The Jobe Journal

Other than a few ballet posts, I’ve been pretty quiet this summer. That is not because we’ve not been living life What a wonderful summer this has been! One of the most exciting “time consumers” of this season has been a new Tapestry of Grace co-op I’ve helped organize. Tapestry of Grace (ToG) is a Classical curriculum that I’ve used sporadically over the past few years. I love it! However, a good Classical curriculum must utilize Socratic discussion, and that is where I’ve failed. Our new co-op will change all that. I’m so excited. There are 13 families participating and I know it is going to be a fantastic year! All ages (preschool through high school) are included. The enrollment is closed for this year because the structure demands a planning weekend to organize. While the tuition is free, all participating parents must teach and assist the classes. Yet, it has all come together and I am so excited about our new academic learning adventure.

These pictures are primarily for those trying to get their notebooks organized for our co-op. I stayed up until 3 am last night putting 5 of these together (only because I was determined they’d be done before Daniel and I leave for a conference.) Some of the structure I adapted from Marcia Somerville’s training talks. Keep in mind this is not THE only way to do this, but if it helps – go for it!

So, I basically divided the SAP’s into the 9 weeks and printed all the geography and evaluations for the first unit. I put them behind the 1-9 tabs. In the past, I’ve found if don’t assemble all the papers the children need, I end up skipping them. It seems it should only take 5 minutes to make a copy… but those 5 minuts have been the end of our school day at times. The geography maps could go behind the #1-9 as well, but I separated them because I liked the way the sleeves looked in their own section. I did clearly label on each sleeve what week each map would be used. Also, the #1-9 is new for me this year. In the past, I’d file each sheet behind subjects. The problem I found was that my children misfiled them. I like the idea of all the sheets for each week being in one place.

I may put a zippered plastic sleeve in the front with pencils, erasers, a small ruler, dry erase marker, etc.

Hope this helps some of you ToG moms! Happy planning!

I’m just three days shy of one month with no blogging updates. I don’t have writer’s block. Everything is ok. I am just ending the month of madness – and I’m not talking about basketball.

Since Easter we have:

Visited family in Greensboro

Danced in a ballet recital

Celebrated Christina’s 14th birthday at Carowinds

Continued with church activities including youth, worship practice (Daniel), MOPS mentoring (me) and babysitting (girls) and hosting small group

Endured end-of-grade testing

Played in the end-of-year band concert

Celebrated Mother’s Day

Wrapped up co-op classes, including the two classes I taught

Secured a braces date for Nathan

Continued private music lessons and ballet

Delivered a few meals to friends recovering from illness

Continued with swim practice for Nathan

Cheered Anna on as she got her learner’s permit

Exercise myself with some consistency

Gone to Carowinds again!

Met with a planning team for some educational classes for next school year several times.

Cleaned out our attic (a huge undertaking for a busy month! But yeah! So glad it’s done before it’s too hot to work up there!)

Celebrated the graduates of our homeschool group

Rejoiced in the marriage of two dear friends

May events still to come:

A piano recital for Christina

A tonsillectomy for Nathan

A huge dance recital for Bethany and Anna

A birthday for Daniel’s

And then, finally, summer

For the past several years, May has been exceptionally busy. Every class has an end-of-the-year recital or party. We must test the children. Folks graduate. We celebrate. And I end the month a little tired but so thankful; thankful for the academic and spiritual growth of my children; thankful for our church family; thankful for teachers investing in my children’s lives; thankful for dear ones graduating; thankful for the blessings of homeschooling; thankful for God’s grace throughout another school year and thankful for the summer weeks ahead.

This is Jim Weiss and he a phenomenal story teller! He narrates our history CDs, The Story of the World. Several days a week, my younger children listen to the CDs and then we discuss the stories. For Bethany and Sarah, my auditory learners, these CDs are gold. They love listening to them and really retain most of what they hear.

After we arrived at the homeschool conference today, we had a few minutes to shop the exhibit hall before it was “officially” opened. I stopped by Greathall Productions because I saw these beautiful CD sets that my children enjoy so nicely displayed, and Mr. Weiss introduced himself. Immediately, Sarah said, “Hey, you sound really familiar!” I smiled. Jim smiled. I whispered to him, “Say Story of the World volume 3.” He did. Sarah then went a little bonkers. Let me just tell you, she could not have been more thrilled had she met anyone in Hollywood. “It’s really fun to meet the man that reads Story of the World! We listen to you all the time!!!! This is so amazing!” And she ran off to find Bethany. “Bethany, you’ll never believe who I met! Come, now!”

