A Month of Preschool

          Okay, it has not been a month since we started preschool, but we have completed a month of lessons.  I wanted to get ahead a little before the new baby sister arrives.  But, also Alex has been so excited about doing home school and has asked to do the lessons everyday, even Sunday.  On Sunday, I gave him a coloring book about the miracles of Jesus, but he wanted a full lesson, because he is not very interested in coloring.  So we have bought some extra books about liturgy and catechism.  I have not been impressed by the Catholic portion of our curriculum, therefore I have supplemented.  It displeasing to have to buy extra materials even though I went out of my way to purchase a Catholic curriculum. 

          We have enjoyed the preschool lessons and activities.  I have tried to continue to build on past skills.  Below are some examples of our work.  Usually with the projects I will work on one half of the pictures and Alex will work on the other half, because otherwise Alex gets intimidated to complete the entire project.  Sometimes if it involves scissors, markers or glitter glue Alex will insist on doing it himself.  He also loves painting, but he always turns whatever he painted into a brown mess at the end.  See example B, in which he carefully painted himself, his family and God and then painted over his picture.

          Alex and I have enjoyed this time together.  Lots of people have asked me how home school is going.  I think schooling your own children is really foreign to most people.  It is going really well.  People have asked me if it is something I would like to continue.  Yes, for now.  We are still in a trial stage.  We have not really hit any road blocks.  I have no idea what it will be like when we have a really needy newborn in the house.  For now, we do our lessons while Kristiana naps.  Alex has lunch and then we work.  But, sometimes he seems a little tired too.  I am hoping by the time she is old enough to give up her nap that she will be better about participating in the lessons.

          Honestly, having something prepared to do with Alex during the quiet afternoon hours is so much better than him trying to entertain himself 30 minutes and then 30 minutes of him following me around trying to get my attention and then 30 minutes of destructor mode.  Now we have approximately 1 hour 30 minutes of school and then he plays, reads, or puts a puzzle together.  He is so much more engaged that he thinks of better things to do with his time after school than he normally does when he does not work on lessons. 

However, I am convinced home school is a beautiful, blessed thing if you can make it work for your family.

My favorite project because of the subject.