Did you attend preschool? In the early ’80s, when I was itty-bitty, preschool wasn’t nearly as popular as it is today. I didn’t attend an actual school until my first day of kindergarten. Now it seems like most people start with at least a four-year-old program, so I was surprised to hear that according to the Census Bureau, the preschool enrollment for kids age three and four has dropped below 50% for the first time since 1996. One of the reasons: health risks. I get it. Sending a three-year-old to school in a mask when there might be an at-home option is a really tough position to be in.
Maybe health risks aren’t an issue for you, but you’re not sure if your child is ready for preschool. There are a lot of factors that determine if we should send little ones or keep them home for another year. Here are 5 things you could look for to help decide if your son or daughter is primed for the school experience.
1. Physical Development
If your childcare provider is also a preschool, they may offer flexibility on requirements like potty training. However, most preschools require that children be fully potty trained to attend. If your child is still working toward independence in this area, he or she probably needs a few more months to gain consistency before enrolling. Check out iMOM’s Potty Training Tips for help with the process. Your child also needs to be able to eat without major assistance, as a preschool teacher can’t hover over everyone at once during snack time.
2. Social Development
If your child has been at home with you since birth, make sure you provide a “soft” introduction of group play scenarios before dropping him or her off for a full morning of sharing, taking turns, and other things that preschoolers must do. I remember talking to the mom of a boy in my son’s preschool class about how smart and sweet he was. I was surprised when she told me they were making him repeat the year. She said he just wasn’t mature enough socially. I understood but was sad because he was such a cute kid and I was looking forward to his being in the same class as my son.
3. Obeying Authority
Does your child understand that Mom and Dad sometimes give another adult authority to guide and care for him or her and that the adult must be obeyed? Learning to respond to authority and follow the rules in the preschool classroom will be essential for your child’s success.
Learning to respond to authority and follow the rules in the preschool classroom will be essential for your child’s success. Click To Tweet4. Educational Interest
Your child’s level of interest and enthusiasm for learning may also help you decide whether preschool is a good option. Children who love playing games geared toward learning the basics like letters, numbers, and colors will likely thrive in a preschool classroom, which offers even more opportunity. The child who still has no interest in such things, however, may find a morning full of it to be too much.
5. Scheduling
Having your child on a regular schedule for sleep, meals, and naps will be essential to arriving each morning at preschool rested and ready to learn and play. If you still don’t have an established pattern for these things in your home, spend a few months establishing them so your little one can adjust.
Remember, one of the primary goals during these years is to help your child learn to love school. Don’t get too focused on academic benchmarks or progress until the kindergarten year, when expectations become more defined and children are developing vital reading skills.
Is your child ready for preschool? What makes you hesitate?
