Do you think MDO and Pre-school are necessary?

My ds who is 3.5 has gone to preschool this school year on MWF's my 17 month old ds hasnt left my side.

We are also planning to homeschool.

I liked it for my ds because at the time I felt like he needed a little bit more attention then I could give him with a new baby around and because I felt a little pressured by friends and family.

I feel very different now, even though Oliver has enjoyed the songs and games and gotten invited to some birthday parties I hate rushing them to school then sticking Mikey back in the car seat to go and pick him up and even though he goes to the best preschool in the city his teachers are not super talkative and sometimes I don't get a really good read on how his morning was (he goes from 9-11 three times a week)

I think that it can be hard to unwire ourselves from thinking that going to preschool is something that they must do . I wish that I hadn't sent him at all. I can not wait until the end of may.

I meant is it necessary for the kids (the whole socialization thing). My oldest is a bit shy. When he's around 2 or 3 other kids he blossoms but he doesn't like to be in big groups. I think he would have a hard time in preschool and I don't want to force him to go. If he wanted to go I would give it a try but he seems to know what he wants pretty well LOL. My youngest is the opposite - very social and outgoing. It's funny how two kids with the same DNA can have such opposite temperaments!

Newbymom05, I'm an AP'er too and would love to find a group of homeschooling moms. I will do a google search and see what I can find. As much as I've enjoyed my mom's group it would be nice to be around other like-minded moms who plan to/are homeschooling because as the kids grow up theirs will go to school and mine will be homeschooled so there won't be opportunities to get together like there are now. It would be good to get into a group now where the boys can make friends that they will hopefully keep for years to come.

I totally understand wanting to get some time alone. There are definitely days when I'm going nuts. Thankfully my husband is a great father and takes the boys out a lot so I can have breaks. If he didn't I would surely go crazy LOL.

No I don't think kids "need" it at all. Can it be fun? Can they learn stuff? Sure, but they don't need to go off to preschool or a special program to do so.

IMO 3 year olds honestly have no "need" to make social ties to other 3 year olds.

All children NEED other caring humans interacting with them on a daily basis of many different ages.

I have no issue with anyone using or enjoying a program for their own or their child's benefit, but it totally gets under my skin when someone calls it a need for a child.

It's totally artificial, and a modern invention to put a child of a certain age in a room with other kids that exact same age and call it needed. I don't get it, and I disagree with it.

I'd much rather let my kid zoom around a park and bump into a variety of ages and stages than drop them off at a classroom so young.

I'm greedy with my kids though, I want them all to myself.

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Really, I won't go to mainstream groups any more b/c it just isn't a supportive environment, y/k? I think it is def worth the search for like minded mamas! I found my fave group through an old LLL friend and then that group put me on to others.

I saw you mentioned socialization, in my h/s group of course all the kids are h/s, and I swear, they seem so much more polite, mature, empathetic, creative...Seriously, DH was against h/s (mainly b/c of the socialization aspect) until he started going to h/s events and meeting the children.

I agree w/ Porcelain Interior--how is locking up a group of same-aged kids conducive to socialization? The only social benefit I see is teaching them to listen to another adult. I think a group of various aged kids, from babies to preteens, is much more realistic preparation for dealing w/ life outside the home.

Thank you so much for all of your answers. I LOVE these forums!

No, I don't believe those programs are necessary for a child's development at all.

With my oldest daughter...we did story time at the library, indoor gym time in the winter at a local leisure centre, play groups, etc. My son did go to preschool, but it was a specialized one to help him with his speech issues. I believe he needed that.

With my youngest...I don't know what we'll do when the time comes. But regardless, no, I don't believe that a child needs these programs to succeed in school or for socialization. My son sure did enjoy his program, though .

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We never did MDO or preschool. Went to MOPS a few times for a break but did not enjoy that vibe at all.

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Point taken.

However, I've noticed that in our society, people who don't send their kids off are deemed "weird," "controlling," or "coddling."

So, it's great that your kids loved and benefitted from their preschool program. My kids spend their early years in a different environment, and they benefitted from it, as well. As long as everyone respects that, that's all that matters.

The fact that some children love preschool and benefit from it does not make it a necessity. Children lived, learned, and thrived long before preschools were invented.