Month: September 2024

Hello, friends. Certainly I have mentioned the two little girls I have started watching, Little Miss – who is a precocious two and a half years old; & Honey (or Ma Petit Rouge), who is 5 months old now. Both girls are well developed & are bursting at their norms, so I have started pre-pre-K with Little Miss this week. This has brought up a number of questions like, “When should you start school?”; “What type of schools is right for my child?”; & “What is Montessori?” — all of which will take a series, so this is part one, focusing on the ‘when’.

When is a good time to start school? Well, first we must identify what you mean by school. If you’re sending your child(ren) to public school, you can start Early Learning, Head Start (if there’s one in your area) once they’re potty trained. Pre-K begins at four/five years old depending on your child’s ability & your preference; and Kindergarten begins the following year.

But what if you’re homeschooling, or wanting to begin a pre-pre-k program at home? Well, again, it depends on your kid(s). If you find that they’re bored of their toys, tired of your songs, favourite tv shows, or begin misbehaving or acting out, then it’s time for school of some sort. Littles need their brain engaged, focusing, but certainly not all day. Beginning with a 30 min morning focused on a craft of some kind is a great way to engage their minds, hands, & fingers.

Little Miss will be 3 in April. At this point I have discovered that one letter a week will take too long & isn’t as engaging as a few letters a week & utilizing different cycles (alphabetical order the first time, similar phonetic sounds the second cycle, letters that look the same, often used words, etc.). We continue with one colour a week, utilizing different themes each day (i.e. foods of similar colour, clothes, animals, etc.). We are focusing on the number 5 & may expand to include other numbers that have a 5; I’ll let you know how that goes.

Next week we will be adding site words, or popcorn words; I’m certain there are many variations on the term. We always begin with the ABC’s & have several songs that touch on all three phases we are focusing on, our letters, colour, & number; soon we will add a shape & specific animal each day. The idea is to build upon a strong foundation, which begins with you as the parent or care giver. When your child(ren) begin school is up to you, but it’s also your job to reinforce learning at home, and to offer them the best opportunities to engage their minds & bodies.

That’s our morning! Once we’ve accomplished all of that (usually with several coloring sheets & a craft along with videos) we have wiggle time right before lunch. After lunch Little Miss plays for a bit then has personal iPad time for about 15 minutes. We lay down for a nap at noon. My policy is, “You don’t have to sleep, but you do have to rest.” Usually if I can get her to slow down long enough & be still she will fall asleep without much complaint. Little Miss is also rewarded with a Dum Dum if she takes a nap.

Once everyone is up & around we go outside or have dance time inside. The afternoon is spent singing songs, watching her favourite tv shows, & playing games. We have been writing the letters with our finger on a toy or in the air & will begin with a white board in a couple weeks. It’s during this time I am also working with Honey completing her physical & developmental therapy.

The most important thing is routine. If you haven’t learned this already as a parent or caregiver, please let me reinforce: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS ROUTINE. Littles don’t have much control over their lives. One thing that keeps them calm on the inside is knowing what will happen next. If you create & then keep a routine that is good for you & the kid(s), you will find that your life runs much more smoothly & there are fewer meltdowns with your little ones. (Meltdowns will not completely disappear, their little bodies are just full of hormones rushing this way & that). A routine will help them be prepared for what’s next.

Which reminds me, Little Miss enjoys a time warning about different events. I will let her know, “It’s 15 minutes until lunch” or “We have 10 minutes until nap time.” Some kids feel more control over their environment when they know the order of things.

With that I will wish you all the best. Please leave a comment 🤓 if you’ve made it this far// let me know how you’re going about pre-pre-K, about your routine, or your child’s favourite part of the day.

🗣️ Talk Soon,
Cecelia 🫶🏻🌊💙