How necessary is preschool?

[Anonymous]

Is preschool really necessary if your child is staying home with a parent and a sibling? I've been wondering this as I do preschool browsing. It is a lot of money to learn skills that DD has for the most part.

This is just wondering, don't flame me!

[Anonymous]

It's not "necessary" at all.

The number one indicator of a child's later academic success is the mother's educational level.

That said, you may find it beneficial for you as a family to have her in a part-day program--for all of your sanity.

[Anonymous]

Given that so many people now think even public school isnt necessary and choose to homeschool or unschool you are going to get a wide range of opinions.
My DD has been in part time daycare due to our work schedules up until now but in Sept is going to a pre-K program. She will be a young 5 when she starts K and I think it will benefit her to get used to the scheduling of school for a year before going all day every day.
I think she will learn a lot that I probably wouldnt think to teach her, she will eat lunch with friends and get used to that, doing as shes told by another adult, socializing with her peers which to me is important.
Having said that, she is social now because we are in a Moms group, she knows the alphabet and letter sounds, she loves being read to, I think she would be ok starting K without it, but I dont want it to be a struggle, so thats why we are choosing preschool.

[Anonymous]

Preschool is not just about academics. It is learning how to function in a group setting with other children, sit in circle, listen to the teacher, line up, etc. Playing with other children and navigating social relationships is important, and it is different when you are with the same kids in class every day than on a play date every once in a while or with a sibling. Each of my children gained confidence going to preschool and were very proud to show of their accomplishments from there.

Personally, I couldn't imagine not sending my child to preschool. I'm not sure there are any kids in my child's kindergarten who skipped preschool, but I do not for sure. All of my child's friends attended. I do know that when my child was 3 or 4 and in gym class, the child not in preschool had a much harder time following the teacher's instructions and the teacher had to spend a lot of time dealing with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Preschool is not just about academics. It is learning how to function in a group setting with other children, sit in circle, listen to the teacher, line up, etc. Playing with other children and navigating social relationships is important, and it is different when you are with the same kids in class every day than on a play date every once in a while or with a sibling. Each of my children gained confidence going to preschool and were very proud to show of their accomplishments from there.

Personally, I couldn't imagine not sending my child to preschool. I'm not sure there are any kids in my child's kindergarten who skipped preschool, but I do not for sure. All of my child's friends attended. I do know that when my child was 3 or 4 and in gym class, the child not in preschool had a much harder time following the teacher's instructions and the teacher had to spend a lot of time dealing with her.

+1

[Anonymous]

I think the transition to our overly-academic kindergartens will be a lot easier with at least 1 year of preschool first. It helps kids get used to the routine, classroom expectations, etc.

I also just found it a really valuable experience for meeting other families, providing new friends for my kids, etc.

[Anonymous]

Not necessary.
-A preschool teacher

[Anonymous]

Nope. My children never went. All four of them wound up skipping grades (different ones, but all in elementary) and none have ever gotten a report grade lower than a B.

I have a bachelor's degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Preschool is not just about academics. It is learning how to function in a group setting with other children, sit in circle, listen to the teacher, line up, etc. Playing with other children and navigating social relationships is important, and it is different when you are with the same kids in class every day than on a play date every once in a while or with a sibling. Each of my children gained confidence going to preschool and were very proud to show of their accomplishments from there.

Personally, I couldn't imagine not sending my child to preschool. I'm not sure there are any kids in my child's kindergarten who skipped preschool, but I do not for sure. All of my child's friends attended. I do know that when my child was 3 or 4 and in gym class, the child not in preschool had a much harder time following the teacher's instructions and the teacher had to spend a lot of time dealing with her.

+1

+2

I used to teach an extracurricular for 4-5 year olds, and it was pretty apparent which kids had these skills from being in preschool, and which didn't. (Of course, if a child is in daycare, they may gain many of the same skills! But it's hard to attain from being at home all day every day with a parent or other caregiver.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the transition to our overly-academic kindergartens will be a lot easier with at least 1 year of preschool first. It helps kids get used to the routine, classroom expectations, etc.

I also just found it a really valuable experience for meeting other families, providing new friends for my kids, etc.

+1 Kindergarten is pretty intense these days. I do think minimum one year of preschool makes for an easier transition. Plus, my very social daughter loved it.

[Anonymous]

Kids will pick up what they need to know in kindergarten whether or not they went to preschool. It might be a little rough to transition and they might take a few weeks to catch up. But it's a bit silly to put your child in preschool ONLY to prep them for Kindergarten. 3 is a little early to start the achievement hamster wheel, I think.

At the same time, I think most kids and families probably benefit from preschool in and of itself. By 3 or 4 your kid will most likely enjoy being in a different place, with fun activities, and new kids to play with.

[Anonymous]

It's absolutely not necessary. I know a few sahm's who didn't send their kids to preschool (although socialized them in other ways) and taught them at home; and their kids were way ahead of the curve not only in Kindergarten, but throughout elementary.

[Anonymous]

Mine learned to read at age 3. So yes, yours will be way behind the other children.

[Anonymous]

Did you go? I never did. If I did not need to work, I would stay home with my child, not send him to preschool.

[Anonymous]

K. is not very intense if you prepare your kids with basic reading, writing and knowing numbers, shapes, colors. Its hard when they go in knowing nothing as the parents don't work with them.

Necessary, not really. I think doing a very part time at 3, then a 4 year old program is worth it. At age two, a waste of time. I think the 4 program got my child ready for K, but it had academics in it.