A New Book in Hand

With "The Book Thief" back on the shelf, I have picked up an old favourite and have enjoyed getting reacquainted with her today.

I first read this book about 9 years ago - 2 years before my first baby was even born! To me, it's a homeschooling must-have and still remains my favourite book on home education.

I pick it up again and again and soak in the words.

Today I noted a whole page down and my notes are pinned up in the kitchen so I remember them! We will be focusing on one habit at a time, as Charlotte suggests. My children so need this before our new school term begins.

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"Some Habits to Develop:

* The Habit of Attention

* The Habit of Obedience

* The Habit of Manners

* The Habit of Truthfulness

* Habits of Thoroughness, Taking Tuns, Doing our Best, Prayer, Gratitude, etc.

Charlotte said a child should enter his adult life with about tweny of these sorts of good habits. She labeled them the "minor moralities". By "minor" I think she meant that they are the least we can do for our children. "Educate the child in right habits and the man's life will run in them, without the constant wear and tear of moral effort of decision", she told us.

A child with his conscience in training may need to remind himself, when he is with other children, "Now I will be truthful; now I will take turns; now I will be gentle with the younger ones." But by the time he is mature, all the minor moralities of life will have beomce habitual to him. He has been brought up to be courteous, prompt, neat, considerate, thankful, and helpful, and he practices rightesouness without much conscious effort. It is much easier to behave in the way he is accustomed than to originate a new line of behaviour. His mind is running in a rut, so tot speak. Likewise, ruts (fibrous connections) are found in dissected brain tissue. Both Charlotte and Dr. Jane Healey agree that this adaptation of brain tissue is the result of our educational efforts, wherein habits are graciously and mercifully ordered in the brain. Wow, everything we do leaves its mark? What a responsibility!

For those who decide to embark upon the career of habit formation, remember:

*one habit at a time

* one day at a time

* pracitice good actions weekends, too

* nip the weed in the bud because formation is more efficiently accomplished than reformation.

But be encouraged with this wise old saying, "One habit overcometh another." You may not be able to teach old dogs new tricks, but God is able to make all things new again. Isn't this a great blessing?"

The Charlotte Mason Companion p. 74, Karen Andreola.

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I also love this quote, as does Stuart. It could become part of our family motto!

"Sow an act, reap a habit,

sow a habit, reap a character,

sow a character, reap a destiny."

Thomas a Kempis.

Feeling inspired? Me too!