My middle guy, my E, is three now. He is all energy and angst, moving from cheerful and smiling to angry and destructive faster than a political meme earns angry reactions on Facebook. I've realized that beyond a good night's sleep, keeping a regular schedule is so good for my toddler. We can curb meltdowns when he knows what is coming next. I … [Read more...]
Keeping a Habit Training Journal
I closed my journal, an exasperated sigh escaping my lips. I had read an entry from September 2016- more than a year and a half ago. Scratched in a sparkly pen were the words, "Grow in gentleness. Be more patient. Live more intentionally with my children." I could have written those words yesterday. But instead, a year and a half had passed, and … [Read more...]
We Have Play Based Learning All Wrong
A little boy sits in a quiet room, the chiming music of an "educational" app piercing the air. His parents let him play just a little longer, then an hour longer, because they believe he's learning through play. A teacher colors and cuts and laminates little game pieces late into the night. This is a lot of effort, but her students will learn … [Read more...]
A Formidable List of Attainments: Scope and Sequence
There are some pretty tough academic standards imposed on children today. The expectations keep getting pushed earlier and earlier, crowding out childhood necessities, like play. Charlotte Mason's expectations were much different. In some of the schools that Charlotte Mason oversaw during her day, teachers were guided by The Formidable List of … [Read more...]
The Complete Charlotte Mason Preschool Guide
I have learned so much about the early years since I started my journey with this blog. When I first made this guide, it was a little...incomplete. I knew there wasn't a lot of information out there about what "education" should look like in the early years. I thought I could just take my knowledge from being a Charlotte Mason teacher and … [Read more...]
