Would you send your child to 4K? - Page 2

[Mary-Beth]

I'm not saying you "shouldn't" but I'm saying I probably wouldn't.

Let him be be free of schedules (at least mostly free) and have at least another year at home, imo.

Children grow so fast and have plenty of years given to the schools already...you can prepare him academically at home if that is a concern for you. You don't need a teacher or a school for him to learn.

[Drummer's Wife]

My son did 4 mos. of pre-k and it was good for him. 4 days a week, 3 hrs a day. Then we moved out of state and kept him home the next 8 months until K started. He really missed school, to be honest. He kept asking me, "when are you going to find me a new school, mom?" So I almost regret not sending him somewhere, but we had just moved and were finding our way around. I didn't know where the 'good' programs were.

Anyway, he's in full-day Kindergarten now and loves it as much as he did pre-k.

I'm still contemplating whether or not to send my 4 yo in the fall, or waiting until K for him to start (or homeschooling). He's never been in any kind of preschool program but I do see the benefit if he is indeed going to school when he's 5.

ETA: I do agree with many of the mama's that he's still so little (and 5 hrs, 4 days a week seems like a lot) but I also experienced a great pre-k program and saw the good in it for MY son. And then I saw him bored and missing the social interaction when he stayed home the rest of the school year. I think it's going to be dependent on the child and particular 4k program... so it's hard to say. I went into it knowing that if it wasn't working out and either my child or myself was not happy, I'd pull him out in a heartbeat. The same will apply if we decide to send our 3rd to pre-k. (actually it applies for all the kids, at any age.)

[Tapioca]

No, I wouldn't. Not the one you described, anyway. If it were 2-3 hours a day 3 days a week then maybe. If it were play-craft centred.

Boredom is something I expect my DD to learn to deal with by entertaining herself

[adoremybabe]

Thanks everyone for your replies. We are still deciding. I handed in the enrollment for for 4K to give us that option if we decide yes. I am also waiting on info from a preschool in a different town.

[Amys1st]

For DD1, I sent her to a preK program 3 afternoons a week in a coop nursery school. She went to a preschool 3 day a week program the year before as well. Its very play based but the preK has a "lesson plan" plus showing the order of kindergarden- meaning we have carpet time to discuss this, we play this time, we sit this time etc. We also had an option of sending her to a parents day out program from 9-1:30 on Thursday, but didnt. For dd1, she loved the social interaction and her teacher. She also liked it being in the afternoon. She would have taken it or left it or been fine in any program of this nature.

Now DD2, who is a lot different than her older sister. We did a parent tot class like I did her sister, but I also send/sent her to the PDO class on Thursdays. Now she attends a preschool program for 2 1/2- 3 yr olds twice a week and does the extension of the class on Thursday. She LOVES LOVES LOVES it. I will send her to PreK and the addidtional Thursday because she thrives in this type of environment. I will not hesitate to send her to all day kindergarden where I was worried about sending her sister (who btw loved it).

With all my babbling I am trying to say- every child is different and only you know your child 100% and how they will do in any of these type of environments.

[eepster]

I think it deppends so much on the kid.

For my DS, preschool was the way to go. Last year we did Music Together and a toddler gym class at the cities rec dept. They were barely enough to fill his needs. I attended LLL meetings mostly so DS could play with the other toddlers. This year he still isn't old enough for our public preschool (it does 2 years of preK so that would translate to 3K and 4K) so we sent him to a private montessori school. He goes 3 half days a week (plus we still do Music Together.) It is so great for him. We will be keeping him at the private montessori through K even though he could go to the public on next year.

IRT the long hours, you DS may not mind them at all. DS's preK has after care, and the first time I needed it (last minute emergecy) I felt so guilty and was convinced he would be miserable when I picked him up. However, when I got there after he had been in school for hours, he was fine and happy and had had a ball. They get out the Legos for after care and DS adores it, I now use after care for all kinds of things, like just so I can take my dad's cat to the vet without DS poking him though the air holes of his carrier.

[meetoo]

Originally Posted by alegna

If my kids were going into a school setting I would absolutely use a pre-K of some sort.

-Angela

may i ask why?

My 2 cents I sent my DD to a wonderful preschool she loved it. Infact she loved it so much she wishes she was still there (vs kindy) . She went 3 days a week for like 2.5 hrs. Loved it and did fine.

My son will be 4 next yr and i looked and looked (we moved) but i cannot find a preschool i like and can afford. I'm not to worried. He is very bright and we do plenty of things at home, IMO he is much better off spending the extra yr at home learning naturally and in a developentally appropriate way then going to the mini prep schools i toured. The only thing i was at all worried about was him learning how to behave in a group setting, but i talked to our local kindy teacher about it and she said that they spend quite a while in the begining of the yr going over routines, walking in lines, etc etc.....

So to some up, IMO the right preschool can be a lot of fun for kids but is not needed provided the parents are willing to make sure their child is ready for kindy. Also IMO the wrong preschool can be very damaging so be careful and tour and talk with the teachers.