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Original Homeschooling #2
Charlotte Mason's Parents and Children
Charlotte Mason's classic series on home education re-released at last, with a fresh transcription formatted to match the original. Large margins make this edition a pleasure read or study.
348 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1897
283 people are currently reading
1065 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte M. Mason
65 books231 followersCharlotte Mason, a renowned British educator, lived during the turn of the 20th century. She turned the idea of education being something of utilitarian necessity into an approach based upon living ideas. She believed that education is "an atmosphere, a discipline, a life" and a "science of relations." Her methods are embraced around the world today, especially among the homeschool community.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
December 18, 2020
Perhaps an underread volume of Charlotte Mason's and yet extremely important. The last two chapters alone make it highly recommended. I read it aloud with my Patreon group and am so glad that I did. Because children are humans/persons everything Charlotte says applies to adults as well.
January 21, 2021
Not a once and done book. So many counter-cultural ways at looking at parenting, childhood, and virtue. Definitely one to reread many times, wish I'd read it earlier and oftener. Maybe even before children.
October 9, 2020
Brim full of living ideas for parenting, education, and the good life in general. Onward to Volume 3!
March 17, 2025
Repeat read - I always enjoy coming back to Mason's original words.
2025: professional development re-read
2025: professional development re-read
June 19, 2015
This is an excellent, timeless book. Important reading for any parent. I wish it didn't have "homeschool" in the title, because a lot of parents will assume it doesn't pertain to them. Truthfully, this is a great book for anyone who loves children, homeschool teachers or not.
April 11, 2022
Read with the local CM book club this year! Full of wonderful ideas.
March 19, 2021
I will need to read this again. Too much wisdom for just one pass.
March 28, 2023
So many wonderful ideas on both education and parenting in general! I love how Mason talks about all intellectual growth as having the potential to be "Godward movement". Arithmetic is "taught" by God just as much as Virtue is. "In all things of science, in the things of art, in things of practical everyday life, his God doth instruct him and doth teach him, her God doth teach her and instruct her."
Also love the way Mason explains how the development of good habits (through the inspiring power of living ideas) is key in education.
"Knowing that the brain is the physical seat of habit, and that conduct and character alike are the outcome of the habits we allow: knowing, too, that an inspiring idea initiates a new habit of thought, and, hence a new habit of life, we perceive that the great work of education is to inspire children with vitalising ideas as to the relations of life, departments of knowledge, subjects of thought: and to give deliberate care to the formation of those habits of the good life which are the outcome of vitalising ideas."
Also love the way Mason explains how the development of good habits (through the inspiring power of living ideas) is key in education.
"Knowing that the brain is the physical seat of habit, and that conduct and character alike are the outcome of the habits we allow: knowing, too, that an inspiring idea initiates a new habit of thought, and, hence a new habit of life, we perceive that the great work of education is to inspire children with vitalising ideas as to the relations of life, departments of knowledge, subjects of thought: and to give deliberate care to the formation of those habits of the good life which are the outcome of vitalising ideas."
April 29, 2025
While this has a few outdated moments, many of her thoughts are very forward for her time and even more thoughts are as ancient as time, even as eternal as truth. Well worth your time and excellent for a pursuit of goodness in parenting, teaching, and really in any individual's pursuit of knowledge.
October 10, 2020
I will always give Charlotte Mason’s works 5 stars. Pretty sure this was a re-read for me based on previous underlining but Charlotte’s education wisdom is so rich, it always reads like something new. How did a childless woman know so much about how to parent with grace and wisdom. It was a gift that continues to bless many. Her words on Living books and their worth will always thrill my heart. Yes, supply all the best books!
March 24, 2022
I loved this book, though I admit to being lost a couple times. She has such a high view of children, and the responsibility of parenting and educating them. A couple chapters almost drained my highlighter! 😜
April 5, 2021
These books are treasures. I'm constantly amazed at how much piercing truth I find.
