CMP Review 2024-05-30

May 30, 2024

No homeschool is an island, and even the most resourceful parents need a community of support. We never participated in a co-op, so we felt our need for help all the more acutely. One place we found inspiration and sustenance over the years was at Charlotte Mason retreats and conferences.

Usually these retreats welcomed young people. Many of the summers of my daughter’s life were embellished by retreats in various locales and run by various organizations. Collectively they left an indelible mark on her soul and made a significant contribution to her education and formation.

Handicrafts is not my strong suit (to say the least), so I am thankful for how Anesley has been introduced to crafts by people who love to, and know how to, work with their hands. Over the course of multiple retreats my daughter learned the craft of wood burning, and it remains one of her favorite pastimes.

I was intrigued by the subject matter of her latest project. She chose the text of “The Children’s Hour” along with her own original illustrations. In 1981, Jenny King, a graduate of the House of Education, wrote, “Learning of verse by heart comes easily to many children as they grow out of the nursery rhyme, so a wealth of poetry can be made their own.” And then she added, “Parents can learn with their children and share in the pleasure of recitation.”

Although it did not come easily, I did learn that poem by heart, because I wanted to learn with my children. I could not do the same with wood burning. I am glad that others volunteered their time and talent to share the art I couldn’t.

@artmiddlekauff