Advent Preparation

I haven't put a lot of thought into Advent this year.  However, I did pull out the resources I have. (Not candles, though; I'm not sure I have candles yet.  Oops.)

One I haven't used before, although we've done a Jesse tree in various forms for many years, is the Jesse Tree book.  I need to go through it and match it with the sheets I printed to supply us with inspiration (and tracing patterns if needed) for the pictures for each story.  (We've done lots of different types of images in the past; this year I thought we'd draw or trace pictures onto plastic cut from milk or vinegar jugs, then color them.)  Since I'm using our tabletop tree for a baby shower the first week in December, it won't do for our Jesse tree this year, but it isn't big enough to handle four daily ornaments for 25 days anyway.  We usually use it for our weekly ornaments.  (See next paragraph for more on that.)  We have a larger tree that is still small that we rescued from the church discards--I think it will serve as our Jesse tree this year.

I think the weekly reading/listening/looking/doing plan we've used for two years will still work this year, particularly since I haven't taken the time to revise it.

Our Advent calendar is homemade (ours is shaped differently than the one pictured at the link), and each year I fill each opening with slips of paper.  We've tried using the Jesse tree scriptures, but that doesn't fit our routine, so two years ago I started putting one "helpful deed" slip for each child in each opening.  I want the focus to be on hearts, not deeds, though, so this year I added scriptures to point us to our attitudes.  I'll include the list at the bottom of this post.

Last year we put the nativity out one piece at a time, with the baby coming last.  This year I'm thinking of incorporating Noel Piper's nativity Advent calendar story into this routine, although I need to come up with more items since our set doesn't have very many pieces.

We'll read poetry from Ambleside Online's Christmas poetry collection.

I don't yet know what I'll do with the Christmas books and videos.  I've sometimes wrapped them all and had the kids open one each day.  That has some downsides, so I think last year I just set them out in a basket right at the beginning.  I think the Nutcracker may have to be retired--I bought a new copy last year thinking to avoid the Arabian dancer, but this version has her too.  My boys are far too visual to tolerate that, apparently.

---

Here now is the list of tasks and scriptures for our Advent calendar:

Make a card for a teacher at church.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Hug someone.
(Romans 12:10:  Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.)

Clean one kitchen counter.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Write a special note for each of your siblings.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Say "thank you" whenever someone does something for you.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Help your brother make his bed.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Tell each person in the family "I love you."
(Romans 12:10:  Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.)

Help your sister with her chore.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Tell your sister something you really like about her.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Tell your brother something you really like about him.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Tell your mom something you really like about her.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Tell your dad something you really like about him.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Clean up next to your bed.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Put a nice note on each person's pillow.
(Romans 12:10:  Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.)

Take your dirty laundry basket to the laundry room.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Help Mom with a chore.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Help Dad with a chore.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Fill the bird feeder.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Let someone else go first.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Fill someone's water glass.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Put away all the dishes, not just yours.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Find a beautiful leaf and give it to someone.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Put the shoes in the sunroom back in their bins.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Pick up the coats from around the coatrack and hang them up.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Clean your desk.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Another Year, Another Organizational Scheme

"No plan survives contact with the enemy" and no school schedule survives the first few days of school.  Accepting that as true, I am still thrilled that our new scheduling system has survived the first *day* of school.  Every year, and sometimes more than once a year, we have to completely revise our way of tracking schoolwork and managing its implementation.  This year we had students in three separate years plus a challenging (sometimes deliberately challenging) preschooler.  Our previous methods of managing students and work simply wouldn't do.

We are still using the chart format schedules I've described before.  I have a copy of each student's schedule, and the older two also have their own copies.  This year I categorized the work on each schedule so that all of the work that didn't merit its own separate line item in our daily work list was combined with other work to make three or four (or in a few cases five) days of assignments.  Then I created a daily work list for each student.  At the top were grouped items that could be done fairly independently.  In the middle were grouped items we would do all together.  At the bottom were grouped items that needed my active participation.

I printed the work lists on transparency paper I happened to have around, but alternatively I could have laminated them.  I cut them out to make individual lists and hung them on the freezer door.  We found through experimentation that transparency pens did not wipe off cleanly but dry erase markers and grease pencils did, so one of each is hanging next to the lists.  As a child finishes an item, that item is marked off on the chart format schedule that I keep, but also the child marks the category off on the work list.  This allows us all to see at a glance what categories still remain for a particular day.  Oldest also handwrote a daily schedule for herself, entirely on her own initiative.

Late last night I had the bright idea of writing the books for the week for each student on the freezer door with the grease pencil.  This way they can look at the list to see what books can be selected each day--we cross them off as they are finished so the next day only the open items are available.  We can see them on the chart format list too, but it isn't as easily visible to the kids.  The more independence and control over their day the kids have, the better life is for all of us.

We agreed in advance that all independent items must be completed before lunch time.  That worked really well!  We also agreed in advance to have one older child play with the preschooler for 20 minutes right after breakfast, another older child do learning activities with him for 15 minutes after that, and me do a puzzle with him after that.  This didn't work perfectly, but it worked better than expecting him to entertain himself.

We actually mostly had school done by lunchtime today!  Oldest has still her foreign language to do, which she prefers to do in the evening, and she was finishing some odds and ends around lunchtime, but everyone else was done.  So we went out for Blizzards!

UPDATE:  We are taking our Christmas break now (December 2012) and are halfway through Term 2.  The scheduling system works great, but I have actually printed up the lists of books for each week because none of the methods of writing them on the freezer worked well for us.  So I printed them in columns and cut out the lists for each week and hang those on the freezer along with the reusable daily lists.  Keeping little brother busy has been a continual challenge.  We are not so successful with that one, and so I need to work on it.  He does not like to be left out nor does he like to cooperate.

