3 Questions to Ask Before You Buy Homeschool Curriculum
Every August, my inbox and Instagram feed start looking the same: curriculum recommendations everywhere. And if I'm honest, I know how tempting it can be to wonder if this will be the resource that finally makes homeschooling feel easy.
I've been there.
After years of homeschooling (and buying my fair share of curriculum!), I've realized that the best decisions usually aren't made by asking, “What is everyone else using?” Instead, they've come from asking three simple questions:
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Is it biblical?
Will it help our family know, love, and treasure God more? Who are the curriculum creators and what is their background? Not every subject has to be explicitly devotional, but I want the resources we invite into our home to be consistent with a biblical worldview. -
Is it beautiful?
This may seem like an unusual question, but I've learned how much it matters. Beautiful books and thoughtfully designed resources make me want to gather my children around the table. And because I'll be spending more time with the curriculum than anyone, I need to be drawn to it if I'm actually going to use it. -
Is it manageable?
Will I actually use it? Does it fit the season our family is in? The most comprehensive curriculum isn't always the wisest choice if it consistently leaves us feeling discouraged or behind. A manageable plan (family-style, if possible!) that gets done is always better than a perfect plan that stays on the shelf.
At Brighter Day Press, these three words—biblical, beautiful, and manageable—have become the filter for everything we create. My hope is that they'll become a helpful filter for your family as well, no matter what curriculum you choose this year!
If you're curious what we've actually used in our own homeschool over the years, you can see our curriculum choices from last year (and previous years) in this post.
