Joy School

Over the holidays, I got to thinking...wow, my little girls probably watch more tv than they should lately. :)  

So I recommitted myself to do something that I had planned on doing at the beginning of the school year with them.  Start Joy School!

What is Joy School?  Well, the real version is found here:  www.valuesparenting.org

My version is much simpler.  The premise is that you teach your children where and how to find joy in life before they start worrying about ABC's and 123's.  Or at least at the same time.  So that they have felt those joys, which builds them up, and then head off to school to learn more of the academics.  

I loved this concept!  So I looked up the 15 different "Joys" and each week on Wednesday and Friday mornings, the girls and I discuss them.  Which is followed by an activity of some sort to reinforce the principle.

We are on Week 2 - and the Joy we have been learning about is the Joy of our Bodies!  We have discussed that God created our amazing bodies.  What the 5 senses are and how they help us experience the world.  How to care for our bodies.  Etc.

It has been so fun!  It is easy, and so effective.  My girls are learning to understand and appreciate their bodies, while at the same time spending quality time with me. :)  I am loving being their "teacher".  Isn't that what a real mother's role is anyway??  I love those moments where you really feel like you are magnifying that calling.  One of life's truest joys.

Here they are "decorating" their special bodies. ;)

Another day we went to the swimming pool to talk about how the joy that comes from exercising our bodies.  We were there about 20 minutes before they decided that it was too cold too swim. :)  

Not all the stuff we do are home runs but our batting average so far on Joy School is pretty high. ;)

High enough in fact, that Morgan and Jake want me to do Joy School with them on their days off from school!  I might just have to do that.  It is really quite fun. :)

I sure love this mothering job.  It can be hard but it truly is a joy.

On to the Joy of the Earth!