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival: Parents and Children

In preparing for this carnival, we were exploring the ideas encompassed in Charlotte Mason's principles #2, 3, and 4:
2. They [children] are not born either good or bad, but with possibilities for either good or evil.
3. The principles of authority on the one hand and 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 fear or love, suggestion or influence, or undue play upon any one natural desire.

The assigned reading was the text of Volume 2.  Volume 2 applies to children of all ages (some of the other volumes are more age-specific).  This volume lays out principles for parents rather than instructors.  Should you want to discuss this volume with a group online, check out the Ambleside Year 0 Yahoo group, where it is not currently being read but often rotates with Volume 1.  (The CM Series list may read it at times as well.)

Laura at Windy hill Home School discusses Parents & Children.

Nebby at Letters from Nebby wrestles with Charlotte Mason's Second Principle:  Goodness and Badness.

Jimmie at Jimmie's Collage gives us Top Ten Reasons I Chose a Charlotte Mason Homeschool.

Jamie at The Unlikely Homeschool shares 10 Reasons Why I Choose a Living Literature Approach.

Catherine at Grace to Abide inspires us with her homeschooling pilgrimage.

Lanaya at Delightful Education helps us find significance in the "daily".

I point out a penny earned.

Penny Rogers at Our Crazy Adventures in Autismland shows us hands-on artist study.

Gina at My Rubyslippers takes us to Out of door life: a growing time.

Patti at School Days Scrapbook explores Monarch Caterpillars and Butterflies.

Nancy at Sage Parnassus encounters knife wielding strangers.

Barb at Handbook of Nature Study blog shows us summer nature study: something new every day.

Upcoming carnival: @ Where the Blacktop Ends on 7/10
Topic for discussion (optional): Principles #5-8
Submit posts here: charlottemasonblogs (at) gmail (dot) com
To find out more about upcoming & past CM blog carnival schedule,  Click Here!

While You Wait

Recently I visited a local health food store, seeking out a particular employee for advice on choosing a pro-biotic for my youngest child.  A friend recommended this employee for two reasons, both because she is knowledgeable about these products and because she "talks to Papa."  I waited quite awhile to speak with her as she was in conference with other customers, but when I had my turn she listened attentively as I described our issues and what I hoped the pro-biotic could help us avoid.  She asked some questions, spoke to the boys with interest (only the boys were with me), and took us to find an appropriate pro-biotic.  Her advice, however, was not what I expected.

"Here is a pro-biotic, and here are digestive enzymes.  These may help for a time, while you wait.  But I can't tell you what to do.  You will have to ask the Holy Spirit what you need to do.  It may be inconvenient, what He tells you, and it may be very difficult, but that isn't really your issue.  All you have to do is agree up-front to do whatever He asks, and then He will take care of making it possible."

The more I mull this over, the more I realize that this conversation really encapsulates the decision I face with every choice in life.  Am I willing to agree up-front with what the Holy Spirit wants, before I even know what that is, and then plead for His answer and once I have it to turn the implementation over to Him?  Or do I want what I wanted from this woman, a neatly laid-out plan with steps to check off, given to me by some wise person who knows all about how things should work?

I did not like the answer in the health food store, and I don't like that answer in the rest of my life either.  But what am I missing out on when I choose to look for my own solutions rather than seeking out God's?  That doesn't mean I have to be inactive.  I can take the pro-biotic and the enzymes to tide me over while I wait, and I can get wise advice so I'll be prepared for whatever course I'm supposed to take, but am I willing to do those things while waiting, open for a course change whenever the Word comes?  Am I willing to prepare myself while asking for guidance and agreeing to follow in any direction, even where I don't want to go?

Getting Started Laying Down the Rails

I did not write this post; it is not about my own family.  I thought this might inspire some of you, so I requested permission to reprint this since the author did not at the time have a blog of her own. This post is reprinted with permission from a Year 0 post by Sarah in AR.

 One day, I was referring to a parenting book for advice b/c I'd been noticing my children's behaviour and obedience weren't what I thought they should be. As I was reading, they included the scripture Prov 29:15, "a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." Somehow, that verse pricked my heart, as I realized how often I was telling my kids "Just go play while I get my housework done," and then feeling guilty b/c there never seemed enough time left over to work on forming habits or teaching them how to do helpful things around the house..... Well, here was the answer! I was "leaving them to themselves" too often, while *I* tried to do everything myself! As I looked at the answer in the Word, I saw that I should just keep them alongside me while I did my chores, which provided the most suitable time to teach them those things I previously didn't have time for! So from then on, I rearranged my day to include them in helping me every morning, as we clear the dishes from breakfast, empty the dishwasher,  and one wipes the table and sweeps under it, while the other helps me wash the dishes. I'm also working on getting them in the habit of making their beds, getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and fixing their hair after we finish the kitchen (when they are older, they will do that before breakfast, but for now I don't want them getting food all over their clean clothes first thing in the morning lol!).  We also pray together first thing every day, as I thought it would be a valuable habit to serve them well for the rest of their lives!

