Hiding lessons in plain sight

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Permalink Reply by Leisha -- Vacationing on Sunday

Hi Neiges,

 

Here's a couple ideas to consider:

 

1. Many of the topics in "classical study" are topics that will serve them well in a Craft path. Things like going for nature walks, growing a garden or learning about local plants and flowers, learning about cooking spices, reading mythology or studying old folktales and rhymes, and other things to learn about the world around you or the history and folklore of a place are useful practices to learn. 

 

2. Scrapbooking and collage making can be a way to subtly teach the skill of magical recordkeeping. Designing pages to display what makes you happy, goals for the future, and so on can teach subtle magical work. 

 

3. Seasonal celebrations are often easy to incorporate in everyday life as a subtle way to honor the cycle of the sabbats. Sometimes you can even do folkloric crafts associated with certain times of year--picking apples in the fall or dipping candles in the winter. Decorating the house for the season can also be a good way to work seasonal energies.

 

4. Activities such as drumming, singing traditional songs, and learning traditional dance can be ways to incorporate magical cycles into everyday life.

 

5. Because you've got a daughter, jewelry making can be a great activity to do. Have your daughter pick out beads to make a necklace that brings happiness into her life...or a bracelet that will make her think of being well if she should get sick. There's a lot of things you can do with jewelry making that are awesome. :)

 

And first and foremost, talk with your kids about the big questions in life. See what insights they have about things, or if they've ever given things any thought. Where does life come from? What happens when we die? Do they believe in a god, and if so, what is he/she/them like? Odds are pretty good that they think about these things, but may not have the confidence to bring the topic up for discussion.

 

Permalink Reply by Neiges on Monday

Thanks Leisha, all of these do sound very good... I'm going to copy them with gratitude! Because, yes I have had questions about what religion our family is supposed to be following already and since my husband thinks he is atheist (I doubt it myself, but I won't get into that hornets nest)

So I need some tricks to get some spirituality in our family life subtly while respecting his secular choice.

Also, I bought a junior encyclopedia of religions, by Larousse, that I make (yes, I force her) to read in her spare time, so she will learn about the different religions of the world and some day make her own choice. My daughter is very curious about everything, my son isn't. So I'll wait a bit and also try to get him to take some interest in the world around him in a couple of years.

Permalink Reply by Chris on Monday

Leisha, that are some wonderful ideas that I think me and the wife may have to implement into our house. Children enjoy learning so much more when they don't realise they are learning.