Donna's Journey

“My biggest concern is having my 2 1/2 year old just hang around me all day till she’s 8…I just worry about the things she should be learning but isn’t. Are there any ideas of things to do with her?”

I am not surprised that you are concerned. The current trend of pre-schools and kindergarten academics were not always the case.

I was born in 1955. When I was a child, most children stayed home with mom, like families have done since time began. Pre-schools were called nursery schools. Kindergartens were non-academic. Preschools have been sold to Americans and quite frankly our educational performance has been declining, not improving.

Once upon a time children learned and internalized a work ethic, quality, finishing, rhythms, and more, working with their parents, instead of for them. Children working along side of parents gain far more, than those who are merely assigned and nagged to work. I feel we rush independence before these values are formed.

What can you do? Plenty! These are things I suggest…

First, consider your family rhythms. Are they done by mood or by design? If by mood, might I suggest that you consider systematizing those tasks that are done more than once? Establish those rhythms. Have your sweet daughter learn and develop capacities working by your side.

Second, take time to lap read with her everyday from the scriptures. This is leadership and discipleship. This helps children learn to read, without detracting and pulling away from the vital lessons of the core phase. They learn to read without reading stealing the focus. Then lap read aloud from other books.

Three, help your daughter write a journal. At first you write for her, but soon she wil want to on her own.

Four, work with your child so they learn every aspect of running a home. Not just until they “know how.” Keep it up until it becomes their basic fiber. Working side by side, share memories, look for object lessons and teaching moments.

Five, have your child help you do service, whether visiting the Elderly, weeding a shut in’s yard, baking bread.

Six, live in a quantitatively rich home. Count towels as you fold together, help her understand weights and measures as you cook together. Count place settings, as you set the table. Get a face clock and help her learn to read it when you check it. Take her shopping with you and explain why you buy a particular product and why it is a great buy.Lap read the page numbers when looking up hymns.

My daughter visited when we had out of town guests. The mom was pregnant and exhausted. So my daughter took the 15 and 28 month olds in to the kitchen. She got out a recipe and had them look at the ingredient and then they matched it with something in the spice drawer. She explained the fraction as she measured.

Yes, it takes time to mother like this. However, it educates in a very incidental way. What’s more, they internalize it better.

Seven, make daily walks a priority, Great for your health. Great to dissipate extra energy! Walk to the park or drive to one so she can climb, swing, crawl, and slide.

Eight, get a large map of the US and one of the world. Place on the dinning table you eat most meals at. Lay them out and use a blow dryer to relax the maps flat. Cover with medium weight clear vinyl. Share where you and different family and ancestors were born. Use the map when discussing news and the scriptures.

Nine, get art supplies and keep them high in a closet until she is old enough to understand what surfaces she should write in and which she should not. Draw, finger pain, paint, work with clay.

Ten, sing to and with your child. Play classical music in the home.

Eleven, memorize poems, quotes, and scriptures with her.

Twelve, play games with her.

Thirteen, invite others into your home. While you visit with the mothers, let the children be in a supervised play.

Fourteen, make sure there are regular meal and bedtime rhythms.

Fifteen, take her to museums, concerts, plays, craft fairs, etc.

There you have it. Core phase with no academics. Yet, through lifestyle like this, most children learn to read, write, do arithmetic, become aware of geography, develop the ability to draw and sing.

All this with no stress of nagging, no unnatural curriculum juggling, and it is practical. I dare say, I have listed so much that can be done! By the time love of learning phase comes along, she will probably be reading, writing, understanding arithmetic, know the world she lives in, and be cultured beyond her peers. Eight will come and go.