{"id":827,"date":"2025-02-10T09:00:50","date_gmt":"2025-02-10T09:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/classicalconversations.com\/blog\/6-tips-for-doing-foundations-with-your-littles\/"},"modified":"2025-03-11T20:25:45","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T20:25:45","slug":"6-tips-for-doing-foundations-with-your-littles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/classicalconversations.com\/blog\/6-tips-for-doing-foundations-with-your-littles\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Best Tips for Foundations with Your Youngest Learners"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As a parent stepping into the Foundations program with Classical Conversations, you might find yourself asking, Am I doing this right? Am I doing enough?<\/em> These fears are common, especially when navigating the classical method of education for the first time.<\/p>\n

But rest assured, you are not alone!<\/p>\n

As a veteran CC mom who has guided multiple children through this journey, Kathy Sheppard shares insights and practical advice to help you thrive.<\/p>\n

In this post, we\u2019ll explore six key tips for embracing the beauty of classical learning that are designed to meet you where you are\u2014and remind you that every family\u2019s path is unique.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s walk through these steps together so you can focus on what matters most: nurturing your child\u2019s love for learning and trusting God\u2019s plan for your homeschool.<\/p>\n

6 Foundations Tips for New Classical Conversations Families<\/h2>\n

Here is some advice from me, a mom who has been there. Please take it\u00a0cum grano salis\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 with a grain of salt \u2014 and remember that every child and family is a little different. What worked for us can be tweaked to fit your family\u2019s unique needs.<\/p>\n

1. Don\u2019t \u201cForce\u201d the Memory Work<\/h3>\n

If you try to make your child learn all the memory work at a young age, one of you will likely be burned out by the end of the Foundations program, and the other may hate learning. If your students start Foundations at age four, they will go through each cycle two or three times.<\/p>\n

What fun would it be the second and third time through if he or she knew everything already? Picture the memory work as a spiral. Each time you go through the cycle, the spiral, like your child\u2019s knowledge, grows and is strengthened.<\/p>\n

Want to improve your own memory skills? Listen to this <\/em>Everyday Educator podcast<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/h4>\n

2. Commit and Seek Accountability<\/h3>\n

Homeschooling is hard, but like marriage or birthing a baby, it\u2019s worth the commitment.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t just give yourself a couple of weeks; give it a couple of years or more. And, as Ecclesiastes 4:12b states, \u201cA cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is a reason I love Classical Conversations: I can share with others the burdens I feel. We can pray for each other, commiserate together, and uphold each other in the commitment to homeschool.<\/p>\n

3. Trust God and Spend Time With Him<\/h3>\n

God takes care of us. Never underestimate how He can work in your life through time spent in prayer and reading His word!<\/p>\n

Teaching your children and guiding them in Scripture is important, but make sure you are also praying and growing in your own relationship with God.<\/p>\n

4. Do the Important Things First<\/h3>\n

Your child needs to learn to read, write, and do math<\/strong><\/a>. Those things generally ought to be done deliberately with curriculum and goals. Other knowledge will come with time, but those first few years, concentrate on the major things and develop their thinking abilities.<\/p>\n

At the same time, it\u2019s equally important to talk to your child about God and ask questions. Analyze things together; when talking in the car, ask them, \u201cWhy does McDonald\u2019s always have those arches?\u201d or, \u201cWhat does this song mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

My girls have learned valuable critical-thinking skills just by questioning everyday things around them.<\/p>\n

5. Discover Your Student\u2019s Learning Style and Accommodate It<\/h3>\n

This year I am using a checklist for each of my girls because they like checking off that they have done their subjects. We also love using the songs on\u00a0CC Connected<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and the CC Connected Lite App<\/strong><\/a>. My girls also enjoy doing some of their work on little whiteboards with dry-erase markers.<\/p>\n

These preferences may vary widely for your family or from child to child. Some children may enjoy practicing memory work while they run laps around the dining room table; others might get their work done best while hiding out in a fort they built or any method in between.<\/p>\n

The ways you can homeschool are as boundless as each child’s unique personality. If your children are learning and growing, there is no \u201cwrong way\u201d to homeschool!<\/p>\n

6. Observe\u00a0Your<\/em>\u00a0Progress (Not Someone Else\u2019s!)<\/h3>\n