A creature of habit

Charlotte Mason

One of the first things that grabbed my attention about Charlotte Mason was her emphasis on creating habits in our children, and ourselves. When I met Charlotte Mason I had lots of habits…bad ones! I liked to sleep late. I ate quick and easy foods. I never finished the tasks I started….well, you get the idea. With the adoption of a habit mentality comes Charlotte Masons grace approach saying: “Deal with one habit at a time.”

So I started on making and eating healthy, whole food types of meals. When that was well underway I started on my next habit – seeking the Lord in the morning. This one has stayed with me now for 10 years and I will never give it up.

Training our children in good habits will set them up to achieve much in their spiritual, physical and academic lives. I deal with the training in habits extensively on my site with specific reference to children’s chores . You can also read about other habits that are valuable in a homeschool at the article: Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life .

Family and Sibling Play

Just after Christmas I decided that a new habit I need to acquire is a more serious exercise regime. But I also get bored easily so I wanted something that could happen in different places, without too much cost and could include my children as far as possible. My dear husband reminded me that I have a very fancy mountain bike that he bought for me a year ago just sitting in the back room.

My oldest children have been mountain biking for two years with my husband and they offered to take me on a ride with them. So we have been heading out a few times each week into our mountains and enjoying the exercise and nature around us, except for the time we rode into the Alpha male Chacma baboon….but that is another whole story.

What can you do as a family for fitness? Remember making sure our children get enough excercise is another way to love our children .

Organizational Tips

When I collected my dry cleaning today the assistant asked me how I manage to cope with homeschooling, housekeeping and a business. It really is simple…if you diligently train your children to work with you, you will reap many long term rewards in this area. A friend who is pregnant with her 5th baby is laying down good habits in her children by getting them to help fold their laundry and pack it away. I started cooking with my children when they were little, gradually giving them more responsibility.

As I get up early weekdays, I sleep a little later on a Saturday. Often on these mornings I wake to find my oldest child having prepared Scrambled Eggs or Flapjacks for us. What a treat.

Romantic Ideas

Sometimes we need to habitually remember to seek time for our marriage as we bustle about schooling, feeding hordes, cleaning and helping. As I have mentioned before we are on a tight budget so going out for dinner and movies is not always feasible.

My husband and I have a date night on a Monday from 6 – 7.30pm where we go for a mountain bike ride on our own. Last night we went far up to see the deforestation that is sadly taking place. On the previous Monday we were privileged to have a sparrow hawk land next to us on a log.

Not everyone has a mountain where you can ride, but a friend of mine had a date morning every week day with her husband in summer as they went for a walk at sunrise. Dates need not be expensive, remember you are just setting a habit in place to keep your marriage as a priority.

Quote

"...the education of habit is successful in so far as it enables the mother to let her children alone, not teasing them with perpetual commands and directions - a running fire of Do and Don’t; but letting them go their own way and grow, having first secured that they will go the right way and grow to fruitful purpose." Charlotte Mason Original Homeschooling Series

Living books

Submitted by my horse loving daughter: My Friend Flicka is the first of the wonderfully griping trilogy of a young filly called Flicka, and her young owner Ken. In this first story Ken, who lives on a stud farm in Wyoming is not very happy, and why? All because he wants a colt or filly of his own! And then when he gets her he realizes that she is a daughter of the loco mare Rocket! And just get worse when Flicka tries to jump the barb wire fence and gets tangled in it in the process!

But despite the serve injuries and her mother’s “loco” blood running through her veins, Flicka pulls through! And not only that but she becomes Kens best friend! But when Flicka takes a turn for the worst Ken becomes severely sick. See how this beautiful story ends by reading My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara! Be sure to check out Jessica’s other Horse Story Book reviews for your children.

Other updates to Homeschool Curriculum for Life

I caught my breath as I watched my daughter turn 12 in December! I realized then that the highschool homeschooling years were popping over the horizon. I have started my research into highschool options and have begun to add these findings to my site at the highschool homeschooling page .

On the opposite side of the spectrum are my new toddler’s pages . All moms with little ones in your home - be sure to check them out.

The following articles have also been added:

The dangers of homeschool support groups
Promises for a New Year

For Sonlighters: I have added some American History Hands on Activities for you.