You can find part I and II below.

I decided to not go past volume 3 right now, the others are geared towards older children & some broader issues. Good reads, no doubt, but I need to focus on some other things right now so this will be the last summary for awhile.

Obedience – training children. Verbally state need, physically follow up. Explain (whenever possible) the why and the natural consequence. Then move to verbally state, and expecting there will be obedience but still follow up. Then move to verbal and presume it will be done. Try to let natural consequences follow.

Children need to see options and be able to choose the right for themselves, not because of fear of punishment or disapproval from parents. Must find internal motivation to choose right. But teach why, explain moral foundation for why this is important – and – explain social significance. We do not tease because we speak kindly and show love for others (scriptural reference.) When we tease (natural consequence) we hurt feelings and friends do not want to be around you. I think both reasons are important to explain in core/grammar stage, when children are young and need to see direct concrete impact of their actions. When older, will have moral understanding and better understand abstract moral reasons.

Children should be given transition time. As adults we can check time and be aware of schedule and transition ourselves. Children need help learning to budget time and transition. (Raising your Spirited Child book)

Masterly inactivity (Parenting Breakthrough book!!!) – do not take charge when your child is learning skill. Teach, inspire, then allow them to do it themselves. Don’t steal their opportunity to learn!!

Be confident in your decisions – you are the parent.

Trust your children – if you have helped them develop good habits, be confident in their ability to choose the right. But be mindful of their location and activities.

Take time for yourself and your needs.

Children should – be free in their play (not dictated in all activites.)
– be given freedom in their creativity and work intitiatives
– stand or fall in their own efforts
– choose their own friends
– spend their own money as they see fit
– form their own opinions

“Exposure to a multitude of ideas is necessary because we don’t know which idea will spark a child and lead to great deeds later.”

Children should be skilled and confident in public speaking, a skill crucial for leaders and all citizens. (Thomas Jefferson Education – leadership education)

“Charlotte lists three underlying principles of her schools: 1)––Authority as a law is universal 2)––Habit training is a vital part of education 3)––Ideas have power to inspire.”

Education is a life, an atmosphere, and a discipline.

Knowledge we gather ourselves makes the strongest impression – allow them to discover, to form a relationship with the author. But we must watch reaction, be there for narration & discussion, and ensure we provide living books instead of textbooks or twaddle.

Encourage development of relationships – with ideas, with people, with concepts, with nature, with world to be discovered. Do not attempt to censor entire world for them, but do protect them from inappropriate things.

“It is mostly suburban parents who try to manufacture learning experiences, because the limitations of that environment don’t offer the rich opportunities that are a natural part of country life. Children learn more from keeping up with other children in free play in a natural environment than from formal lessons contrived to learn skating, hockey and tennis.” (Pondering on that!!) Says better a summer in the lake than 6 weeks of swimming course.

“It is mostly suburban parents who try to manufacture learning experiences, because the limitations of that environment don’t offer the rich opportunities that are a natural part of country life. Children learn more from keeping up with other children in free play in a natural environment than from formal lessons contrived to learn skating, hockey and tennis.”

Four ways we may squash a natural love of learning-
too much explaining instead of encouraging exploring
too many lectures instead of allowing them to form connections
textbooks instead of living books
competition to motivate, instead of inherent value of learning

Until eight year olds, plan to read to kids. After eight may be able to do more reading on own but still – keep reading aloud sometimes. 🙂

“Children are too valuable to be used as guinea pigs of educational fads.”

Part I, thoughts on Volume I, updated.

Volume II thoughts:

family – children should feel content at home so do not seek contentment (approval) elsewhere, but also remain aware of needs of community outside their home

parents are to inspire children by their example (educational, spiritual, social – manners, how we treat others) – Thomas Jefferson Education, mentors’ job is to inspire students to want to learn

children need to learn to analyze and question their own opinions & faith so when facing the world, they know where their faith & beliefs are based and are not shaken. just because it’s in a book, doesn’t mean it’s true (ditto, if it’s on the internet that does not make it FACT!) faith is not based on evidence and that’s okay, but understand concept of faith and reason and develop own strong testimony.

needs to know THEY control their thoughts and have power to dismiss thoughts and to embrace better ones.

begin in early years to develop self control, realize we are in charge of our reaction things (well before six years!) and that we choose how to express our emotions – what’s appropriate and what is not (say you are angry, not okay to hit)

HUGE FOCUS POINT, very important to me we explain & demonstrate this concept – explaining that no one can “make” us angry, emotions & thoughts may come to us but we choose which to focus on, which to express, how we treat others. it’s OUR CHOICE and we are accountable for our reactions to situations.

show by our example that WE feel various emotions and verbalize to them how we feel and how we are handling it. show by example our self control. if we snap or yell, apologize and try again.

family pride – unity, identity

believe that hearts can change (in adults and in our children) and do not despair by improper habits – know that it can be changed (and the younger they are, the easier it is to redirect and replace with positive habits.)

nagging is not training, it teaches kids that we will be their constant reminder. must train children and trust that they will be accountable. habit training – teach, instruct, demonstrate, follow up. then slowly back away over time – verbal reminders. but work to point that assumption is child IS accountable and faithful to task (lessons, chores, proper behavior) and our expression of faith in their good habits encourages. if something is forgotten, discuss it and express faith it will be fixed.

train senses – spend time focusing on gift of sense and recognizing. what do we smell? what do we hear? painting picture – what did you see? how does this taste? close eyes and describe. increases awareness of surroundings, appreciation for sense & our world, can help with memory

teach reverence for sacred things by example and by discussion

teach sensitivity to others’ emotions – address teasing

teach children to NOT be constantly worried about others’ opinions of them, a child always wondering what others thing of them “is looking inward rather than reaching out to others.” teach them to lose selves in service and will be less worried about themselves

expect accuracy and honesty from children – and demonstrate it for them. do not exaggerate, do not make excuses that are misleading, be tactful but honest.

children grow at their own pace, we must not dilute the ideas/concepts we present to them but present it all and allow them to make their own connections. DO NOT DUMB IT DOWN FOR THEM.

when a bad habit is formed, plant the seed of a positive alternative. If child is being greedy, plant seed of generosity by example and explanation. Allow positive habits to replace bad, don’t try to simply break bad habits.

teach children to ask why & to analyze their own ideas – don’t assume your views are “right” and be open to idea that you are biased and need to consider other perspectives. (see faith note – others will question their faith/beliefs and if have not considered where their foundation is, much harder to stand firm and explain own testimony. question not to dismiss own faith, but to strengthen.)

pause, consider where you have come from and what direction you are heading. don’t just keep going, sometimes course correction is needed.

teach children to not focus on discomforts (scratchy clothes, being cold, being tired) but to focus on lesson, to develop fortitude and focus so as to not be always distracted. to remove focus from self. (Interesting dilemma for children with sensory disorder and input that is beyond “typical” levels of distraction, but part of therapy was teaching sensory kids to “tune out” distraction and by exposure to it to be able to move beyond.) move beyond sensory distractions/annoyances and focus on concepts, ideas, lessons – higher focus. good practice for real world when distractions from work/reading/situation are often beyond our control and we must learn to tune them out and still accomplish what’s important.

teach them we control where our mind focuses and we must learn to control our reaction to sensory input even if we cannot control our environment. (Thinking of labor, pain & ability to focus on other things to tune out or cope with pain.)

Awareness (of senses, of direction we are heading, of habits, of values, of beliefs, of others’ needs) and ability to focus our minds, redirect and rise above temporal.