If you are SAH-is your little one going to preschool?

xnbride

I ask because Ethan is signed up for two half days (MW 8-11) but it is a bit pricey (200). Most of my SAH mommy friends are doing the same thing. I definitely think that he will benefit from it, but I also feel guilty and don't quite know if he should go...here are my thoughts..

1.  I should engage him more instead of "outsourcing" I have all sorts of educational activities, games etc. that we do on occassion (2-3x per week) but we don't do anything everyday. But I am not a child development expert or school teacher. My background is in educational counseling (college) and very little of my training was focused on children. So basically I kind of feel inept at this.

2.  The cost is pretty high considering. Since I am already at home we don't really have that much expendable income. I mean we can make it work but it will make things tight.

What are you doing? Is your little one going to preschool-why or why not?

TIA

Temp86398625009737

yes, only2 mornings a week at a catholic school by us.. it was like $640 for the whole year!

Halo79RN

I work 2 nights a week, so home during the week with the kids. dd has been going to preschool for 2 years (she did a mmo when she was 18m- 2 1/2, then the 2 years of preschool).  it's been great for her!  the friends she's made, having independent time away from mom and her brother, the positive relationships she's made with her teachers.  she has such a positive view of school and loves it.  

could we do the worksheets and art projects at home?  sure. we do.  but I think she's getting a great experience.  is preschool a must?  no.  I didn't  go to one and I turned out fine.  but my dd loves it and my ds is so excited to start this year.   it has worked for us.  not to mention I get some errands and housework done while they're out of the house. 

Halo79RN

last year dd went 3 mornings a week 9-11:30 for $340/mo or $3050/yr (mid sept to mid may)

this year they are going MWF 9-2:30, thought it was good to prep dd for full day kindergarten... and it doesn't make sense to go back and forth all year.  so we'll see how ds handles it.  $575/mo or $5175/yr each 

brightning

I think DD is going to go to a half-year of preschool (through the school district) when she turns 4.5.

I do my best to do lots of activities with DD at home. There certainly are benefits to preschool, but I truly believe there are benefits to being with your SAHM, too.

kellnbri

DS is going to preschool 2  1/2 days a week starting in Sept.  It's $180 a month which isn't bad.  Before I became a SAHM I was a kindergarten teacher, certified birth-6th grade.  I can certainly teach him all the academic skills he needs, and I do, but I want him to go to preschool more to learn school routines and interacting with other kids in a structured environment. 

SpartanGirl

DD went to preschool two mornings a week last year and will go 3 mornings a week this year.  We chose to enroll her for the social aspect and for learning the structure and routine of a classroom in preparation for Kindergarten. 

j_hope

No preschool for DD while I stay home.  She went to daycare for the first 2.5 years of her life...so she got a lot of socialization that way.  I would love the socialization aspect of preschool for her, but financially we can't afford for me to stay home and to pay for her to go to preschool too.  I am a special ed. teacher...so I do have the experience w/ the hands-on learning/academics so I don't feel she's lacking in those departments.  She will start 4yr. old kindergarten next fall, so that will definitely help.  For me, it was more important that I stay home w/ her vs. the benefits of a preschool program right now.

Mrs.Hizzo

I stay home with my kids and I would never consider not sending them to preschool. In our area, it's pretty much expected that children entering kindergarten will have had formal preschool and the curriculum reflects that.

JOEBunny

DD started preschool 1X a week at 2, she went 2X a week at 3, and next year, at 4, will go 5 days a week (this is really the only option here at 4).

The 1st year was $80 a month, last year was $160, next year is $300 a month + another $100 if she stays an extra hour.

NandN2005

In the end we're sending her for 2 hours MWF. She'll be 5 in Sept. and we'll send her (or I'll homeschool we haven't decided yet) to Kindy next year right before she turns 6. At first we were going to send her for 2 years, but something came up and it ended up not working out. At that point, I realized that I was still a certified El Ed/SPED teacher and could probably handle the academic part of it and that she was getting plenty of social interaction with other kids and adults through Sunday School, dance class, MOPS, classes at the zoo/children's museum etc. and I figured I would just do preschool at home with her (we have quite a few friends who went this route). However, as this upcoming year approached I started to get a bit nervous that it would be really hard for her to go from being home with me and her siblings to being at school everyday, all day for kindergarten next year (she is very sensitive and somewhat shy and she has a big warm up period when trying new things). So for that reason alone we decided to enroll her. Basically I don't believe that a formal preschool is needed for every child. I think the need for it depends on your specific child personality and where you live (I think preschool is almost a prerequisite in some ares of the country while in others it's not nearly as big a deal) and only you can answer that for your family. GL! 

Sept17.05Bride

Yes, DS will go to preschool 2 mornings (Mon and Wed) a week, starting in September. 

metisca

Yes, she'll be going two mornings a week at a Christian school (cost is about $850 for the full year).  We want her to learn how to behave in a classroom setting, have a teacher figure, and interact with other kids her age.  She can't wait to go!

cepcep

Yes, DD will attend preschool on Tues and Thurs.  She attended on Wed only last year. 

It is expensive, I was shocked.  When both of our girls are in preschool together it will really stretch our budget.  Its the right thing for us, it really helped her come out of her shell and she had some wonderful experiences! 

neverblushed

I worked p/t but was home with my kids more than at work when mine were small.  Both my kids attended preschool from age 3 until kindergarten in a program similar to what you describe (two mornings at week at age 3, three mornings a week at age 4, etc.)

