Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments "preschool"

Hi Everyone,

My kids (ages 3 and 4) used to attend a gifted preschool, but because of logistics we were forced to pull them for a closer option. We have had them in a regular play-based "letter of the week" preschool for the past 6 weeks, but it's basically a day care service for us because the girls (DD4 is HG, DD3 not tested but starting to read) aren't getting anything out of it except for the very popular "Build your own castle" station. My oldest is especially unsatisfied because she had lots of friends at her previous preschool, but she hasn't bonded with anyone at the current place.

ANYWAY, this past week our current preschool has had to close because of some scheduled maintenance, and DD's have been going to work with DH (who owns an automotive repair shop). We thought this would be a pain for him, as he's usually monumentally busy - but after three days both he and the girls have loved it. They ride their bikes, "race" on the various tractors and sea-doos sitting in the shop for repair, make drawings in the floor-dry, and play with the art/tangram supplies I send along each day. And I never even thought we'd consider this, but we're actually thinking of ditching preschool and spending the rest of the school year letting the kids go to work with dad.

My biggest issue with this is that they would have no real interaction with other kids over the next 4 months - DH leaves for work at 7:15 and doesn't get home until 6:00, so there's not a lot of opportunity for outside interaction during the work week. They both take swimming lessons on Saturdays, but that would be the extent of social interaction. I'm not too worried about academics, as they've both pretty much mastered the "end of year" kindergarten standards, but I would probably need to do something akin to "home preschooling" (is there such a thing??) either in the evenings or on weekends.

Any thoughts? DH only brought this up as an option on the phone this afternoon before I left work, so I've been mulling it over for about an hour....

Sounds lovely Jen.
I don't think that 'real interaction with other kids in a school-type setting without their parents' is an actual need for 90% of 3 and 4 year olds. I think it's just a marketing thing for all but the shyest or most socially clueless kids. I think that it also is a 'you parents can't provide all they need' thing too. So I would say, go with it for as long as everyone is having a good time let them stay with Dad. They might learn some really useful stuff, and they certianly are practicing their social interactions with Dad and with each other.

Even though I question the value of all but the best preschools in most cases, I double question the value of preschools that sort by age (almost all of them) for HG and beyond kids. Being asked to socialise with ND kids at age 3 and 4 is not a senario for building up those social skills.

One question - are you home or at work during the day. If you are working, can you shift your schedule so that you can get a morning or an afternoon a week to set up playdates during the day? I don't think that this is nescessary, but it might be 'fun.'

Best Wishes,
Grinity