Early education is truly just that. EARLY! If your child is not enrolled in a school at the age of two, and speaking a second language by five, then you are to be frowned upon. You are a selfish parent for not enrolling your child in nursery school, or let us face the real fact, you are poor! Perhaps, it is a combination of both realities. You have the money, but you are not willing to spend it on a child going into a classroom to be introduced to one thousand germs, or you truly are struggling in this world of economic struggles, and simply cannot afford early education. Fair enough. My husband and I were fortunate enough to enroll our children in a pre-school. Here is my discovery to that monthly bill (which was hefty): WASTE! My children learned how to play! Some call it an early start on socialization skills, I call it a play-date with a price tag! Nevertheless, they were introduced to some dirty little friends named bacteria. For as much as they were in pre-school, they were out more! I paid for them to be home sick, more then for them to be in class for 2.5 hours every two days! Yes, that is it, five whole hours a week for over one thousand dollars per year! As a parent, you feel compelled to enroll your child in one of the most reputable pre-schools, so that you can...hmm...set a status of what type of parent you are? Why, certainly, that is the answer! Yet another battle of Mommy vs. Mom. My inner-self stating that I must do better for my children, while another 1/2 of me said, "Send them to the cheaper school, it is all the same!" The big question to this post is: DID YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY LEARN ANYTHING FROM PRE-SCHOOL? I am undoubtful that most of you would agree that, no, they did not! The smaller majority of parents that would disagree with this post, must have gotten lucky? I believe that my infants learned their ABC's from me, Barney, and Elmo! Counting from The Count on Sesame Street, socialization from a sibling, or a neighbors child. Musical talent from The Wiggles, and last but not least mannerisms from Mommy & Daddy.
I'm not ashamed to say I sent my daughter to preschool for my own sanity. I felt I really needed that 2.5 hour break. My daughter had a LOT of energy and desperately needed the social interaction and stimulation that comes from something other then Mommy. Also, one bonus came in the form of a friendship for both me and my daughter with a classmate and her mom that is still thriving today, 5 years later :)
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