Cute Little Bastards

We came close to sending John and Julia (3 and 2) to their first school. Today would have been their first day. As it happens, we don’t have it in our ’single steady income / starting a business budget’ at this point so we had to cancel our reservation. To be honest I’m both happy and relieved at the same time. The added financial pressure is definitely something I can live without but more importantly - I was pretty concerned with sending them both to school just yet (more Julia than John).

John’s first day in school

Having said that my real issue with not sending them is that John clearly needs more social interaction and he’s acting out because he’s bored. Julia, not as much, but she’s not far behind.

I had the realization yesterday that just because they weren’t going to an official school didn’t mean that I couldn’t start them off in school, all by myself.

So, today we made some makeshift desks out of spare wood and office remnants and set them up in my office. I made a big fuss about giving them their first school notebooks, yellow 2B pencils and we had way too much fun with the automatic pencil sharpener. I introduced them to their first flash cards as we went through 1-10 and then we gave holding a pencil a try. I know, this might not be the first thing they would have done at their ‘real’ school at this age but I’m working with what I’ve got. We had coloring time and then finished up with a story book. They were having fun, they seemed highly engaged, and we were all doing something different. The structure felt like it was healthy as well - for all of us.

I’ll be having school from here on out and I’m looking forward to it.

John’s first day in school

And we saved about $1,500 a month by not sending them. What I WILL DO is get them enrolled in an activity with other kids where they can go for an hour or two a few times a week to socialize and play. That, combined with my version of home schooling, should make for a good combination and hopefully one that will help expand our minds.