Establishing a home education philosophy in the beginning stages of your journey is very helpful when it comes to curriculum planning, time management and explaining to your Mother-in-Law what it is you are doing. It is also helpful if you are in a province that requires you register with a school board. Each school board has its own educational philosophy. If you know your family's educational philosophy first it is easier to discover which board's philosophy is closer to yours before your register.
The books below are helpful in recognizing which home education style fits your family. You may not be able to read all of them at once, but reading one a year helps keep your focus fresh and introduces you to other viable educational philosophies.