Long hrs in preschool/daycare harmful
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Long hrs in preschool/daycare harmful
| Sun, 03-19-2006 - 3:09pm |
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051101/news_1n1earlyed.html
Very interesting. Particularly the difference in the middle to upper income kids vs low income.
"I personally feel children need the nurture of their parents and the home," she said. "Those early years, that's when they are bonding to their family. That nurturing, only the family can give that."
I tend to agree.
MM, WOHM to B&E, 7.24.03

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I guess I'm still missing where the educational aspects and kids' socialization benefits are in your playgroup. It sounds like "my" playgroups. I do see it in Lauraw2's groups though.
If one mom is "manning" each zone and the kids are admittedly just engaged in parallel play, there's not really any socialization such as I've seen in the longer day at preschool. Especially when the pg is held at the playground and the kids necessarily disperse off-and-on. And the mom with the infant generally chooses to stay near the stroller and cannot encourage social interaction much.
Even in my house we have zones set up for free play ~ and that necessarily involves periodic intervention by me and DH similar to a mom in your pg "manning" a zone. I think in most pgs, the homeowner spreads out the toys too to create "zones." Then it's hands-off except for the occasional instruction of a few kids or for disciplining your own child.
Where the longer day in preschool, and I think aftercare in preschool, is preferable to the playgroup is that half the children in preschool leave before lunch. Then there's one-on-one time with the same number of staff from the morning session who are focused on nothing but socializing the smaller group. Moms in playgroups are generally distracted by trying to relax and converse with each other ~ again, an essential need for sahps IMO. But not a socialization/educational benefit comparable to preschool.
Does your DD do any of those from scratch, such as researching the supplies and recipes, doing the leg-work, setting everything up herself? I imagine origami, making a flag and building 3D puzzles may be tough for a 9 yr-old on her own without substantial involvement from a parent.
In the stores, there are row after row of all of these kits for many of the things you listed which IMO thwart the child's imagination, rather than enhance it. But I also refuse to spend my money on kit after kit. A lot of those things are included in special classes and rooms at our children's museum too, if our school is not already handling some of those.
These activities your DD does are great and in my house might be 10 minutes less I have to fight them over asking for the t.v. or computer games! (Just joking) But, generally, I want my kids to engage in a handful of hobbies and passions that they can immerse themselves in (rather than just dabble) and that will carry them through their adulthoods. That's my hope anyway.
Well, of course after playing with the pine cones, they'll be harvesting the pine nuts, right?
http://www.pinenut.com/history.htm
And then you'll help them perfect their pesto making technique.
http://www.howtodothings.com/uncategorized/a1613-how-to-make-pesto-sauce.html
Don't forget to mention the Pecorino Romano. (Because maybe you should be setting your sights a little higher for that second kid...)
My dh, who lived in a rural farming community that did and still does
PumpkinAngel
Brace your self and you may want to sit down if you are not already.
PumpkinAngel
My dh went to all day kindergarten too. Oh and I should add he was 4 at the time. The cutoff requirements used to be much more lax than they are now.
Edited 3/25/2006 7:01 pm ET by djknappsak
Dj
"Now when I need help, I look in the mirror" ~Kanye West~
No, the parallel play part was related to how the mom's interact with the kids. They are not "instructing" the kids per se, but playing side by side, in order to inspire the child's own creativity.
In addition, as I said before, the mom's are most definitely *not* distracted by their own interaction. Maybe I'm not explaining it clear enough.
I've seen enough preschools in selecting one for my DS and am quite aware of how they operate. My kids will not be missing anything by going half days as opposed to fulltime, or even just fulldays a few times/week. I can see how *I* would benefit from two longer days, but IMO, it is better for my kids to go several days per week for shorter hours.
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