My Little Robins

Loving and Learning in the Nest

Guidelines for Making Big Homeschool Decisions

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We're quickly pulling up to the season where we'll have many decisions to make as homeschooling moms: curriculum choices, co-op choices... it can be overwhelming, and, if you're like me, paralyzing. Sometimes it's just easier to not make decisions than to weigh and analyze all of the information you take in. 

We worry about which curriculum to choose for the next school year. Will this one adequately prepare my child for the future? We stress about which books to read during which year. Will this title be too difficult this year, too simple for years to come? Will this co-op surround my child with people that will build her up? 


We put a lot of weight on these big homeschool decisions.

When Charlotte Mason discussed authority, she said that the authority we project over our children should be based in right or wrong.  Our authority isn't based on what we want, our whims. It should be based in morality because God has placed parents in authority over their children. To set arbitrary rules over little ones, and to make arbitrary decisions, is to exasperate them.

I think this applies to the decisions we make for our homeschools. Some things, even Charlotte Mason's recommendations, are arbitrary. Does it really matter if formal lessons start at five-and-a-half versus six? Do we have to read that book, the one that has obscure language and I'm dreading to read?

Related: Thinking Love Podcast Authoritative Parenting 

Homeschool Decision-Making

Last spring, I spent months researching books for Miss H's curriculum. I pored through Home Education, to see what Charlotte Mason suggested, pulled book titles that she had used in her school, and researched how much time to spend on each subject. Even though these things weren't rooted in right and wrong, I used another Charlotte Mason idea to guide me. 

I thought of her "code of education from the Gospels," which she wrote about in the opening pages of Home Education:  "Take heed that ye OFFEND not- DESPISE not- HINDER not- one of  these little ones." She based this idea off of three verses in the book of Matthew. (Take a peek at the graphic below!) 

How can we apply this educational code to our decision making? 

  • Choose interesting, lively lessons. Boring lessons are an offense to children. 
  • Take our parenting roles seriously. Don't undervalue habit and character training. If we do, we despise, or have a low opinion of, our children. 
  • Feed a child's relationship with God, instead of hindering it.  


When we are faced with decisions, we can evaluate them by this Biblical code, and then decide whether or not they are worth a whole lot of mental and emotional energy. 

Decision-Making Freedom

I think of an analogy I heard several years ago. When you are struggling with making big decisions, imagine yourself in a wide meadow, full of fragrant flowers in hues of pink, yellow, and violet. 

You could go left, right, forward and back and still have access to beauty. It wouldn't be wrong to go each way. 

 But in the distance, beyond a wild strawberry patch, there's a cliff. Going near the cliff would be foolish and dangerous. Stay away from the cliff. 

The meadow is our freedom in Christ. We are free to choose, as long as we don't choose what is morally wrong, or ignore what God is clearly telling us. He can, and will, work with our decisions. 

If we have freedom in Christ, then we surely have freedom within Charlotte Mason's philosophy. 

Guidelines for Homeschool Decision Making

1. Think about whether or not this decision is arbitrary, then devote a proportionate amount of time making it. 

2. Pray about it. Ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance. 

2. Gather your information. Don't over-research and enter into "analysis paralysis!" 

3. Consult people who are integral in your homeschooling, like your spouse, family members, or even your children. Be careful from whom you seek advice! 

4. Think about the "offend not, despise not, and hinder not" code, then make your decision.  

5. Stick with it. Something will always seem better. That is our human nature. Console yourself with the knowledge that your decision was prayerful, research, and rightly considered. 



Nature Play Inspired by The Big Snow

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I've heard parents say that what they miss the most when their children grow up is playing with them. I think this will be true for me. I love watching my children play, and, when the laundry is folded and lessons are done, joining in on their imaginary scenarios. 

Sometimes, they think them up themselves, and sometimes, they need a little encouragement. The longer I've done this Charlotte Mason early years life, the less guilt I feel for presenting play ideas to my children. Inspiration is always welcome. 

(I've used affiliate links in this post. You can learn more about them in my policies. You might also want to check out my affiliate Amazon Store!)

In the first edition of the Idea Nest, a monthly resource that I'm sending out free this year, I put together some playful ideas for the book, The Big Snow, by Berta and Elmer Hader. Most of these ideas can be done outside or in, but of course, outdoor play is the best kind of play!

When I read the book to my kids, admittedly my six-year-old was the only one who made it through. My four-year-old was intrigued, but became distracted by something else at about the half way point. My two-year-old put in a solid two minutes of attention, which is pretty developmentally appropriate for his age 🙂 I think we will try to read it again, but our Big Snow outdoor play time was a big success. 

