We registered Thomas for preschool for the fall, at the same place Lauren went. We really like it there and so did Lauren. Since Thomas turns four in November, he'll be in the four-year-old class. Next fall (2013) if we decide to wait a year for kindergarten, he'll still be four so he can attend the preschool again.
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Now I'm second-guessing registering him for this fall.
I know he'll be fine, and in fact, he'll probably love it. He's become much more outgoing the past few months, and he likes playing with other kids. I'm not worried about that.
In New York state, children are required to start kindergarten by age six. Most kids start when they are five, as long as they will turn five before December 1 of that school year. Since Thomas' birthday is in November, he can start kindergarten at age four if we choose (he would turn five two months into kindergarten). Right now we're leaning toward waiting the year for kindergarten -- so he would be five at the start of kindergarten, not four. Everyone I've talked to and stories I've heard of other children have agreed with my gut feeling that being one of the older kids in the class will be better for him than being the baby of the class.
So, I just don't know if he needs two years of preschool.
I love having him home with me. They're all growing up too fast as it is....I just want him home.
This leads to another area of second-guessing.
For awhile I seriously considered homeschooling. I researched, talked with people who have done it and who are doing it, weighed the pros and cons (and prayed a little, but admittedly not enough). We (well, pretty much I) decided regular school would be best for now, since it seemed the best fit for Lauren.
I've been second-guessing this decision too. I want to homeschool for all the right reasons, but I don't think I'm strong enough. I don't know if I can do enough for my kids. I fear they'll miss out on things that I can't provide (or don't know how to, or don't want to).
I can't give them a concert band to play with.
I can't show them how to dissect a frog or something (gross!).
I can't teach them another language.
I don't have enough patience.
I realize there are ways around these things, but I'm just intimidated I guess. I'm an intelligent, educated person, but I just don't think I'm enough.
Ideally, Catholic school would be the best compromise, but the cost, oh, the cost. I'm setting up a meeting to see if it just.might.be.possible, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up.
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Preschool. Homeschool. Public school. Catholic school. It's a blessing to have so many choices, but that doesn't make it easier to decide.
I don't like second-guessing. I find it to be something that's happening more and more lately. Maybe that's part of being a parent -- because you're always trying to make the best decisions for your children. But maybe it's because of something in me that isn't quite right -- a fear that I'll choose the wrong path and won't be able to get back to the right one. I think the problem I'm facing with these schooling decisions is that there isn't just one right path.
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Did you struggle with any of this? Are any of your children near the age cutoff for school and you had figure out when to send them? I tend to see what I can't do instead of what I can do, so please, share your thoughts and experiences. If you have a second to offer a prayer, please do, I could use them.
2 comments:
My oldest is "the baby" of her class. In Missouri, you have to be 5 before August 1 to go to Kindergarten. Her birthday is July 16. But she was reading and her maturity is through the roof so we sent her and have not regretted it.
My next one has her birthday August 31 and so she is the oldest of her class. This has been perfect for her because her maturity level is not the same as Sarah's.
My #5 is a June 30 baby and is a boy. Conventional wisdom says to hold him out because A) he's the youngest (so far) of the family and B) he is a boy and that extra year is good for boys. Time will tell what we will do. We will see how he develops.
#4 is only 3.5 and he is already reading on a 1st grade level. We have a true struggle here. He will start preschool in the fall...but I find myself wondering what I will do if people ask if we want to go ahead and send him to Kindergarten early. I mean, he already counts to 50 and he reads some things spontaneously, plus he reads books that his sister just learned to read in Kindergarten (and no, he's not memorizing.)
I think what I have learned through the years is that no matter where my kids go to school (at home, at public school, at private school) there are going to be challenges. and honestly my philosophy is that 90% of learning takes place at home no matter where most of the day is spent. My kids know what our values are because those are what are lived out at home...that includes our faith and our commitment to education.
Good luck as you wade through all of this. Chances are...your gut first instinct is probably your best shot. But then...what do I know? I had a series on our decision on schooling our children about a year ago...if that might help (here is the link: http://michelle-endlessstrength.blogspot.com/2011/08/decision-on-schooling-of-children.html)
"Chances are...your gut first instinct is probably your best shot." <--- That's what I was thinking.
Thank you Michelle!!!
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