Internal Debate: Preschool

To send or not to send?

Why do I feel this need to make sure my child can write her own name at the age of 3??

I have to ask myself, why would I be sending her? Curriculum? Social interaction?

For me, it comes down to comparisons and keeping up with the Joneses really. A friend tells me her child can tell time, I freak and think I haven't even tried to teach mine to tell time. Another tells me hers is writing her name. Oh goodness, I think, B only knows her name starts with a "B". What disservice am I doing to my child... My mind reels.

So I did it, I put B on a waiting list for our local preschool and didn't feel good about it. I then spent the next week feeling ill at ease, I pondered and analyzed not sure why I wasn't as excited as she.

Then the major question of why I'm sending her falls into my head. Since we've moved she hasn't really made any friends and I see school as a way to make friends and an opportunity to play with kids her own age. I also see preschool as a place for her to learn how to write, read, count...

Then what have I been doing? B and I have been going through work books for a little while now, working on her tracing, writing letters and numbers. Why does she need to go to school to learn what I'm already teaching her? And more off, why would I pay someone to not only do what I can but not give her the one on one I can.

As for the social aspect, after a long conversation with my sister, she reminded me B will be fine if she doesn't go to school. We'll make friends, she'll have people to play with.

Then the other stuff began to fall into place, I remembered MOPs. I love MOPs, it's my sanity. She would get to play with kids her age there and I would get to fellowship with other ladies.

Here's the kicker...

Josh and I have talked, since B was a babe, about homeschooling our kids. It's something I've wanted to do as long as I'm able and they're willing. Why all the sudden am I wanting her in school just so I can homeschool in a year or two?! It made no sense.

For me, I think it comes back to the Joneses and the fact that all of my friends, and her friends are in or going to preschool. I support my friends and their kids. This is just what we're choosing to do with our kids. I have absolutely nothing against public or private school. I simply support education, in whichever form it may take.