I lifted this information from Charlotte Mason Help, a free website, written by a mother who has helped me so much on my journey educating my children. She simplifies everything that I want to implement in my Charlotte Mason home school. I borrow from other traditions of education but this tradition of using living books and life experience seems to be the basic skeleton. I was re-reading her list of healthy home school habits and wanted to share them here. It makes me feel good to live up to them! I am still working on a regular date night but if she counts putting children to bed (and they actually go to sleep at 8pm-ish) then we have that now and then! Love, love, love number three! I call it "Feet Off the Floor" time.
Please tell me what you do on this list regularly.
From her website:
As I’ve reflected over the last twelve years of teaching my children, a few habits we have developed over time have come to mind that have helped our home to be a happy place of learning.
1. I rise before my children and have at least ½ hour to myself and I dress and make my bed first thing and greet each child with a ‘good morning’ and a smile. This doesn’t come natural for me because my dad was a night owl and I followed in his footsteps. The change was not easy, but has been very rewarding.
2. We have a general routine that gives my children a map for their day. They feel secure and happy knowing the day’s general plan and their duties.
3. Every afternoon I have one hour to myself. No interruptions allowed (unless a child is bleeding to death!). My children are required to be on their beds at this time reading or writing what they wish, but no noise allowed. We’ve done this since they were toddlers and call it Quiet time.
4. I continue to educate myself as well as keep up a hobby. I consider this very important for ALL mothers.
5. I keep four books going at all times by my bedside and read ½ hour before bed, choosing whatever book I am in the mood for at the time. (fiction, spiritual, nonfiction and a child’s book I am proofreading)
6. I purpose not to yell and try to be pleasant when correcting, remaining firm, but kind. I am still learning to do this, but see the improvement and it makes everyone’s day go well since mom sets the tone for the day. What a great and wonderful responsibility given to mothers!
7. The children play outside at least two hours a day whether they want to or not. We also sharply limit unattended playtime with other children. The TV is in our bedroom so is virtually unused except for news and the occasional carefully chosen video or DVD.
8. We eat supper together in the evenings and we speak of worthy subjects. Often the children narrate to dad stories from the day’s lessons. It is a happy time.
9. We have a bedtime routine that includes mom or dad talking and praying with the children before bed and we make sure that they are not sad or angry while drifting off to sleep.
10. One evening a week is reserved for Family Fun Night -- even if it means saying ‘no’ to invitations elsewhere and one evening a week is Date Night for mom and dad -- even if it means staying at home and putting the children to bed early.
Lastly and most importantly, I have allowed myself to dream (or shall I say I have been given a vision?) and I’ve made all decisions in light of it, even when ridiculed. This has required the development of a thick skin. But history has shown us that anyone who blazed their own trail, who heard the beat of a different drummer and who challenged the status quo, faced similar obstacles --- They also changed the world.
one step at a time...
linda fay
Let's see...we do 2-9. #10 is somewhat done...the kids are in bed by 8:30, so we do get every evening to ourselves. We often play games or get out the guitar to do some singing after dinner. And while I don't always wake up before the kids, I try to get out in the morning at 7 to go walking.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mandi...any one else? What do you do? I do the same as Mandi but I do number 1 everyday..even on weekends mamas! I just cannot cope without my morning to myself to plan school, read, blog, make breakfast, Bible for myself...my sanity depends upon it!
ReplyDeleteI like the confident "kids in bed by 8:30" so you always have your evening...we do too but often, they get up and down...I have recently gotten them to do all that they get up and down for ...first! Genius! I tell them after jammies and teethbrushing to go potty and get a drink of water and then, if you get up, you get a swat. That is that and some evenings are more challenging than others. You might say it was my early attachment parenting and co-sleeping to blame but I know other families who did the same and don't have the challenges to keep little ones in bed like we do...we roll with it. We are firm but roll with it.
Thanks for sharing Mandi..good on ya!
I love this list. We seem to have constantly been in transition these past few months (and working part time as a doula did not help consistency, never know when you have to go!), and are moving AGAIN tomorrow, with 4 weeks til my due date...So, I do not do many of these. Though they are an inspiring thing to go for.
ReplyDeleteWe do only due a carefully chosen dvd from the computer every week or two, we definitely play outside all the time, we read a lot, they are usually in bed by 8, they do a quiet time most days unless we're out and about, I read by myself though I don't know that I've kept a hobby (I should), most days we don't eat supper together because Zach is taking night classes, although we do a Shabbat dinner every Friday ALMOST no matter what...I'm learning every month how to be a kinder person to my children, and I love that more than anything. I really do. It has given such good results in their behavior and our relationship. Zach and I don't do date nights but should try to implement one every 2 weeks or once a month or at least start when he graduates a yr from now! Haha.
The most important thing I'd like to change is me getting up before them. It's a bit hard in our close quarters because they're usually up when they hear anyone up, and Zach is up before 6, and then the day STARTS and I just can't bring myself to get up before that. Usually I entice them to come cuddle and chat with me until I'm ready to arise during the 7ish hour. It's fine for now, but I wouldn't mind a change soon, not at all.
Thanks so much for the inspiration. Miss you folks.
Oh, heavens. Do only do, not do only due. Maybe I was thinking of when a dvd is due. And also, I was a doula last year, not now, no sirree Bob.
ReplyDelete