August 8, 2025
“One more thing is of vital importance; children must have books, living books. …And if it is needful to exercise economy, let go everything that belongs to soft and luxurious living before letting go the duty of supplying the books, and the frequent changes of books, which are necessary for the constant stimulation of the child’s intellectual life.”
I giggled right out loud. No wonder I immediately felt that Charlotte Mason was a kindred spirit. 😂 I’m loving this series and the peek inside her mind!
I giggled right out loud. No wonder I immediately felt that Charlotte Mason was a kindred spirit. 😂 I’m loving this series and the peek inside her mind!
February 11, 2022
It took me over two years to finish this book. Some of it was slow reading to soak up the goodness. Some of it was a slog. This is not my favorite Charlotte Mason volume, by far, but it is the first one that I read through cover-to-cover in the original edition. An accomplishment, for sure, but one that I will not be repeating.
March 17, 2019
I have benefited a great deal from this book in raising our children. After just two books, I am starting to expect amazing thoughts on teaching from this author. Rather than spend too much time explaining why I liked this book in particular, I thought it would be far more helpful to share some quotes on different topics for encouragement.
Keeping Primary Things Primary
"We have seen that it is the duty of the educator to put the first thing foremost, and all things in sequence; only one thing is needful- that we 'have faith in God'; let us deliver our thoughts from vagueness and our ways from variableness, if we would help the children toward this higher life."
Raising Children in Biblical Knowledge
"Believing that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, that the man is established in the Christian faith according as the child has been instructed, the question of questions for us, is, how to secure that the children shall be well grounded in the Scriptures by their parents, and shall pursue the study with intelligence, reverence, and delight."
Partnership with the Holy Spirit in Raising Children
"All our teaching of children should be given reverently, with the humble sense that we are invited in this matter to co-operate with the Holy Spirit; but it should be given dutifully and diligently, with the awful sense that our co-operation would appear to be made a condition of the Divine action; that the Saviour of the world pleads with us to 'Suffer the little children to come unto Me,' as if we had the power to hinder, as we know that we have."
Quoting Matthew Arnold about Education
"The happy phrase of Mr. Matthew Arnold 'Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.' is perhaps the most complete and adequate definition of education we posses."
And my personal favorite from this book:
"Sow and act, reap a habit;
sow a habit, reap a character;
sow a character, reap a destiny."
May my children and I reap, through the power of God's Spirit working together with and through us, to reap a destiny of service to the Lord.
Keeping Primary Things Primary
"We have seen that it is the duty of the educator to put the first thing foremost, and all things in sequence; only one thing is needful- that we 'have faith in God'; let us deliver our thoughts from vagueness and our ways from variableness, if we would help the children toward this higher life."
Raising Children in Biblical Knowledge
"Believing that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, that the man is established in the Christian faith according as the child has been instructed, the question of questions for us, is, how to secure that the children shall be well grounded in the Scriptures by their parents, and shall pursue the study with intelligence, reverence, and delight."
Partnership with the Holy Spirit in Raising Children
"All our teaching of children should be given reverently, with the humble sense that we are invited in this matter to co-operate with the Holy Spirit; but it should be given dutifully and diligently, with the awful sense that our co-operation would appear to be made a condition of the Divine action; that the Saviour of the world pleads with us to 'Suffer the little children to come unto Me,' as if we had the power to hinder, as we know that we have."
Quoting Matthew Arnold about Education
"The happy phrase of Mr. Matthew Arnold 'Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.' is perhaps the most complete and adequate definition of education we posses."
And my personal favorite from this book:
"Sow and act, reap a habit;
sow a habit, reap a character;
sow a character, reap a destiny."
May my children and I reap, through the power of God's Spirit working together with and through us, to reap a destiny of service to the Lord.
November 20, 2020
This book has been invaluable to me in my understanding of the Charlotte Mason method. I feel like so many principles came together for me in this second volume. Her reflections on parents and children are profound and would be inspiring to any parent.
