Pre K budget buster what would you do

[sookie]

You stop it, you GRAMMER police.

i'm pretty sure it is supposed to be "grammar".

Just sayin...

 

[prncess674]

i'm pretty sure it is supposed to be "grammar".

Just sayin...

You beat me to it!!!

 

[dogluva]

i'm pretty sure it is supposed to be "grammar".

Just sayin...

Yea, I know. That is why I capitalized it, to bring attention to it. Maybe I should have used quotes.

Just sayin"G".......

 

[dogluva]

You beat me to it!!!

OK, I guess sarcasm is lost on a message board. Never mind.

 

[jenrose66]

14 on the waitlist isn't bad. I would enroll her in the base daycare unless a spot at the free school opens up which it probably will. I would not pay 10K for pre K, I wouldn't even pay 4500, it's just not worth it. I also would not put your daughter in Daycare just for free preschool

In my area I wanted to put my son in 8K pre-k but that honestly was just not our reality. My son is in the free universal pre-k and I'm very impressed with the program. The teachers are great and the principal is phenomenal. I am one of the biggest critics of my district, I graduated 10 years ago and swore I'd never send my kids through the district...but I think alot of it is parent involvement.

Our PTA is sad, there is no parent involvement. So I've thrown myself in full force, now that the baby is a little older. Thanks to the PTA the kids will have a reading program that provides free books, they will also have field trips to the zoo and theatrical productions...Also they have a field day at the end of the year and this all starts in Pre K!

 

[ekatiel]

OP, I'm sorry that some people on this board cannot seem to "play nicely with others". They must have never gone to preschool . I work for a grant and mentor pre-k teachers for a living, so I know a thing or two about pre-k. It sounds like your DD is academically on-track/ahead. Your state may or may not have pre-k standards that will help you know what your child needs to learn in pre-k. Here is the link to our pre-k standards in Texas http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/ed_init/pkguidelines/PKG_Final_100808.pdf. Of your options, I would choose the option on the military base. You could enroll her for three mornings a week (9am-12pm is pretty standard here), and she would get more than enough socialization to be prepared for school in the fall of 2012. The core teaching time of most programs is before lunch, so she won't be missing very much by not staying for lunch and nap. The free childcare option does NOT sound promising. I have been in some childcare facilities that I would not send my DOG to, let alone my child . Good luck with whatever you decide, and don't let the meanies on here keep you away. --Katie

P.S.: Grammar police-- Feel free to scrutinize my grammar and spelling. I am not applying for a job when I post on a message board, so I do not run spell check on my messages, nbor do I care if I've misspelled a word. And for the record, I hold a Master's degree in teaching. It's an informal message board, people, not a term paper!!

 

[prncess674]

Just to point out that I am not trying to be overly critical, but the OP thinks she is doing a wonderful job teaching her child at home. She is doing the right thing by encouraging education by looking at Pre-K programs and other educational enrichment activities. She should continue to work with her child, but she should also realize that when the child gets to school that the OP's education level may be beyond her skill level and defer to the professionals on the subject of education.

My Dad was never a stellar student, in his day, and the best way he ever helped me with my homework was to ask ME to explain the assignment to him. I learned by cognitive reading/reasoning.

 

[dogluva]

Just to point out that I am not trying to be overly critical, but the OP thinks she is doing a wonderful job teaching her child at home. She is doing the right thing by encouraging education by looking at Pre-K programs and other educational enrichment activities. She should continue to work with her child, but she should also realize that when the child gets to school that the OP's education level may be beyond her skill level and defer to the professionals on the subject of education.

My Dad was never a stellar student, in his day, and the best way he ever helped me with my homework was to ask ME to explain the assignment to him. I learned by cognitive reading/reasoning.

I have no idea what this has to do with anything. If your father didn't help you, and you think this helped you, then you are contradicting yourself by telling the OP not to homeschool and leave it to the professionals.

