Listen

What do you think is the most important thing for a new mom to have? A Target gift card, a Costco life time membership, the super nanny as your personal assistant?

Well that was the question burning in my mind as I brought home my first little bundle of joy.

I had just given up a good career to be a full time mommy, I was a new at this, worried about doing right…by God, by my husband, by my children

I had no family nearby, my husband was working by day, schooling in the evening, and studying late into the night.

I was staying home with a sense of conviction that God had called me to do so, but had no idea how to do it

Did I mention we had very little money, and I had few friends in a similar life stage.

What did I turn to? Well first, I determined to use the best product ever devised for each stage of baby development.  When that didn’t work out, I turned to Books (books on perfect parenting, the right technique for sleep, the perfect way to raise a child in Christ), blogs, groups (Christian groups, secular groups, groups that charged and groups that were free).

All the while, I fell into a state of anxiety, comparing my lot to those with easier ones. Mothers whose skills were far superior to mine, had mother in laws in town, money to hire babysitters, husbands home to help with dishes, themed bedding to match themed baby rooms (we didn’t even have an extra room for baby)…

And in desperation, I began to pray, to have a daily quiet time like my life depended on it, to begging the Lord to help me complete the good work of raising my children that I felt he had called me to do. 

God reminded me of this amazing missionary.  Perhaps you have heard of Mary Slessor?  She was this incredible tiny woman who at 27 and single, moved from Scotland to present day Nigeria and successfully led thousands of Africans to Christ, established churches and schools, rescued orphans, and did it all alone, deep in the interiors of a foreign land.  What was her key ingredient?  Well here it is, pause and see:

She spoke to God as though he existed,
listened for his answer,
and then did exactly as he instructed her.

There is a moment when she needs to build a shelter for herself, and she does not yet speak the local language, and there are no other Europeans to ask to help, so she says to God: “God, I need to you teach me how to build a house” and he did, he told her what kind of whitewash to use and how to combine it with local mud and rock and pretty soon she had a beautiful house that stood for years, home to her and her many adopted children.

…God was showing me how tangibly present he could be, if I would only trust him, lean on him… and him alone…

Isaiah in chapter 40:9-11, addressing the downcast people, says to them

“Here is your God!” See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,  and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him and his recompense accompanies him.  He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Did you catch that? 

He gently leads those who have young.

His desire is not to abandon you to your own strength, using you few resource to drum up a successful raising of your children.  He doesn’t wait for me to mess up and then grade me.  He isn’t hoping we will worry, fear, and fret our way through motherhood.

He is our shepherd, and we know his voice, and are tended by him.  He gathers us into his arms, he carries us close to his heart, and when we have little lambs, little children under our care, he gently, gently lead us.

So I began to look for God’s voice, to try to recognize it, and to follow his gentle leadership.  I trusted his heart that cares so much about my every little concern.  I prayed over how to cook a meal, an hour before meal time.  I prayed about how to shop, before I left the car in the parking lot.  I prayed for patience when my two colicky children hit hour 5 of non stop crying and I was all alone.  I listened for his voice, I looked for my shepherd, and I found his gentle hand…leading me, guiding me, giving me ideas on what to cook that night, helping me avoid poor purchases at the grocery, teaching me to sing hymns of hope and toil while my children suffered with discomfort.

And he is here for you too. come to him, let him be your counselor,  know his presence in each little moment of your day

I began to rest in God, I began to quietly trust him, not books, not blogs, not perfect parenting techniques, not beautifully made strollers, but him.  And so, it has become my daily mothering experience, and I hope you will find it to be yours as well, that as you cry for help, like it says in Isaiah 30:21
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

Grace

Leaning heavily upon a friend, I sent a text asking for encouragement.  It had been a few weeks of near constant activity, hosting, helping, serving, and being needed.  The lack of a sense of God's touch was tangible, and I sought a friend to help me see things more clearly.

Look for grace.

Simple, yet so not as clear as I had hoped.  The mystery intrigued me, and, I was too tired to argue, so I just tried it.  Every time I felt the tasks before me too great, my internal integrity pulled too thin, or my temptation to give up, I breathed the word of encouragement.  I prayed, "Grace, Lord, help me find grace".

Though the world didn't come tumbling through the door in a perfectly packaged boxes, what did come in seemed to float above me, as I found myself moored to God's grace in quiet yet profound ways.  I didn't have to speak up to be heard, I didn't have to stuff my emotions to be strong, I didn't have to rush in to get my need met.  Entering into a gentle silence became possible for me, in ways it never had seemed to before.

