Preschool, to go or not to go?

[AnnaNova]

My son is 2.5 now, i am trying to decide if we should put him in preschool or not.

So far, we have been team - tagging with my husband, and my MIL and we can probably manage another year or so without school. 

BUT i think he could greatly benefit from being in a school environment. i noticed how lit up he gets around other kids, and how much he learns when there are other kids around, he seems to respond well when its a "group" thing. plus, he has been sort of late with a lot of things like talking and putting together sentences and expressing his needs, and i have a feeling that a nice little school just a couple of days a week would help him catch up more. 

BUT we have some debt and if we dont send him to school now, it means we can pay it off faster, which will mean better quality of living for all of us in the long run. we dont qualify for aid to help with childcare, and even though we could probably pull it off, it would be hard, and needless to say prolong the debt paying.

thoughts?

 

[ElliesMomma]

age 3 is the "usual" age for preschool. i'd wait until he is 3 and then send him, even if you start in midyear (January).

[Rlin]

Financial security is important, and he is only 2,5 y old. I'd wait until he turns three. 

[hakeber]

I doubt the six months more is going to make a huge difference to him, but it will make a huge difference to your finances?  Maybe your MIL could find a free play group to join for a few months instead. 

If I had family here to help look after DD she'd definitely not be starting school until she was 3.  Take advantage of the help you have.

[sky_and_lavender]

I would definitely wait. He'll have a long life ahead to play with other kids in school. 2.5 is still so little! While he might learn some useful things in a group setting, he'll also learn things you might not want him to learn, without having the cognitive/emotional development to understand why those less desirable things are not desirable.

[BeautyforAshes]

If the extra six months will make a big difference, I'd wait.  Otherwise, can you find somewhere for him to go 1 or 2 days a week in the meantime.  He doesn't have to go full-time.  We enrolled our DD (only child) in a daycare/preschool combination at age 2 for the socialization and peer modeling, since she doesn't see other children that often.  It's been wonderful for her, socially and developmentally.

[allisonrose]

I think the suggestion to find free (ore even just cheaper) ways such as a playgroup to get your toddler involved and socializing with other kids is great. That way you can save money and your DS can get some time with other little kids. After all 2.5 y/o is still pretty little.

[MJB]

2 year olds don't usually go to preschool so I wouldn't think twice about not sending him. He has 2 years of preschool still after another year at home. I did send my middle child at 2.75 because he was begging to go, but it wasn't a financial strain for us. 

[lookatreestar]

i would keep him/her with MIL, honestly i think the time my kids spend with MIL is way more valuable than any preschool.