Finding A Preschool

It's the time of year that parents just might be on the search for a preschool. For those who were readers a year ago, you know that we went through quite a process with searching and visiting and interviewing. We wanted to find the best place for our daughter- that would also end up being the best place for our son.

 Here are a bunch of the posts I wrote during that time:
  The Last Wednesday
  The Montessori School Visit
  The Great Preschool Search
  Montessori vs Goddard vs A Beka etc
  Eureka!

 And a follow up to what we've learned in the past year...

 We love, love, love our preschool! Little Explorers has been everything we'd hoped for and has also exceeded our expectations. It isn't just about what she is learning or about the curriculum. What we were looking for was a place where she would learn and where we felt she was safe. What we got was a place where she is loved for her unique spirit and individuality. She isn't just learning the same things as everyone else- she's also being encouraged to discover her own interests and drive.

I've learned so much about my daughter. I've learned about her competitive side, about her desire to lead. At first, I wasn't so comfortable with it. The director/owner (Lori) of the school has truly been a partner - not just in educating my child but in helping me understand her better, helping me to embrace parts of her personality that I was initially uncomfortable with.

One thing I was concerned about balancing when we were looking for a school was my involvement. I wanted a place that would welcome me at any time. I needed a place that wasn't going to require a lot of time on my part. I work full time, Mon-Fri, and finding time to commit once a month can be a struggle when time is taken away from work for illness, sick daycare provider, daycare provider closed, etc. I wanted to be involved as an enhancement and I wanted the ability to decide how much I could enhance. I needed that flexibility and that openness. And I found it and then some. I even signed on to be a Room Mom and have been very successful in the 2 parties that Room Parents have been called on to throw this school year so far. I feel completely welcome to be very much a part of Teagan's school goings on- and Lori helps me stay connected with Teagan even though I can't be there. Phone calls, e-mails... Lori and I talk as often as needed or wanted.

It's a small school and I know every teacher and helper. And they all know my daughter and love her and the other kids.

In terms of learning, through fun activities, learning centers, and guidance, Teagan is counting and adding and even reading. And she is so excited about learning and growing in these ways!

Teagan will continue at Little Explorers for Kindergarten. The decision was easy because we love the school and are very eager for Teagan to have Miss Sally as her Kindergarten teacher. The decision was hard because Teagan will have to change schools for 1st grade and will be in a different public school than the kids she will have then known for 2 years. We live on the other side of our town from Little Explorers and many of those kids will be in an elementary school on that side of town. I'm not worrying about that transition until we get there.

The other reason we chose for Teagan to do Kindergarten at Little Explorers is because Zach will start there this fall (or summer). My kids were in a home daycare situation together until this past fall. I look forward to them being together again. Each day, they will spend time together in the morning, go to separate rooms for their school time, and then come back together for the last few hours of the day. I think it's a unique opportunity for their sibling relationship. Plus, the way Little Explorers is set up, they will spend childcare-only days together and will enjoy summer programming together.

My tips for seeking out a preschool:

Once you have a list of places you are considering- and the best way to form that list is to look around your neighborhood, talk to other parents at church and work and playgroups- here are some tips to help you evaluate the school.

1. Call and talk to the head of the school. You will learn a lot from that conversation- are they in a hurry? Are they answering your questions or trying to brush you off? Ask about the learning philosophy of the school. Ask about open door policies. Ask about parental involvement. Leave questions open ended instead of directed - the more they talk, the more you learn.

2. Schedule a visit to the school without your child. Your state should have records available showing the school's inspections. Look at it before you go. Is the environment bright, colorful, well lit? Any safety concerns? How are the rooms organized? In the classroom, get on your knees and look at the room from your child's perspective to see what they will see. How does it feel? Overwhelming? Welcoming? Exciting? Scary?

3. Schedule a visit with your child. Let your child visit the classroom without you by their side so you can observe how they adjust. Watch and see how the teacher includes your child in the classroom. Walk away from the classroom and let your child find their own way and then slip back, hopefully without being seen, and peek in to see how your child is doing, how the kids are acting, how the teacher is managing the class.

4. Feel free to drop in unannounced. The school should welcome a visit at any time. See if things are the same as on the other days you visited. If you feel like you need an excuse, say you need to pick up registration paperwork or you had a few more questions. And be sure to ask to go back and peek in the classrooms again.

