Learning Manners

Teaching manners is important.  Children and youth are generally quite agreeable to learning how to behave graciously when the principles are taught in a positive and interesting way.  Practice makes perfect.  Over time, lessons learned will reap great results!

One fun way for young children to learn manners is to sing about them.  Here’s a song your children might enjoy.  Sing it to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down”.

Table manners, thank you notes,
Shaking hands, happy host,
Looking at the person’s eyes:
I am learning!

Treating others graciously,
Being kind, thankfulness,
Representing Jesus well:
I am learning!

Leaving others’ special things
All alone: not a touch;
Our family’s rules where’er I go:
I am learning!

Chewing with my mouth all closed;
Tiny bites, shouting:  No!
Eating in the proper way:
I am learning!

“Please” and “Thank You” all the time,
Never rude; fighting:  Why?
Living by “The Golden Rule”:
I am learning!

You can read more about teaching manners to children here.

A Sense of Wonder

If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.

One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, "What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?"

The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.

Rachel Carson

Counts & Counted

Not everything that
can be counted counts,
and not everything that
counts can be counted.

Albert Einstein

Courtesy & Respect

"Always remember that persons matter more than things. Don't say anything that will leave a sting."

Charlotte Mason

A Creation of God

Each child is unique, a special creation of God with talents, abilities, personality, preferences, dislikes, potentials, strengths, weaknesses, and skills that are his or her own. As parents, we must seek to identify these in each of our children and help them become the persons God intended.

~ Dave Veerman ~

Children, the Most Precious Gift

Children are the most precious gift. According to Psalm 127:3 they are a heritage. It says that “children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.”

The dictionary defines gift as something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; a present.

Such favor from God can only be appropriately met by placing much value upon it. We can show our children that they are valued by loving, cherishing, and appreciating them. Kind words, a gentle touch, and an ear that always listens can bless them and show them their merit. It is a favor that exists simply because they exist and it is one that is not earned.

Tangible affirmation reminds children that they are valued. Years ago, when my children were in early elementary school, I cross-stitched a verse that said “Children, the most precious gift”. It was framed as the focal point between two old-fashioned art prints of children and hung as a unit over the sofa in the living room. Placed there, it held place of significance in our home and served to remind the children that they were important to us. This framed art remained as the central focus during their teenage years. Although they are now young adults and living on their own, I’ve decided that the framed art and cross-stitched message remains. No matter what the age, children are a blessing and it is our responsibility as parents to affirm this to them always.

Blessings are words of affirmation and love spoken to another. When a parent speaks these words and then exhibits them by action or deed, the child is blessed beyond measure. Gary Smalley and John Trent speak of the five elements of the blessing in their book by the same title. These elements are a meaningful touch, a spoken message, the attachment of high value to the one being blessed, the creation of a word picture of the special future perceived to the one being blessed, and an active commitment to fulfill the blessing. Although all parents can share the blessing with their children, the homeschool parent has a greater opportunity to pass this blessing along to their off-spring simply because of the dedicated amount of time he or she spends with them. The creation of a warm and responsive environment facilitates a positive sense of self-worth in children, blesses them, and helps them develop intellectually and to his or her full potential.

Today, thank God for the special opportunity He has given you to homeschool your children. And don’t forget to give your children an extra hug and words of affirmation! They are His gift.

Truths from Kids

Great Truths that Little Children Have Learned

No matter how hard you try, you cannot baptize cats.

When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.

If your sister hits you, don't hit her back.  They always catch the second person.

Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.

You can't trust dogs to watch your food.

Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.

Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.

You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.

Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.

The best place to be when you're sad is Grandma's lap.

The Power of Firsthand Education

No schoolroom can match the simplicity and power of the home in providing three-dimensional, firsthand education.  The school, not the home, is the substitute, and its highest function is to complement the family.  The family is still the social base, and must be, if our society is to survive.  Let's leave no stone unturned to guarantee the fullest freedom of the home and the rights of parents to determine the education of their children.

Home-Grown Kids 

page 26 - 27

The Quiet of Wood and Field

"In the early ages, with the people who were under God's direction, life was simple.  They lived close to the heart of nature.  Their children shared in the labor of the parents and studied the beauties and mysteries of nature's treasure house.  And in the quiet of field and wood they pondered those mighty truths handed down as a sacred trust from generation to generation."  

  

This quote creates a beautiful word picture in my mind.  After reading it, I started thinking about the children of the Bible who had a strong relationship with nature.  The first  child to come to  my mind was baby Moses.  Even as an infant, he was placed for days in a reed basket and placed in the Nile River while his older sister kept watch.  He was rocked by the gentle action of the waves and among the fragrance of plants and the sounds of waterfowl.  David  also spent much time learning lessons from nature.  He was a skilled shepherd, even at a young age.  He wrote beautiful songs and poetry, and by studying them we can observe that he had a close relationship with the natural world.  He took lessons from everything around him.  The boy Jesus also spent much time in nature.  He was homeschooled at his mother's knee, by work with his father, and by observations  of nature in wood and field.  He learned about God's care and of life's lessons by observing God's creation.

What other children of the Bible can you think of spent quality time outdoors?  How did their experience influence them in adulthood?  Please share!

Source quote:  Education 221
Photo:  Baby robins in our flowering crab apple tree

The Soul of a Child

The soul of a child is the loveliest flower 
That grows in the garden of God. 
Its climb is from weakness to knowledge and power, 
To the sky from the clay to the cloud. 
To beauty and sweetness it grows under care, 
Neglected, 'tis ragged and wild. 
'Tis a plant that is tender, but wondrously rare, 
The sweet, wistful soul of a child. 


