Preschool. No, wait, that's 'Playschool '.
I live in a rural city, population roughly 40 000 people - but we only have two dedicated preschools. I knew enrollment day was coming up for one of them and thought ' great, I'm not working, I can get there right on 8:30am when they start taking enrollments '. But then I asked a few friends who'd had kids go there before and I was advised to get there to line up at 6:00am and I thought ' 6-freaking-am?! No way can I do that with both the kids! Ah well, I'll try and get there at 8am and take my chances '.... Which is what I did, and there were at least 45 people in front of me. I reasoned with myself that with the amount of places available, and the fact that some of those in the line might have been for the 3 yr old class, Flynn might jag a place for next year. Then I found out the 3 yr old kids from this year get first preference for next year and I realised he probably won't.
So how important is preschool really? In the scheme of things? Is Flynns entire life in jeopardy if he doesn't attend one year of preschool? Am I bad mother if I can't find him a place? I mean, the first person in that line got there at 4am.... FOUR HOURS before the enrollments actually opened. Should I have tried that hard?
Then I thought about it, and talked about it with Mick and my family and some friends and I realised that, for us preschool is NOT the be all and end all. Flynn can recite his alphabet and he loves talking about letters and sounds of words, so he's already on his way to loving learning. And hell - I didn't go to preschool and I was the dux of my primary school and I think I've turned out a pretty OK person!
So - does your child attend/will be attending preschool? Is it vitally important to you that they do? Why/why not?
Linking up again over at EssentiallyJess for I Blog On Tuesdays....
Ok you know my answer, yes both Ollie and Flynn have and do attend preschool, and for me yes it is very important that they do. As a teacher I think it's a fantastic foundation for beginning school, but you are right, it's not the be all and end all. Daycare centers run a preschool program, I think you need to be open with them about the skills you want your child to focus on, pencil grip,social skills, cutting etc. also if you look on NSW dept Ed website there are some great fact sheets on how you can prepare you child for school. And remember you can teach a parrot to count, it's the actual recognition that matters. (which sounds like you have that covered) ps I think 4 am is a little extreme!
ReplyDeleteYep, 4am is nuts! I would love for him to go, i've just got to keep looking at the options...
Delete4 am???? That is just crazy! I think as long as your child is getting opportunities for socialisation and play at his age - which it sounds like he does, then he will be benefitting without the formal training. It depends where you are, but I know four year old kindy is looking at fractions, reading etc already, so get an idea of the cirriculum they are teaching and go from there. Good luck
ReplyDeleteHello from #teamIBOT
He's definitely getting his socialisation at daycare so its only the school based stuff I'm worried about. Though my boy is a clever cookie so even if he doesn't get to preschool I'm sure he'll be just fine at kindy!
DeleteOh that's crazy! In Darwin you can always get into preschool. Even if its a cheap government one that costs $50 a year. There's always a place for the kids.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should move to Darwin!
DeleteOk. 4.a.m? Whaa? That is completely crazy.
ReplyDeleteMy eldest has just started school and she didn't go to Preschool. She did go to Family Day Care once a week, but I don't think she has been disadvantaged - though, I was worried about that for some time.
My middle child has just started a day care which runs a preschool program for children her age and I sent her there for that reason as she isn't quite as socially adept as her sister (she takes after me). I believe that's the main reason to send them to preschool.
Flynn goes to family daycare aswell and adores it, and his carer is fantastic, so I don't think he'd be all that disadvantaged either...
DeleteAs you know, Mia has just started one day a week at daycare, and apart from the convenience of the it being right across the road, I like the fact that as well as long daycare and daycare from an early age, they also run a pre-school program for kids in that age bracket so for us it will work well her already being there.
ReplyDeleteI don't think pre-school is essential, especially f he is already going to daycare and having that socialisation and if you are prepared to sit and do some of the learning stuff with him. My friends son has just started pre-school after years of family daycare and the reason they decided to make the swap was that he was actively wanting to learn to read and stuff but my friend, with 2 other children and working just didn't have the time to dedicate to sitting with him and doing those sorts of things, so in that way it will be good for him.
But again, I don't think its essential. As you said, you didn't go and have done quite well!
Oh, and 4am? I ain't getting up at 4am for anything but to breastfeed a child! Crazy!