Thinking About Preschool for My 26 Mth Old December Baby....

Greetings Amy:
I also have a December baby- I was in labor on Christmas Eve! He is #3of 5.
We found that it made all the diferance for him to start later and not push it with the schools because he had it a bit better being with mom that extra bit of time as well as being the "leader" at preschool and all the way to graduation. I personally never had any of them be completly potty trained at the age. I can not predict much in my life 6 months in advance let alone what a small child would do - it seems a bit unrealistic for a toddler, but I can see it witha 3/4 yo..
Before I opened my Day Care, I had arrangements with friends to take my little one 2 days a week and I traded and had hers 2 days a week, you might consider this. Good Luck, as a mother of 5 I know that one on one time is special with each child.

Just wanted to say thanks for asking this question. My twin girls have January 22 birthdays and I've been leaning toward a toddler co-op program vs. finding a preschool that will accept them. Lately, I've been second-guessing myself and wondering if I should push for preschool even though they will be the youngest ... the posts below give me a lot more confidence in my original decision to seek out a toddler program.

Thanks!

Wow, you have a late cut off date there! Here in TX it's Sept 15. Personally, I would go with the toddler program, he will be in the class with others his age and developmentally he'd probably be better off. The teachers all know what to expect at this age and if they feel he's developmentally past his age group they'd let you know. Older kids may interest him in part because they can do things he can't yet and they play differently - at his age it's more side by side and as they get older they become more interactive with other children. Also, what happens when he gets through his 2 years of preschool and can't start kindergarten with the kids in his preschool class because of the cut off date? I realize they probably won't be going to the same elementary schools but would he then end up in the same class again with the kids that are truly in his age group? As far as potty training, don't force the issue and don't bank on him being fully potty trained by the time school starts in August/September.

I think I would enroll him in a toddler program. Maybe learning to potty train with peers would help. Then once he is potty trained, start the enrollment process for preschool. He still has plenty of time to do the preschool thing.

Not knowing anything about your child, I would say to let him go with the younger kids. This wil give him confidence throughout his school life. He will end up being WAY younger than the others by the time it's grade school.

In Chicago, our cut off date is Sept 1st, so you've got a little more flexibility there. I put my daughter in a park district pre-school at 2 1/2 because she was a bit bored at home. She loved it and I thought putting her in an actual school for 3/4 yr old pre-K was the next logical step. She's doing great and I'm not sorry, but now we have another year of pre-K ahead of us and I worry that it will be redundant for her. I might have let her go to the park district for one more year and then put her in formal pre-K at 4 years old, as I now realize that most of her current friends will be moving to kindergarten next year and she stays behind because you have to be 5 years old on or before Sept 1 to advance to kindergarten here.

Hi!
We had the same issue last year. In fact, we secured a position at a toddler place and at a preschool and made a last minute decision. My son, who was 2 years and 9 months in September started at the local Montessori school. I should note that he had been potty trained for 8 months when he started school. He has seemed to thrive in the preschool environment. He has always been precocious--and he loves being challenged by his teachers and peers. He seems to always amaze us with the things he has learned and the teachers seem to enjoy teaching him. Most days he runs into class to start the day.

I would just offer a few things to consider:
Preschools often have open bathrooms (with no stalls)--I can say that the kids in his class that were not entirely trained have been subjected to negative attention by other kids in my son's class. Even my son knows every kid in his class that wears pull-ups. While we have told him that he should never tease or make an issue of such a thing, he does tell us that "Joe" teased "John" when he had a yucky poopy diaper.... If my child were not trained, I don't think I would have sent him--such teasing can really upset a child.

Also, my son is big for his age. He is as tall as most of the 5 year olds in his class. He can keep up with them. With boys especially, kids that can't keep up and jump and run and pedal as fast as the others can also be subjected to feeling bad.

Finally, I should note, that none of the teasing, etc. is tolerated by any of the teachers, but what we have found is that kids will be kids and you can't make one kid play with your kid...no matter what.

I hope that helps.

p.s., you can toilet train a child in 6 months if the child is ready...and if he isn't, then you won't be able to--imho.

Parent co-op nursery schools generally would accept 2 1/2 year olds, though my youngest is 16, so I've been out of the loop for a while. :-) You didn't say where you are, but if you want to contact me directly I can connect you with some in the SF peninsula area and there is a statewide organization as well...CCPPNS California Coalition of Parent Participation Nursery Schools (I think)

Good luck!
L. O'Loughlin
____@____.com

Hi there. Have you thought about a home daycare? Many home daycare's teach preschool programs to get children ready for kindergarten. Some parents go straight from a home daycare preschool to kindergarten and some take the child out of daycare at the age of 3 to start them in a preschool center. Daycare homes are less likely to have the cut off dates and most will be willing to assist in the potty training process once your little one shows an interest in doing so. I operate a licensed in home childcare in Citrus Heights and I find that children over the age of 20 months start to show an interest in the circle time and art activities we do. My little boy is 26 months (born Dec 23rd) and it's amazing to watch him. He will walk around singing our circle time songs in the evening and during art time, he LOVES pasting things. At this age it's more about the process and the product, so it doesn't matter that the art work looks like... they enjoy what they are doing and don't even realize that they are learning. My childcare is flexible and I take children part time or full time with very reasonable rates. If you're interested, feel free to call me (I'm not too far from you) ###-###-####. If not me, I'm sure there are plenty of licensed childcare's with preschool programs in your area. Good Luck.

