No Bible, no breakfast?

 


Bible reading is very important.

Okay, yes you knew that already.
But did you stop to figure out how much homeschoolers depend on their curriculum of choice to "get the Bible into" their children? Do you? I did.
I'd venture that 95% of curricula out there does -not- have enough of either Bible reading or Bible study to really impact a child for life.



A few years ago, I began a new routine for us. Summed up as "No bible reading- no breakfast". Each child must read for 15 minutes by timer. If they do not read, they don't eat. They always read- and I only had a couple balking issues at the beginning.
They read wherever they want in the bible but are not allowed to skip around during their 15 minutes. They can change places tomorrow but not during a current session.


 


When we began, my son was 4 at the time and learning phonics. He obviously could not read a regular bible. I had a comic book type bible, "Picture Bible" I think it was called, laying around the house. He "read" that for his time. As he became more proficient at phonics and blending, he would try reading the words that were there. So we moved him up to an NIRV (3rd grade level translation). My daughter was older and read her regular bible.




Because they have read for over three years at 15 minutes a day...they have a LOT of bible in them. Recently I read statistics that only 18% of Christians read their Bible every day and worse- a mere 35% read it once a week (probably during church).


I did the math earlier and reading 15 minutes a day and even skipping two weeks a year...  means they each have read at least 260 hours!
Wow! Imagine what that total will be by the time they leave home!


Consider starting a rigorous plan in your home.


 




 


6 comments:

  1. thosecrazyandersonsJune 27, 2007 at 7:33 AM

    I'm going to have to seriously consider this idea! I hit rock bottom a few months ago when I realized that the curriculum just wasn't enough. I always have to learn that hard way, ya know?

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  2. that is great :) we read our Bible 2 times a day and do a character training time with Bible verses too, I've lately been finding my 6 year old readng the BIble to our almost 4 year old! it's been great to see them doing it on their own.


    by the way, i do use MOTH for my scheduling stuff, i need to redo it though since i'm getting ready to start prek with Thomas!

    marie

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  3. Thanks for the post. I've already mentioned it to my youngest yesterday. We've been doing Genesis and Job lately, but we've bogged down in Job. Uh. He's understanding it, amazingly, but those guys were so wordy, over and over again! If food were involved, or the withholding thereof, we'd be getting through it faster!!! Wait a minute. Something sounded weird there, didn't it....?

    You know, it didn't occur to me anyone would think that had been me at the gas station! Funny. Thanks for the comment!

    bethanyrae

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  4. Good reminder!

    By the way, I've given you the Rockin Girl Blogger award. If you want to copy the image and pass it on, look at the bottom of my latest post.

    carrie

    www.carrielouise.wordpress.com

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  5. I am doing the ninety day bible reading contest and I've gotten four books in to it so far and I've been reading it for about a week now...

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  6. I love the look of your blog,hope you don't mind I popped on over from Christina's.


    It is amazing that any christian to survive on so little Bible.I guess people are under so much pressure these days with work and general busyness.

    I try to make Bible the primary focus,I felt God tell us to approach it as a subject that is, as is and more important than say Math and English.


    Like the idea of being home free,I would certainly go along with that,being a home school stay at home mum is very freeing I adore it!!

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