A Mom Just Like You

Rating:
Summary: Loved the author, wanted to hear more from her
Review: I am a homeschooling mother of 3 children (with number 4 on the way), and I learned about Vickie Farris by attending a recent Christian homeschooling conference in Idaho where her husband was a featured speaker. Her husband was a fascinating, funny, interesting, and informative lawyer and father of 10, so I figured that his wife would have alot to share that would be of interest to me on many levels! I was right about that! The two chapters that Mrs Farris actually writes are exactly what I wanted to hear - her own honest experiences shared in a heart-to-heart manner. I was disappointed to realize that her daughter (who was not yet married or a mother herself) wrote the majority of the book. I am sure it was a bonding experience for both of them, but the "voice" of the author gets lost and it would have made a much better read if the mother could have taken the time to write the book herself (even if it took longer). I understand she was busy with her family, which I respect, but perhaps the project should have been put on hold until she was able to have the time to devote more time to it.

My favorite part of the book is the chapter on birth control, and how she and her husband came to trust the Lord in that area. That is something that my husband and I have dealt with and came to the same conclusions as the author, so for that chapter, it was worth buying the entire book (so long as it was at a discounted price!)

Rating:
Summary: A Mom Just Like Me????
Review: I eagerly purchased Vicki Farris's book because I am the homeschooling mother of nine children. Just like all homeschooling moms, I struggle with keeping up with the housework, the laundry, trying to teach multiple levels, dealing with "the littles" while trying to teach. I was looking forward to the encouragement I would find from "a mom just like me"

I was most definitely disappointed. I agree with another reviewer that too much of the book was spent on the Farris's personal conviction of "letting God plan their family" (hinting that those that use birth control are NOT letting God plan their family). However, I was most disappointed with finding out that the way that Vicki Farris "survived" teaching and mothering such a large family is the Mommy helper that she hired to watch the younger ones and help out with laundry, the cleaning lady who comes once a week to do the deep cleaning, the lawn service that takes care of the yard. There was no encouragement to be found here for me . . . even down to to the DIScouragement I felt by hearing that Vicki Farris lost all of her pre-pregnancy weight with each child.

Most of the homeschoolers I know can't afford outside household help, yard help or Mommy's helpers. Most of the the homeschoolers I know don't have large families. Most of the mommies I know are still struggling with losing pregnancy weight. When will a REAL homeschool mother write a book to encourage other REAL homeschool mothers? Maybe I should write one myself.

Rating:
Summary: Mis-Named, But Still Interesting!
Review: This book isn't really about "A Mom Like Me", nor is it really about homeschooling.

The author is an apparently wealthy mother of 10 homeschooled children. [I say apparently wealthy because her husband is a well known lawyer and she employs a weekly housecleaner, yard person, and mother's helpers - not something most of our budgets will cover].

The book also has really very little to do with homeschooling - extremely little practical advice and only a couple of the chapters are even about homeschooling. There IS a chapter on the religious beliefs that led this family to homeschool, and a very general, superficial [and not so useful] chapter on "homeschooling a housefull".

Instead, this book is a very personal story of the author's life, her faith journey, and her religious beliefs. She is strongly in favor of homeschooling, which one would expect, but she is also very strongly in favor of some other ideas - such as foregoing all family planning [including natural family planning] and "letting the Lord determine her family size" as well as the idea of the wife submitting to the husband.

The book includes a very detailed and personal story of her reproductive history, as well as how she and her husband came to their beliefs. She includes very appropriate scriptural references for everything she suggests and puts forth very intelligent arguments.

While this book was not at all what I expected, I did find it interesting, easy to read, and compelling. I may not agree with all of the author's viewpoints, but I can certainly see how she arrived at them and I can follow her spiritual logic. I enjoyed the book thoroughly.

There was a slight shadow of arrogance running throughout the book that was a little annoying. It was sort of a sense of "this is how *I* do things and my way is the right way". Sometimes it felt a little like the author was saying "see how wonderful I am!" I didn't agree with all of her suggestions or the way her family handled everything, but I still found the book very interesting and thought provoking.

Rating:
Summary: Loved the author, wanted to hear more from her
Review: This book was very well written and an unexpected surprise. We chose it as a book to read in our Homeschool Moms Book Club. I was not anticipating a great read but looked forward to wisdom from an experienced mother.

This book kept me reading from the beginning. It is sound and scripturally based. As homeschoolers. we all struggle at times, but the benefits far out weigh the difficulties. Vickie Farris (via Jayme) does an excellent job relating a testimony of her life to us as if we were both sitting in my kitchen over a cup of tea.

Much of the book was also dedicated to family planning and a wife's role with her husband. Both of these areas were pertinent to my life. I was encouraged to read the section on miscarriage after going through a miscarriage and stillbirth both after feeling led by God to have more children. It was encouraging to see that I am not in control and that I am not alone.

This book is not heavy on ideas for curriculum or organization but is helpful at the same time. I agree that it may have been a discouragement also as areas of cleaning and managing children are resolved by hired help. These areas are a challenge but also provide a great reward with the help of God not a nanny. It seems to defeat the purpose and whole idea of a Homeschooling mom.

While I struggled with the aspects of hired help, I also realized while reading that all mothers have the abilities to make choices and we are not all going to be from the same cookie cutter. In spite of the differences, I found this book to be an encouragement to glorify God with my choices and attitudes in my home. It has a special spot on my bookshelf.

Rating:
Summary: A Well Written Unexpected Surprise
Review: This book was very well written and an unexpected surprise. We chose it as a book to read in our Homeschool Moms Book Club. I was not anticipating a great read but looked forward to wisdom from an experienced mother.

This book kept me reading from the beginning. It is sound and scripturally based. As homeschoolers. we all struggle at times, but the benefits far out weigh the difficulties. Vickie Farris (via Jayme) does an excellent job relating a testimony of her life to us as if we were both sitting in my kitchen over a cup of tea.

Much of the book was also dedicated to family planning and a wife's role with her husband. Both of these areas were pertinent to my life. I was encouraged to read the section on miscarriage after going through a miscarriage and stillbirth both after feeling led by God to have more children. It was encouraging to see that I am not in control and that I am not alone.

This book is not heavy on ideas for curriculum or organization but is helpful at the same time. I agree that it may have been a discouragement also as areas of cleaning and managing children are resolved by hired help. These areas are a challenge but also provide a great reward with the help of God not a nanny. It seems to defeat the purpose and whole idea of a Homeschooling mom.

While I struggled with the aspects of hired help, I also realized while reading that all mothers have the abilities to make choices and we are not all going to be from the same cookie cutter. In spite of the differences, I found this book to be an encouragement to glorify God with my choices and attitudes in my home. It has a special spot on my bookshelf.