The Commonplace

The way Charlotte Mason talks about moms and kids and obedience can easily sound like she’s frolicking in a field of whimsical flowers with a rare sort of child. It’s tempting to lift your coffee mug to your smirking lips and remind yourself that she didn’t have children of her own. 

She doesn’t really know what it’s like.

Or does she?

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Ps. Yes, I have a cold.

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You can find the full episode notes here.

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Continuing Education Picks

Obedience Series, Risen Motherhood

Heartfelt Discipline: Following God’s Path of Life to the Heart of Your Child, Clay Clarkson

The Habit of Obedience, A Thinking Love

“Motherhood is One Big Millstone-Avoidance Project,” Brandy Vencel

Classical Heavyweights

Hints on Child Training, H. Clay Trumbull

Paradise Lost, John Milton

Principles 3 and 4, Charlotte Mason

3. The principles of authority on the one hand, and of obedience on the other, are natural, necessary and fundamental; but—

4. These principles are limited by the respect due to the personality of children, which must not be encroached upon whether by the direct use of fear or love, suggestion or influence, or by undue play upon any one natural desire.
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There’s a lot to habits in a Charlotte Mason philosophy: How are they formed and what part do they play in virtue? Which ones should we focus on and when? And do they really matter in the early years?

The heartbeat of habit training all begins in Miss Mason’s idea of a mother’s ‘thinking love’ for her children. Moms are qualified by God to be primary shapers in their children’s lives, which means we have a duty—and a delight—to cultivate the God-given faculties in our kids. We want to equip them so they are able to joyfully serve God throughout their lives. When it comes to habit training, the question before all of us is: to whose service should this child’s heart, head, and hands be dedicated and directed?

Welcome to Habits 101.

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You can find the full episode notes here.

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Continuing Education Picks

Habits: Part 2, Dwell Podcast

Atomic Habits, James Clear

“Choosing Words Wisely with Children” Abbey Wedgeworth on Daily Grace

Formation of Character, Volume 5, Charlotte Mason

Classical Heavyweights

Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle

Confessions, St. Augustine
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Young children like things repeated and unchanged. They also love to know things, memorizing what they’ve heard in an almost effortless way. These are the trademark characteristics of the grammar stage in a classical education. As a child memorizes, they form natural relationships with the world around them and learn to love what they know. It’ll happen whether or not you offer them noble ideas, meaning their memories can be full of beauty or full of junk. It can be Bach or Cardi B, but something will fill and form your child’s memory, and that will shape their heart’s affections.

Let’s talk about it.

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Don’t forget you can get the episode notes straight to your inbox via A Commonplace Note.

Or you can find them here.

Would you like to help other new-to-homeschooling moms wrap their hands around the ideals and principles of a classical Charlotte Mason education? Leaving a podcast rating and review can do just that.
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On your first Google search, it seems like a classical education is pretty different than a Charlotte Mason education. The former seems like a lot of memory work; the latter involves a lot of watercolor nature journaling. But in this episode, we’re going to explore the what and how behind these education methods. Spoiler alert: a Charlotte Mason education is classical. Come find out why!

Don’t forget you can get the episode notes straight to your inbox via A Commonplace Note.

Or you can find them here.

Would you like to help other new-to-homeschooling moms wrap their hands around the ideals and principles of a classical Charlotte Mason education? Leaving a podcast rating and review can do just that.

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Join the 400+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!

Consider this our podcast handshake.

There seems to be a gap between the starting line of the homeschooling journey and the resources in the classical world. Moms love the idea of morning time or nature journals but can easily feel overwhelmed by all the mentions of Plato and Plutarch. And what exactly did Charlotte Mason mean by twaddle? In this first season, we’ll be discussing the foundations of a classical education, habits in the early years, the moral imagination, the heart of virtue, and more.

This is where a classical education becomes commonplace. Plus, we’ll laugh.
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Join the 400+ mother-teachers in Common House (It’s like a Patreon, but better.) where we think deeply and learn together through full courses, bonus minisodes, monthly Q+A video calls, resources, and more!