I remember the first time I turned on the Moody Science videos I had purchased from Vision Forum. For a moment I caught my breath.
They were old.
I was scared.
Scared my kids would hate them because they weren’t flashy. Scared they wouldn’t be able to handle real people doing real things. Scared my investment of the ENTIRE collection of Moody Science videos was going down the drain in a single cartoon-induced-brain-turned-to-mush moment.
Thirty minutes later, my fears were relieved.
They loved them!
They STILL love them!
It was then I realized something. I had trained their minds away from twaddle. My fear of having cartoon-crazed kiddos who couldn’t watch movies with real people in them was totally unfounded.
Not that all cartoons are bad,mind you, but I know a lot of kids who won’t watch anything that isn’t cartoons because the action is too slow. Their minds have been trained to only accept the bite-sized, fast-paced frames of action cartoons so readily give.
When my oldest was a little boy, his favorite book was a thick history text I had picked up at a library book sale. It was deep. It used big words. But his little mind had been trained to think big thoughts and enjoy the texture of big words, rather than the mush of watered-down one syllable grunts.
But, the key word here is TRAINED.
He didn’t just “happen” to like history tomes that read like college textbooks. My children didn’t just “happen” to enjoy the Moody Science videos in all their 1960’s splendor. Their brains had feasted on words and the real world long enough to know when they were being fed good stuff!
As I write up our curriculum for next year, I keep noticing there are books and topics I am putting into my soon-to-be 8th grade son’s assignment sheets that didn’t make it to my world until college or later. Even though I was a child who devoured books, my teachers never trained my mind away from the twaddle by offering me a steady diet of the good stuff. My parent’s evening and weekend attempts were not enough to fully counteract my one-size-fits-all education.
Perhaps you are wondering how one goes about training their little ones to feast on the good stuff? Here are some ideas to turn your child’s diet into one of vibrant, high-definition, vocabulary-rich goodness!
*Lead by example – My mom listened to classical music. All. The. Time. And then there were the operas on PBS. Yes, I watched opera. In fact, I didn’t just watch opera…I SANG opera! I would shut myself in my bedroom and howl away.
My mom was also a book-fanatic. I can still remember the oh-so-wonderful musty book smell of our local library. I loved it! My children have also grown up in the library. Just the other day we were checking out books when the librarian remarked about how nice it was to see children checking out BOOKS, rather than videos! I was astounded! But, our children see us read. All. The. Time. Why wouldn’t they think reading is a worthwhile pursuit?
But, I will tell you, my children are not allowed in the “Homework Section” of our local library and they are not allowed to get just any old book. The Homework Section is nothing but a teen magazine, comic book, witchcraft-filled, waste of time. And I want my children to always be stretching their minds so I try to make sure the books they choose fit the bill. No, my Kindergartner isn’t reading War and Peace, but I do try to follow the guidelines I’ve gleaned from books like Honey for A Child’s Heart.
*Read aloud – Reading to your child from good books teaches them to appreciate the sound of large, meaningful words. Again, use the suggestions from books like Honey for a Child’s Heart.
*Watch “REAL” movies – Wholesome television does not have to come in the form of animated characters. It can, but it doesn’t HAVE TO. Teach your children to appreciate old movies by watching old movies. (However, just because a movie is OLD, does not mean it will be appropriate–watch the movies together!) Many great movies and television programs from days gone by are collecting dust because our 25 Frames-Per-Second brains get bored easily. Videos like Moody Science don’t deserve to be cast aside simply because the special effects aren’t special enough.
*Avoid Internet-ease – I about fell over the other day when a woman I was sitting near told a story and then said, “But that’s probably TMI.” It is one thing to converse this way on the internet and via text messages, but when you train your brain to SPEAK this way IN REAL LIFE, you have just entered the TWADDLE ZONE. Don’t go there. Don’t let your children go there. If they are really steeped in that culture, they might roll their eyes at you when you ask them to speak in complete sentences, but hold fast! It will be worth it when they land a job that expects them to speak with real words.