Bethany accompanied Sarah to Jim Weiss’s booth and said, “Go ahead, say it!”

“Story of the World, Volume 3,” replied Mr. Weiss and Bethany covered her mouth in pure amazement.

Mr. Weiss, I am sure was feeling pretty good about his fame in the Jobe house until Anna came along. “Say it again,” begged Sarah and Bethany in unison!

“Story of the World,” replied this very fun and patient man. Anna then replied, “That is cool! Ya know, your narrating voice is much less annoying than what is used in most homeschool curriculum. It’s nice to meet you.“

Mr. Weiss really laughed with Anna’s response. “Thanks, I think!” was his reply.

Jim Weiss is anything but “less-annoying!” Stories come alive with his narrations! His voice has been a part of our audio library for over a decade! I have a feeling every time we hear him begin a chapter of Story of the World, we’ll smile as we remember meeting him in person!

I don’t often post about our homeschooling curriculum or routines. Because schooling is such an ordinary part of our day, it seems a little boring or un-postworthy. However, since I’ve had some folks ask me to post more about homeschooling, I thought I’d write about one of my favorite subjects – writing! The following transpired today – an opportunity to teach my  youngest school-aged child, who happens to be my only reluctant writer, a little about paragraph construction.

This morning, after the mail arrived and before I could throw it in the recycling bin, Sarah enthusiastically grabbed the Spring American Girl catalog. “Oh, Mom, you MUST see the doll I want for my birthday!!!!” Now, Sarah’s birthday is 5 months away and there is no hope of her receiving such an expensive item before then, but I humored her and looked at this object of her longing. “Why do you want her?” I asked. Sarah then began reciting a list of qualities that made the doll, Elizabeth, exceptional… and I decided to make the most of her enthusiasm.

I asked Sarah to write a paragraph explaining why she wanted this doll. Normally, any writing assignment causes her to groan, but this time she willingly got right to it! (I think she thought perhaps she could convince me to get her doll a little early!) There was only one problem. Sarah really doesn’t know how to write a paragraph. She has done a fair amount of copy work but not much creative writing and so far no reports.

After about 5 minutes, Sarah handed me her paper and this is what it said:

I want Elizabeth because

1. She is so pritey.

2. I have wonted one forever.

3. Her hair is so, so, so pritey.

4. Her dress is pritey.

5. And last but not lest, her hat is pritey.

Yes, that was the “paragraph.” The misspelled words aren’t typos. That is exactly what she wrote.

In the past, the above would have caused me to panic. Other than correcting the spelling of “wonted,”  “pritey” and “lest,” I would be at a loss on how to go about editing. Thanks to two years of teaching concepts of IEW (The Institute for Excellence in Writing), I had fun with this! In about 15 minutes, Sarah had her first lesson on paragraph construction.

The first thing I did was asked her to brainstorm some synonyms for “pretty”. She easily came up with “lovely,” “beautiful” and “gorgeous.” Next I explained that she should not use “so” at all because it is boring. We talked about words to describe “pretty” and she thought of “exceptionally,” “very,” and “extremely.” I then asked Sarah if she could think of other words for “want” and she replied “desire” and “long for.” As Sarah said each word, I wrote them down.

After brainstorming better vocabulary, I asked her what she wished to communicate – the main idea. She easily answered, “I want Elizabeth!” I explained that needed to be her topic sentence and that the last sentence needed to repeat the main idea. “After all, if you don’t tell me again, I might forget and get you a pet frog,” I told her. After some giggles, we then wrote her list into a paragraph with her dictating and me writing. This is what she composed (with my suggestion to incorporate our vocabulary lists):

I hope to own Elizabeth, an American Girl doll, because she is lovely. All my life, I have longed for her. Not only is her hair beautiful , but her dress, which is adorned with flowers and ribbons, is gorgeous. I also like her hat. For my 9th birthday, I hope to receive Elizabeth.

I guided her with her verbs, explaining “receive” is better than “get,” and “adorned” better than “has.” We discussed in detail the importance of the topic and closing sentences and that key words in the topic must be reflected in the clincher – “own/receive” and “doll/Elizabeth.”

