Co op preschools and younger siblings?

[momsgotmilk4two]

My ds will be three this June and will probably not be going to preschool this year, but I am thinking about sending him next year. I like the idea of a coopertive school where the parent participates, but do any of these allow you to bring your younger child with you? I have a 16 month old, who will be 2 and a half by the time ds would go to school. I'm not sure how that would work, but I know that I would not want to have to hire a babysitter. Money will probably be tight as it is just paying for preschool since I am a sahm. What have your experiences been?

Kari

[Pooka]

I think every school may do it differently. At our coop preschool, in San Francisco, we allow younger siblings to come on the parent's workday until they are 6 months old -- essentially, while they can be worn in a sling or a pack. After that, we ask that they not be brought on your workday. Ours is a big enough school that you can usually find another parent with a young child but different workday to do a childwatching swap, or share a babysitter with someone who has the same workday.

All of that applies only on your workday. If you want to visit school, not on the workday, younger (or older!) siblings are welcome. We are organized in "family grouping" so we are mixed ages anyway, and the younger ones love to be around the olders , and many of the olders, especially those who don't have younger sibs, are fascinated by the tots. The only caveat is that you have to supervise your younger one, so that the workday parents don't have to get distracted.

It's great for the little ones. I'm on my third in co-op; he and his older sis were born into it - and visited almost every day. So going to school was not a big deal - they just thought of it as an extension of home.

I'd start touring schools now, to get a feel for their styles. And ask how they deal with younger sibs. The California Council of Parent PArticipating Nursery Schools has a great web-site that can hook you up with schools in your area -- CCPPNS.org. Good luck--co-op schools are like another kind of tribe!

[momsgotmilk4two]

Thanks so much! Co op really does sound like something I'd enjoy since the thought of just *sending* ds off to school doesn't appeal to me too much Yes, I'm one of those nutty overprotective moms:LOL

[Kirsten]

Co-op preschool is wonderful. You will find that it is the cheapest option among preschools. When dd1 went (2 mornings a week - one of those I worked) it was $38 a month! Dd2 starts at the same school in the fall and the price is now $56 a month I think. Still very reasonable.
Our preschool allowed babies up to 3 months old in a front pack but after that age there were no siblings allowed at all. Insurance reasons. No children not enrolled in the class. A 2 1/2 year old would be disruptive IMO. As would a one year old or a five year old. It is a class geared to 3 year olds and even some of them are challenged to figure out the program and go along. It is a learning process but younger sibs would make it harder IMO.
What people do here is what someone else already suggested. You find someone else in class who has a younger sib and trade with them - work opposite days. It is a lot of work to get it figured out but co-op is so great that it is worth it I'm sure. With dd1 I only had her so didn't have to but now with dd2, I will have to trade childcare for our baby - due anyday so will be over the 3 month mark when dd2 starts preschool in the fall.
Kirsten

[Amoreena]

CCPPNS (California Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools)

Originally Posted by momsgotmilk4two

I like the idea of a coopertive school where the parent participates, but do any of these allow you to bring your younger child with you? What have your experiences been? Kari

Hi Kari!

I'm in socal. Are you still? I know this is an old thread...

I attended a co-op preschool here in Ventura County last spring with my then-4yo, and on the days I worked, my toddler went with me. He was just under 2 when we started and turned 2 while we were going. This fall, he (the younger) and I are in the co-op together, while my homeschooled 5yo visits with various friends (including one other 5yo HSd boy). This particular co-op welcomes younger siblings but not olders. I'm sure there is variation from co-op to co-op. We've LOVED our co-op experience! I'm currently serving as treasurer on the board of our co-op, which is Pleasant Valley Co-op Preschool in Camarillo.

In case you're still in socal and interested, I created a couple regional AP yahoo groups, links in sig.

[CarrieMF]

At the playschool my girls go to no other kids are allowed there becuase if something happened the school would be held liable and they don't have insurance for kids that aren't registered. Field trips are the exception to this rule.

[kama'aina mama]

I only have one kid and she is in a co-op preK. I know that some moms with toddlers got pretty good at trading playdates with the little ones so they could work their shifts.

[TiredX2]

Definately ask. There are obviously different rules out there (ours was to 3 months for insurance reasons as well).

Any chance you could enroll both kids? If the younger *had* to be there anyway and you were willing to pay, perhaps it could work out (depending on the age ranges).

Good luck!