*Never allow the words, “I’m Bored” – These 2 words are a sign that brains are turning to mush. When a child cannot find enjoyment from their everyday environment and start that incessant whine with these 2 words attached, you can be assured they have had too much “fast-food”entertainment. A twaddle-filled menu will quickly leave a child empty and wanting more. When they say, “I’m bored,” and then follow it up with a request for a certain thing to make them “un-bored,” you can be fairly certain that thing they want is the Twaddle Culprit. Wean them off of it and open up their world to the wonder-filled place it is!
Now, head to your local library, bookstore, online shoppe and fill your world with the Good Stuff!
Kara at The Chuppies says
Love this post…
It’s a battle to fight twaddle.
Without the battle…it just creeps in.
We love the Moodly videos and also Honey for a Child’s Heart.
Donna Jdo says
“I’m bored” doesn’t happen at our house anymore…it leads to cleaning the toilet, sweeping the floor, peeling potatoes, etc. I will find a job to release boredom! They have been known to walk into a room, start “I’m……(look at me)…..going to find something to do!” And I totally agree about the Moody Science Videos, we love them also! But alas, I am guilty of saying TMI, I have found in some situations it just applies ~ especially to remind my children that in certain situations, you just should listen and not talk.
Amy says
I’m glad I am not the only one that finds something for my kids to do to release boredom as you call it!
Tracy @ Hall of Fame Moms says
We’re big library users too. My husband has led the way here.
I’m just finishing my first yr homeschooling and I’ve been very – eclectic/loose as far as planning/scheduling goes. I hope to figure out some discipline/planning between now and the beginning of our 2nd yr. My boys are pre-k and first grade right now.
Can you share more about how you go about planning your curriculum? Thanks!
Wendy Gunn says
We used the library extensively in Homeschooling. It was at the core of our History-based curriculum (not purchased, but made by me). We found excellent, twaddle-free books and read them together as a family. I searched the Library website for the time period we were studying, then looked up real people who lived then, and did some research, and we read fascinating biographies. Series that I recommend are Childhood of Famous Americans, Cornerstone of Freedom, and Landmark books. Our library had many of these. We also read many missionary biographies. Twaddle-free books will be interesting to all ages. We always encouraged children to do something with their hands while listening, whenever possible, (drawing, handwork, etc.)
We still read as a family, and my children are now 25 and 21. Side benefit: Even though my husband didn’t start out liking to read (his family didn’t read growing up), he became a lover of books through our reading together over the years. He now asks for giftcards to buy books for Christmas and birthdays, and keeps a running list of titles he wants to buy. Our reading started out being for Homeschooling, but reading aloud at night was a way to include Dad in our schooling. Now, he is oftentimes the one in the evening suggesting, “Why don’t we read together.” This causes me to be on the lookout for great books which will “change our lives” for the better. Everyone in our family is an extremely avid reader. Trained, not born that way.
Blessings,
Wendy
🙂 Sorry for the “post”!
Amy @ Missional Mama says
It is much about training. I always use that word when I talk about my adult reading as well. I, like you, grew up on lots of twaddle as an adult, I have trained (and am training) myself to read books I may not choose because they are doifficult but I want to know about and my interested have changed because if it.
Blessings.
Amy says
I’ve done this too!
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama says
My husband’s been playing a “rap video” for my kids…about economists. LOL. Caines and Hayek (obviously actors, since they’re no longer alive) rap about different economic theories. They love it. We constantly try to teach them big words. He was trying to teach “austerity” to our 3-year-old the other day, LOL. She refused, but she does know a lot of words other kids her age don’t. We correct her grammar. We don’t use babytalk (yes, my kids are little). And since we are expecting a baby, we’ve even shown them graphic birth videos (we watched together) because we feel it’s a normal part of life that they need to understand. They are completely fascinated. I know sex education is another topic entirely but one I feel strongly about. If I teach them at home the realities of pregnancy and birth and how amazing it is within a Christian marriage, hopefully they will always hold that sacred!
Anyway, all that to say — we are constantly exposing our kids to things that are “beyond” them according to the world, but appropriate for what we think. Most people would guess my daughter is at least 4, to hear her talk. And boredom? Please! I’ve only heard that when they’re stuck in the car too long. Beyond that, I’m trying to keep up as they think of activity after activity to do. If I don’t entertain them, they WILL find something to do!
