Casual Parenting

As parents we must be proactive and work diligently to train our children in the way they should go. When it comes to teaching Scripture or self control we have to make an effort to train our children in the way they should go. We are very active in teaching math and reading in homeschool. We purposely train our daughters to drive a car before they get behind the wheel. But there are many things that our kids can learn just going through life and watching us.
Recently, I was reminded by a friend of casual parenting. Pastor JimColley has bought several musical instruments and brought them into his home. With very few lessons his sons are playing many different instruments beautifully. We were blessed by their talents while they were in our home. Years ago at a conference I heard Mary Hood say that if you want your children to pick something up lay it around. For instance, the guitar is only learned if it's accessible to them. Mary Hood spoke of laying around books and magazines on subjects that her children would not have normally chosen on their own. In this way her children have found all sorts of new interests and are more well rounded people.
Lately, one of girls was having a crochet lesson, before it was over another had joined in (the same girl who had said before "No way, I'm not doing that.") A week later another had picked it up just because it was laying around. Now we don't have everyone making scarves and booties but there is more interest than ever before. In casually enjoying something and "putting it out there" we've seen the girls join in on learning many new things like gardening, presidents, John Bunyan, and cooking. I am sorry to say that laying around the vacuum hasn't done much though:)