Our Last Year At Montessori Preschool

January is when application submissions for our next school choice begin.  In a few short months, Ladybug Girl will be leaving Montessori preschool behind.  
I'm already homesick.  
Pre-school has been the best time so far.  Watching her discover the world has made me genuinely enjoy her company when we play.  So innocent.  Too fleeting.

Her last birthday ceremony at her Montessori pre-school.  She's blowing out the candle representing the sun.

A couple of months ago, she turned six.  I had been noticing her beginning to change, so much so that I freed myself from blogging-related commitments to devote to getting to know this new person emerging.
The physical changes were only a small part.

She has new play patterns : far more independent from me and far more imaginative.  When I ask if she wants to play together, "no thanks" is now among her possible answers!  Complete turnaround.
Lately I've been reading further along this Montessori book for some insights on her age group to confirm my suspicions somehow.  I'm amazed once again by how insightful the work of Maria Montessori was:  children from birth to five years old learn about the physical environment around them and that's why so much play is focused on sensorial learning (as we have).
But children from six to twelve years old are now expanding skills to explore life beyond the present moment - that means emotionally, historically and imaginatively.  These changes were the bigger part.

Lately she's been getting lost in pretend-play for an hour and beyond

Reading chapter books now.  She'll read quietly in bed for a while and then I'll read a chapter out loud before lights out.

Writing out secret codes and excluding me from the action

So to tell you the truth, maybe I'm also a little homesick for the way we used to play.  So interdependent, like a team.  But I know my little girl will always keep building her personality onto the one I helped form.

Now as I get to know my little blooming girl a little bit better everyday, my parenting methods will change but my style will be the same.  To have hands-on, do-it-yourself parenting and (dare I say it?) no regrets about having a career.

Now how do I get through writing about a thousand ideas and pictures of backlog alongside these new insights - I have no idea yet.  In time, in time.