This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark of the Charlotte Mason method: narration. Have you ever heard of it? What would you like to know? 

I’m focusing heavily on how we use narration in our homeschool, but if you have specific questions about it, I would love for you to 1. Take the poll in my stories, and 2. Ask any questions you may have about narration in the comments so that I can answer them in my video! ❤️
Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encoura Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encourage those who are intentionally making a better life for their children than what they may have experienced as kids. It is not easy to change the cycle, but it’s well worth the effort. 

In the words of Louisa May Alcott, “A woman's happiest kingdom is home, her highest honor is the art of ruling it not as a queen, but a wise wife and mother."
📚 We are moving right along with term three of 📚 We are moving right along with term three of our school year. Slow but steady, we will finish up mid June and I’ll begin prepping for next school year in July and August! 📚

Here’s some of my random old and new tips + what I’ve been doing to help keep organized with the CMEC. 

01. Keep a regular day for nature outings or field trips. We have two days a week where I intentionally plan a hike or museum visit, etc. One is usually at the middle of the week and the other is at the end. It offers great variety to our weeks.

02. Notebook! I have had the girls consistently notebook this year, and it’s been such a delight to go back and see my form 1b student’s progress! I have a video coming out about how we notebook and why you should try it very soon! 

03. To stay on track with our morning timetable I’ve been writing the time we end each lesson in my logbook. It’s really changed how productive I am in making sure we get everything on our timetable done for the day. (I have a video on my logbook if you’re interested in learning more about that!)

04. And 05. Popsicle sticks! Friends, if you’re already a CMEC family, use these to help you choose which activities you review! I have on these for old singing games, French songs, folk dances or Swedish drill routines. I’ll share more on what I have on ours, specifically, but it’s fun because the girls and I get to be surprised rather than me choosing what we review!

06. Art instruction. Originally I had us doing three art lessons per week in the afternoon, but it didn’t allow for enough free choice, so we’ve reduced it down to one formal lesson a week for six weeks, then we change the method. So right now we are in week two of our chalkdrawing lessons. After six weeks we will switch to brush drawing instruction for the remainder of the term! As Charlotte Mason recommends, we draw from memory, model, and from imagination. 🌞

I hope this was helpful to you! So many of you guys are using @the.cmec next year! I am SO excited to see all of you at the online form meetings this coming year! 👏🏻 #thecmec #thecmecform1 #charlottemason
Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf o Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf or in a drawer? This drawer is right next to my stove and it’s my favorite way to store my spices! I reuse these little jars and fill them every couple of weeks with my bulk @azurestandard spices. 🧂
Are you planting a garden this year? What are you Are you planting a garden this year? What are you growing? Containers and raised beds? Or in ground? What do you plan to grow? Veggies? Flowers? We are doing a little bit of everything. 😍

It’s my third year growing food. (And ironically, our third house 😅) We just got our @greenstalkgarden planter, several @smartpots, and six raised beds that are ready to be filled next weekend. Really looking forward to this gardening season! 🥕🥬🥦🌽🌶🫑🫐🍓🥔
“Let then once get in touch with nature and a ha “Let then once get in touch with nature and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life.” -Charlotte Mason 

My kiddo had a birthday this past weekend. We do one main gift and a couple of small gifts; typically they’re  things they can use outdoors. Bikes have been a popular birthday item around here! My eldest wanted an apple tree last year. ☺️ But this year we got N a mud kitchen! Some friends of ours had one they built, and it inspired us. My kiddos have been playing on the forest floor in the mud for years now, but it’s exciting for them to have a little space in our garden for mud play. 🌳 What are some fun outdoorsy gifts you’ve purchased for your kids?
📚 When should I teach my child to read? How sho 📚 When should I teach my child to read? How should I teach my child to read? What does Charlotte Mason say about reading lessons? How did she teach children how to read? What curriculum do you use to teach your child how to read? 📚
These are all questions I answered in my blog post and video, “teaching reading the Charlotte Mason way” 📚 you can also swipe over to see some of my favorite CM quotes on teaching reading! 📚

I also shared what I do with my 3-year-old (which is very minimal) if you have younger children. You can view the post at the link in my profile! Are you up children school-aged? What do you use to teach reading?
I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more unpacking and organizing to be done, pictures to be framed, meal planning to do, laundry that needed folding, bike rides to be had, meals to be prepared, sourdough to be prepped and lesson planning + pre-reading to do. Oh and dishes. So many dishes. 😅

