For newbie moms with preschoolers like me, the coming of an academic year is an enormous slice of cake to partake. It employs a huge amount of decision making skills. A few good weeks before the school year starts, it's good to ask questions about your child's education. To help you moms, I answered 3 common questions that you might or should be asking by now and how I am learning to manage or deal with them.
1) Where should I enroll my kid?
I personally find this task a very tedious one. Several months ago, I was insisting on sending my child, Nathan, to a nearby Catholic school. Unfortunately, when I inquired, the summation of annual fees amounts to a whooping P 70, 000, transportation fee excluded. I am quite familiar that the school had really high cost of tuition fees but I never expected it to be that expensive-- it's the same cost as my medical education. Gaaah! So when I sat down with my husband, he admitted honestly that we cannot yet push through with our previous plan of enrolling Nathan at the said school. I felt a bit defeated but then I had to meet waterloo. After all, I am still not earning any penny for next 12 or more months.
So what's the whole point of this whole story telling?
Selecting a preschool is like battling with your own values. Many meticulous mommies like me would surely want their kids enrolled in a well-known or long since been established and competitive schools. It is really imperative for you moms, specially first-timers, to evaluate practical issues that are related to your family's needs. Are you after sending your child to public or private schools? If you choose a private one, would you want it to be parochial or independent? Or would you rather have your kid home-schooled? The decision is all up to you and surely your preference would be somehow clouded by your own experiences and standards.
As for me, I choose proximity and consider my household's capacity to pay for now while not compromising quality, of course.
2) How do I make my child school-ready?
I hope many teachers like me would agree that preschool readiness is about being socially and emotionally ready. The first day of school will be quite a scene for your child so you wouldn't want them overwhelmed with feelings of fear and anxiety. You have to make sure your child's prepared.
Knowing when to let your child start schooling matters. Nathan is already turning 5 this coming October and he's only about to enter school this June. The teacher told me that my child's a bit late at starting school of which I'm guilty. Because of this, hubby and I decided to enroll Nathan in a summer readiness program. It has been a week since he entered and I'm happy to see how much information he has gained since day 1. Not only they were taught basics of writing, counting and coloring but also skills like , following instructions, grooming and communicating with peers. For working parents like us, I say is really helpful.
One thing you can also do to prepare your little one is to reassure him/her that school will be fine. Constantly remind them on how you want them to behave in school but make sure you don't put much expectations on them. Remember, these preschoolers are quite meek at heart. Just make them feel excited for that much-awaited first day.
Nathan's worksheets
3) What if I'm a working mom, who can help me supervise my child's education?
Clearly this last question is one of the toughest. Finding someone you could entrust your child's studies, especially if both you and your partner are working, is a really handful.
At home, you can always take turns with your husband in assisting your child with his/her homeworks or doing reviews for exercises and quizzes. It pays to seek help from your child grandparents when it comes to baby-sitting and teaching your little one at home since most of them have been through those times when you were little. If all else fails, you can always find help in a tutor for your kid. This will ensure that his day of learning is maximized and he/she just doesn't go around just playing at the end of the day.
Off to school: Nathan's Day 1 and 2 at his Summer Readiness Program
Although brief, I hope this was of a little help to you, especially for first-time moms with preschoolers. If you have any suggestions on how I can also improve my preparation for Nathan's first day in class, please feel free to comment below.
Wow. I really, really, really know how you feel, sis, and I have been through that dilemma myself. I really feel you that you wanted a nearby school without compromising quality education which is why my son is currently enrolled in a school just one tricycle ride away from us. I was also so shocked about the prices of the schools nowadays na parang pang-college na ang tuition fees, but that's reality, I guess. Though, there are cheaper schools, but of course, we would want our children to go to good schools kaso nga lang we have to pay the price literally of course. I also got to the point of thinking whether my son would be home-schooled kasi I work at home naman din, but I decided to enroll him nalang because iba pa rin ang social interaction with other kids. Hay...I guess this is a dilemma that every mommy will face when her child is going to school na. :) Thanks for posting!