"Help! I can't do this anymore! The toddler is flushing toys down the toilet again and the baby is crying; I think she's teething, someone needs help with their math and it's time to get ready for Dad to come home! How can I do this?" If you've ever felt this way, get ready for preschoolers and peace! What? Those two words don't go together, you say? Well, they do now!

Kendra Fletcher (www.preschoolersandpeace.com) has written an eBook whose subtitle is "Plan the Best Part of the Day!" Maybe you're like me, maybe you thought that the only "peace" was when the preschoolers took a nap and it was reading time for the older children! Now I realize that peace can come while everyone is awake, too! Circle Time is a 33 page eBook that explains how you can have a peaceful time together learning and enjoying one another, yes, with preschoolers! In the book, Kendra explains how to plan a circle time (she suggests naming it something appropriate for your family) that includes everyone in the family. Getting all the children to participate is covered as well, so if you're thinking, "Not my 14 year old, she'll never do it," then you must read what Kendra writes about how to get your kids on board. She even covers how to balance between unreasonably long for little ones and stopping short so little ones won't get bored.

Part of the book covers questions and answers from other moms who have been there and done that. Including other moms who actually do circle time and have the experience to share with others, so we get some great advice and a wealth of resource suggestions! The great part about having someone else suggest a resource for you is knowing that you can trust that they have spent the time reading it or using it and there will be no unwanted surprises. It's like having a trusted friend guide you when you can't hear yourself think!

So, what do you do during Circle Time? Kendra often uses "Circle Time to read books with a spiritual focus, or a particularly good character theme." She also mentions that during Circle Time her family has "read through several good devotional and instructional books, usually hitting a chapter or so per day." Another important part of Circle Time is memorization, including poetry, books of the Bible, scripture passages, Greek alphabet (Latin, Spanish, etc.), Catechisms, multiplication tables and other mathematical facts, Natural Classification or anything that you want your children to put to memory.

Circle Time can include singing, prayer, games, artist studies, music studies, etiquette or just about anything you want!

In the eBook, Kendra has included printable planner sheets, resource lists, activities and ideas to use during circle time. For the great price and ease of purchase, (just a click and download the book immediately) everyone with preschoolers should read Circle Time. Now there can be two moments of peace in your day, naps and Circle Time! Check out her website to order the eBook and to glean much useful information about living with those precocious, energetic people we call preschoolers! www.preschoolersandpeace.com

What is the most important thing about Circle Time? Well, I like the way Kendra stated it, "One of the most important things about Circle Time is that it causes us to be faithful in prayer together every morning. It is also a time I can gather the littlest ones in close and communicate to them that I want them there, and even if I am busy with the older ones and school, I want them there."

Product Review by Rebecca Huff, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, March, 2009

Do you ever wonder how to get it all done some days? Or do you find yourself overlapping with your different children in their schoolwork or activities? For those of you who might be struggling in these areas, this e-book by Kendra Fletcher has some great ideas for beginning your school day.

Put simply, Circle Time refers to a period during the day when you and your children will plan to spend time all together: doing devotions, praying, singing songs, or working on memorization. This special time is adaptable to all learning types and ages, and it can be used in so many different ways. It does take some planning to begin implementing, but it is well worth the preparation.

Included in the e-book are sample Circle Time schedules--one for fall, when schoolwork is in full swing, and another for the summer time, when things can be more relaxed. A system to keep memory work and prayer requests in order is described. Throughout the book, Kendra describes the ways she has changed Circle Time to fit her needs and encourages the reader to do the same. There is also a section with questions from different moms in different situations which Kendra answers. At the end of the book, there is a section with resource ideas and printable forms that you can use to organize your own Circle Time.

I really enjoyed this e-book--so much so that I have begun to implement it into our school days. When I begin our school day by teaching my children all together, it tends to unify us and the day seems much better organized. My children, too, have enjoyed this special time with their siblings. My only criticism is that this was in e-book form. For some, this is a great way to get books inexpensively, but for others it is harder to deal with than a regular book. This particular e-book, though, is only 33 pages, so it could easily be printed out. Overall, this is another great resource from Preschoolers and Peace.

Product review by Charlotte Gochnauer, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, May 2009