preschool questions, please help! piog

Your post is full of many questions and emotions.

 If you wish for him to go to kindercare for socialization reasons it does not matter what he know ahead of the other children as even in kindercare most of what they will be doing will be play.

 Now home schooling is another thing all together. Yes he is already home schooled not so much by what he knows but by the fact you are teaching him.

Home schooled kids are socialized a bit differently. It depends on where you live and the rules of your school district.

 I lived in NH and in that state my home schooled kids could take part in sports, music and any after school programs; as well as, they could take a class here or there too if we wished, though I was responsible for transportation.

 Home schooled kids often become part of a group of other home schooled kids and do field trips together. In our area the local recreation department offered PE for $1.00 a week per child. There was a huge group of kids from many different towns that went to the Rec for PE.

 When they were younger we coordinated with the local library for story hour and met other home schooled kids there and arranged both play and learning time together.

There are lots of ways to socialize your child.

I would go and talk to the director of the center again, to see if he can test into the older class. There are ways to get around that sort of thing, and I'm sure if you explain how advanced he is, they shouldn't have a problem with it. You could also have him tested to be put into a gifted education class.

oooh I personally would never send my child to kindercare...atleast not around here cause the ones here hire unqualified staff....I know a girl that worked there and she has lost custody of her own child and was almost jailed for neglect cause she allowed her b/f to burn him.....but anywhoo yeah i would see about testing into a higher level....kegan (my son) is ahead on some milestones (hes only 3 months old) and I want him to stay ahead.....

 Daycare is a very intense issue with me- Malachi has been to like 7 or 8 before he was even 1! Seriously, not only am I picky, he was ignored at one (left upstairs in a crib alone to cry) so after that at 5 months old- he had extremely early separation anxiety and would not go to anyone (burned out three home daycares in 2 weeks).

Anyway- all that to say, both you and your lil one should be comfortable with both the care received and the educational aspect (which - in my opinion- is 2nd to the care received, especially at a young age). I used to be the director of 3 centers when I was in college- and I taught preschool too before being a director- there are some places with tougher requirements than others. I could write a book on it- I actually almost did but got frustrated! Anyhoo- My son now goes to a Kindercare and we LOVE it... (I mentioned before the nature walks and the focus on earth and water) needless to say, each center is very different (it is his 3^rd Kindercare) it is all dependent on the director and the child's teacher. You should also know that you can change classrooms. Legally the ratio allows for a younger child in the room. My son moved into the toddler room at 15 months instead of 18 months because 1) he was ready and 2) I didn't like the infant teachers. Now he is ready to move to the 2's early but I do like the teacher he is with now, so I may wait to move him up. The 2's room in my state can legally have 2 18 month old children.

Remember you are the mom- just like with birth choices or having a birth plan, you can ask for things for your child. All the best to you!

Quoting Guaranteed:

I would go and talk to the director of the center again, to see if he can test into the older class. There are ways to get around that sort of thing, and I'm sure if you explain how advanced he is, they shouldn't have a problem with it. You could also have him tested to be put into a gifted education class.

I tried that; he worked with both teachers at the last open house we went to; even they saw that he was ready for the 4 year old class; but even the director told me that because he turns 4 in February, he would have to be in the 3 year old class and all the kids in that class would switch over at the same time; no matter if he was ready or not.

Quoting mamajill:

Daycare is a very intense issue with me- Malachi has been to like 7 or 8 before he was even 1! Seriously, not only am I picky, he was ignored at one (left upstairs in a crib alone to cry) so after that at 5 months old- he had extremely early separation anxiety and would not go to anyone (burned out three home daycares in 2 weeks).

Yikes! See that's what I'm afraid of happening.

Anyway- all that to say, both you and your lil one should be comfortable with both the care received and the educational aspect (which - in my opinion- is 2nd to the care received, especially at a young age). I used to be the director of 3 centers when I was in college- and I taught preschool too before being a director- there are some places with tougher requirements than others. I could write a book on it- I actually almost did but got frustrated! Anyhoo- My son now goes to a Kindercare and we LOVE it... (I mentioned before the nature walks and the focus on earth and water) If they would do that, it would be awesome! The director told me they used to go on walks and outings like that...but for whatever reason they don't do that anymore. They go out and play on the play ground, and they watch the construction next door, but that's the extent of their nature awareness and education.

needless to say, each center is very different (it is his 3^rd Kindercare) it is all dependent on the director and the child's teacher. You should also know that you can change classrooms. Legally the ratio allows for a younger child in the room. My son moved into the toddler room at 15 months instead of 18 months because 1) he was ready and 2) I didn't like the infant teachers. Now he is ready to move to the 2's early but I do like the teacher he is with now, so I may wait to move him up. The 2's room in my state can legally have 2 18 month old children. I dunno; the director told me that he would have to be in the 3's class, and stay with that class until it's time for them all to switch over at the same time...even my mom tried to talk to her about putting him in with the 4's and she wouldn't go for it.

Remember you are the mom- just like with birth choices or having a birth plan, you can ask for things for your child. All the best to you!

Another issue I didn't bring up here; they're on a "food program" so Novii can't bring his own lunch or snacks.  We're vegetarians and when I told them that, they said they can provide alternative foods for him there.  I don't trust most fast food places and I wouldn't trust the kitchen at the preschool to use a clean knife that is untainted with meat...

I am thinking about letting him go for just a few hours a day; he can eat before he goes, and when he gets home....and I can home school him when I get home from work and on the weekends.