Need to Cancel Preschool, Am I a bad mom??

Jennifer - posted on 04/26/2012

No. You can do it. I home schooled my son for preschool and now I am homeschooling my daughter. I made play dates with other kids from the park. You can teach Colors, Shapes, Cutting, Coloring, the Alphabet, and Numbers at home. There are also tons of great free websites online with free videos for preschool aged kids. I used www.FirstStepreading.com at lot. It has step by step videos with ABC's Letter Sounds and it basically taught my son how to read. Then I bought pencils, markers, crayons, and even cheap workbooks at dollar like stores when my son was able to hold his pencil and write numbers and letters. hope that helps. You can do it!!

Stacey - posted on 09/12/2011

I dont think it makes you a bad parent at all! Kids learn every day and every second of every day reguardless if their in school or not!
Our oldest son is 7 and we sent him to preschool at the age of 4 and had to pay $500.00 up front for preschool and that was a public school. At the time we had the money and never though twice about it really. Now our youngest son is 4 and we want to send him as well.
Well I was informed a few days ago that it was going to cost us again to send him, not knowing the cost just yet. I told them that if it was that much then they can just scratch him off the list because no matter what they think we are not made of money!
I hate to do that to him and if and when they call back and if its a reasonable price we will send him. We however will not pay $500.00 this time around when he has to go next year!
I to feel like we are cheating him out of a year of school but at the same time know that it will be just fine if he does not get to go this year! And Im sure he will not be traumatized if he doesnt get to go!
We pay our fair share of taxes and then some. But just because he doesnt have a disability or anything like that they wont let him in and I dont think thats right when they label children homeless when they have a perfectly fine and nice home, they just live with their grandparents and so on!
Anyway I think it should be up to you and your hubby. If you can afford it great if not, dont sweat it....She will have to go eventually and im sure she will be just as smart as any other child in her class if not smarter!! Good Luck with your choice!

Raechil - posted on 09/11/2011

I dont think so. but Im planning on homeschooling. just have to make sure you find a way for them to still get out and socialize otherwise school will be a really difficult transition.

Chandra - posted on 09/08/2011

You might consider looking into a co-op (where you would volunteer once a week) they tend to be very inexpensive, and Headstart too - which is free if you qualify.

That being said, you are NOT a bad Mom, you are NOT doing the wrong thing. You need to do what is best for your family - and that includes being able to pay all of your bills and put a roof over your heads, and food on the table!

You can always buy some homeschooling books meant for preschool kids, also there is a book called 'What your Preschooler Needs to Know" by the Core Knowledge foundation which could be a good resource for helping prepare your child for Kindergarten without attending preschool. There is also 'What your preschooler needs to know: Activity Book by Linda Bevilacqua as well as
'The GIANT Encyclopedia of Lesson Plans for Children 3 to 6: More Than 250 Lesson Plans Created by Teachers for Teachers.

Plus - TONS of other Preschool workbooks - just do a search on Amazon.com you'll find plenty!

Set up daily time to "have Preschool" with her - cover all of the basics each day - reading practice/word learning, writing, ABC's, 123's, Art, Music, PE. Use high-quailty children's programs to create lesson plans with themes. You CAN do a preschool program at home, then just become VERY active with playgroups with kids your daughter's age, Meet a few times a week.

She will be fine!

Amanda - posted on 12/02/2009

Oh my goodness, my hubby and I are in the same boat! Our son is in pre school but we are finding it very hard to be able to pay for his school and everything else we have to pay for as well. We also have a 2 yr old. I have been looking for public pre schools that don't cost and am not having any luck. I think if you do take your child out at least home school...That is my plan. I stay home with them anyhow. It does not make u a bad mom.

Chantelle - posted on 12/02/2009

No not at all....since i took my daughter out i've never seen her so happy honestly.....in the long run you will see that is the best. You can still take her to see her friends!

Kali - posted on 12/01/2009

No your def not a bad mother and those who think other wise are full of it! There as several things like library activities that you can take your children to that give them social skills, play groups, and just by going to the park and playing with other kids give them those skills. Im from a family that homeschools and I no a bunch of people that do it as well and I loved it and my brothers and sisters loved it. By your child staying home you can work on the same things if not more then what the preschool was working on. And now a days with how early kids are starting to do really bad things like saying bad words and teaching them to the kids in there class. Atleast you will no what things are influencing your child and that you can help control the bad things your child will be around. LIke i said dont stress your looking out for your family and trying to do what is best for everybody!

