New Product: Story Cards

Teaching Story Elements 

The benefits of storytelling include enhanced listening skills, increased vocabulary, and a better understanding of grammar.  When done correctly it is a fun activity for both the student and the teacher.

Here is a new product called Story Cards.  Story Cards, which allows the child to learn the art of storytelling in a fun and stress free way. 

Inside Story Cards

• The five elements of a story.
• 12 cards for use in the story your child creates. (characters, objects, etc.)
• 2 cards for the setting
• A few fun activities. 

The first edition's theme is Pirates and it is free for you to try out with your children!  

Keeping up Appearances: Beauty Devotions

Add in devotions to your beauty routine or add in a beauty routine to your devotions.  Our appearance should be a blessing to others yet we should not get caught up in vanity.


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Keeping up Appearances: Printable cleaning schedule for those who don't like to clean or schedule

I am not a big fan of cleaning and my strong suit has never been to maintain a routine.  I found the only way to solve this dilemma was to accept that my family would live with crumbs on the floor and dirty underwear or find a simple solution to keeping up appearances that I can manage my home.  I chose the latter since...well...I guess I need to make sure the family has clean underwear.  Besides, I love the by product of routine and cleanliness so why not shoot for the moon and provide clean floors and clean underwear?  For me, routine maintenance must be simple and in my face.  It must be unforgiving and willing to taunt me if I dare color outside the lines.  So, I posted a schedule in plain view.  Darn that plain view.  

UPDATE:  It has been brought to my attention that, to my shame, there were typos in the printable.  The typos have been corrected.  I am grateful to the reader who pointed out my errors.  I promise you that I work very hard on my printables.  I know that typos appear to be careless but I care very  much. I try to go over my work but I am not perfect and hence it shows in sometimes the most embarrassing ways. Since it is my intent to give you my best, I am not offended by errors being pointed out.  I am, in fact, grateful for it so I can correct my errors.  I also appreciate the time the reader took to inform me and her willingness to contact me privately as she probably knew I would be embarrassed enough publishing a printable with errors.  


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How Doth the Little Crocodile Copywork {Free Printable}

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Free Valentine's Day Printables

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Character Badges: New Character Program Launches TODAY!

Out of a need in our home to help train our children in good character, Character Badges was created! We have spent months using this program on our children, and are excited to release it today! ~ Caroline Allen, The Modest Mom 

As with all great ideas it begins with a need and a person who is willing to find a new way to fill it.  Sean and Caroline Allen answered the need to instruct their children in proper character by creating a system for their personal use.  The system proved successful in their family and now they bring it to your family.  Character Badges provides a family the tools to intentionally teach character and change the atmosphere in their home. 

Why I am excited about Character Badges

I am not an easy sell when it comes to programs and systems.  Partly because I admit to not being the best at maintaining them and partly because I believe character goes beyond gold stars and a veneer of pretend behavior to earn them.  Yet, rewarding a child for good behavior and providing consequences for poor behavior is crucial to teaching discernment.  Unlike any other program, the child learns discernment and is kept accountable for all actions and not simply rewarded for a few good actions.  Since punishments are determined upon setting up the program both the parent and the child always know what to expect.  No more punishing out of frustration or unfairly.  Think of the system as one of accountability and not rewards.  The parent is held accountable to intentionally teach character and the child is held accountable to display character on a consistent basis.   It is simply the best program that teaches overall character and discernment that I have come across.  The Character Badges program teaches overall character n the proper biblical context first and awarding rewards second. The program offers charts to track good and poor behavior along with consequences and rewards. 

Character Matters

I will admit to a bias.  I find Caroline Allen a lovely sweet spirit that never fails to think of how her actions reflect on her Savior.  Of course she is not perfect and she would blush at the thought, but her spirit is one that strives to be what God intended her to be for her family.  Sean Allen is a very talented graphic artist who works diligently for his family's eternal future.  The character behind Character Badges encourages me and makes the program that much more authentic.  So to me, the heart that drives the program matters.  I highly recommend this product because I know the work and time that went into this labor of love that began for their children not for profit.  

