Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Pondering Preschool

When should a kid go to preschool?  My son will be three-years old soon and I've found myself wondering about such things.  I'd like to say that it's because I'm already thinking about his academic career, but it's really that I'm selfish and I'd like a few hours to myself each week.  Yeah, Mother of the Year just put that bit of selfishness in writing.

A friend told me that I shouldn't worry about sending him to school this early since he knows numbers, colors, shapes, and alphabet.  I'm a little concerned that he still can't properly hold a pencil and he sure can't write his own name, but then I remember that he's not quite three yet and I figure he has time to learn those skills.  He's also still very young and very attached to me and I wouldn't want his first educational experience to be traumatic.  I clearly recall howling and crying when my own mother took me to preschool. . .that loneliness and fear of abandonment has stuck with me all these years later.

I'm of two minds on preschool.  One is that I think that academic philosophies in certain preschools are nothing but a glorified daycare.  My kid does not and will not go to daycare so it seems like I'd be wasting my money by sending him to that type of preschool.  The other is that I think that a more academically driven preschool might put too much pressure on such a young little person.  He will be in school at least until he's in his early- to mid-20s so I feel like I should let him enjoy these carefree days since they truly are the last that he'll ever have in his entire life.  I know that sounds soul-crushing, but it really is the truth as I see it.

If you sent your child to preschool, did you think it was worth the expense?  What type of preschool did your child attend?  At what age did you send your child to preschool?  What did they specifically gain/learn by attending preschool?  If you could change the past, would you make a different decision?

2 comments:

  1. Stacey Again....

    yes my kids did go to pre-school. I sent my oldest to a state pre-school which was more of a glorified coloring session. Well needless to say i took her out. Then I put all 3 into Montessori school. They are great with little kids and they would on hands on things to help learn to count, add, subtract, they even worked on how to cut fruits, veggies etc.

    The following link is the school that my oldest two went to http://www.desertmontessori.org/ I LOVED it. Now they actually go past kindergarten due to grants.

    This is where my youngest went until kinder. http://www.futurelandmontessori.com/ I would do it. It will help him to become more independant but still not take away from the attachment to you.

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  2. Thanks for the feedback Stacey. I think that I'll resume the preschool search once we buy another house since I'd like to have him in a school close to where we end up living.

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