On Northanger Abbey

"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs 

of disappointed love"

This was the first time I have read 'Northanger Abbey'. I enjoyed this novella of Jane Austen's much more than I thought I would. I did not believe that it could be up there with 'Pride and Prejudice' or even 'Emma'. 

But once again, Miss Austen draws you into her world of characters, to the point that you forget that these people are only fictional. Her characters become your friends or you at least desire to have such rich, kind and loving friends. 

I love the lessons that Miss Austen teaches about true friendships, and the natures of those whom we cannot trust in life. I love the pure romance that unfolds and how the truth always outshines the lie. 

My daughter asked me 'what is that novel about'?

I said 'friendships, balls, dancing, romance with beautiful language. 

That pretty much sums up Northanger Abbey.

Five stars out of five stars for me. 

Northanger Abbey is a free read for Ambleside Online year 9, but I think my daughter (who is 10 and in AO5) will read this one in the next couple of years. 

Northanger Abbey was my choice Novella for the back to the classics challenge.

Classics Challenge and a little more.

This is exactly the sort of reading challenge I was looking for. I first read about it at Carol's blog, then I followed the link to another blog called 'Books and Chocolate'. 

When my husband & I first decided to home school, my son was 8 months old. We truly felt God speak to our hearts, we were both in unity about it, and as simple as that, I began researching into home schooling and the options we had to educate our children at home. 

Our decision was not decided out of fear, or bullying experiences, or people pressuring us, or ourselves thinking we are better than the teachers. 

Our foundation began on a healthy spirit, with nothing but excitement and anticipation, that our God had prompted us to do this, and I believed right then that He would equip me with the tools to do that, and guide me each step of the way. 

My son is now 14yo and my daughter is 10yo. They have both been home schooled right from the beginning. 

Along the way I certainly have made new discoveries, had many challenges, been hard on myself, felt inadequate and been persecuted for our decision to home school, and today all these things still happen. 

I am trying to get to the reason of this post, which is the classic book challenge. What I am trying to convey is, I set out thinking that I was home schooling my children, and teaching them the main eight learning areas, which is required in our Australian land. But what I have come to discover is, I am the one who is learning just as much as my children. 

I am being educated, my gaps are being filled in History, Geography, Grammar and I have been handed a gift of learning to read as one really should. Knowing how to choose a living book, knowing the benefits of reading out loud, and savouring those precious moments with your children, whilst they stare at you, hanging off every word as you read. This happened today as we were reading 'King Arthur', and their narrations were incredible. 

So along the way, our home school had a timely change of direction, I began reading about the English Educator from the 19th century and home school advocate - Charlotte Mason, whose thoughts and wisdom on education resembled what I wanted our home to become. 

Today we are still a working progress, and I still have so much to learn and discover. 

I am so thankful to God of course for taking me on this journey, for loving me and caring about my education, and also for giving me the opportunity to teach my own children and to pass on the incredible gift - the love of learning. 

I am so thankful to Ambleside Online and the team behind it, for the hard work they have put into this curriculum, and making it as close to a Charlotte Mason education as they can. 

I am very thankful to my fellow Australian & Charlotte Mason Advocate- Jeanne, who has professionally Australianised the Ambleside Curriculum for us Aussies, who want to teach our children their Australian history. I am thankful for the wisdom, knowledge and generosity of Jeanne and for her living book recommendations. 

Anyhow, this post has been birthed from 'Back to the classics challenge 2015', and it just made me reminisce and ponder this home schooling journey and how choosing a Charlotte Mason education for my children, actually birthed a real raw love of reading.