Teresa - posted on 12/01/2009

Quoting Michelle:

Quoting Dawn:

Honestly..NO!! If you have time to take your child to "free" playgroups and do playdates with friends you are fine! As long as you can keep up with your childs social skills outside of the home, she will be fine. Preschool can definatley be continued at the home. There are things you can do for your child inside the home that are just as good if not better than preschool!! Lets face it, preschool is exspensive and the economy is not great....but that does not mean your a bad parent because of it. Cutting out your cable bill and internet are NOT going to pay the preschool bill. As long as your child is getting social interactions, mental and emotional stimulation and she is being mentally challenged, she will be ready for Kindergarten!! Good Luck

depending where you live preschool can cost about the same as cable and the internet... yeah she can keep the skills up with her child but my son's in kindy and you can tell which kids in his class didn't do preschool they are behind socially emotionally and on their school work

My preschool for my son was $120.00 a week for only 3 days a week and that was the least expensive I could find.  That is a lot more than internet and cable.  Every family and child is different and you need to make sure that you keep your stress down and keep your finances under control because peace and security in the home is more important than your child going to preschool.  Many children are socially and emotionally behind because they didn't attend preschool, but that's probably becuase the parents didn't try to do other things to help their children be prepared for Kindergarten.  And since your son was already attending preschool I'm sure he'll be fine in Kindergarten.  He alreay knows what to expect, just keep it up and you guys will be fine.

Angela - posted on 12/01/2009

No dear you would not. In this hard economy we all have to make sacrifices. I have four children the oldest 3 went to pre-school..and I have chose to keep the youngest out of pre-school..she is just as smart or smarter than all of her siblings were at that age...I continue to reinforce preschool projects at home and arrange play dates to give her the social side she is missing from not going...So dont beat yourself up over this...

Teresa - posted on 12/01/2009

I had to deal with the same issue earlier this year. My son started preschool for 3 days a week when he was 2. I loved that he was learning his colors, shapes, numbers and how to make friends with other kids his age, but my husband's income went down and we couldn't afford to keep him in school. If you can find ways to make it work then you should definately try, but don't feel guilty because you can't afford to send him to preschool. Just do some activities with him for even just 20 minutes everynight. Parents are the best teachers because your children look up to you. One night read him a story and ask him questions about it like "what color is this person's jacket," "what shape is this table," how many circles do you see," things like that. It is very easy to teach your children the things they would be learning in preschool without having to go out and buy a lot of school supplies. Keep it simple and fun and it will be a great experience for you both.

Michelle - posted on 12/01/2009

i stand correctly IL is the only state with free preschool and it's a new thing... the rest of the states you have to be low income

Michelle - posted on 12/01/2009

Quoting Tasheka:

Quoting Michelle:

preschool in most places are only through the school IF you are low income

Ummm not where I live even the richest of families are free through the school district so do some more research before you say anything about low income families. Thank you.

i've dont plenty of research and have little in multiple states so whatever u think

Annery - posted on 12/01/2009

U can sign ur child up for Headstart they can start as early as 3 years old. It's a program that is at no cost to u and it's in an actual school. Go to the website and check what the income requirements are for ur hometown. You're saving money and ur child is still getting her education. There are lots of programs out there sometimes they are posted in ur local WIC office even free daycare if you qualify for your 2yr n 4 mth old.

Tasheka - posted on 12/01/2009

Quoting Michelle:

preschool in most places are only through the school IF you are low income

Ummm not where I live even the richest of families are free through the school district so do some more research before you say anything about low income families. Thank you.

Michelle - posted on 12/01/2009

preschool in most places are only through the school IF you are low income

Tasheka - posted on 12/01/2009

Quoting Michelle:

Quoting Kara:

I live in Northern Ireland and the government pays for our children to attend preschool or private nursery for FREE aged 3 and 4 year old which i think is brilliant, it isnt just low income families it is EVERY CHILD this age - no matter of income!! Maybe they should start this kind of funding where you live no matter of income it just doesn't seem fair - hope you figure something out and I don't think your a bad mum :) you just want the best for your child

tha'ts something that'll probably never happen here in the united states but i think i'ts a great idea... here the gov't only wants to help those that choose to sit on their butts and not make much money

ummm where i live in IL Preschool is through the school district so yes it is in the US . Do some research on your local school and see if they offer it. My son is in his first year and I would NOT cut it for anything at all. He gets to be around children his age and have some of his own time.

