Preschool advise anyone

[Y's_habibitk 2]

I have really no idea where to start, you guys.

Im going to call the school and ask if they can make an execption, but i have heard they usually dont grant them. He will be 5 on oct 3rd and he SHOULD be five on oct 1st to begin kindergarden next year.

His current daycare is a certified woman and its in her home, and she provides preschool studies.. she says he's ready and he will not have anymore peers his age next year. He can always stay with her next year but he will be bored out of his mind being around babies all day long.

So my other options here are catholic pre k daycares. Im not sure how I feel about that. I dont know what they teach.

I know this all sounds stupid but I have no experience in any of this.

Do catholic schools have bible study and stuff? <-- where stupid question comes into play. lol

I dont qualify for any other early child development programs like head start (income too high, ya sure!)

There are catholic schools on every corner here, and I know lots of "non catholic" children attend.

Anyway, if anyone knows of any other options for pre k , let me know please.. as this is my first and I really have no earthly idea what Im doing

Lisa

[Y's_habibitk 2]

P.S- I just googled preschools in Louisvile.. everything in the directory is St this and our mother of that LOL

Edited March 10, 2008 by Y_habibitk

[sara535 15]

my son had the same thing, he missed it by 10 days. I couldnt find any exceptions so I had to just wait until the next year even though he was ready. Now he is in 6th grade and he kinda likes being one of the oldest in the class so I guess it worked out fine. I think your best bet is to do exactly what you are thinking and find a private place that will take him so at least he isnt terribly bored all year.....

[*Maureen* 0]

my birthday is in december and my parents had me start at a private school so I could start school earlier. I was always the youngest in my class. I dont know if private schools still do this.

[SaadBell 0]

Same with my daughter, at first they took her into pre-school and she was really young only 3. The youngest and looking back, she was way too young. I remember when the school bus came to get her the first time, she was so young, I mean she was just out of diapers. When we moved to Virginia, I kept her home since it was the middle of the school year. I am glad I did. They use to tell her that she had baby feet, strange, but it would just get her so upset. You will do fine, my daughter now is graduating this year from University of Florida, time does fly. Enjoy your time.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

Thanks so much you guys. I'll just start looking around at private preschools.

Lisa

[Jenn! 918]

I went to Catholic school for K-5 and and yes, there was religious education. I don't remember it in kindergarten, but at least from grade 1 on, for sure. If you have a problem with your son hearing things like, "Jesus/Mary loves you", then you might want to rethink that option. You could always pose it as a question to the school.

[frustrated1 0]

in some states they have a K5 readiness tests and they would run your child for that if the birthday is this close and they would let him go if he knows his alphabet etc.

my son went to a catholic pre-school and I didn't sense the religious piece being that influential. i'm looking into a lutheran one for my daughter now (i'm neither catholic nor lutheran) but these seem to be the most reasonable as well as effective preschools.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

I went to Catholic school for K-5 and and yes, there was religious education. I don't remember it in kindergarten, but at least from grade 1 on, for sure. If you have a problem with your son hearing things like, "Jesus/Mary loves you", then you might want to rethink that option. You could always pose it as a question to the school.

Thanks Jenn, that's part of the answer I was looking for. I'll have to include those questions to the list.

[chaishai 1]

I have really no idea where to start, you guys.

Im going to call the school and ask if they can make an execption, but i have heard they usually dont grant them. He will be 5 on oct 3rd and he SHOULD be five on oct 1st to begin kindergarden next year.

His current daycare is a certified woman and its in her home, and she provides preschool studies.. she says he's ready and he will not have anymore peers his age next year. He can always stay with her next year but he will be bored out of his mind being around babies all day long.

So my other options here are catholic pre k daycares. Im not sure how I feel about that. I dont know what they teach.

I know this all sounds stupid but I have no experience in any of this.

Do catholic schools have bible study and stuff? <-- where stupid question comes into play. lol

I dont qualify for any other early child development programs like head start (income too high, ya sure!)

There are catholic schools on every corner here, and I know lots of "non catholic" children attend.

Anyway, if anyone knows of any other options for pre k , let me know please.. as this is my first and I really have no earthly idea what Im doing

Lisa

[chaishai 1]

I have really no idea where to start, you guys.

Im going to call the school and ask if they can make an execption, but i have heard they usually dont grant them. He will be 5 on oct 3rd and he SHOULD be five on oct 1st to begin kindergarden next year.

