While I am a big advocate for homeschooling, I know it is not for everybody. But, I read this interesting article and wanted to pass it along. And it is amazing to me that the ages of children that attend school is getting younger and younger. I don't remember 2 and 3 year olds going to school when I was a child, yet that is now how things are. Anyway, this article was just interesting and you can read it by clicking here. I know many of my friends and family that read my blog send their children to preschool so I hope to not step on any toes...like I said it was just an interesting article. And to me it makes sense... If you read it, what do you think?
Thursday, November 10, 2005
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8 comments:
Interesting. I guess it all depends on what you mean by preschool. I don't call sending a 2 or 3-yr.-old somewhere for up to 6 hours a day preschool. I think that's called "daycare."
I think these "studies" are all a load of crap! Honestly, who do these people poll? Or how many? or who are the people that do these "studies"? First it's the
"studies" say milk and eggs are harmful, then the "studies" say that kids who watch Sesame Street are more likely to develop ADD then a child who is not allowed to watch any tv, then the "studies" say that children who attend preschool have social disorders and whatnot. What a load!! Olivia attended preschool when she was 4 and she went for half a day every day. In no way has this affected her socializing skills. If anything, it taught her how to get along with children in a controlled environment, and also taught her that she had to respect other adults other then myself and her Daddy. I think these "studies" and the people who supposedly do them are full of crap and people shouldn't believe everything they read, instead go by what they experience and learn as they go along.
Here is my Libertarian (and probably controversial opinion here). It's to the gov't's benefit to have kids out of their parents influence as early as possible and under their influence so they can teach them how to be "good citizens" and listen to their gov't and pay taxes and consume consume consume to keep our economy going.
What really drives me crazy is that we as a society are expecting preschool/school to do what communities use to do. We think we can send our kids to school all day and they will learn all the "skills" they need. That way the whole family can spend the evenenings vegging in front of the tv instead of interacting with other families/friends/neighbors.
I just wanted to add, that I don't believe sending kids to preschool a few hours a week is going to damage them. I am more concerened about the general trend of the gov't taking over parental duties.
I don't think a few hours a week is bad either. My concern is those who send their children (the young ones, like 2-3 years) to preSCHOOL for like 40 hours a week. I know a few people who have done this. To me a 2 year old is still a baby in so many ways. And I think that you are using it as a daycare, as Anne said, in this sense. I went to Head Start when I was 4 and I loved it! I think alot, not all, but many, children who are sent to school early on are the ones who get labeled 'ADD' or 'ADHD'. They've been expected to sit in this classroom setting for years and they can't really just be a kid. They don't have the proper discipline from mom & dad because they're not home learning the family dynamics. They don't have a family structure and then they're labeled. Pretty soon we will probably see a trend where school is all year long, starting at age 1! So that the parents can go back to work earlier and like Amie said, the government can control the children and decipher what they learn. Scary thought in my opinion. Hope this makes sense. Chaos abounds in the background over here so I can't think straight...lol
Can't say I can relate to any of this yet since Gracie isn't old enough to do school. But I don't necessarily agree w/ the whole gov't. theory...that's just me.
On another note, I don't usually read these types of studies, or any for that matter. And I certainly don't believe all the hogwash involved in them, especially when most are done by people who are so clueless when it comes to the TRUTH in this world. It was just something I read and thought was interesting and wanted to see what others thought. We as parents try to do the best for our children and we don't need a study telling us what to do! And like you said, Heather, it ALWAYS changes.
Yeah, I would have to say I don't agree with the whole "government" point of view either. For one, it's not the government forcing anyone to send children to preschool, it is the parents. Preschool, let alone, Kindergarten in allot of states is not even mandatory. Two, if I trusted the "community" to teach my children all the things they need to know I would be very scared. School isn't the only screwed up thing now days. Just look at society in general. The "community" could easily teach my child that gang violence is ok, rape is ok, priests molesting little children is ok, swearing and cursing is normal, sex is for the whole world to watch and so on. The "community" cannot be expected to teach children about values and morals like it used to back in the dark ages. Times have changed, and every parent has to adapt and do what they feel is best for their own children and family. But I don't believe people who send their children out to public schools and daycares should be critisized because that is something they need and want to do.
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