Start preschool in the fall, or wait?

FortMyersBride

DS will be 3 in October, and I'm going back and forth with the idea of starting preschool in the fall or waiting until January. The school that we love can take him at either time. When DH and DS visited, DH said DS had a ball and cried when it was time to leave.

The reasons that I am hesitating are that DS will have some major changes in his life around that time. We are moving cross-country in early August, and I am due with our second in September. Also, I know he loved the place when he had DH with him, but I'm thinking it might be a bit more overwhelming when he's there without a familiar face (he's always gone to classes, storytime, playplaces etc - but also always had 1 on 1 attention from a nanny). The preschool is 3 hr/d M-F.

If he doesn't go right away I will likely sign him up for art, gym, and maybe swim classes this summer and fall that either myself or a new nanny would take him to. I will be returning to work on a PT basis after this next baby, so they will have a new nanny starting around the end of Oct.

Any thoughts? Is this too many transitions at once, or a good time to go ahead and throw school into the mix?

maggiemay208

DS is turning 3 August 31 and starting preschool September 7. Like you, I'm a little worried about him being young for the transition, and again, like you, I'm due with #2 August 22.

 One of the main reasons that we want to start him is so that he has something special to do - something that is just his and he doesn't have to share with the new baby.

DS's preschool is only M/W/F for 2 hours, though...if you're worried about the transition being too much, does your school do only a couple days a week?

 

FortMyersBride

Unfortunately, they only do 5 days a week, you can choose 3 or 4 hrs/day.  There is another school close to the new house that does 2 or 3 day, but we didn't like it as much

forensicmama

I'd personally wait, but it's entirely up to you. How does your DS handle change? I suppose these will have been the biggest in his short lifetime, so it might be hard to gauge?

futrkingsley

I would not enroll in school so close to a HUGE move.  But that's just me and my kid.  My 2 year old started preschool last October and it was a rough transition for him from all day with Gramma at home while mom and dad worked to 3 4 hour days at school a week.  We all struggled for at least a month.  We moved about 4 miles away a few months later and it was challenging for about a month -- he kept talking about stuff he wanted from the old house (that was already in the new house).  He's 3 now and still has trouble with change.