If Charlotte Mason was right, education is a life. Education will restructure a life, but it’s a two-way street. Life also structures education, intentionally or accidentally.
It is near-impossible to drum up a sustained interest in ancient literature if it doesn’t enjoy so much as a mention in everyday conversation. Conversely, the table saw used by an uncle for his job as a carpenter will arouse a fascination, regardless of its absence in the curriculum.
There is a curriculum in the space between lessons, in the figures who model ongoing, meaningful learning projects. Here are four ways you can take Sonlight to the in-between places.
1. Bring Math-U-See to the Workplace
I can sympathise with my daughter who sees mathematics as a distraction from real life. She would drop it in a heartbeat to connect with a friend, but I want her to experience the places where mathematics is actually the means of social connection.
One evening I asked a friend who owns an artisan bakery if he would let us come and be a fly on the wall, to see the inner workings of the bakery. (Whether we proved to be more like a fly on the wall or like a bull in a china shop, they invited us back.)
The next time, I brought theMath-U-See manipulatives in the car. Over lunch with the children, I interviewed the couple who owned the business. I asked them why they started it. I asked about their experience employing staff, and about the finances.
Before driving home, I turned to the backseats and used the manipulatives I had brought to explain income, expenses, and profit.
Before we next visited, I asked my seven-year-old to be an investigative journalist. After questioning them, she wrote in her journal that they loved reading comments from satisfied customers and that they were using ratios to measure the right amount of flour.
The next morning, the kids were playing baker shop featuring the 1:10 ratio and some very happy customers. The hidden curriculum had worked into their pretend play.
My daughter needed to see that the manipulatives communicated something, not just of educational value to Daddy, but of social value in a person’s life-work.
2. Bring The Odyssey to the Dinner Table
Those who are not stay-at-home parents enjoy a special opportunity to flesh out the relation between your learning program and the adult world. They can set your learning to the tune of something bigger.
Set up a video call with the missionary family your church supports, and ask them if they have ever had to be honest with the government like Gladys in Gladys Aylward. Have your archaeologist sister-in-law over for lunch and ask if she has encountered superstitions like the archaeologist in Sticks Across the Chimney.
If your conversation with your partner over dinner consists of nothing but money problems, scheduling, and an occasional movie, those little listeners may begin to believe that math only presents problems later in life, and that literature is something one grows out of altogether.
On the other hand, if mom and dad have a conversation over dinner about the difference between the portrayal of violence in The Odyssey and in the Old Testament, maybe literature is a serious business. That's when the hidden curriculum comes into focus. Maybe understanding cultural perspectives on suffering is a note in the song worth hearing, even when there is a schedule to worry about.
3. Bring Alice’s Adventuresin Wonderland to the Trampoline
When I started homeschooling my kids, I would read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to my two eldest who bounced on the trampoline. I would walk around the trampoline, talking over the maddening squeak, putting the six-month-old to sleep in the encircling push-chair. I can’t say I was enjoying Alice, having read it aloud four times already, but this was a moment for the hidden curriculum.
When I was a young teen, I played music to my father in the car. I was into Christian death metal. He wasn’t. Not only did he listen for hours, he would listen closely enough to analyse the music with me.
Daddy, a former music producer, regarded my musical interests as more important than his. When it came to another day around the trampoline, I called Daddy’s humility to mind.
There is a time for grammar, and there is a time for the fifth reading of Alice. Follow them to the trampoline and they will eventually follow you to the chalkboard.
It matters where you take the Sonlight curriculum. It matters
And if you take Alice to the Sisyphean trampoline.
Take the Sonlight curriculum to the in-between places and allow it to illuminate your children. The curriculum behind the curriculum is the life and heart of the purposeful parent. You are the hidden curriculum.
Be confident in your curriculum purchase by following three easy steps.
In public school, it’s easy to quantify school time. School time is from the time you arrive to the time you leave, approximately seven hours or so.
Defining school hours gets a little murky, though, when we begin talking about homeschool. Let’s take a look at this curiosity.
How Long Are Public School Hours?
