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Deciding whether to send a child to preschool is personal. Preschool can benefit children, but success depends on readiness, quality of care, and affordability. Changes in kindergarten curriculum may make it harder for children who haven’t had much experience with separation or interacting with other children. Parents should evaluate each school and consider alternative options if necessary.
Determining whether your child should attend kindergarten is a very personal and important matter. Many children who attend kindergarten show better willingness to attend kindergarten, and by grades K-4, are more likely to succeed in the traditional school setting. These achievements tend to level off from the fourth grade onward, and children who haven’t attended kindergarten can be just as skilled as their peers from then on. Preschool success or value also depends on the quality of daycare, your child’s readiness, and your ability to afford a preschool program.
There has been a significant push in the United States to allow all children access to preschool, and some states have passed universal preschool measures. These programs are not always welcomed by parents, who may feel that their children are more likely to learn at home in a supportive environment. On the other hand, parents who have to work or who want their children to have more social and interactive opportunities are often grateful that preschool programs have been established for their children. It’s really a matter of perspective; not all home environments are equally capable of providing the best start for children.
Part of this push towards schooling before kindergarten has been raising the standards of what needs to be taught in the kindergarten setting. Children who are not in kindergarten and are experiencing their first separation from their parents may find it difficult to adjust to school for the first time. Where kindergarten used to be where simply learning how to stay in school was paramount, many schools now assume children have already learned it and run a heavily academic curriculum. This doesn’t tend to work for children who haven’t actually learned what school is yet, and they may fall behind peers in early reading and academic achievement, although this varies from child to child.
There is nothing intrinsically wrong with daycare, just as there is nothing intrinsically wrong with not putting a child in daycare. However, it appears that with the curriculum changes, children who have not had much experience with parental separation or interacting with other children may not be ready for kindergarten, and parents may feel their decision to send children to school before kindergarten is constrained by higher expectations in the kindergarten curriculum. No parent wants their child to have a harder time adjusting than usual.
Perhaps the most helpful advice when considering whether a child should attend preschool is to really evaluate how well you think your child will respond, and do a lot of probing. Observe classes, talk to teachers, analyze costs, see which programs you might qualify for financially, and get an idea of how each school might fit for your child. Find out if schools have requirements (like potty training) and the teacher-to-student ratio. Ask about information such as the employee turnover rate, the programs offered, and the experience of teachers and staff.
If you decide your child isn’t ready to attend preschool, look into some options that will help him or her engage in learning and connect with other children. There are often many low-cost “me and mom” (or “me and dad”) classes at local parks and recreation centers. Plan play dates, trips and get-togethers and let your child know that there is a world outside the family home. Read often to your child and let them benefit from their extraordinary learning ability by treating each new day as a learning opportunity.
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