A Brave Writer's Life in Brief

The fifth Brave Writer precept is: We coordinate academics with our children’s delights, passions, and skills. We are the seekers and finders of everyday magic.

It’s the holidays where seeking and finding everyday magic is a little easier. Maybe it’s the twinkle lights or the fragrance of cinnamon in cookies and hot apple cider. Maybe its festive decor that helps us really see the room we’re in with new eyes.

Now is a great time to slough off the schedule and lean into learning through living. Academics can look a whole lot like preparing for the end of the year celebrations.

Learning through Living

Reading: poetry, lyrics to holiday songs and hymns, stories about the holiday, spiritual literature if that is a part of your family’s tradition.

Math: shopping for gifts with a budget, counting houses with lights on a drive, baking sweet breads and holiday cookies, assembling apparatus or hanging lights

Writing: place setting name cards, gift tags, letters to family and friends, the note to “Santa” if that is in your tradition, wishes and regrets as you enter the new year

History and Geography: identifying New Year’s celebrations around the world, tracing the history of the spiritual tradition your family celebrates, tracing the history of celebrations others enjoy, picking one tradition (like tree decorating or the dreidel) and doing a deep dive on its origin

Science: making candles, baking, sustaining the life of a cut tree, building a fire, shooting fireworks, stringing lights, mulling cider

Handicrafts: knitting, embroidery, making baked clay ornaments or earrings, rolling beeswax candles, creating window stars from kite paper, decorating a holiday table

Nature: making a wreath, collecting nature items for a centerpiece, creating a bird feeding bell from pinecones, peanut butter and birdseed, decorating an outdoor tree with dried oranges and cranberries for visiting birds

Brave Writer’s 12 Precepts

The fourth Brave Writer precept is: We plan ahead or we plan from behind, whichever serves in the moment.

The bane of everyone’s existence is PLANNING.

Which are you?

Team Plan Ahead—you don’t feel able to begin until you know exactly what’s coming next. You can deviate from the plan, but you must have a plan to start or you feel discombobulated (that’s a weird word to spell!).

Team Plan from Behind—you get inspired by an idea and run with it, then later give yourself credit on your calendar, in your planner, or via assessment tool.

For me, ever the unpredictable personality type, I toggled between these two. When my world got weedy and overgrown, planning ahead reminded me I would eventually get to everything.

Once the plan became a tedious drudge, I’d break free and follow a wild, inspired idea. But since the new idea wasn’t ON THE PLAN, I had a hard time giving myself credit for the brilliance that followed.

One day I realized: IT ALL COUNTS.

Every bit of it counts: the pre-planned and the post-planned activities and inspirations and habits.

It’s okay to plan ahead: peaceful vision of my future.

It’s good to plan from behind: giving myself credit for the good things that happen that never make it to the calendar in advance.

Today’s precept liberates you to both provide a little structure and to fly free of it when needed. The balance between the two will match your personality, so let your planning style flag fly!

Brave Writer’s 12 Precepts

The third Brave Writer precept is: Our practice is flexible—guided by a child’s curiosity, a parent’s broader knowledge of the world, and the unique opportunities that come our way.

When I thought about what creates momemtum in a home oriented to learning, I realized there were core principles that are common to the families that are experiencing the most joy and peace. I’ve written them into 12 Precepts (a nod to the 12 steps).

Take a look at past precepts here.

Our kids have an insatiable curiosity as they come into the world. They can’t know all the possibilities that await them. That’s where your bigger view helps expand their world! Create the richness that keeps their curiosity blooming with things like:

• Quality books
• Introductions to experts (like astronomers or guitar players or farmers)
• Excursions to historic sites

And thinking of good books, we’ve got a slew of ideas to guide you in our literature handbooks. This is a completely original program meant to create a vibrant leaning experience for you and your kids.

Here’s to expanding your child’s curiosity with your broader knowledge of the world!

Brave Writer’s 12 Precepts