Public school is about seven hours each day, Monday through Friday. However, during the course of a school day, we can easily chisel out lunch time and the after-lunch break or recess as not being actual learning time.
Then, what about all those transition times...
five minutes between each class
bathroom breaks
water fountain breaks
assemblies
time passing out and taking up permission forms and other paperwork
When we analyze the time spent actually learning, we can find quite a bit of gray area in public school as well. So let’s start this conversation with the fact that actual time spent schooling is fluid, and much of it depends on the student’s choices of how they use their time.
What Defines Educational Time?
In the homeschooling world, some of us tend to believe that we can’t count certain activities as school. We may fret over what is truly school time.
Those of us who have to turn in hours to our state education department can be plagued by indecision over what qualifies as educational time.
We may spend an entire day on a field trip to a state park and wonder if we can count it as school.
We spend an hour cooking with our children and instead of viewing it as part of our child’s education, we may be tempted to tack on an extra hour at the end of the day to do the so-called real work.
However, education really cannot be quantified. It makes us feel better to do so, but if we took an honest look at a well-rounded education, none of us could actually say how many hours we spend each day educating our child, not even our public school children.
Does a well-rounded education end at 3:30 pm? Of course not! A child who shadows their father during a home improvement project or rides a bike down their street is still educating themselves. I would argue that most of life is education.
So Really, What Counts as School?
I think that’s the mindset shift that we all need to make, whether you homeschool or send your child to public school. Education does not stop when the child leaves the building, and education does not begin when the child opens the workbook. Education is about teaching the whole child many different skills and teaching them to be a productive adult.
I have always felt that anything that prepares children for becoming an adult can be counted as school hours. Think life skills and knowledge... anything under that umbrella should be counted as school hours.
However, everyone—even adults—needs rest and play, so I also believe that we can count certain amounts of that as well. I truly believe that if you sat down to add up a child’s hours going toward their education, you would have a shocking number. We would all be surprised to see just how many hours could be counted for educational time.
What If My State Requires Hours?
Many of us do need to quantify our school hours due to state laws. So how should we do the impossible and quantify our child’s education in something as small as hours?
My best advice is to do the same as public schools. Figure your usual weekly schedule, count up your hours and multiply by 36 weeks. That is an estimate of your actual school time. But I urge all parents to know in their hearts that the true amount of education they are pouring into their child is not contained within a school day. Instead, it overflows into every facet of life.
We have to shift our mindset to reflect this new way of thinking about education. Education is absolutely un-quantifiable.
Everything is education.
Every hour of every day educates a child. Now, how we use those hours is our choice, but we are constantly teaching our child with everything that we do, constantly preparing them for life with the use of every hour.
So, what truly counts as school you ask? Everything.
Have you ever read a book you couldn't stop thinking about? I keep returning to Nurture Shock because it has challenged some of my assumptions about child development.
Take race relations, for example. Popular thought goes something like this: We can raise our children to be color-blind if we just put them in diverse environments and never talk about race.
But does that really work?
The authors of Nurture Shock say it doesn't. Instead, they present convincing evidence from many studies to show that even young children do notice skin color.
I admit that as parents, we can be very uncomfortable talking about race. I am even a touch hesitant to write about it, lest I unintentionally/needlessly offend. In their research, co-authors Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman pick up on parents' extreme hesitance to talk about this issue.
In particular, they note that white parents tend to feel especially uncomfortable talking about race. Perhaps parents seek to avoid any hint of prejudice by simply never mentioning skin color. But we do our children a disservice by remaining mute on the issue. Our children need us to help them make sense of their world in so many other arenas … why not race, too?
Children Are Not Color-blind
Have you noticed that children have a driving need to categorize and organize their world? As the Bronson notes, "Children categorize everything from food to toys to people at a young age." And it appears children categorize by skin color as well.
For example, researchers tested three-year-olds by displaying photographs of other children and asking whom they would like to have as friends. A stunning 86% of the white children chose photographs of other white children. When those same children were five and six, researchers gave them a small deck of cards and asked them to divide the cards into two piles any way they wished. While 16% sorted by gender and 16% used other factors (such as age), 68% of the children sorted the cards by race. Even at six months old (through a fascinating study I don't have time to explain here), children were naturally attuned to race differences. Researcher Dr. Phyllis Katz concluded "At no point in the study did the children exhibit the Rousseau-type of color-blindness that many adults expect."