I have a masters degree in education and have no idea what you mean by cognitive reading/reasoning. When you read, you are using cogntive skills. I really don't know what you mean by this. Maybe I have no cogntive reasoning?

 

[prncess674]

I have no idea what this has to do with anything. If your father didn't help you, and you think this helped you, then you are contradicting yourself by telling the OP not to homeschool and leave it to the professionals.

I have a masters degree in education and have no idea what you mean by cognitive reading/reasoning. When you read, you are using cogntive skills. I really don't know what you mean by this. Maybe I have no cogntive reasoning?

There is a big difference between a parent teaching and a parent encouraging by helping the child reason for themselves, thus not needing Mom & Dad to teach them the specifics of math, reading, etc.

My Dad helped me by having me read the instructions and explain the instructions to him and thus the "process of thought" or explanantion. It helped me teach myself the way the books and teachers wanted me to learn. I am not contradicting myself at all. The OP should encourage her daughter and question her daughter, but she should not use her own educational skills (spelling, grammar, etc.) to assist her daughter, since her daughter would be learning the wrong spelling and grammar.

Edited to add a few definitions for your reference:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cognitive
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cognition

I am done with the topic. I wish the OP luck.

 

[LovableGluttons]

Thanks disney people. I (capitol) love when strangers make me cry. I have had a miserable day. My dd lost her chance at the local school because I spend time with my children and don't watch TV. We were chastised by the local school this morning for not watching TV because then we would have known. I was looking for some impartial advice and now i'm just so depressed I'm crying. I gave up everything in my life to follow a military man. I thought this was a message board not the grammer police. I read to my DD every day at least twice. We write letters and discuss lower and upper case and for some crazy reason i'm defending it to strangers on what is supposed to be a "Happy Place" board (disney is my happy place as it is for most people here). Thanks for ruining the happy place illusion i used to get when i came to the boards. I feel bad enough about missing the lottery thanks for making it so much worse.

Also I do NOT feel my DD is entitled to pre k if i did i wouldn't be looking into spending 5000$ to send her there. I feel the school board should give more than 3 days notice for when registration is. I just want to what's best for her.

Coming from first the daughter of a career military man, then the wife, do not put your degree off any longer. Go online. You can do that and care for your children at home. Just do it.

I put my son in a military CDC for 6 months while I was pregnant and on bedrest with my daughter. Never again! I paid two and a half times the going rate for a single enlisted person with children for the same care. I won't knock the staff at the CDC, but the care was nothing special. There is no bargain there.

Your 4 year old will flounder if she's advanced academically, but not emotionally. So, get her out and about with other kids! Bring her to the playground, enroll her in dance or sports. You can save that tuition for her college. How do you know if you are heading to England or Germany that the DFAS schools will be able to handle a gifted child? These are things you'll need to handle if you go out of the country. The Defense schools were garbage when I was a kid, my parents sent my sisters and I to a German school instread.

So finish that degree now, make yourself more marketable, and get your kids out socializing! Tossing an academically advanced, but emotionally immature child into school is a disaster.


If your husband gets orders somewhere that does not offer appropriate education for your children, you may need to live apart. That costs money the military does not pay. That's where your marketability will factor in. You need a degree for that.


Hang in there.

 

[auralia]

OP, I'm sorry that some people on this board cannot seem to "play nicely with others". They must have never gone to preschool . I work for a grant and mentor pre-k teachers for a living, so I know a thing or two about pre-k. It sounds like your DD is academically on-track/ahead. Your state may or may not have pre-k standards that will help you know what your child needs to learn in pre-k. Here is the link to our pre-k standards in Texas

I have already researched this and GA isn't very high standards. Children are to understand an association between spoken and written word, count from 1 to 10, and know basic shapes. My dd has known her basic shapes along with octagon, parallelogram, trapezoid, etc. since she was three. Waiting your turn. Being to disney 3 times she is well versed in waiting in lines.