Teaching Character Matters

Blessed to go to a church that speaks truth and stands firm on the Word of God, I am under teaching and love that overwhelms.  Last Sunday, my pastor gave an impassioned plea for parents to disciple their children.  He emphasized that we only get one shot at it.  In my home, I see that plainly as my oldest is 16 and my youngest is 5.  I see how fast the years go and how easily we can put something off for another day. Once they grow up we will never get the time back to purposefully teach them and train them in the ways of the Lord.

Character Badges is not a discipleship program yet it is one tool to change the atmosphere in your home to intentionally raising children with godly character.  My 16 year old is a lovely girl who stands firm on her convictions but that is by the mercy of God.  I wasted many of those years putting off family prayer and bible time for nothing that could possibly measure up.  I grieve the relationship I may have forged early on had I only taken the time daily to instruct in character and the Lord.  Dare I make the same mistake again?  God did not bless me with raising His beloveds only for me to fail in the basic principle of Christian parenting. What about you?  Do days go by that poor behavior is pushed aside because you are tired?  Do you punish inconsistently or out of frustration because you lack a routine?  Children thrive on routine and believe it or not they are craving to learn how to please.  Teach them how to please you at a young age and they will learn how to please the Lord and move over crave it.

Keep checking back as I will keep you up to date on how the system continues to work in my home. 

Purchase Today!  $9.99 for Character Badges, $5.99 for Little Character Badges or $12.99 for both! Click below to purchase. 

(Yes, this is an affiliate link and I am grateful you are supporting Under the Golden Apple Tree if you chose to use it.)

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Teaching Children to Type with Keyboard Classroom

Keyboard Classroom:  Making Typing Fun and Easy to Learn

Click clack, click, clack, click clack...  The faster it goes the more amazed my children look as I type away. My son remarks, "She doesn't even look at the keyboard when she types!"  My daughter exclaims, "I have seen her type and talk at the same time!"  They were convinced my fingers were filled with magic.  My youngest daughter's eyes grew big as saucers once I revealed I could type 70 words per minute.  What they didn't know was how I learned.

In high school I made the unfortunate or fortunate (could never decide) decision to take typing.  I assumed it would be an easy A and knew typing was a valuable skill.  We sat in the classroom with typewriters in front of us mindlessly hitting the keys until muscle memory developed.  It was long and quite boring.  I remember dreading the time I would spend sitting there moving my finger from one key to the next for what seemed like the entire hour.  While I agree that we had to develop muscle memory and proper finger placement, I disliked the method of learning.  Once I tried to teach my daughter the only way I remembered how and she about died from boredom.  Rather than kill my own kid I shelved the typing lessons until I could find a proper tool to teach.  Enter Keyboard Classroom.  

Keyboard Classroom focuses on proper finger placement and muscle memory to properly instruct a child to learn quickly and efficiently.  What they do not do is bore the child to death while doing it.  The program is designed for children 7 to 12 and the age is spot on for the program.  The program provides finger guides that fit on most keyboards and allow the child to keep her hands in proper placement while she learns.  This is key to learning muscle memory the fastest.  It also avoids unnecessary mistakes which serve to frustrate the child.  

Keyboard Classroom Highlights

• Finger guides which easily install on most keyboards and help maintain proper finger placement. 
• Ranking system motivates children to improve while allowing them to track their progress.
• Reward system allowing the child to earn tokens to play games.  
• A child must pass fluency to a high degree before moving on ensuring true mastery.  
• Affordable
• Can be used with multiple children for one low rate.  
• Easy to install and navigate.  
• Excellent for families with multiple families since it is fun and affordable.  The kids love to learn together and motivate each other to keep moving forward. 

Final Thoughts on Keyboard Classroom

My only complaint is now my children are fully aware my fingers are not filled with pixie dust.  However, it is great seeing them get excited about typing and enjoy challenging me to a typing duel.  I am quite certain if they stick to Keyboard Classroom they will quickly become real competition.  They are already learning at a faster rate than I did;  not to mention having a for more enjoyable time doing it.  I appreciate a solid program that doesn't skimp on quality and fun!

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