Is it really time for kindergarden?

I thought it would be fun and challenging to create a blog for me to document our family's educational adventure - especially since our adventure with "school" is about to start.  

I first need to explain that I view "education" and "school(ing)" as two separate ideas although I do believe they are closely intertwined.  

To me, education is not something I can choose to do or not to do.  I am educating my children.  I educate them daily by example, by instruction, and by expectations.  Secondarily and like it or not, my kids are being educated by the world in which they live.  Right now their world is very small, but I am very aware that the size of their world, the things they are exposed to, the people the meet, the observations they make in a public setting, expands a little bit every day.  The main reason I have chosen to be a stay-at-home mom is so that I am the primary educator of my children.  I view school(ing) as something that is limited to a specific period of time (whether that be K-12th grade, college, grad school or beyond) and as a place where specific educational ideas are taught (reading, writing, math).

My oldest is about to start the adventures of kindergarten.  Last year for his "pre-school" we were involved in Classical Conversations and he did a fantastic job.  I enjoyed the year tremendously as I was able to tutor his abecedarian (meaning "student of the abc's) class.  This year he is enrolled to attend a supplemental school called Faith Academy.  He will attend this school once a week from 9-3 being taught history, geography, science, art and Bible.  This school exists to support home-schooling parents in schooling their children and was started by two home schooling moms we know.  The school uses Tapestry of Grace - a classically-based curriculum - as their curriculum.  This year we will be in Cycle 1 of Tapestry of Grace's 4-cycles which will cover Creation through the Fall of Rome.  We will work from home the rest of the week covering things he learned in school and working on math and reading.  I don't plan to make "school" the central purpose of our week.  I want my son to enjoy learning and will be looking for ways to feed his mind, his body, and his soul in creative ways.   

My middle child, also a boy, will be attending Faith Academy for pre-school.  He will go every Monday from 9:30-12.  At home I intend to let him enjoy his year as a 3- and 4-year-old (his birthday is in January), but I do plan to work with him on some basic life skills, to continue to instill in him a love reading by reading lots to him, and to let him explore his love of swords, knights, dragons, and castles.

My baby, a nearly two-year-old little girl, will also be learning.  Right now she's learning how to use the potty, how to clean-up her toys, how to hold crayons, how to speak to people, and how to share.

My job as teacher started the day my children were born.  My job just gets harder now that they need to learn specific things to help them excel in whatever God has created them to do as they grow.