Did anyone start Preschool at 4 instead of 3?

[afolabi1024]

I'm looking into preschool for my now 2.5 year old, but even sending him part time would be a financial challenge. Did anyone wait until their child was 4 to start Preschool?

 

[wrath427]

@afolabi1024 Another pandemic preschool skipper here. She has still been the top of her class in K and 1st. No issues with friends and she’s even an only child with a small extended family. So you’re good. Save the money, save your sanity, skip preschool.

 

[afolabi1024]

@wrath427 Ah thank you for the comment and sharing your experience. I'm feeling better about life already lol

 

[andya1996]

@afolabi1024 An interesting and related read here

IMO, there's a very important distinction between daycare, pre-k, and early education needs. There's no clear cut need or benefit from teaching more, sooner.

If you need daycare/babysitting, then by all means, seek that out. If you find a combination care (pre-k daycare), then by all means, seek it out. But if pressuring 2 and 3yo to be fully potty trained isn't recommended by trusted institutions, it's rather safe to deduce it's not recommendable to pressure other earlier education.

As a final anecdote, my wife was home schooled a lot, I never did prek. She graduated top of her class, I graduated 4th of mine. The Heelers said it best.

 

[maddleyy]

@andya1996 Thank you for sharing this! The NPR article was a great read. Also, the Bandit and Chili image made me tear up

 

[andya1996]

@maddleyy Sure thing!

 

[revelation210faith]

@afolabi1024 This is the way. I didn’t go to preschool at all (my parents were young and broke), Igraduated college with honors and went to law school on a full merit based scholarship.

My big kid will go to preK at 3, but he turns 4 just one month after it starts. He’s going 3 mornings a week, mostly just for fun with friends and learning to be away from mom/listen to other grown ups.

 

[abdurrashid]

@wrath427 That's great. We're you doing any activity/classes for socialization or anything before then?

 

[wrath427]

@abdurrashid No The occasional library outing but that’s it. Even now, we mostly hang together during the summertime, I’d say one play date every other week. I’ve always felt that at 1-4, Mom and Dad and close extended family is plenty of socializing. But I also know that’s a controversial opinion and I’m willing to be wrong on it

 

[christianchar]

@wrath427 Same. It’s fine.

 

[dardenel]

@afolabi1024 Where I live, all kids start preschool at 4. 3-year-olds go to daycare so you’re good.

 

[afolabi1024]

@dardenel It's a bit confusing because most care centers call the 3 year old classroom "preschool". But I think you're totally right, that it is just daycare.

 

[wrath427]

@afolabi1024 So true about daycare centers calling their programs preschool! This was a big pet peeve of mine when my daughter was in the 2-4 age. Other parents would grab about their kids going to school when it was literally daycare! Like the center would be called “blah blah daycare” but that didn’t stop parents from bragging about their 2 year old in school. I’m less overtaken emotionally by what others’ do now but new mom-toddler, I was incensed by the way others parented.

 

[chalk2]

@wrath427 My friend mentioned that she calls it “school” to make herself feel better about sending him to daycare. So I always called it school for her. But that was when he was 6 months old. He’s now 16 months (1 month younger than mine) and she’s starting to really brag about it as if it’s so much better than being home

 

[wrath427]

@chalk2 I guess it worked too well lol Making herself feel better, I mean. When my daughter was 3 she learned to ride a bike. I was SO PROUD, borderline ego maniac about jt. Now she hates riding a damn bike, at 7. Humbled me quite a bit lol

 

[neilgram]

@wrath427 This is so petty of me, but it is one of my parenting group pet peeves when people call daycare school. Like, no, your 10 month old is not in school. They are in daycare lol.

 

[andya1996]

@wrath427 Not much bothers me, but labeling like this, or "boy moms" is borderline unhealthy. What is your 2yo learning that another kid won't learn at home? (What happens when the "boy mom" has another baby that's a girl. Etc etc).

 

[wrath427]

@andya1996 Thank you! I have felt too that you’re allowed to praise yourself for being a working Mom but not for being a stay at home Mom so what the hell AM I allowed to brag about? Nothing is the answer lol

 

[andya1996]

@wrath427 I brag about the fun we have, the lack of schedule we adhere to, and their great math skills (number blocks may have helped a little lol)

 

[g_jio]

@wrath427 As a former daycare teacher, it basically is school honestly with the curriculum we followed!