Been Thinking

Ever since Selena was real young I have been thinking about all the wonderful things I want to share with her. All the things I learned from my Great Grandma, Grandma, and Mother. All the things I learned through the years on my own, the things I shared with my older children. As I made a comment in my post yesterday, I finally am feeling inspired in our new home and feel so many of these things will be achievable.

After talking to a few friends of mine who have or are still homeschooling, knowing that they used Far Above Rubies with their girls, they directed me to just what I have been looking for. I knew there were similar curriculums (if that is what you want to call it) for the younger girls. Papa and I have been going over every aspect of this avenue, and are both very impressed so far with the potential. What are we talking about?

Next year we are going to start our new year using Keepers of the Faith, Little Keepers of the Home. There are clubs which resemble Awana, and Scouts, but we do not have any such club around here. I researched and found the nearest one to be in Tacoma. Anyway I can purchase this just as an individual family. Selena would have a workbook to work through and if we choose would receive awards for completing the sections. This first of the series is geared for ages 5 – 7 then the next level 7 – 14, then we would advance on into Far Above Rubies.

The materials cover simple homemaking skills and get more advanced as the child gets older. One sample in the first handbook is how to properly set the table. They go through Bible memorization, reading the Bible, with plenty of fun craft projects to cooking and baking. They also have units on gardening and nature, animals, and plants. I believe the one thing that really intrigued me is the simplicity of the material, how many of you know how to sew a button hole without a sewing machine? I remember as a child being amazed that my Great Grandmother and Grandmother could do this but it was something that I was never taught myself.

Since we have moved in here I have shared many times over how Selena is just in love with the domestic side of homemaking, from sweeping and moping the floors, vacuuming, washing the dishes, cooking and baking. Well all this and more are covered within these handbooks. I do believe we will get Selena the awards, and award them as she earns them, she just will not have a sash, but instead we will make a lovely wall quilt to display all her awards and accomplishments on, something her and I can work on from the beginning and finish off the final year (or something like that) this is not in gold, but we will do something.

Throughout this year I will be ordering the books and preparing the materials that we will need for our first year. I am not sure exactly when our first year will begin, but I will say I am truly looking forward to sharing all these treasured things with Selena. This will still allow us to explore and fill in all the other curriculum necessities such as reading, math, history, and science.

Anyway that is what has been on my mind lately. Selena truly seems very enthused and excited. I believe we will have a lot of fun as we learn, sometimes truly learning together.