"Why do all your friends say school"

[Anonymous]

Folks, if they have older siblings in elementary, they start referring to their daycare as "school." Does this really matter?

[Anonymous]

I called it school because that was the name of the place we chose: St. James' Children's School. I have illusions that it was anything more than daycare.

[Anonymous]

PP 14:26 here: That should have been "I don't have any illusions that it was anything more than daycare."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I call it school because I want to brainwash my kids into accepting and liking that school is a part of their everyday life (they love their daycare, which is a Bright Horizons in my office building). I have zero guilt and it's not about being pretentious or pretending they're studying Shakespeare or linear algebra at ages 2 and 4 months. Plus, it's one syllable and easier to say than daycare.

+1. Totally this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What a strange discussion. Why would anyone care what it's called?

You all have too much free time!

We should all care because there is a shame in calling it daycare where there shouldn’t be. We need to be honest about daycare in order to improve it.

The only "shame" in daycare is some random SAHM or folks with nannies trying to pretend their arrangements are better. I have never seen a parent with a kid in daycare feel guilty about it, nor should they.

Nor is there often any difference between a daycare and a preschool. My kid goes to some would call a "daycare" because it goes from infrant to pre-k. But I am quite confident the activities and "curriculum" he is doing is on par with what a "preschool" would do. Hell, even the kids who are too young for "preschool" have a ton of organized, thoughtful activities.

My conscious is quite clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually have noticed this trend too and think it's weird. Your infant did not just "graduate" to the next classroom, stopping posting pics on FB with her "first day last day"

I think it's just so people feel better about their childcare situation. No no, I'm not paying someone to just watch my kid all day, it's SCHOOL. Just starting the tiger mom frenzy earlier and earlier.

This is what it is all about. School just makes people feel better than saying daycare. We do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What a strange discussion. Why would anyone care what it's called?

You all have too much free time!

We should all care because there is a shame in calling it daycare where there shouldn’t be. We need to be honest about daycare in order to improve it.

The only "shame" in daycare is some random SAHM or folks with nannies trying to pretend their arrangements are better. I have never seen a parent with a kid in daycare feel guilty about it, nor should they.

Nor is there often any difference between a daycare and a preschool. My kid goes to some would call a "daycare" because it goes from infrant to pre-k. But I am quite confident the activities and "curriculum" he is doing is on par with what a "preschool" would do. Hell, even the kids who are too young for "preschool" have a ton of organized, thoughtful activities.

My conscious is quite clear.

Good. So you know your infant is in daycare and not school. Go ahead - say it! Daycare.

[Anonymous]

I call it school, because it's where my 2yo has learned to count, his shapes, Spanish, etc. He has teachers there. How is this not school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I call it school, because it's where my 2yo has learned to count, his shapes, Spanish, etc. He has teachers there. How is this not school?

I tend to agree with you. When DD was an infant it was definitely 'daycare,' but now that she's two the things she learns amazes me daily: counting, colors, shapes, ABC's. And the ART - so much art. And the choreographed dances. And how to get along with others and share toys.

Her caregivers are certainly teaching her these things, so how are they not teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I call it school, because it's where my 2yo has learned to count, his shapes, Spanish, etc. He has teachers there. How is this not school?

My kid learned all that and more from his nanny. We don’t call our home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I call it school, because it's where my 2yo has learned to count, his shapes, Spanish, etc. He has teachers there. How is this not school?

I tend to agree with you. When DD was an infant it was definitely 'daycare,' but now that she's two the things she learns amazes me daily: counting, colors, shapes, ABC's. And the ART - so much art. And the choreographed dances. And how to get along with others and share toys.

Her caregivers are certainly teaching her these things, so how are they not teachers?

Because unless it is an accredited preschool with certified teachers with college degrees - they aren’t teachers.

[Anonymous]

This is peak DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents feel bad about sending their kids to daycare I guess so everyone calls it “school”. I call it daycare.

+1. Yup, exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I call it school, because it's where my 2yo has learned to count, his shapes, Spanish, etc. He has teachers there. How is this not school?

My kid learned all that and more from his nanny. We don’t call our home school.

If the nanny is at your house, your kid is not going to a classroom of 8 kids and 2 teachers with playground time when kids socialize with other defined classes. Our "daycare" looks exactly like "school" as portrayed in picture books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I call it school, because it's where my 2yo has learned to count, his shapes, Spanish, etc. He has teachers there. How is this not school?

My kid learned all that and more from his nanny. We don’t call our home school.

+1

I think I'll start calling the nanny "our tutor." I really don't care what anyone calls it. I just find it funny that for whatever reason parents want to call it "school." And posting pictures of the whole "graduation" ceremony for 2/3 year olds complete with caps and gowns? It's everything that supposedly was done wrong to millennials making them entitled and expect a trophy for participation. And yet it's clearly only getting worse and starting earlier. And I agree, if you're defending using the word "school" by listing out its academic rigors, you're doing your child a disservice by having them at that "school." They all should be playing, whether with a SAHM, a nanny, a daycare provider, or a "teacher"-- let them be kids. They have their whole life to be in school and work.