Reply to Can only afford one. Pay for preschool for one child or activities for the other?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If you are home, I would not send your DD to preschool.  You become the preschool teacher.  For socialization, take her to library story hours, the park, anything that is free or low cost.[/quote]

That's pretty much what we're doing now, but I really think she needs more.   Frankly, it's not good for either of us.  I need time to work on my job search, but right now I either don't (in order to engage with my daughter) or I put on the TV so that I can have uninterrupted time to job search.

I also don't think the kind of socialization that takes place at the library, park, etc. is the same as being part of a group with regular classmates with whom she can form bonds with over time.   I really, really believe children need to learn from adults other than their parent's sometimes.

I might just tap into the savings for this, though I know DH isn't going to be thrilled about it.[/quote]

I know you said you're new to the area, but do you have friends with similar aged children? Even if it happens on a weekend (e.g. if they work outside the home) what about setting up your own preschool co-op with friends? Julie has the 3 kids on saturday mornings for 2 hours and they bake and go for a walk. Sarah has the 3 kids on wednesday evenings and they explore the creek. John has the 3 kids monday afternoons and they do art.

My child was in daycare from infancy, but she has friends who weren't in any out of the home programs until Kindergarten and they have done just fine. It may have taken them a bit longer to settle in to Kindergarten since they hadn't been doing the circle time - centers - ask to go to the bathroom or get a drink - line up to go outside for ever, but everyone caught on quickly.

Depending on how much time you're putting in to your job search, if how much time you might be able to get with child-care swapping isn't enough, what about telling your DH that until you get a job, he's going to have to step up and be the on parent for the evenings so you can have 2-4 hours a day for your job search?

Every child going to preschool is such a new thing. My own parents only sent me because I was the youngest and my older siblings had gone off to school and I wanted to too! So I got one year of preschool, which was pretty extravagant back then. I think your older child's immersion + music lesson trumps your younger child's preschool. Although your sanity may trump everything![/quote]

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