"How wonderful to snuggle up with a warm dog on a cold winter day to read The Seventeenth Swap," writes Paula B of Doylestown, OH, concerning her son Ryan. "Sonlight has completely transformed our idea of what 'school' should be. Most days will find us curled up on the couch together (with a dog or two). The boys beg me not to stop reading. I think if my voice held out, they would sit and listen for eight hours straight! It has done wonders for their attention spans, too!" The B family has been using Sonlight for three years.
Rose S of Tigar, OR reads to her sons Chase and Cam. She says, "Sonlight's curriculum, that packages everything together for me and schedules it, too, saves me time. I love Sonlight's book choices. I love how we're all learning together, as I enjoy the Read-Alouds alongside my boys. As I teach my children, we're all growing closer together as a family. We're able to homeschool, but also have plenty of extra time to do other things together."
"Alex B of Whitehall, MI and his Opa (Grandpa) from Germany share their favorite activity: reading. Alex's mom, Carola, writes: "Alex found a real old Sonlight book that is not used anymore, but since he is always out of reading material, we have lots of these around (it guarantees good clean reading fun since it is Sonlight!!!). Opa found a German book. They teach each other their language this way, too. Alex speaks and reads German very well and Opa learns much English from Alex." The B family has been homeschooling for three years, all of them with Sonlight.
"One of the things we enjoy most about Sonlight," says Amy K of Round Rock, TX, "is that we can grab a book and go anywhere. When everyone else is tied to a desk, Zach gets to sit anywhere he wants. Every year I ask my son, 'If it were up to you, what would you keep and what would you get rid of for our homeschool?' He always says, 'We have to keep Sonlight and Wordly Wise. Everything else can go.' You can tell where his heart is." Zach has been homeschooled for five years, all of them with Sonlight. He is currently using Sonlight Core 8.
Abbie and Louis T of West Columbia, TX beam over their bean sprouts, part of a Sonlight B Science experiment. Mom Lori writes, "Oftentimes, little brother Louis participates in the science experiments right along side Abbie. He loves 'sperients' as much as she does!" Lori says Abbie loves to read and "carries a book everywhere she goes, thanks to Sonlight!" The T's have been homeschooling for three years, all with Sonlight.
Chase S of Tigard, OR works independently while his mother, Rose, attends to the needs of his younger brother, Cam. Rose says, "I love how I can teach my children together with the Read-Alouds and then turn them loose to do their independent work. There are so many choices out there, but Sonlight has pieced together the best for me. I love Singapore Math®, Miquon Math, and the Explode the Code workbooks that I found through Sonlight. Chase is enjoying the great books from Core A all over again while he goes through them with his 4-year-old brother."
"This was the first of many times that Kayleigh and Sarah built the 'Mat Man,'" writes their mom, Sharee L of Murphysboro, IL. "And I can always get those smiles back by simply taking the Handwriting Without Tears manipulatives off the shelf." Sharee notes that Sarah survived Polio before the L's adopted her from China, and she is partially paralyzed on her right side. "The Sonlight catalog said Handwriting Without Tears was good for 'lefties' and we have not been disappointed. Just look at the happy faces in the picture! My children love Sonlight and beg to 'do school' every day. Sonlight's emphasis on language, literature, and world cultures is the perfect fit for our family."
Angela S of Ames, IA, writes, "We sometimes have a hard time locating our Sonlight books when we need them, since the boys like to read them, or just browse through the pictures whenever they feel like it. Usually we can find them in the bathroom!" Here her son Noah is mastering the art of multitasking: reading, history, and keeping his younger brother Miles and baby sister Kiah occupied. The S family has been homeschooling for three years, two with Sonlight.
Tracy J of Morristown, TN, writes, "This is a picture of my oldest child, my almost 10-year-old son E.J. It has been a long, hard road to reading for him. But we have persevered and made it! But thanks to Sonlight not only can he read, but he loves to read! He was not feeling well this day and asked if he could take his chapter book outside and lay down to read! I said yes! Thanks, Sonlight!"
Nathan W of Naperville, IL, is careful not to drop a chick while on a visit to a farm. His mom, Sarah, writes: "Nathan loves animals, and enjoys reading about them in Sonlight's Pre-K program." Nathan's older brother, Andrew, has been homeschooling for two years with Sonlight. Now Nathan and his younger sister Amanda are following in their older brother's footsteps.
Emma S is 6 years old and is in her second year of Sonlight. "We are going through Core B this year," writes her mom, Laura. "Emma loves to do her reading with Alex the cat, her favorite animal. What a joy to have the freedom to learn in the home environment!"
"One reason we homeschool our children is to strengthen our family relationships," writes Amy K of Nashville. "Sonlight really helps us in that endeavor by providing daily opportunities for our children to spend quality time together. It warms my heart to see Bryan patiently and lovingly teaching Lucy, using the methods and mannerisms that I have used with him. Lucy will always remember having her big brother, whom she adores, read her favorite Bible stories to her. With Sonlight, everyone in our family is a winner!" The K family has been homeschooling for close to three years, all with Sonlight.
Amy R of State College, PA, says this picture was not staged. "My 4-year old son, Christian, loves the Usborne books so much that he constantly 'steals' them from the school room and takes them to bed with him!" She says she "loves" Sonlight because "the focus is on learning together rather than test-taking and workbooks. My children know so much and never complain when I say let's sit down and read together. Even Christian listens in regularly."
Jacob T of San Diego, CA, is in his second year of homeschooling, both of them with Sonlight. "Our family has loved these last two years of learning with Sonlight!" writes his mom, Heidi. "Using real books to learn about the real world has allowed my children to experience their environment in a deeper, more meaningful way. We are continuously amazed at how closely our whole family is drawn together through learning together. It is hard to tell who enjoys the books more: the children or the parents!"
Kaitlyn and Brooke H of Portsmouth, VA study at the kitchen bar. Their mom, Jackie, writes, "During the last three years, my children have had to endure a separation, divorce, loss of their home and interaction with their father. It has not been an easy road, but through it all I was able to ask for prayer and advice on the forums, receive good information and support through the forums, and stabilize my children emotionally by continuing to home school them. I know that your teacher's guide has the information in it to keep me on track without large amounts of preparation, something that I don't have time for since I work night shift on the weekends. "I feel the Lord introduced us to your curriculum to help us through the difficulties in life. Many of the books that you have chosen have spoken to my daughters and me about how God provides and uses the trials of his children for his glory. My older daughter recently entered a writing contest about the book Hope Was Here (a book Sonlight gave as a free gift a couple of years ago). It may not win any awards, but it has influenced her outlook on life. This is the kind of education that I want my girls to have."
Aslan K of Burkesville, KY reads to little sister Jubilee. Their mom, Misti, writes, "Most people don't realize that Sonlight actually helps mom accomplish her housework! With five children 8 and under, how else can I keep an 8-year-old boy still long enough to hold the baby so I can cook dinner? Give him a wonderful Sonlight book that he can't put down. He's always more than happy to bounce his baby sister while reading one of Sonlight's fabulous books. (I had to stop making dinner to take their picture. They were too cute!)"
Blaire, Brianna, and Bryce L of Lawrence, KS, proudly display the results of their dissection experiments. Writes their mom, Pamela: "It took 'guts' for me to even consider doing dissections as suggested in Science F's Blood and Guts (item #FS12). I'm generally not a 'hands-on' homeschooler, meaning I was way out of my comfort zone. But, Sonlight's adventurous attitude is catching, so, with major encouragement from my husband, I boldly forged ahead and planned Dissection Day. It turned out to be our best homeschool day ever! Not only did we all gain a greater understanding of the organs studied (pig lung, heart, and cow's eyeball), we gained a greater love for homeschooling. Thanks, Sonlight!" The L family has been homeschooling for three years, two with Sonlight.
"Since our family lives overseas, we occasionally have the opportunity to travel to neat places," writes Dianne W of St. Petersburg, Russia. "Sonlight is such a flexible curriculum that it really fits our lifestyle. Even though we were studying American History when we traveled to Egypt, we set it aside and brought our World Book Encyclopedia CD along and learned as much as we could about ancient Egypt. My daughter wrote a report about all she learned, and now we're ready with first-hand knowledge when we begin World History next year!" Here, Dianne and daughter Abigail ride a camel.
Ellen S of North Augusta, SC says concerning her daughters, "Alyana and Katie delight in reading, to each other and others, no matter where they are. They are modeling to their younger sisters the excitement of new worlds, cultures, discoveries and adventures gained through the books they read (and are read from) in Sonlight. Sonlight is helping raise children who don't realize that school and 'boring' could possibly be connected." The S family has been homeschooling for four years with Sonlight.
Laura N from Yunnan, China, says her family is in its second year using Sonlight. "I really appreciate how easily the program can be adapted to suit the strengths and weaknesses of the individual child." And the story behind the picture? "My seven-year-old son Martin and I were just finishing our Ancient History studies when a friend, whom we had invited to lunch, told me about extremely cheap tickets to Europe that were available for sale on that day only. I abandoned her, with many apologies, to my husband and rushed to the airline office. She has forgiven me and the result was a wonderful week-long trip to Rome and Pompeii for myself and Martin. He was so well-prepared for the trip: he danced around the archaeological sites, guide-book in hand, full of enthusiasm. Here he is posing in Pompeii, in front of Mount Vesuvius."
Garrett S of Plano, TX gets an early jump on studying his new curriculum. The books have hardly been removed from the box they came in! His mom, Jneena, says, "I have loved using Sonlight with the curriculum already put together for me, complete with a schedule. It has really helped with my confidence to be able to give my children a well rounded education with some great books and interesting people. I have been learning a lot also, especially about all of the different missionaries."
Jacob T of San Diego, CA wears his tiger mask shortly after reading about jungle animals in Wild Places (Sonlight item #AH01). "Math is less intimidating when you are dressed as your favorite carnivore!" says his mom, Heidi. "When we decided to homeschool in 2003, we were initially flummoxed by all of the choices out there. We knew that we did not want to go the boring-textbook, school-at-home route. When we heard about Sonlight, we knew we had found our curriculum!" Besides Jacob, Heidi is also teaching his younger brother and sister with Sonlight Pre-K.
"Sonlight has been a joy to use to educate Hayden," writes Kelly B of Virginia Beach, VA. "He is bright and enthusiastic about school, and despite my own excellent education, I still find myself learning right alongside him! Sonlight provides a means of wonderful cultural and historical exposure for children starting at a very early age, and I'm so thankful that God guided my footsteps to discovering it when I did." In the photo, Hayden is doing his math.
Robbie R and his parents live in China. This is their third year using Sonlight. "Being a home schooled kid myself gives me a 'been there, done that' feeling," says Robbie's mom Jenny. Robbie's favorite subjects are History, Science, Geography, and Read-Alouds. "Is it any wonder that he enjoys Geography and History?" she asks. "Sonlight satisfies his curiosity and whets his appetite for more. Many things we learned from Sonlight have a personal touch because of our overseas experience. Robbie has greater creativity than both my husband and me. He often makes things from scrap, recyclables, or Cuisenaire rods, like this catapult that we read about in the Usborne World History book (item #CH02). Sonlight is so flexible and we love all the books we get."
Sherry C of Spring, TX, sent this photo of her four children: Daniel, Nicklaus, Anthea, and Jessica. "This year, two of us are taking a Wilton cake decorating class, and all four kids get to do some form of American History and/or Government," Sherry writes. "I wasn't surprised that everybody was anxious to learn the newest cake decorating tidbits (and eat all their mistakes), but the clincher for me was that, although Jessica is the only one doing the Civics/Government right now, the others have been caught eavesdropping on her lessons as well (particularly from Basic American Government and Never Before in History). Random comments they make about various news items continue to reflect their absorption of material that is only discussed in [the Core 400 program]. On election night, they got the bright idea to combine Wilton and Sonlight into one grand project: an election map cake! They took turns monitoring the internet and television while the votes were being tallied, and each of them got to frost in the states in red or blue as they were being announced. All this, and a great education, too — such a deal!" The C family has been homeschooling with Sonlight for six years.
