​

Our Journey Westward

  • Shop
  • Blog
    • Bible & Character
    • Living Math
    • Language Arts
    • Science & Nature
    • History & Geography
    • Fine Arts
    • Brain Training
    • Holidays
    • Healthy Homeschool
    • Preschool
    • Elementary
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Curriculum & Schedules
  • Homeschool Speaker
  • My Account
  • 0 items$0.00

by Cindy 3 Comments

Teaching Values through Service and Leadership – Day 3

Share
Pin4.2K
Email
Print
4.2KShares

Teaching Values: Service and Leadership | Our Journey Westward

(This post contains links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.)

Welcome to Day 3 of my Heart of the Matter 10 Days of… Series about Teaching Values.  Today’s topic focuses on one of the most important things (besides the Bible) we’ve added to our homeschooling schedule – Service Opportunities.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:13-14

Service and Leadership

Serving Others

In our home, learning to serve plays a major role in values training.  Of course, we train our children to serve one another in our home, but we’re also intentional in finding service opportunities outside the home.  As soon as our children are able to take part in service activities, we get them involved!  Helping to clean up after a co-op event, setting tables for a bereavement dinner at church and taking out the trash for grandma and grandpa are all simple to-do’s even for little ones.

{Serving at a local soup kitchen.}

As our kids get older, we actively seek opportunities to serve.  Working at the soup kitchen, making meals for shut-ins with the youth group, and bagging groceries at the food pantry are some examples.  Believe it or not, not once have my children complained about these times of work!  Oh, they will complain quite often about chores around the house, school assignments, not having time to watch a favorite tv show, or how often one of them touches the other in the car!!  But, there’s something magical about serving others outside the home that make us all very humble, eager and incredibly thankful for the blessing of serving others.  Through these experiences, my children have also learned values such as empathy, acceptance and compassion.  It’s truly beautiful to watch your children joyfully serve others.

{Making mop ponies for a children’s home for Christmas.  K.E.E.P. Youth Council}

Leadership Opportunities

As my children have gotten older, I’ve found serving in leadership roles to promote values training just as well (in different ways) than the type of serving I was talking about above.  My children (mostly my oldest – 9th grade – at this point) have been part of youth councils for various things like 4-H and the Kentucky Equine Education Project.  They have attended leadership conferences for Christian youth and helped set-up our state’s annual homeschooling convention.

With each of these opportunities, I’ve watched my children mature.  They’ve learned work ethic, respect, perseverance, cooperation, confidence and so much more.  Not to mention, in each case they’ve made wonderful friends who share common goals.

{Bagging food at the local food pantry.}

Just where do you begin involving your children in service and leadership opportunities?  Well, that answer depends very much on your child’s age and what is available in your area.  I’ve created a list of ideas to get you started below.

Just for the record ;), I address the topics of service and leadership in my new book, Homeschooling the Gifted and Advanced Learner – Chapter 8 “What About Socialization?”, p 116!  You certainly don’t need to have gifted children to participate in these wonderful experiences, though.  ALL children benefit in such character building moments!  What are you waiting for?  Start thinking seriously about how you can incorporate more service time into your homeschool!

I’d love to hear what you’ve done in your homeschool to serve others!

Tomorrow’s post…Teaching Values Through Chores and Jobs.

Be sure to visit these sweet ladies during the 10 days adventure between November 7th-18th!

10 days of Character Studies | Confessions of a Homeschooler
10 days of Christmas Countdown Ideas | Milk & Cookies
10 days of Creative Writing | Chocolate on My Cranium
10 days of Crockpot Meals | The Happy Housewife
10 Days to a Godly Marriage | Women Living Well
10 Days of Growing Leaders | Mom’s Mustard Seeds
10 Days of Homeschooling High School | Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers
10 days of I Wish I Had Known | Fruit in Season
10 days of Keeping Your Marbles | The Tie That Binds Us
10 days of Kid-friendly Food | Planner Perfect
10 Days of Language Arts Lesson Planning | Jimmie’s Collage
10 Days of Learning Apps | Daze of Adventure
10 Days of a Mason Jar Christmas | Cajun Joie de Vivre
10 Days of More JESUS in Christmas | Preschoolers and Peace
10 Days to a Peaceful Home | Raising Arrows
10 Days of Raising a Life-Long-Learner | Bright Ideas Press
10 days of Science with Math | Blog, She Wrote
10 days of Teaching Values | Our Journey Westward
10 days of Winning your Child’s Heart | I Take Joy

This post is also linked to Homeschool High School!

