S/O of SOTW & what to watch out for; what about all those other gods?

[Annabel Lee]

Obviously I am asking from a Christian perspective, which I do my best to incorporate into our homeschool. Do the stories and/or pictures of other gods, particulurly scary-looking ones, bother your dc? I don't mind my kids knowing about other cultures, their practices, religions, and gods that are in conflict with our own faith. In fact, I prefer they do know and grow in character and compassion from it.

 

In using SOTW though, we are constantly running into lengthy sections that are mostly or only about historical people's religions. I don't mind to a certain extent, but I do mind when it is the bulk of or the main focus of the entire chapter. I realize that to 'get it', we have to learn where those people were coming from in their beliefs and philosophies. I know SOTW wasn't written to any specific religious audience, so my complaint is not with the author, of course. My kids are bothered by some of the coloring pages of ritual masks and other things, pages not noted in the beginning of the AG as "review before handing over to your kids". I didn't realize some of it would bother them, but after coloring these and hanging them on the wall for a week, they said it was scaring them.

 

We make it a point to be very careful what we bring into our home for spiritual reasons. I have really been wondering if this history curric. is in sync with what I'm OK w/ spiritually. While I do not want my children to be naive or ignorant, I also don't think I want them quite so submerged in this stuff either. We do Bible separately, and I've been longing for a history curric. that is alot like SOTW, but with the main focus on God's hand in history.

[Dinsfamily]

Have you tried MOH? I haven't used it, but I hear great things about it. It might be what you're looking for. One of my friends here uses it and I'm hoping to borrow it when she's done with it.

[Oakblossoms]

I skip those coloring pages. But, I we still read the chapters. They bring up some great discussions.

 

We are starting SOTW 2. My boys are a little older and not that interested in coloring pages. So, we are doing the History Scribe pages and just let them draw their own thing for most chapters. I'm actually not going to ask for any type of notebook page for chapters on other religions.

 

We tried MOH, too. It might work for you. We found it a bit dry. I might try it again for our next round of History. But, since this is our boys first time completely through I thought we would just use SOTW for everyone.

[Julie in GA]

Ditto.

[hsmom27]

I have absolutely no advice for you, but I'm thinking of dropping SOTW for the opposite reason. From a secular viewpoint, it seems like biblical stories are discussed with so much more depth than other ancient religions. I'm still going through those chapters though, and we just discuss them with our DC.

 

My kids love SOTW so much, I'm not sure I have the heart to drop it. Regardless of what other kids think, those coloring pages are clearly bothering your DC. I might just make a point of asking your children first, whether they are comfortable with a certain picture. Otherwise I have heard great things about MOH presenting a strong biblical history. Good luck finding the perfect fit for your family.:)

[jeh]

I have used both SOTW and MOH. My boys hated the coloring pages, especially the one of Grendel! After I got over my, "We have to do it all!" attitude, I just let the kids pick which pages they wanted to color. I also read the chapters, but did not do a lot of extended reading on the other religions. We just talked about what they believed, how it is different from Christianity, and how it affected their actions.

 

I really like MOH because of its distinctly Christian perspective. My kids and I have learned more about the OT prophets than I have ever known (We just finished Ancients.).

 

My kids are 7th, 5th, 3rd, and 1st grades.

[Donna T.]

Yes, SOTW 1 really bothered my oldest son. We tried it in first grade and then dropped it after a few weeks. We were using the recommended Usborne title along with it and he began to have nightmares... I think it was more a result of the images in that book than the stories in SOTW, but either way, he didn't want to continue with SOTW. We still covered the Ancients that year, we just kept it limited to Bible history and books on early world history that I chose myself... ones I knew wouldn't scare him. I didn't pick SOTW back up until third grade. At that time, he was fine with it. We began again with Vol. 1, completed it (we didn't do any of the coloring pages, we did do a few activities but we mostly just read SOTW and talked about it) and started right into Vol. 2. Vol. 2 has been great! My current first grader is sitting in on it with his big brother and they both love it.

