Home School Corner: Mother Culture (Part 2)

Welcome back to the Home School Corner! 

  Last time, I shared with you guys some of my favorite options for pursuing Charlotte Mason's so-called "Mother Culture," or  as I like to think of it, my own delight-driven learning. 

This time, I wanted to share the practical logistics of how that happens, say, during a stay-at-home order, when you don't ever have alone time and your kids are present all. the. time. (and if your kids are like my kids, that doesn't exactly lend itself to peaceful cognitive pursuits and disciplines!) 

 Below are my 15 ideas for how pursue developing "Mother Culture" even with a bevy of little helpers all the time.

15 Ideas for Pursuing "Mother Culture" with Kids Around

1. Do it with the kids in tow. Many things (watching documentaries,) can be done WITH YOUR KIDS. I know, I know, you can't focus when you have them "helping," but hear me out. I may not get AS MUCH out of it with them chattering along, but it's still something! Active listening (that is, taking notes, creating a "quiz" of questions while I'm watching, doodling for memory) are all helpful for storing information in more than just your short-term memory--plus it's a good example to the kids AND you can use that stuff for a lesson for them later on! Not to mention, if it's a hobby or some such thing, they can help with prepping, watching tutorials, and maybe even pick up some skills along the way!
2. Break it into bite-sized pieces. Some things you simply cannot do with your littles. The subject matter may be too mature, it may be too long for them, or there may be a bunch of reasons you don't want the kids around. Besides which, we absorb information better if we give it time to "gel." It's a lot easier to slip something into the cracks of your schedule if it's not a big ol' chunk of time. Not to mention, some things (Duo Lingo language lessons!) are made to fit into quick slots of time between other things. 
3. Listen/Watch/Do while doing other things. I've gotten into the habit of listening to a book on Hoopla whenever I'm folding the laundry, which is usually during our "quiet hour" (formerly known as "nap time.") Other times I've been able to double-up and listen to something include: 
• While cooking dinner (with headphones!)
• When you're showering with a shower speaker
• In the car
• When you go on walks or runs
• While kids are playing at the park
4. Naptime. I know, I know--you do NOT want MORE WORK when you have that precious hour of peace. I, too, love to finally sit and scroll mindlessly when I finally stop having rapid-fire questions and mortar-shells of needs shot at me like I'm landing at Normandy on D-Day. But that's the secret of DELIGHT-DRIVEN learning, here. If you find a topic or method that truly is a delight, it won't be "just another thing." You will be surprised at how refreshing it can be to dip into your own study for a moment, uninterrupted, when you get the chance. Also, the stress-mastery course I just finished showed me just how detrimental that phone-scrolling habit can be to our brains, especially if you're struggling with stress! [But girl, hear me on this; if you have a newborn who doesn't sleep, please disregard this option. Get some sleep. Seriously, I've been there--this is just a season, and you should definitely spend this season sleeping every chance you get. And if you're an OCD over-achiever like me, hear this: THIS TOO SHALL PASS and it's OK to just keep your sanity and work on paying up your sleep debt.] 
5. Carve out your quiet time if you don't have one already. The most important development we can pursue in ourselves is our growth in the Lord--reading His Word, spending time in prayer, and expanding in understanding what God has called you to do. After much trial and error, I have come to the point where I get up a solid half hour before anyone else in my family (around 5 in the morning) to accomplish this. Do I wish I could sleep in a little? Sure--but I know that if anyone else is awake, they do not recognize the need for some completely uninterrupted time--not to mention, when I get going, the first thing to get sacrificed is my Bible time, so getting up early is 100% worth it (Though I do now go to bed circa 8:30pm because mama needs her beauty sleep). 
6. Replace your nightly Netflix or show with 40 minutes of study time. One of the best ways to do this is if your husband (who I am assuming is also usually watching a show after-hours with you) is on board. We try to spend one night a week together reading/discussing a book. We've done parenting books, marriage books, and ministry books--and currently we're going through some video ministry training materials as we start up a Trail Life USA troop in our town. It's kind of like a mini at-home date, and it also adds to the common ground my husband and I have, so that our life isn't only made up of our kids and his job--we also have this whole ministry together! Another thing we do after hours (again, once a week!) is this super-fun at-home dance lessons which we try to do as a weekly "at-home date" and it is SO FUN. (See? Mother culture isn't just study and books!) 
