Do your kids go to preschool?

[rockergirrl]

I am asking this in this forum because a budding SAHM one of the decisions I will have to make in order to stay home is to pull my oldest DS from preschool because I won't be able to afford it this first year. I don't think it is a big deal but I have had many people tell me how much he will be missing out on.

So my question to you is as a SAHM are you keeping your kids home until kindergarten or first grade or do they attend a preschool?

[indiana ima]

my son is about to start kindergarten. he went to preschool but it was free through the public schools.

my older daughter goes to preschool but only because my mother pays for it. we could not possibly afford it on our budget. she enjoys it a lot and gets a lot out of it and i am glad she goes, but it's only 2 days a week from 9am to noon and she would be just fine and dandy without it.

my baby is 11 months old and stays with me pretty much 24/7.

[Linda on the move]

We homeschool and my kids never went to any sort of preschool, moms day out, etc.

Preschool can be a lovely exprience for some kids, but it is not necessary at all. There are so many other things to do!!!!! The zoo, the library, playdates, cooking together, lazy mornings in jammies...

[Eman'smom]

Ds went to preschool last year age 3, 2 days a week 2.5 hours a day, he loved it, now that it's summer whenever we drive by he asks if we are going to preschool and when he can go again.

This year since he is 4 it will be 3 days a week 2.5 hours a day. He really loves it, it's an amazing environment for him. Also dd (almost 2) finds nothing better in life than torturing him, so I think he really loves that time "away". We do plenty of park/zoo/library trips and they are wonderful, but ds is slow to warm up to strange kids so he doesn't really play or make friends there. But at preschool he has lots of wonderful friends. He comes home with wonderful adventures and stories.


I don't think kids *need* preschool, but for us it has been wonderful.

[dharmamama]

No. We plan to homeschool, and although I was tempted when my friends started sending their kids who are my daughter's age, just so I could have some free time, I resisted. First of all, we really can't afford it. Second, I don't want to introduce my daughter to the idea that you go away somewhere else to learn, and third of all, I don't think that the things most of the preschools I know of are doing are age-appropriate. I don't want my three-year-old doing worksheets! (Granted, we received some preschool workbooks from a friend and my daughter loves them, but she doesn't have to "follow the directions" or get it "right.")

Also, I think my daughter is too young to be spending blocks of time socializing with large groups without me present. I haven't really even sent her alone on any playdates, although my friend whose daughter is my daughter's age has watched my daughter when I have gone to the doctor/dentist, etc., which I guess it like a playdate. But I wouldn't send my three-year-old to a place where there are 10+ kids whose parents I don't know and not be there to supervise.

Namaste!

[meowee]

Preschool isn't necessary, and IMO it would be worse for your DC to miss out on having a SAHM rather than miss out on preschool.

I never even considered preschool.

I'm surprised people are telling you that she is missing out-- what do they tell you she's missing?

[Mary-Beth]

My kids are not in preschool. I certainly would not say they are missing out on anything. Not that prechool is bad or anything...many families I know choose to send their kids.

In our house I'm the "preschool" teacher! I read the stories and get out the paints. I bring them to the library for stoy time and to just look at books. We go for walks, visit friends, etc. We do a music & movement class once a week during the school year. I think my kids benefit from having me with them in this way. I don't think twice about preschool.

[goatgrrl]

pre-school

My older daughter went 2 years to pre-school (only 2 mornings a week) and now my youngest daughter will be starting in the fall. It is through the public schools and is pretty cheap -- $600 for the year.

My kids love school and we all need the mutual break from each other.

This is what they do in pre-school: paint, play-doh, color, music, circle time, outside play, dance, books, stories, learn to share, learn to follow a loose "schedule", learn there are other adults in the world who have something of value to offer, learn there are differences among people (this is an integrated pre-school w/a percentage of spec. needs.), blocks, "house", dress up, water play, sand play.

Yeah sure, if we had money and a huge house I could set up all these kinds of stations in my house and be the teacher myself...but I don't play the guitar, and don't have 12 other 3-4 year olds handy!

[shelbean91]

My dd is starting K next week, has never been to preschool. My ds1 will be in preschool- he was the last 6 weeks of last year, also- through the public school b/c he has special needs- he's in an autism preschool. Because he's considered to have special needs, preschool is free. Ds2 so far isn't showing signs of autism, so he will likely not be in preschool, unless/until I return to work when I graduate from school.

[elmh23]

My dd is only 8 months old, but as of right now, the plan is not to send her (or any future children) to preschool.

Good luck!

[mamaroni]

My dd went to preschool for 2 years (she'll start K this fall) and my son has gone for 1/2 year, and he'll go again this fall. I think it's great, but definitely not necessary for the kids. (necessary for me? YUP.)

