I’ve often received e-mails from young mothers who want to know what they need to do with their young children. How do they structure their school and home to help their students reach their potential? I believe we begin the process by creating an atmosphere of wonder in our homes for our children. This type of environment will affect their attitudes for a lifetime. Our solution was to provide an environment that was four things:
- Pure
- Print Rich
- Real
- Interruptible
If you provide a pure environment with few distractions the essence of your children comes sparkling through. We gave our children:
- good books
- nature
- classical music
- no television
- limited extracurricular activities
- our full attention
We gave them raw materials and ourselves, not material possessions. You see, so much comes naturally when the atmosphere is right! Good books lead to precise writing skills and large vocabulary as well as lots of wonderful memories of snuggling together on the couch reading. Unlimited time exploring the natural world makes for healthy kids and piques their curiosity to understand God’s creation. Classical music trains their ear and mind in an orderly fashion and promotes a calmness on crazy days. No television leads to creative hobbies and time with family. Limited outside activities gives time to train and disciple and wonderful discussions. Providing our full attention assured our children that their interests mattered to us, that they were important to our family. The atmosphere of your home plays a critical role in who your children will become. Plan it carefully.
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