Looking for grace, asking for God to give grace, I had found grace!

"Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name." Psalm 119:132


This is what is required of me when I was out of my league.  And I find it more and more.  As I pursue God's high calling, focusing on doing all things well, loving on family with intentionality, being character defined by each moment instead of stymied by my own lack of ability, it becomes more and more common for me to have to rely solely and uninhibitedly on His grace.

God must chuckle even as I post this.  Of course, my dear, the only way you will relinquish your life to me is when it is impossible to do it on your own strength and talent.  Yet, here I am, surprised, and joy filled.  It is God's gentle grace that put me in the impossible calling, and then His gentle grace that supplies me with all I need to get through it.

And all this, with a simple breath prayer:

Grace






laughter, breathing, being, knowing

Christmas Readings

We are huddled around the kitchen putting the last touches on our gingerbread houses, and eating little bits of candy as we go.  Pandora's "Christian Christmas" songs lift our spirits, the rain patters on the windows, the wind blows in a little cold front, and we settle into another family Advent season.

All of the world is exchanging gifts these weeks, symbolizing the greatest gift of all.  Christ Jesus was a vulnerable child willing to live a life of difficulty, discipline, and ultimately death, to give us salvation from our sins and freedom to soar.

As the cold snow or rain forces you and your family indoors, you might wonder what to do to keep your family fires burning. I thought you might like to hear some fun stories we have been and are currently enjoying.  May the spirit of Christ reign in your homes, even as these timeless stories bring a deeper understanding of the meaning of the season.  Here, my readers, is my little gift from our home to yours.

The following stories are for listening, free, online.

A Must Read for All Ages:
The Story of Christmas from the Bible
The beginning of all Christmastime, let your children enjoy a reading of the original Christmas story


Youngest Childhood Stories:
Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clark Moore

What is Christmas without a reading of this poem that solidified Santa Claus as an American icon?  Listen to one or two renderings and then, have each adult and child take a turn trying to make the story come alive, or do it it round, each child and adult getting a verse.  

The Mouse and the Christmas Cake by Anonymous

Adorable story of a curious mouse and his adventures.  Fun is had by all as the mouse brings a surprise visit on Christmas Day

Christmas Everyday by William Dean Howells

Hilarity reigns as a moment of selfish indulgence in a little girl's wish turns the world askew.  Enjoy this fairy tale with your little ones.  Work is worthwhile, one learns with this cute little story.  

Lil's Travels in Santa Claus Land by Ellis Towne

Do you enjoy the magical tale of Santa Claus in the North Pole who brings gifts to boys and girls?  Here, in grand detail, is a sweet story of one little girl's imaginings of what Santa Claus Land is really like.  A great read for a child who knows the truth, yet enjoys a good story or, for a child whose wonderment of Kris Kringle is still very much alive.

The Little Matchbox Seller  or The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen

Fairy Tales are the stories of childhood.  They bring a sense of magic and enter a child's world of toys and imagination.  Everyone has their favorite style: my eldest boy loves the Brothers Grimm's realism and just desserts, my daughter favors Madame d'Aulnoy's princesses and gentle endings, while I have always favored Hans Christian Andersen for his loyal characters and compassion for the poor.  If you can endure the melancholic situations, these two stories reveal the less than fortunate's Christmas hopes.

Legend of the Christmas Tree by Lucy Wheelock

A moral tale enunciating the parable of Jesus about feeding him when he was hungry.  Very well known among European children.

A Christmas Star by Catherine Pyle

A fictional rendering of how the star above Bethlehem inspired another little star.   Follow a sweet golden star, anxious to do good and be useful.  Caution, mentions the afterlife.

Middle Childhood Stories:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Turn this one on and sit by a fire to enjoy the beauty of a generous hearted Bob Cratchit and the fruit of that heart in his children's happy hearts, even as the vileness of greed epitomized in Scrooge is revealed for it's hollowness.  Surprise element: hilarity in subtle wit. A timeless classic.

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

A sweet short story offering insight into the true meaning of Christmas.  Notice Magi, the gift bearers, are in the title, and you will see some amazing modern day gift bearers in this story.  Be ready for a tear or two.

