Feeling Pressured to Put Child in Preschool

Q I'm a full-time mother and have felt pressure from society to put my three-year-old into a preschool setting. After all, "everyone" has their child in preschool by this age. How necessary is preschool? What age do you think is appropriate? A No parent should feel pressured by their peers or the larger society to feel guilty about their three-year-old not being in preschool. Pressure like this comes from people who believe that it's never too early to get their kids a "leg up" on the "competition." Parents fear that if a preschool isn't intense enough academically, it will affect their kid's college choices in the future. It is that specific college-based fear that informs even these preschool concerns.

If you believe that you are providing a loving, stimulating home environment for your 3-year-old, I would not be concerned about whether or not she should attend a preschool. Long before the notion of preschool, kids flourished and matured as they creatively explored the world of their home and family and the world of nature. Whether it be a trip to the local children's library or hunting for sea shells, there are many ways that a parent can offer a young child a chance to explore, to create, to imagine, and to play, based upon her own natural interests and curiosities. If you think that you'd like to see if a preschool experience would enhance your little girl's life, enroll her in a part-time program that you believe matches her needs. But please don't do so simply because "everyone else" is doing it. You know your child better than anyone else and I trust that you'll always act in her best interest.


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