Michelle - posted on 12/01/2009

i wanted to point out the things that should be worked on at home... and kindy isnt' what it used to be my son took a ONE HOUR test before he could even get into kindy..he had to be able to write his first and last name know opposites cut simple shapes identify simple shapes identify upper and lower case letters identify some letter blends.. know his vowels draw a picture of himself *checking to see how many body parts they put in the pic correctly*know his colors write most of the alphabet upper and lower CORRECTLY do simple patterns *ABAB AND ABCABC* seperate from the parent without a meltdown etc... so those that think your kid is just going to go into kindy and take naps and play are FAR FAR OFF...

Christa - posted on 12/01/2009

Where we leave, preschool is WAY more than just a place to develop "social skills". It is really a pre-k course. They prepare the child to be ready for Kindergarten. I would make cutting pre-school my last resort....right before eating rice and bread only. It could be a decision that affects your child for the next 13+ years of their schooling. I would sacrifice something else now....in order to give them the best start for their school years. Look into a preschool that is associated with a church...alot of times they will have a scholarship program or an assistance program.

Lisa - posted on 11/30/2009

No, I would not say that you are a bad mom. Legally, a child does not have to start school until age 5 on or before the cutoff date. I had to take both of my kids out this year and I don't feel the least bit bad about it. Actually, it was the best thing I ever did because it gave me extra time to spend with them before they go to real school. And plus, you must realize children grow up so fast. One minute they are newborns and the next they are getting ready to leave the house. My children are now 5, 4, and 3 and it seems just like yesterday I had them. Years and time goes by so fast. No, you are not a bad mother and cherish this time now that you have with your children beacause it does not last long. Make the moments and everyday count. And never forget to tell them that you love them daily. God bless you and all your endeavers. God bless your children :)

Dawn - posted on 11/30/2009

There is always the home schooling approach anyways.

Carina - posted on 11/30/2009

one thing to all those moms who think that preschool isn't that expensive. just remember it all depends on where you live, becuase where i live (BC, Canada) for me to send my 3 year old to preschool it would cost me the same amount as i pay in rent each month.

Carina - posted on 11/30/2009

yes school is important but when it come sto prechool it is more about the child interaction then the learning so instead of sending your child to an expensive preschool. have play dates. they don't cost anything other then a little bit of your time. i know what it is like not to have the money to send your child to daycare or preschool. it sucks and you feel bad but you have to remember that they will go to school it just might have to wait till kindergarten. Don't ever feel bad for doing the right things for your families future.

Stephanie - posted on 11/30/2009

Oh P.S You can teach your child everything and even more then they do in preschool at home . My son went in to preschool knowing his ABC'S and can count to 20 and more . Don't think that your child is missing out on an education you can teacher all and more then the teacher will

Stephanie - posted on 11/30/2009

I don't think you are .. My son is three and is in preschool I'm due to deliver our secound son in a couple of weeks and all though I won't be removing him due to the cost I 'm removing him for a month cause of the need to keep the new born out of the cold and i'm the only one at home full time and husbend works . I also feel bad due to the fact the he loves it so much . I have found books at a store call teaching tools that have great ideas of things to due with preschoolers and great at home schooling tools hope it helps and keep your faith up things wil get better.

Daniele - posted on 11/30/2009

Preschool is wonderful, if you can afford it. We've been looking into schools in this area, and they run between $150 and $200 per week. This is way more than we can afford, so we are working with Lex at home. Also, most,if not all states allow home schooling. There are guides and manuals at bookstores and online that you can buy to help you learn what you need to teach your child. There are also online resources that you can research. We will be homeschooling our daughter because the local public schools are awful. Good luck, and no you are not a bad parent. The fact that you are concerned about your child's education means you care.

Hope - posted on 11/30/2009

Wow I didn't think preschool was that expensive. I send my three yr old son to preschool two days a week and it's only eighty dollars a month. He has been having the best time and doesn't want to leave when I go pick him up. Is there any way you could look into help for paying for from the preschool itself. I know some of them offer scholarships and lower cost for low income families.

