I'm looking for some recommendations, please.

I want something that dh and I can read, ourselves, as well as something we could hand to the children as they come of such an age. Uh, not necessarily in the same book, sorry, that was kind of confusing.

Something that defines what courtship is as well as a sort of 'guideline'.

Any help?


I had a couple recs previously but have completely forgotten the titles. And I am REALLY *really* wanting to read more about this. It's time to start preparing my boys. I mean, really *preparing* them. I have an almost 11 yr old for goodness sake...how'd that happen? :p

(and yes, I obviously have a fondness for the word 'really' today :mrgreen: sorry [halo] )

How about- "Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello to Courtship" by Josh Harris. He's the guy who wrote that book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye."

Ditto to what LL said. We have that book and read it some before we were married. One caution though: some parts are for older readers so keep that in mind when using for 10/11 year olds.

Yeah I've considered his stuff..nothing just jumped out at me as something 'for the kids' Teens, ok, sure. But not where mine are right now..EARLY INTRO stuff needed here.
But Josh Harris' stuff is certainly on our list..for ourselves and for future reference.

I remember reading a great book called "When God Writes your Love Story" by Eric and Leslie Ludy. I don't remember that it would be a great book for a 10-11 yearold, but maybe for you and your husband, to get more info.
I think it's great that you and your husband are thinking about this now, and not when your 16 yearold son comes to you and says "Dad and Mom, there's this girl I'm going to ask out."

I love that Elizabeth Elliott book, Passion & Purity. I read it about 9 yrs. ago but found it such a blessing in that area of courtship and dating. I also liked the Josh Harris books too!

I haven't anything much to add, I've found some interesting resources on the web but not anything I'd share with my girls at this point. Watching this thread though as it's something dh and I have talked lots about lately. We're starting a bit late too as our eldest dd will be twelve this summer! Anyone else with some good reads?

Tara, I'm just praying for you to find a mentor family :)

I've read a couple different books but none of them did what being around a family that practices this did. We were blessed to make friends with a family that have a 20 year old daughter and 18 year old son going through courtship right now and then they have a couple kids around our kids age. The oldest two talk openly about their experiences and desires. It has been great.

The other best thing we've done is we pray each day with our children about what the Lord would have for them, including spouses. Our daughter who just turned 11 last month told us that about a year ago she started praying to God and asking Him that when He brings her future hubby along she will be know based on one thing that is only between her and the Lord. She believes He will honor this request because it is a pure request of not missing Him. I believe she is right. She won't telling me what that "one thing" is, but she said it isn't something that would happen on accident ( I was hoping it wasn't something like they share a favorite color ;) hee hee).

The other thing is we just talk openly about our ways and we also talk openly about families that don't follow this. Not to compare but because they see certain behaviors of those kids and how difficult it is for them. My daughter's best friend has a broken heart every other week because of a "boyfriend". She keeps tell her it doesn't have to be like that and her friend's response is that the popular girls do it :( While the situation breaks my heart, it just reinforces what we are doing.

That's great advice, Jeanine. Thanks for sharing!

I just wanted to tell you about this site, maybe as a homeschool mom you know of it anyway. I saw they had a section for courtship
www.timberdoodle.com (http://www.timberdoodle.com)

I like the idea of a mentor family too!

We are fortunate to be in a church with folks who practice courtship. One family is already..wow...they've just been such a blessing and encouragement to me. Just by watching them. By seeing how the children behave. By seeing how the mom tends to the children. What behavior is and isn't allowed and how improper behavior is promptly dealt with. Those kinds of things that just say to me 'you're doing the right thing, keep on that road, be consistent, see? it does produce good results'. That family has two teenagers as well as two youngers. Another family is just entering this age as their oldest two are a couple years older than my Eldest. (the girl just turned 14)
So, I do have 'mentor families'. I just also want to read up on it a bit myself. So I can have that general idea, as well as what these families in particular do...then moosh it all around to come up with our own plan of action :)