"This is a picture of my husband and the kids on Hadrian's Wall at the site called Housesteads, a station like Borcovicus in The Eagle of the Ninth (item #GA08)," writes Naomi C. "We began reading The Eagle of the Ninth out loud shortly after our trip. We have been very blessed to tie in field trips like this while we live in Scotland. Next month, we visit Rome and Pompeii. Kyrie is particularly looking forward to seeing Pompeii as she just read about it in her Sonlight Reader, Pompeii...Buried Alive!" The C family lives in Banchory, Scotland, and has been using Sonlight for four years.
"Cuddling with your children with a good book is the way homeschooling should be," says Donna S of Horizon, TX. "Zerah, Riana and I have a closer bond because of the approach that Sonlight uses. Also I have to tell you that my 9-year-old was not interested in reading and would not read chapter books. But now, because of Sonlight's excellent choice in books, she is not only reading without being told to, she is reading chapter books with a smile on her face! That is such a blessing! Sonlight has given me the perspective that, instead of cramming knowledge into their brains by using the traditional method, we can gain understanding from the experiences of the characters in living books. It excites my children and they look forward to school. This makes me look forward to teaching!"
"When the box of Sonlight books arrived, David couldn't wait and had to dig right into the Ancient China Treasure Chest from Core F (item #5H48)," says his mom, Debbie M of Bailey, CO. "How many other kids (besides Sonlight kids) do you know that race the Fed Ex man to the door when he brings their school books? David offered to go help the delivery man carry the boxes. Once in the door, my kids couldn't wait to find out which books were 'theirs.' As you can see in this picture, David was sitting among other books from our order when he starting going through the China Treasure Chest."
Jared L of Mount Brydges, ON helps his little sister, Sarah, suit up for rock climbing. Jared has been homeschooled for three years, all of them with Sonlight. His mom, Lynn, suggests that rock climbing might count as physical education. (What do you think?) She continues: "The kids can't get enough of Sonlight's books and I have learned so much from them, as well. I can't imagine homeschooling any other way! Sonlight allows us to homeschool anytime and anywhere, even in the car on our way to field trips. During the five hour drive on our way to camp, we read a Read-Aloud until my voice wore out."
While walking the streets of Sofia, Bulgaria, Matthew & Morgan H of Greenbrier, TN, found the perfect place to rest their weary feet . . . and get wet at the same time! "Our family has been living in Sofia, Bulgaria, for the past year," writes their mom, Veronica. "My children have been exposed to a very different culture. The Sonlight Curriculum has helped reinforce our values as well as explain the differences of various cultures around the world." The H family has been homeschooling for four years, three with Sonlight.
Emily G of Springfield, TN, examines a slide for her Apologia biology course, using Sonlight's Ultra Microscope (item #200SM). "Sonlight's Ultra Microscope has made biology much easier than we expected," says Emily's mom, Lisa. "Lacking a strong science background, our family was grateful for the extra features provided by the microscope, which made the home laboratory experience less intimidating."
Tracey and Keila P of Mexico City read their Read-Alouds outdoors on sunny days. Tracey writes: "The Wheel on the School was one of our favorite Read-Alouds this year. Keila, 7, enjoyed reading over my shoulder during the most exciting parts. While I'm reading, she will often paint or draw and her sister, Kiana, 5, will play with paper or felt dolls. We love all the great books that we read in Sonlight and love that 'school' doesn't just take place at a desk but can be done just as well outdoors, on the couch, or in the car." The P's have been homeschooling for three years, all of them with Sonlight.
Joe, Matthew, and Peter W; Jeremy, Jason, and Joshua O; Joshua L; and Jared Z of Kobe, Japan get together every now and then to play chess and otherwise "spend time together." Celeste W writes: "Back in '96-'97 I first ordered Sonlight and was so delighted I passed on the info to our friends the Os, Zs and Ls who are all fellow missionaries here in Kobe. The four families represented here have been using Sonlight several years. Two of the older brothers (not pictured) are now in colleges stateside and Joshua O, Matthew W, and Peter W have also since gone to study at college. Sonlight's flexibility has been an integral part of these young people's education. Their SAT and ACT test scores are a testament to the solid, biblical teaching provided by Sonlight. We moms will continue to use Sonlight with our younger sons and daughters for several years to come. Thank you for providing a valuable service to us ex-pats."
Ethan G and his cousin Morgan H learn to use old-fashioned tools during a visit to the Historic Jamestown Settlement in Virginia. "Since we've started using Sonlight, no family vacation is complete without a trip to some historic location," writes Ethan's mom, Lisa. "Thanks to Sonlight, the entire family has a deeper appreciation for the sites we see. We have already 'visited' many of them through our Sonlight reading." Ethan has been homeschooled for four years, all with Sonlight. Morgan has used Sonlight for three years.
Vicki S of Aberdour, Burntisland in Fife, Scotland, writes, "We're reliving history with Sonlight. We learn about it, then we go see the real thing! My son read about George Stephenson's 'Rocket' train and planned a trip (by train, of course) to visit the real thing! Sonlight allows us to pursue our interests to the fullest. Everywhere we go and everything we do involves Sonlight. With all the planning done for me in the teacher's guide, all I have to do is direct the children in their learning and they 'discover' things all around them." The S family has been homeschooling for two years, both with Sonlight. They only recently moved to Scotland.
Paula B of Doylestown, OH, claims that "Because of Sonlight, my sons have developed a deep love and reverence for our nation's history. This past summer we had the blessing of their great grandfather staying with us for a week. It was so fascinating for them to hear grandpa's stories about his time in WWII. It was a very special time." This photo is of Paula's sons Ryan and Kyle with their Great Grandpa Ivan at a nearby veterans' cemetery. The B family has been using Sonlight for three years.
Ethan R, from Shaw AFB in South Carolina, holds a turtle he found beside the road on the way to his grandparents' home. His mom, Michael Ann, writes, "The kids' grandparents have been very impressed with Sonlight. They love the books and the fact that we can come visit anytime, not just during normal school breaks! Homeschooling is a new idea to them, but Sonlight puts their minds at ease." The R's have been homeschooling for five years, all of them with Sonlight.
Joshua B of Ridgecrest, CA, reads Frog and Toad Are Friends to his younger brother, Jacob. Their mom, Heather, writes, "We started using Sonlight just over two year ago, when Joshua was still 4. Of course, there are days when he will say to me, 'Do we have to do school today?' It always boils down to the fact that, ultimately, he would just rather play. This, of course, is natural for a six year old. But, I can't tell you the number of times I've seen his face light up and hear him proclaim, 'I love school!' He loves me to read to him. He loves his history, science, Bible and reading lessons. Even grammar is 'OK.' "
"It is true what others said about Scripture verses tacked on to material presented in a rote fashion — it only requires memorization, not integration. That really isn't worth much at all.
I am continuously amazed at how alive my children's faith is. The biggest thing to me is that they are thinking about their faith, even at their young ages, and seeing God as a real part of not just their lives, but life in general. Sonlight presents faith in a way that gets my children actively thinking about it, digesting it mentally, and making it part of themselves. This is true education. And it is such a huge difference from other curricula that I've seen."
— Tracey in IN, 13 October 2004
Four-year-old Victoria G of Kissimmee, Fl "could not resist 'teaching' grandma what she had learned from her Singapore Early Bird Math book that day," says her mom, Tania. "We love Sonlight! Our whole family enjoys Sonlight. Even baby sister runs all over the house yelling excitedly, 'Bible Story time!' Sonlight makes learning fun for us. Thank you!"
"When we began homeschooling our oldest child last year," writes Heidi T of San Diego, CA, "our son Nathan began to beg to do school. We were amazed. Nathan is autistic, and had never previously shown any interest in books. We ordered the Pre-K Core for him, and he has thrived! His enthusiasm was passed on to his sister, who now also begs for 'school.' Our favorites are the 20th Century Children's Book Treasury (item #PA14) and First Thousand Words (item #PL01). They are the first off the shelf and the last to be put back each day." Here, Nathan and his little sister Tabitha play together.
"Gabriela (4, left) has been learning about seeds and how plants grow, thanks to Sonlight's intriguing science curriculum," writes her mom, Nana V. "On a warm North Carolina day in January, she begged to plant some seeds in her brother's herb garden. Her desire to learn about the world around her has been fueled by Sonlight's Usborne books which go beyond explaining a concept: they describe opportunities to practice using their new ideas right away. This multi-faceted approach to learning ensures Gabriela will enjoy exploring new things and remember them. Meanwhile, Gabriela's older sister Aliesha (6) enjoys writing sentences in her notebook about what she's watching. With the help of Sonlight's language arts program, she's putting together sentences of her own as a fun pastime. I am pleased to see her use written words throughout her day in messages to her siblings, notes in her made-up games, and cards to relatives and friends." The V family has been using Sonlight for four years, now.
"Gabriela (4, left) has been learning about seeds and how plants grow, thanks to Sonlight's intriguing science curriculum," writes her mom, Nana V. "On a warm North Carolina day in January, she begged to plant some seeds in her brother's herb garden. Her desire to learn about the world around her has been fueled by Sonlight's Usborne books which go beyond explaining a concept: they describe opportunities to practice using their new ideas right away. This multi-faceted approach to learning ensures Gabriela will enjoy exploring new things and remember them. Meanwhile, Gabriela's older sister Aliesha (6) enjoys writing sentences in her notebook about what she's watching. With the help of Sonlight's language arts program, she's putting together sentences of her own as a fun pastime. I am pleased to see her use written words throughout her day in messages to her siblings, notes in her made-up games, and cards to relatives and friends." The V family has been using Sonlight for four years, now.
Sherry L of Bellavista, Callao, Peru, writes: "We began homeschooling our twin daughters with Sonlight Level A this year since there were no good schooling options near us. However, I soon found myself 'hooked on homeschooling.' There is nothing better than watching my daughters learn, learning with them, and having the flexibility to go off on tangents, such as our homemade volcano. Early in the year we learned something about volcanoes and I thought it would be cool to build our own. All the family participated in the final demonstration: Dad held the camera, Joanna held the funnel, and Lydia poured in the vinegar. KAPOW! Before we had a chance to react, the volcano erupted through the funnel! It was spectacular! Thanks, Sonlight, for making homeschool a BLAST!"
Cam S, 4, of Tigard, OR, at the Oregon Science Museum. "We are just beginning Sonlight with Cam, our third child," writes his mom, Rose. "I've used Sonlight for all five years of my homeschooling experience, and have seen how it has helped open up the wonder of learning for my children. I am excited to see this begin to happen for Cam. The same books are coming alive for him, and the siblings can relate to each other because they've all read the same books. My older two are avid readers."
Sarah S of Alcoa, TN, writes, "One of the best parts about homeschooling for our family is the time that our kids get to spend with their grandparents. Jesse, 11, and his grandfather joined forces to create a 'pomato' — or was that a 'totato'? — for a science fair project. 'Opa' showed Jesse how to graft tomato plants onto potatoes, and potato plants onto tomatoes. The results? Lessons on grafting, some interesting plants, and lots of time spent between the generations." The S family has been homeschooling for 5 years and has used Sonlight from the beginning. They are currently using Core B, Core F, Language Arts 5, and Science G for two of their children.
Alison and Andrew P of Summerville, SC build houses with Cuisenaire Rods (item #4M05). "Andrew is thriving with Miquon Math," writes their mom, Julia. "Sometimes we just have fun with the rods. I was very encouraged this day to see them working together, figuring out how to solve problems in their design, and sharing. Alison is getting a feel for how the rods work now so that when she is old enough to start Miquon she will have a solid foundation."
Sarah L of Mount Brydges, ON does some scientific "field work" with her cousins. "This tree is just full of bugs!" Sarah's mom, Lynn, writes: "Sonlight Science has instilled a great sense of curiosity in our children. While doing Science D they became fascinated with all aspects of biology and homeschooling with Sonlight provides us with lots of time for exploring the world around us."
Abbie T of West Columbia, TX can't get enough Sonlight science. Her mom, Lori, says Abbie "often extends each experiment by doing 'experiments' of her own making." Indeed, says Lori, Abbie will often say, "Science is sooo cool, Mom! Let's do another experiment!"
Jessica S of Plano, TX can hardly believe her good fortune at having all these great Sonlight books to read. Her mom, Jneena, writes: "Jessica watched her older brother do school last year and she was really excited to get started this year with her own school. We had to wait to open the box of new school books until we finished with her brothers' from the last year. We had a family illness that had us a little behind finishing up, so, to help with incentive, we said we couldn't see the new books until we were done. I love being able to homeschool with such great books that the children can't wait for the new curriculum!"