Since children notice these categories during their most formative years, it follows that we should help them understand what they see.
Here are some pointers from the book:
1. Parents should not just drop hints about racial equality. We should talk about it explicitly.
When parents want to teach their children about racial equality, they tend to say things like "God made everyone equal." But Bronson's findings show such vague statements don't convey much meaning to kids. They don't translate into the concrete messages we want our kids to embrace.
So instead, we can say things more explicitly, such as: "God made people with different skin colors. He loves all of us, no matter what color our skin is or where we come from. Our family also loves people who are black, brown, white and anywhere in between!"
2. As kids generalize in order to understand their own identity, they may say things about race that make you cringe.
This doesn't mean they'll grow up to be racist, but it does mean you have a great opportunity to teach.
When Bronson's young son, Luke, began asserting that his favorite basketball player on TV was the one "with skin like us," Bronson kept talking with Luke until he got to the bottom of the issue. It turns out that Luke was self-conscious about his hair, which looked so different than the black players' hair-styles. I like how Bronson sums it up: "My son was looking for his own identity, and looking for role models. … I dealt with these moments explicitly, telling my son it was wrong to choose anyone as his friend, or his favorite, on the basis of their skin color or even their hairstyle. We pointed out how certain friends wouldn't be in our lives if we picked friends for their color. He got the message, and over time he not only accepted but embraced this lesson. Now he talks openly about equality and the wrongfulness of discrimination."
3. Merely placing children in proximity with children of other races doesn't seem to help unite races.
Bronson says that the more diversity there is in a public high school, the more the students will self-segregate by race. Unless there are specific initiatives to help children think constructively about race relations and form cross-racial friendships, the pressure to fit in with one's own ethnic group trumps.
In their research of many scientific studies, Bronson and Merryman found that merely putting children in situations where they encounter other races isn't enough. Parents need to talk about the fact that we can be friends and interact with people of other races just as we would with people who happen to have the same skin color as we do.
4. Books about race relations can help children understand their world more appropriately.
Bronson didn't spend much time on this point, but I of course found it fascinating! And it reinforced what I already knew: literature helps open up important conversations you need to have with your children.I have found that to be true in my own family. It never crossed my mind that I needed to talk to my children to let them know that just as girls can grow up to be doctors and engineers, so too can Blacks, Native Americans, Whites and Hispanics. But, my children grew up with clear understandings of racial issues.
I believe this is because we studied so many cultures around the world and did not shy away from difficult racial issues. As the children grew, we simply read, discussed and were deeply impacted by Sonlight books we shared, such as:
Why do I think reading is a huge key to helping raise children who don't judge others based on race? Read more here.
If you're as intrigued as I am by these reflections on race relations and child development, I'd suggest you track down a copy of Nurture Shock. Perhaps you'll find the whole book as interesting as I did.
As parents, may we be purposeful in imparting to our children all of our heritage and raising them with a right understanding. Let's help our kids make sense of this fascinating world God created.
Does an accurate American history curriculum for kindergarten actually exist?
A good homeschool history curriculum is difficult to find, isn’t it? And US history is particularly hard to teach. I have very little tolerance for oversimplified books which whitewash the complexity of our nation’s beginnings, idolize outward morality, virtue, and character, or put Columbus and Washington on a pedestal of American exceptionalism. But most truly accurate US history books are geared toward a much older audience, and aren’t designed to give a broad sweeping overview to sensitive kindergarteners or first graders. American history is messy, ugly, grim, and often brutal. Teaching true American history to small children — even with picture books — is not easy.
So how do we find accurate US history books which will capture the tender imaginations of precious five- and six-year-olds?
