I received this book in the mail yesterday and just finished devouring it. (Yes, I put aside our lessons and declared today a reading day, because I can.) :) This book resonated deeply with me as I strive to home educate my three girls well--and I'm so glad I preordered it and will have it on my bookshelf for reference and encouragement whenever I need. I said a lot of "Yes! Yes! Yes!" in my mind as I read through topic after topic, as everything the author says lines up with my goals and dreams for my children and the type of childhood I want them to have.

The book is split into four main sections titled: The Mission, The Myths, The Manner, and The Method. It addresses why we homeschool, misconceptions from others and ourselves, how children develop and what they need at each stage, how to create a family rhythm and family culture, discovering your style, the importance of free play and nature in giving our children back their childhoods. I appreciated the information about various forms of home education such as classical, Montessori, Charlotte Mason, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, and unschooling. We personally do a mix of classical and Charlotte Mason, with an emphasis on finding the right approach to math or english for each child depending on their brain wiring.

In addition to the theories and beliefs that govern how we teach our children at home, so much of the book is practical advice that we can readily implement in our homes, which I very much appreciate. I have been reminded to get out in nature more, to not give in to pressures of doing more, to continue reading aloud even to my 13-year-old, to make a notebooking journal with fun prompts to get my creative writer writing, to stop doubting myself.

I started homeschooling to become a bigger voice in my children's lives than public school would allow, to be able to know them intimately, to be able to witness their blossoming, to give them exactly what they need when they need it (as only someone who knows them well can), and to redeem what I lost in my own childhood. I grew up internalizing a lot of stress and anxiety, and didn't feel I had anyone to voice it to. I felt unheard and misunderstood and I tried to stay out of people’s way as much as possible instead of asserting myself. I grew up and became overwhelmed with life as an adult, letting stress eat away at me, developing many health problems as a result. My coming back to myself and taking control of my life has coincided with taking control of my children's lives and educations as well. I am in my fifth year homeschooling, but I am still working things out and constantly learning, changing, growing. Homeschooling is definitely a journey, not a destination, which is why books like this are essential to us moms in the trenches. I think this book is as relevant to the seasoned home educator as to the mom who is looking to start.

Much of the book talks about keeping our children’s sense of wonder alive by creating an environment in which they actually enjoy learning (not dread it or simply get through it). It encourages us to let them play as much as possible, because play is how little ones learn, "Children invite us into their world in small, delicate ways each day. They stand before us, board game in hand, looking up into our eyes as if maybe this time might be different. Children are resilient. They ask, get rejected, and then ask again. Imagine being surrounded by giants all day, looking up at the underside of their chins, and then experiencing the sheer delight when one of them crouches down to join our activity. Childhood is so fleeting. Before we know it, they will indeed stand as tall as us and perhaps see things the way we do. But by then, it will be too late. Their childhood will be gone. May we learn to enter their world before they stop inviting us.”

Ainsley Arment's thorough knowledge of every aspect of home education is evident throughout the book, and I never felt like it was being redundant or irrelevant. Her position as the founder of Wild + Free podcasts, conferences, magazine, and Instagram account place her in the perfect authority position to write this type of book. Her quotations from various authoritative figures and authors were spot-on, and exactly what I would have used if this was my book. I also thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful photography throughout, and let’s not forget to mention the thick pages that flip so easily as I read. This book will be a treasured resource for many, I am sure.

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Rating	4.8 (2190 ratings)
Price	$0.99
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The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming the Wonder in Your Child’s Education, A New Way to Homeschool