Character is greater

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This year before we jumped into our homeschool year I had all planned out some goals ,themes and milestones that I wanted us to focus on and accomplish. The main ones are reading, handwriting skills, and mastering basic math. 

But as I prayed and continue to pray about what God wants us to focus on he always points out character training,household chores and setting a consistant and firm discipline system up .

  Wow! Is what I think to myself I didn't think of these areas as the MAIN focus. I realized I  kind of put these areas off as side things that I thought we could touch on here and there ,but he reminds me that the heart and character is the most important part! If she can read and write well but has bad character traits and doesn't love and honor others then it's meaningless. This is what it is all about and I have had to continuely remind myself of what's really important at this age. 

Now is the time to begin to instill the qualities ,traits and values that are so important into my children. This is the training time this is when habits are being formed and personalities are being molded . "Train your child up in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it"

He always knows best and I can see on a daily basis why now this is what he says to focus on. The attitude of a five year old girl is no joke! How easily habits are being formed in the children are crazy (like tv and iPads) they love consistantcy and when something is different it throws them all off. 

We have been doing morning ,afternoon and evening chores at the same time everyday .Everybody has a part and at such a young age they all think it's fun :)  I am instilling in them practical life skills that they will need to succeed in life and also a love to help and serve others. 

Same with discipline .We have established a good system and everybody knows what is expected of them and the consequences that will take place if they cross the boundaries. The training I believe is the hardest part it takes consistantcy, repetition and strength not to give up or in ,but it will be so worth it I just think of the peace that will come with it all. "The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days." -Charlotte mason- 

So if this year all that my children walk away from our first official year of homeschooling with is knowing how to do chores, good habits ,attitudes and character traits then we have done well. 

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