My goal is to have a family culture of fun learning all the time
“My goal is to have a family culture of fun learning all the time”. That is what Kelly said yesterday in her wonderful article, Changing ourselves for better and joyful parenting. In the Closet Mastery Program, from start to finish, I work to let parents know that they can accomplish this, and make learning fun for children as well as adults.
Kelly’s family experience is a wonderful example of a number of things that I want to reiterate again today.
- First, I am amazed at wonderful mother’s and fathers who keep learning and growing for their family despite lack of sleep, confusion and chaos that small people can bring, clutter, crying, illness and the list goes on. I am always amazed at parents and their ability to just keep at a thing until they get it figured out.
- Second, it really isn’t about the Closet. I love the TJEd Closet and it is a fabulous tool that can help any parent inspire and help their children gain a love of learning. However, let me give you an analogy. The Closet is like a fine car. The contents of the Closet are the leather interior, bucket seats, seatbelts, mini TV, fine radio, CD player, v-6 motor. It is all the things that you want in a car, that make you want to get in and drive. But if your wonderful car has no wheels and no gas you will soon tire of sitting in it waiting for something wonderful to happen.
Take ownership of the Five Rules and they will work for you
As Kelly said “my goal is to have a family culture of fun learning all the time. I think about the 5 Rules of Engagement all the time and they triumph over the “scripts” that I keep telling myself. They are now “my” rules because I have taken ownership and that has proved to be a huge blessing”.
The Five Rules of Engagement (effective home school strategies) are the wheels and the gas for the Closet; no matter how fabulous and loaded with materials the Closet is, without the Five Rules of Engagement you aren’t going anywhere. The wheels are structure and consistency, keeping it simple, making it special and regular planning. The gas is being present!
- Third, her post is a great example of how tremendously fun we can make learning no matter what the topic. When we make it fun for our children then being with them and learning with them becomes fun for us.
- Fourth, learning how to respond in the moment and to think about inspiration is a great skill to learn and it is a learnable skill. When Kelly put those books in the Closet she hadn’t planned on painting or making a vegetable face. Those ideas came as the family engaged and as Kelly responded to the opportunity to inspire her children. Anyone can learn to do this! And make learning fun for everyone.
I encourage you to learn about the Five Rules of Engagement and do what Kelly has done; take ownership of the rules and use them every day. It really will impact your family for good.
Not just our closet has improved but the whole environment in our home and the way we look at home school. Amanda Bradshaw
You are truly opening my eyes and helping to transform my family. Leah Spencer
The Five Rules of Engagement really do work and really can transform your family, not just your education.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Make it Special – Chores and Family Work
- What Does it mean to have Our Ducks in a Row
- A Question about the Spark Station from a Reader
- The Power of Focus ie. Being Present
- Being Present: My Cure for a Busy Life
{ 0 comments… add one now }