preschool Archives - Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau

Aug 15 2017

Florida field trips your homeschoolers will love!

Ready to hit the road? Remember you were saying you wanted to do more field trips this year?

When it comes to Florida field trips, I’ve got you covered. You’ll definitely want to hold on to this list…maybe print it and store it in the car?

The more I search, the more incredible Florida field trips I stumble upon every year. With a day off and a tank full of gas, there are literally thousands of destinations in the Sunshine State you can share with your family, too!

What I love about field trips is you can correlate them with your studies. But, what I love even more is that it’s okay to just drop everything and have fun on field trips, too! You don’t have to prepare or do follow-up learning unless you want to. For the best experience, just let field trips stand alone, allowing yourselves the pleasure of days off from lessons without the pressure to do anything more.

The List

It wasn’t easy, but I’ve identified some of the best field trips in the state. These are those can’t-miss destinations you’ll definitely want to mark on your calendar!

My criteria was simple — these field trips check all the boxes. But, if these choices aren’t your cup of tea, I’ve got an entire 40-page directory of Florida field trips you can check out instead!

The Florida Museum of Natural History (Gainesville) is an incredible field trip for every member of the family. You can learn about the flora, fauna, fossils, history and people of native Florida, while enjoying amazing displays and interactive exhibits. My favorite exhibit at the museum is the Butterfly Rainforest, where hundreds of butterflies fly free as you walk along a winding path, thru lush landscaping, enjoying waterfalls, flowers and other small animals who call the rainforest home. With Gainesville also the home of the University of Florida, there are lots of great eateries and other fun places to explore in this area, too. Make a day of it, and explore everything Gainesville has to offer.

A visit to WonderWorks (Panama City Beach or Orlando) is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. Think of WonderWorks as an amusement park slash arcade slash science center, where people of all ages spend hours creating, imagining, and simulating using hundreds of hands-on interactive exhibits organized in zones throughout the facility. From the moment you walk through the inversion tunnel, you’ll know you’re in for something truly different. Experience natural disasters firsthand, perform physical challenges, feel what it’s like in outer space, and much more. Hundreds of centers make this a full day activity. Schedule larger groups in advance if you want to explore it with friends.

The Cummer Museum (Jacksonville) is another of my favorite places to visit in the Sunshine State. The Cummer appeals to art enthusiasts, obviously, with its world-class display of over 5,000 pieces dating from 2100 B.C. to the present day. But, the Cummer also has several outdoor acres of stunning historic gardens for strolling, gazing and contemplation. If that isn’t enough, there’s also a large interactive center for creating, touching and listening. If membership interests you, joining the Cummer will also get you in to another 150 other museums throughout the country. Bring a camera and plan to spend at least half the day at this destination. Remember to budget time to visit the trendy cafe and check out the curiosities in gift shop, too.

If you think Disney Springs (Orlando) is nothing more than trendy restaurants and overpriced shopping, think again. While there is no shortage of expensive eateries and designer brand names, the real surprise of Disney Springs comes from discovering all the family-friendly areas and attractions peppered throughout this expansive, newly renovated mall. As a portal to all things Disney Orlando, Disney Springs is a great way to sample Disney and get introduced to Disney on your own terms, with or without passes to the theme parks. At Disney Springs, you can visit family friendly spaces like the carousel, the LEGO store, the splash pad, and enjoy outdoor entertainment pretty much all day, too. Because transportation from all the resorts converge at Disney Springs, if you happen to be staying anywhere at Disney, you’ll avoid navigating the parking facilities and save a whole lot of walking that way, too.

The St. Augustine Visitor’s Center (St. Augustine) is both the launching pad to the rest of the Old City, and a a destination in it’s own right. As the hub of activity in the center of historic St. Augustine, and the area’s largest parking garage, the Visitor’s Center itself also houses varied exhibits of local and historical importance throughout the year. Located just across the famous Castillo de San Marcos (a standing masonry fort), next to a huge public playground (SWING Park) and surrounded by hundreds of attractions of historic and educational significance, the Visitor’s Center is the best place for homeschoolers to start their visit of historic St. Augustine. Check the docket of daily activities, collect as many maps and brochures as you need, and speak to one of the knowledgeable representatives at the Visitor’s Center before setting off for an exciting day of fun and learning around the Old City.

