Do You Think 2 Years of Preschool Is Necessary?

My kids didn't go to preschool and it saved us tons of money. My DS who is 4 just started a Jr. K and the teacher said he is testing at the top of his class and has fabulous social skills. He hasn't had any problems. Then again, never had any problems with my DD either and she started straight into Kindergarten.

I homeschooled until K and just had them enrolled in classes, lots of play dates, visited libraries/museums, plus they are both in sports.

IMO not even 1 year of preschool is necessary, but that is just what worked for my family =-)

My daughter will not be going to preschool. Many of her friends just started school (they are 2.5 years old). I believe the money is better spent on other things, like going to the Zoo, etc. Playgroups can provide kids with all the necessary socialization they need.

You could also start a preschool co-op with other moms. It's FREE.

I honestly think its ridiculous and counter-productive that we are sending our toddlers to school. The best language acquisition takes places following mom around --research shows this. The best development of creativity and imagination comes from free-play. Schools are unable to provide the requirements necessary to facilitate true learning, i.e. self-directed following own interests.

Save for college, not preschool.

I didn't send my 6 year old daughter to preschool and we are not sending out 4 year old either. I work with my children daily and we do play date with other kids and have a large family so they have great social skills. I don't think every kid needs preschool.

If you are enriching your child's environment, you are not going to stunt him even if you don't send him to any preschool. All you really need to do is to read to him, let him see you reading, talk to him, go places and see ordinary interesting things and talk about them and give him opportunities to play with other children his age once he approaches kindergarten age. Sing the ABC song, give him the opportunity to color and try to write letters, and read, read, read.

If you do that, you have no academic worries whatsoever. Some children learn very rappidly in the early years learning to read and write, and some learn slower. Some need special interventio to learn to read and write, but given what they need in school once it starts, they all pretty much even out by 4th grade and are ready to read and write to learn, so any early gains are not retainable. You just don't have to worry about this.

If you like the social benefits, go for it, but it is just not a necessity for most kids. Children with developmental disablities should start early with targeted interventions and therapies to help them over come challenges, but if that does not apply to your child, preschool is optional.

Your son won't be behind, not when it counts, so not to worry.

M.

It's not necessary, but it can be a good thing (or not). Do what is best for your family. It was a bad thing for my dd, so we stopped. It's a good thing for my ds, so he's going. I didn't go to pre-school and I did great in school.

You are smart to start now to plan. The school my kids went to had a waiting list years long to get into the three year old class. My son was on the wait list from the time he was 4 mos. old.

No, I don't. I think one year or even less is good for most kids. Some need it, others don't, but to count on 2 years, is not a necessary thing at all.

My older two did two years each of pre-k for the social. My sister was our babysitter, so no social interaction with other kids. Plus they got some learning in. My youngest (now 3) will not do two years because of the transportation issue, otherwise he would. He goes to a home day care now where she does pre-k stuff with them and there are 4 boys about his age. So it works out for the best! Each kid is different I think, so base it on what you think your son will need when he is older, and what you do. There are plenty of free activities (library story times, parks, etc).

It really makes no difference, as long as your son gets a chance to develop social skills somewhere. Teacher in K like kids to know how to tie their shoes, and write their name (all caps is fine). They should know how to count and know colors and shapes, but most of all they must know how to interact with other kids. My kids each had 2 years of pre-school, and one year of Pre-K before starting K, but that was because I found a wonderful and affordable program on the base here, and it gave my boys a chance to interact with other kids their age, but that was what worked for us, you have to find what works for your family!

Advantages....they finally learn something at school that you have been trying to teach and to no avail.

Disadvantage....they learn things at school from other kids with older siblings

I think that when the time comes you will know what works best for your little one. I couldn't have put my daughter in at two, but by three I felt like she was definitely ready. She loved it and is now in pre-K 4. My son is almost two and is in school. I wasn't ready to put him in yet, but I have to work now so I had no choice. I do work at the same school, though, so at least I'm always nearby.

Anyway, point is that you will know when the time comes :-)

At one time I was debating this issue for my oldest. My husbands Aunt worked at a school and brought home a list of things they learn in 3 year old preschool. I took one look at the list and my daughter could do them all and much more. I decided to wait until 4 year old preschool.

4 year old preschool helped transition her into Kindergarten in my opinion. It also helped her get a head start on Kindergarten. I don't think kids have to go to preschool at all but going definitely gives them a jumpstart.

I think it depends on the child. My oldest went two years but was bored the second year and he was social butterfly from birth so he didn't really need it for socializing either. Now my second child I really wanted him to do 2 years. He is very shy and attached and I think he will have a hard time going from 2 half days a week to 5 full days but he didn't get a slot this year so he will only be doing 1 year of preschool. I know ppl that keep their kids home until kindergarten and they seem to do just fine.

You will find that this is a very black and white issue. There's very little middle ground.

I grew-up very close to Oakton in Fairfax County, so I know the area well. My family still lives there, and my sister lives in the City of Fairfax, at one time spending more than her personal earnings on day care for her 3 kids at what is now the "Fairfax Academy".

My kids have been in day care since my second was born. They know nothing else. In my observations between kids who attend preschool consistently vs. those who do not, they tend to have a distinct advantage in some areas (mostly social) as they enter kindergarten. Our daycare bill in 2009, in Indiana vs. Fairfax County, was almost $20K - I think it's worth every penny.

I don't personally believe that I, as their mother can provide them with all those experiences on my own. I can't teach them to respect another authority figures, having access to different educational stations, resolving conflict with other students when Mom/Dad aren't there to intervene.

For us, Day Care is synonymous with preschool. My biggest concern when our son goes into Kindergarten next year is that he'll be horribly bored because much of what they teach in Kindergarten has already been covered in Day Care.

Good luck with your decision.

My kids loved it so much! They each went for 3 years: the 2, 3 and 4 yo programs. Honestly I couldn't imagine not doing it. It gave them a bit of structure and they met a lot of friends plus it gave me a few hours to myself. What I did not expect them to do was to "teach" my children anything. Their center was not academic. They of course learned much but it was all through fun and play and arts and crafts.