His current daycare is a certified woman and its in her home, and she provides preschool studies.. she says he's ready and he will not have anymore peers his age next year. He can always stay with her next year but he will be bored out of his mind being around babies all day long.

So my other options here are catholic pre k daycares. Im not sure how I feel about that. I dont know what they teach.

I know this all sounds stupid but I have no experience in any of this.

Do catholic schools have bible study and stuff? <-- where stupid question comes into play. lol

I dont qualify for any other early child development programs like head start (income too high, ya sure!)

There are catholic schools on every corner here, and I know lots of "non catholic" children attend.

Anyway, if anyone knows of any other options for pre k , let me know please.. as this is my first and I really have no earthly idea what Im doing

Lisa

This is my experience with the subject of going to school - everyone is different.

My birthday was in november so I completely missed the cut off, but my mother thought I was smart and sent me to kindergarten almost a year early anyway. I was also extremely tall for my age. So academically and height wise I fit right in but during that year and for the rest of my elementary school days I was probably one of the less mature children in the school. Academically smart and able to read etc didnt mean I was socially mature. So I struggled with this and teachers always expected more from me because of my height and the other things I could do. It actually caused some strife in my life.

I just think if you have the opportunity in schooling to have your kid be older in the class vs younger and more mature, that is a great thing. Now I know its just a few days for you, but he would be the youngest in the class and in my opinion that is a disadvantage.

As far as putting him in somewhere else for a year, how about a montessori school? Myself I went to one and it was very focused on reading which was great.

[ayesha4akram 0]

I had the same problem back when my kids were in kindergarten. At the school, they didn't want to take him in, so I went to the School District and explained the situation and said that I knew there was space available. I had to do this twice (because BOTH my son and daughter's birthdays are in October 19 and 26th). But both times it worked out alhamdulillah.

Just give it a try and ask them if they can make an exception. Take all the proof you have that your son is prepared for Kinder. If they say no, then ok, you were prepared for that, but who knows? they might make the exception insha Allah.

Hugs,

Ayesha

[Y's_habibitk 2]

I had the same problem back when my kids were in kindergarten. At the school, they didn't want to take him in, so I went to the School District and explained the situation and said that I knew there was space available. I had to do this twice (because BOTH my son and daughter's birthdays are in October 19 and 26th). But both times it worked out alhamdulillah.

Just give it a try and ask them if they can make an exception. Take all the proof you have that your son is prepared for Kinder. If they say no, then ok, you were prepared for that, but who knows? they might make the exception insha Allah.

Hugs,

Ayesha

Thanks Ayesha, maybe I will just "take it to the top"

Im so glad to hear all the experience you guys have..

Lisa

[Y's_habibitk 2]

"This is my experience with the subject of going to school - everyone is different.

My birthday was in november so I completely missed the cut off, but my mother thought I was smart and sent me to kindergarten almost a year early anyway. I was also extremely tall for my age. So academically and height wise I fit right in but during that year and for the rest of my elementary school days I was probably one of the less mature children in the school. Academically smart and able to read etc didnt mean I was socially mature. So I struggled with this and teachers always expected more from me because of my height and the other things I could do. It actually caused some strife in my life.

I just think if you have the opportunity in schooling to have your kid be older in the class vs younger and more mature, that is a great thing. Now I know its just a few days for you, but he would be the youngest in the class and in my opinion that is a disadvantage.

As far as putting him in somewhere else for a year, how about a montessori school? Myself I went to one and it was very focused on reading which was great.

I can relate to your story, as far as abilities and height. (I'm still taller than my peers)

Although, it didnt create much strife for me at school. I was used to being treated like I was much older at home. <-created strife

I would LOVE to send him to Montessori school, if I can find one I can afford.

Thanks for sharing your story!

[rebeccajo 14]

My son did an extra year of pre-kindergarten because he 'wasn't ready'. His birthdate was on the cusp and I could have gone on and enrolled him, but I felt his teacher was right in her analysis. He was very quiet and still wasn't socializing properly.

At any rate, because of this decision, he was always 'one year behind' in age.

He's 19 now and in his first year of college.

The delay worked out really well for him. Because he was older than the others, he was always 'ahead' of them in abilities. He's kind of scary smart anyway, but I'm sure the age difference played out well for him during his public school career. His standardized test scores were off the charts, which netted him plenty of academic scholarships.

His first year at college has been a free ride for him.

Just a flip-side of the coin for holding him back. But every kid is different.