Thank you for visiting to read Why I’m Glad I Sent My Child to Preschool. This post may contain affiliate links. Important Note: We’re going to talk about preschool! Yay! When I refer to preschool, I am talking about a part time, optional education program for children approximately age 3-5. Some of my points will not relate specifically to children in full time day care with preschool classes, which is also an awesome thing, but I cannot speak to that style of preschool as it is not my experience. Happy reading!
Mommy is a Mess
Oh fellow mommy friends, I am struggling this week! It’s actually been a nice week; my husband (finally) came home from a three week international business trip, the weather is feeling warmer by the day, I got my house clean-ish, I love my job… things are good! But… and this is a big old huge BUT… my baby girl is graduating from preschool. *Cue the waterworks!*
I tell ya, I do not even know what my problem is! This whole emotional roller coaster totally snuck up on me. I just love the sweet little preschool my daughter has been attending for two years and I’m devastated that our time there is up. Don’t judge me.
Listen here, if you’re non-emotional or don’t have children or if you’re in that early stage when you think you just can’t wait for them to grow up (at least a little): we emotional wreck hot mess moms applaud you for your command of your feelings, but you’re going to have to let us have this one. I need to cry and moan and wallow in self-pity that this precious phase of our lives is over. OVER, I tell ya! *WHAAAAA!*
Okay, in all seriousness, I am so incredibly thankful that my daughter had this wonderful preschool experience. I wouldn’t trade the memories, friendships, and learning for anything… not even for the money spent on tuition! Ha!
Why I’m Glad I Sent My Child to Preschool
Times have changed and I have a sense that preschool is now what kindergarten used to be. I have family members who went to kindergarten at age four and remember learning to cut and paste and sing their ABC’s. Last week I read over the several page list of everything my daughter will learn in her first year of kindergarten (at age five and six) and believe me, cutting and pasting is not on the list. Children really do need to already be developing social skills and have a good bit of structured learning experience before they enter kindergarten.
If you have a two or three year old and are considering whether or not to send them to preschool, I say do it! I just cannot say enough good about our preschool experience and the very positive impact its had on my daughter.
Let’s chat for a moment about what preschool is and what it is not. Please note, I am not a teacher! I’m just a mom sharing with my mom friends why I think preschool is valuable. I would LOVE for some teachers to weigh in on this topic in the comments section.
What Preschool Is
Preschool is a semi structured learning environment for three, four, and five year old children. Students generally learn through play, song, stories, discussion, and repetition.
Preschool is a time to develop important social skills, independence, as well as cognitive and language skills. Preschoolers will typically learn to say, sound out, and write the alphabet, say and write numbers, count objects, name colors, learn the days of the week, learn about weather, and more.
My daughter missed the kindergarten cut off in 2016 by just over two months, so Pre-K was a wonderful option for her to begin learning more advanced skills such as basic addition and subtraction, early reading and writing, fun science experimentation, etc.
The fun learning environment has challenged her while also fostering a sense of curiosity and a desire to continue learning and attempting new things.
What Preschool is Not
Preschool is not babysitting.
Preschool is not boring.
Preschool is not easy… when it’s over because you’ll probably fall in love with your little school and wish your baby could be little forever WWHHHAAA! Oh wow… so sorry. I forgot what I was saying…
Okay, why don’t we just move on and forget my mini meltdown there. Let’s now chat about all the reasons Why I’m Glad I Sent My Child to Preschool!
Kindergarten Readiness
Children who attend preschool do better in kindergarten than those who do not (Click here for recommended Washington Post article). I feel like this is pretty obvious. Even if your child is prepared academically, it’s a whole other big thing to be prepared socially for a classroom setting.
It’s Not Just Mommy
Does anyone else ever feel like your kid learns something awesome from someone else, comes home and tells you all about it, and you’re like “I JUST TAUGHT YOU THAT LAST WEEK!”
Let’s be honest, sometimes our kids need someone other than us teaching them. It’s healthy for them to interact with other caring adults and learn social boundaries outside of their own family.
It’s also completely true that parents are biased toward their children. Because we see our children all the time, we can become a bit too used to their behavior and miss things that need to be corrected. Teachers are very helpful to parents as they can gently but directly point out issues that need work and we may have been missing.
Social and Emotional Development
In a preschool classroom, children learn more than their ABC’s. They also develop independence, which is of critical importance. Preschoolers need to work through separation anxiety at an early age before it can have a negative impact on their school work when they reach kindergarten.
Preschool is also a wonderful time for children to begin to form friendships with classmates. My daughter is always talking about her little friends and I love seeing them interact. Such cute little people! Some of these friendships may last throughout her school years.
Educational Benefits of Preschool
- Language development
- Growth in the area of cognitive skills
- Structured learning experience
- Development of motor kills
- Nurturing of curiosity and appreciation of learning
- Pre-math and pre-reading skill development
Check out this article for 10 Reasons Your Child Should Attend Preschool and this article on Why Preschool Matters.
Memories and Experiences
Now that my daughter’s two precious years in preschool are ending, I look back at so many sweet memories: The field trip to the farm market and pumpkin patch for a hayride and cider making. Checking her in to her class room and seeing her cheerfully greet her friends and talk about who got a “helping hand” that day. Preparing creative snacks for her occasional snack day. Picking her up from school and hearing all her stories and thoughts about the afternoon. Adorable Christmas plays. Halloween parties. Over-the-top Valentine’s boxes for the Valentine’s Day parties.
So many happy memories and special experiences that have helped my little girl grow. Thank you, sweet preschool; we’re going to miss you.
I’m glad you mentioned that preschool would be fun. I would think that kids that age would have a hard time just sitting and learning all day. Hopefully preschool would be full of fun activities as well as learning.
When I took my daughter (who was 3, almost 4 at the time) to preschool orientation, they warned us that we might think all they do at preschool is play from what out kids would be telling us. They said that the kids DO learn a lot and do have some time to practice sitting and listening, but that most of the learning is through hands on play. It was very fun and only little doses of sitting still, which is important for them to start learning before they get to kindergarten.
I like the idea that children should be able to develop social skills and get a taste of learning from a teacher before they go to kindergarten. My wife and I have been thinking about whether we want to send our oldest to preschool this next year since he’s going to start kindergarten the year after, and we haven’t been able to decide one way or another yet. I think if we introduced him to the experience of school before he goes there for real, he’ll probably have a better time with it.