The Good and the Beautiful || Level 3 || Curriculum Unboxing by a Secular Homeschooler

[@thisgatherednest]

Thank you for such an in-depth video! The Christian doctrine doesn’t bother me (as a Christian) but I agree with you about the twaddle! That’s been our only issue so far with this curriculum.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

And it's an easy issue to adjust for if your own family culture demands it. I think the very word "twaddle" exists on a sliding scale for all of us. What some might consider twaddle, I wouldn't, and visa-versa. I'm looking forward to hearing more about your experience with TGTB over the coming year! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment - I appreciate it!

[@kristinsearight3813]

I honestly worried about this more so than anything else. I know it calls out a couple titles by name. I was worried it would vilify Harry Potter. We just ordered it a while back and I have read through 3 so far but not 4. Hopefully it wont. Being secular its hard to really find something this unique. History is proving an even bigger pain.

[@NattyBirthMama]

Kristin I struggled with history as well. I came across Bookshark and decided to try it out. So far, we are enjoying it. History Odyssey is another option but it very heavy in writing assignments and appreciated the literature approach to history.

[@kristinsearight3813]

Stefanie Weber we looked at book shark but it’s so expensive. I’d write my own from scratch but printing is so expensive. We are in the middle of a big move and my husband just dropped over $5k on an infected tooth so money is super tight. TGAB and SOTW are very affordable just not quite what we want. To many choices lol.

[@naturehomeschool6271]

@@kristinsearight3813 Check out Torchlight & Build your Library for secular history :)

[@salomecampbell2338]

This is the most honest review I have seen about the curriculum. Thank you

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@HomeschoolontheHill]

Impressively thorough, Tanya! I wholeheartedly agree with your thoughts on twaddle. I don’t think my oldest son would be the reader he is today if he’d never been introduced to Goosebumps when he was younger. That series made him love reading! I’ll never forget a woman at church trying to shame me for allowing my son to read those books, but I’m so glad I trusted my own judgement! He’s 17 now and still collects Goosebumps books. We even went to see the movie together when it came out a few years ago. Good times...😊

[@sharayahsunshine11]

Homeschool on the Hill I remember sneaking a goosebumps book home from the library and my mother caught me reading it. Got a tongue lashing from that. Lots of 'twaddle' at my house as we speak! By the way twaddle is such an awful word. haha

[@HomeschoolontheHill]

Sharayah B. 😂 I agree...strange word!

[@marcib6767]

I’m a Christian homeschooler and I have to say this curriculums approach to good books versus bad books is deeply disturbing. I too think twaddle has value. The good books vs bad books discussion complicates when there should be simplicity. I want my kids to read a variety of books - I read twaddle growing up as well as classics and I’m about to defend my PhD in American lit. Twaddle didn’t inhibit me in any way!

[@HomeschoolontheHill]

Marci B Love this comment so much!!!

[@kristinsearight3813]

My daughter is older that the recommended age for this one but shes coming out of public school with HUGE gaps. I simply explained to her its ok to read twaddle books and explained why others feel differently. The layout makes some stuff pretty easy to skip and that is one of those skippable moments. But I am kind of on the fence with it now that ive spent the money

[@Gojuninja]

Whoa! Just, whoa! Thank you so very much, I am astounded by how thoroughly you had gone through this curriculum! Thank you thank you! I am going to use this for the academic purposes, for my daughter, but did not realize that I would need to comb through this with a fine tooth comb. So, your review was extremely helpful and I genuinely appreciate all the time that you spent making this! Oh and PS, my 3 year old says hi. Lol!! 😆

[@ACommonLife]

This is such a helpful video! You have such a wonderful, helpful niche here on KZbin. Thanks for sharing this!

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Thanks, my friend!

[@cittlalyvasquez3808]

This is a great review! I really like your perspective and I completely agree. I value good morals and teaching my kids good values as well. In doing so we have to be realistic about how the world really is and that not everyone will be kind. So sometimes as you mentioned it is not good to just solely teach one certain way. That way our children are well rounded individuals who can make a difference in an ever changing society and world.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Beautifully said!

[@lisad9738]

You are an absolute breath of fresh air...so grateful for your channel💛

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Aw, thanks!

[@sjawad2902]

This is the kind of review I was looking for , thank you for this review. We just started TGTB this week , not a Christian home .