Building Shelters

In the book, some animals need to seek shelter, and others don't because they plan to leave. I helped my boys create a tarp shelter on an old, dead tree in our back yard. A shelter can look like anything you and your little ones can dream up, but I basically attached a rope to one end of the tarp, tied it around the tree, then took the other end of the rope and pulled it tight. I staked the other end to the ground, then draped the tarp over the taught rope. 

If I could have found a big stick, I would have made the shelter more like Tinkergarten suggests here.  But I think any kind of shelter is magical for children! 


Once our shelter was complete, we pretended that we were preparing for winter by gathering up pine cones, pine needles, and other nature treasures. 

We also scooped up some icy snow to make an igloo-type shelter. Add some little animal figurines, and this play could go so many different ways! For some STEM play, gather some small food containers and boxes and throw together some shelters. Make a base out of sticks, then top with a yogurt carton or cardboard box roof. 

Related: Schemas of Play in the Great Outdoors

Ice Tinkering

This is probably one of my favorite outdoor play ideas. This fall, we left a mud-kitchen soup pot outside, and it filled up with water. My middle boy discovered that the first big freeze had turned it into a perfect circle of ice. There were natural treasures in it, like pine cones and leaves, things that the little animals in the Big Snow might need for their winter preparations. We dumped the ice out of the pot, grabbed wooden crab mallets that I bought solely for playing outside, and we started chipping away at it. 


Even if you don't live in a cold climate, your kids will love this throughout the year. Put about an inch of water in a plastic container, and then add something from nature, like flowers, rocks, or leaves. When that freezes, add a few more nature treasures and another layer of water. Continue to do this until your container is full and frozen. 

In the warmer months, this is a great way to stay cool. In the winter, it's a sweet celebration of snow and ice- not to mention a way to keep a little one's attention! It also builds gross motor skills, is a good sensory activity for rough-and-tumble kids, and encourages problem solving. 

Related: We Have Play-Based Learning All Wrong

You can join us in our preschool play adventures through the Idea Nest, which is free in 2020. You'll find Charlotte Mason-friendly ideas to anchor your days, including literature, play, and habit inspiration. 






Introducing Idea Nest- Free Early Years Resource

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I was in the camp of "you don't need a curriculum for your young child" until I had a young child who needed a curriculum. He didn't need instruction, but structure. We tried many options, and I realized that I wanted a different feeling in our home for the early years. 

Playful experiences. 

A life fed on ideas. 

Not a lesser amount of formal lessons. 

Nothing formal at all. 

For over a year, I've toyed with the thought of creating a play-based menu of ideas. something that we could pick and choose from, have a structured activity when we need it, and not feel the guilt of another to-do list left undone. 

Related: The Complete Charlotte Mason Preschool Guide


Introducing the Idea Nest

In 2020, I'm putting together free monthly ideas for your early years preschool and mine. The ideas will center around a theme, but not in a unit-study kind of way. We'll explore ideas through books, hymns, Bible stories, and play-based activities. 

January's theme is Fresh Start. You and your family can work on the habit of forgiveness and rework your routines for a fresh start in the New Year. 

Not A Curriculum

Since I didn't want a curriculum, this isn't one. Choose activities that work for your family. When creating this resource, I also thought about my older child. There are things in the Idea Nest that she will love, too, and can be used as a supplement to her year one curriculum. 

My middle guy is so obviously pleased when he knows I have a plan for him and not just his sister. When I pull out a designated book to read to him, or have a little activity, he suddenly feels included. Homeschooling is no longer something just for his big sister and me. He's a part of it, too. 

Read: Why Our Preschool At Home Is Different This Year

Low Prep Ideas

I am not a mom with a lot of extra time for cutesy stuff (have you seen my Instagram account? Hardly a cutesy thing present. Except for my kids 🙂 ) There are a few tools that we use outside that are really fun, but they are mostly ready to go. If there's any preparation for an activity in the Idea Nest, it is very straightforward and not time consuming. 

Sign up below to receive your free Idea Nest and to get access to the subscriber library. 






Mid-Year Evaluation for Your Charlotte Mason Preschool

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We live in a performance-based society. This performance mentality doesn't wait until a child has neared adulthood to emerge. If that were true, then there'd be no need for n0-heckling rules at children's sporting events. There wouldn't be elementary school awards for making the honor roll or never missing a day of school. Even babies are subjected to milestone checklists, comparing them to peers!

Some of these things are helpful, but no matter your opinion on this, the chances are that this performance-based perspective has infiltrated many areas of our lives. 