Be tender, O gardener, and give it its share 
Of moisture, of warmth and of light, 
And let it not lack for the painstaking care 
To protect it from frost and from blight. 
A glad day will come when its bloom shall unfold. 
It will seem that an angel has smiled. 
Reflecting a beauty and sweetness untold 
In the sensitive soul of a child. 


Author Unknown

All Creatures Great and Small

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small. . .all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

Ferret: a weasel-like mammal,usually albino, that is related to a polecat.

Yesterday Levi introduced me to his new pet, a ferret named Sid. Although Sid has a cage in Levi’s room, he spends much of his time with freedom to explore outside of those confines. He even has a leash and goes for walks with Levi and his parents. I think it would be safe to say that Levi adores the little guy!

A Child's Delight in God's Gifts

 There is no greater pleasure than bringing to the uncluttered, supple mind of a child the delight of knowing God and the many rich things He has given us to enjoy.

~ Gladys M. Hunt ~

To Be a Child

“To be a child. . . It is to believe in love, to believe in loveliness, to believe in belief; it is to be so little that the elves can reach to whisper in your ear; it is to turn pumpkins into coaches, and mice into horses, lowness into liftiness and nothing into everything, for each child has its fairy godmother in its soul.”

                                                        ~ Francis Thompson Shelly ~

Early Learning

 

Brain development starts at birth and continues on throughout the life of the child. The most accelerated rate of brain growth occurs during a child’s preschool and early primary years. Although children of this age should not be put in a situation where learning is forced or rote, experiences for learning at a natural pace with proper stimulation are important. Consideration should be placed upon the abilities of the individual child, for they all mature and develop at a different pace.
 
Preschool children are experiencing some of the most accelerated growth and development (between birth and seven). Although they can experience burnout and difficulties if rushed to learn in the traditional “school” mode, it does them a great disservice to withhold appropriate learning experiences from them. Their environment and the people they are around all day long should be providing them with experiences and resources to learn. Essentially, everything in real life is a learning experience. Through interactions that allow them to use all their senses, to taste, touch, feel, hear, and smell, the wiring of the brain connects through neuron development and structure. It is important to capitalize upon the things that interest the child as they interact with you and adults. Providing resources for them to create, and limiting their involvement with peers for the purpose of entertainment purposes also facilitates brain development. The more purposeful activities and moments a child experiences during the day, the greater the potential for creating a child with a well-developed brain and superior intelligence. 

Daily life provides many opportunities for children. They can be taught to write using a stick in the sand or chalk on a sidewalk. Counting trees in a park and categorizing them into different types develops math skills. Cooking with them, even at the tender age of four, teaches them math concepts and how things work from cause to effect. Growing a container garden is a great science experiment. And going on a field trip to a historic park or museum can establish the foundation for history and learning about the roots of the country in which they live.

Learning is extremely important — and so is how learning is facilitated. Pushing a preschool child with workbooks, pencil, and paper is not best for a child’s young nervous system, but guided and purposeful learning in other ways is priceless. In the same way, passive entertainment like television or movies lulls the child into complacency and is not equivalent to learning experiences offered in real life. 

Teaching young children through their senses, through movement, and by doing things that help them gain motor skills can be done purposefully, yet at a pace that does not push the child beyond his or her natural abilities. Make every moment and opportunity in a child’s life one that is purposeful and useful to brain development. Allow them to experience life to the fullest! Along the way, take a moment to thank God for the opportunity you’ve been given to teach your children about life!

Some Children See Him
By Alfred Burt

Some children see Him lily white
the infant Jesus born this night
Some children see Him lily white
with tresses soft and fair
Some children see Him bronzed and brown
the Lord of heav’n to earth come down
Some children see Him bronzed and brown
with dark and heavy hair (with dark and heavy hair!)
Some children see Him almond-eyed
This Saviour whom we kneel beside
Some children see Him almond-eyed
With skin of yellow hue!
Some children see Him dark as they
Sweet Mary’s Son to whom we pray
Some children see Him dark as they
And, ah! they love Him so!
The children in each different place
Will see the Baby Jesus’ face
Like theirs but bright with heav’nly grace
And filled with holy light!
O lay aside each earthly thing
and with thy heart as offering
Come worship now the infant King
’tis love that’s born tonight!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is only a day away! Suddenly it’s the topic of conversation amongst friends and acquaintances. The beauty shop was buzzing with ‘food talk’ this week. Everyone was sharing what they were planning on making or serving for Thanksgiving dinner. It seems that left-overs and stuffing got the ‘most popular’ vote. I enjoyed hearing about family tradition and favorite foods, and how each family has their own way of implementing this popular holiday. It’s a time to give thanks! From what was said, it appears that this is the holiday that people ‘most cook’ and ‘most eat’. It seems that home-made is favored; and that many mom’s prefer to make the entire meal rather than having grown children bring something in a planned potluck style. My menu hasn’t been decided upon yet, but just listening and talking to others is helping me formulate my plan of action. I must get busy.

Of course I have some friends who are very organized and I admire them greatly! They are already planning their Christmas baking.  Thanksgiving isn’t even past yet.   Oh to be so efficient.

I guess I better run along now and draft a menu for next week — so that I can start thinking of delicious Christmas sweets and savories too. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy taking a walk down memory lane while I look at this picture of the eldest which was taken years ago when he was a budding young cook.

Enjoy preparing for the holiday!