David S, Rachel H, Isaiah S, and Stephen H, members of two homeschooling families from Gaithersburg, MD, participate in a "mummy race" following Rachel's and Isaiah's study of ancient Egypt. Tami H writes, "My family is really enjoying ancient history this year. At the end of each section, we get together with our good friends, who are in the same Core, and do some fun projects. Notice the little brothers holding the finish line! What a blessing to have the support of seasoned homeschoolers! Every time I open my Instructor's Guide, I feel like I have a personal coach. It brings such peace of mind, and I can spend my creative energy on the extras!!!!"
Caleb A (center) of Mechanicsville, VA, and fellow co-op students perform an Apologia General Science experiment. "We have used bits and pieces of Sonlight for several years," writes Caleb's mom, Laura. "But after finally purchasing a Core Instructor's Guide (Core F) and fully utilizing the program, the children and I enjoyed it so much I decided to totally 'go Sonlight' with my 2nd grader and Kindergartner this year, who are using all-Sonlight — Core, Language Arts, Science and Math programs."
Elizabeth S of Klein Karoo, South Africa, snuggles up to one of the family's sunflowers. "I can tell you with all sincerity that if we had not found Sonlight I would have had to stop homeschooling and put my children into boarding school," writes her mom, Ashlyn. "They were not getting an education before we began with Sonlight. Sonlight has put a smile on all our faces. We grow sunflowers just for the fun of it (and the beauty), and our children have the time to learn and enjoy their natural surroundings at the same time without being stuck in some ugly building, being force fed information... We tried a more creative curriculum, as I am a creative person, but could not settle into it. Sonlight has revolutionized the way we do school. Our day has a beginning and an end, where we know we have achieved as much as we have to and sometimes, even more, with time to be flexible and take advantage of learning opportunities along the way. Now that brings a real sense of achievement to mother/teacher and child!" The S family has been homeschooling for four and a half years and is just beginning its second year with Sonlight.
Kristian R of Mesa, AZ works on his handwriting at 7 on a Saturday morning. His mom, Misty, writes, "My son rushes into my bedroom to wake me up. I assume it is for his usual request of cereal and Saturday Morning Cartoons but not today! Not since the new Sonlight box came in the mail. He begs to do school NOW! So here he is, in his pajamas with a big grin, happily working on his handwriting instead of watching tv. Thank you Sonlight for instilling such a joyful learning experience into the heart of my child!!"
Michael (9) Christian (4) and Jamie H of Manassas, VA. Their mom, Kimberley, writes, "We LOVE Sonlight. After making the decision to homeschool, the next big decision was what curriculum to use. We chose Sonlight after researching many different options. We are so glad we did! My four year old has Sensory Integration issues and ADD. But here he is, thanks to Sonlight, captivated, interested and happy just being with his brothers." The H family has been homeschooling for three years, all of them with Sonlight.
Julia P of Summerville, SC says, "I love the emphasis Sonlight places on exposing our children to the world. Yes, we use some workbooks, but homeschooling to us is not just about filling out worksheets and learning the basics. With Sonlight my children are learning to pay attention, think critically, and find out about how this great world of ours works." Here, her son Andrew practices his handwriting with the aid of Handwriting Without Tears.
Nicholas and Rebekah S of Fort Wayne, IN do an experiment about surface tension in water from their Sonlight 1st Year Science program. Their mom, Delaine, writes, "Sonlight Science B sure didn't burst our bubble of high expectations! The kids were all 'bubbly' about this science experiment about surface tension."
Jasmin A of Colorado Springs, CO proudly displays the Global Puzzle (Sonlight item #RR103) she and her father put together. Writes her mom, Jelaine: "Jasmin and her father completed this puzzle in record time! It just begged to be put together. It made the world come alive as they talked about countries and the amazing facts the puzzle contains!" Jasmin is doing the first year Introduction to American History (Sonlight Core D). She has been homeschooled for four years, all with Sonlight.
"Before Sonlight entered my life, I hated reading, and books were for people who had nothing better to do with their lives. Now, books have come alive to me! Why? Because Sonlight uses real literature that allows my mind, as well as my children's, to be engaged in the time period and experiences that the author is writing of. Sonlight's approach keeps my interest and piques a curiosity that makes my children and me just have to know more! If Sonlight can help this 31-year old see that learning about God's world can be fun, exciting, and adventurous and, in the mean time, deepen our hearts toward others through and allow our souls to be burdened for the lost, then by all means I'm never looking back and my kids will be Sonlight Alumni!!!!"
— Sarah, 31 August 2004
"As a child I went to a PACE school (a school that uses a computerized training system). While at the time I enjoyed it, as an adult I feel very cheated with my school experience. Basically, with PACE, you read a paragraph, answer a few questions, memorize those facts, spit them all back out on a self-test, and then move on promptly, forgetting everything thereafter. Yuck!! With Sonlight, I am getting an education while I teach my children with Sonlight. I so wish that I had been given this type of education as a child."
— Lisa in MO, 6 April 2004
"If you are looking for a curriculum where you can just hand your child a few books and workbooks to read and fill out for you to check later . . . well, I suppose Sonlight might be described as 'hard' compared to that. But if you're looking for an educational experience where you can explore good books with your children, experience learning adventures with them and interact with them and the materials on their level, then you'll be more likely to describe Sonlight as engaging, fascinating, exciting, vibrant and joyful. I've done it both ways. After seven years of feeling smothered under textbooks and workbooks, we found Sonlight. Now we live. We breathe. Hard? No. It's natural."
— Elaine in MA, 20 June 2004
"One of the goals that my husband and I decided on was that we want our children to learn HOW to think and not WHAT to think. We could see that workbooks and textbooks would not help with that goal. The other goal we had was that we wanted our children to fall in love with learning. What better way to do that than to read together and enjoy what we are reading — to learn from great books?"
— Linda, 7 January 2005
"So far I have found Sonlight books to be the most enjoyable part of my day. Look at some other curriculums and see if you come away excited or motivated. If you're not excited, your kids don't have much of a chance to be excited either."
— Merry, 19 June 2004
"One of Sonlight's greatest strengths is how it teaches kids to think. You will discuss, ponder and sometimes struggle with many deep issues with your children along the way with Sonlight. I so appreciate that Sonlight does not pull back from these types of issues but gives us the opportunity to meet them head-on with our children, in the context of our faith. When I compare my kids to kids who have just been spoon fed 'this is right, this is wrong, these people are good, these are evil, this is true, this is false' type of learning: I believe my Sonlight-educated kids are far ahead of their peers in not only understanding and standing firm in their beliefs, but also in their ability to relate to and reach out to people with varying beliefs without feeling threatened or coming across as defensive."
— ElaineB, 31 December 2004
"I was skeptical at first about the Sonlight Language Arts activity sheets because they were just so different from the way I was taught. But I thought, since I was getting the Core, Science and Math from Sonlight, that I would get the Language Arts, too. Wow. My 5-year old knows what palindromes are and can easily spot them. She quickly picked up on the difference between singular and plural, and today she figured out attributions, and without me having to show her, she rewrote a sentence and changed the placement of the attribution. And she did it correctly! Not only that, but we did a practice spelling test today and she got all the words right! AND... she told me today that she LOVES school, and writing and reading are her favorite things to do. Even my homeschool-skeptical husband has commented on how well our daughter is doing and has said we can homeschool next year. Thank you, Sonlight. You have a very, very happy customer."
— Emily in NH, 28 October 2004
"I have seen such huge improvements in my son's creative writing this year, and I attribute that to all he has learned in the dictations. He loves to write stories and he is very comfortable writing dialog and descriptions. I highly recommend doing the dictation exercises. It's one of those areas that produces great results if you stick with it over several months."
— Lover of Learning in TX, 30 April 2004
"My 6-year old son just loves the dictation and activity sheets in Language Arts 2! He especially enjoys making as many words as he can from one word. Tonight, as we watched Charlotte's Web, he said, 'Mom, it feels like there is a big computer in my brain and everything I hear is showing up as words I can see!' He then began to spell words he was seeing in his 'brain' out loud. I was really skeptical about investing in the Language Arts 2, but now I'm so glad I did!"
— Michelle W, 3 September 2004
"This will be my 13th year of homeschooling and my 3rd year with Sonlight. What I love about Sonlight is that you get the family time, the benefits of a unit study (in that the History, Readers, and Language Arts all interlock) and the Sonlight schedule. It is the easiest homeschooling I have done and what my kids have enjoyed the most. There is no prep time on the weekends — just open the Instructor's Guide on Monday morning and get going!"
— Jillian, 13 July 2004
Sonlight's Instructor's Guides are invaluable. I would go insane without them. I would have no schedule, no questions, no answers. I'd be lost with just a huge stack of books and wondering what the heck to do! We are doing Core C this year and so much of this stuff I don't ever remember learning when I was a kid... It's all new to me and I'm learning so much right along with my daughter!!!!
So are Sonlight's Instructor's Guides worth the money? Every penny and then some!!!!!"
— Kathy, 12 April 2004
"This is my first year homeschooling my 2nd and 4th grade boys. We are almost finished with American History Part I and are looking forward to Part II. It will be hard to wait all summer! There has not been a bad book in the bunch! We have enjoyed them all (even the more 'girlie' books). Over and over on the Read Alouds my boys would beg for 'just one more chapter.' Thanks, Sonlight. You've helped to make this first year a great one!"
— Beth W, Augusta, GA
"When I look back on my school years I feel a little cheated with what I learned. It's a privilege to be going through Sonlight Core E and really learning it and sharing that joy of learning with my boys.
I thank God for this time with them."
— Terri L, 8 February 2005
"My 12-year old son really didn't like school and I was worried about ordering Sonlight's Core F because he rarely reads unless he's forced to. Now, ten months later, I can say that Sonlight has made homeschooling truly enjoyable for us for the first time in eight years. It sounds crazy, but Sonlight literally took a child who hated to read and turned him into a reader!! He is even reading books other than Sonlight books just for fun!! I never thought I would be able to say that about this child. We LOVE Sonlight!"
— Tara B, 6 February 2005
"I hadn't even started doing science until we got the Discover & Do DVD because we just never could get to it. Now that we have the DVD, we do science just about everyday! Though some of the jokes on it are a little corny to me, my daughter thinks the scientist guy is a riot, and that he is just 'so funny, Mom.' Thanks, Sonlight!"
— Tracy, 11 October 2004
"This morning we had a Sonlight moment. My son, age 6, woke me up with the Henry Huggins book and said, 'I've been thinking about it all night. Can you please read it to me now?'"
— Shana, 29 June 2004
"I just can't begin to tell you how valuable the Discover & Do, Volume 2 DVD has been for us! I HATE doing science experiments and this has actually got us DOING them!!! We probably do about 95% or more of the experiments now thanks to the DVD. Boy, this was the best money I spent this year! No kidding! It is invaluable! Thank you SO MUCH for making science not only less painful for me, but actually enjoyable." — Rochelle G, 10 January 2005
"Today after we finished reading our chapter in A Child's History of the World, my son hugged the book to his chest and said, 'Can I have this book when we're finished?' I said, 'It's already yours. Do you plan to read it again?' He said, 'I think I'd like to read it to my own kids someday.'"
Thank you, Sonlight!
— CJ, Boise, ID, 27 January 2005
"Thank you, Sonlight, for your wonderful curriculum! It is a Sunday afternoon, and my son is again begging to do school. Any day that we are off, all I hear is, 'Mom, can we please do school?' or, 'Mom, can we please just read some history and science?' What am I going to do during our summer break? They think a day without school is a punishment rather than a joy. This is a problem I can live with. You have made learning fun for my children! God bless you!"
— Amy C, 28 March 2004
"As I looked through my Sonlight order last night, I was repeatedly overcome by emotion.
I know it seems silly that a box of books would bring me to tears (good tears!) a number of times, and I certainly never expected it! I thought back to my elementary school experience and felt a little cheated. Why didn't anyone feel it was important to give all of this knowledge to me? Why didn't anyone believe that my little head could hold something as huge as the world and all of its beauty, harsh reality, diversity and commonality? But, the truth is that this particular box helped me to identify my hopes and dreams for my children and their education — and let me know that the little girl inside of me will get to have hers now, too! I cannot wait to get started on our learning adventure. Thank you, Sonlight."
