feel better about headstart now!

I wanted to start my son with headstart this year, its really close to where we live and would get him used to things and he would finally be able to socialize with other kids (he'll be 3 when he starts) I just haven't been able to figure out if I really want him to go because he is never away from me and I couldn't stop thinking about him crying for me and me abandoning him somewhere he's never been before...but today when I was filling out papers she said that this one will actually let me go WITH him and stay with him a week or two and start easing my way out. That makes me feel 100 percent better about it because he would get used to it and then I could start easing my way out until he was without me. Once he starts and gets used to being without me I can get me a part time job for the morning and make a little money so me and SO can move out of this apartment! Yay!

<blockquote><b>Quoting Kaibutsu:</b>" I wanted to start my son with headstart this year, its really close to where we live and would get him ... [snip!] ... me I can get me a part time job for the morning and make a little money so me and SO can move out of this apartment! Yay!"</blockquote>




Believe it or not, he will be fine. My girls went to preschool at 3. They are now 4. My son will go in the fall. The longer you sit in that classroom with him, the harder you are going to make it on the teachers. Why don't you just walk him in, stay a little bit and tell him you will be back later? Trust he will have a great time. The Headstart program is really good and kids don't really have time to miss you.

Quoting Not tellin:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Kaibutsu:</b>" I wanted to start my son with headstart this ... [snip!] ... back later? Trust he will have a great time. The Headstart program is really good and kids don't really have time to miss you."

Well I probably wouldn't stay the whole day or anything. If I see he does good and all I'll keep leaving sooner and sooner until I'm basically just dropping him off. It's the first few days I'm worried about, I feel like if I got him used to the place for 15-30 minutes he wouldn't be as scared when I leave. They said I could volunteer there so I wouldn't be like up his ass the whole time lol.

Speaking from experience here... the longer you stay, the harder it is for them when you do leave. A lot of kids have never been away from mom when they start preschool. You will both do okay, it's tough at first, but it always seems to be the moms that have a hard time letting go. They will let you know if he is uncontrollable or unconsolable. I would say out of 60 3-YOs we have about 2-3 a year who don't adjust and just aren't ready and a lot of the parents who are nervous- like you- are usually shocked or even get their feelings hurt when their kids do so well, so I wouldn't worry too much.  

<blockquote><b>Quoting Kaibutsu:</b>" Well I probably wouldn't stay the whole day or anything. If I see he does good and all I'll keep leaving ... [snip!] ... he wouldn't be as scared when I leave. They said I could volunteer there so I wouldn't be like up his ass the whole time lol."</blockquote>




My twins go to Headstart. It is different in a rural community than a city. We only have the 15 kids and three of us families are over income and the "problem" children aren't present. We are in a very small town so this is our option. It can be overwhelming at first in a larger city because they can have 4 or more classrooms if 15 children and they come from all kinds of backgrounds. If a child has special needs, it puts them to the top of the list to get in. Headstart has an amazing program. Yes, you can volunteer in the classroom. It is really near to see what they do. I volunteer at least once a month. It helps the school reach their required "donations" to keep running. Plus, the more involved you are with your child's education the better. It helps them down the road.

Quoting Not tellin:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Kaibutsu:</b>" Well I probably wouldn't stay the whole day ... [snip!] ... to keep running. Plus, the more involved you are with your child's education the better. It helps them down the road."

The ladies that brought the papers for me to sign are who my son is under for speech therapy and they are pretty sure he'll go top of the list since he is in their program. It's only like 10-13 kids that get in each year I think. I'll probably volunteer and stuff to see what they are doing and get an idea. I want to be really involved because my mom could never help me with my school work, my step-dad would help me study though. Other than helping me study they couldn't do much.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Kaibutsu:</b>" The ladies that brought the papers for me to sign are who my son is under for speech therapy and they ... [snip!] ... never help me with my school work, my step-dad would help me study though. Other than helping me study they couldn't do much."</blockquote>




They are 15 student classrooms with 1 teacher and 2 aides.