Ok, so you wouldn't think that this would be that big of a deal. I went back and forth last year about sending Cecilia to preschool this year and in the end it just didn't feel like it was time--like I was rushing it. That in addition to expecting a new baby right at the beginning of the school year and not knowing my job situation led me to postpone the decision another year.
I don't actually think that preschool is necessary for all kids. I never went, I have many friends that never went (people who went to more prestigious schools than I did), and Cecilia is pretty smart so, academically, she would have been find. But, the state of Michigan now mandates all day kindergarten and I just felt that this could lead to a tough transition. And she is just somebody who needs more mental stimulation. So, this year, I gradually started doing some research to find the right preschool. My criteria was pretty simple:
1. Price -- this ruled out any posh, private preschool and any school with "Montessori" in the name. I'm sorry, but I just don't think that my child is going to have a huge advantage over their peers when they enter the workplace in their 20's just because I managed to shell out a minimum $7500/year for PRESCHOOL!!! (Is it like this everywhere? Are all Montessori schools this expensive and, if they are, why?)
2. Flexibility--because of my schedule and the fact that I have Cecilia enrolled in a preschool catechism program already, I really only wanted to commit to 2 days per week.
3. Not day care. I don't believe that you can throw "preschool" in the title and yet be obvious that you are only providing me with a half day of day care. I already pay somebody to watch my kids, thank you very much.
4. No coop preschool. Co-op preschools are really big in this town and I will start by saying that I don't think that they are bad. Most, though parent run, have actual certified teachers, curriculum, etc. They work out well for the right people....just not us. Ok, I was already 85-90% sure that I felt this way...and then we went to an open house at one not far from our home and that experience bumped it up to
Despite my criteria, I think that we actually found one. We went to their open house and Cecilia was SUPER excited. She asks me if she can go to school every day. Every. Single. Day. Our little girl is growing up. Unbelievable how fast time goes.
Dunc did preschool. It was good to get him out of the house and make some peer friends, but yeah, the educational aspect was probably a waste in the long run, maybe, I dunno. Just about everything can be picked up later, but I think that with language/literacy in particular the earlier the better, but that's something done easily enough at home as you well know.
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