stressing over finding a preschool?

[boongirl]

In my dd's coop preschool, at least half of the moms are stressing over finding a preschool for their child for next school year. For September 2006. I know that this is the time of year to start looking for school for next school year at any age but I am not stressing over finding a preschool. Here, there are lots of choices but they can't tell you for sure if they will have a space available for new students until they find out how many current students and siblings are coming in. But, I don't think this is worth stressing over. I just don't get how people can get so worked up over finding a preschool for their child. One women told me she has visited 10 preschools already and will visit many more before making her decision. I've been to three and put dd's name in at two. And, I am picky! (I did legwork before I visited by looking at websites, talking over the phone to directors, and asking around.)

I know what they are worried about. They are worried that they will fall in love with a preschool and not get in. But, so what? This is preschool, not full time daycare. There are tons of options. And, if your child does not get into the one you like this year, well it is just preschool.

So tell me, what is it like in your town/city? Do parents stress a lot over finding just the right preschool? Should I be stressed? Am I missing something?

[velochic]

Yeah, it's super competitive here. We did the whole thing last year - the interviews, the testing, the assessments. Dd ended up getting into the school we wanted, but there were something like 70 applicants for 24 spots. These are schools that go on through 12th grade, though. It's all just crazy, but the one we got her into is a language immersion school and the preschool is important because the rest of her education will be conducted in the target language, not English. It's private, BTW. We are a multi-cultural, multi-lingual family that has in the past and will in the future be living in different countries, so it was important to us that dd get a very diverse and multi-cultural education. I just hated the competitiveness of it all. I would have loved to keep her home for 2 more years... but she wanted to go to school sooooo bad. It's a shame 'cause she has so many more years of school ahead of her.

[angela&avery]

some people do, some people dont.

I didnt stress. I decided at the last minute to look into preschool with ds when he was 3. My mom was watching my kids two days a week so I could work and over the summer I saw her patience deteriorating. So, I decided ds needed to go to preschool the two mornings I work. I started hunting a month before school started, so the beginning of August. There was one school that was full and popular and hoity toity and pricey!! I was all set with that anyhow. I called around, this place was full, that place was too expensive.

Then I called our community daycare facility to find out about him going there two mornings a week. The lady said, well we dont do half days, but our preschool program is half days...... I didnt even know they had it!!!

So, I called in, they had room!! They had assistance!! AND, they have been very reputable as far as the community center goes, so I had no concerns... it is an integrated classroom, so he is with children with disabilities, physical and learning. I Love it, and it was meant to be.

Some people around here are uptight and overly concerned For me, it is.... after all preschool... so, I wasnt so concerned with the curriculum as much as him being comfortable and happy... which he is.

[CarrieMF]

When I was looking for a playschool for my oldest I called around to the 3-4 that are here. I asked their prices and that was what determined which I put her in. It just turns out that was the playschool with the highest recommended teacher. That school closed down after my dd's 2nd year(lack of funds). The teacher bought all the equipment and everything to open her own school. 2 years ago when the notices for playschools start I kept searching the paper and saw she was opening hers so I called her to find out the fees(which was sticker shock compared to the others,lol). At registration it is a first come/first serve order.

After her first year she gave all returning students first shot at spots, then they opened it to the public. After spring registration there were only 10 spots left and she didn't hold a fall registration like most do.

The playschools are here all work the same way, returning students get first shot then it is first come/first serve. There is no interview(unless you wanted one)/application, if there is a spot you fill out the registration form and pay the $. The schools start getting phone calls in January even though registration is not until April but they don't usually put names down on a list unless you've been at the school already.

[Starflower]

Several moms in one of our play groups are starting to stress about preschool for next year. Some are already signed up. One mom I talked to yesterday was asking me about our plans. She had signed up her son for preschool - when he was born - but recently decided it was too expensive and she wasn't in love with the program. So she and many of the other parents are going to open houses and all.

Our toddler group (a co-op program) sponsored a preschool open house night as one of the parent education nights. We have to attend three evening parent ed programs per quarter so I went. It was very interesting to see all the different options in our area all in one place with their fliers and information.

For myself, however, I am not sending DD to preschool. We'll be doing homeschool preschool (and probably homeschool later as well). If I find other interested parents, I may try to get a homeschool co-op group together, but most likely, we'll just do our regular stuff at home and then do some classes through the community center (soccer, dance, drama, etc.) and get together with other SAHPs. I want to make sure we don't have too many activities at once though. Maybe one class at a time.

Just my .02

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

For some of us preschool is, in fact, nearly full time. You may only be looking at a few mornings a week, but some of need our children to be in preschool for 6-8 hours each day. Given the amount of time my children did/do spend there, it was very, very important to me that it was a good fit between us and the school. These are the people that, for many of us, will potty train, teach letters and numbers, teach social skills, oversee lunch, snacks and naps, and so forth. They will teach the values of sharing, of cooperation, and gentleness. AND make sure kids are healthy and happy. so yeah, I was really careful.

