After I graduated from high school, I could see that there were some things that I needed to do. I wanted to continue my educational path, but I wasn't quite sure how to proceed. I started thinking long and hard about going through and making a difference in my own life, and it occurred to me that choosing to plan for my education would be incredibly important. I began looking at different schools and budgeting my money, and sure enough, I was able to completely pay for my first few semesters of school without too much of a hassle. Check out this website for tips for planning your future.
When your child turns three years old, your friends and relatives may start asking you about preschool. This can be a tough decision if you are a stay-at-home mom or have family members who provide childcare at no cost to you. While there are state and federally funded preschool programs, and some elementary schools offer preschool, private preschools can add to your bills. So, if you do not qualify for the free schooling, you may wonder why you should pay for it.
You and your childcare provider have probably taken the time to teach your child the academics that are taught in preschools such as numbers, letters, shapes, and colors. In fact, you may have even surpassed the minimum standards and taught them much more. However, do not think that this means your child will be bored and not get anything out of a structured school setting. Here are a few things you need to seriously consider before deciding to wait until your child is kindergarten age to send them to school.
Structure
If your child has always stayed at home with you or a babysitter, there has not been a reason for them to learn the simple things that go on in a school setting on a constant basis. They may not understand how to line up to get ready to walk to a different class or lunch. They have never had to worry about staying in their seat until getting permission to leave it. They may not even have a good understanding of sharing and waiting their turn to speak. All of this will be taught in preschool. If your child were to skip this and go straight to kindergarten, they may have a rough start trying to fit in. At a time when they are already nervous about being around strangers, not being able to fit in will only make things worse for them.
Social Skills
Even if you have more than one child and often have a lot of cousins and friends around, your child needs to learn social skills to feel comfortable and make friends on their own in school. Preschool is a great way to get this all started. They will learn how to share and how to be considerate to other kids. At home or at a friend's house they have you always watching over them. While they are at school there will be a teacher there, it is not the same as being able to run to their mom or dad when something doesn't go their way.
You need to be honest with yourself about your child when it comes to deciding about preschool. How much time have they actually spent with other people without you around? How much time have they spent with other kids? Take them to a playground or somewhere with strangers and watch how they interact. If your child keeps waiting for you to introduce them or has trouble playing nice, it is a definite sign they should go to preschool. Besides, it will give you some time to yourself and your child something to share with you when they come home every day.
Look into preschool programs like Advantage Learning Center for more information.