5. Talk to your child about their experience visiting the school. Our journey was such that the 3 schools that passed the phone call didn't pass our adults only visit. Little Explorers was the only school we took Teagan to see. Had she been unhappy about something, we would have listened to her. Thankfully, she loved it as much as we did!

6. Don't be afraid to ask hard or uncomfortable questions of the staff, director. While the answer is important, how they answer will tell you a lot more. If you ask about how they handled suspected abuse and the response is defensive or the person is taken aback or you hear a lot of excuses... it's how they answer and respond- both with words and with body language- that will tell you what you are really looking for. For more on this sort of thing, I recommend reading Gavin De Becker's book "Protecting The Gift." In fact, any parent who leaves their child in the care of another person should read that book.

You are choosing a place that will be a foundation for your child. You should trust the school you select. We chose Little Explorers because we felt that we would be respected and heard but that we also would learn from their leadership and expertise. We can speak up about what's going on with our daughter or if we have concerns but we also know that we will be brought in to any issues or concerns that they are seeing with our daughter. We are laying the groundwork for Teagan to be excited about learning. With the partnership that we found with our preschool, I feel confident that we are starting out on the right foot!

I'd love to hear your ideas and tips. And if there are questions you are facing in your search, let's try to find some answers!

3 Days In...

I know that everyone has been eagerly anticipating stories from Teagan's first days at school, right? Pins and needles, I'm sure! First- something I love. Our first in-home daycare provider did a similar little sheet to this one every day. It let me know about what Teagan ate, if she had any problems, and about her diaper habits. Lisa doesn't do that sheet, which is fine. But I didn't realize how much I'd missed it! Teagan now gets this full sheet from school that tells me what she eats and how her day has been! My girl is an over-achieving people pleaser. We've seen this competitive edge come out in dance class. It isn't that she wants to be better than the other kids. But she is certain to do her own personal best. Hence, she wants to be first, answer first, etc. There is a reward system at school where the kids can earn "Wow cards" when they get "caught" making a good choice. Listening, helping without being asked, setting a good example... Tuesday, day 2 of school, and Teagan's little chart pocket was positively overflowing with Wow Cards. And little kids going to school just wouldn't be right if they didn't bring home oodles and oodles of art projects! Teagan, as you can see, is most taken with the paint markers that make fantastic polka dots.

No, it isn't really upside down. She said she painted a big, colorful "D" for Daddy. It's for him to put in his office at work.

She said this one is a storm (we had a stormy day here on Tuesday- all day long). The blue are the storm clouds and the yellow is the sun.

They made a little book in school on Wednesday. So far, there are only 4 kids coming in every day for the full time program. More kids start next week. And pre-K officially starts after that (and that includes both full time and part time students).

Each child gave an example of something that makes them special or of a time when they have felt special. Miss Tori, the all day program teacher, wrote out a page for each student for each book. Then it was up to the child to draw what the page said.

Teagan's first page:

The drawing is of Mommy when I was pregnant with Zach. See- that's Zach in my belly. Melts my heart!!

Page Two:

That's Kyle on a sled out in the snow! Page Three:

I told Teagan that she and Lauren ought to be great friends. Since Lauren likes chocolate and Teagan doesn't like chocolate, they can always share nicely! Page Four:

I have to admit that we had no clue that Teagan could draw people. She likes to color and write letters at home and hasn't ever been interested in drawing people. I'm really pretty impressed with her drawings and how well they depict what she was wanting to get across.

A couple of funnies to share, of course.

We picked her up after her first day and were going out to dinner to celebrate. On the way there, Teagan is telling us about her day and we are asking lots of questions. She stops, mid-answer, and declares, "I have to stop talking now. I need a rest. I've been talking ALL DAY."

I picked her up on Wednesday and she was the last child there. She and Miss Tori were playing with Mr. Potato Head. Apparently, I was the inspiration for Teagan's Potato Head creation. She had me wear a hard hat (she knows we "make" those at my work), gave me strong muscle arms, and glasses. Miss Tori asked if it looked like Mommy... Teagan says, "Um... turn it around." Miss Tori turns it to show the backside. And Teagan happily declares that yes, it does, indeed, look just like her Mommy.