Gwen - posted on 11/30/2009

I refinanced my house, cancelled my land-line phone, took texting off my cell plan, and packed more lunches to save money

Gwen - posted on 11/30/2009

Maybe sell this house for one that you can afford? Are there other areas you can cut back..i think someone else suggested cable, internet, cell phone minutes, etc. Education is SO important, especially these days when kids have to master so many skills before they can even start kindergarten.

Tanya - posted on 11/29/2009

pre school is not mandatory, legally your allowed to be a stay at home mum untill your child is 5 and has to go to school.
If you can't afford school then by all means keep your child at home. There is plenty that you can teach your child, there are loads of educational programs on t.v these days also. My thoughts on schooling have nothing to do with money, i have a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old. My 4 yr old was only allowed to start day care (aussie version of pre school) this year after she turned 4 i wouldnt allow her to go any earlier simply because once next yr comes she is going to get years and years of education an hardly any time with her parents/siblings anymore so i let her be a child and i was a stay at home mum she's only allowed day care twice a week for 4 hours and it only costs me $8 a day but if i was working it would be $60 a day!..... It's your child please don't feel like a bad mum if you cant afford to kep her in pre school... shes going to get plenty of free education for many years to come really soon!!

Michelle - posted on 11/29/2009

Quoting Karen:

I didn't go to preschool and I turned out just fine! YOU know your daughter better than anyone. Do what's best for your daughter and family. Take her to the library for some free social/learning time!

just wanted to point out school now is nothing like when we were kids... NO NAPS IN KINDY and kindy isnt' playing and games like it used to be... my kindy son is reading already having spelling tests having sight word tests having phonics tests etc

Karen - posted on 11/29/2009

I didn't go to preschool and I turned out just fine! YOU know your daughter better than anyone. Do what's best for your daughter and family. Take her to the library for some free social/learning time!

Michelle - posted on 11/29/2009

Quoting Tiffany:

Michelle T,

Seriously, where do you live? Private school in my area is almost $2000 a month!! And the preschool is around $150 a week! I want to live where you are!!

And Sifa, there are much worse things you can do to you're kids! At least you are concerned and trying to provide a nuturing stable environment for your kids!! I've had 2 in the Headstart programs with the local public school system, both due to speec issues. Too many parents think they don't have to do anything since their kids are in the program.

we live in kentucky... he went to private catholic preschool and the same now for kindy which is 7500ish a year

Amy - posted on 11/29/2009

Quoting Kara:

I live in Northern Ireland and the government pays for our children to attend preschool or private nursery for FREE aged 3 and 4 year old which i think is brilliant, it isnt just low income families it is EVERY CHILD this age - no matter of income!! Maybe they should start this kind of funding where you live no matter of income it just doesn't seem fair - hope you figure something out and I don't think your a bad mum :) you just want the best for your child

I wish it didn't matter about income here because while my tax dollars pay for it, I make too much for my child to attend. They can take my money but not my kid?

Tiffany - posted on 11/29/2009

Michelle T,

Seriously, where do you live? Private school in my area is almost $2000 a month!! And the preschool is around $150 a week! I want to live where you are!!

And Sifa, there are much worse things you can do to you're kids! At least you are concerned and trying to provide a nuturing stable environment for your kids!! I've had 2 in the Headstart programs with the local public school system, both due to speec issues. Too many parents think they don't have to do anything since their kids are in the program.

Michelle - posted on 11/29/2009

Quoting Kara:

I live in Northern Ireland and the government pays for our children to attend preschool or private nursery for FREE aged 3 and 4 year old which i think is brilliant, it isnt just low income families it is EVERY CHILD this age - no matter of income!! Maybe they should start this kind of funding where you live no matter of income it just doesn't seem fair - hope you figure something out and I don't think your a bad mum :) you just want the best for your child

tha'ts something that'll probably never happen here in the united states but i think i'ts a great idea... here the gov't only wants to help those that choose to sit on their butts and not make much money

Michelle - posted on 11/29/2009

Quoting Dawn:

Quoting Michelle:

Quoting Dawn:

Honestly..NO!! If you have time to take your child to "free" playgroups and do playdates with friends you are fine! As long as you can keep up with your childs social skills outside of the home, she will be fine. Preschool can definatley be continued at the home. There are things you can do for your child inside the home that are just as good if not better than preschool!! Lets face it, preschool is exspensive and the economy is not great....but that does not mean your a bad parent because of it. Cutting out your cable bill and internet are NOT going to pay the preschool bill. As long as your child is getting social interactions, mental and emotional stimulation and she is being mentally challenged, she will be ready for Kindergarten!! Good Luck

depending where you live preschool can cost about the same as cable and the internet... yeah she can keep the skills up with her child but my son's in kindy and you can tell which kids in his class didn't do preschool they are behind socially emotionally and on their school work

