I just had my sixth boy. I relate to this so much. To be honest, it has been quite a struggle lately as I try to figure out and refine our homeschool day so that it works for them all, from ages 4 months to 8. I grew up with mostly sisters (my brothers were much older than me) so this is all uncharted territory for me, they definitely are wired differently! Lots of tears shed and prayers said trying to figure out how to raise good men while keeping my sanity! Lots of trial and error on my part.
Ok so out of alllll the CM videos to help me THIS one is absolutely the best! I have 3 boys and I have been stressing over them moving during reading, pent up energy, and the list goes on. This video is soooo helpful. I started Charlotte Mason homeschooling with my oldest last year as he was entering 3rd grade and now I have 2 younger ones ready to really begin and I have been so worried that I would fail them. It makes SOOO much sense why my oldest son got so bored and frustrated in public school bc it was nothing but copy work and fill in the blank and rereading passages over and over!! I was feeling really nervous about continuing CM homeschooling but this video has really helped calm my anxieties! Thank you so much!!💙💙💙
I've been doing the Charlotte Mason Spelling Wisdom books with my boys and the technique works brilliantly for them. They're loving it. I told them all about Charlotte Mason and they said she sounded like a lovely lady 🥰
Thank you for reaching out to share your feedback, so glad to hear that this method is working out well for your family! For anyone interested in "Spelling Wisdom," here is a link. simplycharlottemason.com/store/spelling-wisdom/ "Spelling Wisdom" provides pre-selected passages that you can use for transcription and then dictation when your student is ready. This resource pairs well with "Using Language Well." Together these books are an excellent language arts resource that uses Charlotte Mason's principles topics targeted include: grammar, English points, and spelling. Here is a link where you can learn more about this resource. simplycharlottemason.com/store/using-language-well/
I am so excited to transition to CM. I myself have 5 boys and no girls (yet) ages 8 down to 1. 💕. I personally though find it so hard to take breaks. I would rather work hard and focus and get it done than drag it out, especially school since I have so much to do managing my home. Any tips for letting them ‘dig’ and run and play without destroying the yard and house though!? Lol
Make spaces where it okay to do those things. A small sand pit with a lid outside is an outdoor option for literally "digging" lol make spaces indoor and out where they can let out that creativity and make a bit of a mess but always remind them to clean up after themselves right after they make the mess. Example: my kids have a "play nook" that is a bit hidden from sight where they can play, read and do projects etc but because it's a confined space the mess stays within it's boundary. I use those foam puzzle piece play mats to establish a boarder, make it easily cleanable and more comfortable for laying on the ground with pillows. Space doesn't need to be big ours is less than 6'x4' in size and consists of pillows and a small japanese style table, 2 house walls and a bookshelf to create a third wall giving the effect of a secluded work space for them.
There is a video on this channel about changing up the subjects/type of work throughout the day so that you don't need to take as many breaks. You can just switch what part of the brain you are using, or switch from a sitting-down subject to an ok-to-move-around subject. I try to incorporate this idea into our schedule.
I often need to remind my son to slow down so he can understand what is being asked. He's almost six. I know he;s still little. Am I asking too much of him? To slow down?
Hi, Thank you for your question! You can absolutely still cultivate a habit of attention and not repeating yourself with an active young child. There are some great tips on how to do this in this post: simplycharlottemason.com/blog/working-on-attention-during-the-summer/
Thank you both for this video. Do you have any advice on getting boys interested in something profitable? I love the idea of skills and handiwork. However, we have limited means and practical skills ourselves, eg woodworking is not a ready option though I would love it to be. It seemed any other idea i thought of would mean quite an investment in acquiring the materials to start and if they were not keen (as in the couple I have tried), it would be a waste of our limited resources. We have a 11yo and 9yo. One is keen on typing and reaches super fast speeds. The other loves to invent and make things (but again we have exhausted what materials we've had). I also find it hard just to get them out 'to play'. One has gone faithfully out to practice sports for a time, but without the other brother's interest to join him it's 'boring'. Any advice or ideas welcome. Thank you! and God bless!