I guess I don't understand why you wouldn't be careful and make sure it was a good fit even if it was only 6-10 hours a week instead of each day? How could you not want the best program and fit for your children?

[boongirl]

Originally Posted by Evan&Anna's_Mom

I guess I don't understand why you wouldn't be careful and make sure it was a good fit even if it was only 6-10 hours a week instead of each day? How could you not want the best program and fit for your children?

I think you are misunderstanding my point. The women I am writing about are stay at home moms who are looking for a coop preschool for their child for next school year. My dd is in coop preschool right now but I am looking for a 2 day a week, 2 full days, program. I did research, asked around, made phone calls and asked directors specific questions I thoughtfully created based on my experience as a teacher and as a parent, and then visited a few. I have a very strict checklist that only a few preschools in our area meet. I put my child's name on two waitlists and made that decision very carefully and cautiously. And, I checked references. I am not stressed. I know she will get into a preschool program and if she does not, I will homeschool her and we will do other activities until she can get into a school. I am not worried about it. These moms in our coop preschool are stressing out, literally loosing sleep, over finding a preschool, a coop preschool. They are acting like they are looking into college for themselves. It is baffling to me because their children must be picking up on the stress.

So, as you can see, it is not a question of not being worried about finding a good program. I am concerned about that and doing my best to find a reputable, safe, healthy, fun preschool for my child. But, I am not stressed out about the hunt. Why are these other women?

[mightymoo]

I'm not stressed about it either, but I am applying now as the Montessori school I want DD to go to is closing applications at this time - I'm glad I bothered to look because I didn't realize you had to apply so early.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by boongirl

I think you are misunderstanding my point. The women I am writing about are stay at home moms who are looking for a coop preschool for their child for next school year.

Wow, I'm just shocked you have that many (you were saying people visited 10+ preschools) co-op options! Very lucky!

[johub]

I dont know how it is locally as all my mom-friends are in my API group and nobody I know is sending their kids to preschool.
THat said, I think half of them will end up homeschooling anyway.

[boongirl]

TiredX2 - there are 14 coop preschools for ages 3-5 just in the North Seattle community college system. There are more in Central Seattle and South Seattle Community College systems And most of the surrounding cities have them through their community college. We are fortunate to have that many choices.

That being said, I think I figured this out. I am worried and concerned about making a preschool choice for my child but I have been working in the education field for 20 years. I have worked in several preschools and am familiar with most of the different preschool types (reggio, waldorf, montessori, etc). I already have a very definite idea of what I want in a preschool for my child and I've done a lot of research trying to find the right preschools. So, when I set out to look at them, I've already narrowed the field considerably. If I did not have so much experience this way, I probably would be stressed, too. I think these other moms just don't know what they want in a preschool or how each preschool differs or even how to research that. Now that I think about it, I am amazed that there is not better information to help parents make that decision. You'd think there would be a website defining all the different types of preschools and rating them according to parent's experience. Hmmm - if I was more inclined, that would be a good home biz.

[DoubleOven]

:

[boongirl]

preschool is like the Louis Vuitton bag of parenthood - more of a bragging right than a chance for kids to learn, develop, explore, and all of the other neat things they are supposed to do at preschool

I think this is what I am experiencing, women who just want to brag about their child getting into the "best" coop preschool or whatever preschool. I came to this realization today when it became news to me that the ones that are stressing over preschool are also gossiping about some of the parents at our current coop. Major self esteem issues, if you ask me.

[Mizelenius]

My mom was really "into" school . . .so much that she started her own (it has a pre-K). I always thought my DC would go there, so I didn't think about it much, but we got priced out of the city. We checked out our local schools before we moved to the 'burbs, and at least they aren't overcrowded.

Anyway, I finally realized I am really the opposite of my mom (even though I'm a teacher by profession). I am NOT into school. I think the more parents do at home (the basics: read, talk, play with your child), the better. I don't think school should be depended on for much. All I want is a school where people (staff, students) are nice and flexible. That's it. I feel DD is doing fine academically (she's reading and writing) and we haven't really done anything except the basics, nothing formal.

We lucked out by stumbling on the one (I think) co-op preK here. VERY nice people (they are GD experts, I've observed!), great ratio, and the kids play just about the whole time. It's exactly what I want!

[mamababamba]

I am a teacher at a conversion charter school and think all the "shopping around" done for preschools and regular schools is a little ridiculous. That said I did stress a little about finding a preschool, because since I had'nt started looking until about 4 months before my son would start it seemed difficult to find openings. I talked to a lot of people, called four places and visited two. In the end I found the perfect mellow preschool and I only have my son going two days a week, the rest of the time he is at his home away from home family daycare. As long as you are reading to your children, finding social avenues and helping them develop as curious learners, I don't think you need to stress.....finding a happy and stable environment seems more important to me then finding the perfect place....I think moving from place to place is problematic....just my two cents!