Preschool or No Preschool? - Maryland Heights,MO

If your child is learning new concepts, becoming more independent, learning to be polite, enjoys this daycare, and seems happy and well adjusted, then I see no value in moving him. It is quite possible to get a list of skills needed before he starts school and you could run down this list and make sure he's ready in about 10 minutes per day. Just a quick run down of the list daily would give you an idea of what you could work on for the day.

The most important things I think children need to learn before school is all about morals. It's hard to teach morality to such young children. But it should be modeled. It's not that a preschool is detrimental to this goal. But in some cases the large size of a preschool just naturally exposes a young child to so many more negative attitudes. The potential for turn over in the employees can also cause a disconnect between the caregivers and the child. I think in the first 5 years children need more of a bonding between them and their constant caregivers. They have the rest of their lives to learn to be outgoing and brave in the face of constant strangers and strange situations.

BUT, all that aside, some kids would truly benefit from being in a preschool. If your child tends toward bullying behavior, it would be good for them to be exposed to situations where they are not able to automatically get as much one on one attention. I am afraid that children in small intimate settings are just catered to more and it causes them to have a self grandeur or self importance feeling that can cause them to be rather selfish. But not all kids are like that.

Some children thrive on routine and structure while others thrive on a loosely planned day. In the end it is your judgment call to make as you know him best. :)

Suzi

My daughter just moved from an inhome daycare (kids from 6 weeks - 12 years) to a daycare where her classroom is stricly 15 month olds - 2 years old. She's only been there two days but I can tell you I like their curriculum which is more 'preschool based'. In her home daycare, they did have circle time but other than that, I'm not sure how much curriculum they did. At her new daycare, they have what's called creative curriculum which is based on creativity and the kids have creative time every day which includes reading alone, some sort of craft or activity, etc. When she hits age 3, she'll go into the next classroom where the curriculum focuses on science, math, english, etc. I like that becuase it's stimulating her more than a home daycare where she just 'played' all day. Not that I am against playing, but I feel like she's being stimualted more. You have to ask yourself what your child needs. Is this home daycare providing adequate stimulation and learning for your child? If so, sounds like you may be right to keep him in there. If you feel he needs 'more' from his provider (even if you do like her - I liked our previous daycare provider also!), then you should move him.

Since your child will, one day, be entering into a structured learning environment--starting him in preschool (around 3) is a VERY good idea. Montessori is one of the best types of preschool (per Dr. Sears amongst other pediatricians and child psychologists)...where learning is fun, but structured.
I encourage it tremendously...I attended an excellent preschool, wound up skipping 2 grades and at a top 20 college. Not sure if it was the preschool, but I'll send my little one as soon as she's old enough. A good start never hurts!

Hello K.,

I think you really need to know your child to decide whats best. I am a in home preschool teacher and childcare provider. I have been running my own in home business for about 13 years now and like to consider myself like a private preschool. I only take a max of 5 students per day, this way it is a small group and my children get more one on one attention and they form wonderful bonds with both me and each other. I taught preschool for many years in different childcare and preschool facilities and they do have pluses and minuses. They can have a big teacher turn over rate and and the teacher child ratio I thought was always high, even though they are licensed, I used to work in a 2 year old room before moving into the preschool side and the ratio was 1 teacher to 8 two year olds, can you believe that, so of course they packed 2 teachers in there with 16 two year olds and called it quality childcare. Crazy hu. Anyway I purchase my preschool curriculum online and have a room set up into learning centers with a back yard playground area, I believe there aren't many unfortunately who have this arrangement but who are more simply just childcare situations. You could order your own preschool curriculum online and use it yourself, however I would make sure at least by the age of 4 putting him in a classroom situation, most Kindergarten teachers say the students that have the most problems are the ones who haven't learned to sit for a group time situation and those who haven't learned to share and be around other children. Some young children can't handle the chaos of a big preschool setting like a Kindercare or similar situation so a smaller setting like mine works better. Hope this helps.

He might be a little bit young to get a benefit from preschool yet....but overall, it's a great thing for kids to experience. Not only the educational part, but sharing, getting into a "routine", etc...

Best of luck!

Send him to preschool at age 3 or at least by 4. I loved my home provider, but the school setting really benefitted my daughter in getting ready for kindergarten.