Christmas Hymns and Poems by various

Children (and adults) who listen to poetry will find a depth of understanding not achieved elsewhere. Desiring more of the beauty of Christmas, my children and I daily listen to a few of these poems.  Some are well loved favorites, committed to memory, others, fanciful, others sobering, but each has its place in the Christmas season.  Read through the titles and choose ones that seem intriguing.  You will enjoy the rich rewards of a minute or two invested in these well worded pieces.

The Christmas Stocking by Frank M. Baum

A few minutes of your time and you will have some great facts about how the first stocking came to be.  Brought to you by the same author that gave us The Wizard of Oz, enjoy a moment at his feet learning more about this time honored tradition.

First Puritan Christmas Tree by Anonymous

A short little tale giving a glimpse into early American Christmas life.  Short, but lyrically captivating and sweet in form.  Good for those whose attention spans have yet to adjust to longer readings.  Shows a simpler time and the origins of our beloved Christmas Tree tradition.

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus by Francis Pharcellus

Though arguing for Santa's existence, the point of this story is that hope and joy must reign and skepticism looses in the end.  We enjoy this story, even though we don't believe in Santa, as we see the beauty of faith in the intangible. This is the actual answer given to a real letter sent into a newspaper.  Show your child these artifacts: http://www.newseum.org/yesvirginia/

Ask them how they would answer this question if they were a newsperson.  

English Christmas Greetings by Lewis Carroll

The author of Alice in Wonderland takes a moment to pen a Christmas greetings.  It rings as true today as when he first wrote it.

Later Childhood Stories:

Old Christmas by Washington Irving
Close your eyes and imagine yourself in another time and another place, a time when Christmas was a joyfilled pause in the calendar from work, to a place where hospitality was practiced by all good men.  Enjoy the pastoral views, the simple times, and the way people found Christmas at dinner tables.  I love Washington Irving's writings.  Be prepared to adjust to his 1700's language.  A true American writer.

A Country Christmas by Louisa May Alcott
If you loved Little Women, you must enjoy this four part short story of Christmas celebrated with great frivolity and fidelity.  Beautiful prose, I can not get enough of this dear author.  Scroll down this webpage until you find "08" recording, and there you will see her story.

Aunt Cyrilla's Christmas Basket by L.M. Montgomery
Did you never get enough of Anne of Green Gables? Here, the author brings us a humble short story bringing where some moments go array, yet good is found in the end.  As always, the cheerful heart is clearly the best one for each of us and making do with what the Good Lord gives us, is the way to enjoy each moment that comes our way.

A Christmas at Sea by Robert Louis Stevenson
Who can resist Robert Louis Stevenson's love of adventure and boyhood wonder.  His rhymes established what many understand a poem to be.  Set in the hearty world of seafarers, Stevenson opens our eyes to a different version of Christmastime.

The Sweet Miracle by Eca de Queiroz

What would it have been like to have lived during the time of Jesus?  How would he change your world or what would you do to fully understand him?  Here a man struggles to believe and then does.  Very well written and set in beautiful Palestine of Jesus times.  This calls for a sophisticated listener, abounds with faith points.

"The Festival of Saint Nicolas", chapter 9 from Hans Brinker by Mary Mapes Dodge

Though I encourage you to read the whole book when you have the opportunity, this Christmas enjoy a sweet telling of Holland's celebration.  Listen, as this modest home finds Christmas delight.  Learn how a child's character is taught and encouraged in a time of celebration.  Spoiler alert: Santa is talked of as a "parent's doing", so not for any young child who still believes in Santa.

The Christmas Angel by Abbie Farwell Brown
A story, similar to Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", here we find an angel tossed out, toys forgotten, and a cold hearted Mistress of them all being moved to change her heart as the story unfolds.  Morals prevail in this sweet children's story.

A Christmas Tree by Charles Dickens
If you enjoyed A Christmas Carol, you might enjoy, A Christmas Tree.  Though not as charming, it contains some enchanting descriptions and memories of Christmas moments.

The Romance of a Christmas Card by Kate Douglas Wiggins
A sweet story of the unexpected blessings a greeting can give.  If you have the time for a longer story, this is a good one.


For Adults only:

Poor Santa Claus by George Lewis

Sympathetic version of Santa's life.  Meant to have a tongue in cheek nod to parents.  Also, ends with the difficulty of inequalities on earth.  Sorrowful, but poignant. 