Of course, the very most important habit to start with, if it isn't already there, is the habit of obedience. This is most easily taught if it is started when they are a baby, big enough to get into things they oughtn't. You tell them "no," and then you must follow through in not allowing them to do whatever it is, every. single. time. When starting new habits, you must choose what you feel is the most urgent to start with, then have a little talk with them (at a non-emotional time, as in, when they are getting in trouble, you don't give them a lecture about how expectations will be different from now on). You get them when they are happy, and just let them know what it is you want to work on, what will be expected, and that you have confidence in them to do it. Then you work on it with them, only giving gentle reminders to help them stay on track. It usually takes several weeks of effort to get a new habit down, and will need occasional work thereafter to be sure it stays in place. After you feel they have the first habit established, then you can add another one of the next most importance, and so on. It does take effort on your part to make sure the new habit is followed through every time, or it won't fall into place, so you may want to give yourself a little more time on the first ones, as you make a habit of habit-training!

Year 5 Term 2 Exam

Bible
1. In your own words, tell about one of the days of creation. Also, explain why the activity on this day is important.
2. In your own words, explain why Matthew included the genealogy at the beginning of his book and why this is important.

Writing
Write 4 lines of a poem that you memorized this term. (Type this here.)

Dictation
The boy was very ill, he said, and weak from the loss of blood; but his mind was so troubled with anxiety to disclose something, that he deemed it better to give him the opportunity, than to insist upon his remaining quiet until next morning: which he should otherwise have done. (Study this, then come to me for dictation.)

Composition
1. Describe your favorite scene or character from the Shakespeare play you read this term.
2. Name any of Oliver Twist’s "friends" and tell how their actions effect Oliver’s situation for good or bad. OR tell the story of Antigone or Aristaeus the Bee-keeper

U.S. History
1. What do you know about the Underground Railroad?
2. Describe the taking of New Orleans OR the Battle of Gettysburg.
3. What factors helped the Union defeat the Confederacy?
Show your book of centuries to Dad and explain what you added this term and why.

World History
1. During this term you read about many different people who travelled. Describe one voyage: who took it, why it was taken and why it was important?
2. During this term you read about several conflicts outside of the United States. Describe one war or conflict: who was involved, why were they fighting, and what was the outcome?
Show your timeline to Dad and explain what you added this term.

Geography
If you used Halliburton's The Book of Marvels:
1. Tell what you know about "No Woman's Land" OR one of the wonders of the Ancient World.
2. Describe a place you read about this term that you'd like to visit.

Natural History and General Science
1. What kind of nourishment/food do plants need? How do they take it in?
2. Describe or draw the parts of the eye.
3. Tell of some of the bones in your body OR tell what you know of how the muscles in the body work.

Citizenship/Government (Plutarch)
Why didn't Solon just copy what Lycurgus did in Sparta? How did he fit his laws to the state of things in Athens, rather than making things to fit his laws?

Arithmetic/Geometry
1. If I buy two boxes of cereal at $3.24 each, a gallon of milk at $4.24, and two loaves of bread at $1.81 each, how much will I spend?
2. Multiply 18 x 42 x 73.
3. Divide 3744 by 16.
4. What is 1/4 + 2/3 + 5/6?

Foreign Language
Translate into English:
1. Puella aquam portat.
2. El general cooperó con el presidente.

Picture Study
Describe “The Grand Cascade at Tivoli” by Fragonard.

Year 2 Term 2 Exam

Bible
1. In your own words, tell what it means to be made in the image of God.
2. In your own words, tell about the Magi and why it is significant that God sent the star for them.

Shakespeare
Describe your favorite scene or character from the Shakespeare play you read this term (All’s Well that Ends Well).

Pilgrim’s Progress
1. Tell me about an obstacle Christian faced and how he got past it.
2. Tell me about some help Christian received—who helped him and how?

Little Duke
What was your favorite part of Little Duke?
How did the Little Duke change during the book?

Wind in the Willows
Which character was your favorite? Why?
Did Toad change during the story? How did he change or why did he not change?

Seabird
What kind of ship has Seabird been on so far?
Tell me a little bit about what that kind of ship does.

Parables from Nature
Tell me about one of the parables you’ve read this term.
“The Circle of Blessing”, “Active and Passive”, “Not Lost, but Gone Before”

World History
1. Tell about a good king from our readings. What made him a good king?
2. Tell about some challenges the kings were facing at this time.

Geography
Tell me a little bit about the Santa Fe Trail: who used it and why?

Natural History
Tell me about one animal in each of these orders.
1. Order Artiodactyla (Deer and relatives) –
2. Order Pinnipedia (Seals) –
3. Order Sirenia (Manatee), Order Edentalia (Armadillo), Order Metatheria (Marsupials) –

Poetry
Recite a poem you learned.
Arithmetic
1. Choose two numbers and tell me the times tables for those numbers.
2. There are 5 students in the class and 35 pencils. If the pencils are divided equally among the students, how many does each student get?
3. Ann wants to split a collection of bottle caps into groups of 6. Ann has 30 bottle caps. How many groups will be created?
4. Ronald is inviting 5 friends to a party. He has 15 cookies. How many cookies will each friend get?

Picture Study
Describe “The Grand Cascade at Tivoli” by Fragonard.

Foreign Language
Sing a folk song that you learned this term.

The Strong-Willed Child

"Strong willed" is probably a misleading description.  One thing that drew me to Charlotte Mason immediately was her insistence that the child wasn't strong willed--the child had a weak or untrained will.

Better than the term "strong willed" I think is the term "spirited," because that gets more to the heart of the matter.  Spirited kids are intense, in many different ways, and their intense tenacity is what gets them the label "strong willed."  But just trying to bend their will to yours does not help them to manage their intensity--that intensity is given to them by God and can be an asset, but not until it has been brought under management by their wills.  Perhaps they have those intense wills because they will need them to manage their other intensity!

