Should Children Attend One or Two Years of Preschool? Does It ...

September 1st, 2011 ? Related ? Filed Under

In less than a week my baby won?t be a baby anymore. His first day of real preschool starts and the transition from staying home with mom all day and into the Early Childhood Education program will begin.

My son, Colton, will attend two years of preschool followed by Kindergarten. Way back when I was of preschool-age there wasn?t even an option for two-year preschool, if you could afford it, you simply sent your child the year before Kindergarten ? no doubts or questions about it. Now there is a much-needed push on Early Childhood Education that emphasizes us to not only prepare our children at the home, but to send our children for that extra school year. (In Iowa, 4-year old preschool is free!)

Although I am no expert, and this is my first child making the transition into pre-school, I offer you my tips for grade school preparedness:

• Reading: From birth we have read books to Colton and it has since turned into a bedtime ritual. Building a book collection at home or letting your child pick out new books at the library each week makes reading fun and exciting.
• Sports/Activities: School isn?t just about academics. Social skills play a major role in education. Colton recently finished soccer and t-ball and is set to play basketball in the winter. Now am I doing this because I want him to be a superstar athlete? No. The interaction with other children his age in a team setting, following the rules of a coach, catapulted his social skills into another dimension ? something vital for further developing in Early Childhood Education.
• Independence: During Kindergarten your child is spending hours away from you, some Kindergarten?s are even all-day. I think it is important to teach your child skills to become more independent rather than shocking them when the time comes. Build up their confidence gradually: let them pick out their own clothes, order their own meal at a restaurant, or enroll them in activities that allow you to drop them off for a short time.

I?m curious to know: What advice do you have for moms prepping for preschool? Did you send your child to one or two years??KinderCare will choose one lucky participant and make donation in their name to the Reach Out And Read chapter of their choice!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of KinderCare. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Contest Rules.

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Source: http://busy-mommy.com/2011/09/should-children-attend-one-or-two-years-of-preschool-does-it-matter.html

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