Will your child be turning 3 between now and September? For many parents, this milestone birthday means thinking about preschool.
The decision of whether to send a child to preschool is a mixture of important things to consider. One parent may have hopes for a hesitant child to build confidence in new settings. Another parent may hope for a child to find more friends or be concerned about the costs or challenges of transportation. IF the decision is No or Not right now, parents need to be aware that there are some social skills that require practice and access to children at or near the same age.
Small group settings allow preschool children to practice a surprising range of developmental tasks beyond enjoying the ABCs and 123s. Just to name a few, consider that they are learning to manage their bodies and their emotions; beginning to figure out interactions with peers; beginning to practice listening and responding to leadership from other adults. It is possible to create these kinds of learning opportunities, but if you are choosing to use Preschool as an avenue to provide this kind of regular practice you are likely to be surprised by just how early the registration process begins—think now!
Since many preschools are housed in churches (whether they offer an expressly faith-based curriculum or not) church members are the first to have registration open to them often in these first few weeks of January. For the rest of the community who may be considering the location, it is important to know that these winter weeks are for observing classrooms in motion, meeting with directors and exploring the details of time and cost before making decisions about enrollment. So, make a few calls, bundle up and enjoy this time exploring what it means to have a preschooler. (For more information on doing preschool observations see The Preschool Decision section in Tools for the Preschool Years)
My best to you and yours,
Dr. Y
Yvonne Gustafson, PhD
Educator, Parent Coach, Author
Yvonne@y-p-m.com / 614-848-8273
The Manual Children Should Come With
www.your-parenting-matters.com
Author of Tools for the Toddler Years https://www.amazon.com/Tools-Toddler-Years-time-crunched-multi-tasking/dp/099034620X
Tools for the Preschool Years https://www.amazon.com/Tools-Preschool-Years-Time-Crunched-Multitasking/dp/163337226X
