Yes, that's right, my little girl is off to pre-k for the very first time! A lot of you remember my post last year about opting out of preschool. I made the conscious decision last year not to send Abby to a traditional preschool, but instead to homeschool her myself. We had a wonderful, flexible, fun year.
We learned all kinds of things at home last year. We worked on learning the days of the week with a simple calendar from the school supply store. We practiced motor skill development by cutting out shapes from construction paper to "decorate" the house. Abby learned to write her name by practicing writing "letters" to her friends and sending them in the mail. And the best part (at least for me anyway!) was that it didn't feel like "school."
I'll be honest, I didn't set a "schedule" and we didn't purposely work on a skill every day. But we did read a lot, and had a lot of fun playing together. And in the end, I think it was the absolute best decision I could have made.
And I would have made the same decision this year as well. In fact, I was fully planning on keeping her home with me again this year.
But then...
Life happened.
My husband got a new job. We moved almost 2 hours away. I don't know anyone here. And neither does Abby. She misses her old friends from the neighborhood, and church, and dance class. We miss our community.
So I was faced with a totally new situation this year.
I'll admit, I felt a little pressure to homeschool her again. Mostly because I felt like other parents would ask me, "Wait a minute, I thought you were all about keeping her at home? Did you change your mind?"
And, well, I suppose, yes, this year I did change my mind. There were a lot of factors to consider. Putting Abby in a traditional preschool program meant that she would have instant friends. It also meant I would meet some moms in the area. And it would provide a much needed structure to our life that has been in upheaval for the past three months.
One huge (and wonderful) surprise is that preschool here costs HALF of what it did in our old neighborhood. So I can (almost) afford it. It is still a stretch, but one that I am able to make this year, unlike last year.
And I suppose my change of heart this year is part of the beauty of parenting. You do what works for your child, in your circumstances, one day, month, year at a time.
I still see a lot of value in doing homeschool preschool. And it is very likely I will do that for at least a year with my son. But the program I chose for Abby is pretty darn wonderful, and the teachers clearly share my learning philosophy. As they put it, they "sneak in learning" while the kids play. They might learn about the letter A, and magically the classroom is filled with all kinds of apples for the kids to play with. And they might put out a scale next to the apples, and as the kids play with it, they might ask them to think through what object is going to make the scale go up or down, and why. No pressure, just play. Because children learn best through playing.
I have actually gotten a lot of questions about changing my plans for this year. But, surprisingly enough, no one has judged me for it like I feared. Instead, every single parent has said, "It sounds like you are doing exactly what Abby needs this year."
Yes, that's what it's about. Doing what my child needs when she needs it.
May you be encouraged this year to follow your parent gut. No one knows your child like you do. And no "philosophy" is more important than your child and his or her needs. So be brave. Whether that means making an unpopular decision, changing your mind, or going against the grain, I am cheering you on.
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