Wanna know just how much Teagan loves school? Lisa is closed Thursday and Friday. Zach will spend Thursday with Jeff's mom and Friday with my mom. Teagan, without any prompting, has already announced that she wants to go to school those days. No Grandma... just school. School beats Grandma and Mimi? Wow!!

'Twas The Night Before Preschool

'Twas the Night Before Preschool

And all through our home

Preparations were happening

For the big day to come!

**

Clothes were laid out

To dress fast the next day

A carefully planned outfit

And new shoes- hooray!

The backpack was filled

And laid just by the stairs

Photo album and blanket

Packed in with care

She awoke filled with glee

And her hands started clapping

"I'm so happy for school"

She said with feet tapping!

**

She dressed and she ate

Out the door like a flash

So excited to go

To the car we did dash!

**

Arrival on time

Traffic lighter than planned

Posing for pictures

Mom's camera in hand

Our big girl, so proud

With her backpack on tight

Outside this door

Everything looks and feels right

Stopping inside

By the PC's to pose

So excited to have time

To play in these rows

Off to the classroom

Hang up the backpack

Find her named cubby

She's got quite the knack

Some hugs for her mom

Some hugs for her dad

Off to check out the room

So proud and so glad

Miss Mindi guided her

Showed her around

So many toys, Adventures to be found!

From baby to now

Time has gone so fast

And this little person

Is a Big Girl at last

She'll eat and she'll share

She'll rest and she'll read

The teachers will take care

Of all that she needs

No tears were shed

At least not by me

But someone please explain this

To little Zachy

**

He cried for his sister

He cried in the car

Not understanding why

We left her so far

**

But tears turned to giggles

His frown to a grin

His drop off went smoothly

So everyone wins

**

So Teagan's First Day

Has begun oh so sweetly

Here's hoping the day

Speeds by oh so neatly!

**

Will I Cry?

Place your bets, folks! We had Teagan's Open House / Meet the Teacher night last night. She got to meet the teacher for her aftercare room and her pre-K room. She got to see some of the other kids and do some crafts (I had soooo many observations during that time). Had snacks and just a general time to ask questions, make sure paperwork is complete, etc. She is very excited! I haven't gotten sad about it- yet. Will I cry on Monday? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe I'll cry tears over my baby becoming a school girl. Maybe I'll cry tears because my boy won't understand his sister not being with him. Maybe I'll cry because I can't go to preschool. Who knows! First, my observations. And I'm certain the teacher was making mental notes on this front, too. I was so interested to watch and see how the other parents interacted with their kids!! We rarely have the opportunity to see other family units set in the same setting we are in, you know? When we first got to Ms. Mindi's class, there were 2 tables set up. These tables each held a project. First, Teagan decorated a little human cut out (looked more like a squat gingerbread person) that had her name on it. She will use this to check in and out for the day. Next project was to make a "first week" of school necklace. There were little kits with pre-cut pieces of foam to glue together to make a box of crayons, essentially. This is where it got interesting. To see which parents sat right by the child and directed them on which color to use or made suggestions on how to color the little person. To see which parents stood back and let their child be independent in their decision making. To see which children looked to their parents for guidance and which children sat and worked alone. The name thing was easy for the kids to do on their own but the crayon box name tag required adult assistance. That was where I really observed things! Some parents were very concerned with how the necklace looked, how much glue was used, etc. When it came to writing the child's name on the crayon box, some parents did it themselves, some offered to help, some let the child go to town. It was fascinating. I don't place any judgements. Don't misunderstand. I just loved watching these different styles of parental involvement and seeing how that played out with the kids and their decision making. Here's how it broke down with Teagan. For the little person, she was completely independent. Mindi explained what it was and that was it. Teagan found her named person, found a spot at the table, grabbed a crayon and started right in- never gave me or Jeff a second glance. She worked very intently and was very focused for most of her time at that table. She created a specific look for her person- much attention to detail as she colored specific layers around the edges before starting on the middle. Once she was finished, she placed it on the board by the door- she was very proud of her work and Jeff and I were proud of her! For the name tag necklace, Teagan and I worked together. We opened the packet and I asked if she wanted to follow the little sheet of directions or if she wanted to figure it out on her own. She chose to have me read the directions. So I would read it and then she would interpret it and do the work. I only helped if she asked me to do so. She only asked for help with the glue on a squiggly striped piece. She started out writing her name but the space was limited and I think she was unsure of fitting the letters in so she did the "T" and the "E" and I did the rest. She explored her classroom, found the dollhouse, asked her teacher about the reward chart! And look at this... a schedule for the first weeks of school...