— Prairie Girl, 2 November 2004
"I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it with own eyes!! My two sons, ages 12 and 10, had their public school friend over Saturday morning (7:30 a.m.) and, lo and behold, the three of them sat on the couch, read Story of the World: Ancient Times, and discussed the Spartans. Unbelievable!! The friend sat enthralled as the boys 'taught' him. Thanks, Sonlight."
— Shannon M, 2 October 2004
"My 8-year old son who hates to write or draw and who has never colored willingly in his life, is ASKING to do Start Smart Art on his own time. And my more artistic 6-year old son is moving through it rapidly. If the program gets them excited, I could care less about how effective it is. I'm already happy with the money I spent for the two programs."
— Rocky Mountain Maria, 23 September 2004
"My cousin and I were discussing the upper Cores and how they contained many things we had never studied. We decided not to wait for our kids to grow up so we could learn about them. We ordered Core [200], and are thoroughly enjoying learning about God's Kingdom throughout the ages. I cannot imagine any other curriculum where two adults, one of them a college graduate, would order a 'high school' curriculum for their own study and have so much fun doing it! My mother jokes that we (my sister, cousin, and I, who all use Sonlight) only homeschool so WE can read the books. And I guess we've just proven her right! Thank you, Sonlight, for creating a curriculum, that we can enjoy and learn from, even as adults."
— Melinda S, 17 October 2004
"We love the Sonlight microscope! It is so easy to use and the optics are terrific. The mechanical stage makes finding and focusing so easy. We used it this last year for biology (Apologia) and it is used a lot during the course. I do not think you will find a better deal anywhere. You may find a cheaper scope, but it will still be a cheaper scope!"
— Judy AC, 10 June 2004
"I have been homeschooled for my entire life, and began using Sonlight four years ago. I've just completed the Civics/American Government program from Sonlight Curriculum, and it's one of the better programs Sonlight offers for senior high students. The selection of materials you provide has been regularly impressive, but I found this year's collection even more wonderful. I'm headed to college soon and plan to at least minor in creative writing or English. I found your Language Arts assignments very rewarding and helpful. The huge variety of training in your notes was fabulous and will help me be well prepared — if I can retain all of it! Thank you for compiling a curriculum that parallels or exceeds the quality found in any public/Christian school in America. This material will be immensely useful in the following years of my life."
— Zachary Huizenga, 27 May 2004
"As I was excitedly showing my husband all the new Sonlight stuff he asked, 'So, are our boys getting about four times the education they would in public school?' I thought about it and said, 'Well, I don't know how much better, but I know the most important thing they're getting that they don't get in public school — a love for learning. They're not being pumped with facts that they have to simply spit back out to make a grade. They're being surrounded by wonderful histories and truths and ideas and coming to enjoy the environment of learning. That's what they'll carry with them long after formal schooling is over, and what will make the most difference in their lives.'"
— Jenny R, 28 June 2004
"We have eight children in our family, including five who are adopted from Asian countries. I absolutely love that Sonlight offers the Core F (the idea of studying world cultures) at this age. It is just at the time when kids really read well, are so open, and embrace God's entire world. If it was a Core D it would be too early, Core H too late. It has to be Core F. Thank you for being inclusive and choosing such positive books. This is the ONLY year where I do not add or subtract books. As a mom of children who are all 'American,' but not always viewed as such, I just want to say, 'BRAVO!'"
— Martha O, 22 January 2005
"One problem, as I see it, with many Christian educations is that they often tell children (or adults) how to believe without teaching them how to think. It's similar to how a parrot learns — it's more of a taught faith, rather than a faith from the heart. We are told in Scripture to prove all things, and I think education is certainly something to be proved. We are never encouraged to be thoughtless followers. Sonlight helps me toward that goal of teaching my children critical thinking skills not only for math, but in issues of faith as well."
— CityCricket, 13 October 2004
"It is true what others said about Scripture verses tacked on to material presented in a rote fashion — it only requires memorization, not integration. That really isn't worth much at all.
I am continuously amazed at how alive my children's faith is. The biggest thing to me is that they are thinking about their faith, even at their young ages, and seeing God as a real part of not just their lives, but life in general. Sonlight presents faith in a way that gets my children actively thinking about it, digesting it mentally, and making it part of themselves. This is true education. And it is such a huge difference from other curricula that I've seen."
— Tracey in IN, 13 October 2004
"I am amazed by how much my 4-year old daughter is getting out of the first Miquon Math book (the Orange Book). It is supposedly a 1st grade book and the Singapore Math® level she is doing is a preschool book (Earlybird 1A). She is choosing to do Miquon Math everyday because 'The other book is too hard.' I am sooooo glad I decided to do both math programs this year. Miquon Math has really opened math up for Lily. She has learned more in the last week than in the last three months prior AND SHE THINKS IT'S REALLY FUN!!!"
— Robin E, 20 March 2004
"OK! I have spent hours looking for used curriculum and have found some better prices than what is in the catalog, but with the discount and free shipping and handling — I have only found I would save a little over $20. I didn't believe it. I had to spend hours finding out myself!!"
— Barbara E, 10 August 2004
"We have now done four Cores. I used to balk at the price before my wonderful grown son pointed out that the cost for one year was only about a month's tuition at a decent private school! Putting it into perspective really helped."
— Darcy in KS, 19 August 2004
"This year was our first of doing Sonlight (it's our second homeschooling), and I thought I'd save all I could by buying as much used as I could. Next year, I'm buying everything from Sonlight. I spent five whole weeks last summer trying to find the best deal on everything used. But with shipping costs, etc., I only saved $60 — which, considering how much time I spent, really wasn't saving much at all.
— Karen Joy, 10 June 2004
"We are a family of 9, so I know what it is to have to watch the money. Sonlight is one thing that we just make room for. Other things may suffer, but we get our Sonlight, as we consider this a priority for our family. I used to love the hunt — tracking down books, looking for resources, pulling it all together, but goodness, I've gotten older, busier, and, in the end, happier with Sonlight!"
— Susan W, 26 June 2004
"At the beginning of last year, my son printed illegibly, hated to put pen to paper and ended any writing assignment in tears. I dictated (me to him) and scribed (I wrote down all his creative writing for him) for the entire year. Today I said he should write a piece for himself. I asked him what he wanted to say. We discussed the structure; he made one-word notes. Then he wrote it! In legible printing! Without whining! The Sonlight Language Arts formula has really worked for us: dictations for handwriting practice; scribing to allow him to get used to producing pieces; Handwriting Without Tears to start his cursive (which, by some osmotic process, improved his printing). Meanwhile, we've had a great year and are thoroughly enjoying homeschooling Language Arts."
— Laura in China, 19 October 2004
"I can't recommend homeschooling for high schoolers enough! It is the best way to prepare them for the independent study type of learning they will be doing in college. And I think Sonlight is great because it helps them to see different sides of issues and covers the material in such depth. What I loved most about homeschooling high school, though, is that it gave me a chance to get to know my son all over again. We talked about everything under the sun, and our relationship is very strong. I would have missed out on so much during those last years of having him at home if he had gone to public school."
— Meghan, 28 February 2004
"I used Driver Ed in a Box (item #DE201, 202, 203) for my oldest son and I will be starting with my next son in a few days when he gets his permit. The DVD showing a father teaching his teenage daughter how to drive is very well done and easy to follow. It showed me step by step what to do to teach my teen to handle the car and develop good driving habits that significantly reduce his chances of being involved in an accident. It let me work with my son at his pace, taking as much time with him as needed to learn each skill. They even show you a way to compensate for the lack of a dual control car — I used the technique twice with my son to keep him from causing an accident at an intersection. My son has been driving safely and accident-free for three years now. I highly recommend this program for parents to teach their teens to drive."
— Kathy in NJ, 7 October 2004
"Sonlight may very well help your kids learn to love learning, but keep in mind, this is not your traditional 'sit-at-your-desks-and-let's-pretend-this-is-a-classroom' curriculum. This is real learning from real books. This isn't drill and rote memorization for the sake of memorization. It's 'let's wet your whistle and keep ya coming back for more' kind of learning. It's what kids want and it's what mom's need. It's just plain good."
— Lisa, 4 January 2005
"'Our new bikes are great, Mom, but its still not as fun as getting a Sonlight box.' This is what my 7-year old daughter said two days ago. — What kind of curriculum do I have that new bikes don't even measure up to! I can't believe it!"
— Wendy, 5 June 2004
"I stay with Sonlight because I have found that it meshes well with our child-rearing philosophy. It gives us a platform in which to explore and discuss the world in light of our beliefs. My kids are learning how to think critically and logically by reading all kinds of books and discussing all kinds of issues with us. This is an incremental thing, and progresses in depth as the children grow in maturity. For us, Sonlight has become more than a curriculum. It is part of our lifestyle."
— ElaineB, 7 January 2005
"You know what my daughter's first words were this morning? 'Mommy, get up. Can we do school now?'
We've homeschooled her since K (not with Sonlight, though; this is our first Sonlight year) and she's NEVER gotten up and asked to start school. In the past, she'd drag her feet and find some creative reasons why she couldn't do her work. And, what cracks me up is that she hates history. So, I pull out the Peoples of the World and Akebu to Zapotec books and tell her, 'Well, we won't do history. We'll just talk about these people,' and she loved it! I am so beyond delighted we found Sonlight! I'm so happy we decided to do all Sonlight materials. Already from the get-go, it's just been easier. Last year, we did a different curriculum and it was hard, and all year I kept telling myself, 'But this is such good stuff; surely it'll get easier!' and it never did.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Sonlight creators!"
— Michelle, Springfield, IL, 25 August 2004
"The other day my 6-year old son was washing dishes and decided he wanted a little working music, so what CD does he pop in? His Geography Songs! My husband and I were in the back when we heard his sweet voice singing, 'Algeria, Ethiopia, Liberia, Burundi. . . .' I turned to hubby and smiled: 'What other kid his age is listening to geography songs by choice?' Then another thought occurred to me: 'What other 6-year old even studies geography?' Just another reason why we love Sonlight!"
— Jessie in Louisiana, 16 January 2005
"I fell in love with Sonlight last year, which was our first. Not only have I learned a lot, but I have completely enjoyed the Read-Alouds and the time it gives us together."
— Amy, 7 January 2005
"Sonlight Science is THE way to go if you are in planning overload. The only planning or preparing you have to do for Sonlight's sciences is looking ahead to have a few odd things on hand like soda bottles or orange juice. The kits come with all the other little hard to find things you will need."
— Robin E, 9 January 2005
"I should mention . . . we are having a problem with Sonlight: we are running out of bookshelves! What a great problem!"
— Linda, 7 January 2005
"I had to hide Core F in the closet because my daughter has threatened to rebel and read all the books ahead of time. Anybody else have that problem? I do have to confess, though, that I snuck out Seven Daughters and Seven Sons. Sshhh! Don't tell her!"
— Jeb, an American in New Zealand, 7 November 2004
"When I received the Sonlight catalog, I cried. It was like God came right to my mailbox and gave me a present. Every day, even the harder ones, seems like a miracle to me. The woman who swore that she would never homeschool LOVES it. Not to mention my KIDS!!!"
— Annemarie W, 17 September 2004
"As an international family we were so pleased to find something that starts out with world history and studies other cultures. Something more America-centric just would not have worked for us, since we don't and probably never will live there, and because my kids are not citizens of the USA only. I want my kids to learn American history, of course, but really liked the fact that with Sonlight it is a part of the greater whole, not the main thing."
— Sue in Japan, 7 January 2005
"I have used Sonlight for 4 years and the Instructor's Guide is worth every penny!! I have so many friends who lament that homeschooling is so hard and they ask me how I do it. I say, 'Sonlight.'"
— Amy K in Texas, 1 April 2004
"I'm a nurse and I've been very impressed with the amount of information covered in the Apologia General Science program, and that it's presented in such an understandable and logical manner. I also love the schedule in the Sonlight Instructor's Guide. It has really helped me keep everyone on track."
— Mommyrnc, 6 February 2005
"One reason Sonlight is so excellent is I learn almost as much as the kids, and I enjoy it. All this talk about matching curriculums to children has merit, but if mom/teacher hates it, it's not going to be taught well or passionately. That's it. SL has brought passion back into my homeschooling."
