As the Founder and Administrator of Miracle Moments Christian Preschools, I do not always have the opportunity to sit and observe our children during their Worship/Circle Time each morning. This past week, however, I was blessed to be able to observe one such time at our National City campus, lead by the school's Director, Mary Johnson. Ms. Mary lead the children in prayer, sang fun songs, and told them a Bible story, all with the tenderness and love of a mother with her own children. As I watched, I was reminded of the importance and sacredness of this time in our daily schedule.

In general, Circle Time is an important part of a child's preschool education because it provides for each child a sense of community. Regardless of one's age or ability, during Circle Time, one can feel a sense of belonging to the group. This time can be especially helpful to those children who might feel shy or perhaps are still learning English (or Spanish) as it encourages communication and participation. Teaching effective communication at this age in this type of setting is important because it is done in association with illustrative stories and songs with reinforcing hand-motions.

For example, at our schools, most of our children do not primarily speak English at home. Two of our students, a brother and sister, speak Creole at home and came to us initially speaking very little English at all. In a matter of weeks after enrolling, we were seeing their faces light up during Circle Time when the leader would sing a familiar song or when a new friend would sit next to them.

At Miracle Moments, in addition to the interactive and educational elements of this gathering, we also like to teach each child about the love of Jesus. Each morning, one child is asked to help Ms. Mary lead the class in opening prayer. This will not only help them be aware of the existence of our Creator and of the power of prayer, but will also teach them to habitually approach the Lord in prayer every day. Then, Ms. Mary leads the children in a few songs–all of them educational and Christ-centered. Again, the repetition of these simple tunes teaches and reinforces each child's language ability. She then ends Worship with a short story, followed by closing prayer.

I know that each family's schedule is somewhat different. Though I would encourage you, if at all possible, to bring your son or daughter early enough to participate in this very important interactive experience. I started this program because I care about the physical, emotional, spiritual and social well-being of your children, and I want you to be assured of your child's healthy development within each facet. Worship/Circle Time is one very important way in which we progress in these areas.

It is with pride and tremendous excitement that I announce the grand opening of Miracle Moments Christian Preschool in El Cajon! For many of you who have been following us on this journey, beginning three years ago in National City, you know just how much God has richly blessed our efforts in such a short span of time. Growing from three students to just over thirty in three years assures me of God's providence in the face of numerous hurdles and adversities.

That is why, earlier this year, with our ever-expanding student body in National City, we began discussing with the El Cajon Seventh-day Adventist Church Board the possibility of expanding our ministry to serve the families of its members and the surrounding community. With a warm reception and an enthusiastic "green light," I began work on applying for a license for a new school. Historically, such a process can take months to complete, so I had not a minute to spare!

True to form, we were contacted by the County Department of Social Services regarding our application for licensure more than two months after applying. But that did not stop me from preparing part of the El Cajon church facility for opening day. Building a fenced-in play area for the children, hauling van-loads of toys and other supplies, and installing child-safety mechanisms in each of the classrooms and bathrooms were just a few of the things on my to-do list prior to our inspection. So, when our assigned case manager finally called, we were ready to go!

After a successful Open House event the following week, we were thrilled to enroll four precious children into our new program. While such a small number may discourage other school administrators, I am excited to see how God will guide and lead this new ministry because I have seen how He has blessed us before. I have faith He will use me and my staff to further His Kingdom through our efforts with these four children…and the next four…and the next four!

So as we move forward, I will renew my request for your continued prayer for this ministry and the lives we are touching through it. If you or someone you know has a child between the ages of 2 and 12 years whom you believe could benefit from our program in El Cajon or National City, please pass on our information as we would love to connect with each one. God bless.

As many of you may know, we just held our third graduation ceremony Sunday, promoting our ten precious Pre-Kindergarteners on to primary school, with some starting Kindergarten as early as Monday. As I stood in front of a packed audience of more than 60 people–family members and friends of my students who'd braved the pouring rain to show their support–I read the names of each graduate aloud. As I did, I truly could not recall a time being more proud of our little school and the work we are doing in the lives of these children and their families.

After a round of rousing songs sung by our students, a heart-warming slideshow, and of course, the presentation of the diplomas, I invited everyone to move to the classroom next door for some light refreshments. I cut the cake and watched my little graduates showing off their robes and funny hats, playing with their classmates (for the last time, for some). As I watched, I wondered to myself, for a brief moment, if we had done enough. Had we done enough to prepare these bright young minds for success in Kindergarten and beyond? Had we answered our call to prepare God's children for the fulfillment of His purposes?

On one level, I feel confident in the rigor of our curriculum as adequate preparation for Kindergarten. My staff has worked extensively with these children on basic exercises in reading, writing and math. With the increased demand for children who are academically prepared for Kindergarten, working with our kids in these subject areas is important, but only the tip of the iceberg.

