Tonight we went to the end of the year performance at Madeleine's preschool. The kids were absolutely precious, and it was really neat to see my baby girl perform with her friends. It has been a real learning experience for me as a mother to watch Madeleine move through different phases of growth. She spent the first three years of her life being cared for by the wonderful ladies at the DFHS Kit Den. I could not ask for a more caring group of people to take care of my babies. She still loves the Kit Den ladies dearly, and she loves to go back for visits when we pick up her little brother on occasion. At age 3 Madeleine began preschool at Abner Montessori in Chapin. I cannot say enough good things about this school. There has not been a day that I have left her there when I worried that she was not being well taken care of and learning tons of new things. I have always been intrigued by the Montessori learning philosophy. It is really interesting to observe children at work in Madeleine's classroom. Every single thing in that classroom serves a purpose to help children reach new developmental milestones, and everything is strategically placed. My favorite part about the Montessori program has been how they teach the children to be respectful and responsible as part of their classroom community. Next year Madeleine will begin a new phase when she comes to school with me at LMES for kindergarten. This will definitely be an adjustment for both of us, but I am excited to have her with me. And, it will be nice to get a break from the tuition expenses. However, I am going to miss the wonderful staff at Abner, and I look forward to bringing my other bundle of joy over in a year. He is going to love it just as much as his sister did. Thank you Abner Montessori for working so hard to make my child feel loved and respected. Ms. Sharron and Ms. Becca are the BEST!
