out of home pre-school?

[mamatia]

there is a church in town who offers a montessori type preschool...you can pay for as many or as few days as you like. it is from 9 to 11:30.

i am thinking we will probably homeschool, but thought maybe she might like to do pre-school this once a week to play with some other kids, learn some things and make friends. i wanted to get some opinions from "pro-homeschool" moms...do you think i can do this and then decide to homeschool once kindergarten starts? it's only two hours a week, but i am afraid of the whole thing undermining our plans.

what are your thoughts?

[hopefromgrace]

just started my dd at a pre-school for 2 half days a week, and we too are planning on hs'ing for kindergarten.
There seems to be quite a few mamas who are doing that here.
I don't see a problem with it.
And so far, my dd has been so happy and excited to be doing this....I think it's great for her. :tu

[bostonsmama]

:think :popcorn

[SueQ]

IMO do whatever works best for your family. We are very relaxed homeschoolers but my boys go to a homeschool co-op on Wednesdays. The co-op is more formal. They learn art, science, music and PE. They have "teachers" (other homeschooling parents) and are sectioned off according to ages 1/2, 3/4, etc. The boys love it and I get a free day. Some homeschoolers would frown on this but it works for our family.

So do what works for you all. :-) IMO, preschool children should just play and not have any formal learning but from what I understand about montessori learning, it is basically learning through play very gentle and no traditional academics. I see nothing wrong or "bad" about doing that if your daughter would enjoy it. :)

I never felt a need for preschool for my children but if I did, I would look for one that lets them run, jump, climb, play dress up, spend a lot of time outside in nature, and read lots of fun books to them and did no formal learning with them. :)

[mamatia]

thanks for the input...i'll keep praying about it. as i always say, if it is God's will, it will work and if not, it will crash and burn. :grin

[Mama Calidad]

Just make sure that their philosophy works well with yours. There are a lot of neat ideas within the Montessori model, but there are some things that will not mesh with everyone's philosophy of education. There are a couple areas where it doesn't mesh for our family, but at home I can take the ideas that do and trash what doesn't. You don't get that option out of the home, so it's important (IMHO) to check that out before you put your kids in. :hug

[mamatia]

good point...i actually think i am leaning towards not doing it for now...i don't know. i know 2 hours a week is no big deal...i'm just weird like that. :grin

[BornFreeBaby]

I just started a Mommy and Me class with my girls 2 days per week (from 9-12), where the parents go, but its much like preschool with stories and circle time and crafts- lots of toys and free play time, but the parents are there singing with the children. I like that its multi-aged, so I can bring the baby; the age range is from 0-5years old, so she has many playmates of all ages. I really like the teacher, and I think that she does a great job.

My only worry is that it makes me second guess my wanting to homeschool when I see how great Sarah does with the structure of the group- it makes me think that I should send her to school. But I know that this class is totally different being that its a multi-aged, very relaxed environment where the parents are active participants; not something that is likened to regular school. I worry thought that many of the friends that she makes there will go on to school, and she may not want to homeschool. :shrug

So I guess I'm not much of a help!

[mamatia]

wow, mommy and me sounds like fun!! i wish we had something like that here...

[BornFreeBaby]

Its actually through our community Adult Ed- they call it 'parent education' or sometimes 'parent participation'. Its very reasonably priced. But what I really want is a christian mommy and me class. I think there is a baptist church close by that does a mommy and me on friday's. I may just do that and drop this class. I still want to homeschool. I just need more motivation.

[JavaMama]

We personally haven't done any preschool because I don't really feel it's necessary, even if you're planning to PS but if you're planning to HS it really seems like overkill to me. :shrug

Instead we do things like:
playgroup (very informal- we'll meet at someone's house, the park or on rainy days we might meet at the mall to eat and then walk around)
the park day that the nearby HS group holds once a week
storyhour at the library (the one in town does an 8 week session twice a year, the library in the next town holds storyhour weekly all year)
visits to Wonderlab (a nearby hands-on science museum, we have a membership)
occasional trips to see a baseball game, march at the courthouse in favor of homebirth midwives :giggle, go to the zoo etc

Some things that my friends/acquaintances have done that we haven't (for whatever reason):
Kindermusik
tumbling tots type classes
swimming lessons

I'd love to join a homeschool coop but most of the HS in town are not people with whom I want to spend time (long story- mean, judgmental people)... the other HS is a 30 minute drive but I think I'm going to join anyway and just deal with the drive. At least gas prices are going down, ptl! ;)