About the Author
Cindy Rollins is a homeschooling mother of nine, including 8 boys. She homeschooled using the Charlotte Mason for thirty consecutive years.
Now that her youngest is in a public high school, she enjoys a “quiet” retirement. She tutors homeschoolers, speaks at conferences, co-hosts a Circe Institute podcast, and writes (amazing) books.
Why this Book?
The majority of blogs are written by young moms. Which is fine! It’s nice to identify with someone in the same season of life as you. But years of experience do matter. That’s why you’ll rarely catch me talking about parenting here. I haven’t earned the right to an opinion just yet. Cindy Rollins demonstrably has.
In Paul’s letter to Titus, older/experienced women are advised to teach the younger or less experienced ones. It’s symmetrical then that younger women ought to listen, and gratefully receive the instruction of older women.
Cindy doesn’t lecture or scold the reader. This isn’t an instruction manual with timetables and bullet points. Mere Motherhood is an engrossing memoir of a life well loved.
My Favorite Takeaways
Cindy is both modest about her family’s successes, and honest with their low points. Truly, we don’t have as much control over our children as we think. When a certain toddler is standing in the shopping cart and screaming “Elmo!”, I have less control than I want.
However, the reverse is also true. When a child chooses the right, you didn’t control over that either. Your children are, as Charlotte Mason famously said, born persons. Their successes are sadly not your successes. But then again neither are their failures.
{Nota bene: I am not advocating any kind of parental neglect beyond a judicious bit of masterly inactivity. Rather, let your parenting be led by love, not fear.}
If I had to choose one word that embodies the whole book, it would be peace. Just like sitting on the front porch, hot cup of coffee in hand, while she says “Peace, my sister. Peace.”
Read a sample of Cindy Rollins’ beautiful work at Mere Motherhood.