Do you think that infants should go to nursury school as early as at the age of 2 ?

Question

A French survey claims that the earlier infants are at school, the more they're socialised. But what about the welfare of being nursed at home by the mother ? Isn't early schooling just a pretext to push mothers out to work ?

Answer 1

Children need the company of other children even at a very early age. If you have other children at home you don't need to take the baby to a daycare.  But if this is the only child, it gives you and the child a chance to be with other people of your own age group. While the baby is at the day care ,one or two days a week, you can spend your time getting things done or be with your friends.

Answer 2

NO NO NO

Most definately NOT!  

Young children should be with their mothers.  

Socialized??  Do you really think children become well socialized being in a group of UNsocialized peers?  

Real socialization comes from being exposed to a large variety of ages of people and situations.  And this should be down carefully as the child is ready.  No one knows a child better than their parents.  The child can meet lots of wonderful people (from infants to the elderly) under the caring guidance of their parents.  They will see their parents interacting socially (a much better role model than an age-peer who is equally or less inept).

I am so amazed at the idea that children are "socialized" by being in a group of other children their own age.  All this does is make them peer dependent.  They look to their age-mates rather than their parents for guidance in making choices (what clothes should I wear?  how should I act?  what words are ok to use?  is it ok to have s*x?)

Trust yourself.  You are asking this question because you already know the answer.  It comes down to YOUR choice.  Who do you want to be the role models for your child?

Answer 3

I think no.  I put my daughter in preschool at 4, but took her out three months later.  She got the same amount of educational experience from staying home with me.  As for socialization, a weekly playgroup and regular visits to our local park worked nicely.  I think kindergarten is soon enough to commit your child to school.  Any sooner seems wasteful of their baby years.

Answer 4

no I think they should start at 5 with kindengarten

Answer 5

First of all a two year old is NOT an infant, he/she is a toddler.  Yes, the younger they are the more they socialize.  Being nursed at home can still be done when the toddler is home.  You and your child will still have that close bond between mother and child.  No one ever said that you HAVE to put your toddler into a nursery school at age two, they can socialize just fine with your friends or children that live around you, or family members. So, do what you feel is right, not what everyone else says.

Answer 6

No, there are definitely benefits to having children go to nursery school or play groups early.  They have to learn to separate, and at age two, they really don't need to be nursed anymore.  It is definitely not a requirement, but it will help them learn in school later if they learn to be more self-sufficient.  Going to school or a play group for a couple of hours a day will help achieve that.  You'd be amazed at what a toddler  can do if you give him the chance.

Answer 7

If you think about it, kids have a mandatory 13 years of school throughout their childhood.  I think that is a lot although it is necessary.  Pre-school and Nursery school are not necessary.   I feel children under the age of 5 should be home with either their Mommy or Daddy who can read to them, color, sing, dance, fantasy play etc.  Social interaction with other children can be found at play groups or even parks.

Answer 8

oh good gosh. my brother started when he was two, and he's crazy insanity and belongs in some sort of straight jacket but he is a lot more civilized acting than he would've been if my mom had not been driven off her nerves and sent him there at that age.

Answer 9

To "awhistmj". OK mate, a two year old is not an infant ?? Without disrespect, you should go back to pre-school and start learning again. Have a look at what Webser's New Collegiate Dictionnary says about this word...No comment.

Back to the subject, infants MUST attend a nursury school, or whatever you call it, at least a few hours per week. when this is happening in France, i guess YES, it's definitely a way to put mothers out their home doors, whereas in Germany it's commonly BAD for woman to abandon her little one. Women should be very considerable to their own situation. If they do need to work and have no other way to live on (a husband or sufficient income), then there is nothing wrong with her leaving the sweety one at pre-school. In another hand, if she has no need to work, so i guess it's better for her to educate her child at home in respect of a psychological point of view.

Answer 10

Yes, so they they can learn more, and do better in grade school, college, or university, and later in life.

Answer 11

Children at the age of 2 are ready for playing environments that nurseries provide these days, and such places have been highly beneficial for such age groups to teach them sharing, socializing, manners and many many things that can be taught through fun games,  playing, singing and cooking... etc.

so sending them to nurseries is not necessary related to whether the mother is a working one or not, even if the mother is a full time house wife, it's healthy to still send the child to such a place even if not for the whole week, a couple of days a week could do the trick...

Answer 12

I sent my son to preschool for the first time right before he turned 4. I wish I sent him earlier (maybe 3). I see certain things he lacks while doing other group activities, simple as waiting in line with the other kids. He knows just as much as the other kids because I always worked with him academically, but group activity participation and socialization is important too.

There are plenty of programs for a few days a week and only a few hours a day.

Answer 13

What is so great about being socialized???  What is wrong with being nurtured?  Mothers are a child's first teacher.

Answer 14

I work at a school and i teach the two year olds.  Two year olds learn so much from each other!!!!  Things that the parents cant teach.  They learn to socalize and play!  They learn a lot through playing too!  I know some people put their children in school at the age of 4 to help get them ready for kindergarten, but a child can learn so much at an earlier age.  they remember more because their brains are still not fully developed...(i read the whole brain thing somewhere)  I think its a great thing to put your child in at an early age like 2.  Even if its only a few days a couple hours a week.

Answer 15

I don't beleive in suveys. It depends ,if you can stay home then i say stay because that is the bonding time between a mother and a child and to get that child in a routen, if you have to go to work make sure you let them know what you want and that the place is very ventilated and away from older children ,but i do perfer a 2month to stay at home,i didn't go to daycare and i am a licensed nurse and have a degree in early childhood

Answer 16

Kids can socialize in other ways and still stay home with their mother. As far as learning-my kids have not been to preschool yet-they will go one year  of preschool before kindergarten, only 3 half days per week.  I teach them a lot at home, they have been tested and are both academically ready for kindergarten! They are 3 and 4. They will get ready in the other areas at preschool. one year of preschool is plenty!

Answer 17

I went to day care at age 2 and I turned out alright. I'm President of my schools Make A Wish club, get Principals honor role, have 400 hrs of community service, in 2 AP classes, and currently in my 7th play production, and I'm in a choir that's going to perform in Carnegie Hall in New York Memorial weekend...haha okay now I'm just bragging but I really did make a lot of friends even if I was just a little kid and I can remember always loving school and I think that it because of the day care thing.

Answer 18

yes kid's minds are like a sponge @ this age

Answer 19

as you can see, there are so many voices for "yes" and for "no"

all depends on the level of development and social behaviors in the family

from my experience, 4 year old should be able to stay without parents; some kids are ready much earlier, even when they are you 2. In this age every child is very different.

Answer 20

I think it depends on the child and it depends on the "preschool" program the parent is choosing.  I think that children that young still need to be with their parents primarily, but can benefit from parent/toddler activities like Little Gym, Gymboree, etc.  My daughter and I did the Parent/Tot program at the Waldorf School once a week which we both benefited from immensely.  As for socialization, it is not necessary at 2 years old, nor, is it always possible developmentally until age 3.  While 2 year olds may play near each other, they will almost  never play WITH each other because they haven't reached that need developmentally.

Answer 21

Kids needs to be kids...life does not get easier as one ages, rather it gets more difficult.  Thus, I say age 3 / 4 is the age when parents should think of enrolling their kids in preschool.

Answer 22

It's called a dual income society. You act as if all mothers have a choice whether or not they want to return to work, most do not. We should stop shaming families and start improving the quality of our child care programs.

As far as the french study there are lots of studies out there that say it increases socialization and there are quite a few that say it can harm it. Interestingly enough some of those studies that say it's harmed were children who attended poor quality centers.