Marie and Mommy School

Marie is not attending Joy School or preschool this year. 

I did my darndest to get a Joy School group together. When June and July came and went and I still didn't have a single commitment from anyone, I knew I had better come up with a plan B.

Plan B took about 2 seconds to decide on. Plan B was to keep her home with me. 

Next fall, Marie will have to go to preschool. Teaching Joy School while tending Anne was do-able. Teaching Joy School with a 2-year-old Anne and a new baby would be insanity. Yet, I believe in the Joy School curriculum so strongly that I want to be sure all my kids are exposed to it. Which brings us back to this year.

We are doing our own casual little version of Joy School. 

Each Sunday evening I scan the two lesson plans for the upcoming week (Joy School is typically twice a week) and choose something to cover each day. I include the songs and finger plays in our morning circle time and include an art project at least once a week. (I say this as if we have been doing it for ages. We are on week 3. It's a habit I'm working on. So far, so good.)

Marie has been a pleasure to work with. She loves to sit and color and draw and learn and discuss and sing, in a way that I could never get William to do at that age. And William? He joins us for circle time, but beyond that mornings are his free time (well, besides chores and violin practice). I've found, however, that he loves re-learning all the Joy School songs and discussing the Joy with us. His participation is voluntary and he usually chooses to join us. 

And Anne? Two words. Morning nap.