Christy dR says
My 3.5 yr old son has been pulling out my husband’s college physics book (“Daddy’s airplane book”) to look at “the trains, airplanes and monorails”. There ARE airplanes on the cover and maybe one picture of a train in the book, but the rest in imagination and he hasn’t gotten tired of it yet…
I find the library overwhelming, the kids section is just stuffed full of books, and you usually have to pull it out to see the title. Maybe When Joshua can pick his own books out it’ll be better. He does enjoy the train table when we do go. 🙂
There are also (old) Christian kid’s series like Psalty the singing song book that have real kids and are usually about 30 min long. I my son doesn’t know it was made in the 80’s, and the music is really good and creative unlike a LOT of the “fun” kid’s christian music now. 😛
Amy says
Being a young, single mother I let my son watch cartoons without giving it one thought! Now that I am older, wiser, and what I call a ‘more educated parent’ I choose to very closely monitor what my children watch on tv. And actually, we don’t watch much tv. My son loves documentaries and we just finished one of Lewis and Clark and we ALL loved it!!
Amy says
I remember the days of letting my son watch endless TV. I figured since it was PBS it couldn’t be all bad, but you really can fill their brains with too much of PBS cartoons too! lol
Teresa says
We have been TV free for 3 years. We have one, but get no channels where we live. We do have a large library of movies we have bought. We love Roy Rodgers and have all the Moody videos. We have the Nest collection and have found some really great old movies. People think we are nuts when my kids have never seen a Disney movie, but they would rather do other thing like read or play outside.
We read a lot, but the library is limited to what we find appropriate. We get a good deal of our books from Vision Forum, Ken Ham, and wonderful classics. Now that the two oldest are older it is harder to find appropriate items for them to read. They love history, but I want to make sure it is true history they are reading about. Fiction is very limited in our house, unless it has a very strong christian message.
I will admit there are days I pop in the movie (or maybe two). It is easier to get things done when you are not having to watch the kids, but I really do try to make movies a special event not a daily thing.
As for my husband and I watching anything we have a few Christiano films, but would rather spend time together. I do miss the news, and it is just not the same watching it on the internet. Other than that I don’t miss TV one bit.
Andrea says
We have a TV, and we have internet with Net Nanny filtering. I find that the proof is in the pudding. How much time and effort and training goes into raising our children?
When we are secure with how much teaching has been done..how much learning, discipleship, how much stewardship, God/family/chore focused is accomplished? When we are secure that we are walking in Christ, and training our children well in these areas, then we don’t feel guilt over watching a cartoon or an age appropriate but not scholarly movie.
I think there is nothing wrong with allowing children to “turn off” from achievement occasionally. This is why we take Summer off from school. They are children! Breathe a little! Play!
Though, our oldest is older than most in the homeschool expert blog arena, the proof of God’s work, and our devotion to homeschooling is really starting to show in our oldest children! The oldest of the 6 is 14 and extremely intelligent and caring, and independent and capable. His reading choices, entertainment choices and personal responsibility clearly illustrate that it’s been beneficial to train them well from the beginning, AND to not make academics the requirement for every moment of their lives..it really is OK to not learn something for 30 minutes a day.
Blessings!
Penny says
I love the word twaddle and how it sounds.
I do believe that a little bit of twaddle is necessary. It feeds the part of our spirit that loves silliness.
I’ve never come across these movies but I do enjoy a classic. Maybe I’ll have to check them out. Thanks for the recommendation.
Penny says
I love it! I often get looked at strange in my family when my 8 year old is reading Narnia instead of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I often remark to them that if we fill their brains with junk then we will get junk out! Thanks for the great read!
Tonya @ Live the Adventure says
I’ve used both of those resources and loved them. My kids loved the science videos when they were younger. I wish we still had them. 🙂
Beth says
Amy, where did you get your Moody science videos? I have been tempted to buy them before, but they are so expensive for all of them. Good to hear that they are worth it, though! I may have to add them to my “to buy” list for next year! 🙂
Amy says
We bought them on a sale from Vision Forum years ago (ours are VHS–that’s how old they are! lol) It was one of those things we just sprung for because we had heard how great they were. 🙂
Jamerrill Srewart says
One of my children’s favs is “Fiddler on the Roof,” as far as movies go 🙂 Of course, as we’re lost currently organizing books, we love wholesome reading. It’s so special to enjoy read alouds together. Great post!