One of Florida’s best kept secrets yet most phenomenal experiences is the guided tour of the robot factory at Sally Corporation (Jacksonville). Sally Corp is a 40,000 sq. ft. facility dedicated to designing, engineering and manufacturing “animatronic” figures for theme parks and attractions like Six Flags and Nickelodeon. Tours take audiences through real life ride simulations and explain the inner workings of their real-life humans, animals and fictional characters. Small groups (reserve in advance) are able to view projects currently in progress as well as participate in interactive games and programs on the factory floor. There is something for everyone at Sally Corporation, and best yet, tours are absolutely free.

A visit to Everglades National Park (Homestead) should be on every Florida family’s list of destinations, perhaps every few years for how much this park has to offer. A visit to the Everglades allows exploring a vast diversity of flora and fauna in many different eco-systems, including freshwater sloughs, wet prairies, tropical hammocks (habitats), coastal lowlands, marine, estuarine, and more. Visitors are exposed to the history of the peoples, conservation, scientific research, and more. It’s important to plan this visit wisely, as it changes with the seasons and covers so much ground. The web site is a great source to start planning, and it contains lesson plans to help explain and/or extend the learning, too.

Driving down the coast toward the Marine Science Center (Ponce Inlet) is a treat in itself. Upon arriving at the Marine Science Center, you’ll be able to choose from different several areas to begin your tour of the area. The turtle rehabilitation area is where sea turtles are cared for to be later released back to the ocean. In the sea bird area, you can view previously injured birds as they recover before being set free, or meet some of the permanent ambassadors who call the center home. The indoor area consists of viewing exhibits, touch and feel centers like a 14,000 gallon stingray pool, other specimens, and a gift shop with someone for everyone. Nature trails surround the park plus the Center is also within walking distance of Lighthouse Park where your family can enjoy a breathtaking view of the lighthouse while sampling the sand and views along the shoreline.

It’s hard to beat a day at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (Clearwater). With so much to see and do, you’ll want to plan a full day to take in all the activities and exhibits, including otters, nurse sharks, sea turtles, and any temporary residents who live there while awaiting new homes. The aquarium also houses a surgical center, where visitors may get the chance to witness life saving procedures being performed on injured animals. Can’t-miss exhibits at the aquarium include the homes of Winter, the Dolphin from the film “Dolphin Tale”, and Hope, a rescued dolphin who was unfit to return to the wild, but is now flourishing at the center. Boat adventures, close up encounters and behind-the-scenes tours are also available.

Nothing says ‘Florida’ like the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (Titusville). You’ll learn the history of space exploration and hear of modern-day expeditions up close and personal. With so much to do at Kennedy Space Center, I recommend looking at the sample itineraries before deciding how to plan your day. From guided tours to bus tours to personal experiences and even an IMAX, there’s a lot to take in on this field trip. If traveling in the summer, keep an eye on the weather, too, because exhibits may close when skies are particularly stormy.

Check out this awesome list of Florida field trips!

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What I love about this list

What I love about this list is these destinations are great for the whole family. You’ll never have to worry about boredom (yours) or eye-rolling (your teens), since these are great for all ages.

For the largest state-wide field trip directory in Florida, check out my latest book, The Ultimate Guide to Florida Homeschooling. It contains another 40 pages of Florida field trips just waiting for you and your family to discover.

Know somebody traveling to Florida? SHARE this with them, too!

Happy travels!

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever. A writer, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, The Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool Network, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT,Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Sep 06 2016

Gooze, Gak, Slime & More: Recipes for fun & learning

Whipping stuff up in the kitchen is one of the fun parts of learning at home. Did you realize you can make a lot of gooey, slimy, doughy things using ingredients from the pantry? Not to mention knowing exactly what’s in the toys your kids are playing with. Let’s not forget saving a ton of money, too.

We’ve been homeschooling a long time, so our family has tested lots of recipes over the years. Some were really successful, but others were a huge waste of time. Though I tried to turn the failures into lessons, it was definitely more fun when recipes turned out right! I saved all the recipes we loved, so now I’m going to share them all with you.

Here’s a list of our family’s favorite recipes for sticky, icky, moldable, mashable concoctions. These recipes have all been tested in my kitchen, so I know all of them actually work. With a few exceptions, you’ll probably have most of these ingredients on hand already, plus they’re mostly non-toxic, too (but please check before giving them to your kids).

