Choosing A Preschool

Because of different situations, we are changing my sons preschool this coming week. It was a decision we were considering, but have now thought it would be best for him for a few different reasons. We loved his teacher at the school he attended, a church based school, but did not like that he was having to lay down every day for over 2 hours. He does not nap (maybe once a month) and so my husband and I felt he was wasting time- not to mention causing problems because he did not want to lay still for so long. We arranged for my sister to start picking him up each day with her 4 year old so they could play together. Then my husband started reading about the Montessori method. He felt that our son would definitely thrive in that type of environment, but in our rural area, there are only so many choices, only one in our town being Montessori. Because of a series of events this week, my niece is changing to that school and now my son will go with her. It was hard to move away from my church school with a Christian education, but I think the benefit of Montessori along with afternoons without lying still for 2 hours will help my son. Not to mention, our state offers a free preschool program at this school, so I will not be paying for the school time at all. That will be a large savings, but that was not the main piece of the decision process.

Choosing a preschool is a hard decision. The different type of environments, teaching styles, and teaching methods make it difficult to understand the implications of sending a child to one or the other. I am praying that this is the right choice and my son will do well in his new location.

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Let Your Child Paint!

Painting scares parents. It is messy for the child, the parent, and the table. But with the amazing washable paints, you can let your child paint. Painting is a great tool for children to express themselves. As they develop fine motor skills using the paint brush, they are also developing creativity and self expression. You can give your child a task to paint ("Let's paint a rainbow.") and see what they create or give them the brush and let them go. Don't forget finger paints too- messier, but more fun for the child. Not to mention, some children have to be taught it is okay to be messy! Water colors are safe alternatives, but do require a brush, which is a different type of experience than finger painting. Whatever you choose, don't direct and instruct. Children will produce what they are capable developmentally. And if you stifle that self expression now by wanting perfect paintings, you may stifle it forever!

Two homemade alternatives to purchasing paint:
For finger paint, mix chocolate pudding with only 1/2 the amount of milk to make a finger paint type consistency. Add milk to get it to the right texture. Use finger paint paper to glide easier. This is safe for them to eat too!
Make ice paints with ice cube trays, food coloring, and water. Fill ice cube tray with water, add 3-5 drops of food coloring to each section. It has to be dark to transfer well. Mix two colors together for different colors. Allow to freeze half way and add in a tooth pick. Freeze until solid. Using on any type of paper or the sidewalk or bath (may stain the grout, so test it first).

Have fun!

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