I have so many favorite quotes from this volume, but perhaps my favorite is: “‘Sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character, sow a character, reap a destiny.’ And a great function of the education is to secure that acts shall be so regularly, purposefully, and methodically down that a child shall reap the habits of a good life, in thinking and doing, with the minimum of conscious effort.”
I have so many favorite quotes from this volume, but perhaps my favorite is: “‘Sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character, sow a character, reap a destiny.’ And a great function of the education is to secure that acts shall be so regularly, purposefully, and methodically down that a child shall reap the habits of a good life, in thinking and doing, with the minimum of conscious effort.”
February 4, 2015
Last read in January 2010. So good to come back to such a wonderful homeschool mentor! The more I read of Charlotte's material, the more I trust her ways. This wise woman not only has philosophies on education and right living, she and the teachers she trained applied these philosophies. So often those seeking to help the homeschool community only offer application of educational practices with no philosophy or philosophy with no application, Charlotte Mason is so refreshing because she has both. I am looking forward to revisiting the rest of her volumes.
February 11, 2021
My background: Secular Charlotte Mason homeschooler, kids aged 6,4,2.
This is book 2 in the Charlotte Mason home education series. The things I found most helpful were the discussions of habits. However there was a whole chapter that was just sections of Beowulf, and many chapters dedicated to religion, what is spiritual, and how those are parts of our lives.
I would say it’s important to read if you are interested in this form of education/life style but it’s definitely less directly useful than book 1.
This is book 2 in the Charlotte Mason home education series. The things I found most helpful were the discussions of habits. However there was a whole chapter that was just sections of Beowulf, and many chapters dedicated to religion, what is spiritual, and how those are parts of our lives.
I would say it’s important to read if you are interested in this form of education/life style but it’s definitely less directly useful than book 1.
February 23, 2022
This book has 26 chapters, with titles as varied as "THE FAMILY" and "WHENCE AND WHITHER", and journeying through it often felt like a strange, winding path. That said, I forgive CM what felt like a jumble for how she always delivers excellent little nuggets of wisdom to chart your life by.
Ideas such as:
THE POWER OF OUR THOUGHTS
"There is no more interesting subject of inquiry open just now than that of the interaction between thoughts of the mind and the configuration of the brain. The fair conclusion appears to be that each is greatly the cause of the other; that the character of the persistent thoughts actually shapes the cerebrum, while on the configuration of this organ depends in turn the manner of thoughts we think." (88)
SOWING CHARACTER STARTS WITH SIMPLE ACTS/THOUGHTS
"Sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny." (29, 124)
"It is the habitual thought of a man which shapes that which we call his character." (156)
THE WEALTH OF LITERATURE
"If it is needful to exercise economy, let go everything that belongs to soft and luxurious living before letting go of the duty of supplying the books, and the frequent changes of books, which are necessary for the constant stimulation of the child's intellectual life." (279)
WHAT HUMILITY LOOKS LIKE
"Children do not make self-depreciatory remarks." (283)
"Humility does not think much or little of itself; it does not think of itself at all." (284)
"The person who is unaware of himself is capable of all lowly service, of all suffering for others, of bright cheerfulness under all the small crosses and worries of everyday life." (284)
"We are hardly able to pray, but we are hardly able to worship or to praise, to say 'My soul doth magnify the Lord,' so long as in the innermost chamber of our hearts we are self-occupied." (284-5)
THE RESPONSIBILITY/VALUE OF PARENTS
"...parents.. those for whom no endeavour is too difficult, no aim to lofty; to those who are doing the most to advance the kingdom of Christ." (290).