3 short days... Monday morning... no turning back... What do you think? Will I cry?

Eureka!

We have found it! The preschool search may be over. We are on the verge. Jeff and I have found a school we like- well, I LOVE IT!!! The plan had been to find a top 2-3 schools, take Teagan on visits, and then decide. But after visiting the little independent school and then Goddard... we've decided that we like this school best, we will take Teagan to visit this school, and that's that. We did not choose Goddard. We just didn't love it. Jeff just didn't really like it. It was too chaotic. I didn't like what the director had to say about her teachers. She kept referring to them as her "girls." She hires them directly out of college and they stay a couple of years and then move on to public school positions. It isn't until school starts in August that she knows that she has a full staff for the year. Huh? It was just a little odd. Also didn't like that she welcomed us in but immediately had us sit in her office for 20 minutes or more instead of taking us on a tour while talking about the program and then sitting us down to see if we had questions. Various adults walked by several times and it made me feel like word was spreading that "potentials" were in the house!! The first school we visited was the little independent school. Little Explorers. The drawback is that it is 10 to 15 minutes away from home and in the opposite direction that we travel for work. So choosing this school definitely means some inconvenience. But I'd already made up my mind that if it was The Right School, the drive would be worth it. Here's the bottom line. Tuition at this school isn't too much more than what we pay for daycare. It includes 2 snacks, breakfast, lunch. No fundraising, no parental requirements (but parents are welcome to be as involved as they wish). In addition, they hold regular evening and weekend events so that parents and siblings can see the classroom and be part of the child's experience. The pre-k teacher has 32 years of teaching experience and she is fantastic. We heard her class before she knew we were coming, we got to talk to her and the kids and see the room. There are class pets- a hamster, 4 hermit crabs, and... *gulp* a tarantula!! Apparently, Spidey is quite the people-spider, though. The director told us some amazing stuff about him that makes me feel kinda ok about it. The school is small and will stay small. Only 4 classrooms- one for 3 year olds, one for pre-k (4 year olds), one for kindergarten, and one for the child care portion. There is a little computer lab and the kids usually get on the computers about twice a week (T loves the idea of that, as do her techie parents). The price is right, the hours work, and the program just fits us!! HOORAY!

Montessori vs Goddard vs A Beka vs etc

The stress hitting me over this school situation is AWFUL. Sometimes I think that I must be taking this too seriously. No one ever warned me that this school decision was such a difficult one. To calm myself, I am going to therapize here on my blog and also organize myself- I've got folders on each school and take extensive notes during phone calls and jotting down post-visit notes.

Montessori is back on the table. I got a follow up call yesterday morning from one of the heads of the school. She was checking in to see if I had any questions after our visit the week prior. I hesitated... in my head, I'm thinking this school is already off the list so why bother... but decide to ask about the language regarding the parent visit and observation policy.

She was shocked! She had no idea it read that way and it certainly isn't how the school is run. She said they have parents almost daily who pop in at various times just to check on the kids. She assured me numerous times that I would be welcome at any time and that I was also welcome to make an appointment if I wanted to have a more formalized observation with input from the directresses or heads of the school.

We ended the call- and I am feeling like this Montessori school is back on the list. 20 minutes later, she called me back and sealed the deal. She immediately went to the other head of the school and brought this to her attention. Turns out, the Board of Directors of the school have just recently changed the language in the handbook and want it written to be clear that parents are welcome to come into the school at any time.

So not only did she calm my concerns, but she took immediate action to rectify the problem on her end and then followed up with me.

So it is definitely back on the list.

We visited 2 other schools yesterday- just dropped in and asked for info. At both schools, we got a tour and lots of info about the program.

One is a church ministry program that uses the A Beka curriculum. I had no clue what that meant so I did some research. I didn't like what I saw and was ready to drop them from the list. But this place is highly recommended by Miss Lisa and by 2 other parents that have gone through Miss Lisa. So I wanted to check it out, see it for myself.

