To self-educate, mothers should narrate.
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To self-educate, mothers should narrate.

This entry is part 14 of 20 in the series Mother Culture Road Map

Once we have brought together a collection of living books that widen our interests, and have carved out a bit of time to read them, what do we do next? How can we engage with our reading in such a way that we are changed people when we put the book down? These questions are…

How to Plan your Mother Culture Time
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How to Plan your Mother Culture Time

This entry is part 13 of 20 in the series Mother Culture Road Map

In the last post in this series, I discussed education as the science of relations. It is right to develop an interest in a wide variety of knowledge and hence to have many ways of knowing and loving God and His creation. But how are we to obtain that knowledge? How do we set a…

How to Choose Memory Work for your Charlotte Mason Homeschool
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How to Choose Memory Work for your Charlotte Mason Homeschool

When my eldest son started his first ‘formal’ year of homeschooling in January, we made some changes to our morning time together. While we already had the habit of reading lovely stories and enjoying music together, I began to ask my son to narrate our Bible passage for the day, and we began in earnest…

Charlotte Mason and Unschooling: Comparing Two Philosophies of Education

Charlotte Mason and Unschooling: Comparing Two Philosophies of Education

I recently had the chance to speak at the online Learn Free conference about one of my favorite topics: Charlotte Mason for the Early Years. I focused my talk on three questions that Charlotte Mason believed would help parents direct their child’s education: why must children learn at all? What should children learn? How should…

Mothers are fit for living knowledge.
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Mothers are fit for living knowledge.

This entry is part 11 of 20 in the series Mother Culture Road Map

Charlotte Mason’s first ten principles cover a lot of ground. In a few sentences, she covers the nature of a person, the role and limitations of authority in education, and the tools of education that respect personhood. She asserts that children are not sacs to be filled, but have living minds. They cannot be produced…

A mother’s education is her own responsibility.
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A mother’s education is her own responsibility.

This entry is part 10 of 20 in the series Mother Culture Road Map

In the previous post in this series, I addressed a lie prevalent in our culture: that knowledge is only valuable to us as far as we are able to make use of it. If you weren’t convinced, just consider the messages our culture sends: A mother who ‘just’ wants to stay at home is wasting…

Four Questions to Ask Yourself when Your Kids Don’t Listen
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Four Questions to Ask Yourself when Your Kids Don’t Listen

Raise your hand if you wish your kids would listen better. And by listen, you mean follow instructions and do what you ask. The first time. If your hand is in the air, then mine is waving right next to yours. Sit in our house long enough and you will see plenty of examples of…

How to Troubleshoot a Habit when Habit Training isn’t Working
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How to Troubleshoot a Habit when Habit Training isn’t Working

[sc name=”Habit Training Workshop”] In a previous post, I set out my plans for incorporating habit training into our home. The mission was simple: have my kids get dressed before breakfast, setting us up for a day with more opportunities, less rushing, and generally more fun. I also promised to post updates to give real-life…