With a newly retired Kindergarten teacher as a mother-in-law, several other friends who are teachers and asked experience of those with late in the year birthdays....it almost unanimous. Keep the child in the appropriate year according to the cut off mandated by the public school system.

Yes, he will be older than those born just before the cut off, but less than a year's difference and boys usually need that extra time to be able to handle the classroom.

We started preschool at the beginning of a calendar year and the preschool put him in the appropriate age group class room. However, when it came time to "promote" kids to the Kindergarten Readiness program, they had to hold my son in the same room he had been in for the last 6 months making friends. He did wonder why they all went and he didn't for a bit, but got over it....though he still prefers their company to his new class. That little something frustrates me more than him =/

Especially if your son isn't potty trained, I would keep him in the proper school room classroom situation and not push him into what might seem better to you.

I'm pretty much with Mothercare, since your child does have a younger brother. However, if you would like some one on one time with the younger brother, I would suggest a toddler program two mornings a week. He's only two and I really don't think preschool is appropriate for children under three, and I think three hours a day twice a week is fine. No one should expect potty training at this age, especially for a boy. He could go from zero to 60 in six months--my son toilet trained in three days when he was 35 months, and believe me, he had no interest beforehand.

I just wanted to share with you a great Mothers Day Our Program my kiddos go to! Very affordable & it is a small school with good teacher kid ratio! My kids do not want to leave, this is a good sign. :)

Also they really work with your child in the potty training process, and are not as strict as other places.

Tue, Wed & Thurs 9-3 $$180.00 a MONTH

IN FALL there will be a 5 day program M-F 9-3 with extended care if needed.

Ask for Ms Molly ###-###-#### ;)

http://www.newstart-frisco.com/Mothersdayout.html

My son started preschool this year. His birthday is December 27th so he was two years nine months in September. Aside for normal seperating issues we have had zero problems and he LOVES school. The only issue we have is that on the weekend he wants to know why we are not taking him to school.

As for the potty training, my son was not ready either. He is in a class with 18 children half of whom are boys and only two are actually potty trained and it is February. I would keep looking for a school that has a more flexible policy since as you know most boys are slower to potty train and forcing the issue will likely backfire.

Good luck and happy school days!

I say our culture is on the wrong track with small children. They do not need to be "socialized" by other 2-4 year olds or a over clocked preschool teacher with 15 other kids to keep track of. This is a very vulnerable time when young children stary to develop a imagination and preschool does the opposite of their inate development. Children need a rhythem with home life being the center. You mom's play group is just what he needs until kindergarten. You can add in more as a group or trade playdates for a break. Trust youself not this crazy culture that pushes kids too hard.

My daughter is the 28th of Dec too! She is a year older than your little guy...
I was in the same boat, I did find a loophole and get her into preschool this year... here are my thoughts...
I love having my daughter in preschool, she was not in daycare and i think that the experience jumpstarted her education and has been great, and it helped her potty train in the fall... that is all the upside
the downsides might be a) every kid is different he might not respond at being the youngest in the class and every school is different, and many would not have taken her b) My daughter is still very shy at school and it is hard for her to participate in group activities because she is so shy, and the 1+ years the other kids have on her in some cases defiantely shows, and finally it means a full 3 years of preschool before kindergarten
Those are just some thoughts from the other side, every family is different, but I feel your confusion, its the hardest birthdate in some ways for that!

The "Official" 3 yr. old programs that are out there sometimes are associated with the educational system in the area. They send things like attendance and if their are possible ecucational issues like Autism to the school Administration offices. It helps them get grants and funding. They can only accept children who fall in to the category. Ours in Oklahoma, Head Start, require the children be 3 before school starts. They can be somewhat untrained but must be in pull ups and working on pottying. It yours is a different type of preschool then it may be up to the Director to decide.

My concerns would be, he's only 2, not 3 yet. My friends daughter is only 3 1/2 months older than K but it is a world of difference. She has a Summer birthday and K is in October. F was reading at the end of her 3 yr. old program.

Another thing, you do realize if you put him in the 3 yr old program, then a 4 yr. old program he won't be old enough for school when he finishes it so he'll have to repeat the 4 yr. program again or stay out a year?

If he is a full 3 yrs. old when he starts he'll be 3-4, then a 4 yr. old program, 4-5 yrs. old, then start Kindergarten at 5 and turn 6 like all the kids in the class.

I put J in a Mothers-Day-Out program several days a week so I could run errands and make my personal Doctors appointments, etc...he was 2 when he started classes this Fall so he is in the 2 yr. old room, most of the kids in there are 2 turning 3 sometime during the year. They work on potty training and he learns so much but it's not a 3 yr. old preschool program. He's too young.

BTW, he's December 7th.