I do essentially all of the inside housework aside from taking out the trash + recycle, but for a season my husband helped out while N was small by doing dinner dishes and sometimes even preparing dinner so I could nurse her after we ate. But as of late, I’m trying something new where I don’t ask my husband to clean up after dinner and instead I do it myself. I don’t mind it, and since my girls are old enough to get their own pj’s on now, I’ve been doing dinner clean-up (as well as lunch and breakfast clean-up and prep!) before I head upstairs to tuck them in, read them a story and sit with them while they fall asleep. Call me old fashioned, but I’m happy to do it, and I delight in my husband being able to enjoy some time with the girls after dinner instead of clean up a mess after a long day of working.

I’m not really sure where I’m going with this post - I’ve felt pulled in so many directions today and it’s something I feel often, (and I’m sure so many of you can relate) but after five months without a home to care for and nurture I simply can’t feel frustrated or annoyed at my list of 10,000 things I need to do. Instead I pray my way through each task. I sip tea in between. I light a candle and wear my great-grandmother’s apron as I work. I read notes like the one my six-year-old left for me this morning and I weep tears of gratitude and joy. Happy Sunday, my friends. ❤️ 
.
(swipe to read her note 🥰 + a transcription in the comments!)
Remember that word we heard so often when we were Remember that word we heard so often when we were parenting infants? Attachment.  What comes to mind? Breastfeeding on demand. Co-sleeping. Babywearing. All of those things that come pretty natural to us when taking care of a baby. But did you know that attachment doesn’t just end when your child gets bigger? Attachment is actually necessary THROUGH adolescence. 😳

Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté is a brilliant book that stopped me in my tracks. The book addresses the severe lack of attachment to parents that is incidentally replaced by an attachment to peers. I wrote all about it on my blog, but if you swipe over you can see a few passages that I underlined, highlighted, and wrote down in my notebook. 

Peer culture is more prevalent than ever. Not only because our society now prefers it that way, but because of social media’s ability to unite our youth in an unprecedented way. What we need is a shift in how we pass down culture to our kids from a horizontal attachment (peer to peer) back to a vertical attachment (family to child). I’ve often felt this long before I read this book, but we prioritize our Children’s friendships and relationships with others before we prioritize their relationships with us. We don’t value the family unit the way we used to decades ago, and it’s to the detriment of our children. 

I will gift this book to every new parent I meet from now on because of the wisdom the authors share. I wish all parents would read it so we could be on the same page as a society and those of us who choose to hold on to our kids wouldn’t be going against the grain. So this is my plea to you. If anything I’ve said piqued your interest, or struck a chord, please read Hold On To Your Kids! ✨

(For those of you who have read it! Share your thoughts with us! Help me convince everyone to read it! 👏🏻)
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Uncategorized • September 19, 2012

Outfit Post: Twilight Sparkle

Outfit Details:
Top: Gap
Blazer: Lauren Conrad
Sequin Skirt: Jennifer Lopez via Kohl’s
Belt: Express (last year)
Shoes: Tahari
Necklace: Baublebar (similar)
Sequin Cuff: Macy’s
So, here’s the story- We went to a show last weekend- Les Miserables. It was such a good time…however… we forgot the camera (who brings a camera to the theater?!) so we had to use our trusty iPhones to document what I wore. Also, did I mention it was nighttime? So I bring to you bad quality, grainy, dark photos, and an awkward mirror+phone picture. Nevertheless, one of my favorite dressy outfits. I went for a tailored, chic look with darker tones and a fitted blazer. I also feel super ready for fall in my wine-colored lip color and sequins! Thanks for reading. xo.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: evening style, gap, lauren conrad blazer, leopard belt, Les Miserables show style, monogram jewelry, Outfit of the day, sequin cuff, sequin skirt, tahari shoes, top knot hair

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Comments

  1. Sooji says

    September 19, 2012 at 5:50 am

    You look so gorgeous in black and sequins! Must have had a fun night out! 🙂
    Perhaps we could follow eachother? Let me know <3

    xoxo
    Glam Mania…!!

