Last week, I decided that Sprout had been watching entirely too much TV, and we needed to do something together. Something fun and constructive. I’m working hard not to beat myself up over the TV thing. I mean I did just have a baby and major surgery after all. I always know I’m healing when guilt starts to creep in, trying to convince me that unless I am lying lifeless on the floor, I really should be scrubbing the grout in the bathrooms, baking bread from whole wheat, organic flour, telling my children elaborate stories featuring sock puppets, making hand-made thank you cards, etc. You get the idea. Guilt is an entirely useless emotion. On a purely cerebral level, I know this, but it’s also a very powerful, useless emotion. Anyway, back to fun and constructive.
I got a book full of craft projects for preschoolers that makes use of common household items. What a boon! I believe I’ll pass on the sculpture made from dryer lint (No, I am not kidding), but I found lots of other good ideas. I decided on making flowers from coffee filters and drinking straws. I made one, showed it to Sprout, and he pronounced it “cool.” So we sat down at his little table to make them. The gist is that you color a coffee filter, then twist the bottom to a point, which you then shove into a drinking straw, and Voila! There’s also a vase made from an empty juice concentrate container and dried beans. I was envisioning kid art decorating our whole house, which, though not high style, would be more than the décor in our house now, which is none. So Sprout and I colored (hard to say who’s worse at that), we twisted the filters, and assembled the flowers. It was all going great until the Scotch tape came out. My son is totally bonkers over Scotch tape. He thinks tape is just a big, long, clear sticker. Our fun, constructive activity devolved from there. What’s worse, the tape I had was double-sided tape, so when it sticks, it really sticks. For the rest of the day, I kept sticking to the kitchen floor. Eventually, I just gave up on constructive and stuck the straws up my nose, always a hit with three-year-old boys. Goo goo g’joob.
So now I have a dilemma that my faithful blog readers can help me with. I’m wondering if it’s time to get Sprout into a pre-pre-school program. Is it better for him to be home with Mommy, who is often busy with the new baby, or be away from mommy, with other kids his own age doing fun and constructive activities led by people who, presumably, will not end up with drinking straws up their noses. Your thoughts?
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3 comments:
Why yes! I am the Queen of Ass-vice, why do you ask?
Ahem, keep in mind YYMV and all kids are different. I will just tell you what I did with mine. First, toddlerhood and beyond until about 7 or 8 is really not my cup of tea. I like the older kids that sarcasm doesn't slay, that get my weird humor. So that gets taken into account. When girl child was 3 I had her little brother. I had enrolled her in a preschool already, knowing how new babyness wiped me out, remembering how much I loved time with just my newborn and me, and wanting to have some time away from the needy 3-year old. She needed a small class and I found a Montessori preschool that had just 5 kids in the 3 year old class. Also, I wanted her to have more academic stimulation because she already knew her letters, numbers, colors, shapes and just needed more. It worked for her. And me too. When boy child was 2 1/2 he made me crazy. He is a very social child and I, well, am not. He was desperate to play with other kids. So I found him a 2 1/2 year old program that he loved and then the next year sent him to the same preschool that I sent his sister to. They both still recall it fondly.
It's easy when you are the at-home mom to feel like to need to be the all for your kids, but you really can't be everything to them. You may find a church program, like a Mommy's morning out, that works for you. If you have a YMCA, they may have a program that works. I would call or visit and just sound your options out on hours, activities, prices, etc. and see if you can find one that suits your needs. Keep in mind, though, that Sprout will be just fine if he never goes to preschool. And he will be just fine if he does. I desperately needed some me time to keep from going insane, but many moms love spending time with preschoolers. Your needs are as important as his, whatever they are. This was an excruciatingly long comment, but I hope it helps.
Karen gave you all the highlights I would have, so read her comment again, it's perfect.
In our case, my damn kids were smarter than me, so I had to find a place where they could go be with their own kind periodically, while still allowing me the sMother aspect I have yet to let go of. The answer for us was co-op. Perfection. Dan and I traded the jobs that were required and the witchlings adored their two short days a week with pals.
They all went at 3 1/2 and again the following year. The next year, they were all old enough for kindergarten, which they went to for four half days a week (in the afternoon, never morning).
Julie
First off--as a teacher i beg you never to assume we wont stick straws up our noses--i've done some very silly things for a laugh in class!
If you think sprout would enjoy socializing and singing songs with a group, go for it! You know your kid and what he likes. I cant fathom how you are taking care of them both...i neglect my dogs sometimes bc of baby!
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