During our son’s last year of preschool we spent a lot of time reading, writing, and drawing together. Many would say that we were “preparing for kindergarten.” And while I do hope these skills benefit him as he starts elementary school, I didn’t want to give them the “preparing for kindergarten” label. I loved this time together and I have no intention of stopping now that kindergarten has started. We weren’t just “preparing for kindergarten,” it was more than that. We were learning about each other’s interests, enjoying each other’s company and taking advantage of the burst of learning that happens during early childhood.

In the last month before kindergarten we prioritized play and took a break from some of our more academic activities. And I realized that I truly missed this part of our day. I loved helping our son learn to read. And hearing him read a book with confidence is now one of my favorite activities.

I braced myself for the possibility that our son might be too burnt out after school to continue to tackle brain teasers, mazes, writing, drawing, and reading with me. But, thankfully, at least for the moment, we are still able to incorporate this time into our daily routine. And I couldn’t be happier.