— Margaret in AZ, 19 September 2004
"Ok, why didn't I order this two years ago!? I decided to introduce ourselves to Singapore Math® today via the Rainbow Rock CD-ROM! Oh my goodness it is AMAZING! I was a little concerned about spending so much for a 'computer game' but this is really top notch! The kids had a blast and really learned a lot too!"
— Jennifer, 18 January 2005
"Sonlight has a wonderful online community. If you have a problem or a concern, you can post your question and get many answers in as little as a few hours time. The answers are from people who are using it, not those who wrote it. Those with day-to-day experience 'in the trenches' can offer insight that the writer cannot."
— Robin E, 19 June 2004
"I'm so proud to use Sonlight. I love it that even when my husband was being laid off, he said that it didn't matter, we'd buy Sonlight anyway. When my daughter heard me ask my husband if she should try something with a lower price tag, she burst into tears and begged to stay with Sonlight!
This is the company we love!"
— Wendy, 20 June 2004
"Sonlight chooses the kind of books that you and your kids would want to read anyway, but they throw in some that you may not know about as well. These are the kind of books that the kids will take to bed with them. Can you say that about a textbook?"
— Robin E, 19 June 2004
"We started the Sonlight Language Arts with Core A and are in the middle of Core D Advanced. I have seen what your Language Arts program has done for my daughter — it's all fallen into place and she grasps those advanced concepts. Your method is brilliant and works, because unlike a textbook or workbook method, she really learns it in context with the reading."
— Jules in AR, 29 January 2005
"This is my fourth year homeschooling and my first using Sonlight. This has definitely been my most enjoyable year yet. One of the reasons is that I'm not bored with the curriculum. I am finally, at age 41 (with a graduate degree, no less), studying world history . . . and I love it!"
— Margaret in AZ, 8 January 2005
"My five-year old just asked if we could please do a little more school before bed. We read some science and then he asked if he could keep his science book and read it all night in bed tonight. Too cool. Sonlight picks such wonderful books that it makes teaching easy!"
— Julie of KY, 18 August 2004
"My husband is so funny! He just grabbed all the Pre-K books that came in today and took them to the living room floor to look at. It's almost midnight, but I think I'll join him! I love homeschooling! Who would ever take their children's public school books and devour them? Thanks, Sonlight!"
— Wendy, 17 April 2004
"I am so tickled with all the different interactions I've had with your company. Sonlight people are special. I have talked to some online, talked to reps at the homeschool convention in Orlando, talked to an information person on the phone, and each time, I have gotten such a positive, warm response. Please pass on to all those you work with that Sonlight is special! And thanks for all the support you give homeschoolers."
— Sally, 15 June 2004
"The Instructor's Guides are great! When I first used them they were wonderful because I doubted my ability to pull together a curriculum myself, and Sonlight did it for me. Now I know I could do it myself, but it is so much less time-consuming to buy the Sonlight IG. I love having it all laid out for me."
— Laura in Alaska, 21 January 2005
"Sonlight doesn't pretend to have all the answers about God. Sonlight gives parents credit for having a faith of their own, and allows them to help their children build a firm foundation in faith as well. Without putting Scripture quotes on every page or insisting that a certain man's interpretation of Scripture is the infallible Truth, Sonlight Curriculum provides food for thought and plenty of questions that challenge a student without overwhelming him. Are my children maturing in their faith? Yes. And I am pleased to report that it is their faith, not the parroting back of someone else's ideas."
— Jeanne, 13 October 2004
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction."
— Proverbs 1:7 NKJV
— Proverbs 1:7 NKJV
"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
— Psalm 119:11 NIV
— Psalm 119:11 NIV
"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
— Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NKJV
— Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NKJV
"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
— John 8:32 NKJV
— John 8:32 NKJV
"How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!"
— Proverbs 16:16 NIV
— Proverbs 16:16 NIV
"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
— Colossians 4:6 NIV
— Colossians 4:6 NIV
"I was getting ready to read Children's History of the World to my kids an hour ago, and my 5-year-old daughter said to me, 'Well, okay, Mom, but no school today! You only can read!' "'You got it, Babe!' I said. Right now they are eating lunch and going over Peoples of the World, and Houses and Homes. "I love you, Sonlight!"
— momof5blessings, 12 January 2006 (from the Sonlight online forums)
— momof5blessings, 12 January 2006 (from the Sonlight online forums)
"My 7-year-old was doing Singapore Math® today, and she was supposed to estimate the weight of a textbook. She looks at me — dead serious — and says, HMom, what's a textbook?' "I was laughing so hard I could hardly answer. I just love Sonlight Curriculum."
— Vikki in CO, 15 January 2006
— Vikki in CO, 15 January 2006
"We received our Sonlight order yesterday. My sons and I couldn't wait to open those boxes and look at all our 'goodies.' Their excitement over books warms my heart. Ken pulled out The Usborne Book of World History and asked if he could look at it. He carried it around the rest of the afternoon — from the sofa, to the table, to his bedroom. I told him I was pleased that he was so interested in this book, and explained that it was a book we'd use every day next year for first grade. He looked up with a frown and asked, 'Why do we have to wait so long, can't we start now?' "Wow . . . we are looking forward to first grade!"
—Aprille F, 15 May 2006
—Aprille F, 15 May 2006
"I just wanted to say a hearty thank you. My son hated to read. However, as I read aloud, he is touched somehow. I see tears in his eyes at the end of every book, as we are on the edge of our seats waiting to see the outcome.
"We love the books you have picked. . . the characters truly come alive off of the pages! My son is warming up to the idea of reading more complicated things."
— Tatjana D, 28 February 2006
— Tatjana D, 28 February 2006
"What a fun surprise, I received my Sonlight order four days earlier than you predicted. We opened the boxes right away, and I couldn't keep the kids out. 'Which ones are mine? Can I start this?' they begged.
"You must understand: We just finished a Core last week. They couldn't wait to be done, and celebrated their freedom loudly and proudly to all the neighbor kids. As this day ends, both kids have started their second reader and now my son has started science. "I can't wait to start either."
— Cindy H, 22 May 2006
— Cindy H, 22 May 2006
"My husband just told me that our son got into his new Core D books, and has already read The Bears on Hemlock Mountain — all of it, on his own! My son is not much of a reader, so to just go and read all on his own (a chapter book at that) is truly fascinating! "Thanks, Sonlight, for the wonderful books!"
— Laura H, 28 May 2006
— Laura H, 28 May 2006
"I have learned more history from teaching my children with 'real books' than I learned in all my formal schooling put together. And it has been fun and interesting to boot! "I think most kids would learn far more if schools could drop the textbooks and use real books. I know that won't happen. . . but kids who will read books can learn so much more, and be more likely to enjoy history the rest of their life!"
— Debi W, 31 May 2006
— Debi W, 31 May 2006
"We arrived home from the beach last night, and were excited to find our Sonlight order on the front steps. This morning I informed our 6th grader, to his horror, that we would not be starting school today (despite the arrival of the box). "He protested, 'But I just expect to start school today, Mom! All this vacation is just wasting our time!' I've managed to hold the littler ones back, but to lessen his disappointment I've let our oldest son disappear with an armful of books. Perhaps we will see him in time for dinner tonight. . . perhaps not! "Thanks for 6 good years so far!"
— Joanna H, 6 July 2006
— Joanna H, 6 July 2006
"Every year I'm amazed at what I learn right along with the kids. The books are wonderful! "We've homeschooled for five years, all with Sonlight. We got Core H a month ago, and I immediately dove into the books. I've got 7 of them read, and all have been great! And I've thought throughout all of them, 'Why didn't I hear about any of this when I was in school?! This is so interesting!' "I can't wait to go through the high school Cores."
— CJ in Ohio, 10 July 2006
— CJ in Ohio, 10 July 2006
"Recently we were at a doctor's office, and I was reading a Sonlight Read-Aloud to my girls. The receptionist opened up her little glass 'window' and asked me to read louder. They wanted to hear, too. One nurse asked me to write down titles and information for some Sonlight books I was reading, as she wanted to buy them for her grandchildren."
— Brenda E, 26 July 2006
— Brenda E, 26 July 2006
"Thank you, Sonlight, for the absolutely wonderful choices you've helped me make to bring books into our home and our lives. We are reading books from several Cores: Twenty and Ten, The Little Riders, The Hundred Dresses, Follow My Leader, and finishing just a few minutes ago, Little Britches. I cried so hard with each of these books, that I've actually had to stop reading in order to continue! They are wonderful!! "I also read a book to them from the library — and didn't cry. When I was finished, my kids looked at me and asked if that was The End. I said, 'Yes,' and they replied, 'But you didn't even cry!' "How wonderful that they judge a book, not by its cover, but by whether or not it touches us when we read."
— Jeana R, 01 August 2006
— Jeana R, 01 August 2006
"I am so excited to be using Sonlight again. I used it many years ago with my two boys, and this year I will be using it with my daughter. "I have been the Library Media Specialist in a fine Christian School for the last few years where my daughter, who is eleven, was able to attend for free. However, she has been begging me to homeschool her. I told her I would pray about it, and the Lord provided a wonderful opportunity for me to work from home . . . "I knew exactly what curriculum I wanted to use. I even still had some of the 6th grade books I used with my son eight years ago. We had great books in the school library, but kids weren't interested. I saw the wonderful historical fiction books (like you have in your curriculum), and wished I had time to read them with my daughter. This year we will be reading them together! "Thank you for developing such a quality curriculum that brings history alive, and makes it a joy to teach and to learn."
— Betsy P, 08 August 2006
— Betsy P, 08 August 2006
"Sonlight's literature selection is knockout. You can't beat it. "As a history major, I never had a single college textbook. Not even one. Instead, I have about 700 literature books on three full-wall shelf units because we studied everything through 'primary sources.' We went right to the source for our info — we didn't study a textbook. "Historians place very little stock in secondary information. With Sonlight, your children are learning the way learning was meant to take place, 'straight from the horse's mouth.' "
— Sarah H, 30 August 2006
— Sarah H, 30 August 2006
"We were just finishing a library book, for some summer 'practice' before starting homeschool. My daughter said, 'Mommy, when you read this book I feel like it is really happening in my mind.' "She continued to describe how she imagines the village and the school room, and even some of the characters. I told her that is part of the reason we chose to start homeschooling, and to use Sonlight for our school materials. I reminded her we will be reading many more books that she will be able to see in her imagination as well. "We snuggled together on the couch, and I finished reading the story. My daughter was almost in tears at the ending, and I must confess I was too. She said it was one of the best books ever, and followed that up with, 'Can I go count how many days until we start school?' "Gotta love moments like these. This was just what I needed to calm all those last minute fears and doubts I was having. Thanks, Sonlight!"
— Amy C, 18 August 2006
— Amy C, 18 August 2006
"Since we started homeschooling our son with Sonlight in 2nd grade, history has been his favorite subject. We decided to put him in public school this year (7th grade), for various reasons. He has been enjoying it for the most part, but was shocked to discover why so many of his friends find history dull. "While he was reading the first chapter of his new history book, I heard him shout, 'This book is boring!' I've never heard him say that before about learning, especially anything having to do with history. Welcome to the land of textbooks. It made him so appreciative of the introduction to history that he has had through Sonlight."
— Jill G, 29 August 2006
— Jill G, 29 August 2006
"Homeschooling with Sonlight is more than just an academic pursuit. It's family fun. It's family devotion. It is like a stimulant to bonding the family, growing it and developing it into a loving, safe, God-fearing place. "When I started researching homeschool curriculum a couple of years ago, one family actually invited me to visit with their kids and have a look at the materials. They used Sonlight. The mum was so open and friendly, the kids so curious and delightful. I was sold. "I purchased Core B+C for my 9-year-old son. We bonded ever so much going through the Read-Alouds, laughing and crying and talking things over together. "This year, he attends a Christian private school. We still have read-aloud time using Sonlight books after homework is done. We love the scope of your books, the characters. Your selection is too rich to forfeit. I am so happy to be able to run a 'parallel' education at home, and to still be part of Sonlight via email, the Beam, the catalogue, the books. I wouldn't trade the special moments Sonlight has brought us for anything."
— Gillian in Kenya, 23 August 2006
— Gillian in Kenya, 23 August 2006
"Sonlight literally has turned non-readers into avid readers. We have struggled to afford Sonlight, and have debated whether or not to continue at times due to expense. But I will sell, save, penny pinch, whatever it takes to keep on with Sonlight — what you've done here in my house is priceless!