[@tashiba-thejoyfulwarrior6445]

I love your reviews Tanya. I totally agree and stopped using Level 3 at that point last year. With much thought & videos like yours has me thinking we may go back & tweak for our needs. I as a Christian, loathe indoctrination of any sort. That’s what I got from the book reviews and judgements from in lesson 4. It was cute at first but then, meh. Most Christians don’t consider this to be an absolute Christian curricula. It may be religious but not Necessarily Christian. I can definitely appreciate JUST the Language Arts portions of this curricula and that’s what we’ll use. I love the reading fluency that naturally takes place from the lists of words & word patterns. Thanks for sharing Tanya! 😊

[@sharayahsunshine11]

I agree. Indoctrination is a huge turn off for me no matter what form it comes in.

[@elizabethbrown504]

Really appreciate the point out about twaddle, a term originally coined by Charlotte Mason, the impression I am getting is that the curriculum creators don't understand the definition of the term and are misusing it in a detrimental way. I'm anti-twaddle, but I don't have a such a detailed criteria for what is twaddle and what is a living book. CM herself advocated the reading of what she called 'an elbow chair book' which is the book that is just pure entertainment to give the brain a break from working through lofty ideas. There are also reference books and light reading. Looking at Jenny's criterial for good books they definitely go beyond what CM would've used. Trial and Triumph is considered a living book and contains some pretty graphic descriptions of historical martyrdom .

[@whiteforthome8138]

Ha ha. I laughed out loud about the butt jokes!! My kids think that farting and fart jokes are the funniest thing in the world 😂😂 I tried the good and the beautiful a while back and found it slightly ridiculous to be honest. Thanks for this very honest and realistic review 👍🏻

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I’m so glad we’re not alone on the butt jokes! 😂 I agree, TGTB’s stance on morality is a bit ridiculous. My eyes rolled A LOT at some of this level’s lessons. 🙄 We will not be purchasing it again. Pretty or not, I can’t stand behind something that would disapprove of Calvin and Hobbes. 😍

[@McNamaraFamilyVlogs]

Thank you again!! I was set on this curriculum for our language arts (and our first year homeschooling), but after this I am exploring other options. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this in depth video. I haven't purchased it yet, because after watching your other video I was waiting to see this first. I really enjoy your channel, thank youA

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@erinkimmel9479]

Great review. I'm a Christian and all of that stuff you pointed out bugs me too! I always use a secular science for the same reason. Not all Christians disbelieve evolution and current scientific thinking about the creation of the world. We're currently using level 1 on a quicker pace (skipping some stuff she is already proficient on). It looks like level 2 and 3 repeat some stuff. I'd be interested to see what Level 4 is like, maybe I can skip through 2 and 3 quickly by skipping over a bunch of those types of lessons.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

We aren't currently continuing with the curriculum, but I would recommend looking at the pdfs on their website. Thanks so much for watching!

[@lightfulynx]

