To send or not to send a 3yo yet to preschool?

Just going out in public will bring germs into your home. I for one have had no issues with LO catching anything at school. They put all illnesses on a white board so that we are aware it is passing through the school. So I am careful to watch for signs and get them treated asap.

However if your smaller child has health issues it may not be right for you at this time. Perhaps you could find an early childhood student who would want to come to your home OR sometimes there are retired teachers who offer preschool from home with only a handful of children.

Good Luck

I'd wait til 4

I wouldn't really look at it as a health related things at all. Is there a need for him to start at 3. Why not wait a year? It will still give him a full year before kindergarten and help him get use to the routine and swing of things. Why the rush?

Unless your child has developmental delays he could not start in our preschool program until he is 4.

My daughter just finished ECEAP. It is a school district preschool for low income families. They do not accept a child unless they are 4 on or before the age cut off; August 31st here. It's just like kindergarten that will not accept a child unless they are 5 on or before the cut off.

There is not real reason to send a 3 year old to preschool if it is not necessary for the parent to work. Children get plenty of social time on play dates, at community events, Sunday school, gym or YMCA child care, library story times, Jr. sports, Gymboree... the list goes on and on of places a child can develop their individuality, independence and social skills. It was not always the 'norm' for a child to go to preschool at all. In the past most children did not step foot in a school until kindergarten. Now days they have K4 which is optional. And they offer preschool for as young as 6 months! It is a personal preference how young you want your kids to start school, 6 months or 6 years... but anything before kindergarten is not 'necessary' if you are doing your part to help her/him develop his/her life skills through other means.

Just wait until he's 4 if you are worried about germs for the baby. Germs wise, it's better for the 3 year old to expose him now and get it over with. But I understand you have an issue with the little one. He won't miss anything in pre-k 3.

Wait until he turns 4. My Son was sick almost the entire time while he was in Preschool. My Daughter was 3 months old when he went this year & the poor little thing got sick right away & had about 4 colds bad during the year. So if the smaller child is immune suppressed then forget sending the older child at 3 years old. It is not necessary & he will not miss a thing.

i've worked in child care centers, preschools, and home daycares, and now own my own in-home daycare. When my son was in the child care center he was sick all the fricken time. once we quit and started my own in-home, he was unbeleiveably healthy. centers in general are high turn over. more germs than the average outing on a daily basis.

i would pick a very small program.

My daughter went to a Montessori school 2-3 days a week at age 2 and then 5 days 8-12 at age 3 She loved it.