We have done both — run of the mill “daycare” and well-regarded private “preschool.” I put these in quotation marks because it’s kind of silly to imagine they are significantly different. (There is one poster on these boards who gets super riled up if you call a daycare “school.”)

Both had thoughtful curricula, loving teachers, songs, numbers, field trips, playground, alphabet, etc. The kid who went to daycare is now actually far more advanced academically than the one who did “preschool” all the way through.

In short, push for the daycare and save your money.

Fancy private preschool is not something I'd stretch my household budget for. If you're going private for actual K-12 school, save for that, unless this school somehow feeds into an exclusive school at a later point.

In my experience, those sorts of schools are more for the parental connections than the kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A huge portion of kids at private schools don’t pay full rate and some don’t pay anything.

Most schools have stepped tuition or financial aid. Most require both parents to be working.

Tour the school you like and ask adminissions coordinator.

Not at the preschool level. Not even at the elementary school level.

Umm yes they do, not trying to be snarky but you are dead wrong. I have been on a private school board and was on a committee that studied different schools policies as part of transistion from financial aid to stepped tuition model.

It is not a huge portion. It is a few. Also, for someone on a private school board, you need to seek help with spelling.

Unless the preschool is a feeder for a private elementary in which you hope to enroll him, I would just go with (a high quality) day care. Low staff to child ratios, warm, empathetic staff who have an understanding of child development, lots of opportunities for outdoor play, play based curriculum in which the kids can learn through exploration. All of those are the qualities that matter, and paying more doesn't necessarily mean that you will get them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A huge portion of kids at private schools don’t pay full rate and some don’t pay anything.

Most schools have stepped tuition or financial aid. Most require both parents to be working.

Tour the school you like and ask adminissions coordinator.

Not at the preschool level. Not even at the elementary school level.

Umm yes they do, not trying to be snarky but you are dead wrong. I have been on a private school board and was on a committee that studied different schools policies as part of transistion from financial aid to stepped tuition model.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the posters above. We sent our kids to the fanciest child care/preschool in our town and in retrospect wish we hadn't. The kids were nurtured, it was lovely, they got great care, etc... but they could have gotten all of that elsewhere and without the longer commute, spending the huge amount of money and insufferable parent community.

We sent our oldest child to the fanciest preschool around. Second child to the church basement type preschool that was right next to our house. Both had warm teachers and learned a lot, and i was pleasantly surprised that the convenient one (which was also a lot cheaper) is just as good (and has the added benefit of having all neighborhood kids.)

Anonymous wrote:A huge portion of kids at private schools don’t pay full rate and some don’t pay anything.

Most schools have stepped tuition or financial aid. Most require both parents to be working.

Tour the school you like and ask adminissions coordinator.

Not at the preschool level. Not even at the elementary school level.

OP, plenty of center-based preschools offer a terrific experience. Ours prioritizes social/emotional development over academics, and our older two have really thrived there (and I'm sure our youngest will, too, when it's his turn). What matters is that your child is safe, well-cared for, and reasonably prepared for K. There are so many ways to do that which won't break the bank.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell your wife to stop trying to keep up with the Joneses. This mindset is endemic in NW DC and inner MoCo. It's literally an educational arms race among UMC professional parents to sooth their "guilt." It's ridiculous.

+2 This mindset slowly destroys families and communities.

+3.

A huge portion of kids at private schools don’t pay full rate and some don’t pay anything.

Most schools have stepped tuition or financial aid. Most require both parents to be working.

Tour the school you like and ask adminissions coordinator.

I have a co-worker whose children went to fancy preschools, which she viewed as a gateway to fancy private schools. They're at GDS now. Is that important to you? If that's not your plan, then don't sweat it and go with the daycare (as long as its one you will both be happy with).

Anonymous wrote:Tell your wife that when you get to K, you will find a large portion of kids went to daycare and they are no more or less prepared for school and life than those with a fancy preschool and a nanny.

Yup.

Tell your wife that when you get to K, you will find a large portion of kids went to daycare and they are no more or less prepared for school and life than those with a fancy preschool and a nanny.

For us there wasn't much financial difference, but we did give up the convenience of year round daycare at age 3. For us it made sense because we switched to a Montessori school to which we plan to send our kids through junior high. The transition would have been harder in kindergarten, both for Montessori reasons and due to the specific religious and foreign language curriculum of the school that daycare did not offer.

But our circumstances are very specific. I think daycare with a preschool component will make more sense for most people.

I agree with the posters above. We sent our kids to the fanciest child care/preschool in our town and in retrospect wish we hadn't. The kids were nurtured, it was lovely, they got great care, etc... but they could have gotten all of that elsewhere and without the longer commute, spending the huge amount of money and insufferable parent community.