Thank you for your reviews. They have all solidified my choice for using The Good and the Beautiful with my son. Your reviews have shown me God is being discussed in a way that makes Him personal and relevant which makes me incredibly happy and excited. This is long but I felt compelled to share two things. First, I wanted to offer my perspective in terms of addressing things with my son that I may not completely agree with. Now and in the future when I come across a perspective I don’t agree with I use it as a discussion piece not avoid it or discount it entirely. I feel that it is very helpful to my son to see that it is possible to agree with someone/something but not have to accept EVERYTHING that is said and done, I do not expect anything in this world to be free of error and I feel that is a helpful lesson for all children. It’s ok for you to say I love ___ about this curriculum, but I am uncomfortable about _____ because _____. I believe that it is important to give a practical perspective on our beliefs and be willing to at least give the “airtime” to beliefs we do not necessarily adhere to. Plus moving forward in life I am very excited to hear the perspective my son may have on said topic, maybe his innocent mind can offer a new thought as well, or he may have his own feelings about it. Secondly I actually really appreciate Jenny Phillips strong stand on “twaddle”. If you have watched some material she has put out you would find that her book list was the beginning of what we now have as he curriculum. That through her experience (and many others) she recognized that the material her children were intentfully engaging their energy into was influencing their mind. I appreciate that she is courageous enough to remain strong in her convictions. I think that it is important to be honest to what you have found to be true, even if it offends others because either it can be discussed/debated or it brings forward a solidifying of what may not be popular but what is representing “good”. I actually also very much agree that there is little point in engaging our children in materials of any media that isn’t inspiring for them. That being said I don’t completely avoid it (as that feels judgmental) but I will discuss how “silly” it is or whatever is relevant but show great excitement and engagement towards things that I feel reinforce what I feel instill Christ-like qualities. I don’t necessarily believe that discussing the quality of material is taking away choice from your children. I would rather instill a sense of what is helpful and inspiring and then keep an open discussion on what they are reading and asking them how it is making them feel, perhaps through comparison they would come to a similar conclusion that “twaddle” like books are not bringing good or beauty to their lives or maybe they do (as you say through feeling a sense of kindred ness with a character)..... I feel it’s really important to encourage our children to form their own understanding of how Christ works through their minds and hearts. Ultimately my “goal” for my son is to foster his relationship with God, Holy Spirit and Jesus (Christ), and to continually remind him that THAT relationship in his mind is the true authority of what is helpful and loving in his life. That it is a returning to who he really is as God created him to be, and to be aware that his choices DO matter (not in a judgmental way but in a practical one) I feel that in any way as parents we have reservations with something that for the most part we resonate with (like this curriculum), it is MORE helpful to discuss your reservations with your child, maybe leave your purple book marks in (or whatever to mark it) as a reminder to have a discussion instead of avoiding all together? You are right that this world is not black and white which I feel is the very reason to discuss that some people believe that it is and that ultimately we have to seek what God would have us understand and what He would have us use in our lives. And no that will not all be pristine works, as Holy Spirit will use whatever we give to Him to help us see His light. I truly hope this came out clearly and understandable. It may be long but it came out naturally and with the intention to be helpful Love to you and your family

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Thanks for taking the time to leave such a detailed and well-framed comment. I agree with much of what you have said as your reasons for using a particular curriculum, and I'm glad that my reviews helped you in solidifying your decision to use TGTB. Although I am not Christian, I think the morals and values described in TGTB are, indeed, good and beautiful. EXCEPT for the judgmental attitude inherent in TGTB's stance on twaddle. I don't think supplying your child with an ample supply of robust literature (including the books on TGTB list) is a bad thing - on the contrary, I don't read ANY twaddle aloud to my kids. But once they become independent readers, I offer them the freedom to explore the wonderful world of books with relative freedom. If they want to delve deeply into the wit and wisdom of Calvin and Hobbes, I rejoice. If they want to read through the Star Wars chronicles, I'm good. If they want to read Captain Underpants, I wince a bit, but it makes me happy to see them early devouring the book and laughing aloud periodically. I like what my friend Challice (@sodbusterliving) says about this topic - to paraphrase, it's like a meal. You don't want to load up on a dinner of candy, but it's fun to have a piece every now and then. And different types of candy as well - so you can find your favorite twaddle style/genre/author and indulge in it from time to time. But you feed yourself mainly on a hefty dose of good literature. I'm happy the videos helped - that was the whole purpose of filming them. We can definitely disagree with parts of a curriculum and still find it worthy of our time. I think Jenny crafted a lovely curriculum - I just happen to disagree strongly with some elements. And just to clarify, there are very few instances of religion where I would avoid them with my children - the lessons I spoke of removing are generally the ones addressing twaddle and religious freedom in schools. Love to you and your family as well!

[@lightfulynx]

Project Happy Home Thank you for your response :) I like your analogy! I agree as well... Perhaps I was not totally clear that I was referring also to the twaddle portion as well, my main (long winded - I shouldn’t write too late at night I realized lol!) point was that all things that we feel uncomfortable with could potentially be great speaking points with our children. Admittedly I personally have a great love of fantasy novels, and movies and video games. I have come to see these entertainment sources as beneficial in an indirect way, a way to relax and enjoy archetypal teachings that I have such a deep interest in. So using myself as an example there can be much depth found in unlikely places... ultimately I agree that I will rejoice with my son being engaged in what he feels called to but will keep an open discussion on its value Thank you for opening this topic, I had a good conversation with a friend today about it as well. Look forward to your next videos :)

[@milaalvarez3145]

This was a great review! Thank you for sharing 💗 We are new to this fascinating world of homeschooling. I’ve watched a few of your videos , I appreciate the information you share and the way you share it.