— Tara B, 10 December 2006
— Tara B, 10 December 2006
"I have been married for over 17 years, and have never seen my husband read, ever!! When he was young, he struggled to read and got picked on and teased — not only by other students but teachers as well. He gets a lot of books on tape including the Bible, but I have honestly never seen the man read. . . "I have been doing most of our Read-Alouds in the evening, and reading aloud my oldest son's history novels from Core 10 (at age 15, he still likes Read Aloud time, and loves to discuss what we read). Being a history buff, hubby became very interested in what we've been reading. He was terribly disappointed when we finished Streams to the River, River to the Sea in one day without him. Guess what he did? "He picked it up, and has been reading it! And enjoying it!! He already has his next book picked out, Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold. I never thought I'd see this day."
— Tara B, 10 December 2006
— Tara B, 10 December 2006
"I want to say how much I enjoy Sonlight! I really like the fact that everything is ready for me: books, schedule, Instructor's Guide. . . I also feel the freedom to add or change anything that doesn't fit our family, and when I feel inspired (and have time) I do make changes. But it's always comforting to know that when I don't have time to be creative, I can always go to the schedule and just follow it. "I know my kids are having a great education. Sonlight's commitment to excellence is outstanding. I feel valued as a customer, and know that you are doing your best to always make my life easier."
— Sandra H, 06 February 2006
— Sandra H, 06 February 2006
"I love Sonlight. I've homeschooled long enough (this is my fourth year) to know that I don't pull it together well enough for myself. I have peace of mind with the Instructor's Guide. The customer service and support is unparalleled. So far we've used just about everything. My husband is satisfied with the productivity and doesn't talk about sending them to school anymore."
— Kristina G, 24 February 2006
— Kristina G, 24 February 2006
"We are definitely returning to Sonlight next year. You have set my weekends free, and I won't give that up for anything. No more long preps! "I love the Core, Language Arts and Science. We modified Language Arts a little, and I'm glad I've found a way to work the whole system for my family."
— Elizabeth H, 28 February 2006
— Elizabeth H, 28 February 2006
"I have been using Sonlight four years now, and I just continue to be amazed at the great job you do. What attention to detail. Thank you so much for making homeschooling so enjoyable for us, for the excellent literature you choose, and for the easy-to-follow Instructor's Guides. I'm looking forward to starting up again in the fall, and we haven't even finished this year yet! "Also. . . you guys are brilliant! Whoever had the idea of printing a castle inside the shipping box is a genius! I couldn't wait to unpack the books so we could check out the box. (Sounds like my kids at Christmas!) What a neat way to recycle."
— Kristin S, 13 May 2006
— Kristin S, 13 May 2006
"As I'm using the Sonlight curriculum, a light bulb has come on for me. Homeschooling isn't only about imparting educational knowledge to my children. For me, it is also teaching them about the heart of God (when we rise up, as we go through our day, when we lie down, tying it to the posts of our house, and inscribing it on our hearts). It is about disciplining my kids to be passionate warriors for the Lord."
— Susanna L, 09 March 2006
— Susanna L, 09 March 2006
"I thought homeschooling meant that I was supposed to buy the textbook the Christian school used and create a little school in my house, complete with a schedule and chalkboard. That didn't appeal to me. But I knew someone who used Sonlight and so because of her, I ordered the catalog. I cried as I looked through it. . . "They weren't sentimental tears, but real weeping. You see, my dad — who was fighting and dying of cancer at the time — had always been passionate about missions. At church, he was always spreading the latest information about martyred missionaries, unreached people groups, the 10/40 window, etc. We sponsored Ethiopian refugees when I was a kid. Most weekends we went to homeless shelters, or food banks, or other places like that to help and serve. "So when I looked in your catalog and saw book after book about missionaries and unreached peoples, I wept. For years, people at church had tolerated my dad's enthusiasm, but made fun of him — of us — behind our backs. I had often thought to myself, 'Maybe they're right. Maybe my dad is too intense.' In Sonlight I saw a validation of sorts, that not only was it okay to be passionate about missions, but we should be sharing that passion with our kids. A world-focused education can prepare them to reach the world."
— Susanna L, 09 March 2006
— Susanna L, 09 March 2006
"Sonlight is the absolute best! I tell everyone about it. We love, love, love the literature selection. We also really appreciate the fact that Sonlight is the only homeschooling company I am aware of that offers M-Bag for international customers. This saves us a huge bundle in shipping costs. Thank you, Sonlight! Thank you for being so customer-oriented and considerate to all of us folks living overseas!"
— Negin in Grenada, 05 May 2006
— Negin in Grenada, 05 May 2006
"After using many different curriculums, and spending lots of money on things that didn't work, I took the suggestion of a friend and looked into Sonlight. After looking closely (and having already spent hundreds of dollars), I decided to delve in. If I only bought from Sonlight, I would be spending less than when I shopped around. "We absolutely love the books, I love the schedules and my children are learning much more than before. Now every book that I buy comes from Sonlight. Thank you."
— mom4boys, 31 January 2006 (from Sonlight online forums)
— mom4boys, 31 January 2006 (from Sonlight online forums)
"The value of Sonlight lasts for years. I can't get to the library often, and with these books I know what My 10-year-old daughter is reading. She's constantly pulling books off our shelves, from Core P4/5 all the way to Core D, to read at night. It's really true — we are building a library and for us, it's paying off."
— Pamela R, 04 February 2006
— Pamela R, 04 February 2006
"I have 4 little reasons that Sonlight is worth the cost: my kids! The materials are going to be used more than once. When you buy a cheaper curriculum, sometimes you get workbooks that you use only one time and will have to buy again for the next kid. That's how I justified getting Spelling Power. It's one book for all 4 kids for all of school, as opposed to getting a cheap workbook for each child each year. In the end it evens out or even puts you ahead."
— Kathy H, 05 February 2006
— Kathy H, 05 February 2006
"Sonlight leaves me feeling like I got a good deal on a rare find! I just ordered some more of your wonderful books, as well as the Horizons Math K manipulatives kit. I was taking a real chance on that kit, I thought, wondering if I couldn't have pieced it all together myself for less. I was extremely pleased with the quality of the materials, and I'm satisfied I made a good decision. When I saw the 1,000 square and 100 blocks. . . definitely wouldn't have found those on my own. Good value for the money. "Also, my order was shipped in an oversized box. When I opened it, I was delighted to find the inside can be cut and reversed into a castle. How wonderful to have this as we read the Story of the World. I have bought curriculum for our 5 children from just about every major provider. Sonlight is by far superior in content, and never fails to surprise me with extra touches!"
— Kathy C, 23 May 2006
— Kathy C, 23 May 2006
"Yesterday we got a late start, so we were still reading The Door in the Wall from Core C late in the afternoon when my 8-year-old son's buddies knocked on the door. He answered the door, and politely told them that he couldn't play because we were still doing school. I heard one of his friends tell him that it really stunk. . . "When my son came back, he said, 'They thought it was awful that we are still doing school. They just don't understand how much fun school is.' [It was] music to my ears. This is why we love Sonlight!"
— Kelly H, 26 January 2006
— Kelly H, 26 January 2006
"This is the first year we have used Sonlight. Last August, I wondered if I was doing the right thing. Now, I know without doubt it was not only the right thing but most definitely 'a God thing.' I have been homeschooling for nine years. I pulled together stuff from here and there, which equaled good school. . . but not excellent school. "My 15-year-old son, Seth, recently wrote an essay summarizing some of the books he had read for Core 400. His last sentence is the one that made me realize Sonlight is a blessing in our home: 'This new system of schooling is, in my opinion, better than any of the others.' Thank you so very much for all your hard work in setting up such a wonderful curriculum."
— Rachael A, 18 January 2006
— Rachael A, 18 January 2006
"What makes Sonlight different? You curl up on the couch and read a bunch of good books to your kids. You introduce you children to lots of different topics and discuss them with your children (they learn effortlessly, and you get to know your child better). It is fun for the teacher, which helps the student to have more interest. "And you'd be surprised how important this one is: You also have all of us on the forums to answer questions, bounce ideas off of, tell you it is okay to drop stuff, add stuff, and that your child is not that weird or unusual at all, but just like ours."
— Heather J, 04 February 2006
— Heather J, 04 February 2006
"My jaw is still dragging on the ground after reading yesterday my children's assignments on the comparison between Christianity and Confucianism. Never have they written so wholeheartedly. They were so emphatic and persuasive, that I have to wonder if they perhaps think that their mother is on her misguided way to adopting Confucianism, and they had better do their uttermost best to change her mind! "Sometimes one never knows what children will come up with next. Many times I feel they can't even get a decently coherent paragraph in, no matter how I try to coerce them. But I have been blown over by all their assignments in the last few weeks. Such humor and perception I have seen! To think I was ready to go get a job, a career, anything, and throw in the towel last month. Not any more. . ."
— Gertrude, 11 February 2006
— Gertrude, 11 February 2006
"I strongly credit Sonlight for turning my son from a public school 'hate-to-read' child to a successful reader! My son started his Sonlight career at 4th grade (age 9) with Core D+E. This year he is 18, and doing the British Lit Core! Now he loves to read, and is always reading something."
— Deborah R, 02 March 2006
— Deborah R, 02 March 2006
"It is so much fun to be out and about doing something not related to school, and have the boys start talking about something from school. Maybe a date comes up, and they mention something from the timeline book--then they're off and running with what happened in a novel of that time period or some person or invention of that time. "They are reviewing their own learning, and they don't even know it! Can it get any better than that? Thanks, Sonlight!"
— Jeanette L, 13 Mar 2006
— Jeanette L, 13 Mar 2006
"I love the variety in our Sonlight programs. You get time to study some cultures and periods more in-depth. The work is all done for you in regards to scheduling. Also, we have so enjoyed the books Sonlight chooses. "I have 2 kids who say history is their favorite subject, and I certainly never thought that in school! Early in Core B, my 5-year-old daughter said, 'Egyptian art is my favorite art.' I thank Sonlight for that!!"
— Merry, 13 April 2006
— Merry, 13 April 2006
"We love home schooling, and it's mainly because of Sonlight curriculum. . . "I thoroughly love to sit on the couch each day with my 14-year-old son, discussing history. In his teenage years, being able to discuss important character-building topics is incredibly vital. Now, I'm very excited to see the Sonlight discussion questions producing those same thinking skills and character in my 7-year-old daughter. "I can barely keep her (or myself) out of next year's box of Core 1."
— Wendy M, 07 May 2006
— Wendy M, 07 May 2006
"This is a true testament to the richness of Sonlight's books because they are all my children read: "I have used Sonlight Core D exclusively for my 3rd and 4th graders this year, and I worried about where they were at in reading--because Sonlight has no testing. I took a gamble, and paid to have both boys take the online reading assessment test. "I was pleased to find them both right at their grade level for all but two categories. My younger son is dyslexic, and struggles with spelling; the online test called it right on the money, putting him a full grade level behind for his age. But this same child scored in high 6th grade for word recognition of phonetic and non-phonetic words. His 4th grade brother scored in high 11th grade in the same categories."
— Kathy C, 28 May 2006
— Kathy C, 28 May 2006
"Wow! This was our 7th year of homeschool, and our first with Sonlight. It was the best year yet! I cannot tell you how joyful the year was, how much we accomplished, how flexible the program was, and how much we are looking forward to next year--and the years after."
— Donna J, 06 June 2006
— Donna J, 06 June 2006
"At the end of last year, I felt so burnmed out and hopeless. I was even considering sending my kids back to public school, even though, deep down, my husband and I knew that wasn't an option. I knew something had to change. Then we found Sonlight . . . "It looked wonderful, right up my book-loving alley, and so much of it appeared to fit in with my own personal style of homeschooling. The test would be in actually doing it, and seeing if it was as good as it appeared to be."It was, and then some!! Sonlight is everything it says it is and more. The Instructor's Guide is my best homeschooling friend! I really did go to bed peaceful, knowing what we were going to do the next day. My children have devoured the books. Even those they didn't like sparked wonderful discussions. "We feel so grateful to have found something that works for us, after so many years of searching!"
