I began looking for preschools when Maya was somewhere between 15 and 18 months old. When I started out I wasn’t sure what “method” I was looking for…discovery, Waldorf, Montessori or what. I just knew that I would know it when I saw it. I searched high and low, made appointments, sought recommendations, and perused the ads in the Family Press. It wasn’t long before I was dismayed. Each preschool was more unacceptable and expensive than the last. (At that time the average full time preschool price for a 2 ½ year old was $950 month) Ricardo thought I was crazy. One day, after he listened to my complaints, he laughed and said,” Shawn, calm down. This isn’t Yale you know.” I furrowed my brow, narrowed my eyes…puzzled that such a comment would come from a Harvard man. He's right preschool isn’t Yale…it should be something more progressive like Berkeley or Stanford. Humph!
My mother in-law said that I was “too rigid”. After all, none of her kids were sent to preschool. Uh..well, they didn't even have preschool then. AND wasn't milk delivered to her doorstep? Didn't the family doctor made house calls? We don't even have a family doctor...pediatrician..yes; ob/gyn..yes; primary care physician..yes...but one doctor for all of us...hmm no. I, on the other much younger hand, had a very rich and positive preschool experience in West L.A. of the late 1960s! So I've been sold on the concept from the git go.
I sought affirmation from a dear friend and fellow mother. I told her my saga. She laughed and said, “I know. I know! Why don’t you try our little preschool? It’s a bit far from you. But, I think it would be worth it.” Hesitantly, I asked her about the diversity of the school…. "Irene, I know your Asian/Pacific Islander child and nephew are there, but besides them are there any other children of color?” “Oh Shawn (laughing) we have Hmong children, Mexican children, Ethiopian children, German children, Swedish children, White children…we have all kinds of cultures and religions.” Hmmm really? I called and made an appointment. I liked them right away because of all the preschools I called they were the only ones that asked me to bring my child with me.
So, I sprinkled off my two year old, dressed her up and headed to Emmaus Today Christian Montessori located in the predominantly working class neighborhood of Linda Vista. Maya wowed the directors with her focus, pleasant nature and interest in books. I left that day having given them some of Ricardo’s money to secure her spot for the fall!
Elated. I was absolutely elated! That August, we attended the mandatory parent orientation. The Sisters, as we affectionately came to call them, encouraged us to get to know one another as parents on a common journey. They spoke of the Montessori tenets spending considerable time focusing on the "Specialness of One". They spoke passionately about our Divine responsibility to become a community. What? Really? Ha! Even Ricardo was impressed. My diligence had paid off!
Develop community we did. At that first meeting, Ifa was still brewing in my belly and Xander in Kimberly's. Over the years, we would share labor and delivery stories as well as methods for abating sibling rivalry. When Kathy stood and asked if we could please all agree to contribute only healthy snacks to the snack pool...we did so and shared the load by generating a list of ideas and affordable merchants.
My mother in-law said that I was “too rigid”. After all, none of her kids were sent to preschool. Uh..well, they didn't even have preschool then. AND wasn't milk delivered to her doorstep? Didn't the family doctor made house calls? We don't even have a family doctor...pediatrician..yes; ob/gyn..yes; primary care physician..yes...but one doctor for all of us...hmm no. I, on the other much younger hand, had a very rich and positive preschool experience in West L.A. of the late 1960s! So I've been sold on the concept from the git go.
I sought affirmation from a dear friend and fellow mother. I told her my saga. She laughed and said, “I know. I know! Why don’t you try our little preschool? It’s a bit far from you. But, I think it would be worth it.” Hesitantly, I asked her about the diversity of the school…. "Irene, I know your Asian/Pacific Islander child and nephew are there, but besides them are there any other children of color?” “Oh Shawn (laughing) we have Hmong children, Mexican children, Ethiopian children, German children, Swedish children, White children…we have all kinds of cultures and religions.” Hmmm really? I called and made an appointment. I liked them right away because of all the preschools I called they were the only ones that asked me to bring my child with me.
So, I sprinkled off my two year old, dressed her up and headed to Emmaus Today Christian Montessori located in the predominantly working class neighborhood of Linda Vista. Maya wowed the directors with her focus, pleasant nature and interest in books. I left that day having given them some of Ricardo’s money to secure her spot for the fall!
Elated. I was absolutely elated! That August, we attended the mandatory parent orientation. The Sisters, as we affectionately came to call them, encouraged us to get to know one another as parents on a common journey. They spoke of the Montessori tenets spending considerable time focusing on the "Specialness of One". They spoke passionately about our Divine responsibility to become a community. What? Really? Ha! Even Ricardo was impressed. My diligence had paid off!