 

 

I think children are different. Things that bothered my oldest son in the early years aren't the same things that bother my youngest.

[Penelope]

We don't use most of the coloring pages. But I'm not bothered with the discussion of other religions. We talk about other ancient peoples in the Bible worshiping false gods (meaning, other than the Judeo-Christian God), and I treat the stories of ancient gods in SOTW the same way. We have had some good discussions. But other people feel differently about it and don't study ancients until much later.

Edited April 29, 2009 by Penelope
clarify

[Sara in WA]

We are a Christian family and we approach chapters in SOTW this way - I make it very clear what stories are myth or legend. I also tell them over and over (when applicable) that these people are not worshiping the one true God, so they use the word "god", but we know it isn't the same as the one true God. At the same time we are teaching our children about our faith through the Bible and catechism, so they are knowing the truths of our faith.

 

I do think SOTW is great and you can use it to point out God's hand in every thing. That is the great thing about homeschooling from a Christian world view, you can teach and show your children how various subjects (math, science, geography, history) point to God and his hand in the world. Although we do teach a separate Bible time, we do include our Christian worldview in everything. That's all to say, your books or curriculum don't have to be Christian in label or content to show His mighty hand.

[phathui5]

In using SOTW though, we are constantly running into lengthy sections that are mostly or only about historical people's religions. I don't mind to a certain extent, but I do mind when it is the bulk of or the main focus of the entire chapter.

 

History is mostly about religion, so it's important to learn about how those religions shaped cultures.

[lmrich]

Oh my stars! I totally look at the coloring pages as optional and I have a daughter who loves to draw and color. She can pick and choose what she wants to color in while she listens to the chapter. Sometimes she would just draw a picture instead of coloring or simply cuddle up with our dog. The activity book seems like enrichment not mandatory.

[atozmom]

I've seen others mention MOH already. We love these books. My daughter will be finishing Volume 2 this year. We already have volume 3 on the shelf waiting for us for next year. It is a beautiful book. I love the Christian perspective. Each volume also gets meatier with it's content. There are separate coloring pages that you can purchase from the publisher. (Bright Ideas Press) There are also craft cd's that have been made to go along with the volumes.

 

I have actually seen many people that use both SOTW and MOH together. In fact there are a couple of yahoo groups that have schedules posted for using both together. You can also find your own coloring pages online. Do a search for ancient history coloring pages. You will wind up with all kinds of options.

 

If you would like to know more about MOH feel free to pm me. No I am not a rep or anything. :) It has just been a wonderful curriculum for our family.

 

HTH,

Ann in Fl

[OneRoomSchoolHouse]

My computer can't access the abbreviation link page...what is SOTW and MOH?

[atozmom]

SOTW - Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer

 

MOH - Mystery of History by Linda Hobar

[KarenNC]

I have used both SOTW and MOH. My boys hated the coloring pages, especially the one of Grendel! After I got over my, "We have to do it all!" attitude, I just let the kids pick which pages they wanted to color. I also read the chapters, but did not do a lot of extended reading on the other religions. We just talked about what they believed, how it is different from Christianity, and how it affected their actions.

 

If it helps the OP, this is also what we did in Ancients (coming at it from the opposite viewpoint as polytheists). I simply read the chapters that dealt in-depth with religious material that is very contrary to our belief system, so that my daughter gained some familiarity with the stories for the sake of cultural literacy and some understanding of why folks may think what they do and how they differed. We didn't necessarily do much or any of the coloring pages or additional activities for those chapters. I did bulk up those chapters that were more based on our belief system, extending them and placing more emphasis there---extra reading, activities, etc. I think we only listened to the cd reading of the story of Joseph and the coat of many colors, as an example.