Well Ive never lived in one of those places...Ive lived in places where preschool cost between $800-$1200 a month.  And alot of parents just cant afford it.  I have an E.C.E degree and most likely children who are lacking their social, emotional and physical skills is because their parents arent following through at home and teaching them the life skills they need to succeed.  Ive seen this all to much, but if she can in fact keep this up at home and put her child in social environments, he will not suffer because he is not in preschool.  Not to mention there are alot of preschools out there that are not preparing our children for school like they should.  Its up to the parents what they choose to do ultimately, but it does not make them a bad parent because they choose not to.  If you can afford it...more power to you, its a wonderful tool for your child, but if you cant, there are alternatives out there!

preschool here for 3 hours a day 5 days a week we paid 350ish a month... we pay closer to that 800 dollar mark now for private school tution for kindy

Kara - posted on 11/29/2009

I live in Northern Ireland and the government pays for our children to attend preschool or private nursery for FREE aged 3 and 4 year old which i think is brilliant, it isnt just low income families it is EVERY CHILD this age - no matter of income!! Maybe they should start this kind of funding where you live no matter of income it just doesn't seem fair - hope you figure something out and I don't think your a bad mum :) you just want the best for your child

MYRA - posted on 11/29/2009

I WORKED AT A PRE-SCHOOL AND NO MY CHILDREN DONT GO I ONLY DID 12 YEARS OF SCHOOL BECAUSE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER YOU DID NOT HAVE TO GO TO KINDERGARTEN IT WAS A CHOICE LIKE PRE-SCHOOL IS TODAY. MY MOTHER TOOK THE TIME TO TEACH ME HOW TO WRITE MY NAME AND MY ABC'S AND 123'S

I STILL FEEL LIKE YOUR PAYING FOR SOMETHING YOU CAN DO YOUR SELF!

Michelle - posted on 11/29/2009

Quoting MYRA:

Quoting Jennifer:

I have a degree in elementary education and I believe Preschool/Headstart is an excellent source for children to receive a "Headstart" into their schooling years. However, after saying that, I don't think it is necessary for all children. Headstart (a government funded program) was started for a way to give underdeveloped, under-priviledged, or low-income children a "booster" because these children were at most risk of not prospering in school. They later developed the preschool program (at which the parents had to pay) to accommodate children that do not meet state guidelines for the Head Start program. Because of my education, I do not plan on sending my now 20 month old twins to preschool when they reach the appropriate age. In addition, I do not believe that you must possess a degree at all to teach your own child the skills needed to prepare him/her for Kindergarten. This does take a lot of time and effort from parents if you do decide to take this route~but it does not mean that you are a bad parent....AT ALL!!! If you are unsure of what you need to teach your child, the local school/preschool should have a copy of the content standards that the teachers will be teaching in their program. Each state may vary slightly but for the most part the content standards should be the same throughout the nation.
So to answer your question, taking your child out of preschool does not mean you are a bad parent!! I do believe that by doing this, you need to set some time aside on a daily basis to teach your children the skills he/she will need to prepare him/her for Kindergarten. It isn't hard, it just takes time!!!

I SO AGREE WITH YOU I HAVE THREE CHILDREN 4,3,& 1. I  AM A TEACHERS ASSISTANT PRE-SCHOOL IS SO OVER RATED YOU PEOPLE ARE PAYING 100 PER WEEK FOR YOUR CHILD TO WATCH LEAP FROG DVDS AND COLOR MOST OF THE TIME THE ONLY REAL WORK THEY WILL DO IS THE HOMEWORK WE SEND HOME WITH YOU. THEY PLAY OUTSIDE FOR 2 R 3 HOURS A DAY AND LETS NOT FORGET ABOUT THE 2 HOUR NAP.

