by Courtney Cappallo (USA) | Nov 8, 2010 | Being Thankful, Education, Family, Motherhood, Parenting, USA
Last year I embarked on the journey of a lifetime, well, my lifetime anyway! I took on the responsibility to educate my (then) 4-year-old daughter for preschool. For me, the decision was a no-brainer. When my daughter turned two years of age, I remember many of the mothers in my inner circle debating the preschool question. When and where are you going to send your child to preschool? Back then I was hesitant to tell them the truth, that I planned on not enrolling my child in preschool but to, in fact, homeschool her.
I could feel the social pressure kicking in even when my child was two! I was resolute in my decision to wait to start schooling my child until she turned four. I wanted her first years to revolve around exploring the world and playing, yes, just playing! Of course, she learned the ABC’s and numbers, but there was no strict structure involved.
When my daughter turned four years old I started homeschooling her for preschool two days a week. I had (and still do have) unconditional support from my spouse. We knew that I would be homeschooling our children before we were even parents. I decided to homeschool only two days a week versus some of the other preschool programs that school three or even five days a week. I felt completely comfortable with committing to a two-day a week schedule.
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Courtney Cappallo is a mom of two girls, ages 7 and 4-years-old. She is living her dream life by residing on Cape Cod and being able to stay at home with her two little beauties. Courtney is currently homeschooling both of her daughters for 2nd grade and preschool, respectively.
Courtney uses a mix of Classical Education and Montessori. She is a strong believer in teaching to the five senses. Courtney’s homeschooling efforts are unique, as she uses the latest technology of the Smartboard. She is also taking on the task of learning Spanish as a second language, as well as, teaching her two children and husband Spanish.
Prior to becoming a homeschooling teacher, Courtney was the Director of Marketing for Simon Property Group, which is the largest U.S. real estate company. Courtney was Simon’s Director of Marketing for the Burlington Mall, Arsenal Mall and Cape Cod Mall. Courtney is a graduate of Villanova University and is proud of her small town roots from growing up in Oxford, Pennsylvania, which only has two traffic lights! She can be found making homeschooling lessons and more at Table of Four !
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by Angela Y (USA) | Nov 3, 2010 | Family, Motherhood, Parenting, USA
Now that my big girl, R, is 3, I have enrolled her in swim class. I waited until she turned 3 for a few reasons. I was told that children learn fear around that age; and, even if they were not afraid of the water before then, they may then become fearful. But, my main reason is because I don’t have to get in the pool with her. Instead, I can simply watch dryly from the deck with my little girl, M, who is 1-year-old, at my side. This prevents me from having to pay a sitter or find a convenient time when my husband is home to watch her.
My friends often talk about being “behind” on their children’s swimming skills. Here, in San Francisco, it is popular to enroll your child at a swim school like La Petite Baleen before babies can even crawl. You will often hear moms comparing ribbon colors. Some take it a step further and get private lessons because they felt their child was not excelling.
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Angela Y. is in her mid-thirties and attempting to raise her two daughters (big girl, R, 3 years; little girl, M, 1 year) with her husband in San Francisco, CA. After spending ten years climbing the corporate ladder, she traded it all in to be a stay-at-home mom! Her perspective of raising a child in the city is definitely different from those who have been city dwellers all their lives, as she grew up in rural Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) surrounded by her extended family.
Angela Y. and her husband are on their own on the west coast of the United States — the only family help they receive is when someone comes for a visit. But, the lifestyle in San Francisco is like no other for them, so there, they stay! This exercise conscious mom is easily recognized, especially when she is riding around her husband-built bike with two seats on the back. And, when she’s not hanging out with the girls, you can find Angela Y. in the kitchen. She loves to cook for her family, especially dessert, and then eats some herself when no one is looking! Sneaky, mom!
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Last year I embarked on the journey of a lifetime, well, my lifetime anyway! I took on the responsibility to educate my (then) 4-year-old daughter for preschool. For me, the decision was a no-brainer. When my daughter turned two years of age, I remember many of the mothers in my inner circle debating the preschool question. When and where are you going to send your child to preschool? Back then I was hesitant to tell them the truth, that I planned on not enrolling my child in preschool but to, in fact, homeschool her.
