Switching Preschools - San Diego,CA

I wouldn't switch her. She's old enough to make her own decisions. You asked and she said no so I would listen to her. And like you said, she'll need to move again in a year for Kindergarden -- no need to traumatize her twice!

I have a lot of years in child care and I can honestly tell you that kids learn more while they are playing that they learn during any formal preschool class. Please google children learning while playing and see what information you can come across. The research is well documented. Kids brains stop developing if they are not given the opportunity to spend much time playing with manipulatives, blocks, puzzles, dolls, reading time, cars, finger paints, coloring, and even just mushing stuff in a big box of rice and pasta. These activities teach building blocks for future such as science, math, reading, all forms of education.

They have to have the opportunity to have these experiences on a daily basis. They need hours and hours of this daily. They need the playtime at pre-school. I would never take any child out of a well rounded program and put them in a program that sounds like it will focus on things that are not so important as play.

Here is an interesting article:
http://www.permahi.org/childrens-play-how-children-are-ac...

Children are very resilient and your DD won't have any issues transitioning to a new preschool if that's what you choose. With that said, however, it is my personal opinion that you should keep your daughter in the preschool she is at. I say this only because I know children learn so much more from free play (especially without mom and dad nearby) than from structured activities. Time at the park is great and should happen regularly, but children need other time and environments to explore the world and relationships. Your DD is young and you have plenty of time to expose her to the arts without heavy expenses or consequences. There are many opportunities besides this one if that's important to you. Research alternatives.

Hi, good luck with your choice. If we were chatting across the back fence, and you were telling me about your situation, I'd have to tell you "No, don't move her. Don't upset the apple cart."
This is the time when you have to realize and respect that your daughter is a person in her own right. If you were asked if you would like to switch jobs, you answered NO and then the powers that be disregarded your input and moved you against your express wishes . . . how would you feel? Would that be the best way to begin a new venture? I would feel dis-respected, upset, angry and dis-respected. If she were my daughter and she were happy and as parents we were satisfied, I would leave well enough alone. You say yourself she loves going to school, her teachers and her friends - why trade that because YOU love an idea and want to save money and commuting time? And if you gave her a chance to have input, and then you overrule her, because you have already made up your mind - why bother to ask her at all?
Maybe I am just a too touchy-feely mom, but in times when I haven't listened to my son and his input about his life, and just gone ahead and done what I wanted for him (party themes and activities, lessons, playdates, etc.) it usually has blown up in my face and really I think, dis-respecting him and his desires, has hurt our relationship. And it takes a long time to repair dis-respect.
That is hard for me, because I would love to take all the lessons and classess and attend the arts/sports camps that are avaliable to him - but not him. So - no more living vicariously!
Good luck with your decision!

I probably wouldn't switch her only because you'll have to switch her back...and that does seem like a lot of moving for her. Especially if like you say she is on the shy side.

I'd let her stay at her current school, especially since that's what she'd prefer. Kids feel secure when they have a consistent routine and it sounds like she has that at her current school. Given that she's a bit shy, I wouldn't force her into a new situation if she didn't want it, as it may make her more timid and shy being in a new environment. She's going to experience enough change going to kindergarden so another school change might be too much for her to embrace.

Maybe you can sign her up for an after schoold class or weekend dance/ gymnastics classes. This way she still has exposure to the arts, but it doesn't disrupt her school life and relationships with her friends.

I wouldn't switch her. I have had the same debate about whether to switch my son to another elementary school and I decided that he is better off in his own neighborhood with the kids he grew up with and he'll be with them throughout school. He's happy and he's learning. He has friends who are different colors, from different countries, different religions. That's the best education I can give him. Your daughter can still take her dance lessons or gymnastics and still benefit from that but I think she'll have more diversity and more experiences in her current school.

Hope this helps.

How has she done in the dance classes? I am a firm believer in a child of your daughters age learning that you are the final decision maker and that you know what's best for her. If she has liked the dance classes then I say go for it. It will be great training for her. There's a certain level of discipline and order that these kinds of classes help to teach that will carry her through her school years.

