"preschool"

At what age did you first send your kids to preschool? DD1 went last year for the first time when she was 4. DD2 is signed up to go to a "Tiny Toddler" class this year for two mornings per week. She will be 2.5 when the program starts next month.

Did your young kids do OK? I feel like this will be a good thing because she seems excited to go and wants to go to school like her big sister. She even wants a backpack like big sis. She goes to her class at church without any issues (but this only started recently). I just feel like I might be rushing it. Due to her birthday, she is going to have to do 3 years of preschool (before K) if I start her now.

Thx.

[Phoebe]

Re: "preschool"

My kids older kids started MDO at 18 months once a week at the same place where they attended preschool. Last year we switched preschools and they started MDO at 9 months so my youngest went at 12 months. They loved it and had no issues. It gave them some social interaction and me a little break and allowed me to volunteer in my older daughter's elementary school. Your daughter will love it. They will probably have craft time, snack time, songs and play time.

[MDPhDWife]

Re: "preschool"

Both my kiddos started preschool at 2 and did well. Beginning of the year was always a little iffy, but before I knew it they looked forward to it. It gave them some much needed social interaction and it also gave me a break. This year our youngest DD is 4 and she goes 4 times a week for about 3 1/2 hours. Although since we recently told her that next year she'll get to ride the bus with her older sis and go to the same school, that's all she's looking forward to, as if she's just biding her time at this "preschool". This makes me wish I had spaced them two years apart instead of three. :huh:

[houseelf]

Re: "preschool"

Mine started at 20 months and will have four years of preschool because of her late August birthday. She loved it.

Kelly

Re: "preschool"

Both my kiddos started preschool at 2 and did well.

Where did you send them? I'd love to start my kids in preschool (maybe once a week) around age 2. At 16 months, they're ready to learn. They've loved the church nursery, the few times we've taken them so far.

I didn't go to preschool until age 5. I had no idea they had preschool programs for kids so young.

Re: "preschool"

DD2 started at 2 1/2 and did great. DD1 started around 15 months. I wouldn't really call it preschool but it was for a few hours 2 days a week. Deb, you could also look for a MOPS or mom's day out program in your area.

[migirl]

Re: "preschool"

I'm interested in this topic as well, and surprised at the range of ages that people are sending their kids to preschool. Around here, they seem to start around 3yo.

We debated sending DS#1 this fall (he'll be 3 in December), but decided against it for a few reasons:
(1) he's not potty-trained (not even close ), and the place I liked requires them to be potty-trained
(2) he'd be among the younger ones in his class, I worried about him being able to keep up
(3) he'd be attending 3 years of preschool before kindergarten; that seems like a lot to me
(4) we'd have to pay for 3 years of preschool ... which ain't cheap!

[Michele]

Re: "preschool"

Had we not had problems with the daycare, I think the 2 yo class is when they start the preschool program. Since he's doing well in the homecare, I probably won't move him to "school" until K.

[Cumberland]

Re: "preschool"

MDO programs started at 3 months in Ga!! DD1 went to daycare at 6 months, but my work schedule was able to fit into the MDO hours for DD2 and she started at 6 months too.

In Georgia, most of my friends put their kids in MDO well before a year- it was really cheap (usually $50ish a month for one day a week), low provider-kid ratio, everyone went to one of two or three programs, so most moms were in the same social circle and had a comfort level with seeing their friends kids there.

I am really amazed that there is no similar program here, and the moms I have met dont start preschool til much later than where we moved from and that preschool is only 2.5 hours. At home it was 9-1- plenty of time to get errands done. I would plan my grocery and target trips around MDO hours-going solo to the store is a wonderful thing.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: "preschool"

Both my kiddos started preschool at 2 and did well.

Where did you send them? I'd love to start my kids in preschool (maybe once a week) around age 2. At 16 months, they're ready to learn. They've loved the church nursery, the few times we've taken them so far.

I didn't go to preschool until age 5. I had no idea they had preschool programs for kids so young.

