Self Education

Folks in the Northern Hemisphere will be heading into autumn and soon winter will be upon you. One of our favorite winter Nature Activities is to read some of our most inspiring nature books . We also wait for a break in the rain and sail leaf boats down the gutters, splash in some puddles and return home for some hot chocolate!

Charlotte Mason

Self education in the Charlotte Mason homeschool is where the child is able to do the “work” herself. This does not mean to say that you assign your child a page of maths and disappear. It means that you have opened up the world of books to your children. It means that you teach them the skills they need to tap into information. Those skills are reading, research methods and library skills. In this day, computer and internet skills are also part of this discipline.

Family and Sibling Play

Here is a frugal family fun idea...we have annual membership cards to 3 places in Cape Town. We belong to the Botanical Society which gives us free admission to botanical gardens all over the country. We love going to these gardens where the children can romp and play and then settle for a picnic and a bit of nature study.

We also belong to our aquarium. This is an educational outing that the children never tire off. We sometimes time our visit with feeding time so they can watch the sharks and seals being fed.

Lastly we belong to our National Parks Board. We use this card regularly as my husband takes the children mountain biking in the forests that are regulated by our National Parks Board.

Look into some annual memberships in your area, you save money and you have a great time outdoors.

Organizational Tips

One area that most moms need help with is getting their children to do their chores well and without dawdling. Charlotte Mason had the answer for this. It is found in her teachings of habit training. A chore chart such as the ones on my site will not get your children to do their chores. Even the new detailed chore lists will not get them enthusiastic about their jobs! But the coming alongside your children and the consistent training in the habit of orderliness will get the results that you need. It is well worth your while to spend your children’s early years instilling these good habits into their character. It will bring you days ahead that are not marred my unfortunate attitudes. By the way – it’s never to late to get your children doing their chores!

Romantic Ideas

My husband recently resigned from his job which means that he has left the security of receiving a monthly pay check. With it came many budget cuts including our bi-weekly evening out. We just cannot afford a meal or movie and a babysitter for one night out, for now. We have reverted back to some old favorite DVD’s from our collection with some yummy treats for “date night”.

Quote

“ The teacher [parent] who allows his [her] scholars the freedom of the city of books is at liberty to be their guide, philosopher and friend; and is no longer the instrument of forcible intellectual feeding.”
Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education .

Living books

Sonlight Curriculum is saturating us in the medieval period as I mentioned last time. My children have so enjoyed their read-alouds in this theme that we completed them way ahead of schedule. This week I started to read the first in a series of books called Tales of Karensa These four books are a biblical analogy set on an island complete with kings, knights and castles. My children have been hanging on every word as the narrative of the spiritual battle in the heavenlies is played out in words. I have reviewed them on my Bibles and faithbuilding page , but you can purchase them through Amazon.uk as well.

A book that our youngest son has enjoyed in our medieval adventures is a bedtime story book called, The Kiss That Missed. I am not sure if Charlotte Mason would approve, but I know my son does. The story starts when the very busy king blows a kiss to his son from the doorway at bedtime – but is misses. A brave knight is sent to recapture the "Kiss That Missed”. Really delightful! South African parents can order it through Kalahari.net

Other updates to Homeschool Curriculum for Life

Site Build It! is such a versatile and advanced website building platform that it allows me to add in excess of 800 pages! I say this with a big grin on my face as I am yet to reach 110! But this month I added three groups of PDF’s for you to download to answer your children’s questions at chore time: But how do I do it? These lists are designed for you to print off and place into plastic sleeves and to be used as a point of reference for you, and them if they are reading, to guide them through their chores.

I have also added a few more articles to encourage you in your role as homeschool moms.

Take care until next time,
God’s richest blessings to you as you homeschool,
Wendy