After I wrote the dictated paragraph, she copied it. Tomorrow, I will call out the paragraph, and she will write it from memory. (Great for spelling and punctuation.) Yes, hopefully after tomorrow she’ll know how to spell “pretty.” By the way, her mispelling it “pritey” was a great opportunity to review long vowel rules and how they don’t apply in this situation.

This lesson took about 15 minutes and taught many valuable beginning composition skills. We’ll practice this skill with many, many subjects over the coming months.

To review: Basically, brainstorm an outline for a paragraph. Write a topic sentence. Repeat the key words of the topic sentence in the closing sentence. Identify verbs. Make them stronger. Identify nouns and brainstorm adjectives. Can you think of an adverb? Later add clauses and vary sentence openers. (Sarah isn’t quite ready for that yet.) Write for the child a dictated paragraph. Have him copy it. The next day, dictate it to him as he writes. Review the topic/closing sentences. Review strong verbs, adjectives, adverbs or any other stylistic techniques learned.

I wish when my older children were young, I had IEW materials to guide me through the process of teaching writing. Starting with the simple concept of key word outlines (which basically is what Sarah made in her list), students are systematically taught structure and style. Every writing technique, once taught, is reviewed and required. Once you know the process of teaching through the various units, you can apply the concepts and take advantage of moments such as I had today.

A few years ago, I panicked as every curriculum seemed to instruct, “Have your child write a report…” and not only did my children have no idea how to go about doing so, I struggled to teach them. Now those same children are writing essays beautifully! Structure begins with good paragraphs. Children who can write  paragraphs well can write reports and essays, which are just collections of paragraphs. Students who can write essays, can then write research reports, which are simply essays strung together. Thus, good paragraph construction can not be over-emphasized. And, when children are beginning writers, they need not be left to themselves. Some of my children, at  very young ages, could write pages and pages of stories or letters. However, their writing, just because they filled space, really was no better than Sarah’s. All children need to be directed in being concise, choosing words carefully and following structure. I find, especially until about 6th grade, they do best if I set aside a few minutes and write with them. By junior high, they are able to be more independent.

I hope this might encourage some of you who may be stuck in stressed- out- about- teaching- writing land. I am just beginning with Sarah, but I have no doubt that with the systematic instruction of IEW materials, she will quickly be writing strong paragraphs.

Andrew Pudewa, founder of IEW, is my hero. I get to see him next week at the SouthEast Homeschool Convention and I just might ask for his autograph

Thursday night of last week, I “lost it.” When things get hectic, I usually turn on auto-pilot and “do the next thing.” But I’ve done the next thing and the next and next with very little down-time for so long, that I just couldn’t hold it together any longer. My husband, who had noticed a change within me, lovingly inquired and asked how he could help. He mentioned we could make changes in our schooling or get some help or let some things go, but one thing was certain… he missed my “passionate and optimistic spirit.” With those words coming from the one who knows me best, I began to sob because I missed those qualities about myself too.

My head ached from stress, I’m sure, and the events of the next 48 hours filled me with dread. I’d signed up not only to attend, but drive my 12-passenger van to Raleigh for Sally Clarkson’s Mom Heart Conference. I’ll admit that as I looked at the work that always piles after a busy school week, I wanted only a nap and a magic wand. I did not want to subject my friends to my downcast disposition. Daniel prayed for me – that I would gain perspective and that the Lord would reveal himself to me and my heart would be encouraged.

And God did just that!

I can’t possibly write all the truths I brought home with me. Sally told story after story and I could relate to each and every one. She even told one of her son ten years ago – her then 11-year-old Nathan. Yes, I have an 11-year-old Nathan too, and as she described so beautifully a poignant moment of his childhood and her privilege in sharing it with him, I was touched. I don’t want to miss life changing opportunities with my children. I want to stop and pray with them. I want to watch sunsets. I want to live out Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.^{[a] 5} Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Sally shared scripture after scripture. Her husband, Clay, led us in worship. My friends and I prayed and discussed

such important truths! I felt a sisterhood with the precious friends who attended with me. As I listened and prayed and worshiped, the Holy Spirit convicted me of some areas in my life that have become “cluttered.” Just as I can not concentrate with a cluttered house, I can not grow spiritually with a cluttered soul. And this weekend, the Lord told me to put away my to-do list and do the next thing His way. This “next thing” is to focus totally and completely on my first love. I am responsible only for my relationship with Him… not even for the outcome of my children! That is His job and he is oh so faithful!

Sally asked, “What is robbing you of your life, energy and victory?” We must guard our passion! Anything that robs us of our passion for God, must be removed from our lives. We can’t pass on to our children what we do not possess.

