- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preschoolers today articles
- preschoolers today q&a
- children today articles
- children today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Preschool Pros and Cons
Does Your Child Need to Go?
By Kelly Burgess
"In my latter years [of teaching] it got to the point where I could always tell those who hadn't been to preschool," says George. "Academically, they're generally as well prepared as the other children, but they invariably have social issues that disrupt class time. I think that a lot of these issues are a result of a high level of self-centeredness that children develop from constantly being parent-directed. They think everyone should do it their way and they should be able to do what they want when they want. Unfortunately, the world doesn't work that way."
Some of the problems George found to be common in children who had not attended preschool were an inability to pay attention to the teacher, talking at inappropriate times, inattention to the task at hand, expecting the other children to defer to their wants and opinions, but not being willing to reciprocate, and not just being unwilling to take turns or wait, but not really even understanding why they should have to.
Dr. Heins says that a parent who feels he or she should be the only social force in a young child's life may not realize, or be willing to admit, that this may not be a well-rounded approach. A mom can spend every waking moment entertaining her child, but she can never be a 3-year-old.