Getting the Boys Ready for School

My oldest son will be starting pre-k this September and I am a nervous wreck. I know, I know, it's only pre-k. I DON'T CARE. My baby will be away from all day and I have no idea how I'm going to handle this. Especially, since I'll be home alone with my little Tasmanian devil. He's my little sweet heart that always wants hugs and kisses. Let me stop calling him names. And for the record, both my boys have been in childcare before, so you would think this would be easy for me, it's not. I worked in the same school that they attended until I started staying at home with them and it has been about two years now. Anyways, back to the situation at hand. Have I done enough to prepare my son for school?

One of the disadvantages that some young black children face is not being prepared to start school. From experience, I know we let family members keep the children while we are at work or at school, most who are not inclined to teach your child anything. Other situations would be the quality of childcare. Its one thing to pay for a babysitter and it's another thing for me to drop two and three hundred dollars a week for childcare and my child is running around playing all day. You better be teaching my children their ABC's!!! LOL. And how are you going to have someone teaching my child and they are talking street slang? I know my grammar is not perfect and I know I grew up in the hood, but we do not talk like that in my house. But I will cut them some slack being a former pre-K teacher, I know it's not all on the teacher to school our children, really it is not all their responsibility!!!! Parents, it's ours. And that's where my question comes in. Have I done enough to prepare my son for school? Enough were he doesn't fall through the cracks and creeping into being singled out as a "black stereotype?" I need him to be ahead of the game and not struggling in school.

I am fortunate to be at home with my children. So I've been working with my children constantly since they have been out of childcare. We have bought books, arts and crafts, pencils, puzzles, and little educational video games. Believe me I understand money is tight, so go to your nearest Wal-Mart or Family dollars or DollarTree, but this is our children education we are talking about here. My boys says their colors, numbers, and shapes almost every day and if I don't feel like pull things out, they are counting buttons on the TV, how many toys are they playing with, or playing 'I Spy' (a good learn your colors game). I LOVE Starfall's. Starfall is just one of the online sources that we use to help them with their letters and reading. Oh let's not forget all of the online worksheets and coloring pages that I have a notebook full of.

My husband tries to encourage me not to push the boys too hard, and I don't, but I'm on a mission and I'm striving for excellence. Shouldn't we all be? Seriously! Will my efforts today have a big impact on the rest of their education? I surely hope so.