From my reading, the issue with the A Beka curriculum is that it comes from a fundamentalist Christian publishing company (the fundamentalist part already scared me off) and there have been issues (and even a lawsuit) regarding the pertinent historic and scientific information that is excluded from or simply wrong in the information they print. I asked our guide about the controversy- not stating what it was- and she had no clue what I was talking about. So maybe that's a thing of the past. Or maybe it doesn't really apply to the materials used in a pre-K setting. Checked with a preschool teacher friend of mine... turns out that she was schooled with an A Beka curriculum and advises against it. Says it is too limited. I agree from what we saw when we toured.

It was very focused on reading, writing, and math. The rooms were very small, especially considering that the class could be as large as 16 kids. Very few playthings in the rooms and the focal point of each pre-K room were 2 work tables and child size chairs. I get the impression that the curriculum part of the day focuses a lot on sitting and writing or doing worksheets. Which I don't think suits my daughter very well. Pretty certain it is off the list.

Move on to the next place. It's part of a chain- La Petite Academy. We liked it. Didn't really see anything we didn't like but also didn't love it. It would be fine. But nothing to get super excited about. Curriculum seemed well rounded. My concern was that the teacher turnover was high. Most of the teachers, according to the information in the lobby, had been there a year. The school cook, however, has been there 18 years.

As far as chains go, we are also considering Goddard and Primrose. We need to visit them. And if they pass that first step, we add them to the list.

Oh- another one on my list is a privately owned, independent preschool that will be starting its full day program this fall. The focus at this place is learning through experience and play. Which lines up nicely with what I think Teagan needs. It's a little out of the way for the morning drive and pick up. But... if it is the best choice, then we make it work.

Coming soon... another big pre-K post that will compare out the top 3 choices.

The Great Preschool Search

Sorry to inundate with preschool and Teagan and kid stuff. But it is my focus these days so that is what you get! I might be crossing the Montessori school we visited off the list. In fact, I *gulp* am crossing it off. I went online and read the Parent Handbook. And read this... "Parents—as well as other interested family members and care givers—are encouraged to view their child’s classroom any time during the year after the first four weeks of attendance. You must make an appointment in advance. This has become more important than ever, as increased enrollment and tours throughout the year mean that often other parents or prospective parents are scheduled to observe during the day." Italics and bold are theirs, not mine. Huge red flag. Every other school- Montessori and church and otherwise- has been very "open door" about visits and observation. And that makes me feel immediately more comfortable. This breaks my heart. Because I would really love for my daughter, for my kids, to have a Montessori education. But it doesn't seem to be plausible between this red flag and the schedule limitations of other school options. So back to square one. If I follow my gut, there is a preschool/pre-K/Kindergarten program through a local Wesleyan church. Excellent hours, provided meals, affordable, etc. It's one of the first places I called and have yet to hear anything about it that's left me uncomfortable. Time to plan a visit. Sooner rather than later, given this recent development. RAWR!!!

