Welcome to our monthly Spotlight on Five!
 | Kendra Fletcher
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This month's Spotlight focuses on preschoolers. Enjoy an article by guest columnist Kendra Fletcher. She is the homeschooling mother of eight, ages 19 down to 4. She has never known what it means to homeschool without the presence of preschoolers and loves to encourage other moms beginning their homeschool journeys with little ones underfoot. Her website and blog can be found at http://www.preschoolersandpeace.com.
Preschoolers We have a span of ages in our home, from a 19-year-old down to a four-year-old, and it's easy for me to forget what it's like to not have so much to do. When a mom of one or two gasps, "How do you do it?" after learning about our large family, I reply, "It was harder when I was in your shoes!" Having a two-year-old and a newborn was a very, very taxing time of my life. But then, what do you do with a three-year-old and a one-year-old all day? Is it worth planning anything? So many of my days I felt like I was just killing time. Now I don't own my time. The pace is so frenetic that my attention span is about the same as my two-year-old's, I eat on the fly or while helping a high schooler or while reading aloud. I help one with grammar while I oversee the math of another, and I spend any free time I have planning menus, shopping lists, school projects, and a million other lists that have to be made in order for anything to be done smoothly. If there is a major project to be done, it has to wait until after 8 p.m., and it pushes anything else aside. In this season, there is no time to kill. Because my view is what it is, I look back on life with little ones and think of a hundred things I wish I'd done: - Memorized more Scripture, both myself and with them
- Organized my recipes into a system that works long term
- Learned to garden and grow most of our summer produce
- Kept up-to-date files of our photos
- Learned to cook ethnic cuisines we like
- Read the classics I haven't read
- Taken nature walks and let them really take it all in
- Taught them to swim
- Learned Latin
- Brushed up my Spanish and French
- Taken continuing education courses
- Studied theology
- Written letters of encouragement
When I survey the list above, I see that many of these things can be done with little ones: Memorize more Scripture: Make index cards for memorizing and charts to track progress. Liberally give stickers for each verse memorized. Learn to garden and grow most of our summer produce: give them their own small patch of the garden (or pots on the patio) and let them toss some sunflower seeds in the dirt. I am always amazed at the fact that the little ones can neglect sunflower seeds all summer long but in the end, their production is better than mine. Learn to cook ethnic cuisines we like: Let them help you roll up burritos or pat out the dough for Indian naan. Read the classics I haven't read: Read aloud to them, preferably while they are captive in a high chair or bathtub. They don't have to understand all the nuances of Jane Austen, but they will be enriched by the language and your voice, and you will have accomplished something. Take nature walks and let them really take it all in: Find a lovely park, beach, or foothill setting and pack a picnic. Have no expectations. Just take their little shoes off and let them explore. Bonus: our nature days tend to make the little ones take longer naps. Teach them to swim: My favorite place to take my little ones is to the beach. It's a giant sandbox and a natural babysitter. Write letters of encouragement: Together you can bless so many people, from shut-ins to missionaries abroad to children in need. God bless you as you parent your littlest ones! What have been your favorite learning experiences with your little ones? What have been your greatest challenges? We would love to know how you balance the challenges of homeschooling your older children with nurturing your preschoolers. Send your stories to [email protected]. | 