7. Send the kids outside. Maybe it's just me, but I forget that it's acceptable to send my kids OUTSIDE for no other reason than that I need a little peace. It's good for them, it's good for me, and why else do we have a swing set, trampoline, sandpit, etc.? We carefully and thoughtfully set up our yard so that I can be confident in their safety with relatively low supervision, and yet somehow I just...forget to send them outside. If you have a setup where this can be done, go ahead and do it!
8. You do your lessons while they do theirs. One of my favorite things about this new independent learning stage my two older kids have finally reached is that I can spend anywhere from 5-20 minutes at a time focusing on something (usually reading) while they do their work. I get the occasional interruption for a question, but it's still a fairly solid chunk of time to concentrate on my stuff. I also sometimes sneak in a language lesson (on Duo Lingo) with headphones when they're doing school. 
9. Redeem those moments when you have to wait for something. I always carry a book with me; when I'm picking up my Clicklist order, waiting to get books from the library, at Sonic, or even just at the park with my kids. I get through tons of books this way.
10. Set some boundaries with your kids. Get them situated and explain that you have to study/listen to/prep for (fill in the blank). Tell them you need space to get it done--this might take some practice and work, but it's also teaching them the valuable skill of setting boundaries! This is how I practice my piano, and they know that once I'm done, I'll play a few songs they like to sing along with (or let them choose the last few songs) and they are getting to where they are fairly content to listen or do their own thing while I practice. 
11. Phone a friend. When I have  specific goal and need some support, or if this is a project type of thing, I often band up with another family so that I and the other mom could take turns with kids and focusing on our stuff (we sometimes alternate houses, so that I supervise the kids at her house while she does her thing, then she supervises at my house; sometimes the kids are distracted enough with friends that we can both buckle down and get stuff done! 
12. Create an inviting quiet environment or opportunity. When my kids see me with my cuppa and book; they are often delighted to follow suit without further discussion, and with a few gentle reminders can get us some solid quiet study time. Another pro-tip: food. Always with the food. If I give my kids a snack, I am much more likely to gain some uninterrupted time!
13. Look for easy sources of information. For example, if I'm looking at studying up on Italy, I start with local tourism information; it's usually short, easy-to-comprehend, and accessible (if you're a AAA member, state tour books are free!). Tourism info is great launching place for deeper research. We also enjoy watching Rick Steves travel advisor guides to various places (kids can watch this too!) Geography, cultural studies, history--it's a great introduction and super-easy to dive into anytime!
14. Ask questions everywhere you go. Whatever you're doing, ask people questions about history, locations, whatever. I remember conversational information WAY better than dry facts; and we've discovered a lot of treasures and field-trip-worthy destinations this way! In the same vein, seek out an expert and don't be ashamed to pick their brain. This doesn't add anything to your to-do list--it means you have to slow down and interact with people around you--which is good on a number of levels AND it's good for your kids to see this happen!
15. Remember that car time is under your control. Seriously, in the car I know where everybody is, they are all safely strapped down, and they can't escape--the only battle left is to get them to be quiet! While all my attempts at redeeming time for mother culture in the car haven't been a success, some have been a surprisingly big hit! Sometimes it's as simple as putting on classical music instead of kid jams for once; sometimes it's listening to a book on tape or a podcast and informing the small fry in the backseat that this is mommy's time, and they can just listen and lump it. I don't always hijack our car rides for mother culture, but when I do, the kids have learned to accept it--and sometimes they learn something too!

Again, these aren't for everyone, but this is just how I've been able to maintain my own interests and curiosity and continue to learn even when the level my kids are at is much more primary. As I learn, I become more equipped for teaching them in the future, plus my life is simply enriched by learning and enjoying the things God puts in my path! 

What are some of your tricks for squeezing learning and hobbies and mother culture into your daily life? Do you have any delight-driven learning of your own that you've enjoyed or pursued in this season? Comment below!

This post in its original  form was published on my personal homeschool blog, littlepatchofheavenhomeschool.blogspot.com.