Sage Homeschooling: Wild and Free (Sage Family) Paperback – October 14, 2017

Getting out of the “school” mindset is hard, but reading Sage Homeschooling is inspiring and motivating. I may not agree with everything Rachel Rainbolt states in her book, yet that’s what makes homeschooling/unschooling unique. We can all do what fits best for our families. I love all of her stories about her family and how they make unschooling work in their home. I highlighted much of her advice and quotes. She definitely has the experience and I would recommend her book to everyone. Even those with children in school, would benefit from reading this book.

(TBR List: to be read, as in books ya gotta get). Okay, let me start by saying that this author, as a human being, is such an intuitive, reflective individual. Not only an intellect, but one with a high EQ (emotional quotient), which is a necessary, admirable combinantion. She has other books (all relative to her Sage theme) and I strongly believe any new parent or someone on the path to parenthood could highly benefit from her message: be mindful. Okay, now on to this book. I have a Masters degree in Adolescent Education, graduated magna cum laude, and have eight years experience teaching in a classroom. I have a seventh grader who is a public school student, enjoys going, and whose marks every single marking period hover anywhere from 97-100. Let me say, this was not me. At all, at that age. I now have two young children, a year apart in age, who I stay at-home with and have known for a year now that they're likely not destined for the classroom. Full of energy, always on the go, constant playing, outdoors from sun-up to sun-down on good-weather days. And a quick learner, my older toddler can explain evaporation, how geysers work, and the life cycle of cicadas. Unfortunately, I am in much need of deschooling..and when I saw the various methods of homeschooling (Charlotte Mason, Waldorf, Classical, and so on) or realized we could unschool, I asked myself, "Hmmmm...what book to start with?" This is ABSOLUTELY it!" My favorite parts: the quotes, the peek provided of the Author's life (I am a memoir junkie), and her advice. Well-worth the price. And! She can be found onlin, with even more awesome contributions to the parenting world! This book made me feel that even I, one who worked so hard to be a teacher and loved it, could take my own children's educational journey into my own hands. And that the idea isn't "radical," but instead pretty common sensical.

We have been ‘roadschooling' (homeschooling on the road) for 10 months now, as we travel the States in a trailer. One of the biggest reasons I debated going on the road was, I had to homeschool. I grew up attending public school in poor neighborhoods and didn't feel that I was smart enough to homeschool. Reading Wild and Free was awe-inspiring. It pointed things out that I feared and then gave me courage. This book isn't a book that tells you do x, y, and z and you can homeschool. It makes you reflect on yourself, your family goals and the many fears we have as parents and our ability to teach. With this reflection, we can narrow down what we want to change for our children, set goals and get it done.One of my favorite quotes from Wild and Free:"No interaction is neutral; you are always stepping in one direction or another. Every single experience is a step on your journey that provides a fresh perspective. Embrace a balance of confidence and openness as you move forward. If something makes you uncomfortable, don’t turn away. Face it, then work to change yourself or work to change it. Discomfort is an opportunity for growth."Even though it's daunting to think that every choice I make has an impact, it gives me the confidence to say I CAN do this even when I think it's hard or let the doubts creep in because it's what's best for our family and this too will be a learning experience.

If your curious about homeschooling this is the book to read first! I was unsure about reading a book right now about homeschooling as my son is only 2 years old. However, I am super curious and I have been surrounding myself with more and more information about it. I decided to jump into what I thought was the deep end of the pool. I was nervous about how much it seemed it was going to be to take on. Let me tell you, Rachel Rainbolt's book is brilliantly written. She shares her story of how her family came to homeschool their children, their struggles with the traditional schools, doubt and fear about jumping into the homeschool pool. She covers everything from curriculum to materials and resources. She talks about play spaces, organizing and what a day in the life would be like. Her list of references and resources is astounding! This homeschooling mother really does her research and it's all packed into one easy-to-read book! So here I am, I've jumped into the homeschooling pool, the funny thing is that I already knew how to swim and this is what I found out reading "Sage Homeschooling: A Lifestyle for a Connected Family". It's an extension of our daily lives and it can be a super fun experience. It's a way for children to be active participants and engaged in their own education and environment; creatively able to explore their own individual passions. This book has solidified my thoughts about homeschooling 100%. I hope you pick it up and read it today or download the digital version now! It will truly ignite your passion to homeschool!

This is brilliant, an easy to read, down to earth, honest, comforting book full of helpful, natural and modern resources, sage advice -which just resonates with my own personal intuition so much.I feel anyone would benefit from reading this, its beautiful, simple and like having a great supportive friend to pick up at any time.I love it

I loved this book, it gave me such. Inspiration to homeschool and I agreed with everything Rachel was saying.This book is an easy read, I couldn’t put it down!I have read many homeschooling books ( mostly religious ) and it was a breath of fresh air to find a book that spoke to me that was not religious based.I would highly recommend this book to anyone thinking of homeschooling or someone who is already homeschooling.Amazing read!

Sage homeschooling advice indeed! Rachel's experience and story is inspiring for all parents but especially those who lean towards gentle parenting and home education. I loved the references provided, some of which I hadn't heard of before, which made for great extra reading and encouragement.A must read for parents who are fed up with the education system and want children who are fulfilled with an amazing life not just school facts.

Love this book. My children are very young and not even close for “school” but I loved Rachel’s podcast so much I had to read this book now and so happy I did. Very insightful, detailed and thorough if you are interested at all in taking the path less travelled with your kids.

I first heard about this book after stumbling across the Sage Family Podcast (you MUST listen if you haven’t already) and I am so so pleased I found it! It is as if Rachel has heard my thoughts and answered all my questions in her witty, uncensored way. This book is full of guidance and gives well researched insights into a different way of learning with your child. It has given me so much inspiration and I cannot wait to put Rachel’s philosophies into practise!