"Raising Your Spirited Child" by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka provides the best insights I have seen into the spirited child.  She helps you know whether you have one, what is going on inside of them, and how you can best work with them.  Effective strategies for a child who is not spirited will often backfire with a spirited child.  Many times, you can tell a child is spirited from infancy.  Both of my highly spirited children clearly were spirited from birth--there was no avoiding that reality.  Trying to work with them using conventional parenting methods has not worked at all, and anytime I fall back into those methods (often because other parents intentionally or inadvertently make me feel like I'm not doing the right things) we have disaster.

Sometimes people suggest food sensitivities as a contributing factor.  Certainly, if you think food sensitivities could be an issue, you should investigate that, but it isn't necessarily an either/or situation.  Spirited children often are more sensitive to the world around them, so that they might be more strongly affected than other people by certain foods does not come as a surprise.  Avoiding those foods may help tremendously, but if they have other spirited characteristics then other strategies will be needed too.

Parenting a spirited child is exhausting, but your efforts are well worth it.  The characteristics that make our job so hard also, when channelled constructively, can be tremendous assets.

A Penny Earned

How do we teach our children to use money wisely, to make it their servant and not their master?  Should we give a regular allowance, or perhaps pay for chores performed?  Should we let children spend their money as they like or require them to spend it under our direction?

Some popular financial advisors and authors of books on parenting advise not to give an allowance but rather to pay for chores performed.  One argument in favor of this approach says that this method prepares children for the working world by teaching them that money must be earned. No work, no money.  Less work, less money.  More work, more money.

But although some people still receive their pay strictly based on the work they do (ie: I do a job for you, you pay me a certain amount), many of us receive salaries.  If I am paid a salary and I do not do some of my assigned work, I am not typically docked pay.  Typically I am reprimanded.  If my work does not improve, I lose my job and all pay.  If I work on a salary and I do extra work or do my work especially well, I rarely receive additional compensation.  Even those who are paid specifically for the work they do find that, if they decide not to perform their contracted service, they are likely not to have the same opportunity again later.  Most of us moms work very hard for no pay at all!


We want to be careful not to convey the idea that work has value primarily as a means of earning money.  (The more money a job earns, the more value that task has.)  We also want to be careful not to convey the idea that our duty is to earn money rather than to work.  (If I do not need money currently, I do not need to work.)

In reality, in the adult world, we most of us do the work that is expected from us, whether as part of paid employment or as part of some other commitment such as family life.  We are to work as if we were working for the Lord.  Now, my little ones don't understand that yet.  But if they develop the habit of working only when they want money and expect to be paid, they may have trouble transitioning later to that other attitude. (Or maybe not, if you handle it sensitively.  I speak for myself here--I think I would have trouble helping them make that transition.)

Here in our home, instead, we treat our work as a duty to our family, where we all pitch in to share the work and we all share the resources (the children through allowances just as I and their father have our own spending money allocated in the budget).  Just as I (and their father) can take on extra, outside jobs to make extra money, our children can take on extra jobs (but at young ages still within our home) to make extra money.  If I had a child who refused to do his work (despite the fact that all privileges must wait upon completion of the day's work--no fun, no meals, no trips outside the house, etc.), I might consider withholding the allowance, but the explanation would be that since the child had decided not to participate in sharing the family responsibility, that child was also choosing not to participate in sharing the family resources.  (This has never happened, but I think that's how I would handle it.  That would require an extreme case, though, much like being fired from a salaried position.)

How, then, if we handle chores and money in such a way, do we teach children to use money wisely and appreciate its value?

Charlotte Mason provides some advice in Volume 3, beginning on p. 41:

<<In the spending of pocket-money is another opportunity for initiative on the children's part and for self-restraint on that of the parents. No doubt the father who doles out the weekly pocket-money and has never given his children any large thoughts about money--as to how the smallest income is divisible into the share that we give, and the share that we keep, and the share that we save for some object worth possessing, to be had, perhaps, after weeks or months of saving; as to the futility of buying that we may eat, an indulgence, that we should rarely allow ourselves, and never except for the pleasure of sharing with others; as to how it is worth while to think twice before making a purchase, with the lesson before us of Rosamund and the Purple Jar--such a father cannot expect his children to think of money in any light but as a means to self-indulgence. But talks like these should have no obvious and immediate bearing on the weekly pocket-money; that should be spent as the children like, they having been instructed as to how they should like to spend it. By degrees pocket-money should include the cost of gloves, handkerchiefs, etc., until, finally, the girl who is well on in her teens should be fit to be trusted with her own allowance for dress and personal expenses. The parents who do not trust their young people in this matter, after having trained them, are hardly qualifying them to take their place in a world in which the wise, just, and generous spending of money is a great test of character.>>

What elements are described here?

1)  Give children "large thoughts about money"--"how the smallest income is divisible into the share that we give, and the share that we keep, and the share that we save for some object worth possessing, to be had, perhaps, after weeks or months of saving; as to the futility of buying that we may eat, an indulgence, that we should rarely allow ourselves, and never except for the pleasure of sharing with others; as to how it is worth while to think twice before making a purchase, with the lesson before us of Rosamund and the Purple Jar".  So we need to regularly have little talks with the children about different aspects of handling their money wisely, just as we talk to them about proper hygiene or good manners.

2)  Do not tell the children how to spend their own money.  Have little talks about money wisdom, as described in #1, but let the children make their own choices and encounter the consequences thereof (without nagging or "I told you so"--that's the hard part).  I do violate this principle in one small way--I begin the children with a $3 per week allowance, $1 for spending, $1 for giving back to God, and $1 for saving.  When they have enough money saved to open a bank account, we help them open one.  But I do insist they divide the money this way.  At some point (and I suppose my oldest is at this point now), I'll just give them the money they are allotted and let them make the divisions, which is what CM suggests.

