We’re getting to that stage where we need to start thinking about what to do with Courtney next year. There’s a lot of conversations amongst my mom friends about school for the fall. One friend of mine has looked at something like 20 schools, another is almost as active. There are so many choices. Two days. Three days. Half days. Three quarter days. This school vs that school vs preschool vs day care. I’m beginning to get a little freaked out. I’m not overly concerned that Courtney isn’t going to know algebra by the time she’s five but I don’t want her to be behind when she gets into school.
I was talking to a neighbor of mine the other day who’s already looking into their 3rd school option for their child. She’s 19 months. The mom was all, “My kid can speak 3 languages and the knows the Pythagorean theory.” OK, not really but I was feeling like it. Is Courtney going to start preschool at 3 or 4 or whatever and be so far behind that she’ll never get into college? No, I know she won’t but the pressure!
Unfortunately, she has a late birthday, it’s in November, so whatever we’re looking at for the fall won’t be ideal in terms of what age she is and where a preschool would place her. She’ll be an old 1 come September, so she’d end up in a class with a bunch of 1 year olds. Potentially a bunch of older 1 year olds but still 1′s, I’d rather she be with young twos. Right? Wouldn’t you want her to have kids to learn from as opposed to kids learning from her?
And really, do I want her in something 2 days a week? I was kind of thinking a Mom’s Morning Out would be ideal, you know 1 monrning a week. And whatever we do with her, I’m not going to spend 30 minutes in my car in the morning just to get her there, I don’t care how good the program is. And really, what is she learning at 21 months anyway? I guess that’s the problem, I don’t have a clue what she should be learning at 21 months. But, if Paul can get me knocked up (which hasn’t been going well so far) and we have 2 kids in the fall, would she be better served in a 2-day a week program? Would I be better off with her in a 2-day a week program? I. Don’t. Know.
AND THEN, ugh, I’m late with the whole damn thing anyway. Registration for these places starts right. this. minute! My friend went to one place for registration on Sunday and there were people who’d been in line since 4:30 in the morning!! FOR REAL!!! And let me tell you, I would have to think that based on the weekend temps, they must have frozen their asses off. I hope they got what they wanted.
Man, all this stresses me out and makes me think that I should be having bloody mary’s for breakfast except that I gave up alcohol for New Years and I’m NOT DRINKING!! Stupid idea. Hm, maybe the kid would be better off in a 5 day a week program…
People around here go insane with preschools too. We started our kids in 5 day a week programs when they were around 3 not because we were panicked about them getting left behind academically, but because most of their playgroup friends were doing that as well and we were losing a lot of social time for them.
It’s so easy to get swept up in the frenzy of applying to a zillion schools…do you want Montessori, open play, Reggio, bilingual, immersion, blah blah blah. I think people forget that their kids are 2 or 3. Pick something that works for you, and go for it!
Good luck!
We didn’t even start our daughter until she was 4. She was on the edge of the birthday cut-off. The school system that she would go to elementary school in has a cutoff of September 30, while the pre-school district has a cutoff of July 31st. My dear little daughter’s birthday falls in the middle, August 27. So last year she couldn’t get into the pre-school because she wasn’t 3 yet and this year she is the oldest in the class. But we love the pre-school and so we sent her there. Because we were also late we ended up on doing 2 days a week for 2.5 hours because it was the only one that was left. They actually start registration now for next year. So this year was also challenging because we had to decided if she was going to go to Kindergarten next year or do another year of pre-school and start Kindergarten when she is 6. We decided that since she seems pretty smart and loves school so much that she is going to go to Kindergarten next year. We also love the K teacher and she can’t wait to get her hands on my daughter. The big challenge is going to be transitioning from a 2 day a week school only going for 2.5 hours at a time to a full day Kindergarten. We are very nervous, but we think (hope) that she is ready! Good luck!!
How long are you giving up alcohol for?
I haven’t even thought of schools…. ugh…
If you want to get really depressed, go see the documentary Nursery University. Talk about a shit show of epic proportions! Not looking forward to that experience…
[...] talking about an edumacation Last year at this time I was in a tizzy about what to do for Courtney and her first year of higher education preschool. You would have [...]