Keep encouraging them to do what they are good at. Don't think of it as a waste of resources and money if they don't show a huge interest in something you thought they would like but didn't. You are exposing them to many ideas and opportunities. Your boys will like some but not all of them, but you won't know which ones if you don't invest some time and money into a variety of ideas. Asking for their input before buying will help narrow down the possibilities to things they are interested in. Try to find resources that are not expensive. For example, resale shops like Goodwill or Salvation Army are great places to get cheap small appliances for learning how they work, taking them apart and rebuilding them, repairing them, or for parts for other inventions. Ask friends or family members if they would be willing to help your boys learn a skill that you don't know how to do. They may even be willing to provide the materials while your boys learn the skills. Possibilities for skills may include small appliance repair, auto mechanics, construction, plumbing, small engine maintenance and repair, computer graphics, creative art (drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.), and wood working. Consider getting a project kit or materials for a project as a birthday or Christmas gift. Ask relatives to give materials for projects or kits as gifts. You can get some good ideas for projects boys like by looking at the kits sold at Raising Real Men, www.raisingrealmen.com/product-category/gear-toys/. For getting them out to play you may need to schedule a time each day that they have to be outside. Provide them with basic outdoor equipment like bikes, skateboards, football, basketball, playground type balls, play swords, shovels, rakes, and anything else you think can be used outdoors.
This video says it's about cultivating the habit of attention in the summer, but the tips apply to every time of year. ua-cam.com/video/0WCP7tcD44Y/v-deo.html
Yes! This! My nine year old son has a history of not listening (but then so do I, to be honest. It takes me twice hearing for it to process.) I've been teaching him that you CAN hear things twice even if they are only spoken once by... 1. Whispering in your head along with the speaker, repeating what they say. 2. Reading along with the speaker if they are quoting text. 3. Taking notes (or in my case, drawing) And we try chewing gum, playdoh, and other quiet "fidgets" but, like you said, no Legos. 4. Picturing in your head what they are saying. 5. Combining several of the above. Believe it or not, it's working. Slowly and not perfectly, but it is progress.
Hal and Melanie Young are good friends of SCM. We like to recommend their resources, especially Raising Real Men. www.raisingrealmen.com/product/raisingrealmen/
Hi, absolutely! Charlotte Mason's approach and SCM's resources will work with families of all sizes. One of the great things about SCM's resources is that there are many subjects that the whole family can do together. The SCM history/Bible/geography and enrichment guides are meant to be used as a family, with grade level books assigned for history and literature. Here are is a helpful post about homeschooling using these methods with a large family. simplycharlottemason.com/blog/your-questions-answered-charlotte-mason-with-a-large-family/
In general, just that children who are younger have shorter lessons in a Charlotte Mason approach. You can find a breakdown of suggested lesson times by grade here: simplycharlottemason.com/blog/three-basic-cm-principles-subject-by-subject-part-2/
Wiggling and useless motion and noises drive me absolutely insane. How can I learn to relax with so much wiggling going on while I try to communicate with my boys? I have 4 boys and two are now teenagers. The other two are 7 and 9.
Hi Mrs. Coleman! It can be frustrating to try and communicate with wiggly kiddos. Allowing children the ability to move and make noise is vital to their being but so is training them to recognize and respect when it is appropriate and when it it is not. I have found that my younger crew (currently almost 6 and 8) are better able to give me their attention when they have been allowed to get the wiggles out before focused attention. Allowing them to move while I read to them, while we work on a math lesson (8yr old), or when receiving a narration (8 yr old), has benefitted them but was hard for me to accept initially. It was difficult for me to focus on the subject at hand so we made sure to have rules. They are allowed to move quietly (generally on a large medicine ball), draw, play with play dough, or build so long as they do so quietly (no noisy interruptions allowed). We talked about and established consequences with the boys before they were enacted. Daily, the boys needed a reminder at the start of any together time before they had a chance to get loud, super wiggly, etc. Another valuable element is making sure lessons are kept short. Sometimes, when I can tell they are struggling, I will stop a lesson and let them go play on a swing for a few minutes. Other times I have had them stand in front of me and given then instructions for physical activity (run in place for 20 seconds, 10 jumping jacks, 5 pushups, etc). This allows them to get physical as well as make a little noise. After a few minutes of this, they are ready to focus again. We discussed children who won't sit still a while back on our blog. I hope the article gives you some ideas on how to help your wiggly ones. simplycharlottemason.com/blog/your-questions-answered-children-who-wont-sit-still/ ~Tami, for the SCM team
I loved this conversation! I have two boys and one girl and they are wired differently. Much of what they mentioned about boys needs are true. I love it when she said boys need to wiggle!😆 So true.
