As a mother of a teenager and a kindergartner, I can say that preschool/daycare is part of my lifeline. As a mother, preschool/daycare was not an option with my infant. Both of my kids went to a family member until they were 2 years old. At this age, I felt that it was time for some learning and social skill development. I recently had a conversation with my younger sister, who is a first time mother with a 2 year old. My nephew was going to a home daycare and under unforeseen circumstances the daycare had to close with an undetermined time to open back up. At the time of our conversation, my sister and her husband were taking turns off of work to keep their child home. My sister had picked a new place, it was a preschool/daycare. She said, “He is supposed to start on Monday but I think I am going to take some more time off and let him go Wednesday.”
Here is where the question comes in, “How important is sending kids to preschool/daycare?” I do not know who is more traumatized from the change my sister or my nephew. I explained all the reasons I believe he will be fine and a great transition for him to get some learning and not just a babysitter. My sister just sat on the phone. I started explaining how he is two and two years olds just want to play and when he sees other kids he will be fine. She still said, “I’m going take him for a half day on Wednesday”. So I waited, I texted her on Thursday, “how was his day?” She texted, “He was pretty sad when I dropped him off and cried a lot. I called and they said he was mostly observing at first but found some trucks to play with.” I was so happy, because I thought my sister was going end up switching her career to be a stay at home mother. Now how important is sending kids to preschool/daycare?
10 Reasons to Send Your Child to Preschool
There are ten points taken from www.greatschools.org on why a child should attend to preschool:
- Growth. This will be the first experience for a structured setting. Sharing, following instructions, and building an educational foundation will start.
- Preparation for kindergarten. This begins the footsteps to being successful in school.
- Social and emotional development promotion. A child needs to build trust outside their family. Teachers can build close connections to a child. A child will thrive with consistency from going from home and school.
- Structure. In a structured environment, a child can learn to make friends and play with others.
- Making choices. Multiple activities help a child learn to make choices.
- Learning to take care of themselves and others. As they grow they learn a sense of competence and self-worth.
- Language and cognitive skills promotion. Being around other children promotes language skills and a variety of activities help with cognitive skills.
- Curiosity is nurtured. Teachers encourage children’s interests and ideas to nurture curiosity.
- Pre-math and literacy skills boosted. Introduction to math and literacy skills are implemented through play.
- Motor skills developed. Daily activity offers development of motor skills.
For the educational and social development of a child it is imperative to help our children become ready to become individuals in their community. “Children need to develop a healthy and strong brain architecture. The experiences kids have in the early years have profound effects on their futures. Considering a child’s brain grows to 90 percent of its adult size by age five, the first few years are critical”, stated by Todd Grindal, an education expect at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It is definitely an option for parents. For parents have to put the trust of their child into the hands of strangers and take the chance that they will teach, nurture, and protect their child like they would. For my nephew, it’s a week later and he has no more tears at drop off and likes to talk about his teacher at home.
References:
Grindal, T. (2013, March 21). Do Kids Really Need Preschool? Retrieved April 05, 2016, from www.huffingtonpost.com