It's Starting Already!

Just for backgrounds sake, Steve's birthday is in the fall. In Illinois, the cut-off for entering kindergarten is September 1st. Most preschool's have their cut-off date as September 1st too. Steve's birthday is after that.

So now that I have told you that, I will tell you the dilemma I have now. Most of the women in my play group, and various toddler classes we attend, have children that will be age 3 by the time preschool starts in the fall. The few who don't are enrolling their children in the 2 1/2's programs that are very few and far between. Now even if I could get in, I do not believe Steve needs 3 years of preschool before going off to kindergarten. I just don't. If I wait until next year to send him, he'll have a good two years of preschool before kindergarten starts. The thing that bugs me is that I feel looked down upon because I have made the decision to keep Steve home another year. I do not believe he will lose out academically or socially by not going this year. Hey, I know the value of education, remember I was a teacher in my former life, but I also know about readiness. A child needs to be ready to learn or attain certain skills before they can do it. Pushing him is not going to make it happen. I just don't believe in that. Parents are talking about how smart their kid is going to be by going, but I don't buy it. And speaking of buying it, we'd end up paying almost $2,000 for the pleasure of having Steve attend preschool. That's for one year, remember he'd have three! I feel like the odd man out, but I have to do what I think is right. Heck, I've got a number for a babysitter. I got it Sunday. Do you think I've called the woman yet? Yah, I've got issues. We'll discuss THOSE another time.