[@OneMamaToAnother]

Very thorough! I have no problem with my kids reading twaddle as long as it's balanced with books that have complex language and good morals. We used those book lessons as a jumping off point to talk about the principle of good/better/best and the need for balance in the things we do.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I agree! Thanks so much for watching!

[@tonicintron6764]

We just began this curriculum this year. It's amazing.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I'm happy to hear it! Thanks for watching!

[@WillRosy]

Thank you for this review! As a new Christian homeschooling family I am looking at this curriculum and love to see how it is on an academic and religious/belief level. I agree with you on some of the twaddle things as well as the other passages (father/mother, Native Americans in the reader), however, I have always tried to find the balance between avoiding unnecessary exposure to negative things in media, conversations, books, etc. and using it as a learning moment and teaching my son about differences and choices. I actually like that the curriculum teaches about how to choose a good book and makes the student aware of these messages that are more hidden and not something kids think about. I also can share that this is the author’s opinion and not a hard fact, since he knows about facts and opinions. I don’t know if you have looked into TGATB’s book list and ratings and how they are chosen or why some are on the “do not read” list, but I actually really like it, especially for younger children. Books aren’t taken off just because there’s a tough situation or death, but really if it portrays a negative attribute in a positive light, which I have seen my own kiddo start to do because it seems ok. So, for me, I think we will love this curriculum, but I am glad you’ve shared some of these things ahead of time so I can be proactive about using them as teaching moments!

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I loved your response! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience and feelings about the curriculum. I think the curriculum has many great things about it, and I appreciate your insights into the book list. Thanks for watching!

[@kfranklin926]

Thanks For this review! I didn’t (and still don’t) have any plans to use this curriculum, but I did find myself intensely curious about it since everyone is talking about it right now. Loved getting the secular perspective on this.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Thanks, my friend! How's life at your homestead going this summer?

[@kfranklin926]

Project Happy Home hot and full of adventure! I need to do an update on our newest residents. I hope you and your family have been having an awesome summer.

[@AmyReindl]

Thanks for going into such great detail. Double thumbs up! I have two teens. One is a boy (atheist like his dad) and is 17. One is a girl (Christian like me) and is 15. I started both of them last month in TG&TB Level 4 LA to get some remedial work done, especially in grammar and writing. Writing picks up a great deal in Level 4. Since my son is now a senior (I wish I had listened to him sooner), he asked if he could instead have materials where he doesn’t have to trip on God all the time. I used Sonlight for his entire education up until now. I should have wised up sooner. My daughter loves TG&TB, but she also loves reading Stephen King. I can’t imagine trying to use TG&TB with young children. I don’t believe in the creation story. I’m a Christian, and I’ve developed this way of thinking God must have lit the match that sparked the Big Bang or something, if that makes sense. So, for my son, we are using Timberdoodle’s non-religious choices for language arts, and some of their other awesome selections. Also, we are all studying together two unit studies from Build Your Library: Darwin and Evolution, and Prehistory. A month ago I dumped everything we were doing except my son’s math, and started fresh. It’s so liberating! I didn’t realize there were so many secular homeschool choices these days. We love to read, so I just blindly stuck with what I knew for 15 years.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

We're huge fans of BYL, too! Thanks so much for watching!

[@happynewmom]

Though I am Christian, I use secular homeschool curriculums. This review was very useful. Thanks

[@ProjectHappyHome]

You’re welcome! Glad it was helpful.

[@JL-vx1rb]

Wow you’ve convinced me to purchase this curriculum 📚

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I'm glad it was helpful - it's good to get a look inside to see what would work for our own families. :)

[@jessicacook2647]

Have you found anything similar layout to this without the religion? I love the layout having everything on one book all laid out already.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I haven't! That would be great, wouldn't it? I do enjoy Hewitt Homeschooling's Lightning Literature - it incorporates grammar, composition, writing, and reading.

