Subject Number Two - Habit Training

After our personal quite time, breakfast, Bible and verse memorization, we are going to try a new "subject". We have always done some type of informal habit training but this school year I am going to add it right into our school schedule.

One of the things I notice, when there is a lot of unstructured free time, is the habit of the kids to bicker and fight with each other. Some of the disagreements are "justified". But, in my opinion, most come from selfish desires and an unwillingness to put other's before themselves. Oh, so human of them. :)

I am not a big fan of getting involved. But, I don't think it is necessarily intuitive for them (me) to know or have the skills to solve issues on their (my) own. I think, to some degree, depending on personality type, their are many problem solving skills that need to be taught. Become habit.

So, for the next 12 weeks, we will be working through a book and worksheets called The Young Peacemakers. It is a book geared toward teaching elementary age kids how to solve all kinds of conflicts by themselves, from a biblical perspective.

It gives little life stories and then goes through all the choices that kids can make in response to certain situations. The kids are encouraged to role play and take time to think about their responses.

We will take our time. We will do a lot of talking and exchanging ideas, problems and solutions. We will discuss expectations and how best to meet them. We will talk about loving one another and what that looks like every day. The skills learned, hopefully, will benefit them their (my) whole lives . . .