Is it a MUST for kids?

[sarah824]

What are your thoughts on preschool? Do you think kids HAVE to go to preschool to do well in kindergarten and above? 

How many years did/will your kids go to preschool?

[PoehlerBear1983]

I think preschool is more for the social than academics of a child. While I think its beneficial and helpful just because your child goes to preschool doesn't mean they will do better in school than someone who didn't.

My children did go to preschool.

[nngmommy83]

DD went to preschool and I think it really helped prepare her for kindergarten not neccesarily academically but socially and show her what a school day is like. DS is starting this July giving him 2 years.

[countrymomma81]

I don't think it's a must,  but it certainly helps. 

My son went to a daycare that was kind of like a school. My daughter went to Headstart for 2 years. She's already doing 2nd grade work. I'd say the extra schooling had something to do with that. 

[batjmom]

Both my kids went to preschool. I think it helped adjust for kindergarten. They knew a lot before school started but then again we did a lot of reading at home as well

[soccerchik8287]

Nope I don't think it is a must. My daughter will have gone 2. Its a 9-1 preschool 2days a week though. I just like that gets some social time and gets to be away from me on her own a little.

[bethany169]

Cab will have a couple of months in a preschool-type learning center before he starts pre-k in the fall, and I'm not sure if or when we'll start Hannah in the same center. They both go to daycare so I'm not worried about the social interaction or them not used to being away from me, and we read so much at home, as well as learning colors, numbers, letters, shapes, etc, that I'm not worried about them being behind academically.

I didn't go to preschool, my little brother and sister did. We're all fairly successful college graduates and I tend to think that the time my mom spent reading to us and taking us places was more influential than our early education....

[sarah824]

 Neither of my kids have had any preschool. I work with both of them at home and make sure they are academically ready to start. Both kids are super social so that wasn't a concern either. Now with DD she comes with me once a week to help in DS's class and that has been very helpful for her in understanding how the classroom works.

I know lots of people who think preschool is a must and have actually told me I am doing my kids harm by not putting them in for at least a year. I was just curious what everyone else's opinion was. Sounds like I am in the minority by not sending mine, but I think they are doing just fine. :-)

[sunshine86912]

Preschool is a selection process here. My oldest didnt get in and my youngest wont get to go because we are moving to somewhere that doesnt have preschool (that we can get into, its hard to get into the german schools and the on post is overcrowded)

[LancesMom]

My son needed it. He was always active and needed an outlet.

[soccerchik8287]

We have something similar here for city preschools. I think its kind of stupid! Kids who live in areas that are considered low income, can go no problem. Kids who live anywhere else pretty much have their names put in a hat & drawn out randomly. So only some can get in. My daughter goes to a preschool at a church because of it.

Quoting sunshine86912:

Preschool is a selection process here. My oldest didnt get in and my youngest wont get to go because we are moving to somewhere that doesnt have preschool (that we can get into, its hard to get into the german schools and the on post is overcrowded)