From the womb, my last born has called the shots. She was my only full-term birth and the biggest baby of 5 that I gave birth to naturally. However, this wasn’t why she took so long to arrive on the scene!

I love the book by Kevin Lehman called the Birth Order. There is something to be said about this. Surely their birth order plays a part in their personality.

And surely my last born’s personality was shining through when she decided to be unlike the four other births and arrive two weeks after her due date, when she decided! Just as she continues to decide or so she thinks about everything else in our home.

The first day of Pre-K was normal. Most children are always a little unsure of the separation they’re about to experience. If intrinsically children were designed for connection and dependency on their mother, particularly, during the formative years, what makes us think the process of going to school is that simple – kiss them goodbye and leave. I suppose that then is the argument – is Pre-K helpful in nurturing the design of our little people. Does the separation they experience nurture their need to remain connected, especially to their mommies!

I must pause at this point to speak to the mommies that have to work.

But I also feel the need to clarify “have to work”. And I am perfectly aware I may offend some people by this. (Sorry not sorry!) I don’t “have to work” to afford the car payment, mortgage payment, credit card bills, and yearly vacations. Such a sacrifice as motherhood can be quite costly. Believe me, understand full well what a one-income home with a salary of 40k (if even that) covers!

Single moms or wives that have husbands that are unable to work have to separate from their child, respectively. In my experience with my eldest, as a single parent, children are resilient and will one day honor their mother (or father) for their sacrifice and hard work.

So why universal pre-k – then I thought about the woman who has a toddler left at home and wants to work part-time. Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) doesn’t help this situation either however because our society is only geared for one way – two parents working homes, while children are in school in between before and aftercare. Who then are these supposed experts in their recommendations for a mandatory Pre-K system with all children entering public schools at the young age of 3.

As our country continues the discussion about universal free Pre-K, I continue to be challenged by the question of why? 

I am not clear how this helps a majority of the children (mostly from middle class homes who will use these services). I am certain they don’t need 9 hours of over stimulation and separation from their mother in particular. I also am sure that it doesn’t take 4 hours that VPK allows now, to learn their ABC’s and how to count to 10. Not to mention pre-school children need to play! And I am strongly convinced it is not the job of the schools to train a child.

As for Isabelle she only lasted two weeks before it was decided to keep her home another year. At the time, I was already home-schooling one child while the other attended Kindergarten at a private brick-and-mortar school. One year later for Kindergarten, Isabelle did great and was ready to go to school. Overall, she is still quite stubborn and most definitely the last born!