To all guppans with kids :-
At what age is best to send kids ? Also how many days a week ?
Any personal experiences - good or bad ?
Re: Preschool experiences ?
Our daughter Safia is 3 and a half right now. I'm looking into the preschools here and calling some of them. We just moved here a couple months ago so I didn't know how much the preschools cost and what their hours are. There was one that I called and they said both parents must present pay stubs then put the kid on a waiting list for Jan. It's a 6hour min. day for the child and costs way too much. i think she said over $500 a month. So if Safia doesn't go to preschool this year it's not a total loss. I think she would love to play with other kids and have some structured play. she has 3 friends here in our neighborhood, so preschool would just be another fun activity.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
Thanks for posting an excellent question. I'm facing the same question with Noor right now.
Looking forward to experienced replies.....
Re: Preschool experiences ?
I don't have any kids myself BUT I have 2 younger sisters who grew up in the US. My parents started sending them to pre-school full-time(Mon-Fri) when they were 4. Never heard any complaints.....they had a lot of fun. It gave them a chance to meet other kids. My sisters are 14 and 15 now, and both have friends in their circle whom they met back in pre-school.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
It depends on a lot of things; child's personality, parents career/work schedule, financial situation etc.
One of my nephews was having a hard time adjusting to her younger sister and the fact that he isn't the center of attention anymore. Within six months after her birth his personality changed. He wasn't as playful or active as he used to be and cried and complained all day long. His parents sent him to preschool and he loved it and changed his negative attitude towards his sister.
On the other hand, I have heard some kids find it great to have a young ones around to play with.
Misbah has gone to day care since she was about a year old. She had developed great social skills and behaves very well in front of others most of the time. She is almost potty trained even though she is not even two. Though we have noticed that she uses the potty cry to get attention or get out of the high chair. When we take her to a public play area, she doesn't stand on the side and watch these kids running around, she gets involved. There are draw backs too, for example food wise we try to give her the food we eat but over there with so many kids, she get to share the food, germs and manners too. She gets home so tired from the daycare that after feeding her dinner & giving her a bath, she goes straight to bed.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
We're in New York and something we found is that there is a difference between day-care places and actual pre-schools. Pre-schools (if they're certified as a school), have to have licensed teachers and a certain curriculum (not that they're learning calculus at that age) anyway, certified pre-schools tend to be more expensive than the day care places. There are many day-care places that do have a pre-school setting.
In our area, most parents put their kids in pre-school for 2 years, from age 3 to age 5 and then they go to kindergarden. Thats the plan we're following too. Its two and a half hours, 5 days a week. I made a goof with the school I chose....although its one of the very best in the area, its horribly expensive (4K for Sept thru May). Next year and with the youngest, we're going to switch to another less expensive school.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
My daughter Ishaa just started pre school last week.
Infact it was her 3rd day today. She is 3 and a half years old and yes
the school is veeeeeeeryyyyyyy expensive.
She is way too attached to me and I thought she needed kids her age to
interact with. So far she is having a hard time parting from me for the 4 hours she
goes each day (5 days a week that is). Specially leaving her there is very hard.
She wants me to stay there with her.
So anyways I am hoping things would start to get better by the end of this week.
I say if u have children over the age of three defenitely try to enroll em in a pre school.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
i taught at a montessori school for 3 yrs...teaching at the primary level ages 3-6yrs. The particular montessori school i taught at started taking kids at 18 months. What i noticed during my observations is that children that start montessori b4 the age of 3 learned a lot but at the same time it was more like babysitting whereas a child starting at the age of 3 was actually going to school. A 3 yr old benefits a lot more than an 18 month old. Therefore i think age 3 is a good age to start school. Also in terms of how many days a week....well the children that went 5 days a week benefit a lot more than the children that go 2-3 days a week. Children that go 5 days a week not only learned more but they adjusted a lot quicker. the 2-3 day kids nvr got to experience the full montessori curriculum.
In fact...i believe this yr they eliminated the 2-3 day program.
You guys should def look into montessori schools as well if u havent already....i love the montessori philosophy and im sure ur kids will 2.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
Thanks for all the responses. Actually, I started my daughter today. She is almost 3 but very much a homebody now because I am a stay home mom. She hardly gets a chance to play with kids her age. First day wasn't too bad. I am sending her 2 days a week and then increase it if she likes it. My main reason was merely for interaction with other kids. I think its definitely a good idea.. I looked into Montessori also but I think they are a little too strict and rigid in terms of daily schooling. Pre-school seems more fun.
Sajal - keep me posted on how your little one is doing !
Re: Preschool experiences ?
Its great - it helps them adjust easier to KG and onwards.
After being in pre-school, I thought that KG was a joke. It has a domino effect, so every year what my parents would do, is they would teach me things that I would learn the next year. I breezed thru easy peasy str8 thru and thru, cuz of that.
If you put them in pre-school, make sure to follow up with some exercises at home that re-inforce what they learned that day. Like if they're doing A, B, C's, make sure that's what you're doing at home as well.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
Such an informative thread ... Thank you !!!
Eventhough Ahmed is only 18 mths its great to know what parents and children have to go through as they get older.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
Always make sure you start searching long before you intend to send your child. Because very often there are long long waiting lists.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
I guess my girls had had it with me and decided to enrol themselves in the school
I dun remember going throught what others have.
One goes to school to study
The other goes to play
One brings back a ton of homework
the other has her backpack full of toys
Re: Preschool experiences ?
my boys started day care around the age of 2 n half....n my reason for sending them there was much needed social interaction........though i sent them for 4 hrs a day ...5 days a week
they were following the german educational system .....n were supposed to start school at age 6.....but then we took a u-turn.....n opted for this british school ..........which requires children to be in year 1 at age 5
so eldest started school directly from year 1 (no nursery/reception etc.) ....n even though i was veryyy nervous about it ....he has been brilliant throughout!! younger one is in reception now (4 years old)
but i've concluded .....its best to start a day care for social interaction etc. around the age of two .....n never forget to reinforce learning at home ....i.e colours shapes , n language(in our case) ....BUT just don't overdo it ....let them enjoy a carefree childhood while they can! :)
Re: Preschool experiences ?
Diva
how is your daughter doing now?
Is she ok with u leaving her there?
My daughter had her 6th day at school today.
Although she is getting adjusted she cries in the morning
when I leave her. But when I go pick her up she seems like she
is having a good time.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
the first time my parents send me to skool i was 4 n a romanian girl tucked my cheeks soo much that in the end i had to pull her hair...
so i prefer that children should be send to skool at 5 directly to grade 1...
pre-nursery or kindergarden is not good.
Re: Preschool experiences ?
Sajal :- my kid is okay. No crying and no problems alhumd.