preschool advice

[treefae]

do you think preschool is worth it?what are considered good ones?if i kept my children home,is there good programs to get to teach them the basics?thanks

[Ziana]

before you decide on a preschool ask yourself a few questions...
Do my children need more social interaction?
Other than hands on social skills, is there anything a preschool can teach them that I can't?
Will they listen and take direction from a teacher?
Are they emotionally ready?
and finally: Can I financially afford it?

[Shanti]

Personally I believe the best teacher/program for a preschooler is mom!!!

My kids have 99% educational toys from babyhood on plus mom plays too!! Heck I even made my son a big cardboard parking lot for his matchbox cars, (his favorite toy).
On the cardboard I took magic markers and drew stalls for the cars and roads and some stalls are numbered for parking with numbers time!! And some are just colors for matching the cars to the colors and so on.

Theres a lot of ways to make play a great learning time!! Just some creativity and time and always looking for something you can teach...thats all it takes. Heck even putting away the groceries can be learning time...Matching sizes, shapes, colors and for the older kid..reading and math too!!:)

I am not a big fan of pre-school. I'm not a big fan of schools period..I home school!!! So I am a little bias there._inabox_

[RavensEye]

I have a child in preschool and one going into day care and neither was my choice. I think they are good for getting your children to socialize with others and teach thingslike sharing and such but I would rather just have my child stay at home with me and occasionlly go the babysitters when I need a break.

I have certain websites I get activites for the kids to do, and various workbooks they can colour in and learn basics such as ABCs and Math.
I use some of the Learning horizonz products. There web site has free stuff to try out to get an idea of what they are like to.

[Ceres]

I think there is way too much emphasis on pushing children out of the family home and into the care of others at an early age. Small children need their mothers and they need the stable home environment. As they grow out of the toddlers years, they do need experiences outside the home and gradually experiences with being with other chidlren and being with other caregivers with whom they have become familiar slowly with the presence of their mother or father.
It seems to me that europe has a better system whereby formal school doesnt start until the child is six. Ironically here in north america, people who will be working with children study a child psychologist - Piaget - considered the authority on learning and children who recommends that abstract concepts not be taught before age seven, yet we are the ones trying to get them to parrot back words and math equations
As for activities, just sharing your life with your children provides a wealth of opportunities to count with them, show them letters, read with them and it neednt be something you seperately from their play. Talk to them while you drive, let them bake with you, let them clean house with you, have them along for groceries and banking and the opportunities for teaching are endless and also more meaningful than workbooks and computer games.

[John_Mischief]

I'm not sure if it's necessary, but I remember really liking it. It's nice to have other kids your age to play with when you're young, and sometimes you get to do neat things. I remember we had a "discovery room" full of shells, snakeskins, turtle shells, ect.

edit: I'll add that I went for one year, when I was four. Some of them start at really early ages, which probably isn't the best of ideas I don't think.

I agree that parents should take an active role in education their children. I didn't have workbooks and stuff, but I was always read to and then when I could read provided with books. My parents also would take me out the stream behind the house to look at the fish, tadpoles, baby geese, ect. I think at young ages, hands on learning is really important, and also fun!

[Ceres]

I agree that parents should take an active role in education their children. I didn't have workbooks and stuff, but I was always read to and then when I could read provided with books. My parents also would take me out the stream behind the house to look at the fish, tadpoles, baby geese, ect. I think at young ages, hands on learning is really important, and also fun!

Wow, what great parents! I envy you your childhood.

[RavensEye]

I think there is way too much emphasis on pushing children out of the family home and into the care of others at an early age. Small children need their mothers and they need the stable home environment.
I agree and that is why I am so anxiety ridden Sylvan is 2 going to day care for the first time and Sakrua was in Preschool or started school last October when she was 3 which was to early to put her in but because this is supposeldy becuase of early intervention that is why she is in there to get help with her speach. I could have easily done it though while she was at home but nope not suppose to take her out of the preschool.

[treefae]

me and my husband want my girls to stay home till they are six before they start kindergarten.where do you start looking to see what your state rules are for keeping them home.

[Shanti]

me and my husband want my girls to stay home till they are six before they start kindergarten.where do you start looking to see what your state rules are for keeping them home. Here ya go...a child who will be six on or before September 30 must attend school. (http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Parents/kinderqa.html)

And... The Virginia Department of Education Home page (http://www.pen.k12.va.us/)

[RavensEye]

Well I guess I do not have to worry about my son going to daycare just yet I found out the day care just closed and from sources it does not sound good. It sounds like someone in there was not doing there job properly. Thank goodness I procrastinted in getting the forms in.

[Nightmelody]

There are lots of preschools that are either a morning or afternoon, two or three days a week, unlike a full day at a daycare.

