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NOT TO EXPAIN TO MUCH
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Hello!
In one of the Habit training books I found an idea that I want to know more: NOT TO EXPAIN TO MUCH to your child. I want to read more about that. Can you help me by telling me where can I read about this topic in Charlotte Mason’s books? (In the habit training book it is specified Vol.3 pg.179 but I did not found this topic there)
Maybe in the future CM team can write an article or make a video about this topic.
Thank you!
I would be happy to discuss this concept with you. Could you please give me the habit book title and page to which you are referring? That will help me make sure my comments are in context. Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for the reply!
I’m referring to “Laying Down the Rails for Children” page 11
4. Once or twice a week, read a lesson together
– Discussion – There will be much opportunity for discussion. Be careful not to talk too much as the parent. Ask questions and listen to your children’s thoughts. Don’t provoke your child into echoing the little girl who said, “Mother, I think I could understand if you did not explain quite so much” (Vol. 3, p. 179).
Me and my husband have the tendency to explain to much to our two daughters and I see they are a little feed up. I didn’t realized util I read this small phrase up there. I just started to work on the habits with them and I need to know when to stop explaining.
Thank you so much for sharing and explaining CM concept into our days! Since last year it has been a great help that lead to a great shift in our homeschooling.
Florina Cazan (Romania)
I’m so glad our work has been helpful to you, Florina!
One of the best ways to stop explaining is to ask for a narration instead. That allows you to find out what the children already know, so you’re not telling them what they already know.
May I ask, how old are your daughters?
Oh, good; so they are both at an appropriate age to ask for a narration.
And you can guide their narration by asking what they know about different aspects of the subject. For example, if you are doing Lesson 1 on Cleanliness (p. 14), you might ask “How would you define Cleanliness?” Listen to their answers, let them know what you like about those answers, then share the definition in the book and ask, “What do you think about that definition?” Again, listen to their answers.
Next it says to share any goals you have for that habit. So you might say that you thought of one way you all could work on Cleanliness this month and share that one application, then ask if they have any other ideas on ways that you could all work on Cleanliness. Perhaps ask why that application is important to them.
Finish up by reading the Bible verse and briefly touching on those final two sentences. If you have any examples or stories of cleanliness from your past that illustrates those truths, you might share that story. But be careful not to launch into a lecture or sermon. You want to share a seed of an idea, and then give it space and time to grow in their hearts.
In a couple of days or a week, you can do the next lesson and share one more seed of an idea.
Just keep in mind that your goal is not to demonstrate how much you know; your goal is to plant seeds of ideas and let your children ponder on those seeds and then demonstrate what they have learned. Open-ended questions (and an open and listening heart) will help in that process.
Thank you so much for your answer! It has been such a good help, to stop nagging the girls and to listen to them where they are (mind and heart).. So good!
We are just learning how to use narration and this is a good way to exercises.
I appreciate your work and that you made time to respond to me. It means a lot.
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