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Becky J
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| Posted: May 16 2008 at 10:26pm | IP Logged
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I wonder if anyone who has struggled with the "To send to preschool or not to send to preschool?" decision could offer me some guidance.
My husband and I honestly don't know yet if we will homeschool our children. Our older child is about to turn 4, and I put down on a deposit for her for preschool in the fall. I think she'd really, really enjoy going and I figure it would give us a taste of what sending her outside the home to go to school would be like. I chose the preschool very carefully after touring a number in our area, so I'm happy with that aspect of the decision, but I still wonder if I should give her any taste of school-outside-the-home when she may end up being homeschooled. I have received a few warnings that some extroverted kids who get a taste of traditional schooling then don't want to be schooled at home.
Has anyone on this forum sent a child to preschool, then decided to homeschool them after that, and had good results?
Thanks much for lending your ears!
Becky
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RamFam
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| Posted: May 16 2008 at 10:59pm | IP Logged
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My husband and I were undecided at that very stage as well. My daughter went to public school for a half day pre-kindergarten. She loved school and her teachers and classmates. We then homeschooled for K and 1st; she'll be in second next year. She loves homeschooling. As an extrovert, she has interaction with other kids at parks, church classes, little girls' group, etc. In other words, she seems to have adapted fine, even thrived, to whatever we have decided is best. Though, she was never given a choice.
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SallyT
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| Posted: May 16 2008 at 11:42pm | IP Logged
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Both my older children went to preschool (and then 4 years of school for the eldest, and one year for the second). In hindsight, I wish that I had not sent my eldest -- she liked aspects of it well enough, but she is an extreme introvert, and it was too much. My second went to an absolutely wonderful nursery school in England -- in fact, that nursery school has been the model for practically all our homeschooling! He adored it, every single minute of it. We all adored it. If all school were like that nursery school, we'd probably not be homeschoolers.
And he is very happy with homeschooling. He went to playgroup (like preschool), nursery (also like preschool, but with an eye to preparing for "real" school), and one year of real school, all in England, then came home to school, as did his older sister, when we moved back to the US. His transition into homeschooling was much easier than hers, even though she had been less happy at school. All that says more about personalities than anything else, but both of them ultimately have flourished at home.
We have not and won't send our two youngest "out" at all, because life just goes more smoothly with fewer school runs, IMO. Our 5yo I think would not have been happy -- he's very much a marcher-to-his-own-drummer in a way that, combined with immaturity, doesn't spell success in a structured setting. Our youngest, who's 4, would in all honesty probably enjoy preschool, but we do enough park days, history and science group days, and other things with other families with both older and younger children, that I think she's getting the social thing pretty handily. She's quite a social child -- and she seems perfectly happy talking to pretty much anybody, of any age, and she honestly enjoys being with her siblings probably more than anything else. We're also very geared at this stage towards making homeschooled friends -- one of the things about preschool is that most of the other kids will be going to kindergarten, so that if you did homeschool the next year, you'd be reinventing the wheel with friend-making. But of course that can happen anyway, with children going in different directions.
Having done it both ways, I have strong personal preference for keeping my younger children home, but I can understand wanting to try the school thing to see how it works. And of course you know your child and her needs. Preschool can be a good way to get your feet wet -- though in many ways, most preschools are quite unlike actual elementary schools in atmosphere and in modus operandi. In my view that's generally good . . .
But certainly a child can enjoy preschool and then enjoy homeschooling. Prayers and best wishes as you discern your course.
Sally
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Anneof 5
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| Posted: May 17 2008 at 10:02am | IP Logged
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Four out of my five kids have gone to preschool. None of them want to go to "real" school now. I think it was a good experience for them and when I was homeschooling the older ones it gave me a chance to really spend some uninterrupted time with them while the younger ones were being occupied in a good way. We chose a pre-school where play, stories, songs and really loving teachers were the norm. I trusted those teachers and I knew they really cared about my kids. One of mine is really social and thinks fondly of his preschool years but has no desire to go to school.
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Cheryl
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| Posted: May 17 2008 at 2:10pm | IP Logged
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I sent my oldest to preschool because we hadn't decided whether or not to homeschool at that point. My ds is not an extrovert. He liked some things about preschool, and there were things that he didn't like. I couldn't wait until the year was over because I made the mistake of choosing the afternoon preschool. The dropping off and picking up was difficult with a baby and a toddler during their napping time.
We started homeschooling the following year and my ds often said that he wanted to go to the public school that his friend across the street went to. I often felt sad for him. He especially didn't like having to do "schoolwork" while his siblings were playing. Now he is a 3rd grader and he never says anything about going to school. His siblings often say that they wouldn't want to go to school. They want to stay home.
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doris
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| Posted: May 20 2008 at 5:33pm | IP Logged
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My eldest two went to preschool ie nursery school. (Same one as Sally's children, in Cambridge UK, funnily enough!) We had no idea that we'd end up homeschooling when we sent the eldest. She loved preschool, hated school, so we took her out and have been home educating ever since. My son was always destined for home schooling but enjoyed preschool in the meantime (but the school runs were a complete pain and really spoilt the flow of the days for the whole family). My 4yo went to playgroup (ie preschool) briefly but hated it.
So there's not much to conclude from our very mixed experience! If you think it'll suit the child, and you, go for it. If you've got doubts, don't!
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Home educating in London, UK with dd (2000) ds (2002), dd (2004), ds (2008) and dd (2011).
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NavyMom
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| Posted: May 20 2008 at 5:57pm | IP Logged
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Sending your daughter to preschool would give you more time to do research and planning for homeschooling in K and beyond.
I sent my oldest to preschool for 2 years, then kept him home for a year (K). He did fine and just rolled with it! I just told him our family was choosing not to go to school at this time. He accepted it and loved being home! Now, he is back at school for various reasons (mostly his special needs). He is doing great, but he often says he misses being home.
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Preschool ambivalence