    Reply
  2. Natali says

    September 19, 2012 at 6:06 am

    Great skirt and ballerinas 🙂

    http://lartoffashion.blogspot.com

    Reply
  3. Invitation To Inspiration says

    September 19, 2012 at 6:19 am

    Wow, amazing sequin skirt and we just love how you add a bit of quirkiness with a leopard print belt!
    Have a nice day!

    http://invitationtoinspiration.blogspot.com

    Reply
  4. Sheila says

    September 19, 2012 at 6:51 am

    Lovely outfit! You look so pretty!! 🙂

    xo – Sheila

    http://sheislovely1.blogspot.com

    Reply
  5. Mauro E. says

    September 19, 2012 at 8:23 am

    Super cute outfit. you look great 🙂

    WhiteCloset Fashion Blog
    Twitter
    Facebook

    Reply
  6. ka milka says

    September 19, 2012 at 8:37 am

    goooooood look; ))

    http://www.live-style20.blogspot.com

    new post ; DDD

    Reply
  7. Gloria izquierdo Elizo says

    September 19, 2012 at 8:56 am

    Absolutely perfect!.
    xoxo
    http://iwanttobeabigitgirl.blogspot.com.es/

    Reply
  8. elpuntodelola says

    September 19, 2012 at 9:27 am

    Precioso look, la falda es muy bonita. Besos

    Reply
  9. Little Slices of Heaven says

    September 19, 2012 at 10:16 am

    Great look! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Hannah says

    September 19, 2012 at 10:19 am

    I love that skirt! especially with the little bit of organza on the hem, super pretty 🙂

    Reply
  11. A J says

    September 19, 2012 at 10:35 am

    I adore this! A little sparkle, a little leopard, but not flashy and over board! Great outfit!!

    -AJ
    FitTravelerAJ.blogspot.com

    Reply
  12. Maria DaintyandDecadent says

    September 19, 2012 at 10:57 am

    I love your skirt! So perfect for the occasion 🙂

    Reply
  13. Patricia Ayuso says

    September 19, 2012 at 11:30 am

    great post!!! love your blog 😉
    i follow you now
    you can follow me if you want in:
    http://blogcashmeremafia.blogspot.com
    kisses 😉

    Reply
  14. Citrus - Refreshing Fashion says

    September 19, 2012 at 11:53 am

    I adore this whole outfit! LOVING those shoes too btw!

    XO Meghan
    citrusrefreshingfashion.blogspot.com

    Reply
  15. Milynn {Love + Whimsy} says

    September 19, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    I LOVE your outfit! I may have to copy one day for a date night 😀

    Love & Whimsy

    Reply
  16. audrinajulia says

    September 19, 2012 at 12:31 pm

    Your dress is so elegant looking! Perfect for a night out and may I just say how i like your leopard belt.You look stunning!:)

    audrinajulia.blogspot.com

    Reply
  17. Amberly D'Anna says

    September 19, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    Love the skirt and your shoes are adorable!

    Amberly
    asliceofglam.com

    Reply
  18. Tashia says

    September 19, 2012 at 1:59 pm

    This outfit is perfect for a night at the theatre. Les Miserables is my favorite musical! I'm so excited for the movie version.

    Reply
  19. style sprite says

    September 19, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    Love the sparkles topped off with the leopard print belt!

    Reply
  20. C says

    September 19, 2012 at 2:20 pm

    Very nice outfit! I love the sparkling skirt 😉

    letyourselfbeinspiredby.blogspot.it

    Reply
  21. Andreea♥ says

    September 19, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    Gorgeous outfit! Kisses

    Reply
  22. Cathy says

    September 19, 2012 at 3:51 pm

    What a gorgeous, elegant look! So classy, girl! Loving the updo too 🙂

    http://cstyledesign.blogspot.com

    Reply
  23. McKae @ Kaes Corner Design says

    September 19, 2012 at 4:18 pm

    You look gorgeous! I love your hair.

    Reply
  24. Lindsay says

    September 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm

    Love the outfit! I want to see Les Miserables so bad!!

    Reply
  25. Fashion Recession says

    September 19, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    I am impressed with the pointy shoes, nice, nice!!