 

ITS A WASTE OF MONEY BUT TO EACH IS THERE OWN THEY DIDNT HAVE PRE-SCHOOL WHEN OVER HALF OF US WERE CHILDREN AND WE TURNED OUT FINE SO WHAT THE POINT OF ADDING EXTRA YEARS IN SCHOOL THEY ALREADY HAVE TO GO FOR 12 YEARS.

my son did preschool from 9-12 m-f *he's in kindy now* and apprently you have some horrible preschools... my son did not watch tv or dvds' at school they learned sight words how to write words etc ...like everything it depends on where you place them

MYRA - posted on 11/29/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

I have a degree in elementary education and I believe Preschool/Headstart is an excellent source for children to receive a "Headstart" into their schooling years. However, after saying that, I don't think it is necessary for all children. Headstart (a government funded program) was started for a way to give underdeveloped, under-priviledged, or low-income children a "booster" because these children were at most risk of not prospering in school. They later developed the preschool program (at which the parents had to pay) to accommodate children that do not meet state guidelines for the Head Start program. Because of my education, I do not plan on sending my now 20 month old twins to preschool when they reach the appropriate age. In addition, I do not believe that you must possess a degree at all to teach your own child the skills needed to prepare him/her for Kindergarten. This does take a lot of time and effort from parents if you do decide to take this route~but it does not mean that you are a bad parent....AT ALL!!! If you are unsure of what you need to teach your child, the local school/preschool should have a copy of the content standards that the teachers will be teaching in their program. Each state may vary slightly but for the most part the content standards should be the same throughout the nation.
So to answer your question, taking your child out of preschool does not mean you are a bad parent!! I do believe that by doing this, you need to set some time aside on a daily basis to teach your children the skills he/she will need to prepare him/her for Kindergarten. It isn't hard, it just takes time!!!

I SO AGREE WITH YOU I HAVE THREE CHILDREN 4,3,& 1. I  AM A TEACHERS ASSISTANT PRE-SCHOOL IS SO OVER RATED YOU PEOPLE ARE PAYING 100 PER WEEK FOR YOUR CHILD TO WATCH LEAP FROG DVDS AND COLOR MOST OF THE TIME THE ONLY REAL WORK THEY WILL DO IS THE HOMEWORK WE SEND HOME WITH YOU. THEY PLAY OUTSIDE FOR 2 R 3 HOURS A DAY AND LETS NOT FORGET ABOUT THE 2 HOUR NAP.

ITS A WASTE OF MONEY BUT TO EACH IS THERE OWN THEY DIDNT HAVE PRE-SCHOOL WHEN OVER HALF OF US WERE CHILDREN AND WE TURNED OUT FINE SO WHAT THE POINT OF ADDING EXTRA YEARS IN SCHOOL THEY ALREADY HAVE TO GO FOR 12 YEARS.

Amy - posted on 11/29/2009

Maybe you can check into headstart programs that are free. They accept children based on income. You might qualify.

Dawn - posted on 11/29/2009

Quoting Michelle:

Quoting Dawn:

Honestly..NO!! If you have time to take your child to "free" playgroups and do playdates with friends you are fine! As long as you can keep up with your childs social skills outside of the home, she will be fine. Preschool can definatley be continued at the home. There are things you can do for your child inside the home that are just as good if not better than preschool!! Lets face it, preschool is exspensive and the economy is not great....but that does not mean your a bad parent because of it. Cutting out your cable bill and internet are NOT going to pay the preschool bill. As long as your child is getting social interactions, mental and emotional stimulation and she is being mentally challenged, she will be ready for Kindergarten!! Good Luck

depending where you live preschool can cost about the same as cable and the internet... yeah she can keep the skills up with her child but my son's in kindy and you can tell which kids in his class didn't do preschool they are behind socially emotionally and on their school work

Well Ive never lived in one of those places...Ive lived in places where preschool cost between $800-$1200 a month.  And alot of parents just cant afford it.  I have an E.C.E degree and most likely children who are lacking their social, emotional and physical skills is because their parents arent following through at home and teaching them the life skills they need to succeed.  Ive seen this all to much, but if she can in fact keep this up at home and put her child in social environments, he will not suffer because he is not in preschool.  Not to mention there are alot of preschools out there that are not preparing our children for school like they should.  Its up to the parents what they choose to do ultimately, but it does not make them a bad parent because they choose not to.  If you can afford it...more power to you, its a wonderful tool for your child, but if you cant, there are alternatives out there!

