Homeschooling: Teach Your Children Bible Principles for What to Read

Learn principles to read better

Teach Your Children Bible Principles for What to Read

With homeschooling, you can teach your children Biblical principles for what to read.

Make sure you do!

This was especially important in our family as our children became readers. There was no way I could pre-read all the books before my children read them so we came up with a list of questions to ask yourself as you read. 

If a book you were reading had these objectionable elements in it, or an objectionable tone, then you didn’t finish reading the book!

Because we need to be careful what things we put in our mind, we wanted to be careful about what we read. We wanted to please the Lord even in our reading for entertainment. We used similar questions for watching shows.

  • Are the good characters acting in a way that you should not act?
  • Are the good characters made fun of for being good?
  • Are the bad characters being rewarded for acting badly?
  • Are the characters using objectionable language?
  • Are the characters promoting a lifestyle that is unbiblical?
  • Is there unnecessary gory descriptions of violence or evil?

After posting the above, I received the following good questions:

  • Why would “good” characters be acting in a way that is not honorable?
  • Why should I stop reading a book if good characters are mocked or degraded for being good?
  • What is objectionable language? And why should the presence of it stop me from reading?
  • What is wrong with depicting violence and bloodshed? It is a fact of life and present in history…

Monitor What to Read by Scriptural Principles

Thank you for asking! If you’ve never heard of monitoring your reading choices by Scriptural principles, I’m sure this sounds extreme. I understand! Years ago I would have said the same thing. 

However, a good pastor challenged our youth group to come up with biblical principles to help us live the Christian life. Every now and then, I review these to make sure I am not feeding my fleshly desires but am seeking to live a life that would be pleasing to God. 

I am not saying I know exactly what YOU should read or not read. I am just saying that our family used these principles as we decided what we should read.

Literature with Christian biblical and spiritual value lifts up the inner spirit and soul and has the power to motivate and inspire readers to follow Christ. It draws the reader to evaluate himself in light of Scripture and the life of Christ. 

I want my lessons to be age appropriate and still be very, very careful about what my children read and look at. Look at the following list and see if your children’s  reading fits these high standards: Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Now to your questions: 

Why would “good” characters be acting in a way that is not honorable?

I am specifically talking about a character that is being portrayed as good. “When someone is impressive because of their great skills, brains, strength, or accomplishments, others will emulate them. To emulate is to imitate and model yourself after someone.”

This is as true in literature as it is in real life. This is why you need to put good books in front of your children and good role models, too!

As an illustration of this, I will use the character Hermione in the first Harry Potter book. She is a main character with impressive skills, brains, and accomplishments and she is portrayed as noble. However, she was not accepted into the group until she had lied to cover for the misdeeds of Ron and Harry. For me this is a problem. It is teaching that in some circumstances (to cover for your friends) it would be okay to lie. That is not the behavior I want my children to imitate.

Why should I stop reading a book if good characters are mocked or degraded for being good?

I would stop reading a book if the overall tenor and purpose of the book is mocking good biblical choices and morals. I don’t want my biblical beliefs to be undermined by my reading choices. There are enough people in the world today criticizing Christians for following the Bible and living out biblical truths. In my reading time, I want my biblical values to be encouraged. 

What to Read: Should I read books with swear words?

What is objectionable language? And why should the presence of it stop me from reading?

Objectionable language is defined as vulgar, unpleasant, disgusting, upsetting, inappropriate, sexually explicit, obscene, profane or hateful. 

  • With my young children, I did not want them using words like stupid, idiot or dumb.
  • With my older children, this list obviously included many, many more profane words.
  • If you could get sent to the school office for saying a word, I didn’t want to be hearing it or reading it or watching it in a show.

Remember, God is holy and commands us to be holy (set apart for Him) as well. This should be true in our language, conduct and reading also. 

What to Read: Some Scripture Verses to Help Us

From the Old Testament:

Lev 11:45 For I am the Lord, who took you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God; so be you holy, for I am holy.

Lev 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

Deut 28:9 “The LORD will assign you to be a holy people for himself, just as he promised you, as long as you keep his commands and walk in his ways.

