Wendy Reid Crisp is the editor-in-chief of GRAND magazine, the magazine for grandparents. She has published three books including her most recent When I Grow Up I Want To Be 60.
Judy sent a middle-of-the-night email: “ Pls see what you can find about pre-K prep for stay-at-home kids. Deiter’s K-teacher says kids who don’t go to pre-school are far behind in K. Now, I’m worried about Lars. Called the Pre-K, they’re full, having waiting list. Tks for help. Xxoo.”
What’s the big edge pre-school has over a cheerful home? I grumbled. Three-year-old Lars is a tough, hilarious guy who likes to leap out suddenly from behind large house plants in a Batman costume. Seems right on target to me.
I Googled “preschool home schooling” and found a zillion materials and ideas. At the post office, I ran into Ginger, a mother who has homeschooled all seven of her children through the eighth grade. “I used a program that’s only 45 minutes long,” Ginger said, “and then we went places, or the kids worked with their dad.” Ginger said. (Fortunately, this dad is a self-employed dairyman and not, say, an insurance adjustor).
I went over to Judy’s right after lunch. Baby Hans was sleeping, Deiter was doing errands with Papa Jeff, and Lars had stacked the ottomans onto the sofa and was standing precariously at the peak, brandishing a sword. “Walk the plank!” he yelled as we approached.
“The experts say he needs to learn to sit quietly and listen to instructions for reasonable lengths of time,” I told Judy. “And how to hold a pencil.”
“Great,” Judy said. “And where will he be holding that pencil? Against the taupe walls?”
I gave her a hug. And then, I accidentally turned into a Human Home Depot.
“You can do it,” I said. “We can help.”