I want to love my God, my husband and my children with a whole heart. I want to be “thoroughly alive” with the love of Christ. And this weekend, I received a precious gift – time to sit and soak up words of truth, time to be still and time to enjoy fellowship with my sisters in Christ.

I left home Friday a little directionless and depressed. I came home different – eager to give each of my precious children and my husband love from my heart that is overflowing with encouragement and thankfulness. As I pulled into our driveway on Saturday night, I was greeted by my yippee yorkie and wonderful family. As my two youngest fought over first hugs, I smiled. As my oldest showed me her speech that she composed without my assistance, I smiled more. The house was picked up. The aroma of homemade pizza and bread filled the kitchen. Such tasks, though not an expectation, blessed me! Bethany reported, “Anna was really awesome this weekend, Mom!” Her words were music to my ears! My son showed me a gold coin his daddy gave him. Esther gave me kisses. Could this have been the same home and people I left on Thursday? Really, not much had changed, but my heart had and that made all the difference. My husband took one look at me and knew that God had answered his prayer for me. His optimistic and passionate wife need no longer be missed!

Sally reminded me that my mom heart matters. When it is full of Christ, I am able to minister. I must guard it carefully and keep it that way. My friends and I unanimously agreed that the Whole Heart Conference needs to be an annual event for us. Next year, join us if you can!

“I came that they might have life and have it to the full.” -John 10:10

“It seems to me that we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good and we must hunger after them.” – George Eliot

Today we toured the Natural Science Center of Greensboro to see the Bodies Revealed exhibit. Because I was unsure how my sensitive girls would handle viewing the bodies, I had an escape plan (the zoo.) However, all the children were fascinated with the exhibit and found it very educational. Photography was prohibited so I have no pictures. However, I do have some fun photos to share of the museum and zoo which we enjoyed afterward.

Sally Clarkson is one of my favorite authors and speakers. I think this is the third time I’ve mentioned this on my blog. Several years ago, a group of ladies met in my home as we spent two years reading and discussing Educating the Wholehearted Child. We learned so much as we read Sally’s encouraging advice to home schooling mothers. I cherish those memories.

Sally once was a speaker at the NCHE Conference, our state’s annual homeschooling conference. Not only did I attend all her sessions, but I bought all her talks on cd and listened to them, lent them to friends, and again, was encouraged. At the same conference, I picked up her then new book, The Mission of Motherhood. I enjoyed it so much, I proceeded to buy 20 copies to give to every new mommy I knew. To this day, it is my favorite mommy book. No rules. No parenting philosophies. Just encouragement.

Her newest book, Dancing With the Father, was a Christmas gift that I bought myself. When ordering Odyssey CD’s and my husband’s Bible from Family Christian Stores, I couldn’t resist slipping in this one special mommy book just for me.

So… I am thrilled that Sally will be in Durham, NC for a Mom Heart Conference March 4-5th. It’s important to be reminded that motherhood is a high calling. When I am struggling with my mission of being a mother, Sally reminds me to turn to Jesus. The more I do so and the more I pray for wisdom, the more I enjoy and cherish each moment I have with my children.

I can think of no better winter get-away than a Mom Heart Conference. You can read about it by clicking the icon below. I am going to try to attend! Let me know if you are too!

Thoughtful Thursdays… I am not sure how our home school co-op came up with such an alliterative name for our weekly classes, but I do know that for me, surviving Thursdays takes thought – and a great deal of it!

The packing alone is a monumental task! Thursday mornings I assemble my classroom materials for the two writing classes I teach, get Esther dressed for ballet, and then proceed to feed everyone breakfast and pack seven lunches and two dinners. The children must remember their notebooks for writing, dance clothes (which include multiple shoes, leotards, tights and hair pins), and their music for band as well as their instruments. Christina teaches a few little girls a hand- sewing class so she brings her supplies for that.  Bethany, Nathan and Sarah take track after ballet while the older girls go to Appalachian State University and participate in a science lab. Thus track clothes and lab notebooks must be remembered as well.  Track ends at 7:00. Lab ends at 8:00.  It is a full day that includes writing, art, dance, band, track and a science lab! Our 12- passenger van is packed as if we are taking a trip off the mountain!

