And at what age? My dd went to preschool when she was 4, and my younger dd will go when she's 3 if they will take her that young (she'll be close to 4 when we want her to start in September 2003).

I'm not really sure. My dd is currently in a daycare that is run from a woman's home. There are only 5 kids there during the day, but there are some older kids that come before and after school. My understanding is that preschool is really for socialization skills and dd is definitely getting that at her daycare. However, I am wondering if a more structured environment might be good practice for her before she starts kindergarten. I don't need to think about this immediately as she'll only be 2 in February, but it is something that dh and I have discussed. If we have another child, dd will definitely go to preschool and the other child will go to the woman where dd currently goes. I want them to have their "own" experiences...you know what I mean?

Ashley didn't go but Katie is going now (she's 4).Jackson will likely go when he's 4 as well. Here they can start at 3. But that would be 15 years in school:eek:

My kids stay home with me or my husband.
But they all went, go, or will go to preschool. The 2 oldes ones wanted to go to school, so we sent them. The youngest one we will ask this summer and if she wants to go we will send her.
They are 3 when they go, it is for 2 hours 2 days a week. Then the next year (4) they go 2 hours 3 days a week.

Kindergarden here is 1/2 days 4 hours 5 days a week. So it is a good warm up.

Zachary goes and is 3. He loves it. He definitely gains from the socialization and the structure. I'm thrilled with the progress he has made since attending.

Sara

Lets see Kaitlyn started at age 3, for social reasons, we lived in a neighborhood without kids so 2 days a week she went to preschool and made friends and had fun...
The triplets started at 3 also, mostly becuase IE was ending and they needed some special services so they go to a preschool at the regular school..

Eileen

We started Laine in preschool this year. She had a tough time to start but, she loves it now. She was just three in August. She has learned so much and looks forward to seeing her friends.

I never sent my DD's to preschool nor will I send DD3. Nothing against them, it is a cost issue for us. I can't see spending money we don't have to teach the kids something I can teach them at home. As for socialization, Sunday school worked wonders for the girls, and Courtney already goes every Sunday. It's enough not to overwhelm them, but they get interaction with other kids their age.

My SIL sends my nephew to preschool and he loves it. But I think she sends him to get 3 hours of shopping in with no kids. She goes shopping every day. The first 2 months he was there, he was sick constantly.

My MIL says I HAVE to send Courtney-it's a requirement! I never heard that but if MIL is going to pay for preschool, I'll send her.

ds never went and dd isn't going either. the only preschool programs here are through private schools or churches. and it being CT it is too expensive to be worth the trouble. there is no busing for preschool and i don't drive so it would have to be dh taking her, but he works an hour away and wouldn't be able to get her home. she can count to 20 easily and if she thinks about it she can count to 40. she knows her abc's with just a little help around the letter r. she knows all of her colors and shapes. we're working on writting her name, but she can recognize it. kindergarten here is 1/2(at least for now) and ds just went through it last year so i have a good idea of what they teach in K and the pace the teach it at. she has a good start on what will be taught next year without the stress of being shuffled here and there a few times a week for just a few hours.

keiko didn't roman did a special one. Myriah went to the high school that was the next town over 3 times a week. and she loved it. the HS had a special class in child care and needed children for it, $1. per day, the first year she went alone and the second year my bf son went with her. They had so much fun, us mums on the other hand cried the first day. LOL

My oldest begged to go and she went for 2 years. We have all day kindergarten here and my kids go to Catholic school and I feel the curriculum is pretty advanced for kindergarten. My 2nd child was very close to the cut off date for kindergarten and never wanted to go to preschool so we held him out this year and he will start next fall. He is 5 now. (he made the cutoff by 2 weeks) We do preschool at home and I am trying to get him more excited about it. He is very smart but school work seems to bore him. He would rather meet friends thru basketball and baseball etc. My 3 year old is begging to go to preschool and pretends she is going to school like my oldest does so I will put her in next fall. I just take each child individually to see if that is what they want. They are in school forever so I don't think preschool is a necessity.
Amy