Laying Down the Rails - A Charlotte Mason Habits Handbook

by Sonya Shaeffer

I will put the official description of this book below, but I will also let you know that this book is new to me. I began reading it for several reasons. First, I am working with some younger moms who are working to establish good habits in their young children, and I’ve been reminded that this effort is indeed, hard and disciplined work on the part of the parents. Second, I spent time revising curriculum for Artios Academies this spring and summer, and in doing so, I added a very intentional and focused effort on building habits within our students and doing so in partnership with the at-home efforts of our parents. This means that both parties, parents and teachers, must be on the same page. This book helps with that. I also am working with a new microschool in our rural area of Colorado. This microschool is inspired by the philosophy of Charlotte Mason whose emphasis on habit building within young children is legendary. In preparing for that and in working with my granddaughters who will be attending that school, I found the information in this book, both the actual words of Miss Mason and the explanations by Sonya Shaeffer to be extremely helpful and inspiring. Here is the description of the book straight from Simply Charlotte Mason’s website.

“Discover the secret to smooth and easy days!

The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days.—Charlotte Mason

Charlotte likened good habits to rails on which our children’s lives could run smoothly. It is the parent’s business to lay down those rails.

Here, compiled into one volume, are all the habits Charlotte mentioned in her writings with her thoughts and suggestions for cultivating each one. This work also includes Charlotte’s help for breaking bad habits, hundreds of inspiring quotes, and lots of practical tips.”