Want something a little more modern? To purchase or find at the library:

http://www.newchristmasbooks.com/?cat=3

Looking for a good book to buy for a gift?  Great books for all year round. 

http://www.childrensbooksandreviews.com/online-bookstore/

Merry Christmas, gentle readers.  May your days be merry and bright!

Guardian

"Your guardian has to sign in for you", the colorfully dressed man explains to my children.

Anxious to get started on their "building and testing" at Legoland, they motion impatiently for me to catch up to them.  Baby in hand (big 2 year old baby) I arrive, breathless, excited to fulfill my role as "Guardian" of my children, so they can be safely ushered into the building room.

I rest a along a wall while my children hurriedly whip about the room finding the right pieces to construct their dream car;  I find myself reflecting.

Guardian, a word I have seen on many forms, signed many times as the official guardian of my children.  And with it, all the connotations of that word began to come to me.

Stand Guard.  Protect.  Watch Over.  Stand at Alert at the Gates. Guard Constantly. Care for.  Nurture.  Provide Care for a Minor who as such, is Not Yet Capable of Managing Themselves.

That is what a mother is, a guardian.  I am: one who protects, who stands at the gates, who remains alert, who manages my under 18 year old minor children who can not yet manage themselves.  That is what every mother is, a guardian.

So, why is it, so many mothers, are not guarding their minors, not protecting their children, not sitting at the gates and monitoring who comes in?  Don't they know it will leave their child exposed, unprotected, in harms way?

And who does come in?

Well, television and computers bring incredible images that stick with a child for a long time. Advertising in magazines and educational videos that cause a child to unnaturally crave superfluous items are a terrible force on our young.  And of course, we are afraid of perfect strangers, who pose less of a threat statistically, thank the Lord.

These obvious threats aside, what are we to protect our children against?  For what should we be on guard?

A friend posted an uplifting article on bullying.  In it, a perfectly adorable 7 year old is being bullied for using the wrong cup, the socially unacceptable cup. I know!  Don't get me started.

I was so irate on the triteness of peer social trends and the enormous energy a family must invest in caring about it, plus the permanent damage on a child's soul that occurs in most schools starting as young as preschool!!  However, my just anger alerted aside, there was an amazing anecdote in the story.  And it came in the form of a mother; an attentive, live giving, guardian of a mother.

She first noticed her daughter didn't want to carry her favorite cup to school anymore. Second, took the time out of her busy day to converse with her child concerning the changed cup.  And third, blogged and advocated at the school for her child's freedom to "express herself" aka carry an "unpopular" cup to school.  And yes, I see the wasted energy here, and yes, I home school to avoid the needless pain over silly fad following children and the endless pressure they exert toward every child conforming to arbitrary standards in large institutional settings.

So, yes, the freedom to think on your own and draw creative conclusions to life's issues aside.  I was very proud of the mama in this story.  And I hoped that more mothers would be like her.

We are not only to raise obedient children with manners.  They step into the world as young ladies and men.  We guard them in preparation for success with their sweet attitudes and respectful ways.  But we are also to make sure, that along the way of growing up as good citizens and academically challenged youth, there are not impediments to their natural and God given talents, uniqueness, and ways of being.

God has called them to be who they are, and intuitively, they know this.  When they step up to new challenges, they need encouragement and every-step-of-the-way opportunities, to gain independent competencies.  They do not need: teasing, discouragement, distraction about pointless peer obsessions, or bullying.

Are you a guardian of each of your children?  Are you watching at the gates that no one enters unheeded?  Are you guarding their very souls with encouraging words and deflecting the discouragement that often comes at the hands of peers?  Are you raising a child of character, and thus guarding them for their future success in business and relationships?

You can begin to do more so today.  Take a moment, sit with your child.  Do it again tomorrow.  Find the sore spots and the unprotected areas, and then, shore them up! The arrows of the enemy are strong, and only those strongly defended, by their guardians, can protect them against penetration!

Be God's expression of a guardian to your children: Psalm 12:5

"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them." 

Sweets

We took the day off today.  Our regular schedule was put on hold, we lingered in our pjs, we rested.  I am finding it needed more and more in our school schedule, rigor is good, but rest in good too.  I love that I can declare it, any day, and we can do other things.

Other things this week meant making cookies for the neighbors, reading Christmas stories, playing board games, singing Christmas Carols, and all the while reflecting on the season of waiting, of receiving gifts, of giving love.