This takes so much pressure off! My oldest is 1st grade and we did Abeka last year but now I’m seeing how that probably hurt him more than helped. Now I am going to have to UNschool that a bit with Charlotte mason
Thank you, this is very helpful. I have a question though, is the curriculum religious? I love the philosophy and way in which to teach and learn, but I don’t want any religion inserted into the subjects. Id like to teach them all religious philosophies separately and they can learn about them all, compare, discuss and find their own opinion. I’m nervous that this will have god in the everyday subjects. Thanks again ☺️
Hi Thank you for your question! Here is an overview of the components of curriculum that SCM offers. You will see included in our Enrichment guides scripture memory as a subject, which you could choose to omit if it were your preference. simplycharlottemason.com/planning/curriculum-guide/ SCM combines Bible study with history, this post is helpful in understanding why that choice was made. Again, if you prefer to omit the Bible portion of the study, you could certainly do so and then your students would be learning about just the events of history without the Bible timeline woven in alongside. simplycharlottemason.com/blog/history-streams-scm-curriculum/ The only other study that comes to mind is a few of the science studies are related to the days of creation for early elementary students, however there are other options that are not. You can learn more about the available elementary science courses here: simplycharlottemason.com/store/living-science-courses/ The habit training resources and lessons in "Laying Down the Rails for Children" do pull in scripture references as examples for habits as well as additional stories and activities, however I am sure that you could also modify that to fit your family's preferences as well.
Your children married each other....why do I love this even more?😄♥️
You both are wonderful!
Thank you for your kind words!
Just had a hard day with my son. He’s 6. This is our first Charlotte Mason semester. Bless God this popped up in my feed. Thank you so much!❤️
I just had my sixth boy. I relate to this so much. To be honest, it has been quite a struggle lately as I try to figure out and refine our homeschool day so that it works for them all, from ages 4 months to 8. I grew up with mostly sisters (my brothers were much older than me) so this is all uncharted territory for me, they definitely are wired differently! Lots of tears shed and prayers said trying to figure out how to raise good men while keeping my sanity! Lots of trial and error on my part.
Love when Karen is on here! ☺️. Her voice and demeanor are so sweet and comforting.
Ok so out of alllll the CM videos to help me THIS one is absolutely the best! I have 3 boys and I have been stressing over them moving during reading, pent up energy, and the list goes on. This video is soooo helpful. I started Charlotte Mason homeschooling with my oldest last year as he was entering 3rd grade and now I have 2 younger ones ready to really begin and I have been so worried that I would fail them. It makes SOOO much sense why my oldest son got so bored and frustrated in public school bc it was nothing but copy work and fill in the blank and rereading passages over and over!! I was feeling really nervous about continuing CM homeschooling but this video has really helped calm my anxieties! Thank you so much!!💙💙💙
Yes!! Best decision I ever made for my boys.
Really? I have 4 boys and I am doubting the inner pull to homeschool all my boys. Why was it your best decision?
This is so reassuring! Thank you both for sharing your wisdom and experience.
Great video ! So helpful I'm homeschooling two boys 6 and 11 .
I also have 3 boys and this was very informative. Thanks for posting.
Great info ! And great point about good habits and not having to reread
I've been doing the Charlotte Mason Spelling Wisdom books with my boys and the technique works brilliantly for them. They're loving it. I told them all about Charlotte Mason and they said she sounded like a lovely lady 🥰
Thank you for reaching out to share your feedback, so glad to hear that this method is working out well for your family! For anyone interested in "Spelling Wisdom," here is a link.
simplycharlottemason.com/store/spelling-wisdom/
"Spelling Wisdom" provides pre-selected passages that you can use for transcription and then dictation when your student is ready. This resource pairs well with "Using Language Well." Together these books are an excellent language arts resource that uses Charlotte Mason's principles topics targeted include: grammar, English points, and spelling. Here is a link where you can learn more about this resource. simplycharlottemason.com/store/using-language-well/
I hope you can share tips also on how to homeschool jr high school. 😊
This is so beneficial! Thank you so much for your work.
These are great tips. Thank you so much
You're welcome!!
This is so helpful as I have all boys and they are so different for my nieces and I notice they bop around more and yes they learn while doing
I am so excited to transition to CM. I myself have 5 boys and no girls (yet) ages 8 down to 1. 💕. I personally though find it so hard to take breaks. I would rather work hard and focus and get it done than drag it out, especially school since I have so much to do managing my home. Any tips for letting them ‘dig’ and run and play without destroying the yard and house though!? Lol
Make spaces where it okay to do those things. A small sand pit with a lid outside is an outdoor option for literally "digging" lol make spaces indoor and out where they can let out that creativity and make a bit of a mess but always remind them to clean up after themselves right after they make the mess.
Example: my kids have a "play nook" that is a bit hidden from sight where they can play, read and do projects etc but because it's a confined space the mess stays within it's boundary. I use those foam puzzle piece play mats to establish a boarder, make it easily cleanable and more comfortable for laying on the ground with pillows. Space doesn't need to be big ours is less than 6'x4' in size and consists of pillows and a small japanese style table, 2 house walls and a bookshelf to create a third wall giving the effect of a secluded work space for them.