[famousmockngbrd]

DS is starting co-op preschool in the fall and unfortunately I can't bring my infant, who will be born this summer, with me on my work days. The baby will only be 2 months old when co-op starts. I can't leave my tiny newborn with someone else at that stage (I don't think I left DS before he was 6 months!). At our co-op you can pay someone to work your day for you, so I plan on doing that for the first couple of months. You can bring your other kids with you as long as you aren't working, so I'll probably hang around a few days unofficially just to be there, but not be working.

[Amoreena]

Originally Posted by momsgotmilk4two

Thanks so much! Co op really does sound like something I'd enjoy since the thought of just *sending* ds off to school doesn't appeal to me too much Yes, I'm one of those nutty overprotective moms:LOL

Nooooooo, you're a loving, attached mama!!!

So, did you find something you're happy with? Inquiring minds want to know

[Treasuremapper]

I think it depends on the school. The one Gracie attends does not allow the younger sibling. My dh took off on those mornings and one of us stayed at home and one of us worked as the "helping parent."

[MammaMia]

It does depend on the school. We started a co-op last February and one of the reasons we chose the one we did was cuz I was pregnant and they allow younger siblings w/ the parent on the workday indefinitely. Now, a number of parents w/ younger siblings have told me they still prefer to find an alternative for the younger child once it's a bit older cuz they want to be able to be more focused on the older child, but I like having the choice.
It can be quite a madhouse at times, but it's been great for my older DD to see the other kids w/ their little siblings. Our preschool, too, is not ordered by age so I don't think the kids think twice about the infants and toddlers.

[Tanibani]

Wow, a 6+ month old not allowed would suck.

My baby was 3 months old in September and 11 months at the end (May.) She hung out in the OTSBH sling most of the time, or had her morning nap in the stroller. Other moms had frame back carriers, front carriers, or slings. (The director thanked me at the end of the year because I and other moms really did a great job of showing HOW to still be connected with your baby - via babywearing - while working in the classroom. It was inspirational for the touring parents checking out the classroom.) Or the babies just hung out in the stroller. It wasn't a problem at all. I'm happy the director and staff were very accepting of it.

I think it would be hard for a 1-2 year old though... but I have a friend who brought along her 2 year old daughter and nobody really minded. I think it depends on the child too. She played well independently and wasn't overwhelmed by the environment. I would imagine a 2.5 would be fine.

My DS will go to their K and my then toddler will definitely not be allowed in the (much smaller class) which is totally understandable. A friend (her daughter is in the same class) & I will swap babysitting, preferably on campus.

[kavamamakava]

I bring all 3 of my kids to school when I drop Skanda off. We stay for about thirty minutes and participate. Then I arrive 30 minutes early to pick him up and we participate then as well. We haven't taken on any responsibilities yet. But we will. Maybe water the garden or bring snack or clean the fish tank.

[Amoreena]

Definitely varies from school to school. Personally, I like the tribal approach where all are welcome. Takes a village kind of thing.

That philosophy is one of the main reasons (along with proximity and an amazing teacher) I chose and continue attending the co-op preschool we attend in Ventura County (Pleasant Valley Co-op Preschool in Camarillo). While the philosophy is not completely applied (older sibs are only allowed in younger classes on an occasional unusual-circumstances basis), it is enough a part of the school's raison d'etre that we (i'm on the board) veer away from any policy changes that might water down that philosophy.

For me, that perspective was a godsend when we first moved here. I have no family here, had no friends we could leave my younger with, and he wasn't ready anyway. We will only leave our children with people they and we know, trust, and are comfortable with. If I couldn't have taken my toddler with me to my 4yo's co-op class, I would have been SOL, and so would my 4yo. Since the co-op allowed younger sibs, my 4yo and I were able to benefit greatly from the co-op experience. I am so grateful! I only wish I'd gotten us in there sooner, but I'm forever grateful for the 3 1/2 months my 4yo got there with that particular teacher and in that environment.

[~*max*~]

We have had an amazing co-op experience. As far as siblings go, in our co-op moms who have just had babies get a couple months off from their duties. Siblings are very welcome on field trips, celebrations, drop off & pick up times, but not during actual class time - as others have said, due to the distraction factor and insurance purposes. The great thing about a co-op is that through getting involved you get to know the other parents really well, so things like car pooling & child care sharing can become much more comfortable. It really has been a tribe-like experience fo us. I think co-ops can be an excellent compliment to AP parenting styles.