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I know this is a topic that involves tons of personal opinion as well as what's right for your own unique kid, but I'm just looking for perspectives.
DD (will be 4 in January) spent her first 3.5 years at a fun, loving, chaotic, play-based daycare. She developed great social skills and friendships, did TONS of creative play, and generally seemed to have a lot of fun. She's energetic and strong-willed, but falls somewhere in the middle of the range in terms of activity level, attention span, etc. So NOT the most difficult kid in the room by any means, and usually very self-regulated (until she comes home at night). It was a great environment for her as a young toddler, but I was beginning to think that the lack of challenge and learning was making her bored. She basically played with baby dolls all day. It seemed like a good age to make a switch to something more structured.
When we moved, we put her into a Spanish-immersion Montessori school. It's somewhat strict Montessori - there's nothing you would consider a "toy" there, and creative play is very minimal. She's picking up Spanish very quickly, and I can tell her math skills have advanced a ton since she started. But I'm not sure if she's having fun. She seems to be doing OK - she has friends, she gets some (but not enough) crazy play time at recess, and she has bonded well with one of her 2 teachers - the one who is not a strict Montessori devotee, who is warmer and more playful.
She has literally said to me - and this brings me to tears - "At my old school I used to play. Now I work." I'm concerned that the 3-hour work cycles are developmentally inappropriate, that she's not getting enough active play time, and that it's just too serious and not warm enough. I worry I'm going to make her hate school. But we've put her through so much transition this year that I hate to even consider changing schools again. On top of that, I don't think there's a "perfect" school around - many in this area don't even have their own playgrounds, and others are so wildly expensive I can't consider them. The other Montessori schools in the area seem to be very similar in style, so if we were to switch her we would probably be removing her from Montessori altogether.
Any perspectives from BTDT parents? I feel like I don't know what's best for my kid in this situation, and it's causing me so much worry.
DD (will be 4 in January) spent her first 3.5 years at a fun, loving, chaotic, play-based daycare. She developed great social skills and friendships, did TONS of creative play, and generally seemed to have a lot of fun. She's energetic and strong-willed, but falls somewhere in the middle of the range in terms of activity level, attention span, etc. So NOT the most difficult kid in the room by any means, and usually very self-regulated (until she comes home at night). It was a great environment for her as a young toddler, but I was beginning to think that the lack of challenge and learning was making her bored. She basically played with baby dolls all day. It seemed like a good age to make a switch to something more structured.
When we moved, we put her into a Spanish-immersion Montessori school. It's somewhat strict Montessori - there's nothing you would consider a "toy" there, and creative play is very minimal. She's picking up Spanish very quickly, and I can tell her math skills have advanced a ton since she started. But I'm not sure if she's having fun. She seems to be doing OK - she has friends, she gets some (but not enough) crazy play time at recess, and she has bonded well with one of her 2 teachers - the one who is not a strict Montessori devotee, who is warmer and more playful.
She has literally said to me - and this brings me to tears - "At my old school I used to play. Now I work." I'm concerned that the 3-hour work cycles are developmentally inappropriate, that she's not getting enough active play time, and that it's just too serious and not warm enough. I worry I'm going to make her hate school. But we've put her through so much transition this year that I hate to even consider changing schools again. On top of that, I don't think there's a "perfect" school around - many in this area don't even have their own playgrounds, and others are so wildly expensive I can't consider them. The other Montessori schools in the area seem to be very similar in style, so if we were to switch her we would probably be removing her from Montessori altogether.
Any perspectives from BTDT parents? I feel like I don't know what's best for my kid in this situation, and it's causing me so much worry.
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