My son started at 13 months and LOVES it. It kind of makes me feel badly, actually, because it reminds me that we probably should have had another kid sooner. DS doesn't have any sibs close to his age, he always looks a little sad on the weekends, about mid-afternoon. He's a really social kid and gets lonely without playmates.

He's attended the child development center run through the Children's Hospital here. Lots of hospital staff (primarily hospital staff, actually) send their kiddos there. The "academic"-ness (if there is such a thing...it's preschool, for heaven's sakes) increases with age, but it is mostly just learning through fun: lots of gross and fine motor skill activities, art, sports, sensory experience, tons of reading aloud, music, etc. I mean, they aren't learning ancient Greek or their multiplication tables, but I wasn't looking to send him to pre-Harvard preschool. I wanted him to have fun and enjoy "school." They have a pre-K program, too.

[Flynn]

Re: "preschool"

We started each child two months shy of their third birthday and each did really well.

Yes our kids will have three years of pre-school which they certainly don't NEED, but we don't do a lot of activities other than swimming lessons and playdates with friends (no dance, music classes, gymnastics, no gymboree here etc.). We use a babysitter about three times a month (if that sometimes) so this is basically like a scheduled activity.

I have a "friend" who got on my case about three years of pre-school being overkill and told her my take on things -- it being like an activity we do rather than required school since the kids love it, the teacher rocks and it's been a good fit for us (it's 2.5 hours a day -- that's all! ). She rolled her eyes and pissed me off. So then I was very mature and zinged her with the fact that she uses a babysitter sometimes 5 days a week for things and I've never said that was "overkill." She even has a morning and evening babysitter on the same day -- something I wouldn't feel comfortable with but it's none of my business. I told her I spend less on "school" then she spends on babysitters. :huh:

I think if it's a good environment, you can afford the $$ (or you choose to afford it ), and the child likes it -- go for it. It's a personal choice like a lot of things with kids.

We signed DD up for very different reasons than DS and they both really blossomed.

Good luck!

[DCJenn]

Re: "preschool"

Dude was 2.5 when I put him in FT daycare here. I then took a 20 hour a week job and had time to get other stuff done- which became critical when my husband was deployed!

When he was 3.5 I put him in the pre-school where he is now.

He did well at the daycare but has THRIVED at the pre-school. He needed the intellectual (?) stimulation.

He had to be potty-trained to go to the pre-school so it was a little dicey there the first few weeks.

Jenn

Re: "preschool"

We had been going back and forth on this decision for months now. I was trying to decide whether to send DD (26 months) to MDO twice a week starting this fall. In the end, I felt like we couldn't afford it right now. However, I am very lucky to have two sets of grandparents (DH'S folks are in town and mine are a couple hours away) who help out tremendously, so I had trouble justifying the expense.

I feel a little guilty because I know she would have had so much fun there. I do alot of Montessori stuff at home, but different teachers and new little friends would have been great for her. But, I feel like this is the right choice for us and our situation. I think we are going to start her in preschool next fall when she is 3 (she has a June bday).

I think your daughter is going to have such a wonderful time! I'm sure her teachers will be so sweet and they will do lots of fun things. Plus, she will make some new little buddies! Also, she knows her big sis goes to school, and seems to view it as a really positive and safe thing.

[Vanquisher]

Re: "preschool"

We're not doing preschool for DD for a number of reasons. I hope I'm not failing her.

1. We can't afford it.
2. The only things to choose from here - all day long day care or church-run preschools
3. She's my baby!

She's playing soccer instead. I think she'll be fine.

[Deebs]

Re: "preschool"

We started DD at just over 2. Full disclosure - she had been in full-time daycare during residency (until she was about 18 months), and really missed being with kids everyday. The school I chose makes potty-training a priority at two, which I completely credit to her being completely trained, and then moves them onto another, more "academic," room (meaning they work more on colors, numbers, and shapes). I thought I'd feel so guilty, but I love it. DS doesn't nap, at 8 months old, more than 20 minutes twice a day, so while DD is at school, I feel I really focus on DS. I still don't get much done, which I had hoped would happen, but it's really more because of DS.