    All<3Lola

    http://www.fashionrecession.blogspot.com

    Reply
  26. Kim (A Very Sweet Blog) says

    September 19, 2012 at 7:08 pm

    superfabulous outfit! you look exquisite! i love that skirt 🙂
    http://www.averysweetblog.com/

    Reply
  27. Katie- Hems for Her says

    September 19, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    Is the skirt a recent purchase? It is gorgeous. You look so amazing 🙂

    Reply
    • livingincolorblog says

      September 28, 2012 at 5:16 am

      Hey Katie! No, it's from last year 🙂 but, such a great closet staple! 🙂

      Reply
  28. Sofia says

    September 19, 2012 at 8:14 pm

    You look great!

    http://insofiashoes.blogspot.pt

    Reply
  29. Kara says

    September 20, 2012 at 3:45 am

    You look fantastic! I have an awesome LC blazer in my collection too – so so cute 🙂

    Reply
  30. Jenna says

    September 21, 2012 at 3:44 am

    How do you get such a fabulous bun? I never can!

    Reply
  31. Amy Shaughnessy says

    September 21, 2012 at 1:21 pm

    Love this look! The sparkly skirt is perfect and I love the heels.

    Amy

    Fashion and Beauty Finds

    Reply
  32. mespeel says

    September 21, 2012 at 6:20 pm

    fantastic! 🙂 wanna follow? 🙂

    Reply
  33. Katie's Bliss says

    September 21, 2012 at 11:52 pm

    I hate when I'm wearing an amazing outfit but it's dark outside. I feel your pain! The pictures still turned out decently though I think 🙂

    katiesbliss.com

    Reply
  34. Meg Eileen Carroll says

    September 22, 2012 at 12:17 am

    wow, this outfit is so great for a fun night out. love the sparkles. I especially love the up-do and your make-up, simple and fun!

    http://meggymoo0.blogspot.com

    Reply
  35. Count To Four says

    September 22, 2012 at 5:36 am

    absolutely LOVE that skirt! great outfit 🙂

    would you like to follow each other? fb, gfc, twitter, bloglovin? let me know 🙂

    http://www.counttofour.com

    Reply
  36. Bhushavali - Indian Fashion n Travel Blogger! says

    September 23, 2012 at 6:36 am

    Totally love the sparkly skirt & leopard belt! Awesome!!!
    I have an award for you here. Do come n take it! Congrats!!! 🙂
    FASHION PANACHE BLOG – Awards

    Reply
  37. Miss Laia says

    September 23, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    I Love tour style you look great and I'm sorry I got late to the blog design giveaway your friend did a wonderful Job.
    How was the musical Im sure you had a great time.
    Kisses
    City-aholic.blogspot.com.es

    Reply
  38. dancing.to.the.music.in.my.head says

    September 23, 2012 at 6:02 pm

    you look gread, i love your style!:) x

    Reply
  39. "HauteMocha" says

    September 23, 2012 at 11:38 pm

    Simple yet chic!! love the skirt!

    Reply
  40. Nicole says

    September 24, 2012 at 2:19 am

    Sequined skirts rock! I just bought one at kohls…on sale for $5.60. I couldn't not get it!

    Reply
  41. Rose Mode says

    September 24, 2012 at 2:51 pm

    I love your skirt

    Reply
  42. Rachel Lynne says

    September 24, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    LOVE your skirt and the leo print belt with this outfit 🙂 so cute!

    xoxo,
    Rachel
    Rachel’s Lookbook

    Reply
  43. Cole. says

    September 24, 2012 at 7:05 pm

    LOVE this outfit. Makes me want to pull my hair up and put lipstick on RIGHT NOW.

    Nicole
    http://settleinn.blogspot.com/
    http://www.etsy.com/shop/Coleandco

    Reply
  44. Alyssa says

    September 25, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    Love the sparkle!!!

    http://www.runwaychef.com

    Reply
  45. Cambria says

    September 27, 2012 at 1:06 am

    DIGGING the sparkle…really makes your outfit glam!

    <3 Cambria
    jupefashion.blogspot.com

    Reply
  46. Caley-Jade Rosenberg says

    October 1, 2012 at 6:47 am

    So glad I found your blog!! Hope you get a chance to pop by and say hi too.
    LOVE this outfit – sparkles are my best!!
    x

    Reply

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I'm Larissa. A mama to daughters and wife to my college sweetheart. I am passionate about sustainable fashion, whole foods recipes, and Charlotte Mason home education. I also love being outdoors with my family. You can usually find me sporting a wide-brimmed hat, with a baby on my back.

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This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark of the Charlotte Mason method: narration. Have you ever heard of it? What would you like to know? 

