Give Your Child the World

We live in a really rural area. Outside a teeny-tiny town with only small towns around that. As far as culture goes... Well there just aren't many cultural experiences that are going to happen organically around us. I love this beautiful place that I live in, with its hay-fields and rivers. However, teaching my children about the cultures of the world is going to take some mindfulness on my part. That's why I was really excited about reading Give Your Child the World by Jamie C. Martin.

Give your Child the World is all about igniting a deep love and compassion for the world through the basis of powerful stories. The first part of the book Jamie goes in depth over just how powerful a book can be. As a parent, I really struggle with how to practically tinder that love in my children for life, I love what Jamie says,

"Thankfully, we have at our fingertips a miracle vaccine--one that can boost our children's immunity to the world's distractions and heaviness. Story. Well chosen stories connect us with others, even those on the other side of the globe. Build your kids' lives on a story solid foundation and you'll give them armor to shield themselves from the world's cynicism. You'll give them confidence to perserve in the face of life's conflicts. You'll give them a reservoir of compassion that spills over into a lifetime of love and action. (p.18)" 

So, good stories are powerful. But luckily Jamie doesn't leave us there. Besides the book list, she offers some practical, easy and cheap ways to bring the cultures that interest us into our homes. Her ideas range from using maps to trying ethnic foods. The book itself is laced with grace, Jamie continually encourages the reader to start where they are and not get downtrodden with guilt.

 The rest of the book serves as a gigantic reading list of curated books to inspire. This treasury includes over 600 children's book recommendations. Within the reading list you will find the books organized by region, country, and age range (ages 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 and 10-12). Each book on the list has a description as well as a disclaimer of any content the parent should be aware of.

I love our local library, but if I'm not prepared the children's section is basically a guessing game. I pull a book out, one in a million, and hope it looks okay. All the while trying to keep a baby happy and two young children from going crazy. I get less and less picky as our civilized behavior runs thin. I love that I can grab this book, get online and check what titles my library has and then pick them up. Then I can let my kids find a few "special titles", knowing I have some actual good reading for us too. Because last time we were at the library my son chose Managing Toxic Waste- Issues For the 90's and you better believe he wanted it read as a bedtime story.

I also love the play on words in the title. So many parents want to give their child the world in a material sense. They want their children to have everything they might desire. This book is all about giving your child a heart for the world so that they can then give back.

I'm just dipping my toe into subjects like this. I'm only at the start of my homeschool and parenting journey. Sometimes I feel incredibly lost and overwhelmed as to how I am suppose to do all this. I know my main goals but I feel like I'm stumbling in the dark as to how to practically get there. Then a resource comes along, a book or a podcast, and it excites me so much. I'm really thankful for other moms like Jamie, Sally Clarkson and Sarah Mackenzie. Jamie has done such a wonderful and thorough job with this book. I am excited to incorporate her ideas and list into our families life.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review