There is a video on this channel about changing up the subjects/type of work throughout the day so that you don't need to take as many breaks. You can just switch what part of the brain you are using, or switch from a sitting-down subject to an ok-to-move-around subject. I try to incorporate this idea into our schedule.
Oh how adorable that your children married each other ❤❤❤
I wish I would have been taught this way. It makes so much sense.
Excellent video! Thank you so much.
This just reinforces my decision 👌
I know it's totally out of topic but I would really appreciate knowing where Sonya got her pretty tunic. Thank you in advance!
It's from Christopher and Banks. :-)
I often need to remind my son to slow down so he can understand what is being asked. He's almost six. I know he;s still little. Am I asking too much of him? To slow down?
No
Hi, Thank you for your question! You can absolutely still cultivate a habit of attention and not repeating yourself with an active young child. There are some great tips on how to do this in this post:
simplycharlottemason.com/blog/working-on-attention-during-the-summer/
So encouraging and reassuring! 🌹👍🏻💜
Wow. Wonderful information. Thank you ladies, I feel like I have an arsenal of tools that I can use right now. I have Wiki Sticks, what a great idea.
Thank you both for this video. Do you have any advice on getting boys interested in something profitable? I love the idea of skills and handiwork. However, we have limited means and practical skills ourselves, eg woodworking is not a ready option though I would love it to be. It seemed any other idea i thought of would mean quite an investment in acquiring the materials to start and if they were not keen (as in the couple I have tried), it would be a waste of our limited resources. We have a 11yo and 9yo. One is keen on typing and reaches super fast speeds. The other loves to invent and make things (but again we have exhausted what materials we've had). I also find it hard just to get them out 'to play'. One has gone faithfully out to practice sports for a time, but without the other brother's interest to join him it's 'boring'. Any advice or ideas welcome. Thank you! and God bless!
Keep encouraging them to do what they are good at.
Don't think of it as a waste of resources and money if they don't show a huge interest in something you thought they would like but didn't. You are exposing them to many ideas and opportunities. Your boys will like some but not all of them, but you won't know which ones if you don't invest some time and money into a variety of ideas. Asking for their input before buying will help narrow down the possibilities to things they are interested in.
Try to find resources that are not expensive. For example, resale shops like Goodwill or Salvation Army are great places to get cheap small appliances for learning how they work, taking them apart and rebuilding them, repairing them, or for parts for other inventions.
Ask friends or family members if they would be willing to help your boys learn a skill that you don't know how to do. They may even be willing to provide the materials while your boys learn the skills. Possibilities for skills may include small appliance repair, auto mechanics, construction, plumbing, small engine maintenance and repair, computer graphics, creative art (drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.), and wood working.
Consider getting a project kit or materials for a project as a birthday or Christmas gift. Ask relatives to give materials for projects or kits as gifts.
You can get some good ideas for projects boys like by looking at the kits sold at Raising Real Men, www.raisingrealmen.com/product-category/gear-toys/.
For getting them out to play you may need to schedule a time each day that they have to be outside. Provide them with basic outdoor equipment like bikes, skateboards, football, basketball, playground type balls, play swords, shovels, rakes, and anything else you think can be used outdoors.
Thank u for this!!! I’m wondering how u teach attentiveness? Especially for boys?
This video says it's about cultivating the habit of attention in the summer, but the tips apply to every time of year. ua-cam.com/video/0WCP7tcD44Y/v-deo.html
Simply Charlotte Mason I was just about to ask that question as well! Thank you so much. ❤️
Yes! This! My nine year old son has a history of not listening (but then so do I, to be honest. It takes me twice hearing for it to process.) I've been teaching him that you CAN hear things twice even if they are only spoken once by...
1. Whispering in your head along with the speaker, repeating what they say.
2. Reading along with the speaker if they are quoting text.
3. Taking notes (or in my case, drawing) And we try chewing gum, playdoh, and other quiet "fidgets" but, like you said, no Legos.
4. Picturing in your head what they are saying.
5. Combining several of the above.
Believe it or not, it's working. Slowly and not perfectly, but it is progress.
I have 5 Boys back to back and j agree with everything she said!
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Any good books for the boys to help us focus on teaching them ? Especially helping to raise those godly little boys into godly men ?
Hal and Melanie Young are good friends of SCM. We like to recommend their resources, especially Raising Real Men. www.raisingrealmen.com/product/raisingrealmen/
www.halandmelanie.com
We have 10 children together the same age (not biologically mine ), but is it possible to apply this to all 10 children together?