DIY recipes for play dough, colored rice, scented sand, and more:

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Recipes for Fun & Learning

Cloud Dough

This dough is white and powdery, yet smooth and glossy too. It can be molded into balls and other shapes using your hands. You can also use small containers or plastic molds to make fun shapes.

In a large bowl, mix together:

4-6 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup olive oil (optional: use scented or unscented baby oil instead)
Store in airtight container. Lasts up to several months.

Snow Dough

This resembles artificial snow. It’s fun to play with, plus it can be used to create snow scenes for winter crafts.

In a bowl, mix together:

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup olive oil
Store in an airtight container. Lasts up to several months.

Sparkly Cloud Dough or Sparkly Snow Dough

Follow base recipes above, but add a generous amount of your favorite color glitter. Use up to an entire container of glitter per recipe.

Watercolor Paints

Fill several small glass jars (with lids) with about 1″ of water, then set aside (wide mouth jars work best for this). Locate old or dried markers your kids no longer use. Uncover the markers (discard tops) and sort them according to color (blues, reds, greens, etc.) Aim for at least 4 markers per color group. Insert markers into jars by color group, tip down, so that marker tips are under water. Let jars sit several hours until the water in each jar turns a deep color. Remove markers and discard. Cover jars and shake lightly. Dip brushes directly into jars and use paint as desired.

Play Dough (similar to the one you can buy in the stores)

In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable or other oil
Several drops food coloring
Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until a ball forms. Remove from heat and turn dough onto a floured surface. Allow to cool before kneading into a soft dough. Dough can be molded and left to dry. It can also be reused again and again. Refrigerate unused portions in zip bags.

Scented Play Dough

Follow base recipe, above, adding any of the following scents and colors:

Small amounts of dry drink mixes ( like Kool Aid or Crystal Light)
Scented tea leaves
Dry spices, like ginger, cinnamon or allspice
Essential oils
Food extracts, like vanilla, mint or almond
Crunched up bits of candy, such as peppermint sticks
Use several drops of food coloring to “match” each scent.

Sparkly Snow Play Dough

This is a cross between snow dough and play dough.

In a large bowl or plastic container, mix together:

1 cup salt
2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
an entire container of white glitter (silver works well, too)

Green Slime or Flubber

In one bowl, mix:

1.5 cups clear glue thinned with 2-3 tablespoons of water

In another bowl, mix:

green food coloring for slime / blue for Flubber
2 cups water
4 Tablespoons borax
Slowly drizzle borax mixture into glue bowl. Mix as you go. Once it has reached the desired consistency (a gooey, green ball) stop! Use only as much of the borax mixture needed to obtain the kind of slime you like.

Store in airtight container.

Make your own fun dough! Tons of different recipes here:

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Oobleck or Gak

In a large bowl or a shallow pan with sides (you choose — the experience is different), mix together:

1 part water
1.5 – 2 parts corn starch
Several drops food coloring (optional)
The proportions on this one are flexible. Make a little, or make a lot. Mix it as you go. Enjoy the mixing process — ask your students to mix with their hands. Is this a water or a solid? Try to pick it up!

Store in airtight container. This mixture doesn’t last very long — enjoy it while you can.

Soap Overflow

Place an unwrapped bar of Ivory soap in a dish. Heat in a microwave on full power for up to several minutes. Watch it carefully! It will begin to soften, then puff up, grow tremendously in size, and then overflow out of the bowl. Check the inside temperature before giving it to children. This mixture can be molded and played with for hours before you’ll end up throwing it away Or, you can dilute it and wash your car (dishes, pets, or floors?) with the solution!

Finger Paints

Non-toxic finger paints can be made either (1) by mixing corn syrup with powder paints or (2) by mixing corn syrup with drops of food coloring. Use muffin tins, empty yogurt cups or small jars for each color paint. Children can paint with their fingers or use brushes. This paint never really dries – it remains shiny and sticky for a long time. I recommend hanging art work rather than trying to frame it or saving it with other papers.

