Is sending a child to preschool really beneficial?

[klvcaudillo]

I have been debating whether to send my little girl to preschool or not. I mean how really do they do compared to their classmates when they enter kindergarden? 

[debraleesparks]

 :thumbsup:I was a teachers assis. for 'HEAD START.'.. Preschool teaches the child independence from it's mother. The other children, who starts kindergarten ,when they didn't have preschool,  will cry a lot  the first day, and feel afraid. When your child goes to preschool, you are with him some of the time.It eases the child to get used to regular school. It also gets the child used to learning. They learn how to get along with other children, and they get to go on 'fieldtrips', to places like the fire staitions, police stations, libraries, and several other places . I was just a mom when my son started Headstart, but the *bleep*. quit, and the teacher asked me to take her place. I loved going there anyway, and I took the job.I only did it that one year, and decided to go back to college. Preschool helped me too!!!haha

[hwilliams591]

Not all preschools are the same and I think it is a hit or miss.

My boy didn't go and took to school well, even better then some that did go to preschool.

We just made sure he knew the basics before he started kindergarden.

I wouldn't say it teaches them independance, but it does let them interact with other kids.

[ODOMS6598]

my little boy is in preschool right now and he loves it.  I fully think that it is benefecial for them to go to preschool.  for one it gets them ready for regular school.   and for two they really do learn alot.  my son can write his name and can count to 20  he knows all his letters and colors.   

[fancyspirit]

As mentioned in the above post, there are a lot of benefits of going to preschool. The main one is for the "cutting of the strings". It gets them used tofuntioning without mommy. The only thing negative that I have known about is that they tend to get sick a little more than children who don't go. That of course is because of being around more people. So if your child is normally healthy without respatory problems or asthma it seems not to be so bad. Just pray to be guided to make the right choice and remember if you start it and it is not working for your family you can always stop.

[vlsm23]

:thumbsup:I was a teachers assis. for 'HEAD START.'.. Preschool teaches the child independence from it's mother. The other children, who starts kindergarten ,when they didn't have preschool,  will cry a lot  the first day, and feel afraid. When your child goes to preschool, you are with him some of the time.It eases the child to get used to regular school. It also gets the child used to learning. They learn how to get along with other children, and they get to go on 'fieldtrips', to places like the fire staitions, police stations, libraries, and several other places . I was just a mom when my son started Headstart, but the *bleep*. quit, and the teacher asked me to take her place. I loved going there anyway, and I took the job.I only did it that one year, and decided to go back to college. Preschool helped me too!!!haha

To add to this, it not only teaches the child independence from parents, but also starts their interaction with other children (not family or friends kid's) earlier and helps their communicational skills.

[cloudsoup]

like someone else said, i agree that preschool helps
with basic social skills and prepares them for detaching
themselves from the parents. especially kids who are
the "only child."

that's not say that someone who didn't go to preschool
isn't as advanced or anything. teaching them to cut paper
and write their name at home would be fine too, but i think
a social setting at a young age would help develop
sharing/communicating and even emotional abilities.

[mahasajun]

honestly I believe we could teach our kids the exact same thing they learn in preschool. It can be benificial depending on what the parents want for their kids. To teach them things such as the alphabet and reading and such can be taught at home. But the whole learning, communicating, having friends and growing is another. In many ways preschools are really beneficial only if the parent can't them the kids themselves so they much pay others to do it.

[karenkpc]

it's also relative as to what your school system "expects"--may be beneficial to go to your board of ed and see if they have stats pertaining to the performance ratios of preschool attenders vs. non.

[aishastar]

I think sending your child to perschool does help out alot. My son is 20 months old and functions like a 3 year old kid. His social and communication skills are incredible. And he is the only child so I believe it helps him to be able to learn faster and comprehend more than just sitting around boucing off the walls.

[amandadowney]

i started my son in preschool this year at a private school. He only goes half a day 4 days a week. I was amazed at the difference in the curriculum between his school and my girlfriend's choice school for her daughter. I just wis that therewas a way to get around all those nasty little habis children pickup fromtheir riends at school.

[JessicaJIrish]

One of the other considerations one should make before sending a child to preschool or any other situation where there are other children is the supervision that is present and what types of behaviors your own child may pick up from the other children.  Keep in mind that if they see another child doing something - they may start to do the same things that may not be desirable.

[Dremarr]

Having a head start in education is one of the most important things that a child can obtain. While some schools are good and some are bad, its up to the parents to do their research to make sure their child is in the best of hands.

[brendy1990]

all of my kids went to headstart, and i think it did benefit them, they got use to the school atmoshere and learned to get along with other kids..

[home_teachin]

It depends on how much you are willing to work with your own child. If you teach them the early things, like ABCs, colors, etc. I see no reason to send them to school so early. They are going to have to go at least 12 years, starting at 5 or 6 years old. Why send them when they are babies? Enjoy them and spend time with them.
When your kid is older it's not going to matter when they learned to read or write, as long as they have learned.
Of course, I teach my son at home, so I'm probably biased.