How common is it to send your child to preschool in NoVa? (Fairfax: day care, how much)

[katarinakeren]

Folks, we've been out of the loop over here in Germany for years now, so I have no idea how common it is to send your preschool-aged child to preschool. I lean towards not sending my son, I think he's doing very well socially and intellectually for his age, but I don't want him to be at a disadvantage when it comes to kindergarten.

So tell me, from your experience in NoVa, are we going to be oddballs if we don't send him to preschool? How much does it really prepare him for kindergarten?

Any advice is very helpful, as I see there are waiting lists for a lot of preschools and we need to get on a list soon if we are going to enroll him this year...

[mac10]

In Loudoun County, I don't know of anyone who doesn't send their kid to preschool, at least part-time. If you can't afford it there are government sponsored programs. The good preschools usually have a year long waiting list.

I think preschool helps the kid prepare for a more structured school environment. I've heard kids who didn't go to preschool had a harder time adjusting to being in school initially. I think it helps them adjust to dealing with a group of kids for an extended period of time in a school environment, instead of just a play date with friends. If you decide not to send your child to preschool, I would recommend them knowing their letters and numbers and being able to start reading when they enter Kindergarten as a minimum. I'm not one to advocate pushing kids to be geniuses at 4 years, but I have seen kids in Kindergarten reading at the 4th grade level and knowing their multiplication.

[Yankeesfan]

A half-day, two or three days a week of preschool for four-year-olds is all that's necessary. But that pretty much is necessary, to prepare your child for the atmosphere and routine of kindergarten. Especially since so many schools have, unfortunately, shifted to full-day kindergarten, which would be a huge shift for a child who wasn't used to any school routine at all.

[mlv311]

I'm in 3 moms groups and I would say half of the moms have sent their kids to preschool (3 year olds and 4 year olds: 2-3 mornings per week), but even those who haven't sent their kids to preschool at that age do enroll them in a Pre-K program (4-5 mornings a week) the year before they start K. Like YankeesFan said, it is definitely a plus if your child is going to go to K all day. Perhaps someone here can advise you on what a child is expected to know by the end of K (way more than when I was in school) and that will help you determine if Pre-K would help him/her.

[mac10]

Originally Posted by mlv311

Perhaps someone here can advise you on what a child is expected to know by the end of K (way more than when I was in school) and that will help you determine if Pre-K would help him/her.

This information can be found on the County Public school websites.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

I think most people in this highly educated, rich area send their kids to preschool. Preschool is much better than day care and really prepares your child for school. By the time my son left preschool he knew his alphabet and could read a little - he was even bored in Kindergarten because he learned it all already. Preschool also teaches a child social skills and gets them used to the structure of school. I wish they had it when I was a kid.............

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by Fairfax Mom

I think most people in this highly educated, rich area send their kids to preschool. Preschool is much better than day care and really prepares your child for school. By the time my son left preschool he knew his alphabet and could read a little - he was even bored in Kindergarten because he learned it all already. Preschool also teaches a child social skills and gets them used to the structure of school. I wish they had it when I was a kid.............

I think it depend on the daycare. My kid knew the ABC's in daycare by when she turned 2. I vote for home based daycare rather than corporate type.

[ShannonMilligan]

My kids go to a Kindercare and love it! They are 2 and they know their ABC's, can count to 11, sing songs and so forth. This is a daycare and I think they do a great job at teaching.
I know a lot of mothers who send their kids not just for the education but b/c they want a break!
It comes down to what you think is best. Good luck!

[michgc]

I asked my daughter's kindergarten teacher and she said only 1 or 2 hadn't gone to preschool in a class of about 22. And she said those students were still being taught (like homeschool, I guess). It may depend on the area of NoVa, however. And if your child is going to be in full-day kindergarten, then I think it is a wise idea to ease them into it by starting out in preschool at least for the prior year. Most people send for the two prior years, I believe.

[Workin_Hard]

My daughter, just turned three, started in a Montessori program last fall. We were concerned about her social developnment as she's an only child and playing an hour here and there with neighborhood kids just wasn't going to do it. After a year of school, she's outgoing, very well adjusted, plays great with others, reads at a first grade level, does simple math and has an amazing vocabulary. Ask her a question and the reply starts with "Well actually, Dad, ..." We chose the Montessori program after a lot of research of available options, ranging from private in-home to franchise-type centers to a full preschool. I had terrible visions of picking her up and hearing ""¿Cómo estás, Papa?" - not acceptable under any conditions for our family (although others will no doubt disagree here). I'd highly recommend a preschool over daycare, which to me is like finding a shelf to stick the kid on while you're at work. In any case, examine all the facilities carefully and listen to your gut if something doesn't feel right.