Great preschool but a lot of annoying rules

[Anonymous]

I toured a fabulous preschool, but the handbook has a bunch of annoying rules. Like, one day per week you pack lunch, but they don’t want to pack dessert and “we consider yogurt borderline”. My kid doesn’t like yogurt (or sweets), but the tone was so nit picky. Would you trade off a great program for a bunch of nit picky stuff?

[Anonymous]

I would ignore. There was probably just a clique of annoying moms. I'm sure there will be other eye-rolling things, but what matters are the teachers.

[Anonymous]

It would depend on what the other annoying rules are

[Anonymous]

If you don’t like the rules then you should not be up at preschool. Find another one.

[Anonymous]

In general when I have dismissed the instinct that says "this rubs me the wrong way" I have later regretted it

[Anonymous]

Probably not, because that nitpicky stuff is indicative of the larger culture at the preschool, and that would impact whether it's really "fabulous."

[Anonymous]

Yes, accepted a great school with a lot of nit picky rules. We didn’t regret it at all. We kind of enjoyed the occasional email admonishing parents not to send in goldfish with lunch. Especially when we were the offending party- whoops!

[Anonymous]

Good preschools are so hard to find, I would focus on the character of the teachers and staff. That is the most important criteria. The teacher has to be a good fit for your child, and the director has to be a good fit for you.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't mind the nutrition policy if I like the program and teachers, but "we consider yogurt borderline” is actually not helpful at all because if it's borderline can I pack it or not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't mind the nutrition policy if I like the program and teachers, but "we consider yogurt borderline” is actually not helpful at all because if it's borderline can I pack it or not?

I assume they mean if you keep packing gogurt in the squeeze tubes with characters on it, they might say something, but plain greek yogurt with cucumber sticks is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't mind the nutrition policy if I like the program and teachers, but "we consider yogurt borderline” is actually not helpful at all because if it's borderline can I pack it or not?

It's kind of funny, because it says "we will passive-aggressively judge you for doing this" but actually spells it out expressly!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't mind the nutrition policy if I like the program and teachers, but "we consider yogurt borderline” is actually not helpful at all because if it's borderline can I pack it or not?

It's kind of funny, because it says "we will passive-aggressively judge you for doing this" but actually spells it out expressly!

Right? Put a max on grams of sugar per serving or something. Or say no snacks with sugar or corn syrup as the first ingredient. Fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Probably not, because that nitpicky stuff is indicative of the larger culture at the preschool, and that would impact whether it's really "fabulous."

and

Anonymous wrote:In general when I have dismissed the instinct that says "this rubs me the wrong way" I have later regretted it

I agree with both of these. If you find this off-putting (and I do, so no judgment!), it is likely only the start of stuff that will annoy you.

[Anonymous]

Did they spring on these "annoying" rules or were they in the handbook?

[Anonymous]

Nobody tells me what I can feed my kid at school. Give me suggestions, that's fine. But nobody makes rules about whether or not I can give my kid yogurt in her lunch.

I'd pass. But I'd love to hear the other rules!