I recently had a child come visit my home to see about my daycare. While she was in my house she would not leave her mothers lap. I tried to entice her away and her mom just hugged her tighter and said she's shy over and over. She is 4 years old as well. The dad said in a rather annoyed tone that they had visited so many preschools and hadn't liked any so far. They didn't have many questions for me and I had a hard time drawing them out and getting them to talk. Needless to say, they didn't call me back. I feel very sorry for that little girl! She's never going to get anywhere in life if mom holds on so tight and never lets her or makes her get out there.

Goodluck with your choice. 8 children in a small preschool sounds awesome to me.

Just let her stay at her present Preschool.

I had three children who all went to preschool in one district and then
school at age four plus in another. They were very attached to their friends
in the first group and at 3 knew all the names etc. etc. Wonder of all wonder
changing groups didn't seem to matter at all. They fit into the new group just fine. Also there were different kids at Sunday school and other little activities.
Kids of this age love their peer group, but seem to change easily.
The dancing sounds great and something to keep up with.

At 4 she will not be traumatized. If you do it at 13, she will think she was traumatized and let you know it for the next 5 years.
We are military, moving and switching schools is so much easier when the kids are younger. Not that you are moving though.
She will adjust. If she likes her dance classes and is good at them then why not? My son went to a preK program that included swimming, it was great. He was 4 and could swim across the pool twice, 50 yards. The skills she will learn far outweigh anything else.

I'd keep her where she is, especially with kindergarten so close.

I wonder whether the dance academy can really offer trained, qualified preschool teachers with preschool experience, continuing adult training, child CPR and first aid training, etc. -- things a larger and more formally run preschool would have. The dance school has circle time and art time but there can be so much more to a good preschool than that. Do they have any kids close to kindergarten age in this group of eight? What do they do to prepare them for kindergarten? How much do they read to them and what do they read to them? How do they handle conflicts among the children, especially with such a small group? How much experience in dealing with kids do the teachers really have outside the dance/music/drama setting? What facilities do they have? A really good preschool could have not only playground time but sand tables, water tables or other water play facilities outside, occasional age-appropriate science lessons, visits from an art teacher (one who is trained in teaching art to young children, not someone who just puts together craft-store ideas for them) and more. The dance school may indeed offer all that but have you checked? If they're just reading a story, doing a simple craft and not varying their play, or not working at all on numbers, letters, shapes etc., I would not move her. Actually I wouldn't move her anyway, since she clearly feels established at her current school and it feeds into the curriculum of the school she'll attend in kindergarten -- why get her off that track now?

I'd enroll her for different classes to do more dance, gymnastics, music and drama, but I wouldn't ditch her current preschool if it's an established, experienced one with trained teachers and a curriculum that meets local school standards.

And I'm saying all this as the parent of a longtime dancer who was already dancing in preschool and loved it. The idea sounds tempting,but a dance academy offering preschool sounds to me like a money-making idea. Making money is fine, but but I would ask a lot of questions about what goes on in the preschool time and whether it changes and is more appropriately challenging as the kids get closer to kindergarten. Anyway, it's a moot point, since she sounds happy where she is now.

I wouldn't switch her. She is happy with where she is, and so you are you. Her current preschool's curriculum is in line with her future elementary school's curriculum.

I question what type of Preschool/Pre-K curriculum a dance academy would have, because I'd imagine dance would be the priority main focus, not academics or school preparedness. Are they educated, trained & licensed to teach anything other than dance? Or is it more of a casual, fun program where they have story time & crafts?

She can still do dance at the academy. I think she gets the best of both worlds if school & dance are separated, personally.

I will let her staying at the present preschool. Preschool is more about having the positive experience. And, now she loves her teachers, friends. I believe these are the most important. And, not to mention, she says no to the new school.. All these other activities can be done outside the school.