As we have been implementing the principles of leadership education in our home, we are making learning more of a lifestyle. Our learning principles are relaxed and resemble unschooling. For us, this looks like meaningful "kid school" pretty much every morning where we learn to work and play together as a family while I guide them, present interesting information, and do what we love together. This could mean writing letters, coloring, listening to good books, discussing gospel topics, practicing for church talks, reading scriptures, singing songs, playing math games, doing experiments and so many other fun things.
But what about the rest of the day? We study and have quiet time where we all do a quiet activity that interest us, like writing an animal explorers book, or cutting and pasting, or reading a good book, and of course we play, play, play! We learn to cooperate, include others, be patient with little ones, wait our turn, be kind, control our bodies, jump, run, observe nature, catch bugs and toads, dig in the dirt, and be creative. The list could go on. As we focus on these simple aspects of life I see my children grow to be happy, kind, and creative people. As we simplify our home with the things that matter most, the essentials, I see the fruits of our labor.
It is on days like today where I feel overjoyed to see how my children are learning important values. We had the chance to go out to eat with my husband during a weekday, which is a very rare occurrence. My three kids were playing in the play area with another little boy while my husband and I finished our lunch. The little boy had to leave and his mom came and asked us as she was leaving "Are those your kids in there?" I must admit I was a little afraid of why she was asking! I thought one of my kids had hurt her child or something, but instead she said "They played so nicely with my son. They included him in their game. They were so nice!" Wow! I was so happy to hear that. That is where I see the values we are trying to instill in our children in action. I thank Heavenly Father for His guiding hand in our home and in the education of our children. Education is much more than just a means of learning facts and information to pass a test. It is instilling in our children the values that will help them grow to be good happy people who love and serve others, are curious about the world and develop good attributes of leadership.
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God" Doctrine and Covenants 88:119
This scripture is becoming our motto, and we hope to make our home a house of God as we are guided by Him in our homeschooling.
