So after reading this section and going back through to write my notes I realize it felt very disjointed and scattered because it was. This section didn’t seem to have any sort of clear plan but here’s what my summary is after reading the book.
CALENDAR & ROUTINE:
– Look at your year and decide your academic calendar. We do school year round, spring & summer are busy with outside activities so we do more book work in winter & summer. Schedule twice a year planning meetings to review goals with your spouse and then with your kids. Plan vacation times for kids to explore and dictate their own schedules for the day. Put it all on the schedule!
– Meet weekly with your spouse to review things (Sunday evenings for us); every other week meet with your spouse & kids (one at a time) for kids’ counsel and meet weekly as family (family home evening on Mondays.)
– Twice a year do a massive home purge/sorting of books, clothes, toys, etc and donate what you can. PUT THIS ON THE SCHEDULE. Also schedule twice a year sit down times to review academics and see what you can drop from the calender (first of August, mid-December for us before each semester.)
– Don’t over schedule the week, combine kids’ activities where possible and don’t let kids begin lessons outside the home (dance, music, etc) until they show they are committed and ready to follow through
– Plan a large annual family project (service activity, performance, trip, etc.)
– Have morning routine & learning time, family clean up, lunch, afternoon free to explore, transition to family chores & prep for evening meal, dinner together should be with meaningful discussion, clean up, evening should be spent as quality family/inspirational time. Make chores part of entire family’s routine and prepare children to take over stewardship of certain areas on their own by age 12.
ACADEMICS & SOCIALIZING:
– Compile family reading list and read together in evenings.
– Study the scriptures as a family daily.
– Organize your bookshelves well so they are accessible to kids.
– Have bins for materials, projects, toys but rotate for organization, easy clean up & to retain novelty.
– Schedule family library trips to browse, choose variety of books.
– Create portfolio/binder for children to keep their six week goals’ list and their best work.
– Have others (especially grandparents) mentor children in specific areas and teach them family skills.
– Plan meaningful field trips.
– Subscribe to worthwhile magazines (one or two, Friend & National Geographic Kids for us thanks to a gift subscription.)
– Limit recreational tv/computer/game time.
– Carefully choose meaningful, challenging, personalized assignments for your kids.
– Expose children to a variety of social situations: community, formal, service based, political, etc.
– Explore option of weekly co-ops, peer groups that are educational (not recreational) so co-op would meet that need, and weekly lesson for kids that are committed and ready. You want kids to have a chance to learn from other adults and alongside peers.
That made not make sense to anyone else but me but it helps me to clarify the goals after reading this section. 🙂