My baby, who was tiny enough to fit snugly inside my tummy less than five years ago,
is now being registered for kindergarten! Say what?!?! For the past week or so, I was in a full out anxiety fog. I couldn’t sleep well. I was getting migraines. My mind could not rest. All I could think about was kindergarten.Ok, so this is my first time as a mom, but not my first time in kindergarten. I used to teach kindergarten. But, it’s a whole new ballgame on this side of the fence. Plus, my baby will be among the youngest in her class.
So, My mind goes wandering…
Is my baby ready? Could she wait a year?
She’s ready academically, and she is a social butterfly ready to take flight in a classroom of her peers!
Am I ready to let her go? Could I homeschool her?
I think it would be selfish of me to keep her at home simply because she will love being with all the other kids, and I don’t feel like I can devote as much time as I would need to homeschool sufficiently.
Could she benefit from a different method of teaching? What private Montessori schools are available in the area?
I have spent some serious time researching as I have been homeschooling for preschool with Montessori-inspired activities. Just in a short drive from our home, there are many options!
- Effica School of Montessori – across from Kroger on 48 in Centerville. Preschool-kindergarten classrooms.
- Creative World of Montessori – several locations. Offers multiple classes preschool-6th grade.
- Alexandria Montessori – just down the road from centerville high school. Offers preschool-elementary grade classrooms.
- Country hills Montessori – located in Springboro. Offers preschool-kindergarten classrooms.
- Family Montessori of Lebanon – offers full Montessori classrooms for ages 3-9 or an interesting hybrid of part-time homeschooling (2 days a week) mixed with Montessori classes (3 days a week).
We have considered all of these options, and we feel so lucky and blessed to also have a particularly awesome public school for our children to attend that is free! My husband and his well-educated, successful siblings all attended Centerville schools, and we are registering our first-born in the next few days. I can’t wait to see what exciting new adventures she has in store! Her first school bus ride! Her first Valentine’s Day party! All the exciting stories of her firsts in school!
[quote]It’s time for me to stop stressing and enjoy the decision we’ve made for our little family.[/quote] There are many great school options, and each can be a great fit for different families. I’m finally at peace with our decision, and I can now help my daughter prepare for this new adventure. She is shy and reluctant. She may cry the first day, but I know those tears will only be a distant memory buried under the mounds of incredible joy she will find in the awesome new experiences awaiting her at school!
