Family History in a Charlotte Mason Education

History

  • Study the life of an ancestor who lived in the time period you are studying, for instance a Mayflower ancestor, a Civil War soldier, a pioneer, or any ancestor who lived in that time period. Even if they were not famous and you don’t know a lot about their story, knowing when and where they lived and connecting them with the picture of history at that time will help you connect with history at a deeper level.
  • Have the kids talk to their older relatives. Let them have conversations about historical events and what it was like to live back then. Read/listen to their memoirs and journals if they are deceased. Hear it in their own words. For instance, my grandmother wrote down a story about when she was a child, she and her siblings would take the cat out hunting for rabbits for the family dinner when their dad was unemployed. Stories like this really helped me connect with and understand the Great Depression.
  • Look for stories (called “memories”) about your family on FamilySearch. New content is being added all the time. (See below under Character for more information.)
  • Have your family members begin their own personal histories. See this list of prompts to get your children talking. You can record their thoughts in audio, written, or video format.

Geography

  • Where did your ancestors live? Familysearch tools that put your ancestors on a map:

Character

  • Devoting some time every Sunday to discovering more about your ancestors will help you be prepared to share these stories with your children. Have them help you discover the stories as well!