Search Results for: blog the sometimes schoolers

Hand Sanitizer Can Be Dangerous for Preschoolers

It has become quite common for hand sanitizers to be used by both adults and children. People carry them in purses and bags. Schools often require a small bottle of hand sanitizer as part of the list of school supplies a child must bring to school. However, there is a potential danger that involves hand sanitizers and young children that parents need to be aware of. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of microbes on them in most situations. They only suggest … Continue reading →

Bran Scan Reveals Difference in Preschoolers With ADHD

Posted on by

It is not always easy to differentiate between a preschooler who has ADHD and a preschooler who is, well, acting “typical” for his or her age. Researchers that have used brain imaging scans on young children have found something interesting. There is a difference in the brain development of very young children who have early symptoms of ADHD that is not the same as the brain development of their peers. It can sometimes be difficult to determine if a preschooler, or younger child, is exhibiting symptoms of ADHD. This becomes rather obvious to parents that take their preschooler with them … Continue reading →

The Sometimes Schoolers

There is unschooling. There is e-learning. There are formal homeschooling methods that are based on other curricula or ideologies, such as classical homeschooling, Waldorf, and Montessori. In our city, there seems to be a new breed of homeschooler emerging, one that may transform the worlds of school-based education and home-based education. These educational renegades are not interested in school as it’s been done for years, that Monday to Friday, 8-something am to 3-something pm grind. Yet they’re not averse to having their children participate in a regular program of learning that is conducted by people outside the family. Let’s call … Continue reading →

Interviews with Homeschoolers – Vickie Smith, Part Three

We’ve been talking with Vickie Smith, author of The Quiet Doll Queen and president of Ark Essentials Publishing, about her decision first to homeschool, and then to send her children back to public school. You can read part one here and part two here. Vickie, you mentioned that most of your children did very well acclimatizing back into a public school routine, but two of them did have some difficulty. Can you tell us about that? My fourth daughter started in public school- my first daughter to attend public kindergarten. She did well in kindergarten but struggled severely socially in … Continue reading →

Interviews with Homeschoolers – Ali Cross

Today I’m joined by homeschooler Ali Cross, who has graciously agreed to share some of her journey with us. Ali, thanks for being here. Can you tell us how you arrived at your decision to homeschool? I’d always been interested in homeschooling, but when my twin boys were almost five, they hated spending time together, and where one was super smart and loved to learn, the other found his place by being the exact opposite of his brother. So I decided they couldn’t probably learn at home and that they needed some time away from each other. However, when they … Continue reading →

Preschoolers are People Too

Today I did job interviews. Luckily, I was the one interviewing instead of the one being interviewed. This was after an entire work day full of puppet shows for children. I came home rather cross-eyed with fatigue. The juxtaposition of interviewing young adults and creating plays for small children made me think. One of my colleagues is young enough to be someone I taught at the beginning of my career. Many of the people I interview these days are people whom I could easily have taught when they were very small children, and some of them I did teach. Sometimes … Continue reading →

Parents of Preschoolers: Do You Deserve a Merit Badge?

As a parent of a preschooler, you’ve likely survived many sleepless nights, many tired days, tantrums, wiping a lot of bottoms and noses and other body parts. You’ve scheduled your child for medical appointments, soothed damaged and bleeding bits, and you’ve probably dealt with a child who’s been hurt by others and has hurt others. As a mom recently commented to me when making some medical decisions for her child: sometimes it’s no fun being the adult. Sometimes you want to cry for your own mommy to make the decisions. A few months ago, I discovered Mommy Merit Badges. I … Continue reading →

Confession Time: Sometimes (Often) I’m Not An Enriching Parent

Oh dear. Now my darling daughter has finished her flu bug, I have it. This means that she’s home from preschool since there’s no one to bring her there and I don’t want to give it to the kids during circle time. She whined about this something awful this morning, at least until we embarked on a fun activity – making candied apples. I have a confession to make. Sometimes I am not an enriching parent when I’m home with my daughter. I don’t feel too guilty, since I suspect that others are the same way. While we bake, go … Continue reading →

The importance of imaginary play for preschoolers

Like most kids her age, my daughter is engrossed in imaginary play. She loves to invent characters and act out scenarios in her dollhouse and her Lego blocks. The current characters have rather creative names like Tuna and Alukia. I’m rather partial to Tuna. We’ve talked about why down time is important for preschoolers. Having some time to relax and reflect is good for all of us. Yes, preschoolers are a busy bunch, and even if you schedule down time, they won’t generally go and sit on the couch. If you give them the option (and turn off the television), … Continue reading →

North Dakota loosens the noose on homeschoolers

Senate House Bill 1171 has been passed and allows homeschoolers who have a high school diploma or GED to teach their children without oversight. All homeschooling parents who do not have a high school diploma or GED will continue to be monitored closely. One would assume (or at least I do) that the state has found that the tough oversight on parents who have a high school degree or equivalent had been a waste of time and money. Any homeschooling parent worth their weight in salt knows that what you can teach, you can find someone who can. It is … Continue reading →