SAHM's... starting preschool

I've never left my daughter before and she will be starting preschool this fall (yes, I'm already fretting about 9 months in the future). She really wants to go otherwise I would just not take her.

If your child had never been away from you, how did it go for them? Were they scared or excited? And how about for YOU? Did it get easier after the first couple times? It seems so scary to imagine just leaving her somewhere and going home.

I try not to think about school... I know my DD would be 100% fine... first time I dropped her off with a drop in day care she ran to play and didn't look back...I asked her for a kiss bye and she was too busy. Been that way since...

I'm not 100% sure we're sending her to preschool much less school though.

Quoting Mðmmå Çhï¢lꆆê~ 11wks:" I try not to think about school... I know my DD would be 100% fine... first time I dropped her off with ... [snip!] ... bye and she was too busy. Been that way since... I'm not 100% sure we're sending her to preschool much less school though."

I always planned to homeschool but she tells me all the time she is so excited for school, etc, so I have to respect that, unfortunately    . Maybe she'll decide she hates it and I'll get my way afterall, lol.

I've left her with my sister about 5 times and my mom once.

She seems so naive and defenseless and it just seems sad to send her out in the world like that, I know I am crazy but it doesn't make me less anxious.

I see preschools on field trips to the places we go a lot, and it just seems like the teachers hate their jobs, the kids are always getting yelled at for everything. And they have to hold these ropes while they walk, haha, kinda cute, but it makes me sad too.


So that is what I picture. Just dropping her off to be yelled at all day by people that don't care about her, and her just being herded around.

My oldest started preschool this year, she was really excited to start, and she loves it.
If I told her she could go to ChuckECheese or school, she'd pick school.
It helps knowing she loves it so much, but I still miss her every single day, and hate leaving her, even though it's only for 4 hours.
Luckily 2 parents are allowed to stay in class everyday, so I stay once every other week, or whenever I have a baby sitter for my youngest.
I know I wont be able to stay as much when my son gets here, so I'm staying once every week this month.
I'm dreading next year, because she'll go from 4 half days a week, to 5 full days.
I just always miss my girls when I'm not with them, and I'm always afriad something is going to happen if I'm not there, but I know we have to let them go sometime, so I do.
And like I said, she really loves it, she loves learning and making friends, and that makes me happy.

I used to be a military wife so I had to leave her at a drop off day care a few times (never for long though).

But same... she's just so... soft. Like, it's hard to explain. She's not used to people being mean to her... and she isn't used to structure. I just put her into dance class and had to force myself not to become Momma bear a few times (we can watch the class through a window)... I just forsee her getting into trouble a lot in a normal public school because she doesn't sit. She does better without structure. x-x

It's hard when they are your babieeesssss (even though she's my oldest lol)

Quoting Mðmmå Çhï¢lꆆê~ 11wks:" I used to be a military wife so I had to leave her at a drop off day care a few times (never for long ... [snip!] ... sit. She does better without structure. x-x It's hard when they are your babieeesssss (even though she's my oldest lol)"

We're sending her probably to a Reggio or Waldorf preschool so sitting shouldn't be a gigantic issue, that is specifically why we are choosing those approaches, she can't sit. But we'll see...

Quoting Third Time Mommy:" My oldest started preschool this year, she was really excited to start, and she loves it. If I told ... [snip!] ... go sometime, so I do. And like I said, she really loves it, she loves learning and making friends, and that makes me happy. "

That would make me feel so much better, to know that other parents were always there watching, and to know that I could watch how things go on as well. Teachers will always acts more nicely when the parents of the kids they are teaching are there watching I think.

I will have to add that to my considerations for the school we choose...

Wow ya... I used to work at a daycare where the other workers hated life. It was terrible... I can't imagine sending my kid there.

You definitely have to tour the place first. Though if it's Reggio or Waldorf I'm sure it's less likely it'd suck.


I'm just going to skip preschool. We can't afford it anyway. I may have to send her to school though. I don't know if I trust myself to teach her. We'll see. She's only 3 with a late birthday so I have time to decide.

Quoting Mðmmå Çhï¢lꆆê~ 11wks:" Wow ya... I used to work at a daycare where the other workers hated life. It was terrible... I can't ... [snip!] ... though. I don't know if I trust myself to teach her. We'll see. She's only 3 with a late birthday so I have time to decide."

My daughter's bday is in November so it's nice that I get her for like a bonus year before kindergarten. She'll be almost 6 when she starts, but not quite. Big perk.

DS was born in Feb. so I don't get that but maybe by then I'll be ready to have two kids in school.

My son watched his uncle get on th e buss since he was barley two and has wanted to go to school ever sense. He is the youngest in his class and still does awesome, he rides the bus (for fun), brings his little backpack, and naps awesome when hw gets home. I think its great if the child is up for it. We arr probably delaying kindergarten, but this for him is just for fun!

Quoting Chim Richalds:" I see preschools on field trips to the places we go a lot, and it just seems like the teachers hate their ... [snip!] ... I picture. Just dropping her off to be yelled at all day by people that don't care about her, and her just being herded around."

  my daughter's preschool teachers are amazing. She loves going and has become more social. She is still a really shy child unless she knows someone really well but it has helped her a lot.

my kids LOVED preschool! they don't go anymore bc DH made me take them out  , but they really liked it. my 5 year old starts kindergarten this year and she is more than excited.

it was hard on me when they first started preschool. i would pick them up early lol but i got used to having me time and eventually i got a job.

Quoting Chim Richalds:" I always planned to homeschool but she tells me all the time she is so excited for school, etc, so I ... [snip!] ... and it just seems sad to send her out in the world like that, I know I am crazy but it doesn't make me less anxious."

What were your reasons for home schooling?
I can't fully agree about respecting her wanting to go and the choice being hers at 3 or 5 years old. As the parent it's down to me to make the best choice for my child, education and where they spend many hours everyday is a huge choice. My reasons for unschooling are because of the institutionalization of children in schools, the general crowd control measures and the methods of teaching and the obstruction to natural learning. It goes against his personality but also everything i believe in for what i want for him. He is far too young to decide whether a school is the right environment for him or not. They are too young to understand the pro's and cons and the long term implications, so it seems really silly to me to give that choice to a very young child (when they don't even know what they are getting themselves into. The affects of schooling aren't always reversible or so short term either, and i don't think it would be so great to have them start and then drop out if that were to happen).

I'm also not sure why they have to go to preschool, even if they are going to school at 5? I have friends whose kids started preschool the semester before school started and know of others who went straight from being home all the time with mom to going to school at age 5. It went better for them than some of the kids who went to daycare or preschool earlier on and were still very unsettled by school aged 4-6. So i don't think going to 'prepare' is always the case either.

i'm open (and seeking) different types of preschools and schools for varied exposure and childcare, but i don't believe a child can be left responsible for that decision on a whim or gut feeling at that age. The decision may be more reversible where you are though, so i can see that changing my opinion but only slightly.