Pre-School

What to do????  There are SOO many choices out there!  Hundreds of preschools to choose from, commercial ones, friends that run one, co-op groups - of all sorts and varieties from Joy School to Brite Music to a good Pre-school book from a local store.  I've been looking at the options for over a year, last year we were able to try a joy school group for 1 month after one of the mothers moved out of the area.  I was really excited for it, it is a great program, but it just didn't fit us.  I'm glad my 4 1/2 yr old isn't starting Kindergarten this year, as his B-day is after cut off dates, so that gave me another year to decide what to do for pre-school.  After MUCH deliberation, thought, prayer, researching, and visiting great pre-schools and co-op opportunities... we have decided to do our children's pre-school at home.

Why?  A multitude of reasons but what they all boil down to is it is what we feel is best for our children.

How?  - Well, good thing I had the inspiration to start this blog!  Now I have a place to put down all my ideas, thoughts, and the things that I find along the way to do.  So the how will likely work itself out line upon line, day upon day.  I'll do my best; learn, search, teach, discover, and enjoy, and then trust the rest.

When? - One day at a time, finding and creating the teaching moments.

First Week

I think that to start I'm going to make one goal a week and work towards that goal. It seems to me that without good daily habits in place to allow for the openings of time in which to teach, it would be difficult to slow down from the daily race of getting things done to focus on teaching the children. And unfortunately I have lots of good habits to re-introduce into our daily lives. It seems that with the busyness that came into our lives with having four babies in four years, along with the times that I was restricted in activity through pregnancies, bed-rest, and nursing babies, we fell into the bad habits of crisis living or in other words survival living. Just doing the things that were most important to survival and missing out on a lot of the normal things that bring stability and spontaneity and joy into life. Don't get me wrong we find the greatest joy and love together and in our children, but we seemed to live day-to-day "putting out the biggest fire first". Things are settling down (at least it seems that way) or maybe I'm just finally realizing everything that needs to be put in it's place so that we can have a stable day-to-day life and be emotionally, physically, and mentally in the right places to teach, help, and show greater love to these wonderful little boys each day of their lives.

Goal #1: Reading time - 15 mins a day (It usually ends up being more, but it helps if I say 15 mins.) After each Goal post - I will come back and amend the post each day and report how things have gone. Since I didn't write this post until Thursday... I'll go back and re-cap on the week to date.

Monday - We went to story time at the library today. Then picked out a slew of new books to bring home, most from the early readers section so that I can start working with Alex on reading. After naps we read a handful of them.

Tuesday - Well it is actually Thursday and I'm not really remembering what we did on Tuesday. I know that I went to a Town meeting, and when I came home Daddy had made the boys an awesome couch fort! They had been reading in there with him, so that will be today's reading.

Wednesday - We sat down to read to the boys. At first they wanted to go outside, or watch a movie, or color. But I sat down and started reading and they joined in. We read from McGuffey's Eclectic Primer, Alex read some words all by himself. Michael and Matthew were thrilled to find "my name" (or be able to identify the first letter of their names) in the book. Then we read 2 articles out of The Friend. And some fun poems from a library book.

Thursday - Well today was a long day, we did a lot. Spent the morning trying to get ready for the park... almost didn't make it. Stayed at the Park until nap time. Got naps, up and back at the normals of diaper changes, dinner, and then headed out to the store. Stopped at Daddy's office to see him (he's working late tonight). And got home and ready for bed... and it's 9pm. So we read one quick story and tucked into bed... 15 mins of reading didn't happen today. Good thing other days are usually more!

Friday - Today (and yesterday) I'm just in one of those moods. I don't know why, maybe it's because our house is a disaster and I don't even know where to start and just feel so overwhelmed. Most likely... and I have all these "projects" that I wish I could be working on, but feel like I can't because I haven't gotten my 'work' done first. Hmm... the joys of responsibility. Maybe it'll get me going again if I write it out... the morning was really pretty good. I got up a little before 6am (Thank you to my dear husband's help), quickly got ready for the day, fed Andrew, and was out the door by 6:45am, on my way to Grandpa's (alone!) to pick raspberries. I wasn't 3 mins away and I got pulled over! I thought I was out of the 25 mph zone... but obviously not! It must be my lucky day, he didn't cite me (and I've been told the police in our new town will usually cite if your going 5 over... I was doing 10.) Got to Grandpa's and an hour later (Thank You to Grandpa's help!) had a huge bowl and part of a smaller bowl full. Home by 8:30am so Daddy could head to work. Washed and put up half the raspberries, went out back with the boys and attacked our overgrown garden again... note to self, next year PLANT when you rotatille, once the weeds come back in it's 10 times harder and longer! Planted some carrots. Came in got lunch, made some sourdough english muffins from scratch! They are SO good! Reading time with the boys, we read 4-5 library books. Put boys down, and now... I just want to vegg... but oh, my house is ridiculously cluttered. I am wishing I was the 'Genie' or had one in a lamp somewhere!

Beginnings

I am someone who likes to be busy, I love having things to do and projects to accomplish, and apparently I'm not the only one who knows this! We have been blessed with 4 beautiful little boys in 4 yrs. As of today they are a 4 1/2yr old, two - 2 1/2 yr olds, and 7 months old. My life is full of; joy, tears, smiles, laughs, sillies, questions, noise, energy (though at times not enough in me as around me!), and most important love! I wouldn't have it any other way!! Though I must admit that at times I miss some of the things that I used to do, and keep wishing that I could accomplish some of the projects that are making the "back-burner" full! I think that Heavenly Father knew that I'd try to make my life full one way or another, and that this was the best way.

Along those lines lately I've been searching to 'find' something 'more' to do. And as I pondered and thought and looked and prayed I finally found my answer, right in front of me. My purpose in life is not to do all the things that I dream up in my head (I'm quite a dreamer/entrepreneur in my mind... I just don't have the time in real life to do all the things I think and dream about.) It IS however to be a Wife, Mother, and a Teacher to the dear Children who I have been so very blessed to be the Mother of! I read a great quote the other day about how we measure our success, and it caused me to think about what I measure my success by. And what success means to me. It is my children! Who they are and become reflects upon what we teach them. The thought that I keep coming back to is to work and strive to "Teach The Children" that I love so.

I have always thought it helpful to have a person or place to account to on progress of a pursuit, as this is one which I want to do my very best on, I decided it would be wise to create a place to put the things I learn, resources I find, and the things we do along this wonderful journey of "Teaching the Children".  It is for my own personal reference more than anything, but if you have found your way here and want to read along your welcome to join us.  I hope that maybe something we find or do will help you on your own journey to "Teach The Children".