— Donna J, 06 June 2006
— Donna J, 06 June 2006
"Even if we were in the US near a good Christian school, I would still use Sonlight for our kids. Thank you for making school easy for those of us who don't have many resources!"
— Katrina, 26 June 2006
— Katrina, 26 June 2006
"My parents were missionaries to Brazil, so I grew up being homeschooled. Some curriculums were way too much work, and those that weren't just didn't work. My education was fine, because I love to read and supplemented my curricula with other things. However, I definitely did not want to homeschool my kids. Fast forward 15 years. . . "Now I'm the missionary mom, living on a houseboat on the Amazon River. No good schools around. When we adopted our kids, I started to panic, thinking I just can't homeschool four little munchkins! Finally, I accepted that God wanted me to do it, so I started checking out curricula. Everything just reinforced what I feared: to do it right, I would have to devote 24 hours a day to school. I had seen Sonlight in World Magazine, but thought, nothing can be that good. Well, we had a meeting of all the missionaries in this area, and I started picking the other moms' brains. "They all use Sonlight! I asked the kids (who are all smart and personable) what they thought of school. All of them said that they loved it, and would never want to do regular school again. I borrowed a catalog and just couldn't believe all the great books--all of my favorites from childhood and more! I was sold, but asked my husband to take a look to make sure I wasn't missing something important. His comment was, 'It looks good, but there is one pervasive problem. It's too much fun! Where was this when I was in school?!' "We ordered Core P4/5 and our 5-year-old loves 'doing' school. In fact, he complains when I'm too busy to do school as often and as long as he wants. His sisters beg to be able to sit and listen in, and the baby is always trying to get in there, too. The only hard part of homeschooling so far is trying to do enough to keep the kids satisfied!
— Katrina, 26 June 2006
— Katrina, 26 June 2006
"The day our Sonlight order arrived was like Christmas! As my husband, daughter, and I checked over the materials, our youngest two children started coloring the 'Sonlight Castle.' Our oldest daughter (at first a little overwhelmed at 37 books for Core 400) quickly selected one and began reading. Soon, all her books disappeared to her room. Our younger daughters (who will be using Core D) were so excited, I may not be able to hold off getting started with them! "I can't tell you how impressed and pleased we are with Sonlight. As regional representative for our state home school organization, I talk with many new homeschoolers--quite a few who are struggling. I often recommend Sonlight and sing your praises. Thanks for terrific reading selections, thought-provoking discussions, entertaining writing assignments, and just plain solid learning.
— Lisa L, 24 July 2006
— Lisa L, 24 July 2006
"This year, God has led us to stop homeschooling our 11th grade son, Micah. He is now attending Fork Union Military Academy, and doing very well. At first, I questioned the move. What was our homeschool lacking that Micah couldn't experience the same level of success at home? What had I done wrong? "But then a dear friend gently reminded me that I had, in fact, done my job. . . I had prepared and trained Micah so that he was the kind of student the school wanted. He is a bright guy, and I (and dear dad, too, of course) helped him be that way. "Interestingly, he's already asked me to buy the Sonlight Core that will go with his History or English. And I plan on doing that! He still wants to read all the great Sonlight books that he hasn't gotten to yet. Thank you, God!"
— Cindy E, 07 August 2006
— Cindy E, 07 August 2006
"My parents were visiting recently, when we received our Core C boxes. They were so impressed!! "Both my parents were educators for over 40 years. Dad was a teacher-then-administrator. Mom was a classroom teacher of all different grades, a remedial reading teacher, a teacher for gifted children and a homeschool coordinator for a school district in our area (obviously not all at the same time). She's worked extensively in both public and private schools. They have an incredible amount of experience. Anyway. . . "Mom couldn't believe that our son would be learning 'all this stuff' this year. She said that the quality of Sonlight's material far exceeds a lot of what she's seen in schools. That made me feel so good about our decision to use Sonlight."
— Becky F, 18 August 2006
— Becky F, 18 August 2006
"Because I now have a 6th, 7th, and 1st grader, plus a preschooler, I decided to use Sonlight so that I can school the older and younger ones in two groups. That has been the best homeschooling decision of my life. I wish I had used Sonlight the whole time. "We've been homeschooling for seven years now. I looked at Sonlight catalogs over the years, and even bought some Readers. I love the literature-based approach, but I didn't understand how the Instructor's Guides worked. For some reason I thought I had to do all that myself. Now, we are having a blast. The kids love learning, and I love learning right along with them! "It's been amazing. We have gotten more from a few weeks with Sonlight than we did from seven years of workbooks! The kids beg to do school, and when my husband gets home they talk his ear off about all they are learning. If I say, 'Let's take a break,' they say, 'Noooo, let's do more!' "I can't thank you enough, Sonlight, for all that you do. Also, your shipping is super fast, better than anyone. I am one happy mother, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!"
— Jessica S, 18 August 2006
— Jessica S, 18 August 2006
"I have been using Sonlight for eight years now, and I have seen amazing results in our children. My oldest son plans to study philosophy and literature at Brown University this fall. We were ecstatic when we heard of his acceptance a week ago--they loved his essay. He wants to write, and keep learning as long as possible. "I am just brimming with joy and thankfulness for your service to our family. It has given my kids a real love for literature. What can I say but thank you, thank you, and thank you, Sonlight!!"
— Barbara C, 18 April 2006
— Barbara C, 18 April 2006
"Homeschooling my son, Devin, has been the greatest journey of my life, and I am sorry to see it end. He has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams and I want to thank Sonlight for your contribution to our quest. Devin is a National Merit finalist, and is going to college on a full scholarship. "He decided against the Ivy League, and chose a small liberal arts honors college only a few hours away. He didn't want to be a 'number,' and preferred the one-on-one relationship with his professors (much closer to a homeschooling environment). Once again, thank you, Sonlight for the years of happiness you provided."
—Renee R, 23 July 2006
—Renee R, 23 July 2006
"Sonlight does more for students prepping for college than any other homeschool curriculum I've seen. "I was an English and History double major in college, with a minor in Japanese. I was never homeschooled, but had years of Honors AP English, History, and Science--and I barely made it through my first year of college, because of my weakness in critical thinking. . .
"I graduated with upper division honors two years ago. One of the main portions of the graduate entry exam (it's also used on the ACT) covers analogies. I wish I'd been better prepared in that area! They also emphasize critical thinking skills, which are one of the keys, I feel, to really surviving college. Sonlight has the best preparation in this area that I've seen."
— Sarah H in IL, 30 August 2006
— Sarah H in IL, 30 August 2006
"Thank you to all who take the time to post your messages and replies on the Sonlight online forums. You have made a huge difference in my life today, and in the future of my three children."
— Jaimee in AK, 03 February 2006
— Jaimee in AK, 03 February 2006
"I am a first year homeschool mom, working through Core A with my 6-year-old son. One month into Sonlight, I realized I was more concerned with getting through the materials than teaching my son. After a major shift in focus and scheduling, fall went very well. But now that January is here, our motivation and enthusiasm seem to have waned. Some days we skip school altogether, and I have avoided the Sonlight discussion forum as well, assuming it would leave me feeling even more guilt for not measuring up to high-achieving moms out there. That all changed today! "After reading, and reading, and reading--numerous questions, concerns, worries, advice, encouragement, and experiences--I am convinced once again that I am a 'lifer' in this homeschool venture. I realized I am not the only one who doubts, who is afraid of falling short in teaching, who struggles with an unmotivated student, who shelves curriculum in exchange for something else, who lets some days get away from her.
"Thanks again to my Sonlight forum family. . ."
— Jaimee in AK, 03 February 2006
— Jaimee in AK, 03 February 2006
"Yes, you can 'pull your own thing together' for less money. But when I've done that, I didn't get much time to use them with my kids. Or to clean my house, make good meals, or generally do things I really love. It's a trade-off. "As for me, I'd rather spend my children's far-too-short childhood actually cuddled up with great books than poring over book lists, online card catalogs, and spreadsheets trying to plan out all the cool things we will do someday . . . when I get it all pulled together."
— Debra in CO, 06 February 2006
— Debra in CO, 06 February 2006
"Our new Sonlight books came yesterday. My children kept asking when we could open the boxes. It was just like Christmas! I wish we could start our next year already. My 13-year-old son already plans to start some things during summer break! At least he's willing to let me read some of the books before he does. What could be better than Sonlight?"
— Laura C of FL, 30 April 2006
— Laura C of FL, 30 April 2006
"I thought maybe . . . I could just buy the Readers and Read-Alouds for Core G from a bookstore (with my educator's 20% discount card). That's better than the 10% discount I receive from Sonlight for having purchased a Core program, right? But besides all the time I would have spent ordering the books individually, it dawned on me that I would still have to pay 7.5% sales tax--which brings me to a grand total 'savings' of 2.5% for doing ALL that extra leg work myself. No thanks, I'll order them all from Sonlight."
— Kathy C, 22 May 2006
— Kathy C, 22 May 2006
"My son, Drew, came home from Special Ed in the middle of first grade as a non-reader with maybe 5-10 sight words. He gained maybe 10 more sight words all of last year, using a very expensive reading program. This year we started using I Can Read It! and Explode the Code. What a world of difference. "He's finishing book 3 this week. The stories are hilarious. My girls are always coming over to listen to Drew read to me. I fully expect that he will read all the Core B regular readers by the end of the school year! This is a boy I was starting to think would never read. "Thanks, John, for I Can Read It!"
— Tawnia, 01 March 2006
— Tawnia, 01 March 2006
"Before starting Sonlight, we tried another program and got absolutely nowhere. My mother even told me that homeschooling would be a terrible idea. Mainly, she didn't see how I would ever teach this child how to read. Thanks, Sonlight, for proving mom wrong! My daughter can read and loves it!"
— Jennie S in FL, 01 March 2006
— Jennie S in FL, 01 March 2006
"My 8-year-old son was in a 'special' reading program in public school (1st grade) and it was a nightmare for him. This morning with Sonlight we were on day 2 of our Reader, and he wanted to find out what happened--so he read the entire week aloud to me. It brings tears of joy when I look at the change in him. He feels good about himself again and he knows he's a good reader."
— Debbie, 10 February 2006
— Debbie, 10 February 2006
"Sonlight has freed me from the planning table. They have turned me loose, into books I want to read and into deciding each day what to do when. Hooray! Sonlight has set me free!"
— Anne A, 10 May 2006
— Anne A, 10 May 2006
"I ordered Core B on Friday and it arrived here in Alaska on Tuesday! Way to go, Sonlight. I peeked into the box last night before my son got to them and oh, let me tell you . . . what a rich year it's going to be. I can't wait!"
— Christine M in AK, 10 February 2006
— Christine M in AK, 10 February 2006
"What an answer to prayer, what an easy reorder for next year--no sweat, blood and tears trying to find something that works! It just does! We love Sonlight."
— Christine M in AK, 10 February 2006
— Christine M in AK, 10 February 2006
"I love the way Sonlight gets my 6-year-old son to really think and interact with the material presented."
— Brenda S, 13 April 2006
— Brenda S, 13 April 2006
"We want our children to have a heart for the world, and an understanding of the differences. They are sponges at this age, and I think it's absolutely wonderful to let them see the world now! It's why we chose Sonlight!"
— Kelly L in PA, 29 July 2006
— Kelly L in PA, 29 July 2006
"My son just charged me a dollar to watch his 'Martin Luther Lego® Play!' He acted out the whole story. It was pretty good--well worth the dollar! Sometimes I really underestimate my kids. . .
— Kelly S in Canada, 29 August 2006
— Kelly S in Canada, 29 August 2006
"Our church had a missions conference where Martin Luther was mentioned. My son leaned over to me and said. 'Hey, mom, isn't that the guy who put something on the church door and made the Bible everyone could read?' I was stunned, and so was the mom sitting next to us."
— Melissa T in VA, 30 October 2006
— Melissa T in VA, 30 October 2006
"I told my husband today, 'if I ever think of leaving Sonlight, just bonk me on the head until I start making sense again.' "
— Marie M in MD, 24 January 2006
— Marie M in MD, 24 January 2006
"My kids and I had probably the most intense discussion of our homeschooling career this morning. I saw in my children the beautiful people that God created them to be, and I saw how He was using Sonlight to do His work in their hearts. . ."
— Mary Grace, 08 June 2006
— Mary Grace, 08 June 2006
"It is such a tremendous joy to be able to really educate my children in such a stress-free way. And I am learning as much as my kids!"
