On the first CD of my Teaching Self Government Audio Seminar I speak about teaching your family about having a mission as a family group.  The mission is what you will do to reach your family’s vision for the future.  An important part of teaching your children about working toward a vision and living for [...]

My problem is that I never can think of appropriate consequences when my kids misbehave. Do you have any suggestions? I have five children ages 9-18. Thanks, Amy
Consequences can be difficult to think up, but the trick is to only do it one time.  A parent who has to reinvent the consequence every time a [...]

My sister, Janelle, who was featured on the BBC World’s Strictest Parents spoke with me recently about her one regret about the show.  If you have seen the show, you will remember we took our British guests to a homeschool youth event.  Janelle was in charge of creating an event which would push the youth, [...]

We have a problem with people getting into things in the house without asking.  For example chocolate chips, cookies in the freezer and so on.  We also have a problem with dishonesty.
The consequence for these (decided by the family) Dishonesty: 30 min. of  chore.   stealing: 2 heavy maintenance chores (if self-reported then 1 heavy maintenance  [...]

     One afternoon my children and I went on a walk to our local library.  The library is about one and a half miles from our home.  After a great time reading and exploring together in the library, we started our mile and a half walk home. 
     During the walk one of my small children [...]

Rachel’s Bean Magic
 
            A few years ago a stateswoman, Rachel DeMille, shared a fun motivational program she used in her home, called “bean counter”, in a lecture I heard.  I don’t where the idea of a “bean counter” originated from, but I do know that it is effective.  Thanks DeMille family!
 
Our “Refusing to Help Each [...]

Lately, my teenage son doesn’t want to go to church with the family.  I don’t really want to make him go.  Even though he is not especially religious right now, he is still a good boy.  Should I be worried about this? 
     It is really common for children, and sometimes even adults, to go through [...]

“We have not staked the future of our society upon the power of government — far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten [...]

         Everything I teach in my home leads to duty and then VOICE.  Because, how can you be a leader in this world and not have any voice, or way to lead people?  Even example is a form of voice.  We need to all be walking messages for what we believe.  Someone who tries to be [...]

I know you’ve written posts about chores before, but I can’t seem to find them on your website.  So I’ll ask my questions, and maybe you can direct me to the proper posts if you’ve already answered them! 
Are the everyday chores that kids have a “standing instruction?”  In other words, if they don’t do their [...]