BTW... I would like to clarify for anyone wondering...
My "Half Preschool" will consist of craft projects, story reading, counting, making patterns, worksheets, Starfall.com and others like it, phonics practice, board games, puzzles, word games etc.
Nothing that she is uninterested in will be done or pushed. So far we have done all of these things in a random, unstructured way and only when she has specifically asked. Lately, however, she has started asking to do school and every day I get requests from her such as "Write me a sentence Mommy. I'll read it to you." She WANTS to learn and so I plan to take all that we've been doing at random times and just do it a certain time each day. I'll make up a weekly list of activities and I will let her choose what to do that day...AS LONG AS SHE IS AMENABLE TO IT!
Before I had kids I was 100% against "early learning." Every child psych or child development class I took told me parents who "pushed" their kids (esp. those that sat an infant up to show them flashcards... those that drilled their kids) were wrong wrong WRONG. What I never stopped and thought about was that sometimes there are exceptions and "early learning" is not always a bad thing. I have never shown either my daughters flashcards nor drilled them with anything. They learn through playing and repetition...
"Here Lady Bug, have the BLUE ball."
Before I became a SAHM I was a preschool teacher. That is where the worksheets come in. I have many Preschool/Kindergarten books full of them. One day to keep her busy I handed her two and a box of crayons for her to color them with. Yeah, well, instead of coloring them.. she completed the worksheets...on her own, without any help. (which was kindof freaky in a way) She loves them and asks to do them almost everyday. Hence, worksheets are on the list.
I war with myself over "structuring" her learning... Against all my preconceived notions about young children I have come to the conclusion that as long as she is enjoying herself and happy than I will do it and let her control the pace.
Please forgive me if I sound defensive.. I just don't want to be labeled as "one of THOSE moms."