I will start sending her to the CDC(military) pre K program one day per week ASAP if they have an opening to see how she does with it and with being away from me. In four years she has been away from me once when I went to see my husband off on a deployment and she stayed with my mother. I believe she will do well, but I feel like a slow transition is best

It is so sad that people who don't even know me question my education. I tested in the 98% in grammar and english for my state in college entrance exams. Not that it's anyones business and not that people will believe me. I know i'm a good person and I know i'm intelligent. I don't need the grammar police knocking at my door. I have not bother with correct spelling EXCEPT where it matters since i was very young. I have always been this way and it doesn't make me a bad teacher to my daughter. Crazy as it is when I don't know how to spell a word (which actually doesn't happen that often when I care about how my writing looks) I ask my husband.

Also I would never split my family up over the schools in an area of the country. I feel the most important thing for child is a stable home life and parents that are together (this is totally personal and I wouldn't question someone else who would choose another path). I would rather home school my children then take them away from their father without being forced to by deployment. That said my husband is a very hands on parent and a great father.

But I guess my daughter is doomed to fail because her mommy doesn't thoroughly read her posts and make them look pretty when she's upset and in a hurry.

Thanks so much for the serious replies I appreciate the input. We are going to go look closer at the CDC's full/part day programs and the private baptist pre k program in addition to trying the by the hour pre K room this summer to see if it fits her before making a final decision. Again, thanks so much for the helpful responses.

 

[tar heel]

If she's only been away from you one time, then you definitely need to do something IMO. I think you have the right idea with the one day a week thing. I'm a big believer in play-oriented preschool for getting children ready for K.

Where we live most of the church preschools have very little religion: a blessing before lunch and the Christmas story is about it. We used a Presbyterian school and a Lutheran one and neither was religious. Both were excellent. We briefly used another that was not as good -- worksheets!@#$%^

Your daughter sounds very bright, but you may be surprised at how advanced some of the other children are, too. Most of the preschoolers my boys played with knew their letters, shapes, etc., and a number were reading well when they started K. A bright child will go from beginning reading to about fourth grade level really quickly, too. The top kids in K aren't necessarily the top kids at graduation either.

 

[Leajess99]

we are AF stationed on an Army base they have a mothers group but they are segregated by age so there is one group for age 0 to 2 (my youngest child is 5 months) one 2-4 and one 4-6 so i don't really know how that would work at all. there are 700 airforce where we are and lots of army people in training the code of conduct for the AF here is very strict about rank dh is e6 so most of the people with kids our age can't associate with him on a personal basis (and generally therefor us) due to conflicts with chain of command... an officer just got busted for having a drink with some enlisted guys i mean come on just going out for a drink? we had to keep it hush hush when we went to help out an e4 with some problems at home because it wasn't our place... it's really rediculous and i have NEVER been in a less family friendly environment.

I highly doubt that your husband's rank affects your child's chances to interact with other military kids. After serving in the Army for 10 years, coaching youth soccer with children coming from parents of all ranks to include Colonels, I have never seen a parent punished for allowing their kids to socialize with other military kids in a playgroup.

Even when I was stationed on the Air Force Base in Germany, the families had no problems allowing their kids to socialize with other military kids regardless of rank.

Now an officer drinking with the enlisted soldiers, that is a whole different situation and probably more to the story than just having drinks.

 

[neatokimmo]

Hi OP, my post is safe to read! I'm nice!

My DD is the same age as yours and seems to be on the same level. Academically, your DD will gain nada from part time preschool, it is a joke.

If I were a SAHM, I would enroll her in ballet and gymnastics. She'll have fun, it will be less expensive and she will interact with kids. I'd look into music programs too.

I was really torn about my own DD for the fall. I went from private part time preK that she says is boring to a full day state supported program at an elementary school. They told me I could enroll her in kindergarten but she is so small, I just couldn't do it. Have you asked about an early kindergarten waiver?