Develop community we did. At that first meeting, Ifa was still brewing in my belly and Xander in Kimberly's. Over the years, we would share labor and delivery stories as well as methods for abating sibling rivalry. When Kathy stood and asked if we could please all agree to contribute only healthy snacks to the snack pool...we did so and shared the load by generating a list of ideas and affordable merchants.
At the Christmas program, our spirits would be collectively riveted when Mr. Jeff sang “O Holy Night”. The program was followed by a sumptupous feast wherein our tummies would have nary a milimeter empty as we stuffed them with the many ethnic treats. Contrastly, our collective spirits would mourn at Aliyah’s mother’s funeral. We'd collect ourselves each year to gather at the bay in the chillly-willy-almost-dark cold for our annual family picnic. Even now, I can't help but laugh when I remember the year that Margot peed in the sand while her brother trotted off into the murky bay water! Ahhhh a good time was had by all…well, maybe not Camille, Margot’s mother, but the rest of us certainly chuckled.
We laughed and ate ourselves silly at birthday parties and just generally had a good time! All was not perfect, of course, but each challenge and disagreement was met with a commitment to resolve the issue equitably. And yes, there were phone calls home. But always, always, these calls started with “Hi Shawn honey….” And included a counseling component from a Divine perspective about how the ego of a child evolves into a self…the Specialness of One.
This was all possible because the Sisters, the teachers and Miss Tammy are all very special people. I remember quite clearly the day I pulled up to the school for pick up and had my consciousness jolted by a huge, and I mean HUGE black banner flying. On the banner was a dove with an olive branch in its mouth “flying” by the words: “For Whom the Bell Tolls…State Sanctioned Murder Diminishes Us All” WHAT??? Well, being spiritual beings committed to the Catholic church and ecumenical teachings, the Sisters flew this banner whenever anyone…including…former gang member Tookie Smith…was due to be executed. WOW!
I think this is what has been most striking about the Sisters. They truly live out their faith, beliefs and precepts. When we left San Diego and hence Emmaus…we all cried! The Sisters took me in their arms with hugs and kisses telling Ricardo and I that we would always be in fellowship. Not “in touch” but in fellowship of the heart, mind and spirit. Yes, Sisters we are and forever will be!
This year, the Sisters sent out the most beautiful Christmas card. The words inside call us to action -- to build community if you will -- by saying:
“When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost, to heal the broken,
To feed the hungry, to release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations, to bring peace to all,
To make music in the heart!”
Yes dear ones, our work is before us! Let us greet this New Year with faith affirmed in fellowship with one another, doing the work of the divine Spirit within and honoring the Specialness of Each One!
Happy New Year!
We laughed and ate ourselves silly at birthday parties and just generally had a good time! All was not perfect, of course, but each challenge and disagreement was met with a commitment to resolve the issue equitably. And yes, there were phone calls home. But always, always, these calls started with “Hi Shawn honey….” And included a counseling component from a Divine perspective about how the ego of a child evolves into a self…the Specialness of One.
This was all possible because the Sisters, the teachers and Miss Tammy are all very special people. I remember quite clearly the day I pulled up to the school for pick up and had my consciousness jolted by a huge, and I mean HUGE black banner flying. On the banner was a dove with an olive branch in its mouth “flying” by the words: “For Whom the Bell Tolls…State Sanctioned Murder Diminishes Us All” WHAT??? Well, being spiritual beings committed to the Catholic church and ecumenical teachings, the Sisters flew this banner whenever anyone…including…former gang member Tookie Smith…was due to be executed. WOW!
I think this is what has been most striking about the Sisters. They truly live out their faith, beliefs and precepts. When we left San Diego and hence Emmaus…we all cried! The Sisters took me in their arms with hugs and kisses telling Ricardo and I that we would always be in fellowship. Not “in touch” but in fellowship of the heart, mind and spirit. Yes, Sisters we are and forever will be!
This year, the Sisters sent out the most beautiful Christmas card. The words inside call us to action -- to build community if you will -- by saying:
“When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost, to heal the broken,
To feed the hungry, to release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations, to bring peace to all,
To make music in the heart!”
Yes dear ones, our work is before us! Let us greet this New Year with faith affirmed in fellowship with one another, doing the work of the divine Spirit within and honoring the Specialness of Each One!
Happy New Year!