 

Also, I find myself doing some of the same with this first go round in SOTW 3 in terms of US history vs. some of the other chapters. I do a lot of enrichment on the US history chapters, not so much on some of the others (we did Shaka Zulu today, for instance and just did the map and one coloring page).

 

Essentially, you get to choose that which you want to emphasize and that which you do not, particularly for first grade. They will have more time to get into the comparisons and analysis later on.

[katilac]

History is mostly about religion, so it's important to learn about how those religions shaped cultures.

 

I agree; you will not ever be able to separate religion from history, and there are a multitude of religions in the world.

[Julie in MN]

My Father's World uses SOTW and balances it with Biblical and Christian history, as well as exploring the tenets of other faiths.

 

Back when we were in the ancients, MFW actually left out SOTW-1, since the Old Testament and then the New Testament were the "big history books" during that time period. But all the rest of the MFW history years use SOTW but just balance it so we don't miss things close to our home and our heart.

 

MFW also adds in more American history. SOTW does a nice job of incorporating all of the world, which is very much in line with the authors of MFW, who were missionaries to Russia. However, because of that, SOTW doesn't treat Christian events or American events as really any more important to learn than anything else. This year, SOTW-4 had a half chapter on the Civil War, and a half chapter on Paraguay, and so on to other parts of the world. So MFW added more on the Civil War, 50 states, US presidents, inspiring Americans, Christian heroes, and so forth.

 

I love the balance of SOTW and other materials.

[Annabel Lee]

Oh my stars! I totally look at the coloring pages as optional and I have a daughter who loves to draw and color. She can pick and choose what she wants to color in while she listens to the chapter. Sometimes she would just draw a picture instead of coloring or simply cuddle up with our dog. The activity book seems like enrichment not mandatory.

 

Well, I would never hand them anything if I thought it would disturb them. The ones I'm thinking of were even a bit cartoon-ish (to me). I handed the pages out, they colored them completely (they love coloring w/ markers), and then they asked to hang them up. It wasn't until a week later that one of them said they were scared of these pics. I realize I have made the mistake of believing that because a Christian (er, maybe I'm assuming, but she mentions going to church and other similar things) wrote the materials, and more importantly, because she is such a revered writer and educational expert, that I should follow her plan to a "T". I just got lax and stopped thinking that I needed to look at these materials w/ any discernment.

[Annabel Lee]

We don't use most of the coloring pages. But I'm not bothered with the discussion of other religions. We talk about other ancient peoples in the Bible worshiping false gods (meaning, other than the Judeo-Christian God), and I treat the stories of ancient gods in SOTW the same way. We have had some good discussions. But other people feel differently about it and don't study ancients until much later.

 

Hmm. I think I did a poor job of communicating in my original post. It's not that I don't want to discuss other religions w/ my dc. I know that's a huge, intertwined part of history - it's the *why* behind people's actions in most cases. That I don't mind. I think Julie in MN put into words what I meant: that in addition to accurate history, I want the central focus to be on what is "close to our home and heart." So I guess I do desire for there to be more emphasis on some things and less on others, just as some who desire a purely secular history curriculum find SOTW too "Christian." Not that I want to leave other religions out - as I said before, I don't want my dc to grow up naive, ignorant, or intolerant.

 

Karen, Sara, and others (I can't see the 1st page right now while I'm typing the reply), you've given me something to pause and think about. I've been going along wanting something that is open-and-go and treating SOTW that way. Perhaps history is a subject in which worldview and discussions need to be original, not scripted, in order to be tailored exactly for one's own family.

Edited April 29, 2009 by Annabel Lee
changed communication to communicating

[Haiku]

in addition to accurate history, I want the central focus to be on what is "close to our home and heart."

 

It sounds to me like SOTW is not for you. I am not Christian so I love that SOTW is not written from a Christian point of view, but if you want your religious beliefs to be the main focus, I suspect you won't be happy with SOTW.

 

I am not familiar with Christian history programs, but I hope you find what you are looking for!

