Your Kids Going to Preschool

[My Daycare]

I have been getting tired of the long wait of the licensing process, so I signed up my 3 year old son for preschool for the semester ($150 for the whole semester). It's at a high school, in the afternoons for 1 hr and 40 min per day. The teachers are students. There is one student per child plus a main teacher. He really really likes it.

Also, It is walking distance, but once my daycare begins pickup for him will be right in the middle of nap time. He really loves it so I hate to take him out at the end of the next semester. He also does not nap (please don't yell at me, he sleeps 12 hrs a night and stopped about 6 months ago. When I was watching a little girl he napped because he woke up earlier. Now we sleep later). I have 3 options. Which one would you do?

1. Take him out at the end of the semester when I become licensed.

2. Tell parents of children that are 3 years and older that they are also required to sign up for the preschool for the following semester. That would mess up my Funshine express time, but I think it may be able to be worked out. Then what about the babies?

3. Hire someone to pick him up. How much would you pay? Would anyone do that?

I could also do mornings for him next semester, but then he would miss out on a lot of the stuff I have planned here. Also, I'm not sure if that would be much better.

Any other ideas

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

I would get with another parent in his class,... see if you could give her gas money to drive him,...

[kitkat]

I would definitely keep him enrolled if he's really enjoying it. My DS went to an outside preschool and it was great for both of us! If you feel you can trust another parent to pick him up, that is a good option. Would you be able to shift nap time at all? If that's a possibility, then just move nap time up so the kids will be awake for you to get DS. How many days a week is preschool?

Personally, I would switch him to the morning session. I loved being able to take DS to and from preschool and see how excited he was to see me at pick up (you know how you see your dck get excited at pick up, I wanted that experience for once).

[DCMomOf3]

I would get with another parent in his class,... see if you could give her gas money to drive him,...

I currently pick up a child to take to my son's preschool class twice a week. I think if it's not too inconvenient and you are acquainted with a parent in the class i'd start by asking them if they will drive. i was paid $2 a day last year for gas.

[JJPlaycare]

Could his teacher walk him home quick when it is done? I would chat with any parents of other children enrolled and see if they could help you out with transportation otherwise! Keep him in it if he enjoys it! I sent both my girls to preschool outside of our home, it is good for them to have away time!

[DCMomOf3]

I sent both my girls to preschool outside of our home, it is good for them to have away time!

And I think it's good for them to learn to be around other adults and teachers. I think it's an easier transition to all day school when they have learned to adjust to time away from me.

[melissa ann]

I also sent my dd to outside preschool last year. I wanted her to be around other children/adults. Wow! What a difference it made to her. She was upset at first and cried when we left her there for the first couple of weeks. But then, she came out of her shell and it quite outgoing now. I'm going to enroll her brother next year. he might be tougher. He is a big mommy's boy.

[My Daycare]

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[My Daycare]

Quote form kitkat...I would definitely keep him enrolled if he's really enjoying it. My DS went to an outside preschool and it was great for both of us! If you feel you can trust another parent to pick him up, that is a good option. Would you be able to shift nap time at all? If that's a possibility, then just move nap time up so the kids will be awake for you to get DS. How many days a week is preschool?

Personally, I would switch him to the morning session. I loved being able to take DS to and from preschool and see how excited he was to see me at pick up (you know how you see your dck get excited at pick up, I wanted that experience for once).

He attends school 4 days a week. I would love to switch nap time, but I think 2pm would be too late. I plan (wishful thinking) running from 5-430.

Quote from JJPlaycare...Could his teacher walk him home quick when it is done?

I wish they could, but the teachers still have 1 more HS class to attend. My son gets out one period early. His brother goes there and it would be perfect if they got out at the same time.


Maybe I'm thinking to much about it. He likes it so I'll continue to send him. He is a mamas boy too, so I thought he would cry. Then a few days before school he kept saying with a big proud smile on his face. "I go to school now mommy, not with you, not with you." So he was fine. I think that since he sees his older brothers leaving without me that he is excited to be like them. Thanks for the advice guys. I'll just play it by ear. Husbands home lots of days during the winters anyway and if needed I'll get a parent to bring him home. Maybe, I'll switch to mornings. I hope I can start daycare before that so I can see if the afternoons are working out or not.

[DanceMom]

My daughter goes to preschool in the mornings three days a week - luckily I have a friend that is a SAHM that has a son her age in her same class so she picks her up and drops her off for me...I have a daycare girl that she now also takes and that daycare mom pays my friend $25 a month for gas.

I would also check with the school - there are carpool lists, maybe someone could pick your son up for you.

[Unregistered]

If he is happy, I'd keep him in a preschool that you aren't working in. I work in a rather large preschool in which the owner & two teachers each have children that attend. One teacher has her own son in her kindergarten enrichment class and the others have their toddlers in the toddler room (which they are not involved in). But each child has serious anxiety/behavior problems - and it all involves seeing mommy pass by or try to leave the room if they pop in for something work related. These kids go bonkers. There are many times when they will run out of the room the instant the door is open to try & find mommy - or if they see mommy walk by, start crying to go to her. Whatever craft or project they were happily working on (along with all the other kids), comes to a complete halt.

It is also stressful (and even embarrassing) for the teacher who cannot enter a room full of children without her own child screaming and climbing up her legs. The oldest child in pre-K will scream the entire time that mom leaves for lunch - giving us co-workers a major headache. It sometimes happens at nap time and the child will wake up all the others who were napping. And worst of all, the mommy/co-worker gets really stressed out. Maybe you're child is more adaptable, but if I were to go by what I see in work everyday, I'd say let him go to a different pre-school. But in the end, you know your own child and will do what you think is best.