Mommies of Preschoolers

[somethingshiny]

I''ve noticed we''ve had a few preschool threads going lately and thought it might be a good idea to have a place that we could just pop in.

Some are starting/continuing to potty train
Some are starting daycare
Some are starting preschool
Some are expecting siblings
Moms are going back to work for the first time
Moves are happening


So, with all the concerns and triumphs of these informative years, we can offer each other advice and support.



I have one son, JT, who is almost three and a half. We previously decided that he would only attend one year of preschool, but now that I may be going back to work, I have to consider preschool and daycare. Anyone have any advice on one outweighing the other? Anyone else considering going back to work "too early"?

 

[steph72276]

Hey, SomethingShiny

I was actually applying for jobs when we found out I was pregnant with baby number 2, so I guess I will be at home for a while longer

. Andrew started 3 year old preschool last year and LOVED it. This year, he will be in the 4s class going 4 days a week. I think it is so good for them to interact with other kids, especially if they have been at home with mommy most of the time. Are you going back full time or part time?

 

[somethingshiny]

I''m not sure how many hours I''ll need yet. DH just isn''t finding a good paying job so if he has to settle for terrible wages, I''ll have to make up the difference. I''m hoping to not have to work full time, though. I''ve had several job offers since I quit working while I was pregnant, so I think I''ll have a job easy enough. Two of those places offered to let me make my own hours so hopefully I can work around DH''s shift or preschool schedules, etc.

JT has a lot of socializing daily with a group of kids. My neighbor runs a daycare out of her home and I end up with some of those kids in my yard too! He gets to play with kids from 2 to 11. I think that kind of socialization is better than being in a "3 yr old class", but I don''t have anything to compare it to. I know that being with the other kids has encouraged JT to do new things, like get his hands dirty! We work at learning every day so I don''t think the 3 yr preschool is necessarily going to teach him anything that I haven''t/can''t. I''m thinking daycare is more fun than preschool?? Also if he does go to preschool I have to figure out transportation to a daycare too. We don''t have public preschools in this area so you can''t even do a bus to a daycare.

My biggest problem is this was not the plan. The plan was to be pregnant again and continue to stay home. I''m stung because I really don''t want someone else raising my child and that was never an option before. I realize I just need to get over it and do what needs to be done but I feel like I''ve failed.

 

[steph72276]

Oh, Shiny. No, no you haven''t failed at all! I actually went back to work when Andrew was 9 months for 2 school years and though it was hard to leave him, it was really kind of nice to get out there and interact and also bring home some $ (although being a teacher, it was not that much

). What about the lady that runs the at home daycare? Would that be an option? Then he is in his same neighborhood and is around kids he already knows. Really, I don''t think there was much of a difference between Andrew''s preschool and a good daycare. For that age, they mostly just play and do storytime, lunch, paint, etc. Good luck in finding something that will fit the hours you are looking for. I''m sure JT will be just fine and have fun around the other kids

 

[somethingshiny]

Thanks, Steph.

I''ve talked to the neighbor about an opening, but she doesn''t know if she''ll have one yet. Since I know her and the kids I think I''d be okay with it. I just don''t want to deny him the preschool if it''s really going to be better for him.

 

[swingirl]

Shiny, the best thing you can do as a mom is to stay flexible. There really aren't too many decisions that are right or wrong with a 3 year old. Daycare, preschool or at home--it won't make much of a difference to your child as long as he is safe and happy. He'll be able to socialize and learn new things no matter where he is.

My kids started preschool when they were around 3 1/2 to 4. The reason we switched was that kids at daycare were getting younger and my kids were getting bored. They were ready for the structure of preschool, playing with peers, and leaving the boob tube (home daycare providers seem to love TV, movies and videos). I initially thought the home daycare environment was like an extension of my own home. But in the end I liked preschool for the routine. Then again preschools are less flexible with schedules and have regular hours.