 

Tara

[lionfamily1999]

Oh my stars! I totally look at the coloring pages as optional and I have a daughter who loves to draw and color. She can pick and choose what she wants to color in while she listens to the chapter. Sometimes she would just draw a picture instead of coloring or simply cuddle up with our dog. The activity book seems like enrichment not mandatory.

Ds colors while I read him the chapters. I've never thought the student pages were mandatory, except the map.

 

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I was pretty surprised by the lengths SWB went to, to warn people about possible scary pictures or questionable materials. Of course, my kids don't find these things scary at all and the discussions about gods and God have, if anything, strengthened their beliefs. Finding out where, in history, pieces of the Bible happened, in context, has really brought home, for us, the reality of our religion. Incredibly, Drew has not started worshipping Marduk, Zeus or Anansi (although with Anansi he came close, lol).

 

I, personally, would watch out for making mountains out of molehills. Showing your dcs someone else's beliefs and those beliefs throughout history will strengthen them. They'll have a better understanding of people that are different from them. Perhaps, they will discover a little empathy as adults. It can seem counterintuitive to show your dcs someone else's god, especially the Greek Gods, they're fantastic, but it will not detract from the one true God, only serve as a backdrop, something for comparison. Really, I would recommend you get Memoria Press's news letter. They compare gods and show how God triumphs over them time and again. You can use their articles to gain some perspective and then you'll have some good tidbits to toss out next time you read about another culture's gods.

[Haiku]

Incredibly, Drew has not started worshipping Marduk, Zeus or Anansi (although with Anansi he came close, lol).

 

 

My seven year old decided she wanted to worship Zeus, and I told her that was fine by me. For several weeks she told me she was a Zeus-ist, and then she decided that being the religion we are was more attractive to her. Perhaps this wouldn't work if you come from a religion whose god would be offended or affronted by worship of another god, but we don't have that issue in our religion but, more importantly, I wouldn't think that an all-knowing, all-powerful god would be upset by a child's innocent curiosity.

 

Tara

[lionfamily1999]

My seven year old decided she wanted to worship Zeus, and I told her that was fine by me. For several weeks she told me she was a Zeus-ist, and then she decided that being the religion we are was more attractive to her. Perhaps this wouldn't work if you come from a religion whose god would be offended or affronted by worship of another god, but we don't have that issue in our religion but, more importantly, I wouldn't think that an all-knowing, all-powerful god would be upset by a child's innocent curiosity.

 

Tara

It was meant tongue-in-cheek. I'm reading 'Free-Range Kids' right now and I'm surprised by my own paranoia... So, now I'm making fun of myself and my rediculous worries. Granted, our religion is pretty clear about not worshipping other gods, but my dcs aren't adults just yet, so I'm pretty sure they get a pass, lol. Then... maybe I'm sending myself to heck in a hand-basket...

 

I remember when my dd became a vegan... for about a week. Then, she found out chicken nuggets were meat. It's funny how quick they are to move on when they're younger.

[Oakblossoms]

I wanted to let you know, I think you did fine explaining yourself;)

 

Our faith is at the core of our homeschool and our life. It's vital for us. I really believe that at ages 8 and 5 your children would find MOH boring and you would spend more time trying to make it interesting.

 

Jessie and Susan never meant for things to be taken to a T or for things to be open and go without any discussions. I encourage these discussions and the big questions now while they are young. It is how they will form the foundation for their worldview.

 

You could skip ahead to the next level of SOTW. Come back to Ancients when they are older. No one will tell on you.

[stripe]

I understand wanting to be careful. Maybe if you coordinate the reading to your Biblical understanding, i.e. discussions about such and such people and the prophet sent to them, it would be more appropriate and relevant for you.

 

I definitely see no need for your children to color pages of other religions' ritual objects; substitute something else -- find coloring books of people in their clothing or whatever else or just skip coloring altogether.