We did not start preschool for Solomon until he was 4 years old and he got to go to the most magical preschool ever- Opal Preschool. And now Cyrus will be going there next school year- Yay! And we are hoping to get Solomon into the Opal Charter elementary school which is done by lottery- the luck of the draw- and the lottery opens March 1st and ends March 31st and it takes about a month or so to get the results...
After Cyrus was helping me drop off and pick up Solomon to and from Opal Preschool last year starting Sept- by January Cyrus was asking to go to preschool too. I can understand why since it is such a magical place. Dan and I debated whether or not Cyrus should start preschool at 3 years of age [seems so young] and in the end Dan thought that schooling is great and I thought I could get things done. So Cyrus went to our local church for their afternoon preschool and well loves it. When Solomon switched from a full day kindergarten program to a morning only kindergarten program- we put him into the afternoon preschool [muti age program] and then a combination of things happened:
I was sick Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, and quite a few weekends as well that I began to miss my kids. Some of it had to be all the work dropping off and picking up and lunch in a hurry and I wasn't finding myself getting anything more done than when they are with me.
Dan is going to be gone for 4 months during the week and it was originally going to start January, February then beginning of March and now it is March 31st [so April] that he starts his training and being gone from home so much- which was a big reason for having them in preschool.
So I decided to take them out of preschool- Cyrus just had his parent/teacher talk about him and Cyrus has recovered quite magnificently from his early social troubles to a flourishing, sociable, great little boy that he is now. He has the skills you would want to see in a 3 year old. Solomon gets these great homework packets from school that we can review and I can expand in his knowledge when with me.
Also I have survived- actually I believe I thrived and the kids did too when Dan was deployed. It was completely weird and awkward the first time I went and got my haircut by myself! I had gotten a great system down of having my kids going with me everywhere when Dan was deployed that it is no big deal to have them come with me to my dental appointment- [although I will admit that the portable dvd player will come in handy]!
It got me thinking: "Why do we start our kids in preschool at age 3?" I do mean this question for those parents in similar situation like myself, where one parent one stays home... I do understand that our children have higher than ever expectations of performing when in Kindergarten and beyond. My children have learned to listen to other adults: in their recreational classes, babysitters, grandparents, neighbors, Sunday school teachers, and my favorite is the librarian! When the kids ask me a question like "Why is the sky blue?" [After reading my particular favorite Calvin & Hobbes story on this exact same question] We go to the library and the kids have the opportunity to learn how to learn- ask the question to the librarian and she can look it up on the computer and show them books that have the answer in them along with stories about the sky- how birds fly in the sky, what color does sky blue and yellow sun makes, etc- the learning never stops and to be a witness of a child learning- Wow! Not that I could be a teacher- kudos for those who do, but such a miracle to watch the world is unwrapped layer by layer through a child's inquisition.
Valentine's Day Party was their last day... I have loved spending time with my boys, having my days less hurried, and still doing what I need to get done which reminds me- the laundry needs to be changed over to the dryer...
At first the kids were sad to leave preschool which is fun and an opportunity to interact with their friends but they are looking forward to a recreational class, going to OMSI and the park more often. Baking cookies with mom anSitting together and playing knights in our castles- siege the moment!