A diverse and global worldview is so important to me. When my daughter started kindergarten several years ago, we chose to begin with Sonlight’s overview of world history and cultures (Sonlight’s new American history curriculum for kindergarten didn’t exist yet). As someone who spent my early years outside the United States, I think it’s crucial for kids — especially Christian kids! — to see God’s hand on the entire globe. And as a second-generation homeschooler, I have never been impressed with how some curriculum publishers handle elementary US history, anyway. Many tend to over-emphasize America’s place in the vast global world God created, gloss over the nuanced complexity of multifaceted historical figures, and simplify history to the point of inaccuracy.
Yet as Americans, we need to teach our kids about our nation’s beginning, right? We need teach our kids about all the tangled threads of the early years — all the stories — and show them how these threads been knotted and woven together into the nation we have today.
A Sonlight education is a literature-based education, so it’s no surprise that Sonlight’s new Kindergarten program,Exploring American History tells a gentle, age-appropriate story of our nation’s beginnings through dozens and dozens of interconnected stories.
Using a combination of
picture books,
read-alouds,
a bonus book list,
an Instructor’s guide, and
a brand-new two-volume history spine called Heroes & Happenings,
five- and six-year-olds can see how the threads of American history weave together, knots and tangles and all.
But before I tell you more about Heroes & Happenings, the newly-published history spine, let’s pause here and quickly talk about how Sonlight is formatted.
An overview of Sonlight’s History / Bible / Literature (HBL) format
If you want to use Sonlight for more than history, bible, and literature, Sonlight also offers an all-subjects package. This complete grade set includes
the HBL and Instructor’s Guide discussed above, plus
an enormous bonus booklist — 250 ADDITIONAL TITLES! (More on that in a bit.)
Let’s talk about Heroes and Happenings, the new history spine.
Heroes and Happenings is a Sonlight-exclusive, written specifically for this kindergarten curriculum. It’s a two-volume paperback set, illustrated by children’s book artists.
Volume One: Leif Erickson (c. 1000) to Jan Matzeliger (c. 1850)
Volume Two: Thomas Edison (c. 1870) to Temple Grandin (current day)
Each volume is around 150 full-color glossy pages, for a total of 60 stories across 300 pages. What a lot of stories! Although the books progress chronologically, each chapter can stand alone, too. This makes it a great reference book for elementary-age kids who are learning to write research papers, so keep it around after kindergarten ends!
Each of the sixty stories centers around a specific person or event, with a length of about four pages (two 2-page spreads) — just right for young attention spans. And every single page is illustrated, so there’s always something for your little learner to look at as you read aloud.
Heroes and Happenings hits the high points of American history, of course, telling the stories of the Stamp Act and the Constitution Convention through to Westward Expansion and the moon landing. But Sonlight always does a really good job teaching cultural literacy, too. This kindergarten history course also contains all sorts of delightful and unusual tidbits, such as the Ferris wheel, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, bonsai trees, ballet, computer programming, and more.
I also really love the sidebars full of fascinating vocabulary definitions, and all the colorful illustrated maps included alongside the illustrations. Between the
biographies,
additional reading lists,
cultural literacy topics,
maps, and
vocabulary highlights,
there are a nearly infinite number of opportunities here for rabbit trails. This homeschool curriculum is excellent for encouraging curiosity and nurturing lifelong learners.
Heroes and Happenings is full-color, illustrated by picture-book artists, and written in a narrative style which makes it a delight to read aloud. Depending on if you purchase the 4-day package or the 5-day package, there are either 8 or 10 American history picture books included in the Sonlight package and scheduled in to the Instructor’s Guide daily and weekly schedules.
But there’s the potential for literally hundreds more books.
Yes, hundreds.
A bonus list of 250 US history books, recommended by Sonlight
At the end of every Heroes and Happenings chapter, a useful “Want to know more?” section lists at least additional book suggestions. These are a good mix of popular title and hidden gems, along with Coretta Scott King Award books and Caldecott winners. (And there are occasional notes about the books’ content; for instance, the author lists d’Aulaires’ Columbus, but warns it has “more myths and stories about Columbus rather than facts.”)
The last few pages of each volume of Heroes and Happenings also contain an appendix of even more book recommendations, organized chronologically by century. I counted through both volumes by hand, and between the end-of-chapter recommendations and the additional booklist in the appendices, there are 250 total book recommendations.