[@thebestevernurseshow9427]

Please make a video on Charlotte mason style secular alternatives for TGTB. I like the way TGTB is organized and also includes CM style. I like how math and English are usually separate but you can teach science and history together.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I haven't used it myself, but I've heard good things about this secular SM curriculum: wildwoodcurriculum.org/

[@susanmeade]

Thank you so much for this review! I have seen this curriculum and was always curious about the amount of Christian doctrine. I am curious about all curricula labeled as Christian, because although we are not a Christian family, we are not allergic to the occasional mention of God. I feel that I would have the same issues that you found with the twaddle argument and the 2-dimensional good stuff versus bad stuff presentation. I very much value your opinion and appreciate the time that you put into this thorough review.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Thanks for the encouragement!

[@bbaums13]

Thank you for making this video; it was very helpful! I’m researching homeschool curriculum, specifically secular curriculum, and everyone raves about this curriculum and I was hoping to find info to see if I could make it work for us. I’ll definitely check out your other videos.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

We ended up giving this level away and cutting out only about 40 pages of level 1 to use, but my youngest has been enjoying the K level.

[@brandyrussell9941]

I loved this video. I loved how well you laid your point out. My son is not a homeschooler (pre and post corona), he'll be going back to private school. However, we are hybrid learners (after schooling). I am buying the curriculum, mainly because the cohesiveness is exactly what I'd want. But I had been on the fence about the readers, since your video I have decided against it. I am buying level K and the reader is not a requirement. In other reviews the Mormon aspects were mentioned, which is a beautiful way of life. But I want him to be exposed to things he can relate to. I also agree about reading twaddle, I feel the same about that as I feel about reading banned books. I believe they each bring a unique gift to the reader and writer. Thank you for the review.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I loved how you expressed the value of “twaddle.” Thanks so much for watching!

[@praylovehomeschool3997]

This is such an amazing in depth review.I am currently using TGATB Pre-K and Kindergarten as a supplement to their core curriculum with my children. I am debating on if I’m going to be using the higher levels not because of the mention of God but because of the strong attacks of twaddle and the indoctrination that the higher levels have in it. I will say that the lower levels aren't as harsh and aren't as indoctrinated. I mean I am a Christian but I believe that children should be able to read twaddle and to form their own thoughts and opinions about things rather than being told what to think. I really appreciate your in depth reviews they are helpful in my decision making process.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Couldn't agree more - you said it very eloquently! Thanks for watching!

[@dluevanobaker]

I would rather my kids be reading, period, than telling them what is worth reading vs what isn’t worth reading. That message is damaging. Thanks for this review!

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I agree! Thanks so much for watching!

[@morganscott8879]

Thank you SO much for going over this & sharing your insight. Very helpful!

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@katelyse]

Thanks for the in depth review! It was sooo informative for this year and the underlying philosophy of the writer.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@letitiam7985]

I thought I was the only one that thought the same. I myself read a variety of books but have if that ability to do so help me understand different characters and the depth of characters. However most children’s book resolve whatever bad is happening or has happened. Think they are great talking points because maybe my kids will see them selves within the characters to some extent and can recognize right and wrong but also recognize the complexity of the nature of human beings etc. I think twaddle has a place in the world of books. I mean even as an adult I like to read for entertainment not just to extract good lessons or information.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Exactly! I agree. Sometimes it is fun to read fluff. And flawed characters teach us so much about the human experience.

[@kalenclark]

It is always interesting to hear your well-spoken perspective. TG&TB didn't work for us for LA (I was really surprised/saddened) but we're still using it for science. I was tempted to use it for history but I was afraid there'd be more issues like what you found with the Native American passage.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I think the history would be tough to tweak, and some of my more religious friends have even found the Christian content to be overwhelming. I'm glad the review was helpful. Thanks so much for watching!

[@afroditigreekmom]

Thank you for the honest review!

[@tabkins]

Thank you so much for this review. I was considering this for my kids. I would have been disappointed knowing how hard they are going against various books. That is not even necessary to add. If they want to suggest books they value fine, but don’t trash other reading options. That is shocking to me.

[@ryaneparrish]

Great video. We are new to homeschool this year and prefer secular curriculum... But "spiritual" and ok with God being mentioned... It's really hard to measure the level of "secular" material in a curriculum. Sooooo great video! I would love to see more videos like this! Thank you!

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@jackieinlalaland2843]

I love your reviews and insight. I was wondering if you have a video on level 2? I am considering the level 2 but I am very concerned about the twaddle conversations. I was wondering if it was possible to just completely ignore it? Also, loved when your kids popped up.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

We actually did not decide to continue with this program because of the twaddle perspective. And my kids weren't gelling with it anyway. We are enjoying Hewitt Homeschooling's Lightning Literature a great deal!