Yes, even homeschoolers' lives.

I can tell every time someone asks if their child will be behind, or if they are doing enough to teach their children. They are concerned that somehow their children won't measure up. 

The fear is valid. But, if you choose to follow Charlotte Mason's philosophy, we can find peace in evaluating our homeschools, in the early years and beyond, according to her standards and our calling- not the world's standards. 

Related; Charlotte Mason Preschool Foundations

Does Your Homeschool Measure Up?

Charlotte Mason's philosophy and related curricula have high expectations. But thankfully, these standards expect children and their parent/teachers to do the best they they can considering the gifts that God has given them, not to achieve the most. 

She gave us three tools to use for our children's education; atmosphere, discipline, and life. These are the things that we do for our children's education, and if we are maintaining them all, then we can rest in the fact that our homeschool is going to be a success, even if it can't be measured by a test. 

If you need to learn more about these three tools before reading on, please do! I have linked to some posts below, and I also have a free booklet available for email subscribers in the subscriber library called Charlotte Mason Preschool: Tools for Education. You can sign up for it in the box below. 

​Atmosphere

​Discipline and ​this post, too


Life

Mid-Year Evaluation

We can evaluate how we are using these tools by asking ourselves some simple questions. 

1. What does my family value?

The atmosphere in our homes should reflect what we value. If you value screen-free life, you most likely will not have a television in every room. If you value education, there's a good chance that you'll have many books (minimally-minded families might have an iPad loaded with good books!) Your values can also be apparent in a non-environmental way. Those who value gentleness will probably have a peaceful feeling in their home. Being a Christ-centered family will surely have a positive effect on the atmosphere. 

Ask yourself what your family values, and figure out how your home atmosphere can better reflect that. 

Related: The Complete Charlotte Mason Preschool Guide

2. What is running smoothly in my home, and what can be done differently?

Education is the discipline of habits, and how your home functions will give you a clear picture of how habits are running. Are there areas that are truly difficult? Are there areas where you're family is thriving? Reflect on these.  

Think about the area that you need to improve. What habits can you work on in this area? I wrote more about the process of changing your routines to support habit training here.

3. How can I present ideas in a lively way?

During the early years, our children have free time and are encouraged to pursue their interests. In what ways can you offer your children living ideas in areas that interest them? Are you getting your nature-lover outside plenty? 

When formal lessons begin, the bulk of these ideas will be presented through books. Evaluate the books that you're using. Are they striking your child so that ideas take hold? Are there other experiences you and your child can enjoy together that would present living ideas to them? 

​Related: Will My Child be Behind if I Delay Formal Lessons?

Charlotte Mason Preschool: Tools for Education

There's a 10 page PDF waiting for you in the Subscriber Library that describes Charlotte Mason's tools of education, and how to use them in the early years. I've included explanations of each tool, and workspaces to work through the questions above. You'll also find a sample day so you can see the tools in action. Sign up below to get access to the subscriber library! 




Stocking Your Christmas Morning Basket

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I love celebrating the Christmas season with my children! Advent is not something we paid much attention to growing up, besides watching the wreath fill up with light at church every Sunday. Maybe it's a trend, but if so, it's a very good one. Advent. which means "the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event"  helps us anticipate the coming of our savior, both 2000 years ago, and in the future. 

I am not sure our advent resources will be relegated only to morning time, but I do know that I want the morning time feel during this season- all of us sitting around the table together, learning and reading about Jesus. Other lessons will be scaled back to make way for celebrating the coming king. I've also included ideas for a Mom's basket, and an evening basket, which we've started doing with my husband after dinner. 

Each year, we've gathered a couple of new resources, giving us many to choose from. I've mentioned the age category that I think they're appropriate for, even though all of my children participate in what we do, whether it's meant for an older or younger audience.

I've used affiliate links to share items to help you stock your Advent Morning Basket. You can read more about affiliate links in my policies.

Advent Curricula

The Christmas Guide- A Peaceful Preschool Unit

We will use this year, with my middle child (4) in mind. I often gear our Christmas activities towards my older child, but this year, I think he will be so excited for this.  I love the read alouds that are included, and the fact that there are cards to help with recitation. As usual, activities that don't fit my vision for our Charlotte Mason homeschool will be left out, but there aren't many of those. 

A Gentle Advent

We've used this the past two years, and we adored it! It is such a sweet way to celebrate Christmas, and has beautiful videos to watch for guidance, a gorgeous printable Advent calendar that my children loved to flip open each day, copywork pages, and more. It can be adapted for children of different ages (we have omitted the copywork the past two years)  so a wide array of children can participate. 

