Preschool Pros and Cons: Sending Your Child to Preschool
Whether or not to send your child to preschool is an important choice for parents to consider. Some stay-at-home parents prefer to homeschool their children, while others prefer to send their children to a specific program. Now that it’s your time to make the important decision of whether or not to send your child to a preschool program, we’ve put together a list of benefits and potential drawbacks to help inform your decision.
The Pros
Preschool is a learning environment that can be hard to imitate at home
Parents want what’s best for their children. Home may be a great place for them to play and have quality time with their loved ones, but a learning environment such as a preschool can be difficult to replicate at home. A good preschool has a daily structure and curriculum to follow, formulated and run by experienced professionals. Curriculums can have a broad range of topics taught to children, which parents may find difficult to replicate at home.
Preschool helps children practice social skills
While a child’s social skills can be improved by taking them to playdates or trips to the park to play with other children, preschool is a dedicated time and place for children to socialize and be with their peers. This will allow them to communicate and develop friendships, which is vital for early childhood development. Children will interact with others their age and learn how to resolve conflicts on their own. Preschool will provide new experiences for your child that will help them develop their social skills.
Children will develop relationships with other trusted adults
Is your child clingy? Does your child have a difficult time when they are with other adults? This can be because they are accustomed to only having their parents or other close relatives around. Enrolling your child in preschool may help your child become more independent, as it provides the opportunity to meet new people and develop relationships with other trusted adults.
Your child will have new experiences
A preschool program may have opportunities that are not as readily available when compared to homeschooling. There are times when children will be exposed to the outside world, like working with local police or fire departments during special visit days. Events like this can be organized by the school and contribute to new experiences for children. These opportunities could be difficult to organize on your own. Some preschools also have facilities like spaces for gymnastics, yoga, cooking and STEM activities for your child to explore and learn.
Preschool prepares your child for formal school
One of the purposes of preschool is to prepare children for formal school or kindergarten. Preschool bridges the gap between the home and school so that when the children are ready for the routines of formal school day, experience at preschool can help make the transition smoother.
The Cons
Preschool Can Be Expensive
Enrolling your child in preschool will come at a cost. Tuition will vary, and there may also be additional costs such as fees, deposits, registration fees, school supplies, and books. This can be a heavy factor in your decision—especially if you have more than one child. While homeschooling can come with its own costs, both in time and money, these may be less than at a center.
The Schedule can be challenging
Some schools are less flexible with their schedules. For example, you may only want your child to go to school four days a week and at a certain time, or may want them to stay later than a center is open. While some preschools can accommodate this, others have fixed schedules that they want you to follow. Keeping in mind drop-off and pick-up times for working parents will also be important when evaluating a potential program.
Separation Anxiety
This is a normal phase that a parent and child have to go through as your child begins their education. While this can be eased through preparation, this can be a tough phase to overcome. To ease their minds, you can introduce them to their school and teacher beforehand so that they’ll be familiar with the people at school on their first day.
Preschool is a huge milestone for children and can come with anxieties, however a good preschool community can provide many benefits for a child’s growth. If you are torn on whether or not to enroll your children in preschool, let the pros and cons listed above help guide your decision. If you are looking for a quality preschool program, or want to learn more about the benefits of preschool, we welcome you to visit Grand Avenue Preschool!