On another (and perhaps, more important) level, our program prepared these graduates with the social skills and emotional development necessary to ease their transition to primary school, as any effective preschool program should. Studies have shown that children who have a more difficult time making friends in Kindergarten are generally outperformed by their peers throughout their academic careers. This is why we, as teachers, take steps to correct negative social behaviors–rough play, not sharing, arguing, etc.–which could result in social rejection when transitioning to Kindergarten.

But most importantly, I believe we have prepared our students spiritually, teaching them stories about Jesus and songs about His love for "little ones like me, me, me!" One parent told me, "I'm so happy my child has learned to love the Lord." Something like that is not easily forgotten! It is my firm believe that, even if not all of our graduates continue in Christian education moving forward, at least we have planted seeds that I pray will grow into something beautiful.

So, as I wave goodbye to a graduating class of ten beautiful children who are prepared for everything Kindergarten has in store for them, I look forward to the next wave of young minds to mold and shape for the Lord's calling.

We have all observed a parent or teacher instructing a child to "color inside the lines." Perhaps you have been that parent or teacher who has told a child to color the trees green or the sky blue in a coloring activity. It is understandable why some of us tend to do this; we so much want to see our children acquire the skills we feel they need to succeed: the ability to follow instruction, to think critically and accomplish a given task (like coloring a picture). These things are important in the learning process, of course. Teaching our students the importance of academic discipline begins when they are young, making crafts and learning the alphabet.  But if we are not careful, our instruction will also teach kids to do the same things and be the same people. 

The reality is, the entrepreneurial spirit of America is such that we should celebrate when a child discovers his free and creative spirit in the classroom. In fact, creative skills are just as important as academic skills because we know that this creativity in any organization leads to increased innovation and success. Companies like Apple, Walmart and Disney all started with a little hard work and a lot of imagination.

In our program at Miracle Moments, we have provided opportunities for creative expression in each classroom. One way we do this is through music. Plato once said, "Music gives flight to the imagination." This is why we sing songs to reinforce academic concepts, including languages. We also play music softly in the background throughout the day to help facilitate learning for children who are overactive or inattentive (i.e. soft music during Naptime or aerobic songs during Music & Movement).

Another great way a parent or teacher can encourage imagination and creativity in children is by providing objects with which children can play and experiment. These objects do not even need to be toys. It is amazing watching our students use their creative energy with such things as pots and pans, empty boxes and plastic dishes. We place these open-ended objects in each themed Learning Center in our classrooms in order to maximize imagination in playing house, store, restaurant and other scenarios.

These are just a couple of ways we reinforce creative expression in our children, knowing this skill will carry them far in life. So when you give your student or child a picture to color, and she turns it over and starts drawing her own picture, don't stop her. Sit back and watch her creative side blossom into something beautiful. 

Of the many positive sociopolitical changes in America in recent years, one has been increased attention to the dietary habits of our children. First Lady Michelle Obama has appeared on television talk shows across networks calling for parents and schools to encourage the development of healthy eating habits in our children. Schools across the country have, in response, made positive changes in the foods they serve, including more fruits and vegetables while removing processed foods and sugary drinks.

In my work with small children, it is my understanding that, for the same reasons a structured education is important for preschool-aged children, healthy eating habits are important for developing children. This is why, at Miracle Moments, we serve two hot meals a day (breakfast and lunch), each of which includes a well-balanced variety of different food groups. 

First, because children's bodies grow rapidly during the first eight years of life, it is important that our students are fed meals rich in calcium for bone growth and iron for myelin (essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system). Types of foods that are rich in calcium are your basic dairy products: milk, cheese and yogurt. Whole wheat bread is a great source of iron.

Second, healthy nutrition as a child has a direct affect on the health of that child later on in life. Studies show that children who eat nutrient rich foods display lower levels of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, mental illness, drug addiction and kidney damage. On the flip side, children who have a steady diet but eat the wrong foods are more likely to develop high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis, asthma and other health problems. This accounts for why the rate of childhood obesity in America has tripled since 1980.

Finally, in just the same way teaching children healthy behaviors and habits when they are young will influence their behaviors and habits when they grow older, teaching children the importance of a healthy diet will help them make wise decisions when it comes to their nutritional choices as they grow up. A child who has not grown up eating a lot of sugar and saturated fats will not have a taste for these things as an adult and so will be less likely to eat such things, thus lessening the chances of developing one of the above health problems.

So if you have a chance to review our Sample Menu, you will see that we offer many nutritional meal options throughout a two week period. This information is posted, not only to share with parents what we are offering at mealtime at school, but also to encourage parents to continue providing healthy choices at home.