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Learning Love and Character

I have a little perpetual calendar at my desk that was given to me by my SIL for my birthday a few years ago. I am often so caught up in whatever work I am doing at my desk that I rarely remember to flip the calendar page. Today it caught my eye- set at March 29^th and I realized that Maiden has been flipping the pages when she sees it (because I know I haven’t!). So I flipped it to April 12^th. Here is what it said for today:
So much of what we learn of love we learn at home.
Those words seem quite prophetic to me today as I am winding up this first year of homeschooling, learning at home. As I read that calendar I asked myself, “Are they really learning love? Am I teaching them to love? To love like Jesus?” One thing I realize that I have the unique opportunity for in a homeschooling situation is to teach my children character. About a month ago a veteran homeschool mom said these words to me, “I wish I had spent more time teaching them character right from the beginning instead of worrying about the academics. They can always learn more academically as they get older but character needs to be taught at a young age. It is extremely hard to try and teach them character when they are older and set in their ways.” Her words really made me think and I started talking with other homeschool moms about character and I found most to be in agreement with this veteran mom.
Most of the moms in my homeschool group have discussed the need for more character training in their school days. We all talked about how to go about doing it, what programs/curriculums are available and how to squeeze it into our days. I purchased a wonderful book last year from Doorposts, Polished Cornerstones. This book is a perfect curriculum for character training for my girls. We started with diligence and drifted off track. I just couldn’t find/make the time in our school days and everything else seemed more pressing. I told myself that we will work on Polished Cornerstones this summer. But after talking with this veteran homeschooler and others- I find there is no time like the present. We aren’t using our curriculum right now, but I am taking the time to slow things down and discuss with the children different character traits when training opportunities arise.
I want my children to know that I love them enough to teach them proper character. So much of what we learn of love we learn at home . . . I am reminded.

Character

9:14 AM, 2007-Apr-13 .. Posted by Anonymous

Amy, A few years ago I worked for a company that sent me to a 'Character ZCounts' seminiar. It was awesome, they have a great web site here( http://www.charactercounts.org/ ) The one real good part is they incorporate Bible basis for character. You can find free things and teaching tools on their site as well. They have things for all ages from child to adult. Take a look. Character is so important, and if that lesson is learned, then so many aspects of our lives will fall into place much easier.

Praying for you as you continue teaching your childern, and as you let the Lord teach you.

DJ

http://dj-chocoholiclife.blogspot.com/