Share
Pin4.2K
Email
Print
4.2KShares

Last Updated: March 21, 2016 Filed Under: Bible & Character, Christian Homeschooling, Elementary, Middle School Tagged With: Character Training series, Christian, leadership opportunities, life skills, Service Projects, values training

Previous Post: « Teaching Values through Chores and Jobs – Day 4
Next Post: Teaching Values with Literature – Day 2 »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

subscribe without commenting

Trackbacks

  1. Ultimate Guide to Housekeeping Habits » Habits for a Happy Home says:
    August 9, 2012 at 7:48 am

    […] Cindy at Our Journey Westward Teaches Values Through Chores and Jobs – complete with a chart showing age-specific chores, “From the time my children can toddle, they get the pleasure of helping with chores around the house and around the farm.” She also shares about Service and Leadership. […]

  2. Pouring God’s Word into Your Kids: Living It Out | Adventures in Mommydom says:
    October 23, 2012 at 9:36 am

    […] Service and Leadership, serving ideas […]

  3. Homeschool Service Projects | Our Journey Westward says:
    February 11, 2013 at 7:30 am

    […] written about the importance of adding service projects to your homeschool before, but I want to reiterate how BIG making time to help others can be in the life your […]

Primary Sidebar

NaturExplorers Science Curriculum

NaturExplorers guides are perfect for the 1st-8th grade homeschool, co-op or classroom. This highly adaptable curriculum series uses nature study as the starting point for science lessons that reach into every other subject and meet all learning styles.

Popular Posts and Series


 photo widget300_zps64ea557d.jpg
 photo CMWidget_zpsd7fc8669.jpg
 photo livinglitwidget_zps657f0460.jpg

 photo 3b118073-e528-40c6-b009-8be2ccfc0a74_zps79607282.jpg
 photo NatureStudySneezePageWidget_zps3dc3947e.jpg


 photo ArtistStudyWidget_zps6df6beae.jpg
 photo Untitled_zps78916d12.jpg
 photo Unitstudywidget_zps852cf098.jpg
 photo PBLwidget_zps5a4c210f.jpg

