I have a very difficult time fitting in a bible lesson during the week. I try and I have a couple of really good things to use, but it's one of those that ends up pushed to the side when we are tight on time. I would love to find a good bible study/curriculum that is on DVD/CD or online, so he could do it kind of on his own. That would keep me freed up to do the other things I need to do. And it can't be really expensive. Not asking much, am I??? :lol: So, any ideas?
Since we're being honest...my two cents. If you're going to include Bible as part of your curriculum, nothing else should come before it. If you're going to teach your children the Bible, it's because you believe it's the word of God and feel it's important for them to learn it (unless you're using it in place of literature or history from a secular standpoint, of course). "...he could do it kind of on his own. That would keep me freed up to do the other things I need to do." If you're teaching Bible as part of your curriculum because you want your kids to follow it, you need to model the behavior. Bible, above all else, should be done together. Children need to see their parents modeling good study habits, good prayer habits, good attitudes toward worship, and a sense that nothing else really matters. "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his own soul?" I think this applies to secular knowledge as well. What does it profit a child if he learns all there is to know, but learns to resent Bible time? I don't know of any Bible programs on DVD other than Abeka, and I'm not sure if they separate Bible from the rest of their DVD curriculum or not. I think it's a packaged deal. I would be careful using a DVD anyway. You never know what twist the producers put on the material. Do their beliefs reflect your own completely?
Ouch... that hurt. A lot. But you are so very right. I am quite ashamed, as I should be, that I've allowed it to be pushed to the back of the pile. And to continue being honest, I haven't cracked open my bible in many, many moons. How can I expect my sons to do something I don't do myself? As for what kind of twist people put on things, I'm not sure how to be certain any curricula is 100% what I believe, but I think for the most part I can straighten out any thing I feel is too far off base. And, to be honest yet again, I think there are probably quite a few areas that I am not dead-set in what I believe. Of course I have my core beliefs, but I'm referring to more of the small details of things. Thank you for being so very honest. I wasn't expecting anything of that sort, but apparently I needed to hear it. Thank you, thank you, thank you. :angel:
This year I've been very lax, too. What I've found to work in the past (and probably would this year, too, if I weren't so lazy!) is to do it FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, before I start any other lesson. If you let it go until later, you'll have one kid free, and another in the middle of math. Then, when Kid B is done with math, Kid A has just started Language, and it gets put off indefinitely. As far as curriculum goes, they do AWANA on their own. But, even though we're not doing Bible together (as 2littleboys says), we were setting that time aside first thing. I would do Bible reading during that time, too.
That would probably be what works for us, too, Jackie. We tend to do our best in the morning with most all school. As important as I think it is, I can't believe I've let it slide like this. I feel like I have failed... but no more. Starting in the morning it WILL be the first subject covered every day. No sense in letting it not be a priority... my relationship with God certainly isn't allowed to just dwindle, so my children's knowledge of Him shouldn't be either.
I really like the materials put together by a gentleman we know from Ireland. It's been his life's mission, over 50 years producing them, and they are well considered. Right now, they offer them as traditional correspondence courses, and I believe a church somewhere in Kansas organizes the teachers. They are meant primarily as Sunday School lessons for children who live in very remote regions, but they look to me to be well suited to homeschooled children as well. We've converted a number of the courses into an online format and hope to run a pilot scheme shortly. I'll keep you posted on that.
I can relate pecangrove. I personally do my bible time at night before bed. So as far as the kiddos seeing me read...well they are in bed. I tried doing it as a group in the AM but then it was easier for them to get up and ready for the day get their breakfast and they're off. I am usually heping the older ones while working one-on-one with the little one (6). I ended up buying a devotional (for girls in my case) each from cbd.com it was around $8. Now I have asked them to do one day devotion and write in their journal about what their thoughts were while doing that devotion. This has helped free me up while putting their relationship with God on their shoulders. I as them if they have done their devotions when they say they are finished. If they haven't that is their cue to go do it. I do check their journal periodically to see that they are doing it. And sonmetimes I ask the to tell me what their evotiona ws for theday. My girls are ages 8 and just turned 10.
I agree with finding a time and sticking with it. We do our curriculum stuff in the morning, and we do prayers & songs at bedtime. It's routine. The kids expect it. The bedtime routine started right from birth. The curriculum starts at age 3. I'm not doing anything formal with my little guy until the Fall.
Since dh works 3 to 11 and isn't home in the evenings, ds and I do ours as evening devotions before he goes to bed. That way I don't forget and it's always the same time.
I have to admit that we have not been placing bible study in the forefront of our homeschooling day as we should. I am glad to have seen this thread as a lesson for myself that I need to model to our children by placing God first and teaching our children about Him. Thank you so much for sharing this.
I think if I didn't have a set routine, it would be very easy to forget something....including Bible.
If you are looking for a Bible storybook I love the Jesus Storybook Bible. It tells stories from the OT and NT and shows how things in the OT pointed to Jesus. It is full of fun pictures too. They have an audio version available as well. Matthew, John, and Acts are available on DVD. It dramatizes the Bible and the only words spoken are the words in the Bible. We don't have Bible every school day, but they can still get Bible into their little heads and hearts. At nighttime they go to sleep listening to the dramatized NT on CD. They like this one too. If you want to learn the Books of the Bible this song was a hit in our house.
Oh, and the Testament Bible in Animation series is popular with my kids. You can find most, if not all, of them on YouTube.
OK, here is my 2 cents. I agree that Bible reading should be before any other lessons. But, whether you do a Bible "class" or not is different than family devotions. I counted what my son did last year as a Bible credit. Most of it was just reading at home and discussing. He did, however, do some out of the home stuff. This year we are doing devotions-Bible reading, discussion, and prayer, but it is not a "class". So it doesn't take long. But, I find the days go much better when God comes first. That doesn't mean the moment we wake up. It means after breakfast and hygiene and a chore or two. I think doing those other things set up a good routine and also help wake us up.
Thanks for the links, Embassy. I think one reason we tend to let it slide is that we just have a workbook style bible curriculum. It does have little activity sheets, but nothing really exciting or attention grabbing. I am going to see if using some videos will help liven things up a bit. Thanks everyone!!!
Haven't read other replies so some may have the same advice as I do. I insist tht my DDs do bible study first. Nothing comes before the Lord in our lives so they can't put any subject before bible in their studies I always tell them. That being said, we use Abeka bible study, you can do dvd's or online streaming. We do dvd's. You only need one course. They can all study it together, regardless of age. Abeka is expensive but if their is any place that I am going to splurge, bible is where it's at. Math splurging comes in second. Blessings!
I'll check out Abeka, too. I just want something that is exciting for him because I'm afraid that if it isn't he won't learn anything. This is one area that I truly do want him to be well-versed in if at all possible.
We make Bible time "snuggle time". The kids are allowed to jump into my bed in the morning and we read passages from both the old and new testaments, and some times end with a lesson from Calvary Chapel online. This way, Bible doesn't seem like just another subject to be studied, but is incorporated into our daily lives.
I use curriculum with deep biblical values, so that if we forget or Bible gets pushed back, I don't feel too badly. I don't have an actual bible curriculum though. Last year as a New Years Resolution we read through the bible with our kids...so that was fun, plus a great accomplishment! Now we normally read a Psalm and Proverbs chapter each day and we recite our bible verses. They get atleast 1 new verse or passage a month, so each morning they recite about 40 verses. Hope that helps?
