Charlotte Mason never intended for the teacher or the mother-teacher to be the source of all knowledge. She said, "The characters in the books we know become our mentors or our warnings, our instructors always; but not if we let our minds behave as a sieve, through which the whole slips like water." In this episode, I talk about how books have taught my children more that I could have ever taught them alone.

When we talk about “the real world” we mean reality–things that are not fictional. People are often concerned that education does not prepare students for The Real World. Is a Charlotte Mason education better or worse at preparing scholars for their futures? Let's talk about it. 

Rewards are a natural part of God's plan for us. But if we use rewards in the wrong way, it can do a lot more harm than good. In this episode, I shine the light on some hard truths about our reward system and give some ideas on how we can move forward in the right direction. 

How do we nurture goodness in our children in this fallen world? Surrounded by less than ideal influences in certain books, music, movies, videos, experiences, and peers, is there a special formula to help us navigate this world and cultivate goodness in our children? Amy Carmichael said, "A cup brimful of sweetness cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, no matter how suddenly jarred." Let's explore some different ways Charlotte Mason suggested for us to cultivate the goodness in ourselves and our children so that this world is a joy to be a part of. 

Researchers have found that when we read literary fiction, our brains actually simulate what the characters in the books are feeling. Our brain literally rewires itself to emulate that character. Charlotte Mason told us, "The characters in the books we know become our mentors or our warnings, our instructors always." What we take in in the form of literature becomes a part of us. We must carefully choose the characters our children spend time with in their books. Let me give you some tips on how to do this.

Charlotte Mason and I have a long history. Here is the story of how I came into homeschooling and how I became familiar with one of the best educators of all time.