I understand that in some parts of the country preschool costs $1000 per year. If that seems like a lot to you, it would be a fair guess that you do not live in New York City.
Around here that would be the typical price per month. For fewer than five days.
Mostly because I am cheap, but also because I'm selfish, I didn't put Kiddo in preschool until he qualified for free universal Pre-K when he was 4 -- almost 5. This worked well for us as Kiddo's birthday is in January, making him the oldest in the class and more than ready to thrive in school.
New Kid, however, is a different story. His birthday is in late December and NYC's cutoff for starting Kindergarten is that the child turns 5 before December 31st. This will make New Kid the youngest in school and if I could I would hold him back a year. In NYC it is difficult to get a variance unless the teachers decide the child would benefit from being "held back." When New Kid is scheduled to begin 5 full days of Pre-K next year he will only be only be 3 years old. Not ideal. I'm not worried about ABCs and 123s, I just think kids need to be outside playing. I don't have to start New Kid in school until Kindergarten, of course, but since "holding him back" a year is a possibility, I would rather him repeat Pre-K than Kindergarten.
Now you may be thinking: Homeschool! That is an option for many people, but my kids will benefit much more by having a sane mother than they will from homeschooling. I also strongly believe in the right of every child to have access to free, quality public education and want to live in a community in which the hard work of teachers is valued and supported. {Clarification: I don't think homeschoolers undervalue teachers... see comments below} I don't think there is anything wrong with homeschooling, but... Sanity? It's a good thing.
All of this means that I have decided that New Kid would benefit from getting used to a preschool environment this year. I was able to find a lovely cooperative playgroup of 8 children, which does not cost a fortune. To keep costs down, parents contribute supplies, and take turns assisting. New Kid will start next week, three mornings a week. I'm pretty sure that for least the first two weeks I will be spending, if not all, then most of the time in the classroom while New Kid adjusts.
Fortunately, when New Kid begins Pre-K he will be attending the same excellent public school in which his older brother is thriving. It has at least three teachers in every classroom and focuses on a "teach the whole person" philosophy. It happily accommodates different learning styles and believes a heterogeneous group learns better together than a homogeneous one.
I don't feel the same tug-at-your-heartstrings emotion that some parents do when their kids start school. Probably because I am some sort of self-centered heartless monster, but like everyone else I try my best.
In any case, we'll see how it goes next week. Stay tuned.
Different kids (and different parents) need different things. I didn't send Emma to preschool at all, but Johnny has thrived and I may be sending Lily next year...
ReplyDeleteKiddo's school sounds fantastic!
Interesting! How nice that you found something that will work for New Kid! The cut off to enter K here is 5 years old before Sept 1; a lot of parents with August babies hold their children and no one is ever denied. Kindergarten is not mandatory in MA, so maybe that is why it is easy to hold your child - not sure. C's birthday is the beginning of August and we did not hold him; I think each child is different and I don't focus on the birthday as much as whether the child is ready. He was definitely ready, and I'm glad we didn't give in to the pressure around here to hold him because of his birthday. Since I'm due with this baby in about a week, she will obviously be one of the oldest in her class. We have no control over that, but I just hope she isn't bored to tears in K. They spend an awful lot of time learning things that my children have known long before K, and it always worries me.
ReplyDeleteYour long post elicited this long comment... so here goes. In my experience, most (but certainly not all) second children are more ready for preschool - they are often more verbal, they have practice playing with their sibling, etc. This is certainly true of mine. My younger child went 3 mornings a week last year and will go every day this year, at 3.5; her older sister did not attend daily til she was older.
ReplyDeleteI'm very interested in which school this is in Brooklyn. I have two public school teacher parents and know a lot of schools in Manhattan but I've never heard of one with 3 teachers in each classroom! Is Kiddo going into 1st grade, like my 6yo?
As for age cut-off, I have the opposite problem. My younger is a January baby and I wish I could push her ahead! SHe misses the cut-off by 7 days and if you think it's hard to hold back in NYC, it's even harder to push forward. She will be so ready and is so eager to emulate her older sister and attend school with her (which itself has me on tenterhooks since my older one attends a school in our district but not our zone and it is likely but not definitive that the little one will be able to go there).
I'm in the UK, and due to money and work things my son has been at nursery since he was six months old. He goes three days a week and our fees are over £600 a month (nearly $1,000).
ReplyDeleteDefinitely agree on the sanity thing - I'm a much better mother for having a break, and it's great to see my son thrive at nursery. He's at a great place with lots of outdoor areas, and can essentially spend almost all day playing outside if he likes. I feel really lucky we've got somewhere so good.
Kiddo's school does indeed sound wonderful. And New Kid's PreK group sounds like it will be nice.
ReplyDeleteI don't homeschool because I undervalue public school teachers...honestly, I couldn't tell you a single fact about any of our public schools (not even the district in which I live).
I just know Benjamin. And he would be miserable in public school.
I suppose some days I might feel frazzled but I imagine even if he was in school all day there might be evenings during which I would feel frazzled (helping him meet his requirements for public school).
I don't know?
Anyway--best wishes to both boys for a wonderful "school" year! :)
Sanity IS a wonderful thing! I wonder if NY might be moving their cutoff too? CA is moving now to Sep 1 cutoff over the next 3 years. It's awesome that New Kid gets to experience preschool early and will have time to adjust.
ReplyDelete@ Jessica: Oh, I don't think homeschoolers undervalue teachers, I probably should have phrased that a little differently.
ReplyDeleteI also want to live in a community where the hard work of teachers is valued and supported; unfortunately, I don't! I live in a state that is quickly eviscerating its public school system. I am envious of your excellent options for both your kids. But ultimately we homeschool because that is what works best for our family (just as public school works best for yours), not because we don't believe in the right to free quality education (we do!). I know you addressed Jessica's comment above, which is basically the same as mine, but it can be a sensitive subject with homeschoolers and I wanted to chime in! :)
ReplyDelete@Fanny H. - Thanks for your comment. I realize I inadvertently implied that homeschoolers don't value public schools and teachers, which I know is simply not true. I should proofread better in the future...
ReplyDeleteI feel very fortunate to have the schooling options that I do here in NYC, and know not everyone in the country (or even this city) has them. I try not to take them for granted.