Tuesday, January 25, 2011

What I Think Is Most Important - Part 1

In my quest to figure out how to get our homeschooling on the right track for our family, I sat down and thought about what, to me, are the three most important things I can be doing with my kids each and every day.  I came up with:
  1. Praying with them and filling them with Scripture at least once a day.
  2. Getting outside with them for at least 30 minutes - EVERY day.
  3. Reading one book of each child's choosing to them at some point each day (a meager total of 4 picture books / chapters daily).
I feel if I can get just these small, simple bases covered I can feel I've done something of worth, right?

So, this week I began making a more consistent habit of the first - Praying with them and filling them with Scripture at least once a day.  And there were actually some days when I got this done more than once.  The key was finding the simplest method possible for me.  I'm taking very short exerpts of Phyllis Tickle's Divine Hours readings and praying / reading them with the kids at each meal.  That's it - The Lord's Prayer, a small Scripture reading, and couple one-line prayers at each meal.  Conversation just takes off from there, and I quickly find myself answering questions about God and faith, praying for small needs and concerns, and just talking with the kids.

The challenge in this is not so much the forming of a new habit as it's the breaking of the old, bad habit - eating our meals in front of the TV.  Yes, I'm confessing to letting my kids watch TV - way - too - much.  But we are putting off this bad habit to take on the new - prayer and Bible reading.  And it's been great.  I have to say that it has helped set a more contented and peaceful tone in our home. 

One old habit on it's way out the door; one new habit getting nicely settled into our home.

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