Atmosphere Is One Third of Education

    Charlotte Mason believed that as much as one third of education is atmosphere.  I believe this to be true, but at times it can be a bit daunting when your house is a mess, there's not enough space, house projects are in various stages of  completion, etc., etc.  However, even though my home is often far from an idyllic atmosphere, I do have some measure of control over it, unlike if I were to send my children off to a school or day care where I would have no control over what kind of atmosphere they would be in for most of their waking hours.  Atmosphere is more than just a beautiful home, it is also controlled by the spirits of the people who dwell in the home.  If you are at odds with your husband and irritated by your children, the negative atmosphere of your home will affect your children's education.  I know if I am in a bad mood every thing starts to fall apart, and no learning can be done when there is chaos and strife. 
    I try very hard to control my mood, as this is the biggest determining factor as to how our day goes.  Some other things I have done to help the atmosphere in my home is to paint the rooms colors that make me feel happy. Most of my house is yellow, and the bedrooms are different shades of blue and green.  Whenever we get around to remodeling our kitchen, I would like it to be peach, which is to me the ultimate happy color.  Music also helps.  The twins (particularly Samuel) are terrified of thunder, so when ever we have a thunder storm, I turn on some upbeat music really loud, and we all dance, sing, and just be silly.
     I  am currently on a mission to eliminate clutter in my house.  It makes me feel claustrophobic when there is so many little ones under foot.  They're all the clutter I need!  I like making things for the house.  In a world where things are quickly bought, consumed, and discarded, there is something very comforting in spending time to make something with your own hands.  Making good food from scratch can also be rewarding.  There is nothing better than the smell of an apple pie in the oven.  In fact, maybe I'll make one this weekend.