This truth is repeated in the New Testament as well:

1 Pet 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

1 Pet 2:5 “ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Honor Christ!

Remember, no activity comes without a moral consequence. I want my activities to point me to Christ, right living and right thinking. So I want my reading choices to honor Christ.

1 Cor 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

What is wrong with depicting violence and bloodshed? It is a fact of life and present in history…

You are correct- violence and bloodshed are facts of life. However in my reading, I am referring to explicit, extended descriptions of violence with all the particulars of torture, death and evil. I don’t need 3 chapters of reading about how a characture was tortured to death – just tell me the person died after being tortured! However, some writers give extended details of these kinds of evils and I don’t want that in my head.

And, pay attention here: we should be careful that we aren’t letting our young women read books about romance all the time. Why? Because many of these books promote completely unrealistic expectations for healthy relationships. If your girls try to imitate this kind of behaviors in their relationships, they will certainly end up struggling. 

Bonus: Other Scriptures to Consider for Reading Principles

Romans 8:5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Matthew 5:28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

2 Timothy 2:22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from every form of evil.

Psalm 1:1  How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

Psalm 141:4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who do iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies.

Proverbs 4:14 Do not enter the path of the wicked and do not proceed in the way of evil men.

Proverbs 22:5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards himself will be far from them.

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

Proverbs 4:14 Do not enter the path of the wicked and do not proceed in the way of evil men.

SUMMARY:

Remember, no activity comes without a moral consequence. I want my activities to point me to Christ, right living and right thinking. So I want my reading choices to honor Christ.

1 Cor 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Literature with Christian biblical and spiritual value lifts up the inner spirit and soul and has the power to motivate and inspire readers to follow Christ. It draws the reader to evaluate himself in light of Scripture and the life of Christ, doing all to the glory of God.

Let’s read like that!

👫 👧 👧 👦 👧 Mom of 4 strong willed kids 🎨 Started as an Art teacher 📚 Love to read! Visit HomeschoolChristianMom.com for more info the.elizabeth.estelle on Instagram

You might also like to view: High Schooling Options: Why You Should Homeschool This Year

Review: 7th grade Language Arts Curriculum

Review of Footsteps for Fours


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 Join my Facebook group Homeschool Christian Mom!

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Alexa skills: Subscribe to Homeschool Christian Mom News

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Homeschooling and the Difference Between College and Kindergarten

This image shows a young student working matching the correct word to a picture with an inset of an older student studying chemistry

What’s the Difference Between College and Kindergarten?

  • Type of Learner.
  • Level of dependence.
  • Maturity.

Your last formal education may have been college: however,  remember that in kindergarten, your students are new learners.

Besides the monetary aspect, to the tune of $40,000 or more, the learning is different! (See more about college tuitions below.)
In college, the students are mature learners.
In college, a student is responsible to know the material in the assigned reading, the extra reading, and the lecture material. He is expected to be a mature learner.

In college, the students are independent learners.

Most college students have already had 12 or 13 years of formal education and are ready to take responsibility for their learning. Most college students know how to study and learn new material.

Warning: If you are teaching a young student, be careful not to expect a college student’s learning ability and level of responsibility.

Your kindergartener may have been read to for hundreds of hours, played with and taken places. However, most kindergarteners have never been asked before to identify a letter with a sound, been required to make that sound and then be asked to identify that sound at the beginning or end of a word. This example is one of many totally new concepts.

In kindergarten, the student is a dependent learner.

The under 6 crowd will “catch on” to the best of their ability but their brain is still developing. I had one teacher tell me that she didn’t expect any of her students to read until they their teeth started to wiggle! 
And then just when you think your young charges are starting to understand, their body will go through a growth spurt and they may regress. That’s normal.
Many curriculum use a spiral teaching method: A subject is introduced, and then re-introduced and then talked about again throughout the year. This spiral learning teaching style  (Bruner, 1960)  is based on the premise that a student learns more about a subject each time the topic is restudied.
YOU SHOULD NOT EXPECT YOUR KINDERGARTEN STUDENT TO MASTER INFORMATION THE FIRST TIME AROUND. Oh, my! Did I shout that? Sorry.
Little by little.
Inch by inch.
Some children catch on very quickly to reading or math. Unfortunately it is usually your annoying neighbor’s child, but be that as it may, that is NOT the norm for kindergarten. A good song for kindergarten learning (and our Christian walk) is Little by little, inch by inch. . .  
The maturity you are expecting will come but it will come in increments over the next 13 years. Be patient.
I do recommend finding a good homeschooling co-op or group. These groups provide friendships and encouragement to the children and parents.
God Helps When We Ask: Kindergarten through College!

