I’ve had a child in preschool for the last eight years. I have one more year left, but if I’m being honest, it’s wearing me out. With three kids in elementary school already, the constant back and forth with school activities and volunteering, I need a break. I’m thinking of having my four-year old take a page out of the recent high school grad handbook and take a ‘Gap Year‘. She needs time to ‘find herself’ before being thrust into the ultra-competitive world of modern day kindergarten.
The idea first occurred to me at the beginning of the school year when, after hearing about all the things my fifth grader would learn this year and getting ready for middle school at the back-to-school open house, I got an email from my youngest child’s preschool room mom, asking me to sign up to make play dough for the class one month. I’ll admit – it took the wind out of my sails.
Here are the thoughts that run through my head as I consider the possibility:
– This is my last chance to have a small child home with me all day
– I like my kids
– She complains of being bored at school
– She wants to stay home
– She’s doing fine in preschool
– She gets along with her classmates
– She knows all her colors, letters and numbers
– Her social development is on track (she regularly holds court with audiences of varying ages)
– She’s always around people and needs to learn how to be alone
Further analysis reveals the following:
Cons
– I’ll lose my alone time
– I’ll lose my alone time
– I’ll lose my alone time
– She may talk incessantly and I may go insane
Pros
– I need a wingman
– She likes running errands with me
– She always wants to help me build things
– She can be the extra pair of hands I need when doing home projects
– She’ll learn the names of all my cool tools and how to use them
– It’ll be like doing homeschool Montessori
– She can match all the socks for me
– She can help me sweep the kitchen after breakfast
I HATE GLITTER
In the end, I think it may be liberating to have one less drop-off and pickup to worry about, but…I’m still keeping my options open.
Have any Smarties out there opted out of the preschool rat race?
7 comments
You should totally do this. You’ll never regret it!
I considered it as well and really wish I had done it.
The best thing I ever did. For me it was because, I was homeschooling, and it was an inconvenience in our school morning.
Stay home with your baby!!! You will have plenty of alone time in a year when she is in Kindergarten. You have 3 older kids, she can hang out at the table and soak it all in as they do homework every night. You can teach her what she needs to know while running errands and fixing things in the house. I would have given my right arm to be able to stay home with my children at that age. I promise, you have no idea how lucky you are to have the opportunity to spend those precious moments with your sweet baby!!! Keep her home!!! Make a mandatory rest period every day like preschool does and that can be your quiet time. 🙂
Noooo-Don’t do it! I would’ve made your darn play dough if you’d asked..or at least exempted you
This is hilarious! I so relate. Preschool years are TOUGH. I make four trips a day to the same place (3 miles or so each way). And then back again: 8:10am, 12:30am, 2:45pm, 4:15pm. Ugh! It sounds ridiculous but it is oh so exhausting.
I liked your link to being alone. How crazy is that? I believe it. Often I find that my kids want to be with me every moment instead of just going to play by themselves playing with any number of toys.
Great funny article. Please put me on your mailing list! Say hi to Laura for me!
Kathleen
Do it! You’ll never regret giving your child the gift of that year!