Pandemic PreSchool Pivot

   Like everyone else, our plans for the school year changed dramatically due to the pandemic. We had each kiddo registered for preschool classes that we felt were a perfect fit. Big Kid Charlie was going to go to school four days per week and Maddie, having just turned three, was going to ease into her first ever school experience by going to a sweet little church nursery school two days per week.

   Fast forward to Fall of 2020 and both kids’ programs announced they were not planning to open at all due to the pandemic. I was honestly a bit relieved in a sense having had the decision made FOR me, because I can be a bit indecisive and struggle with making decisions like that. 

   Charlie had been in preschool the year prior and loved it. Since he is starting Kindergarten next year, we knew we needed some form of preschool exposure right off the bat for him. After researching a few options, we decided to sign him up for a recurring preK class on Outschool. We read class reviews and tried out a few different “one time” classes with fun topics like dinosaurs and monster trucks to get a feel for the teachers and see how he responded to the virtual learning format. We ultimately picked a preK class that meets regularly with a sweet and super enthusiastic guitar-playing instructor. 

   While I know he really misses the social interaction of an in-person preschool class, this has been a wonderful backup plan for Charlie. He takes his “big boy class” very seriously and really looks forward to it each week. I’m glad that he can be exposed to other people and other kids even while he’s at home and he is always excited to tell us what he learned that day. 

Showing off his completed homework

BYOG - Bring Your Own Guitar

   Now that it’s January, I think we will test the waters a bit with Maddie and see if this is something she might enjoy, too. Maddie is the type of gal that will play with her baby dolls for HOURS on end and is super content playing and crafting all day, so we will try out a few one time classes for her to see what sparks her interest. She’s shown some interest recently in school and you can often times find her walking around with a back-pack (full of Barbies). 

   It’s a major understatement to say parenting littles during a pandemic is.....complicated. Families all over the world have struggled to find their footing with the new schooling formats  and many have been forced to make tough decisions to make it work. I’m so grateful that there are safe, online options for virtual classes available. It’s honestly been a lifesaver for us and has really been such a positive experience for Charlie. Which leads me to..... how on EARTH is my baby starting Kindergarten next year??! ❤