3)  Gradually make the children responsible for more and more of their own expenses.  "By degrees pocket-money should include the cost of gloves, handkerchiefs, etc., until, finally, the girl who is well on in her teens should be fit to be trusted with her own allowance for dress and personal expenses."  For my little ones, the cost of batteries is the first expense they must undertake to supply from their own money.  I sell the batteries to them at about my cost.  When they tire of buying them, I suggest they ask for rechargeable batteries as a gift (or save up for them).  My oldest is about to take on the expense of buying her own toiletries, or at least some of them.  For items that are necessary (like toiletries), I increase the allowance when I add the responsibility of covering the expense.  For items that are discretionary (like batteries), I do not.

Having a regular, small allowance that must be carefully husbanded to supply necessities and saved to provide little luxuries teaches much more effectively the value of money than any elaborate system we might contrive. This approach simply allows the real consequences of their actions to affect the children--no manipulation is necessary.  Not being able to buy a longed-for toy because the money was already spent on candy on a whim causes great grief.  A few such incidents teach the importance of considering our purchases.  Shopping carefully to see how much of what we want can be bought with the $7.39 we have on hand teaches the value of money quite well, especially as this exercise is repeated many times over many years.

(Receiving large gifts of money, where the frequency and amount of the gifts always remains somewhat arbitrary, cannot teach this so effectively.  No one can plan based on this type of income--which is why living on commission or tips is so hard--and a child especially will find this bewildering if we are asking them to budget.)

I do think it's wise, as the children mature, to allow them to see more and more of what exactly make up the household expenses.  At some point, they need to work out a budget with a fictitious salary, including taxes and other withholdings, so they can see how far those seemingly huge amounts of earnings really go.  Some families let their teens write out the checks for various bills (or help with the online bill-paying I suppose these days).

Most of all, pray over this (as all issues of training your child).  The Holy Spirit knows what will work best for your child.

Balaam's Ass

I love a beautiful, tidy schedule!  I love those neat homeschooling plans with each student in his proper place!  (I really mean that; this is not sarcasm.  I had tons of nifty neat-o forms for my Daytimer when I was working.)  Alas, God knows I love those things and tend to make them idols from which I derive my self-image, so He has thoughtfully blessed me with a family and circumstances that make such plans impossible to live by.  The more I have struggled to make them work for me, the more complications He has heaped upon me.

All of that is to say, if you find that scheduling your day into precise segments does not work for you, do not despair!  For some families, it apparently works well.  But you are not alone in your situation--many of us must use a much more flexible, organic approach.  lol  When AO had its one and only conference back in 2005 (notes; reviews and a link to purchase CD's which are well worth listening to), one of the AO Advisory members, I think it was Wendi Capehart, had this to say about schedules: 
"A schedule is for the days when life doesn't happen."  (I hope I accurately quote.)

God has His own plan for each of your days, for each minute of each of your days.  When your child does not cooperate with *your* plan, consider that this lack of cooperation may in fact be the hand of God, much as Balaam's ass interfered with Balaam's plans.  At the very least, these interruptions or derailments test our resolve to show grace and love in every situation and to develop patience and perseverance in teaching and loving our children (not in checking off all the boxes on our schedule).

The Bible for School and Home

The Bible for School and Home is the revised name for the series by J. Paterson Smyth referenced by Charlotte Mason under the original name The Bible for the Young.  The completed series contained seven volumes, four covering the Hebrew scriptures and three covering the Gospels.  Although this series is in the public domain, not all the books are apparently available online, exactly, but I have been able to find sources for all of them (I think).

Schellermark Ministries has a site called The Writings of J. Paterson Smyth, from which you can order CD's of various volumes for $5 each.  I believe these CD's contain scans of the pages, but I haven't yet received one so I can't say for sure.  Joshua and the Judges is available here as a typed-out pdf which can be downloaded.

Hathi Trust Digital Library links to scans of the first three volumes; see the links labeled Full View at the bottom of the page.

Prophets and Kings, volume 4 in the series, can be accessed as an html file.

UPDATE 4/17/2012:  Schellermark Ministries' new site now has pdf's of all the volumes of the Bible for School and Home available as pdf's to download.

PNEU Bible Schedules

For ease of reference, the PNEU Bible schedules (from the now-defunct Charlotte's Daughters website):

PNEU Bible Curriculum

Bible sequence

Hebrew Scriptures

Grade 2:
Genesis 1-15 (1-4; 6-9:17; 11:1-9; 12:1-9; 13)
Genesis 17-18, 21-24, 27-29, 32-33 (18; 19:1-30; 21:1-21; 22:1-18; 24; 25:27-34; 27:1-45; 28:10-end; 29:1-20; 32; 33)
Genesis 37-48 (37; 39:1-6,21-23; 40-45; 46:1-7,28-34; 47; 48)

Grade 3:
Exodus 1-14 (1:1-14; 2; 3:1-20; 5; 12:31-42)
Exodus 15-20, 32; Numbers 13-14 (Ex. 15:23-27; 16:1-15,32-36; 18; 19:16-19; 20:1-17; 32:1-8,15-24,30-35; Num. 13:1,2,17-33; 14:1-10,18-25)
Numbers and Deuteronomy (Num. 23-24; Deut. 31; 34)

Grade 4:
Joshua 1-10; 24 (1-4; 6; 7; 9; 10; 14; 20; 22-24)
Judges 2-16 (2:1-23; 4-7; 8:22,23,32-35; 10:6-18; 11:1-12,28-40; 13-16)
Judges 13-14, 16; I Samuel 1-3, 5-8 (I Sam. 4; 8-13; 15; 17)

