Questions from Mothers

Should I Try a Curriculum
for My Preschool Child?
By Cherie Logan

I know exactly where mothers of very young children are coming from when they first begin to explore homeschooling.   When my oldest was 11 months old, I first heard about homeschooling as I read a magazine while waiting to visit teach.  As I put the article back on the table, the Spirit, nearly audibly told me, "If you want your children to maintain the spirit that is sent with them, you will home school."  Fair enough.  But I hadn't a clue as to where to start.

 I read everything I could.  This was 1981 so the information was limited to the Moores and a few other gurus.  I found a lady who wanted information on the church who home taught so we talked, lots.  

A year later, Ben came along then 1 1/2 years later, Chamrie. Then Chiya arrived.  Finally, Chani started to approach that politically correct age of five.  I mailed off over 50 letters to companies that sold curriculums and finally settled on one for a K program.  Thankfully, it wasn't too expensive because it lasted about three weeks. 

Today, I have nine children ranging in age from 22 to 4 1/2. We have always home taught, adding in mentors and supplemental private schooling moments.  Chani is a Senior at George Wythe, Ben is on a mission in Washington, Chamrie is preparing for college as soon as her nanny job ends and Chiya is beginning at George Wythe as a 16 year old Freshman.  We live in Cedar City so it is easy for Chiya to attend GWC, when we lived elsewhere our students did distance study with them.

Here is what I have learned about schooling the very young children.  Don't.  Instead, have them join you in scripture study, prayer, FHE, work, play, and when you have group lessons have them choose music.  At other times read to them, sing to them, and choose excellent videos for occasional watching.  Animals videos or programs are great, if you watch nature shows on television and want to avoid humanism, then just turn off the last 10 minutes when they get into the section about why man is terrible to the animals.  

Fill a young child's life with play and chores, but mostly play and you will set an excellent stage for them enjoying life as they grow into greater responsibility.  Watching my oldest five children, all working, and their wise balance of activity shows me how true this is.  

I know you are worried about how it will go and think that a preschool curriculum might give you an idea of how successful the homeschool will be, how stressful, how capable you are, how interested your children etc., but wait, enjoy this stage of their life as it will never come again.  The world is very big on preschool for children so they can be ready for K which is supposed to make them ready for 1st.  You can leave the world view behind.  

In your home, in your arms, in the tender circle of the life you have created for your children, they will learn far more of everything good than they will ever learn of anything else in a preschool setting.