Habit of Attention

 Habits for a Happy Dad, Habits for a Happy Mom, Habits for Happy Kids, Habits for life, Homeschool Habits  Add comments
Feb 102010
 
 

For those who decide to embark upon the career of habit formation, remember:

-One habit at a time
-One day at a time
-Practice good actions weekends, too
-Nip the weed in the bud because formation is more efficiently accomplished than reformation
  
But be encouraged with this wise old saying “One habit overcometh another”. You may not be able to teach old dogs new tricks, but GOD is able to make all things new again. Isn’t this a great blessing? — the last paragraph of Chap 9 (The Happiness of Habit) on pg 76 of The Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola

Habit of ATTENTION:

 One of the best things we can do for ourselves and for our children is to gain the Habit of Attention. When we can truly fix our attention on a matter at hand, we are already over half way to our destination of success. I urge you to read the information below and the information I have linked to. I am now focusing on the Habit of Attention with my childen and I look with hope towards the day that I will be able to share our victories testimony!! A couple of things I am doing now to help my children gain this Habit is 1. Practice only saying something once 2. Stop “talking” so much (no nagging) 3. Become more organized (ex. Work Box System)  4. Close to door to distractions (ex. Close bedroom door (where the toys are) during school hours)

  
What is Attention?––It is evident that attention is no ‘faculty’ of the mind; indeed, it is very doubtful how far the various operations of the mind should be described as ‘faculties’ at all. Attention is hardly even an operation of the mind, but is simply the act by which the whole mental force is applied to the subject in hand. This act, of bringing the whole mind to bear, may be trained into a habit at the will of the parent or teacher, who attracts and holds the child’s attention by means of a sufficient motive.—-CM, Vol 1 pg 146 As children get older, the responsibility shifts to them to use the volition of their own will to make themselves focus, even when things try to distract their attention. Children should be taught to feel a sense of triumph at being able to compel themselves to focus. Let them know how thoughts are always flitting in and out of the mind, and they will drift from one thought to another. The struggle and victory is to be able to fix their thoughts on the task at hand. A child who succeeds deserves a reward of a sympathetic look from his mother and her words of praise: ‘You have done well, you’ve done the right thing.’ But keep in mind that a person can only pay attention if he has the intellectual capability to grasp the subject. The importance of attention can’t be emphasized too much. It is within everyone’s reach and should be the mental discipline most coveted. No matter how clever a child is, he can only make use of his intelligence in the proportion that he’s able to focus his attention when and where he wants.–CM, Vol 1, pg 154-146  …………… habit of Attention, because the highest intellectual gifts depend for their value upon the measure in which their owner has cultivated the habit of attention. To explain why this habit is of such supreme importance, we must consider the operation of one or two of the laws of thought. But just recall, in the meantime, the fixity of attention with which the trained professional man––the lawyer, the doctor, the man of letters––listens to a roundabout story, throws out the padding, seizes the facts, sees the bearing of every circumstance, and puts the case with new clearness and method; and contrast this with the wandering eye and random replies of the uneducated;––and you see that to differentiate people according to their power of attention is to employ a legitimate test.-CM vol 1 pg 138  

I will leave you with a definition of Attention that I came across one day that I just love but sadly I do not remember where it came from——ATTENTION  is LISTENING with your EYES, EARS & HEART!!! 

Please share with us what you do to exercise the Habit of Attention for yourself or your children.  

 Below are links to the Charlotte Mason’s own home school education books (Vol 1) written in modern language
The complete book you can access here (Volume one is at the top of the page) http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/ModernEnglish.html#1
Second section on Habits http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/M1_4.html  
 
To find out  about Charlotte Mason and the Charlotte Mason Home School Method go HERE 
 
Laying down the Rails by Sonya Shafer is a great book to assist you in Habit Formation 
 
Smooth and Easy Days is a FREE e-book on Habit Formation by Sonya Shafer ***Awesome***
 
Workbox System Resources:
Sue Patrick (Creator of the Workbox System) main site
Workbox @ Robin’s Blog (Heart of Wisdom)
Workbox Review @ Curriculum Choice Blog
Working the Workboxes @ Squidoo
Sue Patrick’s Workbox System A User’s Guide
 

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  3 Responses to “Habit of Attention”

  1. Tricia says:
    February 10, 2010 at 1:48 pm

    “but GOD is able to make all things new again” – I love that! and “listening with your ears, eyes and heart”
    Thanks for another great post full of resources.

    Reply
  2. Life Never Stops therefore Habit Training Shouldn’t Either « Habits for a Happy Home says:
    June 2, 2010 at 12:02 am

    [...] Habit of Attention [...]

  3. Habits can drive us crazy or save us! | TheOneThing says:
    January 5, 2011 at 2:34 am

    [...]  “Every day, every hour, the parents are either passively or actively forming those habits in their children upon which, more than upon anything else, future character and conduct depend” (Vol. 1, p. 118).   I have felt strongly that I need to focus more on Habit Formation in our home. Before I can even hope to be successful at Habit Formation with my children, I need to take stock of my own Habits. At least that is what the Lord has been (lovingly) nudging me to do. He wants me to take a good long look at my own Habits. You see Habit Formation/Training in my home starts with me, the mom. It starts with who I really am; day-to-day, hour by hour and moment by moment.  Read More Last week I wrote “What about our own Habits” and I was writing it because “MY” habits have been on my heart and mind often, thanks to the Holy Spirit. I do say Thanks because I NEEDED to seriously contemplate “MY” habits. In many areas I do Not have good ones, therefore I am not setting a good example for my boys. Without going into detail, I will just say that last week was not a good one, there were tears, arguments, nagging, whining, complaining, frustration, disobeying, laziness, lack of focus and if I thought more on it I could come up with a few more negatives of the week. Thank the Lord and I do mean THANK the LORD that in the midst of all the above there were still smiles, laughter, love and HIM……HE is always there!!! He showed up when I was feeling at my worst, as usual HE never fails me!! Friday was the worst day and by Friday night I sat down to blog and I ended up unable to finish the post due to the  tears that were flowing. I couldn’t finish the task at hand but the Lord had no problem continuing to work on my behalf.  Earlier in the day right after a very difficult situation I decided to take a moment and a very deep breath, I checked e-mail and I am so glad I did. There was an e-mail from a new friend, I appreciated the entire e-mail but the last line just immediately sank into my heart and spirit, my whole perspective changed. This was the line“Be encouraged today!  Remember all the miracles He has done for us!  Sing to the Lord a new song today!” Thank you Lord that you used this wonderful woman with a heart full of you to reach out and love on me!! So, I praised God for all HIS miracles and went on with the day. Read More One of the best things we can do for ourselves and for our children is to gain the Habit of Attention. When we can truly fix our attention on a matter at hand, we are already over half way to our destination of success. I urge you to read the information below and the information I have linked to. I am now focusing on the Habit of Attention with my childen and I look with hope towards the day that I will be able to share our victories testimony!! A couple of things I am doing now to help my children gain this Habit is 1. Practice only saying something once 2. Stop “talking” so much (no nagging) 3. Become more organized (ex. Work Box System)  4. Close the door to distractions (ex. Close bedroom door (where the toys are) during school hours) Read More [...]

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