While I teach my first writing class, Anna and Christina babysit Esther for me. During my second class, Esther takes pre-ballet and she just loves it! I am so thankful she can participate in an enjoyable activity while I am away from her. All week long she talks about “my baway cwass with Miss Webecca!”. I’m so proud of her for paying attention and learning because she is the youngest little dancer in the group. I’ve never had one of my toddlers take a class so this is a new experience for me too! After my second writing class, I take Esther home while my other children take either band or art. She is able to get a much needed one- hour nap before I must chauffeur dancers from one church to another. My vehicle has been named “The Ballet Bus” because it is full to the max at 3:30 on Thursdays, transporting ballerinas!

Dinner on Thursdays is squeezed into the hour most of us wait for lab to end. Thankfully, it’s family night at Earth Fare so for just ten dollars, I can feed Daniel and me and all my track stars eat free! You can’t beat that for organic and healthy food for eight!

I won’t lie. By Thursday evenings, I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck. I am seriously tired.  The thought occurs to me, “Maybe next year we’ll give Thoughtful Thursdays a rest!” We unload the van. The children put their things away and they smile. “Thank you, Mama. Thursdays are so special. We love taking classes and seeing our friends,” I hear as I tuck tired dancers, runners, artists and musicians in bed.

The children are right. Thursdays are special. As I put my feet up and breath a sigh of relief, I make a mental note to go to bed a little earlier next Wednesday night. Thursdays require thought for sure, but the effort is well worth it!

For those of you looking for an upbeat post about homeschooling the high school years, look elsewhere I love to encourage homeschooling mothers but this is a “I don’t have a clue” post! It’s where I am… but I know it’s not where I am going to stay!

I’ve been anxious about school lately.

I love homeschooling and I’m passionate about it. However, I’d be lying to say that it’s easy. Sometimes its hard. Lately, its been really hard. I feel as if I’m brand new at teaching my children at home. Actually, I’ve been more stressed lately than when I first started. Why? Because I am overwhelmed with teaching high school.

I never said I was going to “do” high school. At first, I said we’d take it year by year.  Once, a long time ago, I was a certified in three states to teach kindergarten through eighth grade. Please don’t think for a minute that I really believe that piece of paper qualified me to do what I do. The best homeschooling moms I know are not teachers by trade. My certification did not equip me or qualify me to homeschool.  It did, however, provide me with first hand experience in the public schools. Thus I knew my children were “getting enough” in  an hour a day of academics when they were very young. I knew how much to assign to them as they matured through the elementary grades. I felt confident because I had worked with many young children. For some reason, 9th grade has put me out of my comfort zone. I am fearful that I can’t provide enough. I lack the confidence I once had.

Grammar I love. Math – not so much. I don’t speak a foreign language. I made a C in high school chemistry and biology dissections literally made me gag. I don’t want to do all that again. I like stories. I love field trips. I love knowing that if I don’t get to something, I have time. Now, I feel the stress of “running out of time.”

I’ll admit it. I’ve found myself praying for God to take the burden of homeschooling my high-schooler from me. I’ve considered classes online and classes at our co-op. I’ve wondered about community college classes and how early we can pursue those. I have sat down to plan and felt the tears welling  and wanting to spill over onto my planning book. Sometimes I just want to be mommy! I don’t want to do algebraic equations!

Yet God has called me to homeschool. He has not told me to quit. Classes outside of home this year are not feasible for our family. He did not say this journey would be easy. However, this weekend I have reflected on some things that He has said:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philipians 4:6

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”  I Peter 5:7

“Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”  Psalm 55:22

“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:30

I will pray. I will cast my cares on him. As I walk with Him, He will carry this load. His burden is light! We will do this high school thing. And in so doing, His joy will be my strength!

The joy of the Lord will be my strength
He will uphold me all of my days
I am surrounded by mercy and grace
And the joy of the Lord is my strength!

Verse 2 “The Joy of the Lord” by Twila Paris

This is one of my favorite family videos of all time. (Watch it before reading further! You’ll love it too… I promise!)

Every time I listen to little Sarah hit that high note, I smile. I love it! Jesus loves Sarah! Jesus loves me! Yet how do we teach our children this truth and how to love him back?

There is no formula.

We can not take them to church (check), read the Bible (check), say bed-time prayers (check) and say we have discipled our children. Reading the right parenting books, Christian schooling, holding to high standards of modesty, or choosing our children’s friends will not ensure that our children will have pure hearts. We can not put them in the right programs. At the same time, keeping them with us constantly will not “do the trick.”

