How to Use This Book

A CHILD’S GUIDE TO WISDOM

The following recommendations are hereby offered for optimal use of the book:

For The Family

1. Husband and wife or Guardian should make a decision to embrace wisdom as a way of life.
2. Select a principle for each week.
3. Do the following around the dinner table daily:
   1. Repeat the following affirmation:

“We the ___________________ Family hereby affirm that we embrace Wisdom as our way of life.  We will walk in Wisdom, talk with Wisdom, and do all we do with Wisdom as our guide.”

1. In a ‘call and repeat’ manner, quote the principle of the day three times. Dad should lead on the first day, Mom the second day and the children in turn on the remaining days if they can.  The rotation should continue throughout the week.  That means that the whole family will hear the principle 42 times in a week.  By the end of the week, everyone will know the principle from memory.
2. Parents can clarify the principles with examples.
3. Ask children which principles they applied during the day.

For the Parent or Guardian

1. During story time, repeat the principle of the week three more times through the ‘call and repeat’ method. This means the children will have heard the principle 42 times in addition to the dinner time repetitions.

2. As you watch television together, point out principles at work, and quiz your children about principles at work or principles violated in the television shows.
3. As you drive the children around in your car, ask them to define the current as well as previous principles.
4. As you see the principles at work or violated in life, point them out.
5. As the children quote the principles from memory, initial each number in the 1 to 21 sequence on the page of the principle in the book.  You may set in place a reward system by agreeing to compensate the child in an agreed upon amount (a nickel, a dime, etc.), and have them put the payment in a “Wisdom Piggy Bank”.
6. Use money from the “Wisdom Piggy Bank” from time-to-time to buy the child goodies. In this way, the child can see the correlation between wisdom, money, and goodies.
7. When the child has quoted the principle 21 times from memory, download the certificate for the principle from achildsguidetowisdom.net onto certificate stationery, and place it in a separate binder, or on a designated “Wall of Wisdom” in your home. Also, sign the certification at the bottom of the page and give the child a bonus, if appropriate.
8. In lieu of allowance, or when the child asks for money, have the child quote principles in order to earn the money they are requesting.

This works for teenagers as well.

For Grandparents

This is the least expensive way to leave a lasting legacy for future generations.  Leave them the Gift of Wisdom.  Since it is the prerogative of grandparents to spoil their grandchildren, I recommend that you make wisdom a basis for spoiling them.

1. If the parents of the children are implementing the program, the grandparents may re-enforce the teachings by compensating the grandchildren based on the child’s scores given by the parents.  For example, if the parent gives the child a dime for each principle quoted from memory, the grandparents can give them the same amount, or a different amount based on the number of times the child has quoted the principles to their parents.
2. Before you spoil them with any material or monetary gifts, have them quote principles to you. (Since you are going to give them the money anyway, why not use it to motivate them to learn wisdom!)
3. Give them a bonus whenever their parents give them a bonus for quoting the principle 21 times.
4. If the parents are not involved, get a book for each child and follow the directions in the “For the Parent or Guardian” section of these instructions.

For The School or Classroom

A Child’s Guide to Wisdom can be used as a character-building tool in any school or classroom, and will serve as a value-added element for daily instruction.  Embracing wisdom as a way of life in the school can result in well-rounded students, thus elevating the standards of the school, and commanding higher tuition.  Here are some suggestions:

1. Include the following affirmation in the school’s or classroom’s daily ritual:

“We, the students of _______________ School, hereby affirm that we embrace Wisdom as our way of life.  We will walk in Wisdom, talk with Wisdom, and do all we do with Wisdom as our guide.”

2. Have the parents purchase a book for each child, so that they can monitor the child’s progress and compensate them. For this, follow the steps in the “For the Parent or Guardian” section of these instructions.
3. Select a principle of the week.
4. Select a time of the day when the principle will be taught.
5. During the specific time, repeat the principle 5 times through call and repeat. (This means the students will hear the principle 10 times a day, 5 days a week.  By the end of the week, they will know the principle from memory.)
6. Have discussion and instruction on the principle of the week.
7. Quiz the students for prior weeks’ principles, and give “On The Spot” awards.
8. Have contests using the principles.
9. Designate a wall in the school or classroom as the “Wall of Wisdom”
10. Issue certificates when the student masters the principles; and display the certificates on the “Wall of Wisdom”.

The point of the whole process is to plant and water the seeds of wisdom in the mind of the child, and allow the child to grow into the knowledge and awareness of wisdom as he or she matures.  The wisest man in the world–King Solomon–said this about Wisdom:

⁸ Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
⁹ She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.”

                       — Proverbs 4:8-9