Outside of my home, my introduction to institutional education began at a Montessori preschool that was walking distance from my family's house. There, I slowly learned to be apart from my primary caretakers for longer stretches of time, and, even if I was an oddball, I more-or-less integrated with my peers. My teachers and my parents had a close relationship, and I felt like I was really safe and supported in exploring my own interests. There was plenty of time spent outside for supervised, unstructured play. We learned how to make pottery, I was encouraged to keep telling and writing stories, and there was a lot of variety and choice in how I used my body, time, and mind. It was a nurturing experience.