Ideas such as:
THE POWER OF OUR THOUGHTS
"There is no more interesting subject of inquiry open just now than that of the interaction between thoughts of the mind and the configuration of the brain. The fair conclusion appears to be that each is greatly the cause of the other; that the character of the persistent thoughts actually shapes the cerebrum, while on the configuration of this organ depends in turn the manner of thoughts we think." (88)
SOWING CHARACTER STARTS WITH SIMPLE ACTS/THOUGHTS
"Sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny." (29, 124)
"It is the habitual thought of a man which shapes that which we call his character." (156)
THE WEALTH OF LITERATURE
"If it is needful to exercise economy, let go everything that belongs to soft and luxurious living before letting go of the duty of supplying the books, and the frequent changes of books, which are necessary for the constant stimulation of the child's intellectual life." (279)
WHAT HUMILITY LOOKS LIKE
"Children do not make self-depreciatory remarks." (283)
"Humility does not think much or little of itself; it does not think of itself at all." (284)
"The person who is unaware of himself is capable of all lowly service, of all suffering for others, of bright cheerfulness under all the small crosses and worries of everyday life." (284)
"We are hardly able to pray, but we are hardly able to worship or to praise, to say 'My soul doth magnify the Lord,' so long as in the innermost chamber of our hearts we are self-occupied." (284-5)
THE RESPONSIBILITY/VALUE OF PARENTS
"...parents.. those for whom no endeavour is too difficult, no aim to lofty; to those who are doing the most to advance the kingdom of Christ." (290).
December 29, 2020
This volume is so convenient to understand better the vision of habits in regards of the context in wich Charlotte Mason developed her philosophy. So much richness and wisdom. I love how the last parts are always directed to Christ pointedly. Reading her books with the understanding of the context and the view of her faith, is the clue to take without hesitation all the living ideas she imparted in her writings.
August 30, 2019
Rereading parts of this and it is better than I had remembered. Mason’s thoughts on discipline and how to introduce children to God (to mention some) are so insightful. They also ring true in my experience. She understands children and adults well, and understands the points where there is disconnect between them. Great reminders for me as a parent. This is probably one of the most helpful parenting books I have read.
July 27, 2023
So much great wisdom in this volume, which is focused on how parents can partner with the Holy Spirit to bring genuine education to their children. She elaborates on the importance of living ideas and their ability to begin new habits, and explains how God is the source of all knowledge. Looking forward to rereading this to absorb more each time.
April 6, 2021
For Idyll 3.0 Challenge - so much practical advice and timeless wisdom here. I will chew on “The Great Recognition” for years!
August 10, 2024
It's my second time through this book in the last decade. Charlotte Mason's principles are useful and timeless, most of the time. I still find things that are advice given to a certain type of person in a certain place, but I still appreciate them within historical context.
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April 20, 2025DNF. Shelving for now. Brain. Needs. Rest.
January 15, 2021
Wonderful and timeless insight into the natural order of children, and our role as parents (as we partner with the Holy Spirit and Nature) in honoring their personhood while establishing habits that help them to grow “in wisdom and stature”
July 1, 2020
Charlotte Mason is always worth a read. This book is mainly essays pulled from other sources so it does seem to jump around a bit. If you want a more coherent view of her educational philosophy definitely read Home Education (younger children) or A Philosophy of Education (school age children).
September 16, 2017
I am very thankful for book club because it pushes me to read books I would not on my own. I prefer to read the Charlotte Mason books re-written by others such as Karen Andreola and Laurie Bestvater, etc. But with that said...I will persevere through this book! and hopefully do it with a happy heart :)...krb 8/7/17
Glad I read this book and I did a ton of highlighting so I can go back and read the highlights instead of reading the whole book again...krb 9/15/17
Glad I read this book and I did a ton of highlighting so I can go back and read the highlights instead of reading the whole book again...krb 9/15/17
May 13, 2019
Challenging read due to differing perspective but a good read because of it. Charlotte Mason composed several articles in this volume discussing the role of the parents in not only the "school" education of the child but also for the whole child. Some articles appeared to contradict themselves in my opinion but the idea she was getting to made sense. You gain a glimpse of Mason's perspective in this volume that aids in understanding of her teaching philosophy.
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April 20, 2017A great deal of thought packed into a slim volume. Mason addresses a huge variety of topics- from appreciating smells to cultivating humility - in intelligence-rich paragraphs. Most important ideas: formation of mental habits is key, parents must be intentional, children must be presented with rich ideas that inspire.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews