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.”