A Homecoming of Sorts

If you are lucky enough to find a preschool with teachers that you and your kids love, stick with them as long as you can. Forget worries about travel times, throw away concerns about scheduling, give up any illusions that all teachers or preschools are created equally, just make it happen.

I had so many “good” reasons for enrolling Sara in a preschool 3 minutes from home instead of taking her to the preschool William attended, more than 30 minutes away. Being able to run home on days I wasn’t working in the classroom, being near William’s new elementary school so I could volunteer in his classroom, reducing our car/freeway time, and making local friends that Sara might go to elementary school with all seemed like good reasons.  Boy, was I wrong.

It took me a month to realize the error of my ways but I am beyond thrilled to announce that we’re back where we belong with our beloved Teachers Judy and Nancy. Back to a water table filled with shaving cream, glitter, gel, and water, back to a painting area where 4 to 6 kids can paint at the same time and the colors are always abundant and often sparkly, back to enough wooden blocks to build multiple fortresses, back to flowing fabrics the kids tie on as capes, dresses, and hair, back to caterpillars in lovely little habitats waiting to spin their cocoons, back to a mountain of boxes and recycled goodies that allow kids to build just about anything, back to a place where seeds sprout and carrot tops keep growing, back to a place where they always go outside and say “there is never bad weather just bad clothing,” back where we belong.

Sara at William's school last year, also known as her new school. This simple display of "five green and speckled frogs" captivated the children. Also note the snail habitat and sprouting carrot tops nearby (and don't miss the happy smile of my then just-turned 3 year old)

Getting Sara out the door to the old preschool was difficult. She wouldn’t stop asking “You stay with me, Mom?” Not wanting to lie, I’d say “No, it’s not my turn but I will stay until you say it’s alright for me to go.” That answer wasn’t good enough so my determined girl would always find ways to make it difficult to leave the house… so much for the benefits of being close to home.

Anyhow, tonight I heard Sara explaining to Daddy a million miles a minute “I go to William’s old school now, da one with Teacher Nancy. Dey have lots of paints and toys and things I like. Momma not have stay with me at my new school.” My happy heart nearly exploded (in a good way).