I was talking to DH yesterday about when he thinks we should put our youngest in preschool. He said the same as our oldest, which was 4. It was very part time, just 2.5 hours, twice a week. I was thinking that since our youngest doesn't get as much interaction with other kids, and because of his personalit, I was thinking we should consider this fall when he turns 3. This would also allow me some dedicated time to help as LO 1's school.
So, if you SAH, when did you start your kids in preschool?
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
She started right after she turned three (July bday), 2 mornings a week. Next year she will have 4 mornings a week. Most kids I know do two years of preschool before kindergarten if they aren't in daycare or some other group child care. My younger daughter will probably start at 2 years 9 months as she has a December birthday, and will do tree years (all part time).
grapefruit / 4903 posts
I'm putting mine in at 4. I really don't think they need it before that, but they're both highly socialized in other ways. We're in a weekly playgroup based on their kindergarten year, and at 3, I started DD1 in swimming, gymnastics and a Montessori religious Ed program at our church once a week. Add in our MOMS club friends and field trips and we're happily busy. I work with them on the more academic-prep skills through play at home.
DD1 will start preK in the fall. It's 9am-2pm, and I'm on the fence about how many days to send her.
cantaloupe / 6791 posts
DS1 started at 2 years 10 months. He has always been home with me or with my mom (before I was a SAHM). He does 3 days/week (Tues-Thurs) from 8:30-12.
DS2 will probably start the month after he turns 3 (DS1 is in the 2 year old class because of his birthday, but DS2 will start in the 3 year old class).
nectarine / 2018 posts
We're hoping for DD to do two years of preschool so we'd start her at 3 years 9 months (she has a December birthday). Although just yesterday DH brought up possibly starting a year earlier for just two mornings a week. I'm not sure the cost is worth just 6 hours a week.
honeydew / 7230 posts
They just started a couple weeks ago at 2 years 8 months. We had planned to start the fall after they turned 3, but the opportunity to start them in the 2s class came up and we decided to go for it. They are in school 2.5 hrs, twice a week. Starting now gives us a huge advantage in that we get early registration for the 3s class for fall as current students. The most desired 3s class (mornings) fills up quickly and there's a long waitlist just to get into one of the 3s classes. So starting now guarantees them a spot in one of the classes, and we will hopefully get into one of the morning classes. Also, I thought it would be good for them AND me to start spending a tiny bit of time apart during the week.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
I want LO 3 to start around 2 or 2.5. She is around other kids but I want her in a school setting before she starts K.
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
For those that weren't quite 3 yet, were your LO's potty trained before school?
honeydew / 7622 posts
I mostly SAH DD has been in daycare 2 mornings a week for socialization from 6 months. She will start preschool at 3. I think it's been awesome.
pomegranate / 3212 posts
3. He started at 3 mornings a week and quickly went to four mornings. He was thriving so obviously that now he goes 3 days full day and one half day! I can't wait for my almost 2.5 year old to go in the fall. 
cantaloupe / 6791 posts
@Boogs: We potty trained at 2.5, a few months before he started school.
pineapple / 12793 posts
We started at 2y8m. It gave me some alone time with DD2 before DD3 arrived.
She was potty trained before starting.
honeydew / 7230 posts
@Boogs: In their class, you don't have to be potty trained and my twins (2 yr 8 mo) are not potty trained. However, the class is only 2.5 hrs long and does not have a designated diaper changing time where everyone gets a diaper change. If the teachers find that the kids have pooped or are very wet, they have a changing station in bathroom attached to the class, so they change them. When they get back from the gym the kids wash their hands and have the opportunity to use the bathroom, to start encouraging using the potties. My daughter says a couple kids use the potty, but not many. It's hard to tell how accurate that is, though! They've only been going to class 2 weeks now and my son has needed a diaper change only once.
persimmon / 1286 posts
I SAH and DS goes to playschool 2 mornings a week. He started right when he turned 2; in hindsight I should have waited until he was 3.
It's good for him to interact with other kids, and it's nice to have a break...but they have off so often for holidays etc. (like today when we got to school and they had closed because the heat wasn't working) that I can't really plan anything concrete for that time beyond working out.
pomegranate / 3350 posts
I planned to start them all at 3 but my second started at 2 because we had LO3. I kind of wish we had waited. I think 3 is a great time to start! ETA both kids potty trained but it wasn't required
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
You guys are making me excited, I really need to look into where I may want to take him!
nectarine / 2784 posts
My LO will start preschool shortly after she turns 2, one morning a week, and we'll increase her time from there. They don't have to be potty trained. We go one morning a week now to the same school for an "almost on my own" class where the parent or caregiver stays.
grapefruit / 4085 posts
She started in the 2's program at close to 3 (since she has a Dec birthday). I was pregnant so it gave me a little bit of free time 2 days a week. Now that baby's here, it's not super freeing but I think the benefits for her at her school are great.
grapefruit / 4291 posts
My big girl started at 2y10m and she was more than ready to start preschool! She attended public kindergarten (we're in New Zealand so not like American kindergarten) for two hours, three afternoons per week.
ETA Miss A was 95% toilet trained and had a handful of accidents in the nine months she was at kindergarten.
persimmon / 1445 posts
DD will start at 3 but she will be almost 4- she has an October birthday so she just misses the cutoff here. I don't think she needs the socialization but she isn't used to being in the care of non family adults. I think kindergarten would be super tough for her if she doesn't do a little bit of school beforehand. She is gonna go 3 days a week this year and probably just 3 days next year too.
I'm also pretty excited to have some one on one time with baby.
coconut / 8483 posts
DS started at 1.5 and it was an epic fail.
He just started this week (he will be 3 in march) and he loves it!!!
He's almost potty trained but I put a diaper on him for his first day to ensure no accidents. They change when needed. He was pretty wet and they tried to change him and he said "no my mom or dad can do it at home!" And they said ok and I'm good with that!
pomelo / 5132 posts
LO started a class this year, 1 day a week for kids who miss the cutoff for threes (he was 2y 10m). He will do threes 2x/week next year. I just started to SAH in June, and he was potty trained at 25/26 months
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