Just When I Thought

[Country Kids]

things might be going ok, another parent (two this month) says "We are thinking of sending *** to ***** preschool". :confused: were my reactions! This is a child that cries when they have to leave because they love coming here! They are sad on the days they aren't here- Both of the kids are like this.

I'm sorry but what am I doing wrong? I pour my heart and soul into this and have for 17 years. I don't know what more to do. People use to seriously come here just so their child could do preschool with me. I feel like just ditching the whole preschool idea and being just a nature based outdoor childcare. The thing is though I really like having children up through elementary school. Yes, ladies I'm one of those. What I like about it is less turn-over. Why put everything into a child to only have them leave in a year to go to preschool and be constantly trying to keep business coming in the door.

What I have is experience not a degree. I have had teachers tell me that I could more then likely walk into their classroom and take over because I have done this so long and worked very hard at it. The kindergarten teachers love having the dck's in their class that I had as they know they are ready for the work and know what they are doing.

So right now I'm a little frustrated and hurt.

[Oneluckymom]

I realize how you must feel...but I would say (I know its hard) not to take it personally.

You can do EVERYTHING to offer an awesome preschool environment and education, but some parents in the end still have the notion that their child should go to a traditional "preschool" to get a "real" pre-K education (even though they may get equal or far less than what you are offering.

I'm so sorry you are going through this.

You know in your heart what you give those kids everyday is waaaayyy better than any institutional daycare/preschool.

[sharlan]

You are not doing anything wrong. It's a sign of the times. Parents want their kids to go to preschool to get a head start on their education and socialization.

[seebachers]

Yep...what she said.....don't take it personally even though we all know that it is hard not to do. Actually I assume that at age 4, all my parents are sending them to preschool (even though I used to teach preschool before doing care in my home). No skin off my nose. They have to figure out transportation and they pay for the spot. All I have to do isl love on them while they are here.

[Country Kids]

Yep...what she said.....don't take it personally even though we all know that it is hard not to do. Actually I assume that at age 4, all my parents are sending them to preschool (even though I used to teach preschool before doing care in my home). No skin off my nose. They have to figure out transportation and they pay for the spot. All I have to do isl love on them while they are here.

What happens here is they will go to the preschool and then attend the childcare that is offered right after so we usually lose the child all together.

[jen]

Try having an open conversation with the families. Find out what they are looking for from a preschool. How do they believe preschool will be better or different for the child? I have found that often parents don't really know what kids do at preschool! They think that they are missing out; sometimes you just have get it out there so that they can see that they really are getting everything that preschool has to offer.

Also...there are a few things you might try that worked well for me, although you may already be doing these!

My county (through community education) offers a FREE "kindergarden readiness" teacher that comes out once per month to "teach" a class. I advertised this as my way of ensuring that all the activities we do each month are on target.

Purchase a boxed curriculum and charge the parents for it...advertise as "professional preschool curriculum." Then they feel they are getting what "preschool" offers.

Find a local college kid, perhaps an ECE candidate, who wants to provide programming once a week for some "enrichment" activity. I hired a spanish/music teacher. It cost me next to nothing, I charged extra for it, and the kids loved it!

Send out a weekly preschool happening newletter with what you are doing each week. Include the lyrics to one of the songs you are learning, the color of the month, favorite recipe the kids tried out that week, etc.

Take pictures of the kids and send them out via email every couple weeks. Show kids participating in a variety of activities from story time, to outside play and "desk work." (LOL..coloring!)

Good luck!

[Country Kids]

Try having an open conversation with the families. Find out what they are looking for from a preschool. How do they believe preschool will be better or different for the child? I have found that often parents don't really know what kids do at preschool! They think that they are missing out; sometimes you just have get it out there so that they can see that they really are getting everything that preschool has to offer.

Also...there are a few things you might try that worked well for me, although you may already be doing these!

My county (through community education) offers a FREE "kindergarden readiness" teacher that comes out once per month to "teach" a class. I advertised this as my way of ensuring that all the activities we do each month are on target.

Purchase a boxed curriculum and charge the parents for it...advertise as "professional preschool curriculum." Then they feel they are getting what "preschool" offers.

Find a local college kid, perhaps an ECE candidate, who wants to provide programming once a week for some "enrichment" activity. I hired a spanish/music teacher. It cost me next to nothing, I charged extra for it, and the kids loved it!

Send out a weekly preschool happening newletter with what you are doing each week. Include the lyrics to one of the songs you are learning, the color of the month, favorite recipe the kids tried out that week, etc.

Take pictures of the kids and send them out via email every couple weeks. Show kids participating in a variety of activities from story time, to outside play and "desk work." (LOL..coloring!)

Good luck!

I do the "boxed" curriculum and my parents all love it.

I send out a newsletter with everything we do plus include the one from the currriculum. Both cover loads of things we are doing.

I'm constently doing pictures of crafts, table center time, outdoor time, on our walks, at the library, etc.

I have had a lady come and do bible story, songs, crafts with them once a week.

The one parent wants the child to be in a much bigger classroom so the child will be ready for kindergarten. The child would have 3-4 kids from here that will be in their kindergarten class. I would rather have my child going to school and know people then anything.

[daycare]

dont take it personal.....I think that parents feel that they have to have their child in an ACTUAL preschool, regardless of what we do..

This just happened to me...

DCP tell me that DCK is going to real preschool! Ok cool no worries. Love you guys will miss you.

3 weeks later..I get an email telling me that the new preschool does not even teach half of what I am teaching the kids and wants to come back. The parents are paying $700.00 more monthly to the preschool that they HAD to have their child in. The new preschool even asked the DCP wow where did your kid go before here, they can already read?????

I wish I could take this family back, but I have no space..... I felt bad at first, but I don't anymore, it was their choice.....

It seems to me that unless you write the words preschool on your (not home) school, then parents will still do what they think they need to do....

I have some that stay all the way until kinder and some that leave to preschool... Either way, I am happy that I had any hand in the childs life to success.

[MarinaVanessa]

Can you apeal more to the parents by getting letters of recommendation from the teachers that you're talking about (the ones that love getting your DC kids). They can just talk about how the DC kids that you teach behave and how they excel in their classroom. Getting teacher reference letters can possibly help you out .

Also have you thought about getting a teacher credential? Or CDA or similar? Here in CA you can get what is called an assistant teacher, teacher and director permit. These aren't required by the state but are required by many daycare centers in order to teach/work in them. Having one of these permits (in our area) is a HUGE bonus if you run a family childcare home. Parent's LOVE daycare homes that have them and that offer pre-school curriculum. Can you possibly do something like this? There are several online programs that can helps you get a credential or CDA.