Salt Dough

Mix together in a large bowl:

2 cups of flour
1/2 cup salt
3/4 cup hot tap water
This dough will form a ball, which can be rolled out and cut using cookie-cutters, or molded into any shape you like. Before drying, make a hole for hanging using a plastic straw or by wiggling a toothpick and making a hole. Takes up to a week to air dry. {Tip: When making Christmas ornaments or other flat cut-outs, flip the dough over each day so it stays flat and won’t curl up as it dries.}

Cinnamon Dough

Mix together with hands:

1 cup ground cinnamon
1 cup applesauce
1/4 white school glue
This mixture will form a slightly sticky, clay-like dough. It can be molded by hand. It can also be rolled out, then kids can use cookie cutters to make ornaments or other hanging decorations. Try using plastic flatware for cutting and creating special effects. Use a straw to make a hole before the ornaments dry. (See tip about drying under “Salt Dough”.)

This dough can also be made with just cinnamon and glue, or with just cinnamon and applesauce. Experiment to see which one you like best.

Colored Sand

In a zip bag, mix 1/2 cup salt and several drops of food coloring. Shake the bag until completely mixed. Spread on wax paper or parchment paper to dry. Ordinary table salt versus coarse salt yields different effects — figure out which one you like best!

Foamy Lava

In a small bowl, mix 2 Tablespoons warm water and 1 teaspoon active dry yeast.

In a clean, empty water bottle or soda bottle, mix 1/2 cup 6% hydrogen peroxide (found on Amazon), several drops food coloring, and a squirt of liquid dish soap.

Place water bottle outside or in a plastic basin to catch spills. Using a funnel, slowly pour yeast mixture into soda bottle and be amazed!

Home Made Sand or Coffee Sand

In a large container, mix together:

4 cups dried, used, coffee grounds
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
Store in airtight container or zip bags.

Colored Rice

Pour plain, uncooked, white rice into a large bowl. While stirring, use liquid watercolor paints to color it to desired hue. Stir until dry, even letting it sit out on a cookie sheet, and coming back to stir it now and then until completely dry. Place in sensory tubs or containers for playing, scooping and pouring.

Muffin Tin Crayons

Gather pieces of broken crayons, or break apart the colors your children don’t like any more. Remove papers from the crayons and arrange broken pieces into muffin tins. Heat in 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until all crayons melt. Once cooled, pop them out for new, round crayons to play with.

Do you know another fun recipe like this? Post it as a COMMENT, and let’s keep this list growing!

Make your own slime, gak or gooze…recipes here!

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Mar 26 2015

Guest posting at “Vibrant Homeschooling” today

Opportunities to connect with new families are always welcome! Today, I get to meet some awesome new people over at Vibrant Homeschooling!

In my guest post, I’m completely transparent about a struggle I faced when my kids were very young. I share how hard days sometimes got to me, but how they also taught me valuable lessons about my kids, our homeschool, and (perhaps most importantly) about myself.

Here’s a preview of the article, but make sure to read the ENTIRE ARTICLE, so you don’t miss the ending…

It was a rainy morning, the third in three days.

And though I dreamt of sipping hot cocoa and playing with the boys in their blanket fort all day, I found myself piling three wriggly uncooperative children into a minivan and heading off to the library instead.

My feelings weren’t because I thought the activity would be unpleasant. Actually, I thought it was going to be epic.

I knew this, because I had organized the class myself. Not only had I made sure it would be taught by the most knowledgeable person in the state, but I had been careful to specifically request live specimens (not those phony plastic models), periods of learning for every different age group, printed take-home activities and web links, and generally a program I could be proud of.

Yet, for some reason, I didn’t want to go. The day was gloomy and the blanket fort was calling. I could just tell my kids weren’t up for another day on the town.

Without getting into ugly details, let me just say my instincts were spot on that day. Indeed staying home would have been the better option.

Because the enormous headache and stained jersey I came home with was eclipsed in much greater proportion by the display my kids put on at the library. And if their antics and attitudes and complete lack of interest and total lack of participation weren’t already enough to reveal what a parenting failure I was, I proceeded to have a mini melt-down myself…

READ THE FULL ARTICLE…

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Aug 31 2014

Think about it: Staggered first days

Not everybody does the first day of school the same way. There are some families who jump in exactly the way they left off the month before, without making too big a deal about it. Then, there are others who start with making a huge breakfast, taking creative photos of the kids, and holding a special kick-off celebration.

Whatever works in your family is always the best way to go. Remember, homeschooling is about you and nobody else.

One idea I love, that worked well for us as the kids got older, is to “stagger” the first day of school.

It’s not always as fun as doing a BIG first day. But it has BIG benefits in other ways.

What I love about staggering first days is that I get to spend an entire “first day” with every child. We can make it as special as we want — and it’s all about them.