It was a GREAT addition to the time I spent with them, and a perfect way to get my kids socialized, confident, and ready for kindergarten!  We live on a rural road, and my work schedule makes it hard to do weekly activities like dance, music, playgroup, etc.  My kids were shy and sensitive at first, and they needed the socialization.  Also, even though we are not particularly religious in our home, I liked that it was a Christian preschool, and that they handled the religious curriculum in a very appropriate way.

Also, the director (who taught my son in 4's and pre-K) was an EXCELLENT teacher, and picked up that DS has some fine motor difficulties, and recommended OT for him this summer before kindergarten.  I would never have realized that his struggles with the pencil were something that I should seek help for -- but an objective, qualified, trained preschool teacher was able to spot his very mild difficulties.  Priceless!

My kids' school charged about $125/month for the 2 day a week program, but it was only 2 hours long.  By the time my son was in pre-K, at age 5, I paid $385/month for 5 half days a week. 

Good luck with your decision!

Rink08

Yes, there are many things that DS can get from an organized school environment that he will not get from me.

HarrietNJMommy

Yes, each one of my kids will be in preschool for 3 years before K......first year is 2 half days, second year is 3 half days and third year is 5 half days. Our preschool costs $340/month for 2 half days (in comparison your preschool cost seems cheap to me).....our 5 half day program is around $750/month.

I don't think everyone needs that many years of preschool. It's just working for us this way.

I DO think that your child should be in a preschool setting for the year before they start K........

It's a personal decision (and a financial one) for each family to make......

SLM05

kellnbri:

DS is going to preschool 2  1/2 days a week starting in Sept.  It's $180 a month which isn't bad.  Before I became a SAHM I was a kindergarten teacher, certified birth-6th grade.  I can certainly teach him all the academic skills he needs, and I do, but I want him to go to preschool more to learn school routines and interacting with other kids in a structured environment. 

Ditto, I am certifiwed birth to 5th grade and taught pre-k and kindergarten for 9 years.  I would like DD to go in part time pre-k but here in G they have a full time pre-k (if you get in it's lottery style) This is what i taught for severla years.  I would like Dd to be in that but if we had to pay it would be part time.  The social skills and learning to respect, listen to other adults is important and something that is hard to master at home.  but being at home is wonderful if possible.  DD has been in daycare until the boys i can see that while she benifits in certain ways from being home there are aspects she misses and gains from being in a school setting.

Read2Me

Eva will go to preschool 2 days a week when she's three and then she qualifies for free universal pre-K when she's 4.  

Andrewsgal

Yes she will have 3 years of preschool before kinder and so will DS. Most of the kids in our area are expected to have some type of preschool bakground and I have no desire to have her play catch up at the beginning of her school career.

amygauntt@windstream.net

Absolutely. I honestly believe it's the best of both worlds, and I also don't necessarily think it's for the curriculum or education either. At some point in her life, she needs to learn to do things/be without mommy (sure I know she'll have this when she goes to kindergarten, but she needs to learn BEFORE she's spending 5 days, 8 hours a day away from me). Anyway, she will go 3 mornings a week (8-12) and it ranges month to month, it actually comes out to paying $14/day but we don't pay for days they don't go (holidays, etc) I think at most it will be around $160/month.

KL777

Preschool is not in the budget right now unless I have to go back to work.

ceecee31

I have experience in the classroom with children who are a little bit older than DD.  And while there are things I can teach her from an educational standpoint, DH and I feel she should be at school for more social purposes at this point.  Since she's been born, DD only saw DH and I which made her very skeptical and untrusting of other adults.  Once we put her in school, she learned how to trust her teachers and play nicely with other children. It's benefitted her more than we could have anticipated; she's doing just great!  

ashleywebber

I am a SAHM and my son has never gone to preschool.  He is 4 1/2.  I have always been really involved with him and have been teaching him things the whole time.  We did formal preschool at home when he turned 4 and are going to be doing it again this year.  I am planning to homeschool though so I don't see the need to spend money on preschool, not to mention the drive to and from twice.  Of course I understand others wanting to do it, especially if they are going to a public/private school to be prepared for all that entails.  My son is a very outgoing kid and we do outings with friends/family all the time.  He has no trouble making friends or listening to other adults. It's definitely a very personal/financial choice and what works for some doesn't work for others.

lite-bright

Yes. And she does a toddler class now (or she will once the next session starts) that's 90 minutes, twice a week. She is pretty reserved around other people and it takes her awhile to warm up and get comfortable enough to talk and participate in group stuff. I really noticed a difference towards the end of the last session she was in -- she started to come out of her shell, and I want to encourage that. 

We'll start pre-school next year. The one at our neighborhood school (that I could walk her to and from each day) would be less than $150 a month for two half-days a week.

I think it'll be good for her, plus it'll give me some more one-on-one time with DD2 and a chance to get things done without bringing two kids along. 

Julie004

DS went to a private preschool in our area. It was expensive but it was totally worth it. He's MORE than ready for Kindergarten this year. They did great crafts, had spanish class, art class, gym and rode horses. He loved it. Plus, those few hours he was there gave me one on one time with DD.

Now, DD on the other hand will be starting preschool next year. We'll be living in SC by then (hopefully our house will be finished!). I'm thinking of homeschooling while we're there so she could possibly be doing preschool at home. We've already started homeschooling preschool with her now and she loves it.