was going to send her to pre-k but not sure now

[kittie313]

My 4yo dd has speech delays (no known cause, we can't find anything at all after 2 years) and is about 50% verbal. As a result, we chose to enroll her in the local Head Start 4 mornings a week. Well, I'm not too sure about it now, and here's why. I've tried several times to contact them this past week and only once have I gotten someone on the phone. She said that she'd get the message to the right person to call me back because she was in a meeting right then, but they never called back. I've left voice mail messages and they never return them. Nobody has contacted me at all about when the school year starts there, so I don't even know when dd3 is supposed to start. There is a serious lack of communication, and I don't know what to do with this. So I'm considering driving there to withdraw her since they won't answer their phones. The ONLY reason we were sending her was to get her around other kids in a structured environment in hopes that it would improve her talking a bit (which was reinforced over the summer after sending her to VBS for 5 mornings in June, she was only about 25% verbal before she started VBS and now she's at 50%). She's already ahead of the curriculum for the most part (we're working on pre-writing skills now) and is beginning to read (teaching phonics is also helping her increase her frequency of speaking). I was planning on working with her on stuff at her level in the afternoons and on fridays when she's not at school, just to keep her engaged and progressing. She'll be hsing next school year starting in K, so we don't plan to send her to school. So I guess I'm looking for input on what to do with this. (oh and she will tell you "me kidgarder" if you ask her what grade she's in at school)

[frugalmama]

I wouldn't send her, but that's just my experience with Head Start locally.

I'd look into some type of either home school group or maybe a Mom's Day Out Program locally instead of Head Start.

[kittie313]

Originally Posted by frugalmama

I wouldn't send her, but that's just my experience with Head Start locally.

I'd look into some type of either home school group or maybe a Mom's Day Out Program locally instead of Head Start.

I've actually heard this a few times recently in regard to my local Head Start program, which has me really riding that fence. My h still thinks we should at least try it and see how she does, as do a couple (pro-ps) friends of mine, but honestly I just don't know now after having a full year of hs under my belt and I'm starting to really gain confidence in my skills as a home educator and a master of juggling many jobs. I have a leadership meeting on Sat morning for our hs group (I'm the head of student activities) so I'm going to add to my list of topics to bring up the idea of having a weekly program for the preschoolers since all the K and up kids get their programs, classes, and co-ops.

[LilMamiBella]

I'm in a very similar situation. My dd is 3 though and is probably 40-50% verbal. She understands some and still babbles. She does know how to count from 1-9. She wants to do school like the older kids but I'm not sure she's ready for pre-k, yk?

[kristin0713]

If it were me in your situation, I would not send her, but would definitely make it a priority to get her involved weekly with other kids, both in a group setting and for smaller playdates (1 or 2 other kids.) I would also get her regular speech therapy and follow through with any "homework" or strategies that the ST provides.