 photo valueswidget_zpscf5135ed.jpg
 photo USA300widget_zpsb2606835.jpg



 photo SeasonsandHolidaysWidget_zpscc545744.jpg

Categories

Charlotte Mason How-To

 photo 2235a4d3-bec7-488d-89f5-e2dcd32a42db_zpsb2ec2b26.jpg

Most Recent Pins

 photo WhatsPinteresting_zps8b7f9748.jpg

Trusted Curriculum

All About Spelling



  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy and Blog Terms of Service
  • Affiliations & Disclosure Policy
  • Reviews and Advertisements
  • eShop Terms & Conditions
  • Affiliates
When my boys were little, I loved reading these “letters from God” to them as blessings to start the day.
As I was sorting bookshelves earlier this month, I stumbled across this sweet book again. I decided the blessings are still as pertinent today for my bigger boy as they were years ago. So, we’re starting our day yet again with a quick, but powerful “letter from God” before jumping into our daily Bible studies.
Do you do anything special to start your day off on the right foot? I’d love to hear about it!
Click the link in my bio for a link to the book.
#homeschoolblessings #homeschoolfamily #homeschoolmom #homeschool #homeschooling #yourmorningbasket #startthedayoffright #charlottemasonmama #loveyourkids #wildandfreemama #childrensbook #devotionalforkids #homeschool365 #homeschoolmorning #ourjourneywestward #ihsnet
Winter homeschooling can be tough in normal years. Winter homeschooling can be tough in normal years. It’s cold, the days are dark, and everyone’s cooped up together 24/7. That’s a recipe for the winter blahs to march right into your house and wreak havoc on attitudes and motivation.⠀
⠀
This year’s winter is unlike any other and those blahs may have actually settled in long before now. If you or your children are feeling down, anxious, or bored with school, are “at” each other constantly, bouncing off the walls, or tears and fighting are the norm…the blahs are there.⠀
⠀
Let’s get you, your children, and your homeschool back on track. I’ll be teaching a Homeschool Masterclass on Thursday afternoon to help you kick the blahs to the curb. If you can attend live, come! If you can’t attend live, catch the replay!⠀
⠀
We’ll tackle all sorts of problems the blahs bring with them with very practical  ideas that are easy to implement! ⠀
⠀
Click the link in my bio to join me. There is no shame in admitting that the blahs have arrived and you need a little boost from a friend. ❤️ ⠀
⠀
#homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolmom #homeschoolfamily #wildandfreemom #charlottemasonmama #winterhomeschool #homeschoolhelp #homeschoollookslikethis #thisishomeschool #homeschoolmasterclass #homeschool365 #ihsnet #homeschoolmama #helpmehomeschool #winterblahs
Oh, what peace this quote brings to my soul. It’ Oh, what peace this quote brings to my soul. It’s true, you know. I’ve told my children for years that it only takes a nature walk to see God through His handiwork and to know that His promises are true.⠀
⠀
When the world seems to be falling apart around you, the sun never stops shining. The seasons never stop moving. Without a single, solitary effort of human hands, the woodlands still buzz with life.⠀
⠀
A student of nature can see the consistency in cycles and notice the incredible and creative intricacy of even the smallest specimen and be in awe that we truly serve a God who isn’t unaware of even one tiny detail in our world right now. ⠀
⠀
Life kind of seems overwhelming, though, I know. Remember when I said my motto lately has been to just put one foot in front of the other to do the next right thing? Nature walks (even when it’s cold) never fail me as a right thing. ⠀
⠀
Breathe, friend. Take a nature walk today and let God speak to your soul.⠀
⠀
#homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolmom #homeschoolfamily #wildandfreemom #charlottemasonirl #winterhomeschool #homeschoollookslikethis #thisishomeschool #winternaturestudy #nosweatnaturestudy #homeschool365 #ihsnet #naturestudy #naturexplorers #nature #hewins
It might seem trite to post a winter picture book It might seem trite to post a winter picture book list right now, but I’m a big believer in keeping things as normal as possible in my home when things aren’t so normal otherwise.⠀
⠀
It’s the principle of putting one foot in front of the other as you simply do the next right thing. Good books almost always can be a “next right thing” choice.⠀
⠀
Even though I’m not homeschooling younger children anymore, I’ll probably never stop sharing wonderful picture book ideas with you. 🤓 I’ve spent way too many hours reading and collecting to ever stop loving them!⠀
⠀
Eli and I may not be using these books right now, but they are still some of my favorites for winter reading. Whatever may be going on around you, the winter months are always a good time of year to get in lots of extra reading. Snuggling and hot chocolate are optional, but encouraged.⠀
⠀
Click the link in my bio to find a blog post about these books + some of our favorite winter chapter books, too!⠀
⠀
#homeschool #readmorebooks #livingbooks #livingliterature #picturebooks #winterpicturebooks #homeschoolmom #wildandfreefamily #charlottemasonirl #winterhomeschool #homeschoollookslikethis #thisishomeschool #winternaturestudy #nosweatnaturestudy #homeschool365 #ihsnet
We celebrated a 14th birthday over Christmas break We celebrated a 14th birthday over Christmas break! 🎉🎁🎂🏀🥰
I love being auntie to a sweet baby again! 😍 I love being auntie to a sweet baby again! 😍
Merry Christmas from the Wests! 🎄 Merry Christmas from the Wests! 🎄
Christmas picture books are some of my very favori Christmas picture books are some of my very favorite books of all time. I’ve spent years collecting new ones here and there (and will probably continue collecting for years to come because there are at least a few favorites I still don’t own).🤗🤫⠀
⠀
When the kiddos were younger, I would sometimes wrap each of the books and place them in a basket near the Christmas tree. 🎁 Each morning during December, one of my children would choose a book to unwrap and that was the one we would read for the day. Oh, such precious memories!⠀
⠀
This year, even though my youngest is in 8th grade, the books are not hidden away! I’ve found a creative way to read them with Eli. We’re using them as mentor texts for his own stories during language arts. #sneakysmart (He’s writing some pretty great stories, too!)⠀
⠀
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to see my entire list of picture book favorites for the Christmas season!🎄If you’d like to know more about using picture books to teach writing to older kids, search “writing with picture books masterclass”on my website.⠀
⠀
#homeschoolbooks #christmasbooks #christmasbooklist #christmaspicturebooks #christmasschool #creativehomeschooling #livingbooks #livingliterature #readmorebooks #Decemberhomeschool #homeschoolfamily #homeschoollookslikethis #homeschoolmiddleschool #ilovebooks #charlottemasonirl #yourmorningbasket #ourjourneywestward #homeschoolrocks

Copyright 2006 -© 2021 · Our Journey Westward · All Rights Reserved

4.2KShares