— Sherry N, 21 May 2006
— Sherry N, 21 May 2006
"It's nice that my daughters don't even understand that there is a different way to learn history than the way Sonlight gives them."
— Charlotte in MN, 10 July 2006
— Charlotte in MN, 10 July 2006
"I am so grateful to Sonlight for enriching our lives this year."
—Carolyn B in MN, 07 January 2006
—Carolyn B in MN, 07 January 2006
"My older daughter has taken her favorite Sonlight Core 400 books with her while she's in college. When I bought them, she was so appreciative and asked if she could keep the ones she really loved. I said, 'Yes, these are your books. Keep what you like.'"
— Jill E, 07 April 2006
— Jill E, 07 April 2006
"The main purpose for homeschooling? To enjoy life and learning! I thank God for homeschooling, and for the Sonlight books."
— Audrey J, 14 February 2006
— Audrey J, 14 February 2006
"How does Sonlight do it? Is it their incredible taste in good, interesting literature? Help from God? No doubt! What an awesome love of literature is in our household! Sonlight is the most interesting curriculum, hands down!"
— Gertrude, 10 February 2006
— Gertrude, 10 February 2006
"I love Sonlight's I Can Read It! books. Nothing worked to encourage my 9-year-old to read until we bought these."
— Michelle H in MO, 06 March 2006
— Michelle H in MO, 06 March 2006
"Sonlight has helped 3 of my kids learn to read since February of last year. These books sold me, more than anything else, on Sonlight."
— Michelle H in MO, 06 March 2006
— Michelle H in MO, 06 March 2006
"Before starting Sonlight, we tried another program and got absolutely nowhere. My mother even told me that homeschooling would be a terrible idea. Thanks, Sonlight, for proving mom wrong! My daughter can read and loves it!"
— Jennie S in FL, 01 March 2006
— Jennie S in FL, 01 March 2006
"My 8-year-old son was in a 'special' reading program in public school (1st grade) and it was a nightmare for him. This morning with Sonlight we were on day 2 of our Reader, and he wanted to find out what happened — so he read the entire week aloud to me. It brings tears of joy when I look at the change in him. He feels good about himself again and he knows he's a good reader."
— Debbie, 10 February 2006
— Debbie, 10 February 2006
"I am homeschooling four children, and I am sold on Sonlight. When people ask me, 'How on earth do you do it? I just say, 'Sonlight!' "
— Jennifer S, 22 May 2006
— Jennifer S, 22 May 2006
"I don't really think of learning history as anything but a thirst. Sonlight helped to create it . . . and also helps slake it."
— Elaine B, 11 March 2006
— Elaine B, 11 March 2006
"Finding Sonlight was a relief for me. It was just how I wanted my children to learn history."
— Amy K in TX, 13 April 2006
— Amy K in TX, 13 April 2006
"I've found Sonlight Curriculum to be a very well thought out, organized and logical system of teaching history, but really — with the results I've gotten — they could go backwards, sideways, or upside down, and I would still use it."
— Elaine B, 13 April 2006
— Elaine B, 13 April 2006
"My family has enjoyed the Inquisikids Discover and Do Science DVD (Volume 1) so much. It is just awesome! I have never been a science fan, but I find myself looking forward to cuddling up with my son each day to learn something new and wonderful."
— Colleen A, 17 May 2006
— Colleen A, 17 May 2006
"We have watched Discover and Do so many times I feel like the guys on the DVD have moved in with us. Thank you, Sonlight, for making science fun for our whole family!"
— Kathy A, 10 June 2006
— Kathy A, 10 June 2006
"Our son, Danny, was reading Greg's Microscope this spring and fell in love with the book. He actually loved it so much that he spent his own money to buy Sonlight's microscope. It was over 4 months of his savings and earnings!"
— Julia K, 22 May 2006
— Julia K, 22 May 2006
"My daughter is not 'gifted' but, thanks to Sonlight, most people who meet her think she is!"
— Nichole C, 12 April 2006
— Nichole C, 12 April 2006
"The Harrows are a very talented family, and my children have hidden a lot of God's Word in their hearts with the help of these wonderful CDs. Thank you, Sonlight!"
— Alyssa L, 18 July 2006
— Alyssa L, 18 July 2006
"We love our new Flashmaster! Thanks, Sonlight, for carrying this! I highly recommend Flashmaster. With all the different things we tried that just didn't work, this is looking like a miracle!"
— Tracey R, 08 September 2006
— Tracey R, 08 September 2006
"My little guys love the Markable Map. It's hanging low on the wall so even my 5 year old can reach the whole thing. I still can't believe how much my kids enjoy the mapping assignments!"
— Beverly F in NJ, 01 July 2006
— Beverly F in NJ, 01 July 2006
"I was getting ready to read Children's History of the World to my kids an hour ago, and my 5-year-old daughter said to me, 'Well, okay, Mom, but no school today! You only can read!' I love you, Sonlight!"
— momof5blessings, 12 January 2006 (from the Sonlight online forums)
— momof5blessings, 12 January 2006 (from the Sonlight online forums)
"My 7-year-old was doing Singapore Math® today, and she was supposed to estimate the weight of a textbook. She looks at me--dead serious--and says, 'Mom, what's a textbook?' "I was laughing so hard I could hardly answer. I just love Sonlight Curriculum."
— Vikki in CO, 15 January 2006
— Vikki in CO, 15 January 2006
"We love the books you have picked. . . the characters truly come alive off of the pages!"
— Tatjana D, 28 February 2006
— Tatjana D, 28 February 2006
"We received our Sonlight order yesterday. My sons and I couldn't wait to open those boxes and look at all our 'goodies.' Their excitement over books warms my heart."
— Aprille F, 15 May 2006
— Aprille F, 15 May 2006
"What a fun surprise, I received my Sonlight order four days earlier than you predicted. We opened the boxes right away, and I couldn't keep the kids out."
— Cindy H, 22 May 2006
— Cindy H, 22 May 2006
"My husband just told me that our son got into his new Core D books, and has already read The Bears on Hemlock Mountain — all of it, on his own! "Thanks, Sonlight, for the wonderful books!"
— Laura H, 28 May 2006
— Laura H, 28 May 2006
"Recently we were at a doctor's office, and I was reading a Sonlight Read-Aloud to my girls. The receptionist opened up her little glass 'window' and asked me to read louder."
— Brenda E, 26 July 2006
— Brenda E, 26 July 2006
"Thank you, Sonlight, for the absolutely wonderful choices you've helped me make to bring books into our home and our lives."
—Jeana R, 01 August 2006
—Jeana R, 01 August 2006
"Thank you for developing such a quality curriculum that brings history alive, and makes it a joy to teach and to learn."
— Betsy P, 08 August 2006
— Betsy P, 08 August 2006
"Sonlight's literature selection is knockout. You can't beat it."
— Sarah H, 30 August 2006
— Sarah H, 30 August 2006
"With Sonlight, your children are learning the way learning was meant to take place, 'straight from the horse's mouth.'"
— Sarah H, 30 August 2006
— Sarah H, 30 August 2006
"Since we started homeschooling our son with Sonlight in 2nd grade, history has been his favorite subject. We decided to put him in public school this year (7th grade), for various reasons. He has been enjoying it for the most part, but was shocked to discover why so many of his friends find history dull."
— Jill G, 29 August 2006
— Jill G, 29 August 2006
"Homeschooling with Sonlight is more than just an academic pursuit. It's family fun."
— Gillian in Kenya, 23 August 2006
— Gillian in Kenya, 23 August 2006
"Sonlight literally has turned non-readers into avid readers. We have struggled to afford Sonlight, and have debated whether or not to continue at times due to expense. But I will sell, save, penny pinch, whatever it takes to keep on with Sonlight — what you've done here in my house is priceless!"
— Tara B, 10 December 2006
— Tara B, 10 December 2006
"We are definitely returning to Sonlight next year. You have set my weekends free, and I won't give that up for anything. No more long preps!"
— Elizabeth H, 28 February 2006
— Elizabeth H, 28 February 2006
"I have been using Sonlight four years now, and I just continue to be amazed at the great job you do. What attention to detail. Thank you so much for making homeschooling so enjoyable for us, for the excellent literature you choose, and for the easy-to-follow Instructor's Guides."
— Kristin S, 13 May 2006
— Kristin S, 13 May 2006
"You guys are brilliant! Whoever had the idea of printing a castle inside the shipping box is a genius! I couldn't wait to unpack the books so we could check out the box. (Sounds like my kids at Christmas!) What a neat way to recycle."
— Kristin S, 13 May 2006
— Kristin S, 13 May 2006
"As I'm using the Sonlight curriculum, a light bulb has come on for me. Homeschooling isn't only about imparting educational knowledge to my children. For me, it is also teaching them about the heart of God."
— Susanna L, 09 March 2006
— Susanna L, 09 March 2006
"Sonlight is the absolute best! I tell everyone about it. We love, love, love the literature selection."
— Negin in Grenada, 05 May 2006
— Negin in Grenada, 05 May 2006
"We really appreciate the fact that Sonlight is the only homeschooling company I am aware of that offers M-Bag for international customers. This saves us a huge bundle in shipping costs"¦ Thank you for being so customer-oriented and considerate to all of us folks living overseas!"
— Negin in Grenada, 05 May 2006
— Negin in Grenada, 05 May 2006
"The value of Sonlight lasts for years. I can't get to the library often, and with these books"¦ we are building a library."
— Pamela R, 04 February 2006
— Pamela R, 04 February 2006
"I have 4 little reasons that Sonlight is worth the cost: my kids!"
— Kathy H, 05 February 2006
— Kathy H, 05 February 2006
"Sonlight leaves me feeling like I got a good deal on a rare find!"
— Kathy C, 23 May 2006
— Kathy C, 23 May 2006
"This is the first year we have used Sonlight. Last August, I wondered if I was doing the right thing. Now, I know without doubt it was not only the right thing but most definitely 'a God thing.'"
— Rachael A, 18 January 2006
— Rachael A, 18 January 2006
"What makes Sonlight different? You introduce your children to lots of different topics and discuss them with your children (they learn effortlessly, and you get to know your child better). It is fun for the teacher, which helps the student to have more interest."
— Heather J, 04 February 2006
— Heather J, 04 February 2006
"It is so much fun to be out and about doing something not related to school, and have the boys start talking about something from school"¦ They are reviewing their own learning, and they don't even know it! Thanks, Sonlight!"
— Jeanette L, 13 Mar 2006
— Jeanette L, 13 Mar 2006
"This is a true testament to the richness of Sonlight's books because they are all my children read!"
— Kathy C, 28 May 2006
— Kathy C, 28 May 2006
"The day our Sonlight order arrived was like Christmas! I can't tell you how impressed and pleased we are with Sonlight. Thanks for terrific reading selections, thought-provoking discussions, entertaining writing assignments, and just plain solid learning."
— Lisa L, 24 July 2006
— Lisa L, 24 July 2006
"Even if we were in the US near a good Christian school, I would still use Sonlight for our kids. Thank you for making school easy for those of us who don't have many resources!"
— Katrina, 26 June 2006 (missionary living on a houseboat on the Amazon River)
— Katrina, 26 June 2006 (missionary living on a houseboat on the Amazon River)
"I am brand new to homeschooling and I'm thrilled with Sonia, your online advisor. We will be homeschooling our two oldest children this fall and I was wading through a sea of curriculum choices when I came to your site. First, I took your interactive quiz Is Sonlight right for your family?. Then, Sonia offered to help me make informed decisions. She is fantastic and has been such a useful tool! I have bookmarked your site and plan to return often. Thank you!"
— -Jennifer, February 2007
— -Jennifer, February 2007
Want to see more stories and pictures from real Sonlight families?
Request a free catalog today. Every year, we pack hundreds of photos and quotes from homeschoolers who use Sonlight into our homeschooling curriculum catalog. Discover what other homeschoolers have to say about Sonlight by reading their testimonials and stories.
If you want more proof that Sonlight works, read a few of the Sonlight Moments Sonlighters have shared with us. These inspiring and often humorous homeschool moments are a great reminder that homeschooling with Sonlight is as enjoyable as it is effective.
Find the homeschool curriculum that's right for your family now! And don't forget to come back to celebrate Box Day with us.
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