Loving and Learning in the Nest
When Miss H was a baby, I was what you might call an "indoorsy" mom. We rarely ventured outside together, unless it was for a quick spin around the neighborhood to get some exercise. My husband was concerned. He thought a child, even a very small baby, should be rescued from artificial lighting and recycled air. Thankfully, a lot has changed in the years since then, including my attitude towards Read More
Over the past year, the time we spend outside has increased, and so has my appreciation of nature. I used to just look- but now I see. I see the different shades on the petal of a flower, and the shapes that compose a tree's sprawling branch. The habit of observation has finally struck me. It fills me with joy to think that it most likely won't take 34 years for my children to develop this habit. Read More
When I first started implementing the Charlotte Mason philosophy, I thought I could just use what I had learned as a Charlotte Mason teacher and apply it to the early years. But I was oh-so wrong! A Charlotte Mason “preschool” is very far removed from school. Over the past several years, I’ve taken the time to dig into Charlotte Mason’s writings and learn just what she thought this “quiet Read More
As much as I love decluttering and striving for less stuff in my home, I'm realizing that offering kids items to explore with outside adds value to their nature play. Our backyard is strewed with toys and nature tools. Often, when I decide that our home no longer has room for a certain toy or item, it becomes a backyard toy. My children can tinker in their mud kitchen for hours, piling mud into Read More