I’m focusing heavily on how we use narration in our homeschool, but if you have specific questions about it, I would love for you to 1. Take the poll in my stories, and 2. Ask any questions you may have about narration in the comments so that I can answer them in my video! ❤️
Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encoura Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encourage those who are intentionally making a better life for their children than what they may have experienced as kids. It is not easy to change the cycle, but it’s well worth the effort. 

In the words of Louisa May Alcott, “A woman's happiest kingdom is home, her highest honor is the art of ruling it not as a queen, but a wise wife and mother."
📚 We are moving right along with term three of 📚 We are moving right along with term three of our school year. Slow but steady, we will finish up mid June and I’ll begin prepping for next school year in July and August! 📚

Here’s some of my random old and new tips + what I’ve been doing to help keep organized with the CMEC. 

01. Keep a regular day for nature outings or field trips. We have two days a week where I intentionally plan a hike or museum visit, etc. One is usually at the middle of the week and the other is at the end. It offers great variety to our weeks.

02. Notebook! I have had the girls consistently notebook this year, and it’s been such a delight to go back and see my form 1b student’s progress! I have a video coming out about how we notebook and why you should try it very soon! 

03. To stay on track with our morning timetable I’ve been writing the time we end each lesson in my logbook. It’s really changed how productive I am in making sure we get everything on our timetable done for the day. (I have a video on my logbook if you’re interested in learning more about that!)

04. And 05. Popsicle sticks! Friends, if you’re already a CMEC family, use these to help you choose which activities you review! I have on these for old singing games, French songs, folk dances or Swedish drill routines. I’ll share more on what I have on ours, specifically, but it’s fun because the girls and I get to be surprised rather than me choosing what we review!

06. Art instruction. Originally I had us doing three art lessons per week in the afternoon, but it didn’t allow for enough free choice, so we’ve reduced it down to one formal lesson a week for six weeks, then we change the method. So right now we are in week two of our chalkdrawing lessons. After six weeks we will switch to brush drawing instruction for the remainder of the term! As Charlotte Mason recommends, we draw from memory, model, and from imagination. 🌞

I hope this was helpful to you! So many of you guys are using @the.cmec next year! I am SO excited to see all of you at the online form meetings this coming year! 👏🏻 #thecmec #thecmecform1 #charlottemason
Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf o Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf or in a drawer? This drawer is right next to my stove and it’s my favorite way to store my spices! I reuse these little jars and fill them every couple of weeks with my bulk @azurestandard spices. 🧂
Are you planting a garden this year? What are you Are you planting a garden this year? What are you growing? Containers and raised beds? Or in ground? What do you plan to grow? Veggies? Flowers? We are doing a little bit of everything. 😍

It’s my third year growing food. (And ironically, our third house 😅) We just got our @greenstalkgarden planter, several @smartpots, and six raised beds that are ready to be filled next weekend. Really looking forward to this gardening season! 🥕🥬🥦🌽🌶🫑🫐🍓🥔
“Let then once get in touch with nature and a ha “Let then once get in touch with nature and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life.” -Charlotte Mason 

My kiddo had a birthday this past weekend. We do one main gift and a couple of small gifts; typically they’re  things they can use outdoors. Bikes have been a popular birthday item around here! My eldest wanted an apple tree last year. ☺️ But this year we got N a mud kitchen! Some friends of ours had one they built, and it inspired us. My kiddos have been playing on the forest floor in the mud for years now, but it’s exciting for them to have a little space in our garden for mud play. 🌳 What are some fun outdoorsy gifts you’ve purchased for your kids?
📚 When should I teach my child to read? How sho 📚 When should I teach my child to read? How should I teach my child to read? What does Charlotte Mason say about reading lessons? How did she teach children how to read? What curriculum do you use to teach your child how to read? 📚
These are all questions I answered in my blog post and video, “teaching reading the Charlotte Mason way” 📚 you can also swipe over to see some of my favorite CM quotes on teaching reading! 📚

I also shared what I do with my 3-year-old (which is very minimal) if you have younger children. You can view the post at the link in my profile! Are you up children school-aged? What do you use to teach reading?
I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more unpacking and organizing to be done, pictures to be framed, meal planning to do, laundry that needed folding, bike rides to be had, meals to be prepared, sourdough to be prepped and lesson planning + pre-reading to do. Oh and dishes. So many dishes. 😅

I do essentially all of the inside housework aside from taking out the trash + recycle, but for a season my husband helped out while N was small by doing dinner dishes and sometimes even preparing dinner so I could nurse her after we ate. But as of late, I’m trying something new where I don’t ask my husband to clean up after dinner and instead I do it myself. I don’t mind it, and since my girls are old enough to get their own pj’s on now, I’ve been doing dinner clean-up (as well as lunch and breakfast clean-up and prep!) before I head upstairs to tuck them in, read them a story and sit with them while they fall asleep. Call me old fashioned, but I’m happy to do it, and I delight in my husband being able to enjoy some time with the girls after dinner instead of clean up a mess after a long day of working.