On a child’s first day, we go over all of the books or curriculum I have planned for the year, and I show them exactly how each is supposed to be used. I make sure the student understands all of our resources in detail, including where each book is kept, where to find the resource sections, what to notice while reading through the chapters (e.g. vocabulary words or review questions), how to take notes from that book (if I am requiring it that year), how much is to be completed in a day, where to put any completed work so I can see it, and anything else.

We do the same thing for non-book things, like art or science supplies, DVDs or web sites I have saved for their use, logs they are supposed to fill out, online courses, or anything else the student is assigned that year. I work with them to make sure we both understand the language that is used, any difficult instructions, what needs to be photocopied or filled-in, or anything else that needs understanding and training early on.

On that child’s first day, we also go over what is expected by the end of the day, what the general time frame might be, and we do a dry-run through any schedules or plans I have put together for that day. The dry run includes chores, quiet time, outside activities that need to be coordinated with the rest of the family, or anything else that make sense for that particular student for that year.

Something I also like to do on the first day is organize that student’s work area. We use our time to find favorite supplies, decide where to hang charts or calendars, locate a favorite chair or school-time toy, and talk about where the student would like to store his stuff for the year. (I used to organize my kids for them. As they got older, they enjoyed participating in the process, plus it was more meaningful to them since they chose what made them most productive and comfortable.)

Basically, every child gets a personalized first day. Focused just on them.

It’s like training, but it can also be fun.

Staggered first days means I am able to sit with each child and be there to personally help and explain anything that might arise during the course of the day. At the end of the day, we end the day with some family treat or perhaps a small reward for that child.

It also means I am able to spot road-blocks right away, and make a change that immediately impacts the next day. That actually happened to us this year, when my son and I noticed that a book I had selected was way too easy for him. We actually spent an hour going through the chapters looking for one that was even remotely challenging for him, and finally decided together to scrap the book altogether and go with something else the very next day. (Working with him was the only way to really test the book out in real time. I’m so glad this happened!)

When I stagger first days, I always feel like every child gets a special first day just for him. It’s nice to start a year knowing I gave my full attention to a child before the multiple-student chaos begins!

I know this may not appeal to everyone, but I wanted to explain how it has worked for us. As my kids get older, they no longer need so much attention and individualized academic coaching any more, but I use this idea in other areas of their lives. I highly recommend you try this if you think your kids could benefit from personalized first days.

Good luck! And if you try it, come back and leave a COMMENT about how it went!

Related blogs you might like:

Helping teens plan: The Morning Meeting

Organization doesn’t always come naturally

Parents don’t always know everything. In homeschool, that’s OK.

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Feb 18 2014

Formal Preschool — Necessity or just plain silly?

I moved, then rearranged, my office not long ago. With attention on dusting and nailing, moving and sorting, and stacking and crumpling up with one side of my brain, I absent-mindedly skimmed the feeds of my social media sites with the other.

What caught my eye that day was a post written by a young mom, in which she lamented the time lost with her children by sending them to school. She estimated parents lose several years of precious time with their children over the course of 12 years of schooling and, for a variety of reasons including time lost, had turned to homeschooling instead.

This type of regret is not uncommon.

I have read other blogs like that before. I’ll bet you have, too. You’ve probably also witnessed moms weeping in school parking lots, crying after dropping babies off to preschool. I have seen that many times, too.

For parents, it can be tough to let go of a child of any age, but is particularly heart-crushing if the child is a wee one. It is both scary and sad to hand a toddler over to strangers, giving over to someone else a little person we’ve hardly had any time to love.

Some of you may recall what preschool was like, and might even remember attending preschool yourself. You might remember that preschool started around 4 or 5, lasted just a couple of hours, and happened only a couple of days a week at best, maybe a few months out of the year. You might even recall the names of children who went to preschool, for it was noticeable because far fewer children attended. Cost was an issue for families. Transportation, too. Not everyone could afford preschool, nor did every want to try it anyhow. Typically, the families using preschool were those unable to oversee their children during the day — like those where both parents worked, or there was illness, or some dire need making child care at home impossible.

Preschool has changed a great deal over the years. No longer just child care, preschools have turned into full-blown schools themselves, marching children about, imposing schedules upon their young psyches, forcing nap times whenever convenient, dictating the time and place for creative activities, following standardized curriculum, compromising toileting and other matters of privacy and hygiene, and starting much earlier than before — commonly as early as age 2 or 3. Though still “voluntary”, early preschool is now free, making it more accessible than ever before.

