Benjamin has been all about school lately. He likes to pretend his tricycle is a school bus, and then he "goes to school" with his backpack, lunch, shoes and coat. He even kisses me goodbye. It's really cute. Then he tells me all the fun things he can do at school, like make new friends, have snack and learn new things. I don't talk to him a great deal about it, although he does love to read books about school. We talk about how when he's 5 years old, he can go on the school bus.
Most of his friends his age all go to preschool, and I think it would be a really good thing for him. I talked to my "Parents as Teacher's" lady about it, and it sounds like on average most kids go to preschool for two years, but that one year is sufficient. I have no real problem sending Benjamin to preschool except for convenience. Since we still have only one car, I can see it being kind of a hassle. I have been thinking about doing a "home preschool" for a year with him where he has a few hours of structured one-on-one time with me. Has anyone done this? Does it work? I've also thought about signing him up for soccer or tee ball or tumbling, since those seem like a little less of a commitment, but would give him additional social interaction. I guess in the end, it really doesn't matter. After all, he is only 2 1/2. I don't think I'll be scarring him too badly if I don't send him to two years of preschool, but I also want to give him lots of opportunities for growth. What have you guys done?
Zach will go to 2 years of preschool outside of our home. Because Aaron travels so much, Zach is left with me most of the time and he stops listening to me sometimes. We also felt like he would really benefit socially from being at a preschool. At least in Utah, you can call your city building and get names of registered preschools in your area. You might be able to find one within walking of your house.
ReplyDeleteI think two years of preschool is definitely optional... but I know we will do it for Cora. Not that it would scar her not to have two years of preschool, and not because she'll need to learn the stuff, or even opportunities for growth, but just because I think she'll think it's so much fun. I do my best to do lots of fun things with my kids in and out of the house, but she always LOVES to go out, do more, and be busy.
ReplyDeleteBut it's an easier decision around here because there are great, cheap preschools within walking distance. Good luck with your decision!
I don't think this is particularly helpful, but there is a recent post on BYU's Recent Grad blog about preschool, so I thought I might as well show you. Check it out at: http://byufamilydevelopment.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI am in a similar boat with Henry. He also really likes the idea of school (he had a meltdown at Target the other day because he had to have a dinosaur lunchbox for his backpack). He tells me every other day that he wants a red backpack "just like lego mans" to go to school with.
ReplyDeleteBut money is tight at the momen and most preschools in the area are pretty expensive. And the ones that are less expensive, seem a little "daycarish" for me. I have seen preschool co-ops, that are much more affordable, and let you be involved with the education as well. I may do that when he turns three, in the fall.
I really don't think you are scarring him. Most preschools for little ones are really play-based, rather than learning-based (as it should be). I think that is pretty easy to re-create at home.
Henry gets a lot of play, we see friends a lot and go to museums and such, so I feel like he gets enough stimulation.
Another reason I keep him home is that we have a lot of fun together, and it is really the only time I will have with him one-on-one like this, so I am savoring it until number two comes along.
I think as long as the home environment is stimulating, which I am sure your home is, I wouldn't sweat it. You could maybe do a preschool co-op with people in the ward, I have heard that can work really well, too. That would be local and provide more social interaction.
Good luck, those are my two cents :)
Claire did 1.5 years of preschool and that was plenty. I worked with her at home one on one until she was 4. Jeremiah is doing 2.5 years of preschool simply b/c I love where he's at and he loves the boys there so instead of sport lessons, he gets that.
ReplyDeleteI think you will find that if you read to Benjamin, play, do school at home he will be more than prepared to go to school. In fact, odds are Ben will be ahead academically by the time he starts kindergarten. You can always log on to Kirkwood's school district site and pull their curriculum agendas for K and see what the kids are expected to know by the end of the year.
My biggest struggle with school when Claire started was that is was simply not challenging enough so I was sooooooo glad I hadn't spent more money than I did on preschool.
If Jeremiah didn't have what he has now I wouldn't put him in preschool at all. I wouldn't waste the $$. Between church, play dates, and sports lessons I can fill the social need. And preschools around here can be pricey.
I don't think you're scarring him at all and he's not even 3 yet. Most don't start until after they've turned 3. I think doing something at home is totally fine. Like I said, if Jeremiah didn't have what he has, I wouldn't put him in preschool at all.
I agree that two years of preschool is entirely optional. I think that many kids go for two years to provide the mom with a break for a few hours a day, a few days a week. I did a joy-school style program with a few other friends. Andrew loves it. We thought joy school was a rip-off, even though it is a very sweet program (they charge hundreds of dollars just to look at the website and download the lessons and print them yourself!!!). We just made up our own lessons. With the internet, doing so is really easy. Personally, I think that our co-op was superior to most preschools. The teacher-child ratio is better, the teacher is a mother of one of the kids, so she has more invested in doing a good job, and the likelihood of parent as teacher burnout is low bc you only do it for two days every 4 or 5 weeks.
ReplyDeleteI am sending Andrew to a formal preschool next year for a couple of days, but that is bc he will be four years old and bc he is absolutely desperate to go. I still have my own hesitations, though. I am still feeling a pull toward doing another year of co-op.
Hmm, well I dont' know what to say that hasn't already been said. Personally I don't see any con's to sending a kid to preschool early. I get lots of flack from people that I sent Summer at 2 1/2, but I think its so good for her. For me its not about the academics (because we work on that a lot at home. Oh who are we kidding, we USED to work on that a lot!) But she really needs the social interaction. And when it gets out for the summer I'll put her in swimming lessons or some gymnastics because I think its so important for little kids to get that social interaction. Especially socially inept ones like Summer. So yeah, if the preschool thing doesn't work out, you should look into sports programs or something like that at your community center, he would love that.
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