Grade 5:
I Samuel 9-17 (I Sam. 18:1-16; 19:1-17; 20-27:4; 29; 31; II Sam. 1)
I Samuel 18-24; II Samuel 1-7 (II Sam. 2:1-11; 3:27-39; 5:1-7; 6:1-5,14-19; 7; 9; 11:2,3,14-27; 12:1-24; 15-19)
II Samuel 11-12, 18; I Kings 3-4, 8-13, 16 (I Kings 3:4-28; 5; 8:12-30; 10:1-13; 12; 17-19; II Kings 2; 4; 5; Daniel 3; 6)
fit in: I Kings 16:29-19, 21-22; II Kings 2, 4-5, 14; Jonah

Grade 6:
Genesis 1-35
Genesis 37, 39-50; Exodus 1-15
Numbers 10-14, 16-17, 20-24, 32, 35; Deuteronomy 31-34

Grade 7:
Joshua, Judges, Ruth
I Samuel 1-15
I Samuel 16-II Samuel 4

Grade 8:
II Samuel 5-24; I Kings 1-2:10
I Kings 2:12-16
I Kings 17-22; II Kings 1-16; Amos; Hosea

Grade 9:
II Kings 18-25; Jeremiah 26, 36-38, 40, 42-43
Daniel 1-9; Jeremiah 29; Ezekiel 18, 28, 37; Isaiah 40, 52-53
Ezra; Haggai; Zechariah 3, 6, 8; Nehemiah; Malachi; Esther

Grade 10:
Ruth
Amos
Hosea
Isaiah 1-39
Micah
Esther
Zephaniah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Jeremiah 1-3, 5-7, 19-23, 26, 28, 31, 34-39,

Grade 11:
Jeremiah 29, 40-44, 50-52
Ezekiel 1-5, 14, 17-18, 33-37
Isaiah 40-66
Haggai
Zechariah
Obadiah
Malachi
Jonah

Grade 12:
Job
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Apocrypha
Psalms
no room: Song of Solomon; Lamentations; Daniel


Christian Scriptures

Grade 2:
Matthew

Grade 3:
Mark
Acts 1-8

Grade 4:
Luke

Grade 5:
Matthew

Grade 6:
Luke

Grade 7:
Saviour of the world
John

Grade 8:
Saviour of the world
Acts, 1st half

Grade 9:
Saviour of the world
Acts, 2nd half
Galatians
Philippians
Colossians

Grade 10:
Saviour of the world
I Corinthians
II Corinthians
I Timothy
II Timothy
Titus

Grade 11:
Saviour of the world
I Peter
James
Philemon
I-III John
Jude
[II Peter]
I Thessalonians
II Thessalonians

Grade 12:
Hebrews
Romans
Ephesians
Revelation


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 1, Age 6 (Form IB)

Bible (v. 3)

Stories from the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, from the list for 7-year-olds and under in The Little Bible (Oxford University Press, 1930), p. 416.

"... It is well to let the children hear the words of scripture from the teacher's lips, even if at first their full significance is but faintly apprehended. The spiritual appeal of their beauty will prepare the way for the fuller understanding of their divine meaning."

The call of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-5)
Esau and Jacob (Gen. 25:27-34; 27:1-45)
Jacob's dream (Gen. 28:10-22)
Joseph's dreams (Gen. 37:1, 3-35)
Joseph in Prison (Gen. 39:1-7, 10, 16, 17, 19-23)
Pharaoh's dream (Gen. 41:1-16, 25-31, 34-43, etc.)
Joseph and his brethren (Gen. 42-45)
The birth of Moses (Exod. 1:7-12, 22; 2:1-10)
The birth and call of Samuel (2 Sam. 1:1a-3a, 9b-11, 17, 20, 24; 2:18-19; 3:1-21)
David the shepherd boy (2 Sam. 16:1, 4-20, 23)
David and Goliath (2 Sam. 17:1-11, 13, 17-18, 20-46, 48-53)
Elijah and the ravens (2 Kings 16:30-32; 17:1-16)
Naaman the leper (2 Kings 5:1-19)
Daniel (Dan. 1:1-4, 6, 7, 17-21; 3:8-10c, 11-14, 16-30; 5:1-16, 13-17, 23-31; 6:1-23)
Psalm 23

The story of the shepherds (Luke 2:1-20)
The story of the Wise Men (Matt. 2:1-15)
The Child in the Temple (Luke 2:25-32)
The boy Jesus (Luke 2:40-52)
The baptism of Jesus (Matt. 3:13-17)
The call of the first disciples (Mark 1:16-20; John 1:43-51; Luke 5:27-32)
Early works of healing (Mark 1:21, 22, 29-45)
The daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:22-24, 35-43)
The stilling of the storm (Mark 4:35-41)
The feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-21)
Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)
Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52)
The Entry into Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-11)
Easter morning (Mark 16:1-8; John 20:11-18)
Jesus at the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-14)
The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
The widow's mite (Mark 12:41-44)
The lost sheep and the lost coin (Luke 15:1-10)
The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
The Good Shepherd (John 10:1-18)
The Ascension (Luke 24:50-53; Mark 16:20)

Memorization

Psalm 150
Psalm 19
Psalm 23

6 hymns or carols, especially from historical period being studied


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 2, Age 7 (Form Lower IA)

Bible (v. 3)

The Bible for the young: Genesis by John Paterson Smyth, 1852-1932 (196 p.)

