Does it seem to you that a lot of parents use their kids going to preschool as a status symbol? (play, daughter)

[Hemlock140]

I have never run into a parent who wasn't sending their kids to preschool, it's become routine. Parents are not doing it to brag, but to ensure that their kids can keep up with the others when they go to kindergarten. The challenge is getting into one, with the long waiting lists, and paying $1,500-3,000/month. We sent ours, but back then it was a lot less expensive and easier to get into as not everyone did it.

[Giesela]

I thought most working couples sent their kids to pre-school as the bridge between daycare and regular school. Just sort of normal. Have to pay for both so...............

[cjmeck]

Not a status symbol; just something obviously beneficial to most children. School readiness has very little to do with what kids know academically.

[Cassy Fae]

Originally Posted by thatsallrightmama

It's that way in our city. There seems to be a "my child is more smart/social than yours because MY child goes to preschool and yours doesn't" type of mentality, plus there is the status symbol of parents who brag about paying tuition.

When our son was 2-1/2, the school psychologist indicated that he was almost kindergarten level academically. I take him out at least 5x/week to places where he is exposed to hours of socialization with other kids (parks, library, Lego kids club, indoor play areas, etc). I plan to enroll him in Pre-K early next year.

So, I'm assuming you are getting into conversations with parents at these meetups? Or do you have play date circles that you run in? I ask because as a working mom I feel disconnected from other parents and I don't really have mom friends. I'm oblivious of any bragging feature in preschool decision making. I wouldn't have guessed it, to be honest. People are likely doing what they think is best for their kids. But who knows. People can be petty, genuine, mean, kind, etc.

[Pansori]

I have never experienced that, and I question whether the people you have been in contact with are really acting snooty.

[AfternoonCoffee]

Originally Posted by thatsallrightmama

It's that way in our city. There seems to be a "my child is more smart/social than yours because MY child goes to preschool and yours doesn't" type of mentality, plus there is the status symbol of parents who brag about paying tuition.

Originally Posted by HighFlyingBird

never ran into that...and I ran with a somewhat affluent crowd. Some people did preschool (low cost to very costly) or no preschool...or homeschool...or co-op preschool. Etc. I wonder what message you are actually running into.

Originally Posted by Kibbiekat

Me too.

Originally Posted by Pansori

I have never experienced that, and I question whether the people you have been in contact with are really acting snooty.

I agree with the above posters...I suspect this is more about your interpretation of what is being said as opposed to the speakers' actual intent.

[veuvegirl]

Agreed, I have never heard of that. You either send your child or you don't no one ever gave me the impression of having a better status because their kid was in preschool.

[FromCTtoFL]

My daughter just turned three and she is not in preschool. I am lucky enough that I've been able to stay home with her and plan on doing so at least for another 3-6 months. After that, its preschool for her and back to work for me. We put her in a fancy expensive preschool when she was an infant and we lived in the NYC area because "that's what everyone does" but it did not work out for us. She was sick ALL THE TIME. It was awful - my husband and I kept getting sick too. Finally, one night at about 3am my husband said "that's it...I can't function like this and its costing us a fortune." She's been home with me ever since and very rarely gets sick. Like the OP, we spend everyday doing activities together - library storytimes, playdates, playground, parks, swimming (we live in Florida now). I don't care what anyone else thinks (and you shouldn't either OP). I had to do what was best for my family. We've had to live a bit more frugally for the past few years but it's been well worth it. My daughter is the only (biological) child I'll ever have and I want/wanted to enjoy every minute of her as an infant/toddler.

[Kibbiekat]

Originally Posted by FromCTtoFL

My daughter just turned three and she is not in preschool. I am lucky enough that I've been able to stay home with her and plan on doing so at least for another 3-6 months. After that, its preschool for her and back to work for me. We put her in a fancy expensive preschool when she was an infant and we lived in the NYC area because "that's what everyone does" but it did not work out for us. She was sick ALL THE TIME. It was awful - my husband and I kept getting sick too. Finally, one night at about 3am my husband said "that's it...I can't function like this and its costing us a fortune." She's been home with me ever since and very rarely gets sick. Like the OP, we spend everyday doing activities together - library storytimes, playdates, playground, parks, swimming (we live in Florida now). I don't care what anyone else thinks (and you shouldn't either OP). I had to do what was best for my family. We've had to live a bit more frugally for the past few years but it's been well worth it. My daughter is the only (biological) child I'll ever have and I want/wanted to enjoy every minute of her as an infant/toddler.

I don't consider that "preschool." That's not the norm where I am. Some people did a mom's day out thing maybe one morning a week around age 1.5-2, and/or preschool starting at 3 or 4. By the time they were 4, every kid I knew was in preschool.

[Pansori]

Originally Posted by FromCTtoFL

We put her in a fancy expensive preschool when she was an infant and we lived in the NYC area because "that's what everyone does"...

That is not preschool, that is a daycare.