preschool at home?

We're busy.  Just like everyone else out there.  I'm gearing up for the start of MOPS, amongst other activities we are involved in.  We're plugging away to prepare our home for the final step in the process of receiving our license to do foster care.  Oh yeah....and we're rasising two active kids.

And for one of those kiddos, we'll be "officially" starting preschool at home in less than two weeks.  I say officially because, really, we've been doing a lot of activities that would fall into "preschool at home"---we're just going to be even more intentional in a few weeks. 



She is humming into the water bottle
while banging the pop bottles together

A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the International MOPS Convention in Dallas, TX.  I left feeling so rejuvenated & so excited to be more purposeful in my time with my children.  The days are looooooooooong, but the years are short.  A mentor mom shared this a few years back when I just had one baby---and I felt in over my head at that point.  "yeah, the days ARE long," I thought to myself.  Now there are two precious kiddos making messes in our home---and I see just how true that is.  Whoa, I have a three year old?





Doing preschool at home really wasn't my first choice, I'll be honest.  Due to a series of events--preschool or Parent's day out options, were just not...options. I found myself in the position of wanting to be really purposeful in my time at home with both my kids, but especially with Lucy.  She has such a curious personality & creative imagination.  I want to help her explore that.  I want to provide opportunities for her to ask questions, figure out her world & develop new skills---all while learning her abc's and 123's.  (which, she already knows...some in spanish... thanks to a spunky little girl with an adorable backpack ;)

picking tomatoes in a
ballet costume

  We are using the "Before Five in a Row" model. Lucy has become such a lover of books---and I want to embrace that and encourage it as MUCH as I can. I love that this isn't a "typical" way to do pre-school...and I love that it's all about laying the foundation for a love of learning. There are so many ideas online to go with each of the books they suggest and it has helped me think outside of the box in terms of other books we read and how to integrate fun activities with them.   I plan to do a lot more hands on activities with her because it suits her style of learning so much better. 

We are setting some goals to help us have some good direction (like, we want to read 50 new books between now and the end of the 2012, we want to officially potty-train, we want to finish the first book in the "Little House" series, etc..we have about 15 on our list for these first few months)

The point is, I'm trying to tap into the way SHE learns. I want it to be FUN. She's three, so if we're not feeling a particular activity that day, we'll move on. And I think the Before Five in a Row---along with lots of other activities and some parks & rec activities, will make for a really fun year of "preschool at home"

 
 
 
 
 
I hope to blog about our journey, but I'm not so good at keeping promises in that department.  we'll see...



shopping at wal-mart

a dog balloon, of course!

We've been testing the potty-training waters for a few months now.  Lucy is a trooper.  When we first tested her for readiness, she did really awesome.  Then I came down sick and the hard work went out the window.  Rinse & repeat circumstances for the subsequent months, only replace the situation with "Jack came down sick", "husband started new job", "daughter developed strong will".

I've never been one to be too concerned about it, honestly.  As my mother in law would say, "she won't go to Kindergarten in diapers."  Anyways, while we have mostly mastered #1, #2 is elusive...it seeems.  We've tried offering every type of reward known...and I do mean EVERYTHING.  Last I checked we were working on earning a princess watch---next thing I knew, she really wanted a "doggy balloon".  Sure, who doesn't?

So, while out shopping with my mom and sister yesterday, an excited little girl got to call me "mommy!  I poo-poo in potty!  Get me doggy balloon?????"  Sure, kid....we've all earned it.

don't tell Lucy, we've told her the balloon says "congrats on going poo-poo in the potty like a big girl!"