General’s Month

Posted by Annie on Jan 6, 2010 in Seasonal |

It’s often difficult to get the kids on board with the history program.

At some point kids often ask, “Why should I care about about a bunch of old dead people?” “How can history be relevant in my life?” I can recall asking those same questions myself as a school girl. Fortunately, I had some very good teachers who did their best to make it almost painless to study history.

General's Month - Civil War Games

So, how can we impress upon our kids the importance of history in their own lives? It’s an age old problem, with no single answer. Each child is different and just like historians, they will see history from their own eyes and their own viewpoint.

I explained it this way to my own son: What did you do yesterday? What did you eat? Did you do anything of significance? This is history. Granted it’s a very recent history but it is history all the same. Many family traditions are created from our own meaningful experiences.

The things we did yesterday can have a profound impact on us today and even tomorrow and for many days to come. The decisions we made yesterday can influence us in a big way in the future and the things we do can produce wonderful memories that stay with us for many years to come. Use examples from your own family history to explain what history is and why it is important to you on a personal level.

February has long been known as “Presidents Month.” We remember our Presidents in ceremonies, celebrations, book reports and by putting on plays and productions in their honor.

Did you know that January is often referred to as “Generals Month” and for good reason? Four famous Confederate Generals claimed January as their birth month:

If you are homeschooling a boy or two, you know how difficult it can be to get them interested in history. Here are a few ideas to help you jump start their curiosity:

Play some games…

  • Play a game of with your son, talk about each piece as you play and what their duties might be in the military, paying special attention to the generals.
  • Play , discuss each piece and the role they can play in military operations.
  • Pick up some era toys, re-inact some of the battles.

Watch some DVD’s…

Read a Good Book…

All warfare is based on deception. Therefore, when capable of attacking, feign incapacity; when active in moving troops, feign inactivity. When near the enemy, make it seem that you are far away; when far away, make it seem that you are near. – Sun Tzu

Read Sun Tzu, “The Art of War,” an historic and timeless guide to military strategies and tactics. The guidance it offers is still useful today, especially off the battlefield. Today it is primarily used as a guide to understanding competitors and clients in business, so that you may better succeed when facing difficult challenges, though it will also help you to understand the concepts of strategy and tactics in practice.

  • (ages 9-12)
  • (ages 9-12)
  • (ages 4-8)

Don’t be afraid to get down on the floor and play with your son. Discuss strategy and the outcome of the Civil War. You may be surprised to find your discussions taking you in many new directions. The most important thing is to have fun and be open to new ideas.

For more fun ideas and resources visit Homefires’ Learning Calendar with DVD Resources.

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