part-time preschool frequency
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Anonymous
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We’re debating whether to send our will-have-just-turned-three-year-old to preschool for the first time 2x or 3x per week. These would be half days, and the alternative would be staying home with a parent.
If you faced this scenario, what factors did you consider besides cost? |
Anonymous
| I would opt for 3 days cost permitting. At 3 the child is old enough to enjoy 3 days of activities and will benefit from socialization. 3 times is better than 2 because it gives more time for the child to get comfortable with the new routine. With just two half days it may take a little longer for the kiddo to adjust to the concept of pre-school. 3 days, of course, gives you more "me time". But both options are fine really. |
Anonymous
| 3 days |
Anonymous
My eldest went to part-day preschool (8-11:30) at 27 months and my middle child went at 23 months, the eldest for four days and the middle one for three days a week. We felt that they would adjust quicker if they went three days a week. I understand why people think it's totally unnecessary to send a child to preschool at 2 or 3 or even 4 if they already have a nanny or are staying home. It's definitely not necessary but it was a good experience for my eldest who has a late spring birthday and is thriving as one of the younger children in her prek class. The adjustment to prek for her has been pretty seamless even though she is in a very academic prek and was at a play based preschool. My eldest was definitely ready for 4 days a week at 27 months. For my middle child, having caregivers who are not me or my husband or our nanny has been helpful. She would not separate from us at swim class (even if we were sitting on the pool deck) and go with the swim instructor but after a few months of preschool we tried swim classes again and she's fine. She may have gotten there anyway but I think that preschool helped her to feel more secure if one of her preferred/routine caregivers was not the individual providing care. I think my middle child would have been fine with 2 days a week since she was pretty young when she started going to preschool but we opted for 3 and she's had a really great experience. There really isn't a right or wrong answer here. |
Anonymous
| Would send a three year old three mornings a week: |
Anonymous
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Three days for sure.
I really struggle to give my three year old the right level of socializing on days we don’t have school. |
Anonymous
| three days - 2 days makes adjusting harder (based on what I've read - not on my personal experience.) |
Anonymous
| traditionally it is 2 days 2 yo, 3 day 3yo, etc. it seems to work well adjustment-wise. |
Anonymous
What is your three year old like? Can you start 2 days and then if he loves it go to three? I would start slow and build up. Your kid is going to be in school a long time! Enjoy the time if you can together |
Anonymous
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This depends on your kid. My youngest did much better with three days a week because it gave him a better routine. (Older kids did 2 days at that age). When you account for all of the weeks with holidays, two days a week is really choppy.
Our older two kids both did two days a week at that age. They were fine with that option, but they're also pretty easygoing kids and we did a lot of playgrounds/story hours/random exploration in the off hours. |
Anonymous
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3years will be fine for 3 days.
Consider how much separation they have had from you and how they react in separation. |