quiet time/sharing time

I just love this blog.  My friend Kristen directed me there.  It is chalk full of helpful homeschooling ideas.  I find it especially helpful because it helps me to apply Charlotte Mason's ideas to what we do from day to day.  One of the things that I learned by visiting her site, was how to help develop the habit of "personal quiet time/prayer/bible study into the lives of our children. 

I began about a month ago by pulling out some old blank journals of mine.  I took each of the girls aside separately and gave them this book as a special gift.  They also were given new bibles.  Emma (8) uses this one.  Hannah (5) uses this one.  Laurel (3) uses this one.  I shared with them the beauty of time spent sitting at the feet of Jesus. I tried to convey to them the encouragement and sustaining power that His word provides to my own heart and mind on a daily basis. 

 

I directed Emma to proverbs.  Because she can read, I thought that she could start with one chapter each day. There are 31 chapters so she can read one for each day of the month.  I asked her to use her journal to write down one particular verse that spoke to her and how it applies to her own life.

 

Hannah's bible has a reading for each day.  She is familiar with several of the stories and can recall many of them just by looking at the pictures (not quite reading it yet). She also writes or draws her thoughts in her little journal.

 

For Laurel, because she is still fairly young, I just simply wanted her to have the habit of "being still and knowing God."  She has her bible nearby, but doesn't really reference it at this point.  She draws pictures in her special journal and frequently narrates the story of Baby Moses (which we have studied in depth this year.)

I took this idea a step further by bringing it to the breakfast table.  You all know my love of breakfast time with my family. After their quiet time (which should be done before breakfast) they bring their books with them to the table to share what God is teaching them. 

 I was also encouraged by this verse: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all the wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:15-16

So that has been our aim- to teach and admonish one another. (The children began straying from this idea at one point. It started to become more of a "look what I drew!" session.) I had to review and remind them that this time was for the benefit of others, and to give glory to God for what he is doing in our hearts. They have stayed on track since.  It has been such a joy to see what the Lord is doing in their lives.  Even better, it has been amazing to hear and see it in their own words and pictures.