The longer I parent, the more I see my shortcomings and strengths quite plainly by simply being around my children. The other day one of my children obnoxiously sat next to me chomping on her cup of crushed ice. Just as I was about to snap, “WILL YOU PLEASE STOP?!?” Daniel, with a smirk on his face kindly requested, “Honey, I know you picked up that habit from your mother, but please stop. It’s annoying.” OUCH! The same child LOVES salads and vegetables for lunch and enjoys getting outside to run… habits that I’ve picked up this past year that she is emulating! Seeing this makes me smile. It’s my goal for her (and all my children!) to see more positive than negative qualities in me. For good or bad, our children learn by example. That is indeed a challenge that involves a true desire and effort by us (the parents) to be growing in the Lord.

When it comes to instilling a love of Scripture and a heart for God in our little ones, the same principles apply. More is “caught than taught.”If I read my Bible first thing in the morning , my children will often come downstairs, look at me, and grab their Bibles too. However, if I’m on the computer checking e-mail, they will do the same.  It is true “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” When I am impatient and short -tempered with the children, they become so with one another.  Thus, to disciple your children, first cultivate your relationship with Christ. Pray. Read the Word. Seek growth and model a teachable spirit.

When my oldest child was entering kindergarten, we began the practice of regular family devotions. In the early days of our parenting, devotions consisted of a very short Bible story during breakfast. Daniel read while the children ate. That way they wouldn’t interrupt as much! We’ve done many different things over the past ten years. Some families just read the Bible and that is wonderful! We’ve read books of the Bible, Bible storybooks, done themed studies, and even studied hymns or traditions around the holidays as part of our devotion time. We discuss and we pray. However, there is so much we could do and we are always seeking to grow in this area. This year, we’d like to set aside a weekly time of family prayer because we find that we often are rushed after our breakfast devotions. We’d also like to memorize more Scripture. We are not perfectly consistent. There are times I must leave the table and discipline our youngest. There are times we get blank stares. There are times it feels we are just “checking the devotional box off our to-do list.” However, there are so many times that I know the children are learning life-changing truths. So often they engage, ask questions and are awed by God’s word! I am so thankful for my husband who “keeps on keeping on” when it comes to daily Bible reading.

While there is no perfect resource other than the Bible itself, I have found some books and CD’s that have been helpful over the years.

Music is such a gift from God! When my toddlers or preschoolers are cranky, putting on an upbeat CD changes the mood. My favorites are:

Sing the Word: Musically, these are absolutely beautiful. I’ve bought over a hundred of them over the years to give as baby gifts and birthday presents. My favorites are God Our Provider and Great In Counsel and Mighty In Deed. Each of these CDs have a whole chapter of scripture set to music. What a blessing to hear young children able to sing a whole Psalm! Visit the site and listen to the samples. I just love them!

Hide ‘Em In Your Heart: These are older CD’s but so sweet. I can not listen to them without thinking of each of my children as little ones. You must see Esther sing to “God Loves A Cheerful Giver!”

Seeds of Faith: These are great too! They’re more “big kid” and “pop” sounding. My 5-10 year olds love them!

I could list hundreds of books but I’m going to stick to just a few of my all time favorites…

ABC Bible Verses: A Bible verse for each letter of the alphabet.

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Bible story points to Jesus. This book has wonderful illustrations and helps children see the “big picture.”

Right Choices: My children have enjoyed this little book about making good choices. I like it but often go a little deeper about “why” right choices are made in each illustration. I will admit to skipping one or two pages when mine are really young because the school situation described is irrelevant for our family. However, I do like this little book. It’s a great way to discuss “right choices” to preschool children.

Training Hearts Teaching Minds: This is a resource helpful in teaching the shorter catechism. I think it would be best for children 5 and up.

Parenting With Scripture: It is so important to speak God’s Word continually to our children. We should “preach the Gospel” to them daily in our interactions with them. By no means have I arrived in this area! I mess up. I get angry. Yet even when I fail, I desire to humbly express my sorrow and model a desire to grow. This book points parents to Scripture so that we can more effectively point our children in the same direction.

Doorposts Charts: I love these visual reminders to be diligent, bless others and resolve conflict. These are wonderful little charts to hang up and refer to often. Click on each chart on the website and you will see how practical and wonderful they are!

The above resources are for young children and I know there are many others. I may post with some of my picks for older children at another time. Feel free to leave comments with links to your favorites! Blessings as you seek to teach your children about God’s Word!

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:5-8