Question About Preschool and Daycare

If it were me, I'd find an all day childcare provider that is willing to spend a little time getting my child ready for school. I'd buy the book "What Every Kindergartener Should Know", or some other book like it. Divide up the stories into weeks and assign the appropriate # of stories to be read to the child. Go through the other assessments in the books and divide up the concepts into weeks and just make sure that at least half the book seems to be known by your child or they are at least familiar with the concepts by the time they go to school. At age 3, that gives the provider and you 2 years to work on this.

So many parents are worried about their child's social skills. All my kids went to school at various times after years of homeschooling. They never had any problem socializing. My oldest ones went to private school for awhile and they have also been in public schools in 2 states and 4 different towns. Homeschooling taught them PLENTY.

And don't forget that it's just as much your responsibility to work with them as it is the providers. I've tried to help a lot of children that has parents that didn't show enough interest in their child's learning. If it's not being modeled at home, they won't have any great desire to learn. We read a LOT in front of our kids and we are always learning some new hobby. That's how you create great kids that have a desire to learn.

Suzi

Hi B., I have a couple opinions on this
First it is your job to find out what kind of setting is "best" for your child. That being said when I did watch preschool age children we had about 3 hours a day to do stuctured learning time out of 2 meals, snack and nap. So what are you expectations on what and how much is to be learned. Even in stuctured preschool they still have to take out times for meals, snacks, naps, etc. All perschool does is prepare them for kindegarten, for routines, and what they can do at certain times during the day. I was told by my sons kindergarten who has been teaching for 31 years and she said the best thing you can do for your child is READ, read to them every minute of the day and it doesn't matter what it is. I could be the add in the mail, a walmart add, anything, an article in a newspaper or magizine.

For me personally in my daycare I don't see that children only learn by putting a piece of paper and pencil in their hand. for example colors when I give them a cup with their drink in it I ask them do you want "red" or "green" when they say which color they want I say ok here is the green one. Counting when we get up at the table to eat lunch I ask how many forks, spoons, plated do we need and we count how many people will be eating. I have a fridge farm phonics thing on the fridge and when we are waiting for lunch to be done we were finding the matched to the capital and lowercase letters, we are building all kinds of skills here along with learning our letters. The other day it was raining really hard and we were standing at the door signing rain, rain go away. For art, I give me daughter and the 2 year old paper, glue, crayons/markers and scissors and let their minds go and do you know the 2 y/o can use the scissors. It is awesome. My approach is laid back, easy going, go with the flow. If we want to color we color, if we want to watch a movie and be lazey we are lazey. I find it works better, they learn more and faster.

In my opinion home child care is better when you can find a provider that has your same beliefs and values, children get the best of both worlds they get be at a home, comfortable and more individual attention, and they don't become a number. I'm not saying that there aren't good preschools out there because I'm sure there are and is. But I also think you have to look at the individual child, and not go on what you want but what is best for him/her. So many parents are focused on I want my child to be smart. I want that also but in the same instance I will take average if she/he can be themselves, learn at their own pace. I have 4 children and 2 are in school and 2 are not and the 2 that are never attended preschool and for the youngest 2 they won't be either. After all my children are in school I will still be right here taking care of other children and getting my youngest 3 on and off the bus every morning. I know some people can't but I say if you can afford to stay at home now then do it till your son goes to kindergarten or is in first grade. Teach him what you want him to know while you are at home.

I had a parent so dead set on me having them do papers and sheets everyday and when I would she wouldn't take the time to look at him with her son. It is not my sole responsibility to just teach these children it is their parent also and it is no different in school. It is my job to take care of them first and foremost, make sure they are clean, fed, had a nap after those things are taken care of we will focus on the learning, it is thrown in through out the day. But on some occasions it hasn't happened or I planned to do this and a child vomited, that wasn't in the plan today. So thats why it is go with the flow. Sorry to be so long W.

B.,
I know where I daughter goes to school they do have an afer school care. Its called the adventure club. I believe the grades start at kindergarden. I would check with the pre-school you have choosen for your child and asked them what there routine is. Then when she actually get into kindergarden she could do the adventure club. Best of luck. God Bless

Hi B.! I just put my 2 1/2 yr old daughter into daycare, she has been w/family while I worked before. I chose this particular daycare because as she grows she will be moved into classes that are more 'pre-school' and learning focused. Each day/week and month they have learning themes and some schools are even teaching Spanish once the child turns 3! Once you start looking you will be surprised how many daycares have structured curriculm therefore avoiding going to daycare and preschool in two seperate enviornments, hope this helps, good luck! I work in JoCo, dad travels and we live in Lee's Summit, I would suggest putting the child in somewhere close to where they will be attending kindergarten.