[@scwendy6302]

I know this is an older video, but it was very helpful! We are using TGATB with my 8 year old son who didn’t have a great relationship with reading and writing as we are wrapping up “2nd” grade. We chose level one and recently started it in earnest. I think it will really give him a great foundation (with EC which we love), but I suspect that once he is a stronger reader and writer, we will likely switch. Regarding twaddle, I encourage reading a variety of types of books as long as it’s not age inappropriate. I mean, I credit the Diary of a Wimpy Kid with really creating an appreciation for reading for pleasure! I do not want my children taught creationism or young earth type material as fact. Also, I believe in separation of church and state. It so happens that I am also Catholic, so I’m not offended by mentions of God, but the issues you raised would likely make this a poor fit in the upper levels. We love Lightning Literature and I hope to be able to make the switch once he is more proficient.

[@tillyp9953]

I've heard so many great things about TGATB, but we are also secular homeschoolers. Thank you for taking the time to go through it and point things out. I would also have issues with the "twaddle" portion. I saw another review (possibly a higher level) where the curriculum said the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is all bad. My son loves that series, and it's what got him into reading for fun! I also will read along or listen to the audio book versions with him and I find them hilarious :) The main character is far from perfect and is sometimes a jerk to his best friend and gets embarrassed by his parents, but that is more like a real kid in the world than the sugar coated stories. It does make for good discussions. With that being said, my son's previous public school actually pulled the Captain Underpants series from their library, so I guess book banning is still alive and well, even in public schools.

[@HomeschoolontheHill]

Tilly P My boys loved the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and I quote the movies all the time...seriously all the time!

[@gymlifeacademy1738]

Totally agree with the Twaddle! I just skip those lessons or those explanations and we read what we want

[@ProjectHappyHome]

It’s so nice to have the freedom to pick and choose what we share. No reason to throw out a whole curriculum for one or two points of contention. 😊

[@mamamatheson1889]

Any chance you'd review the new simply good and beautiful math? I'd love another secular homeschoolers opinion.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I’d be happy to if they would send it my way. All the printing costs get to be a bit much.

[@TheLadyWildfire]

As a new secular homeschooler this year, I'm finding it pretty difficult to find curriculum that is fun and engaging and also limited in religious mentions. I would love to see what curricula you did decide to use as a core for this subject and the others. I like that TGATB is affordable and seems well put together but I'm not sure if I'm able to tweak it enough to fit our homeschool.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

It's very tweakable at the early levels, but I think it is less so by Level 3. Thanks so much for watching!

[@kikiwylde]

We went to use this level last year and I dropped it at lesson 4 😉 However, I have picked it up again now and am using it in pieces. I don't give it to my son but I pull out spelling, punctuation and grammar lessons and use them in our morning literacy stations. I wouldn't be able to use it as is though

[@ProjectHappyHome]

We actually ended up cutting out relevant/fun lessons and dumping the rest. It wasn't a great fit for my kids, but I think it could be perfect for others. Thanks so much for watching!

[@mamamatheson1889]

I love Mail Monday!

[@aprillee6867]

Do you think that it would still be a full curriculum for a non religious person with taking out all the religious content? And are there more instances of offensive comments like the one about native americans or was that the only one. I'm really disappointed as I was really excited to use this! Its so beautiful and comprehensive! What did you decide to use for your 3rd grader instead?

[@sjones9944]

Yes I think it would. I'm a Christian but skip parts of it because I feel its too much (though its less than other Christian curriculums I've used for sure). There really isn't an overwhelming view of god in it from my perspective so it could be skipped.

[@sjones9944]

The twaddle parts we skipped. I think it was easily done and we talk about our families standards instead. The whole books are good or bad part was overkill in my perspective. But I am using it and loving it otherwise! It has caught my highschooler up in grammar easily and thoroughly 😁

[@ProjectHappyHome]

That’s great! It’s awesome when we find things that work for our families.

[@Plasticsynapses]

I think we are doing level 3 this year... honestly because I love the art incorporation and the open and go... do you think it is possible to flip through and edit out the religious aspects and the “twaddle” and still have a valid curriculum? I have no issue with redacting a curriculum to make it work but I want to make sure I won’t be redacting the whole darn thing. I love your review by the way, my homeschool/secular views are very similar to yours... if you ended up using something else- what did you use?

