March 21st, 2025 - Castillo del Rey

Today, I was reflecting on how an average 4th grader spends their time — and some of the numbers really surprised me. Did you know that around 42% of a child’s year is spent sleeping? That alone makes you rethink how crucial a good bedtime routine really is.

Coming in second is school, which takes up about 15% of their year — and if you add homework (5%), we’re looking at 20% of their entire year spent under the guidance and influence of someone else. One-fifth of our children’s lives are being shaped, corrected, celebrated, and molded by other adults. That’s no small thing.

And here’s what struck me: As adults, many of us are extremely selective about who we trust — most of us keep just a handful of close friends. So why are we so quick to trust just any system or educator with our children for that massive 20% of their lives?

This was a huge reason I chose to take a hybrid approach to my children’s education — a mix of homeschooling and a local bilingual school called Castillo del Rey.

So what were my criteria when choosing a school?

For starters, the owners are on-site. There’s no distant corporate investor or faceless board just dropping funds and hoping for the best. There’s a real, loving presence behind the school.

Mrs. Johana, a certified teacher in the public education system, has served her county’s kindergartners for over 30 years. Somehow, between running the school and teaching, she still finds time to clean up scraped knees and stop to pray with staff in need. That says everything.

Her husband, Mr. Vallecillo, is a certified pastor and the official director of the school. He pastors a church outside the city limits. He’s a quiet man — but when he speaks, people listen. That kind of presence brings peace and wisdom to the entire school environment.

At Castillo del Rey, relationships are the foundation. Students have two recesses totaling an hour a day — plenty of time for friendship, play, and movement. This makes sitting in class for longer periods actually doable, even for the most wiggly kids.

The school is also filled with celebrations and events. For example — today is World Down Syndrome Day! Did you know that? I do now. We celebrated it at school with discussions on inclusion, empathy, and the challenges people with Down syndrome face. Was it boring? Not even close! We played games, laughed, and learned together.

Most importantly for me, this is a Christian school. Faith is not just a word on a banner here — it’s woven into the culture. Values. Morality. Kindness. Prayer. If those don’t align with your beliefs, Castillo del Rey might not be the right fit. But for me? When I’m handing over 20% of my child’s life, I want that time to be spent in a place that builds character, not just academic skill.

You could look at each of these experiences in isolation and miss the bigger picture. But what opened my eyes was seeing the teenagers at the school. Sure, they’re not perfect — maybe a bad word here or a little roughhousing there — but overall? They’re kind. They share their lunches, they play with the little ones, and bullying just doesn’t seem to exist. Skin color? Totally irrelevant. These kids come from all backgrounds — and nobody seems to notice or care.

That’s when it hit me.

What do I truly want for my children?

Sure, I want them to excel in biology, algebra, maybe even compete in the Math Olympics or make a varsity team someday. We’ll work toward those goals together.

But I would choose a kind, soft-hearted child who knows how to pray, who values healthy relationships, and who includes others — every single time.

Thank you, Castillo del Rey, for showing me that education can be more than just academic. It can be deeply human, spiritually rooted, and beautifully transformational.