In our area the kindergartens are very academic--kids are reading by the end of kindergarten, there is little of the tradional play with blocks and fingerpaint type of activities that many of us remember. If your child will be enrolled in an academic kindergarten or a full day kindergarten, it might be helpful to the child to have a year of a fun preschool first. Many of the best preschools/childcare have NAEYC accredidation, which is a nationwide, professional accredidation standard.

Many parents of children starting kindergarten don't realize their child might be in a class with 25--27 kids, with one teacher(my kids were in this type of knd, I volunteered two days a week.) Self help skills, such as putting on their own coats, tying shoes etc, make alot less stress for the child, and often the preschools in an area are a big help for children who are entering this type of kindergarten environment.

[Ravyn Sylverwyng]

I put my first two children in for a year of preschool before they started kindergarten. And, it helped out tremendously. I'm certain that I will do it again in a couple of years with my youngest. I don't want to push them out too soon, yet it does them a lot of good. The preschool that my children attend it more fun and games than it is actual learning. They do learn to count, recognize colors, numbers, letters, and the such. They learn to write their names. And, they have a discovery center, where the children are able to explore different areas or work once they are older. Not to mention that the parents can volunteer as much as they like. I recieved an award when my middle child graduated for putting in over 1000 volunteer hours at the place. They attend six hours, but you can take them out early if you like. It is a terrrific program, and I'm glad that I did it. I have tried to work with my youngest child. We sit and color, take in sites, go out to play, work in the garden, (well,he just digs in the dirt), and these type of things. The preschool here teaches them to color in the lines and the things that most teachers expect of enrolling students. I don't feel that I am shoving my child to do more than they can do, and the classes in our district are small. There is never a class with more than 20 sutdents in it. The same goes for our preschools and elementary schools.

[Chesna]

My child has been in daycare since she was 8 weks old because I needed to work. I couldn't think of a better thing. She has learned soo much and never has seperation anxiety. I think going to daycare and pre-school is a great thing, I can't wait till mine gets to go. I think it teaches them about the world from others perspectives, they get to meet different children from different races and backgrounds. However, a parent does need to do their homeowrk when it comes to daycare and pre-schools and the such.I think if you find the right one it can be very beneficial.

Chesna

[WingedTigerChild]

I think that if you absolutely have to (or want to) put your child into a daycare program, it's probably best to look for private ones (like the ones some mothers have at their homes). My baby cousin goes to one and she's doing really well, as opposed to my two younger sisters who were stuck in publicly-funded centres and hated it (crowded and a lot like other public schooling). However, the choice is yours.

[fahawk]

Unless you have to- because of work or whatever...I think kids should just have the time at home,, be with mom or Dad. Reading to them, playing, creating..there are so many possibilities - I had an english teacher who was an older women..had been in the school system for years..and she felt VERY strongly that small children were better of at home..

[BrigidMoon]

I believe that your preschool can make or break you so to speak......

My daughter needed a structured daycare/preschool in order to transition into the public school system with little problems. Some children do not need that but also due to my parenting philosophies, I needed something that matched that as well.

You can stay at home with your child and teach them the same things my child learned however, the social skills they gain with other kids (esp with mixed ages) is beyond anything you would expect. I was very pleased with my preschool/daycare situation. They went beyond my expectations.

[FlyingBear]

I think a lot of it depends on the child in question and what sorts of needs they have.

[treefae]

thanks for all the responses.i've decided not to do preschool for my kids.i'm able to stay home with them.i'm sure i can give them what they need at home.they have plenty of neighborhood kids to interact with.my mother was very adament about me reading before i started kindergarten.which is what kids should be doing anyway according to a teacher i know.because of my mom putting the time in,i read college level in elementary school.i remember a little preschool but it was more like daycare.they took naps which i didn't do at that age lol.they still made me lie there awake and i don't remember learning anything.that was a kindercare preschool.i remember going into kindergarten being really bored with the dick and jane books i read much harder books than that thanks to my mom.kids eating paste,peeing on themselves confused me too lol.i'm asking opinions about preschool because i'm getting the pressure from people that do put their kids in.hey if my mom (who is a hippie that smoked alot of pot back when i little) could teach me to read better than what the public schools could offer.i'm thinking it can't be that complicated.at least at home i can control what kids they interact with.not learning bad habits when it's out of my hands.my husband's little brother goes to a very expensive private school he's 8 yrs. old.i have to say he's the biggest brat.i never see him read on his own.i don't let my kids play with him because he has no concept of respecting adults or anyone else.i think people underestimate parenting skills and that kids learn most from home.i think it's sad this country is so greedy that moms have to depend on other people to raise their kids because they have to work.

[RavensEye]

'm asking opinions about preschool because i'm getting the pressure from people that do put their kids in Well what works for others is not what neccessarily works or is bets for you and I am glad to hear that you have reached a decsion as to what you are going to do. Best of luck to you :D