Preschool has always been a phase of education people have had conflicting attitudes about. Many families believe that one parent should stay home with a child until kindergarten age and educate them at home. However, not everyone agrees with this belief. Furthermore, it may be difficult to stay home due to economic uncertainties and the inability to financially support the household, thus sending kids to preschool seems like the better option. Additionally, some families believe that preschool is important because kids should not enter kindergarten without some prior educational experience. This experience could improve their independence, communication, and creativity skills. However, others argue that preschool is an expensive investment that doesn’t allow for enough parental direction in young children’s lives. In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of preschool so parents can make a well-informed decision. These are just a few of the vast number of viewpoints people hold regarding preschool, making it a hotly debated and conflicting issue in which various pros and cons are present, of which some will be discussed in this article.
PROS OF PRESCHOOL:
- Better Communication + Interaction Skills: By the time they get to kindergarten, children who attended preschool often have better communication skills than their peers due to increased interaction they have had with both adults and other kids their age up to this point. This improved ability to communicate could potentially help students make friends in kindergarten, which is important for progression in school. Not only can this get them excited about school, but it could also improve the quality of their peers further into their school years, in middle and high school. Furthermore, having experience interacting with adults in preschool could help these kids academically grow starting that first school year, as it would prevent the feelings of shyness, embarrassment, and nervousness that come with asking adults for help.
In general, children need to know how to interact with people other than their peers and friends. They will more than likely have this kind of interaction as they get older; therefore, having this experience early on in preschool could be beneficial.
- Teaches Independence: With preschool, kids have already been exposed to being independent and away from their parents for long amounts of time. Thus, it could become much easier for them to start kindergarten. The phase of emotional attachment to parents and caregivers is eliminated early on, and children become comfortable being on their own. They learn to not rely on others for everything; instead, they learn to provide for themselves, a skill sure to be beneficial in the future. For example, when getting ready for recess in colder areas, students may need help getting their jackets, boots, and other winter gear on. It can be difficult for teachers to assist so many kids at once, especially if there are only 1-2 teachers available. Kids who learned to dress themselves in preschool could save teachers lots of time by not needing so much hands-on help.
- Increased Creativity: Preschool lets children explore their creativity by allowing them more time to play. Kids are exposed to all kinds of art tools and activities: variations of painting, clay making, crafts, drawing, etc. They may have some exposure to these activities at home, but probably not as much as they would experience in preschool. Be that as it may, art expression and exploration are vital to children’s development. Numerous studies, scientists, and researchers support the fact that art expression, in whatever form, can increase academic success. It allows a child to build their sense of self at an early age, discover their likes and dislikes, etc. Overall, it provides key components to their development throughout childhood.
CONS OF PRESCHOOL
- Expensive: The average preschool in the U.S. costs about $10,000 per year. Moreover, factors such as location, home-based vs. public, quality of teachers, and others can add to the expense. This may discourage some parents from sending their kids to preschool, especially those who are low-income or only one parent works. They may find waiting until kindergarten and having the benefits of the public education system preferable in order to save money.
- Less Parental Control: Parents may be more comfortable when they control what their children learn and are exposed to at a young age. Others may be worried about the possible influence preschool teachers could have on their children. This could be issues like political and religious affiliation or attitudes teachers could pose to their kids, especially if parents disagree. This is especially heightened in our current time, where politics have such an impact and presence in everyone’s lives. Some parents may not want this made worse than it already is and would rather keep their children at home. Furthermore, parents may want to teach their kids more specific things they may not learn at preschool. This could include religion and culture or stories and lessons that are important and relevant to them as a family. Teachers may be uncomfortable teaching those lessons due to opposing personal beliefs or fear of becoming targeted by other parents, thus teaching them at home seems like the better option.
In conclusion, preschool will probably continue to be a topic of discussion over whether or not it’s a worthy investment. Parents should compare the pros and cons and consider factors personally important to them, ultimately deciding what is best for their child and whether or not sending them to preschool is the best option.
References:
- Bowen, Janine. “Ask the Expert: Why Is a Preschool Education Important? “When Children Attend High-Quality Pre-K Programs, They Get a Really Great Boost in Early Skills That Set Them up for Success in Elementary School,” Says Assistant Professor Michael Little.” College of Education News, 21 May 2021, https://ced.ncsu.edu/news/2021/05/21/ask-the-expert-why-is-a-preschool-education-important-when-children-attend-high-quality-pre-k-programs-they-get-a-really-great-boost-in-early-skills-that-set-them-up-for-success-in-element/
- Financial Samurai. “Why Preschool Is Worth Every Penny and More!” Financial Samurai, 11 Nov. 2019, https://www.financialsamurai.com/why-preschool-is-worth-every-penny-and-more/.
