Legally parents aren't required to send their kids to nursery school (it's Kindergarten that's required). Preschool seems more like Daycare than anything else. If you have kids, would you/did you bother with preschool. My kids went....but that was more for the sake of shipping them off for a few hours so we could work.

Yes, I will send my kids there. It's pre-school for a reason.

I'm not in favor of it. I think when possible it's better to let them stay home with family members instead of being shipped off to preschool where they'll most likely spend most of the day watching TV and for that you have the privilege of raising complete strangers to raise your kids for you. No offense to anybody who does it but it's just not what I would do, I spent my 'pre-school' years at home with the family and I think I learned a lot more from that than I would've in one of those places.

Perhaps not necessary, but it is a good idea. They don't really teach much in preschool; it's basically just good preparation for late toddlers to learn to tolerate being out from under the shadow of their mothers, and used to the school environment (with teachers, other kids, etc.) Since Kindergarten is when the curriculum starts, IMO, it's better for kids to have had that preparatory jump start so it won't be such an adjustment, and they can better get on with learning.

Not necessary but ITA with what Chris said that it's a good idea, and for the reasons he listed.

I think preschool is a crock of bull. I didn't do it and instead, got some early schooling at home. Pre-schooling isn't about kids tolerating others kids; it's about getting them out of Mom's hair. (Besides, looking at the level of kids not tolerating each other in schools, if that was really Pre-school's aim, it's failed. )

Forgiveness Man wrote:

I think preschool is a crock of bull. I didn't do it and instead, got some early schooling at home. Pre-schooling isn't about kids tolerating others kids; it's about getting them out of Mom's hair. (Besides, looking at the level of kids not tolerating each other in schools, if that was really Pre-school's aim, it's failed. )

Agreed. Exactly WHAT are they supposed to be doing at pre school all day? There was a report a while back that found out a lot of pre schools spend a large part of the day putting kids in front of the TV, they can do that at home wih the grandparents and it won't cost the parents, what does daycare cost? $8 an hour? And where I live, the daycare charges parents extra if they're so much as a minute late in picking them up.

Not necessary & shouldn't be required but I think it can be a good preparation for them.

Supernova wrote:

Agreed. Exactly WHAT are they supposed to be doing at pre school all day?

Nspping.

Huh?

Supernova wrote:

Huh?

That should have read napping. You asked "Exactly WHAT are they supposed to be doing at pre school all day?" My response was Napping...but I had a typo.

And for that the parents should pay by the hour?

Don't even remind me of the cost, it cost $500 a month for my twins to go to preschool. But it was only for a half a day....

Uh huh, seems to me that where possible, it's better to just leave the kids at home with relatives because that's not going to cost anything, they won't be surrounded by strangers, and they can still learn stuff.

In a word, no, preschool is not necessary. The "best" thing about preschool is the socialization, but if your DS has plenty of opportunities to be around other kids then I wouldn't worry about it.

I don't think preschool starting at age two is necessary, but I can tell you that there is a big difference between the kids who did pre-k at 4 and the kids who had no preschool experience at all, at least at our school.

We have all day kindergarten, so that would be a huge change for a five year old kid, from just being home all day to suddenly being gone from 8:30 to 3:30.

My kids did co-op preschool where they went for 3 hours 3 days a week at age four. I think that it was really good for them, and helped introduce them to school and see it as something that is fun, rather than just work.

Kindergarten is hard now, they are expected to learn things that I didn't learn until first or second grade.

Also, here, kids aren't required to start school until they are 8 years old. Kindergarten isn't actually required.

I think it's called "pre"school for a reason. No it isn't necessary and it is another form of daycare, but it's a good prep exercise for them to get used to being away from home, around other kids and adult authority that isn't family. My two girls both went to preschool and when the time comes, so will my son.

I don't think preschool is at all necessary, but then I'm also one of the small group of Americans who doesn't think school is necessary, either.

Preparing kids for school used to be the point of Kindergarten. Preschool became common when more mothers entered the workforce, as a way to make people feel better about using daycare.

2xy wrote:

I don't think preschool is at all necessary, but then I'm also one of the small group of Americans who doesn't think school is necessary, either.

It's an unorthodox idea but not one I completely disagree with, especially given the way schools are now where they're more baby-sitting services than a place to go for education.

I have no strong opinions either way, but preschool classes for 3 year olds always sort of rubbed me the wrong way. That seems like over-glorified daycare.

The preschool as daycare thing is valid for a lot of them. The preschool that we go to though is absolutely not. For one thing, every day 3 parents have to volunteer, and it only lasts 3 hours. It's all about socializing kids and exposing them to things that they aren't normally exposed to in a developmentally appropriate setting.

Then again, it's for four year olds. I honestly can't say enough good things about co-op preschool, I've learned so much there and my kids have as well.

A friend has her grandson in pre-school. She has to walk him there , sit through the class and walk him home again. No small walk. She gets there with him, and there is one kid that runs around hitting everyone. Turns out he is the teachers grandson, so nothing is said. One by one mothers who I am sure are busy have dropped out. So there's 2 kids left, the hitter and my friends grandson. When the hitter starts in again , she says "Come on Rider, lets go", and they leave. Why is the school system paying for a teacher for one kid?

Suzi wrote:

A friend has her grandson in pre-school. She has to walk him there , sit through the class and walk him home again. No small walk. She gets there with him, and there is one kid that runs around hitting everyone. Turns out he is the teachers grandson, so nothing is said. One by one mothers who I am sure are busy have dropped out. So there's 2 kids left, the hitter and my friends grandson. When the hitter starts in again , she says "Come on Rider, lets go", and they leave. Why is the school system paying for a teacher for one kid?

That's crazy! It's a public school? Everywhere that I've ever been, the kids whose parents were there were actually kept on a stricter leash than the kids whose parents weren't there...Of course a grandma is different.

thepossiblepolice wrote:

The preschool as daycare thing is valid for a lot of them. The preschool that we go to though is absolutely not. For one thing, every day 3 parents have to volunteer, and it only lasts 3 hours. It's all about socializing kids and exposing them to things that they aren't normally exposed to in a developmentally appropriate setting.

Then again, it's for four year olds. I honestly can't say enough good things about co-op preschool, I've learned so much there and my kids have as well.

I'm not trying to argue, but just because something is a positive experience doesn't mean it's necessary. KWIM? There are lots of things in life that can have a positive effect; but that doesn't mean there is a negative effect if those things are skipped. You can get an equally positive effect in another manner.

I have two sons, 19 and 15. 19yo attended school from grades K-2. 15yo has never been to school. Their experiences are DIFFERENT than that of their schooled counterparts, but it doesn't mean they are less valid. I daresay they have more time to socialize than kids do in school, and when they were little it was awesome to go to the zoo or museum on a Wednesday morning when it's not crowded and gross.

2xy wrote:

I'm not trying to argue, but just because something is a positive experience doesn't mean it's necessary. KWIM? There are lots of things in life that can have a positive effect; but that doesn't mean there is a negative effect if those things are skipped. You can get an equally positive effect in another manner.

I have two sons, 19 and 15. 19yo attended school from grades K-2. 15yo has never been to school. Their experiences are DIFFERENT than that of their schooled counterparts, but it doesn't mean they are less valid. I daresay they have more time to socialize than kids do in school, and when they were little it was awesome to go to the zoo or museum on a Wednesday morning when it's not crowded and gross.

I'm sure we're all dying to know how you managed to pull that off with your 15 year old, do you mean he's never been to public school or is homeschooled or what? Because that idea, never been to school, boy I would've loved to know how to pull that off as a kid.