Understanding LDTR Resources

The one with the railroad is Laying Down the Rails:  A Charlotte Mason Habits Handbook.  It lists the habits Charlotte mentioned and quotes from her book along with tips.  You can download a sample by following the link.

The one with the boy is Laying Down the Rails for Children: A Habit Training Companion.  This book has lessons for each habit using stories, scripture, poems…  You can download a sample by following the link.

The CD/DVD is a workshop that Sonya presented.

I have the first two items and I use the companion the most because it has lessons.  However, the handbook is good for reference.  And the workshop probably shows you how to use all of it.  

The children do not write in it.  I bought the ebook because it is cheaper and I have a laster printer.  But, it is a lot of printing. 

When you all purchase an ebook, do you just print off what you’re using? Do you bind it (proclick, 3-ring, etc.)?

I’m afraid that if I buy an ebook, I’ll feel the need to hold it in my hands and then print it out, which would end up making it cost more than just buying the print option.

Details are helpful! Here’s a start . . .

What they are:

• The workshop DVD will give you the quick-start how to form good habits overview, plus some practical tips for the top three. 
• The LDTR book is a parent reference guide, in which you will find everything Charlotte said about each habit. Her comments will inspire and give you ideas for everyday practice.
• The LDTR for Children book is full of motivational stories, Scripture passages, poems, etc. for each habit to share with the children.

How they work:

• Listen to the workshop to get a good grasp on how to cultivate habits.
• Choose the one habit you’re going to focus on for the next 6 to 8 weeks.
• Read what Charlotte said about that habit in the LDTR reference book, put the book back on the shelf, and go work on encouraging that habit in everyday life with repetition and motivation (as described in the workshop and the first couple of chapters in LDTR).
• Once or twice a week, gather the family and read a lesson from the LDTRfC book to keep everyone focused and motivated for the habit you’re working on.

I often get asked whether to have one habit per child or one habit for the entire family to work on together. I usually recommend one habit for the whole family to work on, in order to help mom keep her sanity. Even if the particular habit you choose is easy for child A and difficult for child B, keep in mind that in a couple of months you will switch to a different habit. These months of focus are a great opportunity to practice encouraging each other, especially knowing that the “shoe might be on the other foot” for the next habit selected.

If you have children in their teens, I recommend your meeting with each one individually (as outlined in the workshop). Share with the child the how-to’s of forming habits (They will need to know that as they move into adulthood and continue to form their own habits for life.) and identify an additional habit that he or she needs to focus on. Then you can just have that “older student” habit also going on the side, but the main focus for the entire family will be the one habit you have selected and read about in LDTRfC.

Hope this helps a bit!

They are releasing a new DVD set intitled Learning and Living that they said will replace the current how-to videos. 

It will include a new video of Laying Down the Rails, but the actual books of Laying Down the Rails and Laying Down the Rails for Children will remain the same.

Here is the link:

http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/learning-and-living-release-date#post-139991