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What is the big deal about starting PreK at the age of three?

Sharon - posted on 05/17/2010 ( 3 moms have responded )

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I was talking with one of my family members today about how well my daughter has been doing with her speech development minus the cognitive delay she has and mentioned that I'm trying to get my daughter to go to the school I work at next year for PreK since we are being staffed for it during the summer. Well you had to be there to hear the tone she used with me but I felt like I was a little kid being scolded for drawing on the walls or something. She went off on this tantrum that I'm robbing my daughter of her pre-childhood by sticking her into PreK at the age of three and that 2 years of PreK is way to much for any child to handle. I mean total soap box lecture here girls and when I tried to explain that it's to help her out cognitive wise with connecting words, meanings and the objects they go to I got a repeat of the lecture.

I don't see the big deal about starting my daughter in PreK at the age of three seeing as she's been in a nursery school enviroment this whole year....the daycare slowly switched over to one after the other daycare in the area closed down. I mean it's not like I don't have a plan of attack to keep her interested seeing as it will be 2 years in PreK but the first will be focused on her speech/cognitive delays and the second will be in the regular preK class....both full day. Plus it was HIGHLY recommended to me by the Early Steps program here that deals with this type of stuff every day.

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3 Comments

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Iridescent - posted on 05/17/2010

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We are starting all of ours in Pre-K at 3 years. This means 2 full years of preschool for 5 children. It's one day per week at 3 years, 2 days at 4 years, then 5 days at 5 years. It allows them to get to know the children they will know for the rest of their life! Make friendships they'll be able to recall as adults for as far back as they can remember. Learn socialization skills, and perhaps some other skills they're lacking at this point (this is our hope anyway). Teach them about routine and behavior in different environments. So many positives! I see nothing wrong with your decision and think the soapbox lecture you received was just a misguided attempt to make you change your mind and feel guilty.

Jodi - posted on 05/17/2010

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Sharon, in some regions of Australia, it is quite common for kids to do 2 years of PreK (we call it different things, but it's basically the same), so a lot of them start at age 3.



Also, just for the record, my daughter was still only 3 when she started (she did turn 4 a couple of months later), and she is now in Kindy (our first year of real school), and was only 4 when she started. She is one of the youngest in her year, but she was ready for school - there was no holding her back.



I don't see the big deal. I'd just ignore her. I was also criticised by my sister-in -law for sending my little one to school before she was 5, and I really don't care. I know the best for my daughter. Let her worry about her own kids.

Kristin - posted on 05/17/2010

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Do what you feel is right for your child. As long as you are comfortable with the program she is joining, then it is no one's business but yours.

I didn't want to do any PreK stuff for our oldest, but he was getting bored with the stuff we were doing at home. I also could not get this child to color or try writing anything. My husband found a program and I agreed to let him try it. He loved sitting in to observe and is now writing notes and all sorts of other things. I would imagine with out other kids, we will do what is right for them individually.

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