Preparing for the year

I debated quite a bit on how to organize our year together. I considered many different approaches including a project-based approach, literature-based curriculum, etc., but ultimately what I think will work best for our situation is a more simple theme-based approach that ties into the alphabet. I've always maintained that you can teach young children any concept in thirty different ways, using just about any topic. The framework is really just to make teaching the concepts and skills more interesting and engaging for the child. So, we are going to try this approach and see how it goes. I have to say that this is a huge learning experience for me. Teaching one child (especially your own) is so different than a classroom environment. It has its own unique challenges, but it is nice to be able to give Lily 100% attention (for now anyway!) and to know exactly where she stands with all her skills. It is the ultimate in individualization! I am still a huge advocate of early childhood education in learning centers (quality ones anyway), but we are going to make the most of our current situation and hopefully we will both benefit from this arrangement. Of course, the mom side of me loves being able to spend my days with my girl, and I feel so lucky to be able to be at home with her during this stage of her life!