So, the dreaded/wonderful day has finally arrived! It is time to kiss your little ones goodbye and send them with lunch box in hand to their first day of school. However, before you send your children off to school, you need to find the right school for your young lass or lad.
Choosing the right preschool for your child is a daunting decision, one that will have a major impact on the building blocks of their development. The cost of schooling will also have you delving into your finances, so you want to make sure that your money is well spent. Worry not! We have you covered with these useful tips to make your decision less daunting.
Begin your prospect search early
As a parent, the hardest thing is trusting another person with your child. The parental instinct kicks in, and you find yourself drawing in your child just a little closer to you instead of letting them go out into the wide world. However, by beginning the preschool search earlier, you are giving yourself a couple of options to choose from, allowing you to select the best possible preschool for your child and giving yourself peace of mind in the process.
The best way to start your preschool search is by evaluating your finances, deciding which type of school environment you would like your child to be in, and drawing up a potential list of schools that you would be interested in. Do not be afraid to ask experts for help; you can give the Child Care Aware hotline a ring. They can send you the details of a referral agency or a local childcare resource, which will then direct you to the list of preschools in your vicinity. It's best to ask for the list of the accredited preschools near you. You can also ask or contact a known friend or family member that has already enrolled their child in preschool or has already finished the preschool years.
Compare Preschools
In today's technological age, all it takes is a click of the mouse, and you can find just about anything you need to know. Take some time to visit each school's website to determine exactly what the school offers. To help you make a better decision, try comparing certain aspects of each school, such as the facilities, academic programs, after school programs, development programs, and their teacher to child ratio.
Set up an Interview
Once you have narrowed down the search, and you have a good idea which preschools you like and which you do not like, it's time to set up an interview with the head of each school. Arm yourself with a list of questions about the school and how it functions. Do not be afraid to ask questions; the more you know the better.
Be aware of your surroundings when you visit the school, such as how the teachers interact with the kids, how you are treated upon arrival, the cleanliness of the buildings, floors, and interior, as well as the overall atmosphere of the school. If you feel uneasy at any time, then cross this school off your list - it is not the school for your child. Make sure that before you leave the school's premises, you are happy and at ease; after all, you are entrusting the school with your greatest treasure.
References, references
This is where Google and social media becomes your best friend. Most schools today should have a website and various social media accounts. Find each school's Facebook page and take a couple of minutes to scroll through the page and read the comments and reviews. This will give you a good idea on what the past and present parents think of the school.
You can also visit the website of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC has an accessible online database of accredited preschools and centres which you can have a look at. As a final check, phone the state's Better Business Bureau to check whether your prospective school has ever had formal complaints or lawsuits laid against it.
The person that counts
It's time to take your little ones for a visit and find out what they think of the school. Take note of their facial expressions and how they react to the school environment. Look to see if your children are enjoying their visit as they will be spending a considerable amount of time at the school. Finally, note how the staff interact with your child and how your child interacts back. If this interaction is comfortable, you child will cope with the transition to going to school every day a lot easier.
Time to apply and enroll
Do not leave it to late to get your child on the school's waiting list to avoid disappointment if the school is full. Apply and look to enroll into more than one preschool to allow yourself more than one option.