Two-hundred and fifty! This is such a unique and wonderful bonus feature, and not something I’ve ever seen before from Sonlight.
If Sonlight were to have included all of these picture books and juvenile literature selections in the curriculum package, it would have made the bundle absurdly cost-prohibitive, I am sure. Instead, by listing them throughout Heroes and Happenings, Sonlight gives you the option to enrich your experience by reading further and deeper, should you so choose.
(Of course, you don’t have to; the history curriculum is already full and rich as-is. One of Sonlight’s big draws is its utter simplicity; simply open and go! But having access to all these additional book titles is a really incredible perk.)
How does Sonlight’s new kindergarten history program tell the stories of indigenous people and people of color?
When I chatted with friends about this new kindergarten history program, questions about accurate portrayal popped up again and again.
“I’m curious to hear how it handles race.”
“Is this less ethno- and Eurocentric than other curriculums?”
“Is [it] from a colonizer’s perspective?”
“How are women represented?”
“How white-washed is it?”
Are “multiple voices and views are represented?”
These are all important questions. As parents, we have an enormous responsibility
to equip our children to rightly handle truth (Timothy 2:15),
to love those around us (Mark 12:30-31), and
to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before God. (Micah 6:8)
We need to make correct choices for our family, and evaluate wisely. The books we read and the media we consume play a large part in shaping our worldview, for better for worse. Let’s break down the content in Heroes & Happenings numerically:
3 of the 60 stories are about Native Americans(Squanto, Sequoyah, and the Navajo Code Talkers)
11 of the 60 stories are about African-Americans (David Drake, Bass Reeves, Martin Luther King Jr., and more)
12 of the 60 stories are about women(Temple Grandin, Grace Hopper, Harriet Tubman, and more)
15 of the 60 stories are about events(the Constitutional Convention, immigration, the Statue of Liberty, the Yamaki pine, and more), and
33 of the 60 stories are about men (Randolph Caldecott, John James Audubon, Noah Webster, and more.)
I appreciate how the book doesn’t spend a disproportionate amount of time on pilgrims and pioneers, but spans a broad range of topics, interests, and timelines.
When I’m assessing an American history book, after a scan through the table of contents for a skeletal overview, I also like to physically flip to a few specific sections and spot-read. Glancing at these hot topics generally gives me peek into the author’s perspective, and gives me an idea of what sort of worldview will be communicated to my children. Here are some excerpts and pull-quotes from Heroes & Happenings, so you can assess the book as well.
On the colonists —
“When European settlers came to North America, the people who already lived there…didn’t like having their lands taken over.
Imagine how upsetting it would be if twelve decided to come in to your house, eat your food, use your bathroom, and sleep in your bed. Maybe you could handle it if those twelve people stayed for a week. You might even find it fun if you liked the people.
But now imagine those twelve people stayed in your house for the rest of their lives. They would marry, and have children — it would be too much.
Something like this happened to the Native Americans. The European settlers came, and took over Native American land, and stole their food — it was too much.”
On Tisquantum / Squanto —
“The Europeans didn’t just kidnap Patuxet men, they also brought an unwelcome visitor to them: disease.”
On Thomas Jefferson —
“Thomas Jefferson had written the Declaration of Independence, in which he said, ‘that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator will certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.’ Jefferson wrote that, but he didn’t act as if all men were created equal — he owned many enslaved men and women.
…Jefferson claimed that he wished the enslaved could soon be in a better condition…Although Jefferson wrote this, he did not actually free any of his enslaved people, and freed only a few in his will. This injustice would not end with Jefferson, unfortunately.”
On the Navajo —
“The government forced Navajo children to attend boarding school…the teachers tried to make the children more like European Americans and less like Navajos. Adults at the boarding school cut off the children’s hair, discarded their traditional clothes, took their silver jewelry, and changed their names. Administrators forbade the use of the Navajo language…even during their free time.”
