Preschool

mamabird8

Our area has an age 4 preschool, age 5 preschool and then kindergarten at age 6. For the preschool programs, there aren't enough spots for all the kids, so it goes by need (many different things they are graded on). DS will be 4 next month and got into the preschool program. We requested mornings, but got afternoon and can't switch. If he goes into the program, he automatically gets in the 5 year old program next year. If he doesn't attend this year, he has to be rescreened and we risk not getting him in and then won't have anything until he's 6 for kindergarten.

Pros would be all the benefits he gets from being in a preschool program and then he's automatically in the preschool program next year

Cons:
He will have to eat lunch (by himself) at daycare at 10 am to get on the bus in time
He will be in preschool 11 to 3 with no nap (right now he naps everyday 12 to 2p and needs it)
He will have to ride the school bus for 1.5 hours after school to get back to daycare
He has really bad separation anxiety and just went through a really rough daycare change last September (cried at drop off everyday for over a month)

He's finally starting to feel at home with his new daycare and I am worried about switching his schedule up so much this soon. I don't know if it would be better to put it off a year so he's a bit older or if we should just do it to get it over with. I don't really have any friends that can offer their input, so I would appreciate any thoughts.

mamabird8

I know. It's a country route and he'd be one of the last off. If we decide to go through it, I plan to see if I can get my work schedule changed a bit to where I could just pick him up and then finish working at home. I don't know if I'd be able to, but it's worth a try to ask.

Littledeer84

The con's outweigh the pros for me. Especially the long bus ride. I would wait till next year.

mamabird8

Yeah, I worry about that too. And if he misses out on his nap, I'm sure he'd fall asleep right away - most days. And I worry about bathroom accidents being on the bus that long too. The driver can't just stop and let him go along side the road.

mamabird8

He is at daycare 7 to 4:30. Lunch at 11/11:30 and nap at 12 to 2/2:30 pm.

mamabird8

fredalina Unfortunately, no. We live in a small town - 2000 people. This is the only preschool and it's through the school district. There are no large daycare centers in our town either - only home daycares. His daycare only has 6 kids -  him, three kids under 2 years old, and two school age kids that just get on/off the bus.

mamabird8

cmeon_the_water No, he doesn't really have any issues. Just a few letters he doesn't pronounce and uses other letters instead, which they said was normal. The main reason he got in was because of his unwillingness to separate from me. After his daycare switch last year, he cries when I leave him places - even at his grandparents house sometimes. During the screening, the other kids went and started playing with the toys right away and he wouldn't leave my side. I finally had to go with over to the toys so they could do his screening.

littlemermaid

My fear would be that he'd fall asleep everyday on the bus ride back to daycare.  Is there another preschool closer that you could put him in?  Doesn't your daycare offer preschool?  Why does he have to wait until 6 to start preschool, does he miss the cut-off?

mamabird8

There is one daycare that does a bit of a preschool program, but I have heard bad things about her as a caregiver and wouldn't want my children going to her home. I work full-time and can't afford to do one myself. I completely agree that he needs to be around other kids his age. That's why this decision has been so tough.

mamabird8

DH and I work in the same town that's about 30 minutes from our town. It's a city that does have another option, but then he would lose his place at our daycare with DD, which he'd still need to be at during summer breaks and holidays.

mamabird8

No, none of the churches in our town do. The church we go to is considering starting one since our town is in definite need, but that isn't even in the works yet.

lifesaverz

There's no way I would feel comfortable with that, given everything you mentioned. To me the cons definitely outweigh the pros.

RondackHiker

I'd also look into preschools in the town you work in. Perhaps there is even a center with a preschool curriculum and then your DD and DS could both go there year round and you wouldn't have to worry about breaks.

acesup

I didn't read the other responses so forgive me if this is repetitive or was answered ... The 1.5 hour bus ride would bother me. Can you find a DCP that has a preschool program? We use The Learning Experience (not sure if you have those) and they have a preschool program that follows the curriculum set by the state. That way he wouldn't have to be bussed back and forth

homebird

I'm curious to know where you live. Kindergarden starts at 6? So every other grade after that all the kids are a year older than most other places in the states? I've just never heard of that before.

At 4, my kid can go without a nap most of the time. But eating lunch at 10 in the morning by herself and a 1 1/2 hr bus ride ... just no. The schedule is crazy, and I think my kid would be pretty unhappy.

outnumbered

homebird said:

I'm curious to know where you live. Kindergarden starts at 6? So every other grade after that all the kids are a year older than most other places in the states? I've just never heard of that before.

At 4, my kid can go without a nap most of the time. But eating lunch at 10 in the morning by herself and a 1 1/2 hr bus ride ... just no. The schedule is crazy, and I think my kid would be pretty unhappy.

I do not understand the late K start either.  I have not heard of a state where kindergarten starts at 6.  

OP  what state do you live in?

hmp1

I would work with his in-home provider to come up with an appropriate curriculum. He can do "work" while she attends to the babies. She can also involve the older school aged kids when they get there to help "teach". There are a lot of online resources for tot school/ home preschool lesson plans. He is already getting some social time and being away from you so you just need to work on the curriculum aspect. 

jorkz821

catbenatar said:

rvasc said:

I thought you always had to be 5 by September-ish to start kindergarten.

In CT where I'm from it's Jan 1, at least that's what it was when I grew up. I was surprised to see Sep 1 when I had a kid here in VA. I didn't realize other states had earlier dates.

Yeah ours here was just recently changed to 5 by Dec 31. It used to be March 1 but was pushed up last year. So my march baby will be 5.5 when she starts but my Oct boy will be 4 for the first 6 weeks.

Littledeer84

rvasc said:

Oh yea, let's hear it for all the October working parents who managed to pay for full time childcare for the maximum amount of time possible. I did not fully think that one through! I will be happy to keep her at home for almost 19 years, though.

I thought I timed my December baby bad...now I'm expecting an October baby! Guess I just like to spend money.