Mommy Monday - Preschool

Kahlen and I have been doing preschool for almost a year! We started at Easter 2009, and have only skipped a few weeks (mostly right after Nate was born). It's amazing to look at all the fun stuff we've created and played with. Even more amazing is how much she's learned and grown since then.

Why? Why am I starting schooling so early? To be quite honest, it's so that I have something to do with Kahlen during the week and we don't get on each other's nerves so much. It's a challenge to keep my busy three-year-old entertained and engaged. It's taught her as much about obeying mom and listening to instruction as it has about the subject matter we've covered. On the days we do school, it's much easier to get her to listen to other things I instruct her in as well. The whole thing about quality time, ya know?

When we started, it was a co-op of five moms making and exchanging kits every six weeks. We used the book, Kitchen-Table Play and Learn after a recommendation from some other mommy friends. Due to various circumstances, we're now down to just two mommies and their preschoolers. We're just about done with the book, so I've started using some curriculum from Hubbard's Cupboard which has been amazing! This website is chalk full of great ideas and curriculum all the way up to Kindergarten, I highly recommend it!

This last year has reaffirmed for me that I plan on homeschooling my children. I have always believed that I would, being homeschooled myself all the way to college, but the reality can sometimes be different. In this case, it's not. I still feel that God has called me personally to school my children at home. I know that it's not for everyone, and that's okay too, that's why we have some great private and public schools.


Now to extend an invitation. I am looking for another mom or two that would be interested in jumping in with us. Our kids are both three, so your child would have to be about the same age. It would entail swapping kits on a specific topic, which I will provide, once a month. You will make three (or four) kits that are exactly the same. The kit includes everything you need to complete the activities for that unit, except for basics like crayons, etc. In a typical month, I spend about $10-$15 on supplies for the kits, less now that I have a bunch of the supplies at home already. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about the process, and I'd love for you to join me! We're already parenting, let's step it up and teach them too!


I'm excited to see what the next year of learning brings for Kahlen and I. This last year of school has been such a blast!

~S



Here are a couple of our finished projects from the last year: