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There are hundreds of thousands of books written for children. The challenge is discerning what is best for them to read, given so many options. I’m a sucker for good reading lists, so I’m grateful for the folks at Calvary Classical School—a classical Christian school in Hampton, VA—who has given me permission to reproduce this list below. The classical school where our kids go provides a similar list, and it’s enormously helpful.  For outside reading, the books divided into three levels. Books with a “+” denote that any title in that series would be acceptable.  I’ve done my best to link to the paperback or cheapest version at Amazon. I hope this proves helpful for a lot of parents and teachers!   -READING LIST-


 
 
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It is the parents’ office to teach and instruct their children. That teaching or instructing consisteth in three things, – in religion, in manners, and skill of an occupation. [...] Let them often and many times cause them to repeat the catechism, and beat into their heads such sentences as are most necessary to put them in memory of their faith and duty of life.

 
 
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In Parenting by God’s Promises: How to Raise Children in the Covenant of Grace, Dr. Joel R. Beeke explores what this nurture and admonition looks  like and offers gems of practical wisdom for parents on topics such as  instituting and leading family worship, teaching children, modeling faithful  Christian living, and exercising discipline. However, he carefully puts parental  responsibilities in their proper perspective and guides mothers and fathers to  lean not on their own abilities but to trust more fully in the God who knits
children together in the first place. Above all, he affirms, parents must look  to the one true God, who promises to provide everything His people need and to  bless them and their families. Read More...

 
 
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Public Schools and the Decline of Christianity in  America

If you’re not ready to take a hard look at the true  state of public education, you will want to avoid this unflinching and highly
controversial documentary. And, if you think you already know all that’s 
necessary about education in America, think again. That would be a  mistake!


Travel with Colin as he asks:

•Who established the American public school system? 
•Are my kids physically and morally safe in the schools?
•Are the public  schools religiously neutral?
•Should Christians try to be “salt and light” in public schools?
•Can the public school system be fixed or redeemed?   Read More...

 
 
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How such a general neglect of family-religion first began to overspread the Christian world is difficult to determine. As for the primitive Christians, I am positive it was not so with them: No, they had not so learned Christ, as falsely to imagine religion was to be confined solely to their assemblies for public worship; but, on the contrary, behaved with such piety and exemplary holiness in their private families, that St. Paul often styles their house a church: ‘Salute such a one, says he, and the church which is in his house.’ And, I believe, we must forever despair of seeing a primitive spirit of piety revived in the world, till we are so happy as to see a revival of primitive family religion; and persons unanimously resolving with good old Joshua, in the words of the text, ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ ... To read the rest of the article Click Here 

 
 
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Had a wonderful retreat on Saturday!  The Lord blessed us with wonderful weather and a beautiful setting.  Relationships were strengthened, we continued to present the vision of GCF; why we're here, where are we going.  The morning sessions were fruitful and showed the likemindedness of the fellowship.  During the afternoon fellowship time we all had fun, some pushed themselves mentally and physically on the ropes course.  Click Here to see some pictures of  the blessed day.