Question for SAHP & Preschool?

[Iri920]

I'm not big on sending kids to school real young, but I do think there are advantages to sending your kids to pre-school for a year before they go into Kindergarten. I have my son in half day pre-k, 4 days a week and he loves it and has learned a lot. It's also been good because the teacher was able to catch a speech delay that I just didn't see. Being with him all the time I just learned to understand him and while I knew he had some problems pronouncing certain sounds I didn't realize it was as bad as it is. So I'm happy he's starting to get the extra help now so he can catch up sooner.

 

[claryche]

I'm a SAHM with a soon to be 4 year old son. I was having the same concerns as you with preschool. I didn't like people telling me that he really had to go or he would be behind. I didn't like people telling me that he should go to give me some alone time. But when I started thinking about it, I started thinking about the fact that most of his friends from playgroup are older and will be starting kindergarten this fall. And the other ones are already in preschool either 3 or 4 days a week. I also started thinking about the fact that even though I can and do teach my son things at home and even though he does have music class and other things that he does, I think preschool is important. And the reason I decided on it was to give him a chance to get use to the schedule of school and the routine of school. With that said, I looked long and hard for a preschool that is flexible, so he will only be going for 2 days a week. I don't think he needs more than that. I know that he will be going to kindergarten with kids who have been going to preschool 5 days a week, but I think he will be fine. I think it is the best of both worlds. It still gives him and I time together. It gives him a chance to do other activities. And it also gives him a chance to adjust to school at a slower pace.

It's a very personal decision. I really wasn't going to send my son to preschool, but I now think we have found the perfect place for him and he will enjoy it and it will help him in the long run and with it only being 2 days a week, it's not going to change things too much. Good luck on whatever you decide and I'm sure your decision will be the right one for you family.

 

[gower525]

Hi! I am a 2nd grade teacher and a mom to ds8 and dd5. DD5 goes to a mother's day out program 2 days per week for 5 hours per day. She stays with my mom on the other days.

I debated sending to her to a full pre-K, but decided against it. Let children be children! There is no doubt, that pre-school will make the transition to kindergarten easier initially, but it doesn't take long for most kids to learn what is expected. As long as you are giving the children rich experiences at home, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'll tell you that I can't tell which of my 2nd graders went to preK. Whatever gap might have been present in K, it is gone my 2nd.

 

[formill]

They did fine in K and are still A/B students with no academic or social issues. (DD12 and DS10)
I think preschool is fine if you want to do it, but in no way is it necessary for every child. I know this is a rare opinion and others may flame me for it, but there it is...

Agree 100%!! In the grand scheme of life makes no difference. If you are a loving caring parent which you must be to even ask your child will do great! The ones that may NEED the pre school etc are the ones who will struggle no matter what we do.

 

[WantToGoNow]

When my ds8 was of preschool age I was working and he was in a daycare center that also served at a preschool. However, when he started Kindergarten I quickly learned that the "rules" of preschool were not as strict as they were at school. He didn't like sitting quietly and still, raising his hand, waiting to speak, etc. He also had trouble socially because he was used to a more relaxed environment. His teacher finally got the point across on how he was expected to behave but it really did take 2/3 of the year.

Dd6 was taken out of that same daycare when she was 3 and was kept by my older dd (along with my ds). She attended 1 year of preschool when she was 4. It was a Christian preschool and they were as structured as the public school she now goes to. We never had any problem with her transition into the school system - she has the same teacher that ds had.

I sent her to preschool because I was worried about her academically - she had no desire to learn anything - no letters, sounds, shapes, simple words, etc. Ds learned a lot from The Letter Factory and The Word Factory and other similar DVD's but dd was not interested in watching TV either. Within a couple of weeks of being in a school environment, she took off and by the semester break she had met the requirements that they would be teaching the entire year. She went into Kindergarten this year very prepared and has been reading quite well for the past few months - I don't think she would have "gotten" it quite that quick without the preschool. If I could only reverse time and put ds in preschool, but we're a few years late for that now since he's in 3rd grade now.

 

[jodim]

I stayed home until my youngest went to kindy this year. All of them went to pre-school 3 days a week for 3 hours a day.

I think it helps them transition and it's a good experience for them. That said I would make sure you check out the local pre-schools. If it is a glorified day care, then I wouldn't send my child... they should have a curriculum (not necessarily text work, but a scope and sequence they try and follow)