I also wonder what exactly people are saying your child will miss out on? Like a pp said, there are lots of things you can do for fun and socialization with your child.

[HelloKitty]

We'll skip preschool and just attend some playgroups for socialization fun

[Copper]

Dd is 4 and she will be attending a pre-K program 2 days a week starting in a few weeks. Prior to this she was never in any preschool programs. Chances are she will not get the chance to go to the public pre-k programs, I was told they would be for children with "a higher need". So I found and enrolled her in a private Christian school and we will start out with 2 days and take it from there.
We have been there a few times already and met the teacher a few days ago and dd seemed to be quite taken with the room and teacher. I was quite pleased when the teacher asked that I not send dd in any "really nice" clothes as they would be going outside to play and doing lots of play and crafts and play in the gym as well. No problem. I have her going on the two "busy" days of my part-time wahm gig and she is more than ready and could use a break from me. Next fall it is full time K already.....where'd the time go?!

[FireWithin]

DS will not be attending preschool, and we plan to homeschool. I am interested in creating a homeschooling age 3-4 co-op where we can meet 1-2 a week to play in ways that aren't as easy at home. I would like it be play only and mostly unstructured, but for it to have some planning behind it - possibly themes such as paper/boxes, water, etc. I don't think one exists in my area, and expect to creat one myself.

[Aeriane]

My daughter, who's 4 going on 5 was in preschool 2 years (3 mornings a week). It was right next to where we lived. She loved it and on days she didn't want to be apart from me she didn't have to go. She was so excited to go and really fluorished. But she is very independant and the type to take to it. Now Tim, who's 2 going on 3 in December is eligible in Winooski to go to preschool this fall but he's not going to, that's just a bit much. I wouldn't try that with a new baby coming too, too much adjustment and I think it'd be really bad for him. 3-4 year olds do benefit, in my opinion from being on their own for a few hours in a forum like that. I'm not against it at all. But meanwhile we'll be going to our usual playgroup and have loads of fun doing that.

Kitty

[Avima]

My daughter attends school 3 mornings a week. I also have a substitute position (which is great so I can peek in on her and see what she's up to) so I'm also working part time, which maybe disqualifies me from being on this thread. BUT I did SAHM for 3 years and mostly still am. Anyhoo - she loves it, and although I can still provide trips to zoo, park, etc... I can only provide her with little social interaction, but not enough as I'd like - I'm very much an introvert and my playdate initiation skills are somewhat lacking. Sometimes I feel twinges of guilt about not 'measuring up' to other moms around me who have huge ambitions of homeschooling, unschooling, yadda yadda, which is great but I'd like to combine the two... I just don't feel that I alone can provide all the stimuli she needs. Honestly, I just don't feel I have enough energy and ambition now to do so. But when I see how happy she is and how much she's learned, how well she interacts with other children I know I've made the right decision for our family.

[pinky]

My dd loves preschool and it's been a great choice for our family...but as for "missing out," your ds may miss preschool, but he won't be missing his mama anymore...and that seems much more important, IMO.

[UnschoolnMa]

We unschool now, but my kids both attended different preschool-ish programs when they were 4. I stayed w/them a lot there and it was mostly fun. I agree with Linda's comment below regarding how important it is or isn't.

Originally Posted by Linda on the move

Preschool can be a lovely exprience for some kids, but it is not necessary at all. There are so many other things to do!!!!! The zoo, the library, playdates, cooking together, lazy mornings in jammies...

[snuggly mama]

Dd#1 never went to preschool because, like the OP, we simply could not afford to do both preschool and SAHM. I was doing some daycare at the time, so she had some other children to play with, but mostly it was just us enjoying her early years. She's now 10, and doing great in school with lots of friends -- I don't think she missed anything. Ds went to preschool only because it filled a need for him. His younger sister was born when he was 4, and she has lots of special needs. Preschool was both our daycare on days when I was at the doctors (which was a lot) and a chance for him to get away from the stress and anxiety at home. He's now 8 and fondly remembers his pre-k days. Younger dd is in pre-k because of her special needs, so that's not really a decision I made so much as a circumstance we have to deal with.

I don't think preschool is necessary to a child's social or academic development. It can be fun and enriching, but I don't think you'll do any irreparable harm by not having your child there.

[sarahmae1]

I don't think preschool is a must, but my ds will be starting his second year of preschool next month. Last year he went 2 days per week for 2hrs. each time, and this year he will be in pre-k which is 3 days per week for 3hrs. each time. He loves it, but he is also a very social and active child. Preschool here is very affordable, but we also live where the cost of living is quite low. All of the 4 preschools in our town have the exact same price. There is always Headstart if you qualify for that as well... I've heard its better in some areas than in others though. The one I did my field experiance at in college was great!