Is Your Child Ready for 3-Year-Old Preschool?

Is Your Child Ready for 3-Year-Old Preschool?

A Decision Only You Can Make

By: Denise Obrecht

It seems to be the common question asked to me lately, “Where will Max be going to preschool this fall?”  There is an assumption with that question – that he will be going to preschool and a site has been chosen.  Maybe I should have had him on a waiting list for several years to the best preschool in town, taken campus tours of my top three preschool picks, and be ready to sit him in a classroom for several mornings a week.  But I didn’t and now I am feeling the pressure.  The pressure to make the first big decision for my child’s education – should I send my first born to preschool at age 3?  Is he ready?  Am I?

If you are also trying to make this big decision, here are a few questions to consider.

How scheduled do you want your child’s time to be?

It is a big commitment.  Most preschool programs have you sign up 6 months to a year in advance and provide a down-payment.  And most preschool programs follow the normal school year.  The standard for 3-year-old preschool is two mornings a week for 2-3 hours a session.

Is your child shy?

Preschool is a good option for children that have a hard time socializing with other kids and adults. Kristen Holcomb, stay at home mom to her three children Alex, Lily and Eli, said their oldest son Alex was very shy and would be “stuck to her leg” around others.  “We decided to put him in 3-year-old preschool so he’d have a scheduled social time. We didn’t care if he learned anything academic, as that was never our purpose in taking him there – we just wanted him to learn to make friends.”  She said after a few weeks he was excited to go to school and was more willing to play with other children.

Does your child spend time away from you?

For children who have one parent who stays at home with them all day, separating can be an issue.  Christine Hedrick, stay at home mom to 5-year-old Drew and 3-year-old Kate, said kids gain a lot socially from regular, organized interaction with a familiar group of same age peers. “I saw Drew gain confidence and independence the year he attended 3-year-old preschool, and I do believe some of that came from his experiences at preschool.”

Is your child potty-trained?

Preschools require that children be able to take care of their own bathroom needs.  A few accidents are usually acceptable, but teachers will be able to tell if your child is potty-trained or not.  Preschoolers should also have some knowledge of self-care: putting on their shoes and coat, knowing how to zip up their pants and washing their hands.

Do you have the financial means to pay for preschool?

In Iowa, the average rate for 3-year-old preschool is $100 a month for two half days a week.  So roughly you are looking at $1,000 for the year, by the time you provide snacks for the class, school supplies and that outfit for the first day of school.

After answering these questions my husband and I decided not to send Max to preschool at age 3.  It is hard for me to think about having such a structured schedule for Max.  Since I do stay home with him full time we have always had flexibility and few commitments.  Max is not shy and does spend some time away from us each week with a 30-minute library program and Sunday School.  And finally, Max is not potty-trained and another $100 a month of expenses would be hard to fit into our one-income household.

Instead, this year I will try to teach him a few things.  But what should I teach him?  There are no standards for 3-year-old preschools since they are private, not state funded.  I did find a large amount of home schooling information online though.  One website that I would like to use this coming year is www.letteroftheweek.com.  Each week Max and I will focus on one letter of the alphabet and do corresponding activities that start with that letter – read books and sing songs with that letter in the title, eat snacks that start with that letter, learn the sign language for that letter, etc.  I also feel I can teach him by going to the park, baking cookies, wrestling on the carpet, making dorky crafts, attending events with the Des Moines West Side Stay At Home Moms group, building a fort, having one of his friends over to play, taking him to swimming lessons and watching the birds out the front window.

Jan Hoyt, New Horizon’s Preschool Director in West Des Moines, said, “I think it’s an absolute “luxury” to have a 3 year old in preschool – certainly not a necessity!  It’s great, great fun and wonderful exposure to many things, however, the child can get those experiences in many other ways.”

I don’t think you can make a wrong decision in enrolling your child in 3-year-old preschool or deciding to wait a year.  As a parent this is one of those decisions that only you can make.  If your child is ready to go to school and you as the parent are also ready to make the commitment, then by all means sign them up.  But don’t feel the pressure like I have felt recently to conform to the world regarding formal education for 3-year-olds.  In the long run, I doubt having your child attend preschool will affect them academically.  Education is a marathon, not a sprint.