities and deciding if they’re worth adding to your schedule or not.

Here, Amy also offers encouragement and practical advice for affording to homeschool your kids. She shares tips to help reduce costs, and creatively meet the needs of your family. Chapter 18 was a personal favorite, where Amy shares several ideas for frugally feeding large families. There’s a list of quick ideas, plus tips for meal planning, grocery shopping, and recipes to try.

The closing section of the book speaks to the importance of taking care of mom, and spending time with Lord to renew your strength. Strategies for running the homeschooling under a variety of circumstances, including a new baby, an inquisitive toddler, or an unexpected crisis help homeschooling moms find the strength to keep going no matter what twists and turns life takes. 

Amy’s book really is the “not only the nuts and bolts of large family homeschooling, but the heart of it as well.” If you have a large family (or plan on having one), and are homeschooling (or planning to), I highly recommend this eBook. It’s helped me make positive changes to my household.

-Product review by Lisa Tanner, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June, 2018

Another Reviewer Perspective:

Large Family Homeschooling eBook

Amy Roberts

Raising Arrows

https://www.raisingarrows.net

Amy Roberts, of Raising Arrows, has written an eBook titled Large Family Homeschooling eBook. Containing 170 pages with 23 chapters, the eBook covers topics applicable to the larger-than-average family size, whether the reader already has a large family or hopes to have one someday. Topics range from homeschooling with toddlers, newborns or morning sickness, planning, housekeeping, affording the large family, extracurricular activities, and so much more. It is available for $9.99.

This book was a breath of fresh air and such encouragement for me as a mother of many. I read through it in one sitting in just a few hours - then I read it again. I’m working on reading it a third time, slower this time, while taking notes. It would seem that many of the issues large family homeschooling mothers face are similar - and Amy has great suggestions for maneuvering this crazy world we’re trying to manage. Some were things I’ve already done, others were things I’d never considered. Many things seemed to jump out at me and I’d swear she’s been peeking in my windows and is writing about my life.

I came away from this with renewed ambition to not forget my younger children, to begin my day in God’s Word no matter what form that might have to take on any given day, and to take breaks from school when needed. I haven’t figured out what some of that will look like, but I’m about to make a planning session similar to the one Amy describes, and I’m determined to step away from the busyness of life and remember to enjoy my children. She encourages the reader to view children as an eternity of joy, not 18 years of something you must “do”. This very thing has been on my heart for months. Conviction is heavy in so many chapters. I read so many things I really needed to “hear”.

I love this. I’ve followed the Raising Arrows blog for many years now, but never bought any of her publications. I’d love to read more from this wise mother of many. While she and I have similar family sizes and ages, she’s done a far more excellent job of trying things, changing what doesn’t work, documenting the process, and keeping her joy in the processes of motherhood. I can’t recommend this eBook enough.

-Product review by Adrienne Falkena, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June, 2018