Met a mom last week with 3 kids under 3

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Met a mom last week with 3 kids under 3
1350
Sat, 03-25-2006 - 9:59am

A 2 year old and 17 month old twins. First she accomplished *that* through two surrogates! Wonderful what modern medicine can do.
Anyway, she doesnt work full time, she consults to several companies so is out of the home one full day then a few hours a day on other days. Sometimes for work, sometimes to go to the gym, etc.
She has a full time live in nanny, and two part time nannies. Essentially they always have someone with them and the kids. She feels she needs two to properly care for her three.
I immediately thought of all the comments her lifestyle would elicit from this board.
The day she and I met she had just come from a 2 hour session at the gym, and was then heading off to go do some shopping.
BTW, she's a complete rock star in industry, having 'retired' a year ago after a 30 year career that took her right up to the top of corporate America so she's definetly *earned* her right to do whatever the heck she wants.
But anyway, she feels she is a super hands on mom. I was curious what others would think?

MM

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2005
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 11:09am

All of the above. I think a Montessori or similar style program (or even jsut a small teacher: student ratio) would have enabled him to explore his math abilities more, would have been socially appropriate (he has "large group" issues), and I think he would have learned and developmentally progressed more.

As it is, I'm not unhappy at all with his progress. But could it have been better? Yes. At the very least I think it would have been an easier road for all of us.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-13-2006
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 11:12am
wondering what you mean by better, or things would have been easier. i know our kindergarten teachers are very good at picking up on the differences in how kids learn and working with the different kids to reach their potential thru what works for them.
Jennie
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2005
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 11:13am

It isn't a social "problem".

Public schools have to "put up with" problem kids (as you've staed before) and private schools don't. But, private schools sometimes have greater resources to deal with those problem kids, before they become problems.

Which is somewhat irrelevant here because I'm not talking about a problem kid. I'm talking about the educational style and philosophy. The style and philosophy of our public school doesn't incorporate methods that would make it easier for ds to learn. Montessori-style school do. It isn't a matter of private vs. public; its a matter of "which school implements the learning styles and teaaching methods that are the best for for my kid?" If the public school used the Montessori methods/styles, then the ps would be just as appropriate as a private Montessori school.

It isn't about the funding status of a school .. its about the education and learning.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2003
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 11:13am
Homeschoolers? When did I ever bring that into the picture?
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 11:17am

<>


Yes, I did and I wasn't referring to the houses on Portland Place.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 11:18am

Sigh.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2005
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 11:19am

I really don't know how to explain it. Part of it for ds is the particulars of a large school (not large numbers in classrooms, but large numbers in the entire school). Part of it is the institutional bias of making kids fit in a box.

He might have done great in your school. Who knows?

Like I said, he did fine. His teacher worked with him very well. But she's limited by resources, curriculum guides, physical constraints, etc. And there aren't, as far as I can tell, other kids similar to him in his class/grade.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 11:20am

You don't have to see that thumbs up there to know that I have been there, done that and now wear the t-shirt.....and totally agree.


I keep telling you to move here, he would do wonderful in the school that my children go to....


PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-13-2006
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 11:21am
my oldest daughters montessori class was larger than the younger ones public school kindergarten class. doesnt oklahoma have laws regulating the size of classes, i know arkansas and wisconsin do. now as you probably know i love montessori, and fortunately more and more public schools are starting to adopt some of the montessori principles in their cirriculum, and one of those is letting kids explore deeper or advancing within a subject at thier own pace.
Jennie
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2005
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 11:22am
Part of that, imo, is that private school answer to the parents. Public schools answer to the legislators.

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