A Charlotte Mason Education - The Charlotte Mason Monthly
A Free E-Mail Newsletter
Circulation: 7,100+
ISSN: 1527-1277
Vol. 2, No. 11 -- September 2001
http://members.aol.com/BeeME1/

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Copyright (C) 2001 Deborah Taylor-Hough. All rights reserved.
mailto:dsimple@aol.com
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Feel free to forward the CM-Monthly Email Newsletter in its entirety to others who might be interested. To subscribe, send an email containing ANY message to:
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IN THIS ISSUE:
-- "Dear Readers"
-- Charlotte Mason Quote-able
-- Helping Children Cope
-- Charlotte Mason Children's Motto
-- Links of Interest: Coping / Helping
-- Letters to the Editor / Readers' Tips
-- Assorted Information (archives, retrieving back issues, etc.)

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Dear Readers ...

This past week has been a difficult and full one for so many of us thoughout the world. Due to the tragic events in New York City and Washington, DC, I've included an article by my good friend, Leanne Ely, on helping children cope with tragedy. Here in the Seattle area, there's also the added grief of a tour plane of Husky football fans who died in a plane crash in Mexico.

My children have been very aware of the fact that they've been watching history in the making this week, but I also want to be careful not to overwhelm them with images they may have trouble processing (and for that matter, I have a bit of trouble emotionally processing the images on the television, myself, this week).

Having lost my own beloved grandfather recently (his Memorial Service was less than a week ago), the harsh realities of grief are still fresh in my mind and heart. In case anyone's curious, here's a link to a small article online about my grandfather's life. He was quite a guy -- a true original (not everyone can claim to have The World Champion Clam Eater for a relative!).
http://www.eastsidejournal.com/sited/story/html/65366

My thoughts and prayers are with all those suffering directly from the loss of their dear loved ones this week.

Blessings and Peace to You,

Debi
(Deborah Taylor-Hough)
mailto:DSimple@aol.com
Editor, CM-Monthly Email Newsletter
Author of "Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month" and the newly released book "A Simple Choice: A Practical Guide to Saving Your Time, Money and Sanity" (Champion Press, May 2000)
Click here

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CHARLOTTE MASON QUOTE-ABLE

"We should allow no separation to grow up between the intellectual and 'spiritual' life of children; but should teach them that the divine Spirit has constant access to their spirits, and is their continual helper in all the interests, duties and joys of life."

--Charlotte Mason, Preface to the Home Education Series
From the Original Homeschooling Series (six volume set)
Click here

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HELPING CHILDREN COPE
Copyright 2001 Leanne Ely
Used with permission. All rights reserved.
mailto:manicwife@aol.com


While most Americans will be reeling over Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, DC for weeks to come, there are children here at home (and around the world) that are terrified and wanting to know what's happening. Some, like Ann Crummie, Ph.D., a Rutherfordton, North Carolina psychologist's granddaughter are asking hard questions. "She was asking my daughter, 'Will an airplane come though my house?' These are the kind of things children will ask and we need to know how to answer them," said Crummie.

"You need to allow children to explain how they feel," said Crummie.  "They need to know they are safe. Explain that our President has assured us all that he will find out who did this and they will be punished for what they have done."

Crummie herself is the parent of twelve children. "Yours, mine and ours," she explained. "I have two children in the military and they're both on full alert. My son is a major and my daughter an assistant to a chaplain. The hard part about this tragedy is not knowing who is responsible and not knowing when and if my children will be deployed."

Here are some tips for speaking with your children about Tuesday's tragedy. The overriding principle is to give children a sense of stability, calmness and reassurance.

1) Allow them to explain how they feel. Give them time and room to speak without interrupting.

2) Give your children reassurance that we are safe. Explain what is being done to boost our country's security and that where we live is far away from the areas that were attacked.

3) Let your children know that the people who did this are bad people and the victims of these attacks didn't deserve to be hurt.

4) Let them know that even though these are bad people, most people aren't like that and can be trusted.

5) Remind your children that this type of attack is unusual and doesn't happen everyday.


Terry Ledford, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist with Woodridge Psychological Associates in Rutherfordton, NC agrees with these tips and adds, "I think being open to speaking with your children later on and asking them in a few days how they're doing would be good, keeping the discussion open. It would also be a good idea to watch for behaviors that would suggest problems. They might have displaced questions, like asking, 'Is the dog okay?' This may not seem to be related, but it would suggest that they are worried about stability."

"Take it a step further and talk about future plans as a family, like what we are going to do for Christmas or next year's vacation. What we are going to do together as a family shows them their future is secure," said Ledford.


SUBMITTED BY: Leanne Ely, C.N.C.
--Leanne is the editor of the "Healthy-Foods" ezine.  To join, send
mailto:join-healthy-foods@ds.xc.org. She's also the author of  "Healthy Foods: An irreverent guide to understanding nutrition and feeding your family well" (Champion Press, 2001). For information on ordering your own, autographed copy mailto:manicwife@aol.com

You can browse Leanne's book, "Healthy Foods," online at:
Click here

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THE CHARLOTTE MASON CHILDREN'S MOTTO
Copyright 1998/2001 Deborah Taylor-Hough
Used with permission. All rights reserved.
http://sites.silaspartners.com/cmason/


The children in the P.N.E.U. (Parents National Education Union) schools founded by Charlotte Mason wore buttons on their lapels with this motto imprinted: "I am; I can; I ought; I will." The buttons and motto served as a reminder of what they were striving for in their lives and in their education.