Erin - posted on 11/29/2009

We didn't put our 3 yr old in daycare because we were having another baby...if you are in the process of buying a house and your finances are already stretched then you do what you gotta do! You don't want this expense to take from your other two children as well!!! As far as the other women saying you should cut out your cable and internet...we don't have cable, I don't think that is an awful thing to cut since you likely need to pull all of your resources together, but I also think that the internet is a great aid for you to help teach your children and if your husband is anything like mine, he wouldn't cut the internet bill out just so our son could go to preschool, because NO it wouldn't cover it! Not for the entire month, maybe 2 wks? And then it wouldn't cover any other expense like gas getting them there, etc... Preschool is not a necessity! You can do all that teaching at home! Good luck and don't be too hard on yourself!!!

Jennifer - posted on 11/29/2009

I have a degree in elementary education and I believe Preschool/Headstart is an excellent source for children to receive a "Headstart" into their schooling years. However, after saying that, I don't think it is necessary for all children. Headstart (a government funded program) was started for a way to give underdeveloped, under-priviledged, or low-income children a "booster" because these children were at most risk of not prospering in school. They later developed the preschool program (at which the parents had to pay) to accommodate children that do not meet state guidelines for the Head Start program. Because of my education, I do not plan on sending my now 20 month old twins to preschool when they reach the appropriate age. In addition, I do not believe that you must possess a degree at all to teach your own child the skills needed to prepare him/her for Kindergarten. This does take a lot of time and effort from parents if you do decide to take this route~but it does not mean that you are a bad parent....AT ALL!!! If you are unsure of what you need to teach your child, the local school/preschool should have a copy of the content standards that the teachers will be teaching in their program. Each state may vary slightly but for the most part the content standards should be the same throughout the nation.
So to answer your question, taking your child out of preschool does not mean you are a bad parent!! I do believe that by doing this, you need to set some time aside on a daily basis to teach your children the skills he/she will need to prepare him/her for Kindergarten. It isn't hard, it just takes time!!!

Michelle - posted on 11/29/2009

You are not a bad mom. If you can't afford it, then you can't afford it. Your daughter can in fact get the things she would get in preschool from you and you can join a play group or something for the social interaction. Seriously I did not not go to preschool and neither did a lot of people I know because it was really expensive and not something that everyone did when I was a kid. Everyone I know including myself did just fine without it (finished college even). So don't worry about it. If you are committed to it, you can teach her everything she will get in preschool yourself. Food on the table and mortgage payments come before preschool. Believe it or not your child can live without preschool and still be a successful, productive member of society.

Michelle - posted on 11/29/2009

Quoting Dawn:

Honestly..NO!! If you have time to take your child to "free" playgroups and do playdates with friends you are fine! As long as you can keep up with your childs social skills outside of the home, she will be fine. Preschool can definatley be continued at the home. There are things you can do for your child inside the home that are just as good if not better than preschool!! Lets face it, preschool is exspensive and the economy is not great....but that does not mean your a bad parent because of it. Cutting out your cable bill and internet are NOT going to pay the preschool bill. As long as your child is getting social interactions, mental and emotional stimulation and she is being mentally challenged, she will be ready for Kindergarten!! Good Luck

depending where you live preschool can cost about the same as cable and the internet... yeah she can keep the skills up with her child but my son's in kindy and you can tell which kids in his class didn't do preschool they are behind socially emotionally and on their school work

Bonnie - posted on 11/29/2009

im sending mine evan tho we cant afford it :)

Dawn - posted on 11/28/2009

Honestly..NO!! If you have time to take your child to "free" playgroups and do playdates with friends you are fine! As long as you can keep up with your childs social skills outside of the home, she will be fine. Preschool can definatley be continued at the home. There are things you can do for your child inside the home that are just as good if not better than preschool!! Lets face it, preschool is exspensive and the economy is not great....but that does not mean your a bad parent because of it. Cutting out your cable bill and internet are NOT going to pay the preschool bill. As long as your child is getting social interactions, mental and emotional stimulation and she is being mentally challenged, she will be ready for Kindergarten!! Good Luck

Di - posted on 11/28/2009

i think it's fine. is there a playgroup in your area? could be a fun place to go with all the kids. and it's usually free

Teresa - posted on 11/28/2009

I agree w/ it not being the first thing to cut out of your spending. I believe that preschool is extremely important. That being said... if I couldn't have gotten my girls into Head Start they wouldn't have gone to preschool. We couldn't afford it and we HAD nothing to cut.....