You don't have participate in the race. I know it seems so important. I live in an area where a lot of people worry about this, and some schools are more 'prestige'. That's true for the adults, but kids don't care. It's sad that parents have this added layer of stress and it's horrible that anyone would see a tiny child's life as being negatvely impacted by not going to 'the right preschool'. It wouldn't have the prestige if 'anyone and everyone' could attend, kwim?.
But you can opt out of this mentality. You don't have to play that game. You can take her to museums yourself, without the downside of her being in a large group doing it. With you, she can go at her own pace, and not be one in a crowd. It's terribly sad when parents are fed stuff like this. Her childhood is not over, the bliss of being little can exist without 'the perfect' preschool. That's a myth.
ETA-- You live in SF. There are lots of preschoolers at home with their parents there. You have a great city at your feet, and plenty of other preschool parents whose kids didn't get into that school. You don't have to sit in traffic at all. Even if you choose school later, she doesn't have to go now...enjoy her and forget the traffic if there isn't a 'good' preschool close to you. I know this isn't the hsing forum (half my kids are hs'd and 1/2 go to school, so I read everything here) but you and your children can chill together next year with other hsing families of preschoolers and regroup. There are options, is all I am saying, to preschool.
But you can opt out of this mentality. You don't have to play that game. You can take her to museums yourself, without the downside of her being in a large group doing it. With you, she can go at her own pace, and not be one in a crowd. It's terribly sad when parents are fed stuff like this. Her childhood is not over, the bliss of being little can exist without 'the perfect' preschool. That's a myth.
ETA-- You live in SF. There are lots of preschoolers at home with their parents there. You have a great city at your feet, and plenty of other preschool parents whose kids didn't get into that school. You don't have to sit in traffic at all. Even if you choose school later, she doesn't have to go now...enjoy her and forget the traffic if there isn't a 'good' preschool close to you. I know this isn't the hsing forum (half my kids are hs'd and 1/2 go to school, so I read everything here) but you and your children can chill together next year with other hsing families of preschoolers and regroup. There are options, is all I am saying, to preschool.