Age to start preschool

Happeewife

I know it varies from child to child and financial circumstance but my DS will be 22 months old in September 2011 and I got a call from a preschool asking if I want to register him for September 2011. I initially though it was so soon. Right now I am a SAHM and he is the only child for now (until we conceive #2). With one income, him being the only one and his age I feel it is not necessary. Developmentally am I doing a disservice to him? I feel he will be too young, how many agree/disagree?

ArcticFox

I waited until age 3 for my first DD, and I will do the same for my 2nd DD.  For me, it feels too early to do it at 2.  They can't communicate as well.  And in all honesty, my girls have always done stuff like flip over their chairs and fool around on the stairs, so I'm a little too paranoid to send them that early!

I like age 3 because they are potty trained and can really communicate, and I feel like 2 years of preschool is plenty before Kindergarden.

kada626

My dd will start preschool in the fall and she will be 4. I think one year of preschool is plenty. 

HAFranklin

DS will be 4 when he starts in the fall. I have a similar situation as you do, and I would have sent him at 3 if I could have. (There is no public/free preschool in our area, and the prices at the private places are insane. ) I think he would have benefited from having the social interaction and familiarity with a classroom setting.

W&J'sMommy

I would (have) not. 

My DS started preschool at 3 years 2 months (so 2 years of preschool before kindie).  My DD1 will start preschool this fall at 3 years 9 months (same as DS, 2 years of preschool).

You can always do library storytimes or look for small classes at your local community center so he can get out and socialize.

neverblushed

My kids both have late summer birthdays.  They both started right around the time they turned 3.  I was very happy with this decision.  I felt like the whole reason I sacrificed my career to stay home with my kids was so that I could be their caregiver, especially in the early years.  

I would also be suspect of a preschool that's cold-calling parents to drum up business.  I don't know -- that just seems odd to me. 

nikkimom77

My DS is scheduled to start a Montessori Toddler Program at 22 months. I think this will be a wonderful program for him. It is only half day - five days a week. I am a SAHM. I am looking for part-time work. My mom is a retired kindergarten teacher (22+) years and she said that 0-3 is one of the best times for learning. I will still have the benefit of being with him in the afternoons/evenings and in the mornings he will be stimulated with children of his own age. It works for us. I think it just depends on what you want. I feel we will have the best of both worlds!

lmdbww

DD will start preschool when she's 3. The location where she is going does not take any children under 3 for licensing reasons, although I dont know that there is actual "preschool" for kids under 3 anyway? (I've never seen one around here, at least...)

Happeewife:

I know it varies from child to child and financial circumstance but my DS will be 22 months old in September 2011 and I got a call from a preschool asking if I want to register him for September 2011. I initially though it was so soon. Right now I am a SAHM and he is the only child for now (until we conceive #2). With one income, him being the only one and his age I feel it is not necessary. Developmentally am I doing a disservice to him? I feel he will be too young, how many agree/disagree?

So someone just called you out of the blue asking if you wanted to enroll him? How did they get your info?

He's not even 2 yet. I think as long as he's in some sort of preschool before Kindergarten, you're fine and there's no need to rush.

brightning

I'm in the minority, but my DD won't start preschool until she turns 4.5, giving her about 7 months of preschool before starting kindergarten.

KL777

I was a SAHM from birth through three years old and it was not in our spending plan to send DS to preschool.  I taught him at home.  I went online and looked at the PreK curriculum (ABC's, sound recognition, counting 1-20, colors, and shapes).  Now that I had to go back to work DS is in preschool and I definitely see the benefit of it.

So, I don't think you'll be doing him a disservice at your child's current age unless you're not teaching him at home.

Happeewife

No actually, I called around to different places to get an idea of what the costs and schedules were like. A neighbor told me to get him on the "list" for this particular school. I forgot they started them at 2.

no, they did not cold call me

nikkimom77

cmeon_the_water:

The programs we were interested in didn't have preschool programs until 3. Toddler programs are by and large, glorified daycare- but, there are benefits to that, for the right situations. We love our Montessori and it does have a toddler program- several of our son's primary program buddies started there. But, they don't call it preschool and it really isn't.

There is a concern in some areas, though- preschools can be SO competitive with enrollments- and a child who attended a toddler program may have an easier time getting into the PK3 program if that's the case. I'm not guessing that's the case for you, though. 

Not sure about all toddler programs but I wouldn't call montessori toddler programs that are operating under AMI standards "glorified daycare."  The term "montessori" is not copyrighted. Therefore, schools/daycares can call themselves a montessori school regardless of whether or not they practice the AMI standards. You just have to make sure before you enroll that you are in an AMI affiliated school. I agree that they do not look at it as preschool, but kind of like pre-pre-school and it sometimes makes the transition to the primary program (ages 21/2 - 6) easier.

CoastieWife&Mama

i mainly did it because i dont know many moms so i wanted him to be social and ofc learn! but where we were living at the time he had to be potty trained so i was waiting for him to be potty trained n then we got stationed across the country and here they dont need to be potty trained but by that time he was anyway but anyhow he started preschool at about 3yrs old i felt like that was a good time and yes it does depend on your money situation but i only send my son twice a week and its going really well so far