I’m not really sure where I’m going with this post - I’ve felt pulled in so many directions today and it’s something I feel often, (and I’m sure so many of you can relate) but after five months without a home to care for and nurture I simply can’t feel frustrated or annoyed at my list of 10,000 things I need to do. Instead I pray my way through each task. I sip tea in between. I light a candle and wear my great-grandmother’s apron as I work. I read notes like the one my six-year-old left for me this morning and I weep tears of gratitude and joy. Happy Sunday, my friends. ❤️ 
.
(swipe to read her note 🥰 + a transcription in the comments!)
Remember that word we heard so often when we were Remember that word we heard so often when we were parenting infants? Attachment.  What comes to mind? Breastfeeding on demand. Co-sleeping. Babywearing. All of those things that come pretty natural to us when taking care of a baby. But did you know that attachment doesn’t just end when your child gets bigger? Attachment is actually necessary THROUGH adolescence. 😳

Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté is a brilliant book that stopped me in my tracks. The book addresses the severe lack of attachment to parents that is incidentally replaced by an attachment to peers. I wrote all about it on my blog, but if you swipe over you can see a few passages that I underlined, highlighted, and wrote down in my notebook. 

Peer culture is more prevalent than ever. Not only because our society now prefers it that way, but because of social media’s ability to unite our youth in an unprecedented way. What we need is a shift in how we pass down culture to our kids from a horizontal attachment (peer to peer) back to a vertical attachment (family to child). I’ve often felt this long before I read this book, but we prioritize our Children’s friendships and relationships with others before we prioritize their relationships with us. We don’t value the family unit the way we used to decades ago, and it’s to the detriment of our children. 

I will gift this book to every new parent I meet from now on because of the wisdom the authors share. I wish all parents would read it so we could be on the same page as a society and those of us who choose to hold on to our kids wouldn’t be going against the grain. So this is my plea to you. If anything I’ve said piqued your interest, or struck a chord, please read Hold On To Your Kids! ✨

(For those of you who have read it! Share your thoughts with us! Help me convince everyone to read it! 👏🏻)
I promised I would share how I teach foreign langu I promised I would share how I teach foreign language the Mason way✨

When my oldest (now 6) was younger we loved and used @theculturedkid but since beginning formal lessons we’ve switched to this wonderful book by @cherrydalepress. 

Mason recommends that students learn 5-6 new French words a day and that they use them frequently. She writes in Home Education, “…children should learn French orally, by listening to and repeating French words and phrases; that they should begin so early that the difference of the accent does not strike them, but they repeat the French word all the same as if it were English, and use it freely…” (p. 80) she then writes about how important it is to employ the use of French vocabulary words during time out-of-doors. My kids and I have taken this to heart, because it isn’t uncommon for us all to be walking along the hiking trail, singing our French folk songs together. It’s something I’ll remember that we do together for many years. 

The Cherrydale Press program allows the child to learn common phrases, orally, a bit at a time. Along the way, they learn common verbs and vocabulary. 

Each “series” lasts about 2 weeks.
So here is the process we go through in that time:

01. We practice and memorize the English phrases. 
Here’s an example: 
I take the book.
I open the book.
I close the book.
So we say the phrases as we ACT THEM OUT, which is crucial to this method of learning French and retaining it! It’s helped me tremendously as a non-native speaker.

02. We then learn the French verbs from those phrases in French: je prends, j’ouvre, and je ferme. We memorize how to say them and act them out!

03. We learn the whole thing in French as we act it out. 
Je prends le livre.
j’ouvre le livre.
je ferme le livre.

After my daughter can say/act them without error, on her own, we move on to the next series!

Thanks to The Living Page, I keep a French notebook where I record the phrases or words we learn! (That’s what I shared in my stories the other day!)

In addition to this program, we have two French folk songs, one French vocabulary song per term (we sing daily) and a story we listen to in French, thanks to @the.cmec and their support!

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