Christmas Celebration Morning Time Plans

Pam Barnhill, the queen of morning time, offers free morning time plans on her website. These include living books, music study, and liturgy. We are tucking these away for another year when our kids are slightly older, but they look lovely! 

A Gentle Advent- Jesse Tree

The second version of A Gentle Advent includes readings to hold your own Jesse Tree. A Jesse Tree traces the arrival of Jesus all the way back through the Old Testament, with scripture and prophecy from long before his birth. There is an advent calendar, printable ornaments to put on the tree each day, and other ideas to celebrate advent. To me, this resource looks appropriate for children five and up, with some modifications for non-writers. 

Christmas Books and Devotionals

Great read-alouds are crucial to the morning basket! We read most of these every year. 

There Was No Snow on Christmas Eve

 We picked this book up at the library a few years ago, and I couldn't believe that I hadn't heard of it before. Pam Munoz Ryan is a talented author, and this book is no exception. I love that it more accurately portrays the first Christmas scene for young readers, rather than the snowy night, jingle-bell idea that has become the Christmas ideal. 

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

This is a longer book that we usually take several days to read. It is gorgeously illustrated, and beautifully tells the tale of heart-transformation during Christmas time. While younger children enjoy it, it would be most appreciated with children five and up. 

Advent Storybook

 There are two advent storybooks that I think are worth adding to a morning basket, although probably not in the same year! This one tells the story of Benjamin Bear, who is making a pilgrimage to see the Christ child. It is very sweet for young children, ages 0-6, with just one short story to read each day of advent. 

The Advent Storybook

 This advent storybook is somewhat more Christ-centered. It contains 25 stories about why Jesus came on Christmas. I ordered this book for my two younger children, but it hasn't arrived yet.

The Way to the Manger

We bought this devotional last Christmas, and it is so sweet! I love how there are questions and spaces to write responses, so you can see how each family member changes and grows from year to year. I do wish there was a little more depth to it, but for now, with very young children, it is great for our family. This is what we do for our "evening basket" after dinner. Usually, my husband reads it to them so he can also be involved with our advent celebration. 

The Christmas Story From the King James Bible

This is a beautifully illustrated account of the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke. It's in the language of the King James Bible, which is so lovely to listen to, and the pictures make it engaging and understandable for the littlest learners. 

Free Resources

Advent ABC's

 A daily scripture verse in alphabetical order that is fun for little ones!

Jesus Storybook Bible Reading Plan

Download a free reading plan that coordinates with the Jesus Storybook Bible. There are even printable ornaments so your children can add an ornament to the tree for each story. 

Focus on the Family Advent Devotions

This year's free devotions are intended for each Sunday of advent, but once you download your plans, you can acecss past year's devotions as well. 

The Book of Luke

There are 24 chapters in the book of Luke, which makes it a perfect, free advent resource. Read one chapter each day to have an entire account of Jesus's birth, life, death and resurrection. 

Handicrafts

Rooted Childhood Christmas Collection- If you've been hanging out here for very long, you know that my kids and I really enjoy Rooted Childhood. They just released a Christmas Collection, that will be a beautiful addition to our seasonal collections. I am planning on choosing one handicraft to work on each week of advent. As a warning, there is some Waldorf-inspired content in this collection, which I know some Christians avoid. 

Mom's Morning Basket

I love the idea of having a morning basket for mom, which I first heard of from Lara at Everyday Graces. Stocking up a morning basket for myself, which I can do before my kids wake up, is a great way to face the day restored, and to focus my own heart of Jesus's arrival, too. 

A Homespun Hallelujah

This course, which is part online, part printables, is such a refreshing way to prepare our hearts and homes for the season.  I loved the Bible journaling pages, and the tutorials for festive decorations, like an evergreen wreath. I'm looking forward to using this again this year. 

Case For Christmas Free Online Bible Study

 A few years ago, I read The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel, and really enjoyed it. Just weeks after finishing the book, my husband and I just happened to visit a church the day that Lee Strobel was the guest speaker. Now I'm a big fan!  I was excited to find this free advent resource this year, that I think I will use with my husband. 

Unwrapping the Names of Jesus

I just ordered this advent devotional, so I'm not sure what I think of it yet, but I can let you know ASAP 🙂 It has great reviews on Amazon. 

Charlotte Mason's Saviour of the World Poems

Volume One of Charlotte Mason's poetry collection, Saviour of the World, focuses on the holy infancy. What a refreshing read for mothers during the Advent season! You can find it for free thanks to the ladies of Ambleside Online. 






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