Thursday, August 30, 2012

FMB: Parenting And Preschool

So we're poor-ish, right?  I mean, we could pay for preschool but it would be expensive and all.  And the school district here runs a preschool program (very very very small) that's really a kind of early-intervention program for children with disabilities, but they also take half kids without disabilities.  (Small like a total of 100 kids.  This is a big city.) 

It's 4 days a week, 3 hours a day.  At the beginning of the summer I thought, maybe it's too much structure for Bug, he wouldn't have enough time to play with his friends, I'm not sure he'd transition between activities well.

Then there were 3 months of whacking the baby and stealing his toys and defiance and endless timeouts and consequences and boundary-pushing.  On a good day now, I enjoy his company for maybe an hour out of the entire day.  On a bad day?  About 5 minutes.  I started thinking ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN THIS.

And the teacher called today.  She's lovely.  The program sounds like lots of fun.  It is FREE.  It fosters cooperation and kindness and follow-through.  It is FREE, did I mention?  It is 5 minutes from my house.  And starting next week, I get 3 hours a day when Bug is not my problem

(I also think he'll have fun.  And there will be less mama-yelling-at-Bug and more playing-and-learning.)

HURRAH FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION!!!! 

6 comments:

  1. Sounds perfect! Let us know how it goes!

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  2. Honestly, he might need a break from you as much as you need a break from him. Child #1 improved a lot after he started preschool. He loved being around other kids, and in a different environment (aka, NEW TOYS!). The preschool teachers have some innovative ways to deal with sharing, waiting your turn, getting little kids to pay attention at circle time... I used some of their techniques at home, with moderate success.

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    1. YES! Also must consult you on techniques to get my kid to NOT HIT THE BABY.

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  3. Yaaaaay! You're gonna love it, Bug! And so is Mama.

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    1. Four more days. I can't wait. I'm taking my feelings out on a new backpack for Bug. (Making it, not destroying it.)

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  4. Anonymous2:05 PM

    I wish our school district provided pre-K (apparently some do, which I only discovered recently).

    Instead we send our eldest to preschool for 3 mornings a week- she just started.

    It doesn't seem expensive after paying for full time day care in the Boston metro area during my post-doc.

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