PRESCHOOL 2020-21

Welcome to Homegrown Preschool! 

I am excited to offer preschool again this fall! After five successful years of teaching in Kaysville, I look forward to another wonderful preschool group in 2020-21. My purpose in teaching preschool is to create a fun and personal learning opportunity for the students and to provide financial support for my missionary sons and daughters.

I will accept registration for up to eight students for the 2020-21 school year. Students must be Fall 2021 Kindergarten eligible and be fully potty-trained.

Ten Parenting Principles That Have Shaped My Motherhood

I'll be the first to admit that motherhood is wonderful but challenging!!! So when people ask how I effectively raise ten children, I hesitate to offer any secrets to success. After all, each individual mother and family situation is unique. I firmly believe that we are all just doing our best in a soul-stretching profession.

However, there are certain universal principles that I do believe are key to rearing productive and happy children in today’s world. I gleaned these parenting tips from my own parents and good mothers and fathers I’ve observed. I share them here in the hope that others will adopt and adapt them and pass them on.

My motherhood philosophy changes yearly, weekly and daily as my parenting journey evolves and matures. In other words, I'm still developing my strategies just like everyone else! 

But today, as the mother of ten busy and good children, ages one through nineteen, I share the top ten parenting principles that have shaped my motherhood. I hope you find these helpful!

10. Routine Structure and schedules are the only answer to smoothly managing the lives of twelve people. When children know what time we are waking up, going to bed, leaving for school, what jobs they are expected to complete in the morning, where they sit at the dinner table, where their shoes belong and other routines it adds ease to our crazy life. I believe that organization is good for children. It teaches them boundaries and respect for regulation. And, it makes my life simpler. Knowing that we are doing laundry on Monday, cleaning bedrooms on Saturday, practicing the piano in the morning, and who washes the dinner dishes each evening means I don’t have to reinvent the wheel every day. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Thinking ahead, having a plan, and then sticking to it is the only way I stay sane!

9. Family Mealtimes The family that eats together stays together—I firmly believe that adage! Last week a visitor at our door was surprised to see 11 of us sitting down to dinner in our dining room. “Do you eat together every night?” she asked, amazed. Yes, we do. Granted, some evenings my husband is gone for a meeting, or my high school son has a track meet, or my daughter is working at her job, but the rest of us still sit and eat—together. I love those times! Not only is family mealtime helpful for creating healthful habits and manners in children, but in addition we all share and talk about our day and the world waits while we recharge together. It’s a great time for our teens, tweens and toddlers to connect despite their different stages of life. In fact, to me, mealtime is the best of times—a golden moment when I feel a small surge of success.

Brite Families, Bright Future

One of the greatest parenting tools I've ever discovered is Brite Music.  Created by composer Janeen Brady for her nine children, the songs and stories found on the Brite albums are childlike, uplifting, and fun!

I was raised on Brite Music, starting when my parents purchased their first record in the early 1980s.  Thankfully, the music is now available in downloadable form.

Why use music to teach and train children?  Music is a powerful tool.  We retain 10% of what we hear, 40% of what we see, 60% of what we hear linked to a story, and 90% of the messages we hear through music.  If children can sing a song back to you, they are retaining 99% of the message!

Also, music stirs powerful emotions within us.  That which we sing we believe more deeply.  Music can inspire feelings of patriotism, love, memories, and positive experiences.

Brite Music is a tool to teach children self-esteem, honesty, obedience, patriotism, and even safety skills.

Check out all of the Brite Music on their website:  www.britemusic.com

Watch for more stories about how I've used Brite Music in my everyday motherhood.