to preschool or not to preschool (xposted)

[lactivistmama]

this is xposted in Learning at school

Ok I really need some opinions on this one
DS is 4 and I am a WOHM. DS has been going to a in home daycare for the past year ( I was able to stay at home with him before that) I really love our daycare lady and she is super sweet and I am comfortable with him there. It is about 2 minutes down the road from us. DS does fairly well there but I think there is a little too much tv watching (we are about 90% tv free at home so that does bother me) and to much "rough fighting" but back to my issue of me being comfortable with the daycare lady.. I am also concerned that he does need some type of preschool before kindergarten. I found a reggio preschool that we went and visited today, and I do really like it.. they have a horse, ducks, chickens, a garden, and art center, etc. No aggressive play.. and the owner was very nice as was her workers..but I am nervous about moving him. he does need to be somewhere 4-5 days a week all day.. That in itself upsets me, but I have no other choice right now.. I don't know what to do..

[moroccojade]

I would definitely move him to the school if I were you. We were just amidst the same decision the last few days. But out daughter is only 2! Our caregiver is *excellent* in so many ways. But I do have 1 or 2 minor concerns.

But DD and I interviewed at an incredible RE school a couple of weeks ago. I just wanted to know what my options were for when she's 3 or 4... We both fell in love with this school. DD looked like she'd just entered the crunchy Disneyland of her dreams. She's done nothing but ask about school since our visit.

Anyway, I asked if we could be put on the waiting list (it's 100 miles long). Not thinking we'd get a spot even though we applied a couple of years in advance. (Many women apply as soon as they get pregnant for this place.)

But, the directress has the right to waive any child through that had an excellent interview and bypass the waiting list. And? We were offered a spot for this September. Nothing short of a miracle.

After much thought, we're taking it. I asked DD if she wants to go to her caregiver's or to school. The answer is school school school.

I started school when I was 2.... I guess DD will do the same. It was better than fighting with my cousins and being plopped in front of the tv at my aunt's or grandma's houses. (Even though the school was nothing fancy!)

Have you asked your child? Has he toured the school? What does he think? Ask him if he'd miss his sitter... I'd be very curious to hear what he had to say!

GL with your decision.

[racheleuphoria]

A TV-free environment is a huge plus. Take that seriously. He doesn't "need" preschool, but he does need somewhere where he is free to grow and won't be hemmed in by social pressure (fighting) or brain-numbing TV. A preschool can be good or bad, obviously, but if you're feeling like it's a safer, healthier place, go for it.

[Redheaded_Momma]

In the same boat here. Love!!!! our current care provider but wonder if ds isn't being challenged enough. He's very bright and I know he would flourish at ps but he seems to want to stay with care provider.

We have tons of great ps in Columbus and he'll not be going to K until 2012 so we have at least 2.5years to send to ps.

[MamaPrincess]

I personally don't think that the preschool is that important. The longer the play based it is the better for the child emotional developemnt. They don't do rocket science in the KIndergarten, as long as you teach your kiddo read and some wrtting basis he will do fine in Kindy as so many kids who nver went a day to preschool are doing just as good. What is important is being with kids and getting adjusted to the group. My soultion would be to keep him happy and to add some one or two classes a week at the community center.. anything, music for little kids, or art or something like that so he would learn to behave in the class etting with the teacher.

Who needs to be at school for that many days for so long at this age? Unless you work and need to get him stored :).. safely.

I would let him have fun and do the classes and forget about school. He will have a plenty of it till he graduates from college, just count the years. Let him be happy , be a kid, and grow and have fun..

as to TV.. well.. so he will get the ten percent you don't do at home. It is good for kid to do some tv as he won't be feeling left out comes to kindy.. every boy will say.. oh I love thomas train or bob the builder and he will go like.. who? what? and they do lot of books based on those characters and things and kids do learn from tv a lot and at this age it usually is not bad staff but actually language and vocabulary and all that.. not all that bad if you ask me. also give some attntion span extnsion right? kid stays focus when kid watches tv...

should you ask your child if he wants to go to school? well.. naturally but then again..

would you ask me if I want to go to mars? I would jump and say yeeeeeeeey..

but I bet I would have enough after one day..

remember that a child who does not know an experience, has no idea about that experience..

so if you ask him if he wants that he might like the IDEA of it but the reality  has very little to do with what a child imagine for most parts. If you ask your child if he wants icecream..t hat is different as he had it million times.. but how can he has an opinion of somthing he did not know?

MY daughter wanted BADLY go to school after not being preschooled for one day in her life.. as she associated the idea with fun.. right? tv? school programs? fun? got the point?...

then she went there.. she loved evry bit of it but you know what derailed it? the lenght of the day..

so we ended up homeschooling her because her idea has very little to do wth her ability to actually be there for that many days and horus a day.

Jus my take on it.

[elefante]

Originally Posted by racheleuphoria 

A TV-free environment is a huge plus. Take that seriously. He doesn't "need" preschool, but he does need somewhere where he is free to grow and won't be hemmed in by social pressure (fighting) or brain-numbing TV. A preschool can be good or bad, obviously, but if you're feeling like it's a safer, healthier place, go for it.

THIS!

I'd move him, without a doubt.