Elizabeth says
Good post! I keep meaning to get honey for a child’s heart, I just keep forgetting!:) I love your new picture at the top of your blog! You look so pretty and happy!
Amy says
Thanks so much, Elizabeth! 🙂
Jamie says
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful post!
And on a totally unrelated subject, your profile photo on your sidebar is new since I last noticed, and very pretty. 🙂
Amy says
Thanks Jamie!
Caroline @ The Modest Mom says
I loved this post. This is how I grew up, and I’m trying to instill this in my own children. Thanks for the great reminder!
Jamie (@va_grown) says
This is so true! I’m an avid reader, but I realized how much I’d let my own mind slip into “entertainment” reading when I committed to reading Swiss Family Robinson out loud to the family. Whew! But I’m so glad we committed to doing it! By the end of the book you could see us ALL perked up and listening intently, such a change from the first week when we could barely keep attention for 3-4 pages!
We’ve just gotten The Jungle Book, Heidi, and Treasure Island from the Vision Forum and are so excited to move on to our next family adventure! It’s definitely a “training” issue.
Lisa~ says
Ah yes! We love the Moody Science videos. We wore out our VHS and bought the DVDs. They are fabulous.
Out kids watch no TV and never have. We watch a movie once a week on Friday night as a family and that’s it. There’s so much else out there to do. Thanks for the great post! Lisa~
Courtney says
Hi Amy, I am so enjoying reading your blog! Although I do have a thought- how did your education as an English major affect your christian values, or vice versa? as a current english major myself, i can imagine that many of the books i read are considered inappropriate, immoral, etc. according to christianity. were you an english major before you became born again?
also, when teaching your children to read, will you censor what they read as young adults, or not, bearing in mind that the censorship may affect their overall knowledge of several classic books.
I’m sorry this question is so long! i’m not sure how to word it- but i hope you can help =] thank you!
Amy says
Although I grew up in a church-going home, I was not a Christian until AFTER college. There was good and bad in pursuing a degree in English. Some books have put thoughts in my head I will never be able to erase…thoughts that are of no benefit to me spiritually, morally, or even intellectually. I learned to hone my writing skills, I learned to love to learn (something public school nearly squashed out of me), and I learned command of the language (something incredibly important to being a Christian who is in the world but not of the world).
As for censoring for my children…
Yes, I will censor, but not necessarily in the way that you are thinking. And I will only censor as long as they need my help with such things. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. Once you have that discernment and understanding as a foundation, it isn’t very difficult to categorize books, film, whatever as either holding to biblical standards or not. There is meat and there are bones. I lacked discernment in college and the bones nearly choked me. It is my prayer that my children will avoid that.
Mary says
As a current public school teacher, I see the “twaddle” every single day.
We have smartboards in our classroom and I fully encourage the use of technology. BUT, more and more it seems the ONLY way to capture their attention is through a video or cartoon about the subject. If it’s not on the smartboard, they get bored.
It’s really so incredibly sad to see. It’s to the point that half my students don’t even know who Christopher Columbus is because they haven’t seen a movie about him. 🙁
While I’m trained to teach in the schools, my husband and I have definitely decided to homeschool our children. There are so many things that we want them to learn and be trained in – things that aren’t even touched in the public schools.
Amy says
Mary,
I definitely see that as a trend. While movies can be quite helpful, they should not be all we rely on. Good luck with your homeschooling!
melinda says
Oh, how I love this!! I’m listening to classical Christmas Carols as I read.
BTW, I’m here from HomeGrownMom.com, from a comment you made and this was your last post. The title caught my eye.
I’m already a grandmother, but I want to do a better job training my grand when I have her, than I did my girls. My first is a voracious reader, my second is not.
I want my grand to be a voracious reader, and a self entertainer, not a TV, video zombie.
Thank you!!!