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Is Preschool Important?

post #1 of 18
7/11/09 at 10:22am
Thread Starter 
What is your view on preschool? I've known parents who had their kids in up to 3 years of preschool before entering Kindergarten and then I've known (and am one of the) parents who don't send any of their kids to preschool.



I never really considered Kindergarten with Haley because neither I or any of my brothers and sister went to preschool. By the time Zach came along I would have loved small breaks but it was unaffordable. I'm questioning what I'll do with Gracie as there are preschools here in town that are income based ... she could go for as little as $12 a month. I don't think that preschool is a necessary step before Kindergarten but if it is available why not take advantage of it??
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post #2 of 18
7/11/09 at 11:55am

Re: Is Preschool Important?

I agree with you, Elaine. As a single mom, those breaks are vital and $12 a month is way cheaper than babysitting. However, I think the home environment can be just as enriching as school.
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post #3 of 18
7/11/09 at 11:55am

Re: Is Preschool Important?

All my children went to prek except for Payton. Since she was in daycare I thought that would be adeqate. However, I was VERY disappointed when she went for her Dial R testing this spring! She was at age level but with the other children they had exceeded age level in every subject. I really do think that prek is important especially if they haven't had any kind of school setting before. If they have income based prek then I would definitely take advantage of it.
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post #4 of 18
7/12/09 at 6:30pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

Emily started out in Mom's Morning Out at age 2. She went one day a week and loved it. The following year, she went 2 days a week. Then she started preschool and went three days a week. She attended pre-k and did four days a week then. Last year she attended kindergarten at this same school and went five days a week. Overall, it was a great experience for her. She went to a church preschool and I love how she grew academically and spiritually there. I think with Brenna, it's worth a try, especially since it's income based and you won't be going broke tryign to pay for it.
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post #5 of 18
7/13/09 at 12:57pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

My girls went to PreK-4, and it was WELL worth the money!
They learned things that I just would not have thought about to teach them at home, plus they learned how to play with other children their age. They were in the same class and even sat next to each other, but they had their own friends and at recess and lunch they didn't sit or play together. Kindergarden was a lot easier because of Pre-K and I would highly reccomend it. Not just for the educational part of it but also for the social.
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post #6 of 18
7/13/09 at 11:47pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

what age do preshool start at???
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post #7 of 18
7/15/09 at 6:26pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

I did it only to get Aaron exposed to other kids, since he's an only child, and to give me a little break. I could have taught him his colors, numbers, shapes and letters but I figure it was just some fun time for both of us. It depends on whether or not you feel you need a break. I did!
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post #8 of 18
7/15/09 at 6:27pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

Zachariah went to full day/5 days pre-k3 and then pre-k4. Noah is starting pre-k3 this Spetember. My son's pre-k is in their school so the transition to kindy is smooth. They learn time management, waiting, taking turns, sharing, being a friend, making friends, etc. I think a good foundation in preschool b/f kindergarten will give your child a smoother transition not to mention all of the academic and social things they will learn. My boys attend an environmental magnet school so they go on a lot of field trips and have lots of visitors into the classroom so they are exposed to so much more than they would get at a daycare.
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post #9 of 18
7/16/09 at 9:12am
Thread Starter 

Re: Is Preschool Important?

Tiffany - Preschool around here starts at age 3 as long as they are potty trained. Gracie won't be ready this year because she is a late trainer but I'm considering it for next.
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post #10 of 18
8/16/09 at 4:24am

Re: Is Preschool Important?

I beleive that preschool is'nt important as most of the things thought there is not so important. They teach things that we alreadt tebd to teach our children at home. Its just that he gets children to play and talk.
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post #11 of 18
8/16/09 at 12:53pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

Lil Raymond went to preschool and he did very good. Kindergation is like the new 1st grade and he was totally hands on ready for school. I was thinking about placing Destiny into PreK this year but I still wanna holdon to her for another year since I am at home. Raymond's school offers a PreK program so next year when she turns 4 shell be attending there. In the meantime I am offering studies with my toddler group that I care for. They know theyre numbers, shapes and colors. Ill be working on ABC recongnitation and opposites etc. I would like to get Destiny to start writing her name out soon and coloring inside lines. I just wannna holdon to her for another year, my babygirl
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post #12 of 18
8/16/09 at 6:38pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

I dunno, to me preschool and daycare are pretty much the same thing.
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post #13 of 18
8/17/09 at 12:51am

Re: Is Preschool Important?

Lauren started preschool 2 days a week when she was 3. Since I had my hands full with Ryan and his therapies, this gave Lauren the added attention and support from teachers, she got to interact with other children and had something all of her own.
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post #14 of 18
8/17/09 at 10:21am
Thread Starter 

Re: Is Preschool Important?

I'm with you Becca ... My kids go to a home daycare that has structured "lessons", meals, and naps and they get to interact with other kids their age. It's not that different from preschool other than that they have more free play (and I don't think that is a bad thing at 3 yrs old.)
I'm going to stick to daycare until the year before Kindy when I'll send Brenna to 3 day PreK. I don't want her to be too far behind all the other kids in the area who will have been in headstart or preschool from the time they were 3.
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post #15 of 18
8/17/09 at 12:27pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

In the programs we have used (preschools and daycare) I can tell a HUGE difference in the two. Preschool taught my children a helluva a lot more then daycare did and the preschools tend to use the same teachings as the public schools.
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post #16 of 18
8/17/09 at 12:54pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

The determined parent can look up the course objectives for their area and teach them at home. I homeschooled my daughter for Pre K and kindergarten, but I did spend a lot of time looking up the course objectives and requirements for my state to ensure my daughter got all that she needed.

I often think our country pushes the little kids way too hard now and the high school students not hard enough. I think high school was harder in my day which had the advantage of getting a person ready for college. I have talked to so many college freshmen who were not ready for the work load or academically for college. It's like schools are trying to push 12 years of education into the first six because it's easier than working intensely with older students. In some ways, I feel the old way of pushing the oldest students the hardest was better. I was certainly prepared for the work load and academically or college and everyone else i knew was as well. Maybe we were all super smart or we just had high schools that prepared us for college better. That's another debate, but i still think our society expects too much out of young kids.
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post #17 of 18
8/17/09 at 1:27pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

Elaine, if logistically and or your debating. You can print a copy of what's required for Kindy and provide that to your care provider and see if she can accomdate the subjects into the Brenna's learning. Perhaps throw her the 12 bucks and then you don't have to worry about transporting to and from. Just a suggestion, I'm in the same boat, however no income assistance. She's enrolled in daycare and next year will go to preschool.
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post #18 of 18
8/30/09 at 4:33pm

Re: Is Preschool Important?

I believe it preschool. Both of my kids were in preschool programs. Kyler was in the 3's and 4's program at our local co-op.
At the daycare, we offer a pre-school program in the morning.
I feel that both of my kids benefited from it.
They were both more comfortable going into kindy. It was easier for me to knowing that they knew other children in their classrooms, they knew what circle time was, the knew the weather bear, they knew most of the songs, they knew how to wait there turn... how to share... etc., etc.
I joke around how easy the kindy teacher has it.
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