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I think it is entirely possible to redact out the parts that don’t align with your values and still have a good experience with this curriculum. We ended up sending this to a friend and using Hewitt Homeschooling’s Lightning Literature for Grade 3 in addition to supplemental grammar/phonics resources from Evan-Moor, Explode the Code, and Grammar Minutes. I have review videos for Lightning Lit as well, and we LOVED it! Next year will be our third year with it.

[@katelyse]

Have you tried Language Smarts by the Critical Thinking Company? If so, do you like it as much as Mathematical Reasoning by the CTC? I just saw it on the back of my child’s Mind Benders book.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I'm so sorry on the delay in responding - I didn't like their Language Smarts books at all! I was very disappointed. I think I mention them in a language arts review video.

[@katherinetrumbauer5011]

I'm so dissapointed that they increase the twaddle stuff inlevel 3. We are new to homeschooling secular home schools and have been using level k and level 2 and also the arthropod science unit for a few weeks now. My kids have responded really well to this curriculum and I love the family style science lessons. I have easily been able to tweak things to fit with our beliefs and ideals. The science unit has actually been fantastic! We are also using another curriculum as our spine and just filling in gaps with TGATB.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I'm glad the review gave you more info. Thanks so much for watching!

[@thewordrules]

Public, private, home school, religious or secular..., there will be ideas that parents do not agree with their children learning. The key is to know what they are reading or being taught and try to explain that there are different ideas in the world about many things. In fact, children may develop different ideologies from their parents as they grow and develop. There is no perfect curriculum or school for anyone. Simply guide your kids down a road of acceptance of others even if beliefs are very different. Let them read diverse literature, though I do think that literature modeling good character traits is important. I would also allow my children the opportunity to explain why they do or do not enjoy certain books, I would not expect them to adopt the rules of any curriculum's beliefs hook, line and sinker. Lessons can be tweaked or even skipped. I've done that with all curriculum I've used over the years.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Agreed! It all depends on how much you want to tweak or skip, and whether there is something else that might be a better fit for your family. Discernment in reading is an important skill, whether we’re reading fiction or non.

[@jessicahope1180]

Can u just teach my kids too! I feel like your views are amazingly balanced!

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Thanks for the encouragement! ☺️

[@magantT0309]

Thank you for this video! really helped me!

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I'm so glad! Thanks so much for watching!

[@NattyBirthMama]

I would to hear more about what you ARE using!

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Our language arts this year will include Torchlight, Build Your Library, Hewitt Lightning Literature, and a smattering of Michael Clay Thompson. Whew!

[@milaalvarez3145]

I have a question! I was watching another review and it mentioned that a lessons takes 90 minutes! Are they? If so, can it be modified to 30 minutes? I can't imagine sitting a child for 90 minutes... The reviewer it not a fan of the curriculum so I think you will give an honest response. Thank you! *We are on 1st grade , level 1.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I did not end up using Level 3, but in my experience with other levels, the lessons were much faster. And remember that you can tweak and adjist based on your child's needs.

[@milaalvarez3145]

Project Happy Home thank you! I’m still going to go for it since we are either doing Level K or Level 1. I will keep it to 30 minutes or not do it every day. Unless my daughter is really enjoy the work. Thank you for all the great videos they have been an amazing help!

[@chubbybunny7665]

I'm so glad you did this in depth review. It is a very pretty curriculum. I especially liked how pretty the science looked. Its the artist in me 😆 But yeah, I totally agree with you on all your points. We mix "twaddle" with what probably isn't considered twaddle. My kids helped pick our books this upcoming year so they are looking forward to it. That's what matters the most to me. I was on the fence if I could edit it enough, so thanks again! Clarified a lot.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I'm so glad it helped! I think the twaddle thing is over-the-top, but the rest of the curriculum is generally quite good. I hope it works out for us this year. Thanks for watching!