As I type, the children are playing a Christmas word puzzle, and murmuring to one another, giggling, and agreeing together as they map out solutions to their game.

Some days I am amazed at the fruit of following hard after Christ.

As a homemaker, I must clean and pick up daily, washing dishes until my hands dry up, my laundry pile is a constant mountain to be chipped away.  As a wife, my husband needs a listening ear, a sympathetic thought toward his hard day's work, a belief in all he is and is becoming, while taking care of his meals, clothes, children, and keeping the home a refuge.

As a mother, warmth must be found in my smile and hopeful heart, the children must be seen as gifts to be given great swaths of space in our lives, every night includes an hour of cuddles, question answering, and stories.  As the chief child trainer, every argument must be walked through, every meal must include many hands in the preparation, every bad attitude must be reoriented, sleep must be given, stable home life must be provided, kindness must be encouraged, each child's character must be molded.  As a home schooling mom, every day I wake to questions about the day's math problems and must search out a good poem to memorize, I must continue to pursue good things to add to their day, to find positive experiences, and God's goodness must be reflected in a day's lessons.

It is a lot of hard work, but it is all worth it.

On this day of quiet reflection and rest, of taking the day off, I see so much that God is doing in the mix.  The soft murmurs of my children as they peacefully play with one another, says it all.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Mind Matters

When a mild slope of depression threatened to submerge me into a state of low affect, I called out to God,  even as I didn't want to.  And he heard my prayer.

His sweet voice beckoned me back, with this simple word, "expectations".  I kept hearing it as I prayed quietly in my slippery state of sadness.  Here was God inviting me to see what he saw so clearly.  So, I bravely took a look.  What expectations?

Well, this little princess discovered, my expectations.  Boy, was I sheepish as I found a lot of them.

Apparently, moving closer to family, driving for every holiday or birthday, being in a home with trees and lush greenery, and having this here on earth, was an expectation of mine.  Even though my husband and I had eight years ago decided these dreams would not be mine, I hadn't really let them go.  Here they were drowning me.

So, when bright city lights beaconed through my home, when two am tow trucks woke me from my sleep, when family had to pay a small fortune just to spend a holiday with me, I grew bitter.  When the children asked for a tree to climb, when vacations included a beautiful setting that reminded me of my longing for a pretty home, and when my "family" became friends whose life turns had kept them from their relations, I grew sad.

But it was all in my mind.  It was all in my expectations.  Why had my expectations grown so exact and when was I going to let go of them?

Now, it turns out.  Thanksgiving week, actually.  I laid it all out on the table, with God, and my husband. As I prayed and conversed, the obvious became reality: I had to let God's reign rule in my mind.  I had to give up the thoughts I was letting rustle around in there, the expectations of having a comfortable little life near family and in the great outdoors.  I had to embrace realities that did not match my expectations, and call them good.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2


May your Advent season, the season of expectations, be filled, as mine has most recently, with the thoughts and mind of God.  May you find in it, rest for your weary souls and joy brightening your darkest nights.

schooling

As my little girl fastly approached her 3rd birthday, worries began to fill my heart.  It seemed all the good friends we had made with neighbors and at local parks were disappearing, into the abyss of Preschool.

They must be prepared, prepared for college, prepared to compete.

It is enough to cause one to long for another day, another time, when children could be children for oh so much longer. But, I did not want to be left out either. I did not want my sweet daughter to be left behind. So I began to research all things childhood, preschool, and how a person grows into an educated adult.

Here are some of the resources I found:

1. 0-6 years of age are in many ways the most important years in a person's life:

The agreed upon conclusion is that the earliest years in a child's life are the most important ones.  A child's cognitive, social, emotional, health, and nutritional abilities are most deeply established.  Language, culture, and religious values are incorporated into lifelong assumptions at this age.

Psychologically, if a warm caring environment with a consistent maternal caregiver present is available, a child will successfully establish security, identity, and purpose.  I loved reading about Dr. Erikson's discovery that in the years zero to six, a child needs a mother for attachment, cultural identity, and belief that the world is a trustworthy place.

Developmentally, if freedom to explore is in place, children will find themselves noticing relationships between people, objects, and themselves in the world as they individual begin to grow through childhood.  I loved learning how Piaget focused on the skills a child acquires as he or she is free to use his or her natural curiosities to discover cause and effect, comparison, and concrete thinking skills.  A mother can offer this freedom of exploration and movement as they are not required to meet a normative classroom standard, but can be driven by an inner motivation to learn and discover.

