Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

I know absolutely nothing on when to start a child. I thought you started the year before they go to Kindergarten.

But I have seen posts recently on many of you starting when your child turns two. Holy crap! I need help on what's going on!! Are these pre-schools that help only those already in daycare?

I really don't want to miss out on sending DS somewhere, but I also don't want to start too early because of finances.

He will be two at the start of a normal school year. Am I supposed to be looking? How much does this normally cost? Isn't it only for a few hours per day?

LOST LOST LOST!!!!!!!!

TIA!!!!!!!!!

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

i personally will be waiting to send DS to preschool until he is 4. HE has family watching him (there are other children in the home) for free. I would rather put all that money away for future use rather than use it for nursery school/ day care . Like I said he will be around 2 other children every day , He'll be in school till he is 22, he can stay home for now

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

Does he go to daycare? If so, I think he would be learning at daycare what he would learn at a nursery/preschool program at that age (socialization, sharing, counting, color recognition, etc.).

I'm a newbie at this too, but I'm finding a few places for age 2 (not very many though) that are a couple of hours a day for 2 days a week. You have to start looking now though because from what I hear, registration fills up quickly for the fall.

I will probably enroll DD for next fall because we aren't around kids all day every in a structured setting and it can't hurt for her to get a break from me and vice versa.

What town are you in?

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

Kaila stated nursery school in September, and she will be 3 this month. Ill send her again in September and then Kindergarten the following year.. I think

I put her in because 1- she has no siblings and no other children to play with often and thought it would be good for her. And 2- because I knew I would be going back to work and it makes me feel better that she is somewhere learning and having fun.

I think its just a preference, it can get expensive too. Although, Kaila has learned so much from the program so far, made friends, gone to birthday parties ect.. she brings home projects almost every day

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

I would say one year at 4 is fine for most kids. I am sending DD at 3 to the program they offer through my district. Its Mon-Fri for 2 2/1 hours. I know Hailey is ready, she makes up stories about school, friends, babysitters. The other day she even packed her "pack pack" with juice boxes and said she was waiting for the bus.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

We sent DD this year for 2 days a week 2 1/2 hrs and she was 2 1/2 turning 3 end of December. Next year in September (3yrs old now) we will be sending her to the same school basically repeating the year before but she will be with the kids she will be in school with forever. Commack has a DEc1st cutoff so I have to wait an extra year before she will go to kindergarten.

We wanted her to get the socialization part of it.. She too has Daddy during the day and Mommy at night, she is our first so no other siblings and cousins are in school themselves. She LOVES school and Im glad we put her in..

Edited for price
Its 200 a month

Message edited 1/10/2009 4:03:20 PM.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

Andrew goes to Pre School for 2 days a week for 2 1/2 yrs since Sept and he is 2 1/2.

I felt he really needed it. For the socialization, learning, and I wanted to get him used to a school setting.

I felt like being home with me all week would be boring. He has been speaking sentences and holding conversations for over a yr now and counting, etc. It was time.

If they had 3 days I would have done that but they didn't. Next yr he will go longer.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

Both my kids started at age 3 - for 3 hours a day, 3 days a week. I was home with them, I didn't see the need to send them any earlier. And I could have waited until age 4 for pre-K, but I wanted them to be in a setting without mommy! They adjusted really well. My DD is 2.5 now and will start in September, where she will be 3 years 4 months old.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

I am just enrolling my now 20 mo old son in a 2 hour, 2 day a week program for 2 year olds. It doesnt begin until Sept but registration is in January! He will be 28 months old when it starts and has been home with me the whole time. We go to library things and story times but I think he needs to learn to play with other kids. Right now his playmates are me and the dog! Its a church program here so its reasonably priced so I figured why not try it.

Edited cause I cant type

Message edited 1/10/2009 1:25:25 PM.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

My DD will be in daycare starting next month. I am hoping to time my next baby so that I can be on leave when she is close to 3. If that works I will send her to preschool at age 3 part time. If that doesn't work then she will go when she is 4.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

DD will be starting nursery school in September. She will be 3.5. She will go 2-3 days/week for 2-3 hours/day. I just haven't decided yet.