[@rebornsnuzzles2573]

Well, they would be quite unhappy to know that our third grade curriculum is Wizards and Wands from The Waldock Way and is completely "twaddle". 😉 We've built everything around it, including our math, cursive instruction, and unit studies (owls; spiders, slugs, and scorpions; and Who Is JK Rowling?). We are using the Disgusting Critters series by Elise Gravel and The Owl Diaries series by Rebecca Elliot for even more "twaddle" as our independent reading material. 😂 🤫 Don't tell on us.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Lips sealed. 😂🙌🏽

[@thetherapymama6404]

That as a very thorough review. I've wondered if I would be okay with it since I'm a Christian...I didn't know if mormon beliefs would present a problem. But I think the twaddle stance would really turn me off.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

It definitely put a funny taste in my mouth, but I'm particular about that censorship stuff. I'm glad it helped give you a look inside the curriculum.

[@larisatradestoneinsurance1176]

Proverbs 22:6 6Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

Yes.

[@denisejohnson4037]

Is this curriculum mastery or spiral?

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I always find this to be a tricky question in language arts because everything builds on what cane before, but if I had to say, it is largely mastery with some phonics/spelling spiraling.

[@denisejohnson4037]

@@ProjectHappyHome Thanks. I bought 180 days of language because of your flip through. It was exactly what we needed. A repetitive spiral supplement.

[@laurabethashley1]

Dork Diaries rock! The bible is full of really bad behavior. I love the bible also. God gets human imperfection. I have seven sons and three daughters. Boys especially have weird sense of humors. Butts, balls, anything wiener, they snicker. Wait until they are teens? If I had a quarter for every time they said, "that's what she said." I would be rich. I am ruined from reading fortune cookies. They have a game where they add "in bed" at the end of every one of them. I will be crying from laughing by the time I am done. I am not using TGATB for the same reasons and I am a christian. It was very much about "do good things to go to the good place" God is not that kind of Father. He loves us unconditionally!

[@kristinsearight3813]

Nice to see Christians with a sense of humor. My daughter is only 10 but shes picking up the humor. Someone recently taught her the term "Tbag" and now I am thinking oh boy here we go! Butts are funny, anyone naked it funny, thats what she said is funny. Farts...funny, burping...funny. We arent Christian, though the rest of my family and my husbands are Catholic. My father refused to allow my brother and I to be raised as such and hard line stances like TGAB takes add to the stigma many have in regards to religion. I bought the curriculum and ended up using it as a guide and just rewrote it all. It took me all summer. I plan to have my child learn creation and religion from many parts of the world. I really do like the Christian lessons that teach hey be nice, be kind, help others but the more I go through the book the less I like. I am retyping more and more and replacing more as I go through. The grammar lessons are spot on though which is sad because they really ruin a great thing with the heavy stance on those "purple stickies" she had marked off. I already bought 2 years of it too ugh

[@unicorn-ek4pf]

Also there is nothing wrong with reading books just for "fun" and understanding that what the characters are doing is wrong.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I agree. Thanks so much for watching!

[@jenniferf.1601]

One of the things I found the most interesting about your video was at the end when you talked about how your child can read well, but because of his age he can't tell the difference between fact and opinion and there are part of this curriculum that you wouldn't want him exposed to. Ironically, you make the very same point in that sentence that the curriculum is making about "twaddle"...it's just that YOUR opinion of twaddle differs from theirs. It's intellectually dishonest to claim one opinion is better than another 😏

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I disagree. I think the definition or bounds of what constitutes twaddle isn’t at issue here. Obviously my opinion differs from theirs, and that is fine. That’s not intellectual dishonesty, it’s a difference of opinion. But I disagree with the censorship of twaddle. I don’t think their definitions of what constitutes good/bad literature constitute twaddle. And it is precisely that delineation, clearly laid out in lesson form, that I would not present to my child.

[@denisejohnson4037]

I have to disagree with you about reading. I believe what you put in is what you put out. The books they recommend have good messages yes, but the children also make mistakes then learn from them. Mainstream books portray parent/child relationships as being nonexistent. The parents are often times not involved in the children lives and often dumb. Which is seen in books as normal and funny. If we keep having our children read books that have bullying, laziness, being dumb is funny etc then eventually they will learn that as being normal and will exert their behaviors as such.

[@ProjectHappyHome]

I think it’s important to monitor what they’re reading and to have meaningful discussions about the problematic content. Like anything else, it’s about a varied but healthy diet of books/content. Providing them with more wholesome and meaningful books should serve to round out their experience. 💚