Sonlight never shies away from hard topics (here are 5 reasons to read books about difficult things.) Throughout every Sonlight course, parents are encouraged to engage their child in meaningful conversations — there are even dialogue prompts in the Instructor’s Guide to help start these super-important discussions.
Talk to your kids. No matter what curriculum you choose, it can never replace relationships and conversations. No book can replace empathy, kindness and courage. No history program can replace critical thinking, wisdom, discernment, or teaching our kids how to think and evaluate what they’re reading.
Having been a public school graduate and a public school teacher, I never even considered homeschooling.
I had already sent my oldest child to kindergarten at the local public school, and he was successful. However, something kept nagging me. I realized that I hardly ever saw him. I felt as though I was pushing him out the door every morning and rushing through dinner to get him in bed at a decent hour each night.
I knew that God was prompting me to change my thought process on education, but honestly, I didn’t want to.
I wanted to be like everyone else.
I wanted to go with the flow of everyone else.
I wanted to fit in and feel normal.
But that nagging feeling just wouldn’t go away. So I asked my husband to please pray about it, and a few months later, we were embarking on one of the greatest journeys of our life.
When we first started our homeschool journey, it felt like we were missing out on a lot of things. The moment your child finds out who's class he is in as a homeschooler doesn't have the same thrill (spoiler alert: they are in your class!).
The first day of school didn’t quite have the same feel either. When the parents around me were participating in school fairs and parties, we were home. While most of the other moms I knew were chatting about school shopping, teachers, and school policy, I was left with nothing to contribute to these conversations. There were some days where I felt isolated and alone.
It took a complete mindset shift for me to find my groove in the homeschool world, and now, after eight years of homeschooling, I find it laughable that I ever wondered if homeschooling could provide us with the thriving community and abundant blessings that we desired. However, before embracing this new mindset, these are a few concepts that I had to accept first.
1. It’s Worth It to Be Different
Our family was undoubtedly different once we began homeschooling. When we started our journey in our small community, there weren’t many other homeschool families, and we struggled in some areas. But I soon realized that homeschooling was worth it.
Every day, I saw my children growing closer together and thriving in their schoolwork. Since my oldest child used to struggle with anxiety most mornings, it was such a blessing to see him wake up every day happy and excited to face the day.
He didn’t miss anything about school, and I quickly decided that the trade off of not being normal by society's standards was worth it.
My youngest son doesn’t enjoy homeschooling as much. He’s an extrovert who loves people. However, he’s also a follower, and there’s worth in keeping him home too. At home, I can ensure his success in school and help him set aside time for his spiritual growth. Homeschooling is worth it even when the child doesn’t see it yet.
2. Embrace Different
There are interesting and unexpected benefits to being different as well. When my oldest son was in kindergarten, I would wait in the pick-up line every day, and while I waited, I would watch the other parents and notice their vehicles. It seemed to me that everyone had a nicer vehicle than I did. Their cars were full of gadgets and CD players, and automatic doors, and mine...well, we were lucky if the sliding doors on my minivan opened at all.
I complained a lot to my husband during that season about my car, but we just didn’t have the money to upgrade, so my complaints simply brewed in my mind until I was totally dissatisfied with our little minivan.
When we began to homeschool, I was shocked by my newfound satisfaction with our car. My husband even noticed my contentment. Once I took myself out of the comparison pool, I realized that our car was sufficient for our needs and got us around reliably, and it wasn’t an issue that I didn’t have the newest, greatest model anymore.
This is only a small example of the benefits that we have found from being different. With my husband and I modeling to our children the real struggle, our kids have been more likely to accept being different as well. They are more satisfied without having the latest technology, and we struggle less with cases of “The Gimmies.” There are probably a million more small blessings that we find from our choice to be different. Embracing being different is a huge step in shifting your mindset to homeschooling.
3. Find Community Opportunities for Fellowship
Being a homeschooler also means that you are able to look for socialization where you prefer. Many homeschool families seek out a church community to join. Clubs like 4-H have regular meetings where families can fellowship and build community. Of course, don’t forget homeschool co-ops! This is a place where like-minded families can gather to school their children collectively. Co-ops can be a very valuable place to plug in and find common ground. Finding community helps families feel connected and accepted, even as they choose the more untraveled road.