She will go to pre-school the following year and will be 4.5. That may be a full or half day, not sure yet. But it is 5 days a week. I just felt like waiting until she's 4.5 to start some sort of school is too late for me.

Message edited 1/10/2009 1:56:41 PM.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

I sent Hayley when she was 2. It was the best thing I could have done for her. She was around kids her age, playing, learning her numbers, colors and how to share. She went 2 days a week for 3 hours a day. I loved her school but they moved and it was out of my way to bring her there.

I found a new one and she is doing great there!! She goes 3 days a week for 2 1/2 hours a day. It is cheaper than what I was paying last year.

I am registering her for Pre-K for September thru my school district.

Lindsay will be going to school when she is 2 as well!

Start looking in your Yankee Trader or ask on here for suggestions!

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

Jenna started at 3-she went 2 days/week for 130 dollars/month. It was from 12-2:20.

This year, at 4 years, I enrolled her at 3 days/week (M/W/F) from 12-2:20 and pay 160 dollars/month.

I was more interested in getting her socialized with a group of children, listening to a teacher, following a schedule, etc...Of course she has learned a ton from preschool but I wanted a more social maturity out of it than anything else.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

DS has been in school since 15 mos. He needs the structure though. Although we had the offer of family to watch him F/T, he is happier when he is on a structured schedule of activity and learning.

I think every child is different though, and even in Day Care DS was miserable. He really enjoys school and looks forward to it every day.

With this new LO, I'll let him guide me...KWIM?

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

most people start their DC at 3...but everyone is different and sends their DC at different ages for different reasons...as a former preschool teacher, i thnk 3 is a good age to start,i think at that age they are ready...however
I started my DD at 2yrs old because baby #2 was on the way and i thought it would be good for her to interact with others and not be cooped up in the house with me and the baby, (DD turned 2 in sept DS came nov, she was well adjusted to school before DS came along) i only sent her 1 day a week...i was going to send her for 2 if she didnt adjust well and needed another day but it worked out fine with just going on thursdays...
it gave her time to be around others and in a school setting. she loved it.
i am planning to send DS this sept he will be 2 in nov. This year DD is 3 and she goes to school 2 days a week...this sept when shes 4 she will go 3 days..
i found a school that was not a daycare setting and did not require your child to be potty trained. overall it was a good experience for all of us.
hope this is helpful!

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

Im going to lump Michael in with Caden b/c of they are so very close in age.

Our boys can start PreK the September they are 4. Some places have full time prek, others have part time pre k....I am planning putting Caden in a part time preK either 3 full days or 5 part time days. To prepare him for Kindergarten...

Our boys can start preschool the September they are 3. Most schools require that they be potty trained (although there are exceptions) If our budget allows I'll be finding Caden a program that is either 2 or 3 part time days. I always recommend mornings b/c the afternoon slots tend to waste your entire day. (although with your work schedule it might work out well)

Our boys can start nursery school this coming September.. . I am not sending Caden to school this September. He'll be home with me.....But there are schools out there they offer programs for this aged children. Although some can be hard to find b/c a lot require that they be potty trained..and although I have high hopes for us that they will be potty trained by then. We must be realistic that they will only just be 2...

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

DD will start in Sept - she will have just turned 3. She will be going 2 days a week for 3 hrs each day. Its costing us $150/mth. I am home with her most of the time. she has no siblings and doesnt have many playdates etc so I felt shell need the interaction with other kids.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

I sent DD at 2.5 because she was having social issues...not playing with other kids when they were around...only wanting to be with adults. She was with a sitter since newborn age and I thought it was time...

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

I am wrestling with this too. DD goes to daycare 3x a week and gets learning and socialization there already. We were thinking of enrolling her in a 2 year old program in September when she will be 26 months or holding off until January when she is 3.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

I think you do not need to worry about school until at least 3 and then it should be all about socialization and learning through play. It gets a little more academic at four.

On the other hand, if you need a break for a couple of hours a week, I say go for it.

Re: Completely lost on how/when to start pre-school

If DS wasn't in Daycare I would start at about 2 or 2 1/2. It is great not only for education purposes but for socialization. DS daycare starts "classes" where they begin to learn letters, numbers etc. at 2.