 

[auralia]

Our children can socialize, but ya i did word that pretty wrong. Most of the people here are first termers they don't have children for my DD to socialize with and most are not married or divorced and don't have the children (at least the ones DH works with). He just went into a new office with some older navy guys, but most are guard and so from chicago and their families are not here but a couple of them have 4 year old girls in chicago (i was very excited when dh said they had kids before he got to the chicago part). So it's not so much rank as this is a base where there are lots of first termers with a hand full of NCO's and SNCO's and a few officers, but almost all AF personal have doubled in number in the last few months (dh recently got back from a few 2 month tdy's with not a lot of time between) so I hope we can meet some of the new people and I hope I'm not the "old lady" in the group anymore lol (at 30 i was the oldest at the last spouse gathering i made it to by 7 years aside from the officers wives/husbands). Sorry no AF play groups there are army ones, but I don't even really know how to go about with the army services we JUST registered my DD in CYS this week and I'm hoping to get her involved in Tball later this month.

 

[squirrel]

I have to say I think that the registration part sucks. I can't imagine how frustrating and annoying that would be. I have no idea if there is anyone that you can complain to but I think only a few days notice that they are accepting registrations is not fair. They should have picked a day a long time ago and then told everyone inquiring that is the day they are accepting them.

People in Vancouver camp out overnight to get their children into pre-school. Every year they do it the same way-you have to come in on a certain day and everyone knows you don't have a chance unless you camp out at least the night before.

From what I have read (I haven't read every post) it sounds like your daughter is fine academically. She however hasn't had much time to play with peers and interact with other adults without you. I would find a program (doesn't have to be pre-school or daycare) that you leave her at with children her age. Most children will find it easier to adjust if they go more than one time per week.

 

[BBandDisney]

 

[herdtoDisney]

OP, first I want to give you a I know you weren't posting about homeschooling, but if you ever wanted to, you don't need the approval of the posting police on this board

I think your idea of putting your dd in the military preschool is the best of the options listed. Personally, I would do just a part time enrollment. I would not spend the money on the other options. With my own five kids, I never did formal preschool-I was either home (and did activities and teaching) or when I returned to work, it was home-based daycare (where she also did activities with the children, and I still worked with them at home too.) They all have done well in school and my oldest graduated Salutatorian and is finishing freshman year at college. I think one or two days a week of a couple hours of preschool or some group activity, coupled with your teaching at home, should be more than fine to prepare her for school.

 

[lindsmom]

Just to point out that I am not trying to be overly critical, but the OP thinks she is doing a wonderful job teaching her child at home. She is doing the right thing by encouraging education by looking at Pre-K programs and other educational enrichment activities. She should continue to work with her child, but she should also realize that when the child gets to school that the OP's education level may be beyond her skill level and defer to the professionals on the subject of education.

Actually, developmentally, OP HAS done a wonderful job with her child. By the age of 4, to have the skills that she has, shows that OP has nurtured her children in the right direction. A 4 year old doesn't need to spell correctly; technically, if a child that young focuses too much on correct grammar and spelling, they take a step backward in their language development and become self conscious about their words. Misspellings and poor word choice should be overlooked. And OP has already stated that she will send her child to kindergarten when she is that age. So she's all set.

OP, I would agree that you're doing a great job so far - the only reason I would encourage at least a few hours a week of preschool is because it teaches a really important skill of listening to other, non - familial, adults. True, you can get socialization in other locations - and true, a gymnastics coach or ballet teacher will provide some of that direction but I think it's really huge to have that experience of being in a classroom with a bunch of other kids, being led in routines for a few hours by a teacher while your mom isn't around, opening their own lunch, etc. It's not about the academic, but it's about everything else.

Oh, and I also vote for the program on base.

 

[QVCshopper]

OP, I have two young kids, and there's no way I'd do the all-day preschool unless I worked full-time. Your little girl will be in elementary school soon enough. Enjoy this time with her. She will meet little friends at the military preschool. At this age, they are just starting to blossom and become their own little person. You could even put her in some classes like other people have suggested.

As far as the grammar/spelling, I don't think that was called for, and I'm an English/Writing major who writes for a living. Typing with little kids around is hard enough!