Greater access and use of preschool has left many homeschool (or would-be) families wondering whether homeschooling should now begin in preschool, too. And if it should, what form should it take on? Is a curriculum necessary? What should be covered so a child is “ready” for Kindergarten? Is age 4 early enough? How about 3? I get some of these questions in my work. I hear them on playgrounds, in checkout lines, and at the library, too.

Fueling the fire, the makers of homeschool curriculum products (many who are homeschoolers themselves) have begun developing products to satisfy this fabricated need in the marketplace, and have begun enjoying the rewards of capitalizing upon new-found concerns over children falling “behind”. (I will not advertise these products here, but enter “preschool curriculum” in any search engine and see what I mean.)

As a parent and educator, I find the pressure of preschool preposterous and the notion of kindergarten “preparation” unsettling. As a parent and educator, I certainly understand the pressures felt by modern families to keep up with one another and help their children gain an early edge to college and other opportunities. I feel some of these myself. Yet I cannot justify the need for organized preschool, and am especially opposed to the notion of preschool so young. Frankly, the future of preschool frightens me. It won’t be long before lawmakers decide early preschool is required– the Common Core Standards Initiative is making sure of that – and then what? Mandatory infant day care, where babies are force-fed nutritional drinks while they listen to audio times tables?

Think for a moment what is traditionally learned during the early years. Do letters, numbers, colors, telling time, families, community helpers, tying shoelaces, and memorizing telephone numbers come to mind? Must these skills always come from a book or computer, or can they easily be taught at home? Is a curriculum really necessary? When one actually thinks about it, (barring specific challenges) it’s silly to think it takes a professional to teach these skills — isn’t it?

Consider the other reasons parents give for sending children to preschools, like making friends, listening to adults, and getting along with others. Assuming these skills are really learned in preschool, could not these same skills also be taught from home as well?

The truth is, there isn’t anything in preschool that decent parents cannot teach at home. As a matter of fact, teaching isn’t really the right word — because much of what occurs in preschool doesn’t require formal teaching at all. I challenge anyone to think of a skill, idea, practice, concept, or habit taught in preschool that could not also be taught in a good home by a loving parent. (Should the socialization myth cross your mind, that can easily be covered from home, too.)

I cannot think of anything, save riding a yellow bus and eating nutritionally-poor lunches in an unsanitary and overcrowded setting, that homeschooled preschoolers cannot do.

As a bonus, preschool activities from home are taught under the supervision of the people who matter most — the preschooler’s own parents – in a safe, secure and loving environment.

As a double-bonus, preschool activities require no formal teaching or fancy equipment at all.

When I read of the mom’s sadness over leaving her child at school this weekend, I found myself hoping she was surrounded by those who understood, those who would encourage her to grieve the loss of this time together, for it is important and not insignificant at all. Feeling sadness over leaving a young child (any child), wanting to hold that child close, and experiencing sadness over lost time together is beyond normal. It is expected, and I feel — desirable. Kept in check at times, yes. But the instinct to keep children nearby is one of the miraculous things that makes us human.

When I read comments from other women after articles like these, imploring other moms to toughen-up, stop spoiling, end unrealistic expectations to protect their children, and embrace the many benefits of preschool, I find myself wondering how secure these moms are in their own decisions, too. For while it is normal to cheer ourselves on and justify our decisions to others, it is far more normal to live by our own truths and have no need to justify them at all.

When it comes to preschool, the choice of teaching it or not, or enrolling children in preschools or not, is of course best left to every family. No one knows best, except the individual families involved. When it comes to homeschooling however, I encourage all families to think carefully about whether formal training is needed, or if these skills will come on their own, in the course of life, eventually, and naturally.

Remember, it doesn’t take a teacher, or any kind of professional, to teach a baby to walk. Or a toddler to talk. Or anything else that occurs at the earliest ages. Why then, should it take a professional to teach preschool skills? When exactly do parents lose their ability to successfully raise and teach their children? When a child turns 3? 4? When exactly should the professionals take over?

Parents may be confident that they absolutely, already possess the skills, knowledge and tools to teach preschool (and beyond). A professional license to teach does not make an individual any more capable of reaching a young child than a parent. Speaking both as a teacher and a homeschool parent, I pinky swear.