Hi, absolutely! Charlotte Mason's approach and SCM's resources will work with families of all sizes. One of the great things about SCM's resources is that there are many subjects that the whole family can do together. The SCM history/Bible/geography and enrichment guides are meant to be used as a family, with grade level books assigned for history and literature.
Here are is a helpful post about homeschooling using these methods with a large family.
simplycharlottemason.com/blog/your-questions-answered-charlotte-mason-with-a-large-family/
Karen, when you said "younger kids" at 11:28, what age range were you referring to?
In general, just that children who are younger have shorter lessons in a Charlotte Mason approach. You can find a breakdown of suggested lesson times by grade here: simplycharlottemason.com/blog/three-basic-cm-principles-subject-by-subject-part-2/
Wiggling and useless motion and noises drive me absolutely insane. How can I learn to relax with so much wiggling going on while I try to communicate with my boys? I have 4 boys and two are now teenagers. The other two are 7 and 9.
Hi Mrs. Coleman! It can be frustrating to try and communicate with wiggly kiddos. Allowing children the ability to move and make noise is vital to their being but so is training them to recognize and respect when it is appropriate and when it it is not. I have found that my younger crew (currently almost 6 and 8) are better able to give me their attention when they have been allowed to get the wiggles out before focused attention. Allowing them to move while I read to them, while we work on a math lesson (8yr old), or when receiving a narration (8 yr old), has benefitted them but was hard for me to accept initially. It was difficult for me to focus on the subject at hand so we made sure to have rules. They are allowed to move quietly (generally on a large medicine ball), draw, play with play dough, or build so long as they do so quietly (no noisy interruptions allowed). We talked about and established consequences with the boys before they were enacted. Daily, the boys needed a reminder at the start of any together time before they had a chance to get loud, super wiggly, etc. Another valuable element is making sure lessons are kept short. Sometimes, when I can tell they are struggling, I will stop a lesson and let them go play on a swing for a few minutes. Other times I have had them stand in front of me and given then instructions for physical activity (run in place for 20 seconds, 10 jumping jacks, 5 pushups, etc). This allows them to get physical as well as make a little noise. After a few minutes of this, they are ready to focus again.
We discussed children who won't sit still a while back on our blog. I hope the article gives you some ideas on how to help your wiggly ones. simplycharlottemason.com/blog/your-questions-answered-children-who-wont-sit-still/
~Tami, for the SCM team
My boy: “Did someone say TEA PARTY AND POETRY???!!”
The offerings at a tea party can be enjoyed by all! :)
I loved this conversation! I have two boys and one girl and they are wired differently. Much of what they mentioned about boys needs are true. I love it when she said boys need to wiggle!😆 So true.
I need friends like you ladies ☺️
V.helpful
If I could hug you two through this computer, I would!! Thank you Thank you!!! Easy video to follow!!
I have 4 boys (and 1 girl) and thus was so helpful!
So glad you found this post helpful!
Love this, but the boys in my house are allowed to play with Legos while I read aloud ☺️
Different things will work for different children and that is ok! Thank you for joining us!
This takes so much pressure off! My oldest is 1st grade and we did Abeka last year but now I’m seeing how that probably hurt him more than helped. Now I am going to have to UNschool that a bit with Charlotte mason
Thank you, this is very helpful. I have a question though, is the curriculum religious? I love the philosophy and way in which to teach and learn, but I don’t want any religion inserted into the subjects. Id like to teach them all religious philosophies separately and they can learn about them all, compare, discuss and find their own opinion. I’m nervous that this will have god in the everyday subjects. Thanks again ☺️
Hi Thank you for your question!
Here is an overview of the components of curriculum that SCM offers. You will see included in our Enrichment guides scripture memory as a subject, which you could choose to omit if it were your preference.
simplycharlottemason.com/planning/curriculum-guide/
SCM combines Bible study with history, this post is helpful in understanding why that choice was made. Again, if you prefer to omit the Bible portion of the study, you could certainly do so and then your students would be learning about just the events of history without the Bible timeline woven in alongside.
simplycharlottemason.com/blog/history-streams-scm-curriculum/
The only other study that comes to mind is a few of the science studies are related to the days of creation for early elementary students, however there are other options that are not. You can learn more about the available elementary science courses here:
simplycharlottemason.com/store/living-science-courses/
The habit training resources and lessons in "Laying Down the Rails for Children" do pull in scripture references as examples for habits as well as additional stories and activities, however I am sure that you could also modify that to fit your family's preferences as well.
So much goodness 😉