Feeling overwhelmed by almost 3 year old, but want to homeschool????

[Chloe'sMama]

I know I am still a few years out, but I am so overwhelmed right now by DD1.  She is 'out of control' and I don't know what to do.  Some advice has been to put her in preschool, but I am wanting to homeschool when we get to that point.  

Question-

did any of you homeschooling moms (and dads) put DC in preschool and how did that turn out?

I want to do what is best for DD and I am hoping this is a phase, but I am trying to figure out what will work best for us.

Thanks

[SundayCrepes]

When our son was 3 we had a lot of problems with him acting aggressive to our new baby. So bad we sought professional help. About 3 or 4 months before he turned 4, one of the therapists watched our kids together and wondered if the 3 year old was just needing other kids to play with. We had recently had friends move so he wasn't getting much time with other kids. To keep our daughter safe, we put our son in preschool for 4 days a week, 3 hours a day. He liked the school, but he didn't like me leaving him.

We did in-home counseling. About a month before he turned 4, everything got better. At the same time I learned he was being victimized by other kids at the school. We took him out of the preschool and we were all much happier. We have since gotten more involved with the local homeschooling group. He has lots of friends and he is very gentle with his little sister.

My recommendation would be to find a homeschooling group or three to belong to. Also, I started babysitting (for free) a little girl so he could have a playmate his age. That relationship is going strong along with all his new friends. It can be a lot of work to find friends, but it seems a better option than preschool.

Also, around 4 they tend to calm down. Three is a really hard age.

[sleet76]

Yes!  I posted a similar post when my kids were really little.  It gets easier!  Things change, and they are not so draining.  And I have put two of my three kids in preschool ad different times.  Usually it was a great experience for us all.  I'm thinking I could really use some time with my youngest--a 3-yo boy--in preschool these days.  I'm tempted to find something for him in the fall, I think he would really enjoy something special that is just his, like some preschool time.  

[bethanyclaire]

Yes, and it was one of the best choices I made for her during her preschool years! She was painfully shy, especially around other kids. Her big brother is a little... overprotective. Getting out on her own really boosted her confidence and her self-esteem and gave her lots of exposure to different people, situations and activities. She went 3 full days a week (7am to 3pm) from September to June and she finished out the year like a different child! I'm sure some of the differences would have happened with or without school, just due to her maturing and growing up a little, but I really think preschool helped. She is very confident, outgoing and responsible now. She LOVED preschool and looked forward to it every day she went. I also welcomed the break because, like your DD, she was really tough at times. I think our bond is stronger now because we both got the break we needed from each other! LOL!

We homeschool now (she is 5 and in K this year) and the transition from preschool to homeschool was very smooth. She loves homeschooling now but still talks about her preschool and her friends there. 

[Savoir Faire]

Both of my children, now 5 and 6, went to preschool. My daughter started at 2 because I had a baby in the house and she was also a Wild Child. I was literally at my wit's end.

In my humble opinion, preschool and "regular" school are NOTHING alike. They had fun; they made friends. They did crafts and had snack and maybe learned the letters of the alphabet at 4. I. GOT. A. BREAK. (A break I sometimes very much miss when those two are fighting and the dog got out and someone has clogged up the toilet and the house is a mess and I lost my left shoe.)

Signing up for preschool doesn't mean you have to put your child in school. It just means you want a bit of a break during a very *hands on* time of life with a ver *wild* child.

[etsdtm99]

Signing up for preschool doesn't mean you have to put your child in school. It just means you want a bit of a break during a very *hands on* time of life with a very *wild* child.

this!

i signed my DD up for preschool 1 half-day a week just before she turned 4 .. she went 2 days a week this school year, except for some weeks when she had snow days to make up .. in the fall, my 3 year old will be going to the same school, probably 2 days a week and my DD (now 5) will start homeschool K .. its just a hard age for everyone involved, my DD has learned a ton in preschool plus more importantly we get a break- i plan to send my DS for 2 years and then my DD2 will be old enough to go after that.. that will mean that my first several years homeschooling i'll always have some time during the week with just 2 kids once we're all done with preschool the kids will all be older ..

that being said - i would never send my kids to full time preschool - just 2-3 half days a week .. i would consider 'full days' as long as it wasn't more than 6 hours (8-2ish) .. my DD goes 9-1 and eats snack and lunch at school.. its been very good for her to work on eating on her own with a lot of distraction and trying new things because the school provides snack

[funkymamajoy]

I often say that no one should make a decision about homeschooling when their child is 3. Because it can be a difficult phase. My older 2 have been or are in preschool and I have homeschooling friends that do the same. Its been a huge benefit to have my second child in preschool as it gives me time to get some school done with my kindergartener.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

I can't say that we are defintely going to homeschool ds but it certainly one of the very firm options (a lot will depend on when I am finished college and what work looks like for me).  That said, ds goes to an AWESOME preschool where about 1/4 of the families will be homeschooling/unschooling their kids when they age out of the preschool.  It has been great for him and us.  Ds loves his friends, school, teachers etc I would give it up for anything right now.

[camprunner]

I have 5 year old whose always been a little out of control.  She's also never been one to show off (as in speaking new words, etc) and very stuborn. She wouldn't start public school until next year anyway due to her birthday  but I'm pregnant and wanted to go ahead and get a start on kindergarten before I get distracted (already homeschooling 8 year old). I've been pleasantly surprised:

1. Behavior and readiness to learn have improved greatly since turning 5.

2. She learned more just from observation and reading aloud books than I thought she had.

3. Her sister had attended 4 years of daycare and a year of kindergarten and there were MANY things that I had to deprogram to start 1st grade with her.  Her self esteem had been trashed in Kindergarten and because she did learn so much before she went, she tuned the teacher out thinking she knew everything (and this was my easy child!)

Every child will have strengths.  You can build on these. My five year old has always had great coloring in the lines skills (since age 2) and learned handwriting very easily.  My oldest was terrible at both coloring in the lines and handwriting (one of those things that we really had to work for years to deprogram) but has an amazing mathematical mind.

I guess my thought to sum it up is to try to do you own preschool building on the child's interest and find some good homeschooling groups or other outlets for friendships.

[onyxravnos]

alothough my plan is/was to HS when Ds1 was 3 1/2 he just got CRAZY and i Almost broke down and put him in preschool. I just didn't know what to do and didn't want him to be 'one of THOSE kids' KWIM? I was glad that i didn't and 6 months later he is right as rain again. 

 for my ds it was above removing structured play / groups and going back to only free play and lots of running around type play rather then say...circle time. This is essp important with boys. 

Now at 4 he still doesn't like circle time but will more often then not he will go off to do his own thing and not disrupt the rest of the group. I am REALLY happy i didn't break down and put him in PS prek as the habbits learned their are horrible.

it gets better mama! try to hold on for the ride!