The Bible for the young: St. Matthew's Gospel of the Kingdom by John Paterson Smyth, 1852-1932 (107 p.)
   
Memorization

3 passages of about 6 verses each from the Hebrew and from the Christian Scriptures studied, e.g.,

Gen. 1:1-5
Gen. 28:11-15
Gen. 45:4-8

Matt. 2:7-12
Matt. 6:9-13
from Matt. 16
from Matt. 25

Psalm 24
Psalm 84
Psalm 47

6 hymns or carols, especially from historical period being studied


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 3, Age 8 (Form Upper IA)

Bible (v. 3)

The Bible for the young: Moses and the Exodus by John Paterson Smyth, 1852-1932 (201 p.)

The Gospel according to Saint Luke: with commentary by William Walsham How
  
Memorization

3 passages of about 6 verses each from the Hebrew and from the Christian Scriptures studied, e.g.,

Ex. 3:1-6
Ex. 20:1-6
Num. 23:6-10

Luke 2:8-12
Luke 2:25-32
Luke 12:22-32
Luke 15:11-24
Luke 19:1-10
Luke 24:25-35

Psalm 148
Psalm 96
Psalm 111

6 hymns or carols, especially from historical period being studied


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 4, Age 9 (Form IIB)

Bible (v. 3)

The Bible for the young: Joshua and Judges by John Paterson Smyth, 1852-1932 (158 p.)

The Bible for the young: Mark by John Paterson Smyth, 1852-1932 (includes Acts 1-8)
   
Memorization

3 passages of about 12 verses each from the Hebrew and from the Christian Scriptures studied, e.g.,

Josh. 1:1-9
Judges 5:2-11
from I Sam. 1
I Sam. 3:2-10

Mark 4:35-41
from Mark 6
from Mark 11
from Acts 3

Psalm 67
Psalm 78:12-35
Psalm 106--20 continuous verses

6 hymns or carols, especially from historical period being studied


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 5, Age 10 (Form Lower IIA)

Bible (v. 3)

The Bible for the young: the prophets and kings by John Paterson Smyth, 1852-1932 (227 p.)

The Bible for the young: St. Matthew's Gospel of the Kingdom by John Paterson Smyth, 1852-1932 (107 p.)
   
Memorization

3 passages of about 12 verses each from the Hebrew and from the Christian Scriptures studied, e.g.,

I Sam. 19:1-7
II Sam. 1:17-27
II Sam. 7:1-8
from II Sam. 22
from I Kings 19
I Kings 8:3-20

from Matt. 8
Matt. 10:29-33
Matt. 17:1-13
from Matt. 26

Psalm 33
Psalm 147
Psalm 108, 133

6 hymns or carols, especially from historical period being studied


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 6, Age 11 (Form Upper IIA)

Bible (v. 3)

Old Testament history by John Manisty Hardwich & Harold Costley-White, b. 1878

v. I: From the creation to the crossing of the Red Sea (188 p.)
v. II: From the Red Sea to Ruth (p. 3-99)

The Gospel according to Saint Luke: with commentary by William Walsham How
  
Memorization

3 passages of about 12 verses each from the Hebrew and from the Christian Scriptures studied, e.g.,

Gen. 1:1-10 or 19

Luke 2:25-32
Luke 15:11-24
Luke 12:22-32
Luke 24:25-35

Psalm 34
Psalm 95
Psalm 105

6 hymns or carols, especially from historical period being studied


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 7, Age 12 (Form IIIB)

Bible (v. 3)

Old Testament history by John Manisty Hardwich & Harold Costley-White, b. 1878

v. II: From the Red Sea to Ruth (p. 103-203)
v. III: From the birth of Samuel to the death of David (p. 1-115)

The Saviour of the world, v. I: The holy infancy by Charlotte Mason (159 p.)

with Bible passages from index
or The Gospel history of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: in a connected narrative in the words of the Revised version arranged by C.C. James

The Gospel according to Saint John: with commentary by William Walsham How

(optional) Historical geography of the Holy Land by Simeon Ross Macphail (p. 1-94)

Memorization

3 passages of about 20 verses each from the Hebrew and from the Christian Scriptures studied

Psalm 145, 146
Psalm 24, 72
Psalm 25

6 hymns or carols, especially seasonal & especially from historical period being studied, e.g., those by Wesley in 3rd term


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 8, Age 13 (Form IIIA)

Bible (v. 3)

Old Testament history by John Manisty Hardwich & Harold Costley-White, b. 1878

v. III: From the birth of Samuel to the death of David (p. 115-176)
v. IV: From Solomon to the end of the Northern Kingdom (p. 3-153)

The Saviour of the world, v. II: His dominion by Charlotte Mason (174 p.)

with Bible passages from index
or The Gospel history of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: in a connected narrative in the words of the Revised version arranged by C.C. James

The Acts of the Apostles by Ellen Mary Knox, b. 1858 (p. 1-189)

(optional) Historical geography of the Holy Land by Simeon Ross Macphail (p. 95-188)

Memorization

3 passages of about 20 verses each from the Hebrew and from the Christian Scriptures studied

Psalm 45, 46, 47, 48
Psalm 90, 91
Psalm 18
no room: Ps. 103, 104; Ps. 87; I Chron. 29:10-20

6 hymns or carols, especially seasonal & especially from historical period being studied, e.g.,
term 1: those by William Cowper, 1731-1800
term 2: those by John Keble, 1792-1866
term 3: those by John Henry Newman, 1801-1900


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 9, Age 14 (Form IV)

Bible (v. 3)

Old Testament history, v. V: From Hezekiah to the end of the Canon by John Manisty Hardwich & Harold Costley-White, b. 1878 (224 p.)

