What would you do?

AH! I've had this post sitting in draft for about a month now, but when I came back to finish it I see that almost half of what I wrote is gone. I've recreated part of the post, but I know that I can't remember a lot of it, so if it seems jumbled I am sorry.

There is something that I have been mulling over in my head for a while and I just need to write it down and think about it some more.

Around the middle of February Impact co-op was registering children for their Spring classes. I saw that they have a Nursery class, infants to 2 years-old the preschool class doesn't start until 3 years-old. This class doesn't cost any money, unlike the preschool class. I volunteered to help in this class, to watch and make sure Jasmine was okay with the class, but to also meet other parents who were going to/are homeschooling there children. I got this e-mail in reply...

"You signed up Jasmine for the nursery on Wednesdays at the co-op. I am sorry to tell you that we do not open nursery up for families that do not have other children taking classes at the co-op. This is available strictly as a convenience for our families while their older children are in classes.

However, we will be more than happy to see you in a couple of years when Jasmine reaches preschool/kindergarten age."

The wording of this sentence really bothers me, "This is available strictly as a convenience for our families while their older children are in classes."

It bothers me because it implies that we, me, Jasmine and my husband, are not a homeschooling family because Jasmine is not old enough to go to the co-op's preschool. I hate that. I hate that I am dismissed from homeschooling in this woman's mind as a homeschooler because Jasmine is not old enough for me to have to worry about filling out a letter of intent to homeschool.

Honestly? It makes me not want to spend any money at Impact co-op. Eagle co-op is closer to us and so far, has been much more friendly to us. I hope someone who does attend Impact co-op sees this and mentions it to the woman who wrote the e-mail. If she sees it, I hope that she actually thinks about what she is writing.

The wording really irritates me, but am I putting way too much thought into this? What are your honest opinions please?

Just a note, your opinions won't change what I do, my thinking maybe, and I have been reading a lot of articles on discrimination, which may be effecting my thinking.

Hello again.

Well, we have and haven't been busy. The Carson City Moms Club that Jasmine and I were attending seems to have taken a mid-winter hiatus (something that I am not happy with,) but, we have started swim lesssons again on Wednesday nights.

I also discovered that NNHS runs Eagle co-op, and that they have a one hour preschool class on Thursdays in Reno. Here is the description...

"This class will have a relaxed schedule of art activities, stories, outdoor and indoor free play and snack time."

I'm kind of excited to discover it, but also kind of wary. 1.) it is held in a church. 2.) there are bible quotes on the Eagle co-op website.

We missed the deadline to sign-up for this session any way and the next session doesn't start until the end of May, so I joined the NNHS's e-mail list. I think that will help relieve some of my worry about religion being stressed at the preschool level.

My husband and I have always wanted to allow Jasmine, and any other kids we may have, the opportunity to explore religion on their own, without forcing any doctrine on them previously. Because we have so many different religions, philosophies and ideas about spirituality in our family it just seems like it would be easier to wait until Jasmine understands the ideas before encouraging her to choose something herself. This doesn't mean that we won't be teaching to be respectful of all faiths, so if her preschool class, as an example, has prayer before the class starts I want her to be respectful and stay quite during the prayer, I don't however want her to participate in the prayer. Of course we are getting a head of ourselves and I just need to wait and see.

Impact co-op also has a preschool class, on Wednesdays, but it doesn't start until age 3. So, I might use the Eagle co-op to see how Jasmine does, and then add the Impact co-op if she does well. The only problem with the Impact one is that it is in Sparks, even farther than Reno, and I already consider Reno far to drive.

Eh, I think I'm just rambling at this point.

What we are currently reading:
Jasmine's selection: Strawberry Shortcake's World of Friends by Megan E. Bryant


My selection: May Bird and the Ever After by Jodi Lynn Anderson