4. Begin Your Own Traditions
One of the things we missed most was the frequent opportunities to invite our family to school functions to see the kids and their work. I remember one day when it just hit me: I didn’t have to give up on those things. I just needed to provide the space myself to do it. So, we began scheduling grandparent’s days, tea parties for our neighbors, and events to get together homeschoolers in our area.
This year, we finished our fifth annual Valentine’s Tea Party. We planned our first Homeschool Science Fair (although the coronavirus derailed those plans). We have hosted Christmas parties and homeschool events, field trips and end-of-year showcases. My kids look forward to our annual events and help plan them, too.
As Christians, we are called to be different anyway. Every part of our lives is designed to say, “Look at me so I can show you Jesus.” We are called to be strangers and aliens in this world. When we get comfortable in our lives, it’s probably time to shake things up anyway, right?
Taking the leap to begin homeschooling can be scary and lonely, but knowing that I was pursuing God’s calling on my life for this season of homeschooling, however long it may be, gave me such peace, and it sustained me through the moments when I was the oddball at the table. By shifting my mindset, I’ve found it's so worth it to be different.
Be different with us! Become a Sonlighter. Learn how...
One of the things that we love about our catalog is that we get to feature real photos—and stories—of our customers. Thank you to all of the families who shared #sonlightstories for the 2020 catalog cover contest! And congratulations to the three winners featured below!
WINNER: S Family of Saint John, MI
In this picture, J (14), K (13 ), H (11), and R (5) enjoy a Sonlight favorite on the edge of a drop off in Asia Pacific.
Our family are missionaries in Asia Pacific, and we are planting a church here. However, a few years after we taught the gospel, a cult group started to get angry at us. They started riots and tried to get the government to tell us to leave our home. They didn't want the gospel to be preached and hated us because we were teaching it. They threatened us and told us to leave. Around this time, we went out for our annual missions conference. While we were there, the cult made their move. When we came back to a nearby town, we found out that they had burnt our house down! We lost everything we owned, along with years of Sonlight books and curriculum. We wrote Sonlight about our situation, and they graciously replaced many years of books - free of cost! Because they were willing to do that, we have been able to continue our homeschooling experience with a curriculum we really enjoy! We have since rebuilt our house and have moved back to our original village. We are so thankful for Sonlight and all they were willing to do to help us in our time of need!
The S. Family of Saint John, MI
WINNER: A Family of Coquitlam, BC Canada
In this picture, Ezra (3), Nathan (6), Anaiya (5), Amani (11), Eva (12) read Animal Poetry together in our secret garden.
Sonlight has brought so many beautiful books into our lives. When my oldest daughter first became an avid reader, I spent so much time trying to find appropriate, in-print literature for her. I downloaded book lists, met with librarians, bought books about books. And then we found Sonlight. Sonlight sets the standard for what a good children's book should be. We know that we can expect something delightful from each one. Now, everybody gets very excited when it's time to open a Sonlight box. They can't wait to dig into all the new treasures.
The A Family, Sonlighters from Coquitlam, BC Canada
WINNER: G Family of Glendive, MT
In this photo, Garnet (6) couldn't wait to dig into her very first Sonlight Box Day!
What a true joy to now share the very same curriculum I grew up loving with my own children. Teaching and reaching the hearts of our little ones through the hours spent reading quality Sonlight books together each day has been a dream come true. Many precious moments and conversations have been shared during our journey with Core A this year. In using Sonlight, we love that our children’s hearts and minds are being fed, and that their eyes are being so gently and wonderfully opened to the world around them and the precious people in it.
The G Family, Sonlighters from Glendive, MT
Thanks again for making this year's contest a success. Keep sharing your #sonlightstories year-round! We love your Box Day photos, your day to day experiences, and the end-of-the-year #sonlightstack shots of all you've accomplished.
Use the #sonlightstories hashtag when you share on social media.
You can also log into your account on sonlight.com anytimeto upload both images and testimonials. You never know when something you submitted may appear in a catalog, on our homepage, or on the Sonlight blog.
