Preschoolers and Peace ~ A Book Review

When the Crew was offered a review of the e-book Preschoolers and Peace: Homeschooling older kids with success while loving the little ones at your feet, I jumped at the chance to read a copy.  Kendra Fletcher of Preschoolers and Peace has written a loving guide for integrating your toddler or preschooler into some of your school day.

Many homeschooling families are raising and teaching children of multiple ages.  I know full well how difficult it is to teach school age punks with a baby on the hip or toddler under foot.  Mal and Xav tend to get distracted by Merrick when he is doing something different at the table.  Naptime is the easiest way to school Mal and Xav.  As Merrick got older, he first gave up his morning nap and now sometimes doesn't sleep in the afternoon.  I preferred the morning hours for school.  I think the bigger littles stayed focused better before lunch than after.  Right now, we're getting in one and a half to three hours each afternoon, plus read aloud time and some outdoor activities most days.  That just isn't ideal for us, though.


In thirteen brief chapters, Kendra guides you through scheduling a school day that includes your tot, rather than banning them from all of the excitement they just know is going on in that other room.  I love the idea of circle time as it is in the book.  What I associated with calendar time with the boys a couple of years ago and evolved into their daily notebooks, can be kicked up a few notches to include preschoolers.  In Preschoolers and Peace, it's defined as, "...fabulous, all-ages-are-welcome, group teaching time that allows us to pray together, laugh together, and get to the things we often run out of time for."  As I think about ways to incorporate this into our mornings, I really see the beauty of it.  I've been pulling out activities that Merrick can sit at the table and do with us while we talk and learn.  Training the olders to be less distracted by him is as important as teaching him to work on his "school" quietly alongside us.   

Top: Merrick working on QTip painting numbers.  Bottom: Our letter sort box, learning alpha order and matching upper and lower case letters.

Don't let the thought scare you.  The suggestion to schedule your day is really just to create a routine for your family.  If you aren't sure how to occupy the littlest family members, Kendra includes a great list of educational and fun busy work.  We all know just how much simpler life is when they are occupied.  Who among us hasn't had that dreaded thought that the toddler has been just a little too quiet for a little too long?

Topics in the book include

• How Do I Keep Them Busy?
• What a Homeschooling Mom Needs
• Preschool Boys
• Preschool Chores
• Meal Planning 101
• When All of Your Kiddos Are Preschoolers 

There are so many more resources in this book.  Preschoolers and Peace is a very enjoyable little book.  Sort of like chatting with the neighbor mom over your favorite hot beverage.  Kendra is a wealth of doable and worthwhile ideas.  I suggest reading the blog at Preschoolers and Peace as well.  Then do some strategizing and gather those little ones right in.

$2.99 ebook
For homeschooling moms with toddlers or preschoolers, or any mama who wants to discover ways to spend meaningful time with their littles.

Preschoolers and Peace on Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google+
You Tube