Interesting Posts Digest

Random Thoughts on Sparks and Poetry
---Studeo

"...learning is more enjoyable when we don't force mastery the first time we encounter something new. Progress and accomplishment is good, but sometimes I think we're in too much of a hurry to have children master something and wish to skip the in-between steps. It often helps me to break things up into smaller steps - like introducing children to a new thing. Then (even at a different time) let them get acquainted, explore that or enjoy it for awhile, etc"

A Charlotte Mason Day
--Dominion Family

"When I was a young homeschooling mom, I longed for someone to tell me what they DID.
No one ever wanted to tell me.
Most mothers said, “You just have to do what is right for your family.”
Yes, but a few concrete ideas would have helped. So now that my bones creak and my baby is almost 5, I try to be concrete about what we do.
Please don’t mistake that for thinking this is the only way.
It is not that by a long shot.
It is just my collection of Little Grains of Sand."

Education is Atmosphere-Discipline-Life
--Dog Day Afternoons

"We can create an atmosphere- a postive emotional atmosphere that encourages the child and learning. I loved how [Charlotte Mason] also wrote that there can be an atmosphere that encourages questions, inquiry, learning. One where asking questions is the norm and adults will mostly answer if they can juggle the current demands! And an atmosphere is rich with ideas.. books, movies, music, conversation, ideas. A place we want to be where learning happens."

Admire a Child; Inspire a Child
--A Bravewriter's Life

"Admire them for their interests and capacities.

How does this foster good writing? Several ways.

1. You are learning to be an appreciative audience.
2. You are facilitating the development of vocabulary around a topic of significant interest.
3. You are tuning in to your child’s interests and can remember what they are when a writing opportunity comes up. Hey, Liam, want to write about how you learned to do an “around the world” with your yo-yo for Grandma? She’d love to hear.
4. Your child learns to trust you. You find the things he is interested in, interesting. The child stops the guesswork of what would please you when you ask him to write and instead, will offer you what pleases him because he knows you will value it."

Late Have I Loved Thee
-- A Call to Adventure

"And doesn't it all boil down to that? What have I loved today? What have I sought? What I seek shows what I love.

Did I love my child or did I seek another small moment of solitude and sigh when she came to ask a question? Even the 254th question before 8:30 AM? Do I really love solitude more than my daughter?"

The Quiet Joy
--Here in the Bonny Glen

"Of course I hope, for her sake, that she will be a healthy child. No mother hopes for her children to have to walk a difficult road; it is our nature to want their paths to be as pleasant as possible. But no longer could I say and mean (even if I didn’t know the gender of the child): "I don’t care what it is as long as it’s healthy," with its tacit suggestion that an unhealthy baby means only tragedy and sorrow."

Two Treats refers to this post
--Common Room

Family Roles
--Bruggietales

"Every family has to organise itself in a way that helps it achieve its various ends. Whatever the background of the mother and father, all families need to address these ends, some of which include:

• the raising and education of children
• providing shelter, food and clothing for its members
• getting to heaven
• contributing to the wider community
• providing for the future (parents, grandparents and children)"