My child attended from 2006-2010. It took me a while to realize that Mrs Fox (the founder of the school) is a parenting genius. Everything that I have learned from this woman has made life better. (1) Don't be afraid to go on outings in weather that isn't ideal. Raincoats, boots, coats and hats solve many problems. Rain and snow are no reason to keep kids inside. Invest in mud boots and snow pants! (2) Kids are capable of helping. They can fold and do laundry. They can help cook. Children find meaning in helping. (3) Keep the kids away from tv. (4) Complete the tasks started. (5) Follow your child's lead. If he likes ancient Egypt, have him help plan a trip to the Brooklyn Museum. (6) Show up on time. (7) Limit after school activities. Playtime is good!
(8) If you want kids to get their own water, make sure the cups are on shelves they can reach. (9). Let the kids dress themselves. If it is stripes with polka dots, that's ok. (10). Send the kids to school in pajamas if they refuse to get dressed. This will happen only once. There's so much more. (11). Buy child sized aprons and smocks for home use. (12) Try to limit toys. Pick toys that have multi-uses, like blocks. Kids get lost if there are too many toys. (13) Pick nonfiction reading materials for young kids. They learn about the world and pick up vocabulary. (14) Learning table manners early is important. (15) Avoid characters because they limit creativity and enforce consumerism. This is hard to do in the Princess and Superhero culture. Children should tell their own stories and not mimic television stories. Characters distract children from learning. (16). Recycle children's clothing in ways that matter. Let the kids help. The school collected for a local children's home. The kids packed up the donations. Even 3 year olds helped to make Christmas better for poor kids. (17). Use Halloween to teach about history. (18). Kids need functional clothing. Buttons and zippers make life difficult for preschoolers. Embrace elastic! Velcro is good.
A plus education.
I find myself thinking, "What would Mrs. Fox do?" read more