 

[waxing lyrical]

My girls are 2.5 and 4.5. I haven''t put them in preschool. I''m considering putting my youngest in preschool, but I question how well she''ll do because she''s very sensitive, emotionally intense and extremely shy. Putting her in places she''s not comfortable with freaks her out. It would take her time to adjust. I think my oldest is too old. They do well at home. There''s really nothing that can''t be done at home that is done in a daycare or preschool setting.

 

[somethingshiny]

swingirl~ It''s funny that you say I need to stay flexible, everyone I know says I''m the most flexible and laid back mom. Really the only "rule" that I went into motherhood with is that I would stay home. I know if I show that I don''t want him to go, he''ll be worse off so I won''t do that. I do think that he''ll be able to socialize and learn at both places. JT has structure at home, and part of that structure is naptime. It''s things like that, he NEEDS a 2 hr nap in the afternoon and I know that preschool won''t allow for that (unless I can get him into AM preschool, which seems few and far between) If I get him in with my neighbor I know he would have fun. They''re outside at least 4 hours a day. She isn''t big into TV and will only let them watch Noggin which I can live with. I think for that daycare in particular it would be a bit of an extension of my own home just because she and I are alike.

waxing lyrical~ I feel exactly the same way which is why we had no intention of putting him in daycare at all and we were going to wait another year for preschool. Unfortunately, where I live preschool isn''t public but it''s "required" for kindergarten. The state doesn''t mandate preschool, but the children are supposed to enter kindergarten knowing to raise their hands, not talk, walk in line, etc. So I''m not pleased to begin with that he has to attend at all. I don''t think JT would do well in preschool at this point because I think he''d be overwhelmed with all of the rules. I know that he''ll have to learn to follow rules, and he certainly follows mine, I just don''t want to limit him by having too many rules to follow. The way we raise our son is basically, if he wants to try it we let him. He wants to climb to the top of the swing set, fine. He falls off, he''ll be fine. I can''t imagine "paid professionals" allowing the risks that I do.

daycare= homey
preschool= structure

JT needs both....

thanks for the advice and RL scenarios.

 

[Allisonfaye]

I have a 5.5 year old and a 3.5 year old. The older one went to preschool for 2 years and I started the younger one last fall. My older DD will be attending kindergarten for 1/2 day this fall and my 3.5 year old will be going 3 mornings a week to preschool.

 

[packrat]

Our daughter is 5 1/2. She went to Preschool last year and will go to Kindergarten this fall. She blossomed in Preschool-it''s made such a difference we''ve been floored by it. It was 2 1/2 hours a day, 5 days a week. (days off whenever the regular school system had them, plus 2 Fridays off a month) We had decided before we had kids that we wouldn''t do daycare or any of the all day programs until Kindergarten. JD worked 2nd and 3rd shifts at work tho, and I had a job that let me be flexible with my hours, so that made a huge difference. There was enough structure in just those short hours at Preschool to prepare her, I think, for being in Kindergarten, and it gave her a taste of being away from home. I don''t personally like the idea of kids being gone all day every day from age 3 on..I think from K-12 they get plenty of school and I wanted her to have time to just be a kid.

One of the daycare''s in town here is run like a preschool..they have craft time and recess time-she converted her basement for it. Even still, I think London did much better staying home this long, and just going to preschool the partial days for the one school year, than she would have going to day care all the time.

 

[somethingshiny]

Thanks, girls.

I did find a preschool we should like today. You can sign 3 yr olds up for one or two days a week and it''s only 2.5 hrs. There''s even a viewing room that you can observe your little ones if you want. I think this preschool may be where a couple of the neighbor''s daycare kids go so I''m assuming they''ll have some transportation arrangement figured out. So, if we''re able to let him go to preschool for a day or two and then go to the daycare, I think JT would be getting the best of both worlds.

Thanks for helping me through this. When the "main plan" falls off course, it seems like a big downfall, but I think it may work out after all!