March – Week 2

12 Baskets Full

A Heritage Basket March 2021

God is concerned with the heart and tells us to guard it, as everything we do flows from it. [1]  Therefore, as parents and grandparents, teachers and caretakers, we should understand the grave importance of shepherding the heart of the next generation.  As such a burden can weigh heavy on especially young mothers, it is wonderful to remember that God does not call the equipped, but equips the called. 

One way in which He equips us, is by helping us cultivate a sense of humour, for it will be needed at each stage of development – theirs and ours! Remember when you taught your children to say the Lord’s Prayer and one prayed: “Our Father, who art in heaven, how’d you know my name.” Or when one came home and announced: “I am the generator in the school play.” I really did not know what to make of that, until she came home with the script a few days later.  She was the narrator! Well, we all have a story or two or three like the above. 

Not taking yourself too seriously is a wonderful skill to develop, both in yourself and in your kids.  Seeing the lighter side of things, will help them interact more easily with others, improve your health and defuse difficult situations. [2]

Let’s get practical!

Children are inspired by relationships — other people in their lives that they come to know, admire and love. As this helps form their personalities, we must intentionally connect them with persons, places and things. The reason why we must be sure our kids each day have:

• Something or someone to love
• Something to do
• Something to think about[3]

Which brings me to the content of our basket this week! 

The Outdoors:  Pets, Gardening & Sports

As raising children in a digital world is becoming increasingly more complex, I have decided to explore green and blue spaces first. Woods, parks and ponds; meadows, rivers and lakes are all ideal locations for adventure and carefree playing at any age!  As always, it is the inexpensive gifts that kids enjoy most, so feel free to ignore the more ‘pricy’ items on my list.  All I am asking is that you think beyond sand art and water paint for now! 

For a younger generation there is sidewalk chalk, an outdoor playhouse, jump rope, a kite, trampoline, a soccer or rugby ball, a sandbox or a treehouse.  For the middle school kids and older, we can think of a tent, camping gear or hiking shoes, a backpack or a water bottle; surfing gear, roller blades, a skateboard, or a bicycle. Other gifts can be a fitness tracker, a camera, frisbee or a body board.  I am sure you can come up with even better ideas. But if you are thinking to add a puppy, a kitten or a hamster, it may be wise to talk to the parents first. 

 The Indoors:   Books, Board Games & Movies

One of the lifelong gifts I wanted to give my children was the love of books – living books, whole books, that would shape their story and our family culture.  Our decision to homeschool helped me stay on course and ushered us into a world of thought-provoking stories, noble ideas, eternal truths and brave heroes.  Whether you are choosing fables or myths, a biography or some historical fiction, a book of poetry or a collection of fairy tales – remember all forms of good literature should plant seeds of courage and hope. 

 As much as my kids love movies, and as much as we enjoyed various excellent stories, like all the seasons of Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables, a variety of musicals and Disney classics, playing a board game was often preferred. A wonderful way to interact as a family and a group of friends, educational benefits abound.  While losing will help them deal with disappointment and grief, winning will build their confidence and develop their identity.  Our family enjoy a variety of games, like Ticket to Ride, Catan, Clue(do), 30 Seconds, Qwirkle, Chinese Checkers, Abalone and some card games like Monopoly, Dutch Blitz, and others. 

 While I am tempted to also make specific suggestions when it comes to books, as I did with the board games, I have decided to create a separate resource you can download for free. (available at our free tools page)

[1] Proverbs 4:23

[2] https://www.wikihow.com/Have-a-Sense-of-Humor

[3] Charlotte Mason Companion:  Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola, pg 23, 24