The work of the prophets by Rose E. Selfe (chapters 7, 9, 11-13)

The Saviour of the world, v. III: The kingdom of heaven by Charlotte Mason (187 p.)

with Bible passages from index
or The Gospel history of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: in a connected narrative in the words of the Revised version arranged by C.C. James

The Acts of the Apostles by Ellen Mary Knox, b. 1858 (p. 191-401)

Galatians (text only, no commentary)
Philippians
Colossians

Memorization

3 passages of about 20 verses each from the Hebrew and from the Christian Scriptures studied

Psalm 118
Psalm 65, 81
Psalm 107
no room: Psalm 102

6 hymns or carols, especially seasonal & especially from historical period being studied


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 10, Age 15 (Form VB)

Bible (v. 3)

term 1:
Ruth
Amos
Hosea

term 2:
Isaiah 1-39
Micah
Esther

term 3:
Zephaniah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Jeremiah 1-3, 5-7, 19-23, 26, 28, 31, 34-39
no room: Joel

+ notes from A commentary on the Holy Bible: complete in one volume, with general articles edited by John Roberts Dummelow

The eighth century prophets by Ernest William Hamond (154 p.)
The seventh and sixth century prophets by Ernest William Hamond (p. 1-54)

The Saviour of the world, v. IV: The Bread of Life by Charlotte Mason (193 p.)

with Bible passages from index
+ notes from Dummelow commentary (above)

terms 1 & 2:
I & II Corinthians (except 5-7)
+ The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians: in the Revised version, with introduction and commentary by Ernest Evans, b. 1889 (215 p.)

term 3:
I & II Timothy
Titus
+ Dummelow commentary

(optional) A short religious history of Israel by Ernest William Hamond (158 p.)


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 11, Age 16 (Form VA)

Bible (v. 3)

term 1:
Jeremiah 29, 40-44, 50-52
Ezekiel 1-5, 14, 17-18, 33-37

term 2:
Isaiah 40-66
Haggai

term 3:
Zechariah
Obadiah
Malachi
Jonah

+ notes from A commentary on the Holy Bible: complete in one volume, with general articles edited by John Roberts Dummelow

The seventh and sixth century prophets by Ernest William Hamond (p. 55-149)

The Saviour of the world, v. V: The great controversy by Charlotte Mason (192 p.)

with Bible passages from index
+ notes from Dummelow commentary (above)

term 1:
I & II Peter
James
Philemon

term 2:
I-III John
Jude

term 3:
I & II Thessalonians

+ Dummelow commentary

(optional) A short religious history of Israel by Ernest William Hamond (158 p.)


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PNEU Curriculum, Year 12, Age 17 (Form VI)

Bible (v. 3)

(for method) *How to read the Bible by R.G. Moulton

A commentary on the Holy Bible: complete in one volume, with general articles edited by John Roberts Dummelow (Introduction, p. i-clxiv). Topics covered:
General introduction to the Bible; Hebrew history to the Exile; Introduction to the Pentateuch; History, literature, and religious development of the Jews in the period between the Testaments; the Creation story and science; Genesis and Babylonian inscriptions; Laws of Hammurabi; Heathen religions referred to in the Bible; Introduction to Hebrew prophecy; Messianic hope; Life of Jesus Christ; Teaching of Jesus Christ; Synoptic problem; Dynasty of the Herods; Life and work of St. Paul; Survey of the epistles of St. Paul; Belief in God; Person of Jesus Christ; Trinity; Miracle; Resurrection; Atonement; 4th term: Inspiration; Study of the Bible; Elements of religion; Palestine; Bible antiquities; Hebrew calendar, coins, weights, and measures; Bible chronology

term 1:
Job

(optional) Short studies on great subjects [first series]. The book of Job by James Anthony Froude, 1818-1894

term 2:
Proverbs

term 3:
Ecclesiastes
Apocrypha

4th term: Psalms
no room: Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Daniel

+ notes from A commentary on the Holy Bible: complete in one volume, with general articles edited by John Roberts Dummelow

The modern reader's Bible: the books of the Bible with three books of the Apocrypha, presented in modern literary form. Chapter IV: the Psalms and lyrics of Israel edited by Richard Green Moulton, 1849-1924

The Saviour of the world, v. VI: The training of the disciples by Charlotte Mason (185 p.)

with Bible passages from index
+ notes from Dummelow commentary (above)

term 1:
Hebrews

term 2:
Romans

term 3:
Ephesians

4th term: Revelation

+ notes from Dummelow commentary (above)

(optional)
The legacy of the ancient world, chapter III by William George De Burgh, 1866-1943

The historical geography of the Holy Land by George Adam Smith, 1856-1942 (512 p.)

Israel before Christ: an account of social & religious development in the Old Testament by Alfred Walter Frank Blunt, 1879-1957 (143 p.)

Israel in world history by Alfred Walter Frank Blunt, 1879-1957 (127 p.)

The literature of the Old Testament by George Foot Moore, 1851-1931 (232 p.)

Every man's story of the Old Testament by Alexander Nairne, b. 1863 (316 p.)

The life and times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim, 1825-1889 (1109 p.)

The life and teaching of Christ as contained in the Synoptic Gospels and the narrative parts of St. John's Gospel: text of the Revised version by Ernest Alexander Gardiner, b. 1880 (200 p.)

Jesus of Nazareth by Charles Gore, 1853-1932 (183 p.)

*The faith of the New Testament by Alexander Nairne, b. 1863

Mirage and truth by Martin Cyril D'Arcy, 1888-1976 (204 p.) --apologetics--