Start preschool now or wait until September?
Do you think it's better to wait until the beginning of a school year to start preschool, so that you go through the normal orientation and letting the kids get used to everything, or is it better/OK to start mid-year (now) when all the other kids are used to the routine already?
DS just turned 3 and I had planned on starting preschool with him in September, but he really seems to need more than I can do with him at home right now and I'm wondering if I should look into starting now instead. It would be only 2 days for 3 hours each. We were doing some mom & tot classes but then we moved and don't really have much going on in the way of activities, plus it's hard to do a lot of classes b/c I also have my almost 10 month old with me.
Thoughts/experiences? TIA
Re: Start preschool now or wait until September?
I was almost in the exact same position. My DD turned 3 in March '10 and literally the week she turned 3 I enrolled her in preschool. I had our second baby in Oct '09 and I was going nuts trying to entertain my 3-year-old. She definitely needed more stimulation and interaction with other kids. Because I am a SAHM it was an adjustment for her in general (other people in charge) but overall it has been absolutely wonderful!
And actually in her 4 year old class, they got a new girl today.
Nest Bio ~ ~ Baby Food Blog
One thing to think about is that in many traditional pre-schools that follow the academic year calendar, the 3 y/o preschool class is made up of kids who are already 3 and will be turning 4. So, by this time in the school year, about half of the "three year olds" will actually be four year olds. I might be reluctant to put my just-barely-three-year-old into a class with kids who may have turned 4 back in October or November, depending on the school's age cutoff. Joining mid year AND being a good bit younger might not be such a good thing for some kids. My kids' preschool worked this way. The director at my kids' school would probably advise you to wait and start your son in September.
On the other hand, some schools have more flexible age brackets for preschool students, with less focus on grouping like ages together. In this case, joining a school mid-year is probably less of an issue.
Ultimately, I think the best way to go is to visit some schools that have openings and see what the teachers/directors say about the pros and cons of starting school now.
GL with your decision!