So my title may be a little tongue in cheek here, but hear me out.
All the hype these days starts them earlier, teach them more and you need a specialized place to do that. Children are beginning “preschool” or “early childhood development centers” sooner than ever before. This supposedly accelerates their learning and puts them on a fast track to success. And of course, the professionals can do so much better than their parents. After all, it certainly takes a degree to teach children anything, right?
I would contend, wrong!
Remember the old ditty, anything you can do, I can do better? In the case of raising my children, this is most definitely the truth. There is no institution, daycare, preschool or higher learning center that can even come close to the advanced development I can provide for my children. The same goes for you!
I Run an Early Childhood Development Center
What exactly does an “early childhood learning center” teach your children?
- Manners and interaction with other children.
- Early skills, like gluing, cutting paper, coloring, lacing, colors, shapes.
- Some teach letters and numbers along with early handwriting.
- Routines.
- Gets them ready for kindergarten.
Hmmm. Now, not to be rude here, but how on earth do you not teach these things to your children just by your daily interaction with them?
My children learned these as just a part of everyday life. They learned to count by counting the steps as we walked down them multiple times a day, how many crackers do you have and what shape is this rock?
My children learn to glue, cut and color all on their own. I don’t really show them, they just experiment and find out what works and what doesn’t. It’s messy but really beneficial. They become independent learners who are real problem solvers.
Manners?
Well, we work on those consistently every.single.day. My little girl was saying please and thank you as soon as she could talk. It just comes naturally if you do it too!
Routines.
Oh, how I love a good routine. I don’t have a rigid schedule but my routine is a lifesaver and our children know exactly what to expect during each section of the day.
And do I get them ready for kindergarten?
Actually, no! Gasp! Why not?
We don’t really do kindergarten. I teach them as they mature and want to learn or they learn it on their own with little to no input from me. Case in point, my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. I’ve never taught her numbers, letters, shapes or colors but she knows them!
What they miss out on…
My kids aren’t restrained by grades, classes or age groups.
They don’t get held back or pushed forward. They aren’t protected from everything but neither are they exposed to everything. They don’t get made fun of in the bathroom or have a stranger change their diaper and put them down for a nap.
They aren’t bullied and have it overlooked. They aren’t stuck inside a building on beautiful days. They actually get to explore their environment within the safe, watchful fences of their mom and dad’s care.
They don’t get peeled off my leg, screaming and crying every morning and no, that is not normal behavior or because your child is spoiled. They want and need to be with mom as their primary caregiver. It’s how God designed it and He didn’t just somehow forget to make childhood development centers.
He made homes filled with a mom, a dad, and siblings. The ultimate childhood learning center!
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