Is preschool necessary?

Question

My son has been going to preschool when he was 2 till 3, I’ll be quitting my job and won’t have the money to pay for his tuition. Do you think he’ll fall behind if he doesn’t continue with preschool and just start kindergarten when he’s 5? My husband has never been to a preschool and he’s still smarter than I am even though I went to preschool. Even though my son learns a lot of conversational skills for the past one year, he learned most of his alphabets, colors, shapes, foreign language and numbers from me instead of the school. He gets sick 2 times a month from school and need to stay home for a week or so to rest. We still need to pay the full time tuition even though there’s about a week per month when my son is sick and absence from school. He’s tuition is about $750 a month. Is preschool really that important?

Answer 1

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Last Updated September 17, 2007

Answer 2

You seem to be doing very well teaching yoru son his academics which will be very helpful when he attends kindergarten, so on that side, no, preschool may not be necessary.

On the other hand, I have a student who just started kindergarten whose mother worked with him on academics at home. This child does not know how to interact with other children! He has no older siblings and he is not permitted to play outside with neighbor kids. His mother suggested that I have him sit by himself to lessen the problem--which will not solve the problem!  If preschool is not an option--and I would certainly check with your school district --to see if they offer any form of preschool for 4 year olds (Florida offers a free voluntary 3-hour per day preschool program to all 4-year olds, and some other states also have a similar program).  At the very least, I would urge you to find a play group so that he can learn to be with other children (being around adults only is not an option) so that he can learn to negotiate with peers and get along with others under adult supervision but allowing the kids to solve their own minor problems.

Have you had your son checked for allergies?  I would have the doctor give him a thorough checkup.  Missing a week at a time in preschool is not crucial, but once he gets to kindergarten and beyond it can be a very real problem. If he misses one week a month, every month, he will be missing a full quarter of school in a year's time.  This will affect his academics.

Preschool is becoming more and more important.  Unfortunately, with the importance placed on state testing, the curriculum is being pushed down to the lower grades.  What used to be kindergarten work is now preschool work and kindergarten is becoming more like the first grade of years ago.

Answer 3

No, if you are going to be at home with him and will work with him (it sounds like you already do), he'll be OK without preschool.  Read to him, talk with him, take him outside and play with him, go for walks and talk about what you see.  Make play dough together and play with it.  Cut pictures out of magazines and paste them on paper to make collage pictures.  Cook together to practice measuring and talk about numbers.  Visit the library, and maybe a children's museum.  He can get social interaction from other children at the park, with neighbor's children, or at church.  Just be an ACTIVE parent.  Interact and talk and play and teach, and he will be ready for Kindergarten when the time comes.  If you feel he needs preschool, you might want to check with your school district and see if they are offering Pre-K in your area.  This should be free.  Sometimes it's only available for 4 year olds, so may have to wait a year for it.

Answer 4

why spend 750 a month when you can spend an extra year with them and it is free?

Answer 5

yeah I think it's important but based on your assessment, y not quit the preschool ek,ek if that is the case right? There are a lot of things to consider: the money, your son's health, is he enjoying it?Are you enjoying it, btw...

Answer 6

I certainly wouldn't send him full time. He would be much better off with you, especially now since your staying home. I do not feel it is necessary at all, but the year before he starts kindergarten it may be a good idea to put him in maybe 2 mornings per wk or just get him in some activities with other children, maybe play groups, library story time (the library can also tell you of things in your area for preschoolers) Preschool is not needed for learning academics (you already know this first hand!) I also feel your son would have learned the same conversation skills in the past year had he not been in preschool.  Some kids MAY need preschool if they get little social interaction or if they have separation anxiety. One year before kindergarten & 2 mornings (2-3 hours) per wk is plenty

Answer 7

Do it yourself.

Have lots of play dates.

Go on lots of field trips.

Engage him in lots of communication.

http://www.everythingpreschool.com/

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/

http://www.abchomepreschool.com/

http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschoo...

The Complete Daily Curriculum for Early Childhood: Over 1200 Easy Activities to Support Multiple Intelligences and Learning  Styles  by Pamela Byrne Schiller

The Big Book of Home Learning : Preschool and Elementary

by Mary Pride

Mommy, Teach Me!: Preparing Your Preschool Child for a Lifetime of Learning by Barbara Curtis

What Your Preschooler Needs to Know: Get Ready for Kindergarten   by Core Knowledge Foundation

etc. etc.

Answer 8

I you cant take him, dont stress about it, The only thing you need to do is teach him the essential things before he goes to school, How to write his name, counting, colors and some letter recognition...the ABC will be good, at  least to sing it.  I am a teacher and my children have been more than ready for kindergarten, because I have taught them those things.  My daughter just turned 2 and she is singing the alphabet and recognizes the first letter of her name.  She can count to 5 and we are working to the 10...Do those little things and she will be ready.  Good Luck

Answer 9

If there are so many reasons why he can not go to preschool, of course that makes it not important. he can still learn if he stays home with you. I think he will have a lot of fun with his mother and still learn things too. you are teaching him more things the school did , so i don't think he will fall behind. I wish the best of luck with your son and remember just have fun with him.

Answer 10

You can teach your son all he needs to help him start off right. He does need some social and sharing skills. You can provide friends and maybe join a play group for him to pick up these skills. There's so many preschool books and flash cards available and the internet if full of search engines that can take you to where you need to find free print outs for preschool. He needs to learn his basic colors, how to color within the lines, how to count (maybe to 10 or 20) work on his abc's, etc. You can make it fun for him and turn everyday into a learning/teaching experience that doesn't cost much.

Answer 11

No, it is absolutely not that important.

As you say, he learns more from you than he does at pre-school. They are not allowed to teach anything 'academic' - just songs and play and socialising.

If you can give him good, quality, fun companionship he'll be fine. And you can teach him whatever you want. Make sure he socialises with other children though. You could perhaps take him to local playgroups where you stay with him (and get to meet other mothers too).

.

Answer 12

No, preschool isn't necessary before attending kindergarten.  No, your child will not fall behind.

There have been tests regarding this very thing I have recently read.  There is no need to send children to Day Care to prepare them for kindergarten.

For the life of me, I don't understand why parents think it's so necessary to send there children to Day Care just to prepare them for kindergarten.  It sounds like a race as who's child is going to be the smartest

Day Care wasn't established for these reasons in the first place.  It was established for working parent's who needed child care plane and simple.

You have answered your own questions.  You are the one who has taught him most of the things he knows today.  You're comparing yourself with your husband in regards to Day Care.  Can you see how Day Care has been thrown way out of proportion?  

You have opened your eyes for the need for Day Care because you are quiting your job and no longer can afford the monthly payments.

How can your son possibly fall behind when you have taught  him everything he has learned.  If some children fall behind it usually means they simply aren't ready for kindergarten or there may be more underlying problems.  

It's time to get realistic about this whole Day Care thing.  It's just not worth worrying about.  Remember the study made....

Day Care is not needed for children who are ready to enter kindergarten.   So that should solve all your worry's.