Anyone out there send their child to preschool or Daycare equivalent FT and could not afford nanny?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not hard to find full-time care that includes a preschool component. Usually the preschool portion is 2.5-3 hours in the morning. That portion is structured and has some sort of curriculum, whether play-based, academic, drama, art, or whatever.

The rest of the time is before-care or after-care. It's just babysitting with free play.

Yep this. Most daycares have an accredited preschool for the older kids. You have to tour and ask around to get to know what's a good fit. But this is what we do, and we like ours a lot. And added bonus that 4yo and 1yo are at the same place so easier for dropoff and pickup logistically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We send out child to a full-time daycare thst has a strong preschool curriculum. There is no way I would pay for both preschool and a nanny. Preschool I think of for stay-at-home parents who are looking for some socialization opportunities for their kids.

Thanks for this. Is your child thriving and doing ok with FT?

I have had more then a few people on this board tell me that there is no such thing as FT preschool or that they wouldnt want to send their kid daily if there was (more like 3 x a week). Confused. Some people (like me) dont have a choice. Your full time care wouldn't happen to in VA would it? I am looking!

There's no such thing as FT preschool because that's called day care. Every center we ever toured basically has a preschool curriculum, it's just a longer day with more nap and play time because it's also childcare.

If I had no job and could do whatever I wanted, I'd do part time preschool at 2.5 or 3 because it's nice for younger kids and parents to be home together - but I do have a job that can't pay for a nanny, so my kids went full time much younger. I think the issue with FT is that it's just more time away from home, kid naps in a classroom rather than own bed, etc. It's not too much academic time or the day care not teaching preschool material.

I'm a PP who posted similar, but this PP sums it up much better. +1

[Anonymous]

Combining a part time preschool program and daycare seems really confusing for a child, I think providing consistency is more beneficial than switching classroom environments.
So if you can't do a preschool with SAHP/nanny combo, then you should enroll in a daycare center - my recommendation is to look for a daycare that has a play-based preschool component.

[Anonymous]

My child will be 3 in April. He has gone to full-time daycare since he was 4 months old. They follow Creative Curriculum and we love the place. We will stay till it’s time for kindergarten. Almost everyone I know does full-time daycare for their kids, so it’s not something unusual.

[Anonymous]

We had a nanny up until 2.5 years old and decided to send him to daycare/preschool so he can start interacting with other kids and start learning in a more formal setting. It was the best decision we made! Our child is thriving, happy and learning so much! 2.5 years seemed to be a good age to start school.

[Anonymous]

Typically stand alone pre-school/nursery schools don't offer full day-that's the difference. It's more like a 2-4 hour program typically. That's really the difference. It's not childcare. That being said daycare at the preschool age is very much the same with the 2-4 hours of actual programming/curriculum and then all the other stuff that goes along with daycare. One is not superior to the other-just a different set up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not hard to find full-time care that includes a preschool component. Usually the preschool portion is 2.5-3 hours in the morning. That portion is structured and has some sort of curriculum, whether play-based, academic, drama, art, or whatever.

The rest of the time is before-care or after-care. It's just babysitting with free play.

im cool with that. Off hand , do you know of any you could name? Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Typically stand alone pre-school/nursery schools don't offer full day-that's the difference. It's more like a 2-4 hour program typically. That's really the difference. It's not childcare. That being said daycare at the preschool age is very much the same with the 2-4 hours of actual programming/curriculum and then all the other stuff that goes along with daycare. One is not superior to the other-just a different set up.

Thanks for your help

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child will be 3 in April. He has gone to full-time daycare since he was 4 months old. They follow Creative Curriculum and we love the place. We will stay till it’s time for kindergarten. Almost everyone I know does full-time daycare for their kids, so it’s not something unusual.

great to know! Can you recommend a place?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Combining a part time preschool program and daycare seems really confusing for a child, I think providing consistency is more beneficial than switching classroom environments.
So if you can't do a preschool with SAHP/nanny combo, then you should enroll in a daycare center - my recommendation is to look for a daycare that has a play-based preschool component.

Great. I have come to this conclusion to and its what I want to do. If you know of any good ones off hand please let me know!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not hard to find full-time care that includes a preschool component. Usually the preschool portion is 2.5-3 hours in the morning. That portion is structured and has some sort of curriculum, whether play-based, academic, drama, art, or whatever.

The rest of the time is before-care or after-care. It's just babysitting with free play.

Yep this. Most daycares have an accredited preschool for the older kids. You have to tour and ask around to get to know what's a good fit. But this is what we do, and we like ours a lot. And added bonus that 4yo and 1yo are at the same place so easier for dropoff and pickup logistically.

Thats awesome. If you dont mind sharing where you go, Id love to know. Currently researching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child will be 3 in April. He has gone to full-time daycare since he was 4 months old. They follow Creative Curriculum and we love the place. We will stay till it’s time for kindergarten. Almost everyone I know does full-time daycare for their kids, so it’s not something unusual.

great to know! Can you recommend a place?

Karasik in Silver Spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I keep hearing that sending a 2 or 2.5 year old to preschool full time isnt really an option. Is that true?? So then what to folks do who cant afford a nanny or other childcare in addition to 5 day a week preschool?

Do you do a regular daycare on the other days and then send your child to preschool a couple days a week at first, and then eventually around 3 or 4 yrs old go full time? I dont get it. But I am also hearing that it is rare to find even 5 days a week or that 5 days a week is too much for preschool. So what in the world do folks do who cant afford two forms of child care when your kid is 2 - 4 ??

Are there any folks out there in this position (or have been in this position) who sent their kids to a daycare center that has a preschool curriculum full time? Maybe that is the way to go. Can anyone recommend such a place that has a good play based curriculum and your kids thrived?

Thanks. I am feeling like everyone is sending their 2/ 2.5 year olds to preschool 3 x a week and then they have a nanny or are a SAHM. Where are the ft working moms who cant afford a nanny too? Help!

The bolded above - that is absurd. No, it's not true and I'm sorry you have heard that.

I'm a single parent and my DC has gone to full time preschool since age 2.5 (before that I cobbled together "full time" with other options, until DC finally got a spot in full-time, thank goodness). And 5 days a week is not "too much" for preschool. The situation for everyone is different, and it annoys me to no end when people who have the means and the ability to not need to send their young child(ren) to a full-time program make asinine proclamations like that.

As for a fantastic full-time program, I highly, highly recommend Little Ambassadors' Academy in Arlington. But there are also many others.

[Anonymous]

There is hardly such thing as a "regular" fulltime daycare for 3 year olds that doesn't include preschool curriculum. Maybe not at mixed age home based daycares, but other than that, most all daycares will provide preschool.

Of course they aren't doing academics for ~8 hours a day 5 days a week. It is still a preschool

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We send out child to a full-time daycare thst has a strong preschool curriculum. There is no way I would pay for both preschool and a nanny. Preschool I think of for stay-at-home parents who are looking for some socialization opportunities for their kids.

+1