Remember James 1:5, ESV: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” Asking God for wisdom is evidence that we trust Him. (Bibleref.com)

How do we get wisdom? We ask. Every day.

Homeschooling Kindergarten Tips:
  • Pray aloud for yourself and your students before beginning class each day.
  • Plan to have fun learning with your child.
  • Plan a bathroom break before school starts.
  • Halfway through the morning, plan for a snack.
  • Plan a rest time after lunch called Quiet Reading Time.
  • Plan 2 exercise times to get those large muscle groups working.
  • Plan a creative project after lunch.
  • If your school day isn’t going well, it’s okay to take a break and try again in 15 minutes.
  • Have enrichment activities or worksheets ready if needed for an emergency day plan.
  • Have a plastic tub for storing schoolwork and artwork.
  • Take photos often. You’ll thank me later for this one.
What’s the difference between college and kindergarten?    TIME.
12 years of learning! So enjoy the early dependent years and set the stage for success and independent learning later. Happy Homeschooling!
Some additional thoughts about kindergarten readiness:

From the Conversation: When to worry

According to the developmental milestones, parents should seek advice from a professional if their three- to five-year-old child:

  • is not understood by others
  • has speech fluency problems or stammering
  • is not playing with other children
  • is not able to have a conversation
  • is not able to go to the toilet or wash him/herself.
Bonus:
At least there are some things you won’t have to worry about!
Fortunately for the homeschooled crowd, you won’t have to worry about your child being embarrassed to get permission for bathroom breaks and having an accident, too much stimulation in a crowded cafeteria so that forget to eat, fatigue from a long day without the possibility for a nap or very limited outdoor and exercise time. In homeschooling, you get to control the schedule and it should work to fit your family. Click here for more scheduling ideas.

 

If you liked this article you may also like:

How to Teach Sharing: Everyone Wants the Monkey

Parenting Your Strong-Willed Child: The Importance of the Walk

Homeschool Mission Statement: Is It Necessary?

Christian Homeschool Mindset Help from 2 Veteran Homeschoolers

Homeschool Christian Mom Elizabeth Estelle is ready to help you!

Let’s connect:

Join me! Homeschool Christian Mom FREE Facebook group with tips on grading, scheduling and more!

Youtube: Homeschool Christian Mom These videos discuss homeschool scheduling, working with your Littles, thinking long term, and many other topics.

For additional home schooling support, work with me!

Alexa skills: Subscribe to Homeschool Christian Mom News

Twitter   @hmschchristnmom

Instagram

Do you need some extra homeschooling help? Use this link to get on my calendar and let’s chat! Move from being a hesitant homeschool mom to a happy homeschool family.

*About college tuitions: Vermont has the highest tuition and fees of $43,748 and North Dakota has the lowest tuition & fees of $12,678 over 50 U.S. States and territories for the academic year 2021-2022. Click here for more information on college costs by state.

Parenting Your Strong-Willed Child: The Importance of the Walk

Do you have a strong-willed child?

The kind that you see screaming and throwing tantrums at the grocery store? Or in Sunday school?
Yep, I had one of those.
The kind you actually think might NEED medication?
Even though you can’t believe you are thinking that?
Here’s our story.
Please SHARE if you think it will help encourage someone.
And JOIN me on Homeschool Christian Mom FB group for more tips.
When you have a child like this, it is easy to feel like a failure as a parent.
This kind of kid tests all of your reserve strength. This kind of child teaches you to pray!

Our first child was extremely strong willed.

I even talked to our Christian doctor about my daughter. I was ready to put her on medication to help me keep my own sanity. But . . . Continue reading “Parenting Your Strong-Willed Child: The Importance of the Walk”