The Montessori School Visit

Our visit to the potential school went really, really well. It truly was a night for existing parents and only a few of the families attending were prospective parents. If you are unfamiliar with Montessori, you can read some of the information for parents provided on the Montessori.org site. I did have a moment of panic, feeling overwhelmed, anxious. I'd been handling it all really well. And I can't even tell you what it was the directress said that made me all fluttery. It had nothing to do with the school or the program... it was just this big reality of my baby being part of this kind of program. Concern over how she will transition into it... how she will take to it, if she will like it. So the next steps appear to be to come in for a daytime tour and classroom observation (there are mirrored windows so adults can see into the rooms without disrupting the activities). And then Teagan gets to come in and meet the directresses, see the school, and we'd see if she's a good fit. *** The Montessori classroom has 4 areas. Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, and Mathematics. Also incorporated is Geography/Cultural Subjects. Practical Life encourages care of self and environment. In this area, kids learn to fill water glasses, clean tables, fold laundry, and other tasks that they see performed at home. A recommendation for incorporating this into the home environment is making certain that objects a child needs to take care of their own tasks are at their level- such as dishes, cups, silverware, snacks. Sensorial focuses on the child's 5 senses and encourage control of movement. One demonstration showed to us by another parent was a cube with a variety of sizes and colors of blocks inside it. The picture on top indicated how the cube should look when complete. The child then fills in the cube with the blocks- there isn't one specific way the blocks fit so the child has a lot of options to make the top of the cube look like the picture. This also, apparently, teaches algebraic thinking. The Language Area focuses on the spoken and written word. Montessori children are taught cursive instead of printing as it is natural for a child to want to draw curved shapes. The alphabet is taught phonetically. Children are also encouraged to use proper names for things, instead of nicknames or made up words. Mathematics first teaches 1 through 10 and the concept of zero and then moves into the base 10 system. From there, children learn addition, subtraction, and then multiplication and sometimes they even learn division. We saw work stations that teach fractions, addition facts, and so on. The Geography and Cultural Subjects include map puzzles of different continents and their countries, globes, flash cards with information about various cultures. The main purpose is to expose the child to different cultures. *** Jeff and I were both impressed with the cultural diversity in the small group of parents present. A German grandmother and mother, an Asian dad, a British dad, an Indian mom. *** Another important element of the Montessori classroom is that it is a mixed age environment. Teagan's class would be ages 3-5. She is good at being in a leadership or mentor role as she is the oldest in her current daycare situation. She needs more exposure to older children as peers. *** My mind isn't made up. I want to visit a "regular" preschool. There is one near our house that our daycare provider recommends. Just because I have a deep respect for Montessori doesn't mean it is exactly right for Teagan... but I'm pretty sure it is. *** Oh! The other thing that was exciting, for me, was hearing a lot of the same language that I use when I talk about parenting. Personal responsibility, self-sufficiency, choice. Main tenets of the Montessori philosophy. *** So the visit was a good one. On the way home, we stopped and picked up Teagan's bike for her big birthday present. Just have to get her a helmet and she's good to go. Also got her a basket for the front of the bike- every girl needs a basket on her first bike! Someday I'll share the story of me and learning to ride and having my first bike (a yellow hand me down that I adored) when I was 8 or 9 years old, I think. This morning, after being awake about an hour, Teagan suddenly began complaining that her ear hurt and is having trouble turning her head to the right. I think it may be a pinched nerve. Jeff is taking her to the doctor this morning... hopefully she won't be miserable all weekend- that is not a fun way to celebrate your birthday! I will say that her dealing with this new pain sensation, while pathetic and miserable, has been adorable, too. She is very worried that "something is wrong with my bones! I don't want my bones to be bad!" And in the midst of some of the whimpering and holding, a confession came out... while with Pop-Pop last night, she ate a lot of candy! And now it's hurting her ear! Poor thing, feeling guilty for it... and bad parents, we didn't correct her! We didn't agree with her, either, so maybe there is some redemption for us? And I'm still slammed at work but couldn't neglect my bloggy buddies another day... but now really must get my nose back to this grindstone over here. Ouch! UPDATE: Teagan has an ear infection, as does Jeff. Both are on Augmentin. Fun. Teagan seemed to be feeling much ebtter and wasn't in tears over the pain so Tylenol must be helping.

The Last Wednesday

Today is the last Wednesday that my baby will be 3. Tomorrow, her last Thursday as a 3 year old. Then her last Friday... her last Saturday... Sunday is her last day of being 3. Ever. I can't believe it. And to add to the growing excitement, adding to all of the changes that are coming with the advent of FOUR... I'm going to preschool tomorrow! I've been dragging my feet when it comes to looking at preschools. I know it is time. Miss Lisa has been awesome for Teagan but she needs more. She's the only girl, she's the oldest child. It's time to move to the next phase. In my college past, I started as an elementary education major. I studied Montessori a little, did some volunteer work in an inner city Montessori school. I can't say that I'm passionate about Montessori but I am very in favor of the process. And I think it is a really great fit for Teagan and the way she learns and observes. So I've gathered recommendations for Montessori schools. The downside is that most Montessori schools don't offer the extensive before-and-after care that we need since Jeff and I both work full time. And then I happened upon a Montessori school that is close to home, offers the hours we need, has a very comprehensive website, gorgeous campus, etc. I was reading Morninglight Mama's blog today and it inspired me to swallow and breath deeply and make the call. I chat with the woman who answered the phone. She is going to send a packet, etc. Very nice, very sweet. She asks if I want to come in for a tour. Absolutely! Even better... are you free tomorrow night? I can make myself free. It's a "parent experience" night. Where current parents and some potential new parents can come in, talk with the directresses, meet the teachers, and participate in hands on demonstrations of the classroom stations. Which means- play with the toys! Wahoo! So tomorrow evening, Jeff will be home with the kiddos. I will venture out to the first major step of our baby becoming a girl. And play with toys.