Moms are very important for a child's early development.

2. Working moms need childcare:

As moms left the home, so children had too as well.  The growth of the families income or the desire for the mother to experience independence from traditional home life, caused a significant growth in childcare.

Childcare was virtually non-existent before the 1920's.  Early childcare developed as wealthy women created safe places for poor, mostly recently immigrant children whose mother's worked.  As the 1960's women's movement increased home abandoment into the middle class, more spaces for young children to be housed were similarly developed.

But it wasn't until studies noted that children raised in impoverished non English speaking homes or in extremely poor ghettos and public housing complexes did not enter Kindergarden ready to read as did their middle class and upper class peers, did preschool really get it's "Head Start".

Head Start, and the idea of manditory preschool was developed to deal with a specific portion of the population, the extremely poor.  It hoped to create a space where children would be read to, spoken to, given nutrional meals, and offered other brain stimulating activities.  These things they were not recieving in their small apartments and dwellings where no adult or unattentive adults resided, whose understanding of childhood development was very low.

Before head start, the church and women in particular, had always cared for poor children, opting to bring the resources to the family's home.

3.  Preschool, offering a homelike environment:

Ironically, as I began to research my local preschools, the best ones with the longest waiting lists, proudly advertised the homelike environment of their preschool.  Again and again I would read about "cottages" "living rooms" "working kitchens" and "consistent female caregivers" as the way to offer a premier preschool experience in which a child might grow and mature.  Well, I knew of a cottage, with a living room, and a working kitchen, who already had a consistent female caregiver, and there was no waiting list.  It was my home, and me!

I read Marie Montessori's book on childhood's most important years, zero to six.  In it she discussed how children need:

-simple repetitive tasks to gain independence, tasks like buttoning a coat or washing one's own hands

-an ordered environment that the child knows well where all toys and developmental items (puzzles, blocks, paint, etc.) are placed

-an ability and freedom to take out toys at will, to put toys away for independence without the aid of an adult, and the freedom to return to a toy/developmental item again and again for gaining competencies

Again, I knew of a place where the child would have an ordered, consistent space and access to repeated engagement.  I knew of a place where a child's small tasks could be given them to do, including buttoning their own coats, washing their own hands, and helping make meals and clean.  It was free, and it was easy, it was my home!

4. Social skills and preschool:

Another oft quoted concern for parents was to have social skills develop in preschool.  Social skills do develop during these years.  They are key years to be near a positive role model to imitate, especially the mother and father.  Siblings or family friends offer a ready way to engage with others and test manners, sharing, caring, listening, and waiting for turns.  Neighbors and other adults in the community (church adults, grocery store clerks, librarians, mail carriers, delivery men, repair men, restaurant servers) serve as opportunities in how to interact, make eye contact, speak clearly, express oneself modestly yet confidently.  Play mates who visit the home and those whom we meet at the park, zoo, library, and botanical gardens, create opportunities to practice being nice, sharing, using your words, and listening to others.  If the mother is close by, she can redirect poor choices, repremaind selfish or harsh actions, and offer positive alternatives  for engaging others.

Studies have shown that  preschools that are top in it's field create amazing academic results and readiness for formal schooling.  However, children who are enrolled in preschool can also become more aggressive, more concerned with peer acceptance, and more wary of new situations.  (These findings diminish if the home is a neglectful one.)   Studies also indicate that preschool really helps those who do not have education as something important in their family values, but does not improve outcomes in families where education is already valued.

Many amazing mothers who work full time use all of their resources to find the best possible childcare options.  The incredible truth is that moms matter most in a child's life.  Even as they are at preschool, their mother is carried with them in their hearts.  Her intentional connection and responses to them when she is with them are the most important factors in a child's outcomes.

However, those of us who have the option to stay with our children through the preschool years, can also find ourselves preparing our children for success in their long term educational and development skills.  We can do it at home, we can do it well, and the outcomes can be as good and in many cases better for the child's overall well being and emotional development.

We converted our dining room into a free to roam, play, and develop room and made it accesible to the children any time they were awake.  And we stayed home a lot so the children could invest many hours in free play and exploration.

It became such a joy and privilege to continue home life into the preschool years.  It has been work, and yet, so much fun.

Luke 2:51
   Jesus went back to Nazareth with his parents and obeyed them. His mother kept on thinking about all that had happened