Homeschooling from the Heart

One of the memory verses that our family has learned this past year is found in Psalm 90:12:

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

We learned this verse while reading the story "The Snowy Day" by Jack Ezra Keats. The story is about a little boy who spends the day discovering the many delights that a snowy day can hold, including the warm bath at the end of the day while recapping his adventures to his mother. Amidst a day that others would call quite "ordinary", this little boy found some extraordinary moments.

Have you found some extraordinary moments amidst your homeschooling days? Something that makes yours and your child's day just a little more special? Something that helps you to number your day and to be reminded that it is a gift from God?

I have a few ideas that I have used with my own family that I will share with you. But I would LOVE to hear about the special ideas that you use with your family too. You can email me your ideas or type them in the comment area at the bottom of this post. May we bless each other and may you and your family number your days this week.

Some ways that help us to number our days:

~ A mailbox for each member in the family. I use a wooden container with a number of sections - each section is labelled with the initial of the person's name. In the evening I will sometimes put a little something into my kids mailbox slot for them to discover in the morning. Sometimes I even discover something special in my own mailbox!

~ Story time on the couch by candlelight.

~ Taking a photo of a special moment each day and then reviewing them at the end of the week.

~ A little journal - similar to the mailbox idea - a little message or drawing is placed inside the journal and then positioned by the recipient's breakfast bowl.

~ Having quiet time all together (including myself) in the afternoon. Everyone finds a comfy spot in the living room and reads quietly for a set amount of time.

~ Having a tea party together with real tea, real china cups and real cookies.

~ Making a gift for someone - baking for a neighbour, a card for a cousin, or a special picture for daddy.