The following is just one mom's interpretation of how to apply this motto in the lives of her own children. Use this as a springboard for finding applications and ideas in the motto to apply within your own family's beliefs and priorities.


"I am" = THE CHILD'S IDENTITY

"I am an important and unique human being." We, as their parents and teachers, must communicate to our children that they are lovable valuable human beings; that we love them and that God loves them.


"I can" = THEIR PERSONAL ABILITIES

"I have abilities given to me which make me capable of accomplishing what life and duty require me to do." We need to communicate to our children that they are able and capable -- and they can "do all things through Christ Who strengthens" them.


"I ought" = THE MORAL CONSCIENCE

"I ought to do what is right." It's a sense of duty -- a sense of right and wrong. The conscience can be seared (or numbed, or silenced) by continual wrong thinking and wrong doing. We, as parents, need to step in and help form habits of proper actions and right thinking in our children. A good "living" book to read and narrate with your children on this topic is the book of Proverbs in the Bible.


"I will" = THE POWER TO ACT

"I will forget myself and do what is right." After realizing their infinite worth, their God-given capabilities, and the right actions required of them as contributing members of society, our children need to be assured that they can "will" themselves to do what needs to be done. Sometimes right actions will require courage -- they can "will" themselves to be courageous.


On a personal note, I'm thinking about making up little buttons for my kids to wear with the Charlotte Mason P.N.E.U. children's motto printed on them. Or maybe doing a cross-stitched wall hanging with the motto and appropriate scripture verses for our living room. At the very least, I'm going to take time this Fall to teach the motto to my children, to discuss what it means, to see what the Bible has to say on these topics, and to memorize scripture applicable to these important subjects.


SUBMITTED BY: Deborah Taylor-Hough
--Debi is a long-time homeschooling mother of three, author of the bestselling books "Frozen Assets: how to cook for a day and eat for a month" and "A Simple Choice: a practical guide to saving your time, money and sanity," and the editor of the Bright-Kids (mailto:join-bright-kids@ds.xc.org) and Charlotte Mason Monthly (mailto:join-cm-monthly@ds.xc.org) email newsletters. Visit Debi online at: http://members.aol.com/dsimple/

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LINKS OF INTEREST ~ Coping / Helping
(Compiled by Debi)

ONLINE COPING ARTICLES:

"What Do We Tell Our Children?" (article)
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/255/living/What_do_we_tell_out_children_+.shtml

TO OFFER HELP AND SUPPORT:
American Red Cross 1-800-HELP-NOW
http://redcross.org/
Salvation Army 1-800-SAL-ARMY
http://www.salvationarmy.org/

BOOKS ON GRIEF:
These two resources would make excellent gifts for people coping with the sudden loss of a loved one. (I wonder if the Red Cross or Salvation Army would accept copies of these resources as donations to distribute to survivors? Just a thought ... I think I'll check into it.)

"How Can I Live With My Loss?" (complete text of a grief-related booklet; free print version available from this site, as well)
http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/ds/cb921/

"I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye" (book on surviving, coping and healing after the sudden death of a loved one)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1891400274/simplepleasuresp/

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / READERS' TIPS
(Feel free to share any helpful tips or ideas with other readers.)
mailto:dsimple@aol.com

Re: Charlotte Mason website link
http://fp.armitt.plus.com/charlotte_mason.htm
I came across this page today and thought you might like to see it. It is from the Armitt museum in Ambleside. They have a page on Charlotte Mason there, with a lovely pastel of her in her later years. I had never seen this before but perhaps it is old news to you. In any case, I thought I would share it will some fellow Charlotte Mason "fans."
--Michele Q.

Re: Charlotte Mason methods
I liked your ideas about Charlotte Mason's teaching methods. Two weeks ago we sent our oldest daughter off to college. She has always been home-educated. Although we have two other high school children at home, it is not the same with one gone. Especially reading aloud was so much fun. I can remember days when we were so into our read-aloud book that we 'ditched' our other work and just kept reading. I am thinking in particular of a book about Admiral Peary's exploration of the North Pole. What an adventure! When we started reading aloud -- I believe one of our first books was Charlotte's Web -- it was difficult to sit still (for me). Same with starting home schooling (has it been 18 years ago? Impossible!). It was I who wanted to be up and 'doing' housework or whatever. I couldn't sit still with my children. That's a 'too busy' mother. Even now with my high school children I ask myself: Is this going to be remembered? What place does this have in history? What effect will this have on my children's lives. How important is this subject? Is this true learning? What thinking processes are involved? I still try to avoid workbooks and the like. Not always easy. But what a gift to know that there is a better way with a child: to love to read, love nature, love animals, self-motivated in learning, has his or her own ideas about learning and can act on them, is closer to his/ her siblings than to other children. What a gift Charlotte Mason has given. God bless you and your little ones as you grow and learn.
--Barbara C.

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