School for an 18 month old?

[Shimpie]

I'm a WOHM and DD goes to a Montessori, which she started at 18 months. Even if I were I SAHM, I'd send DD to "school" 2 or 3 times a week for the morning. I see a huge benefit from her participation in school. Of course, there was the initial separation anxiety, which disappeared after the first week.

It's not instruction in the sense of sit in your chair and listen to the teacher drill ABC's. DD gets to interact with her peers in organized play activities like singing songs, planting a garden and peeling fruit. She learns how to follow instruction, take turns, share, and keep a class room organzied. She cleans up her own spills and messes. Peer pressure among her friends also helped with potty training and hand washing. It's amazing what kids do when they see that everyone is expected to do the same things.

ETA: I wouldn't consider "school" at 18 month at all a necessary formal education. Preschool at 3 or 4 years old would be just fine.

[luvsviola]

Both of my DDs started at 18 months and they loved it! They like going and run in the door happily. I would have liked to send DS but no one would take him with his feedi g tube on continuous feeds.

Our schools sing songs, paint, do crafts, play outside, and play all day.

[danner]

Too young to be away from me for that long. My son is 19 months. I can say that my daughter started UPK as she just turned 4. She had never been to school or daycare before and that timing was just right for her. That is the earliest I'd send my son, knowing him, and I might even skip it if he isn't ready for it.

[Hope4More]

Idk, it doesn't seem too young. DS is 2, and he will sit literally for an hour and a half tracing the letter B, coloring words and pictures that start with b, sorting, cutting, and pasting. He loves it. He also goes to an in-home Montessori daycare (teacher formerly head of Montessori program). They learn and play all day long. Everything he does is his "work".

Fwiw, I am a SAHM June through August, and he does 9-4 twice a week in the summers, and m-f when I teach during the school year.

Soryr fro typos. Setn by iPhone.

[doodah]

I dont have a problem with it at all assuming its a good program, age appropriate, quality teachers, etc.

but I do have a problem with the general idea of calling it school for toddlers. i think it feeds into the competitive nature of modern parents. to push their kids faster and farther than other kids. its trendy to offer academics and other things as selling points so parents think their child in "advanced"....when in reality, the school will take anyone that will pay the tuition.

there is nothing wrong with a toddler staying at home with mom. I promise that by the end of kindergarten, it is very hard to tell the kids that were schooled previously to kinder and those that were not. my oldest had no preschooling but she is doing cursive letters already in preK and soaking up everything like a sponge. she is fine socially as well

[mommabritt]

18 months is too young for us. IMO at that age, its daycare with a fancy name.

[mkrisel]

We started DD in "school" at 2.5. It's a co-op for 2 hours a day, twice a week. It's play time. She loves it and we wanted her to have more socialization (grandparents watch her during the day). We found a program that starts with caregivers and child at 12 months by our new house that we will probably do with this one-just for socialization. But, it's play time!

[thoennes6]

I teach 4 yo preschool. I have my kids a total of 2.5 hours a day 3 days a week. In that 2.5 hours the 4 year olds are expected to sit for no more than 10 min at a time for a total of about 30 min to 35 min a class. The rest of the time is free choice play, music and singing, snack and free art. Personally I wouldn't put my 18 mo in school or preschool but that is just me. Some kids love it.

[DalesWidda]

I used to work in the early education field. I've done everything from assistant teacher to teacher to cook to assistant director to director. Every center I've worked at had a curriculum plan for all ages, including babies. Babies had individual plans, such as working on head control, tummy time, eating, etc. As soon as they could walk and were in the next room they were doing circle time, art projects, etc. A lot of parents called it school. I think it helped the kids be more excited to go. Once kids hit 2 to 2 1/2 they were in the two's room and preschool became a larger part of the morning. Summers were "off". So when fall came a lot of kids came in sporting new backpacks and outfits. A lot of the kids looked forward to "school" so I don't think it's a huge deal. Most of these kiddos were there 40 to 50 hours a week so if calling it school helps meh, no biggie

As a specific program just a couple of days a week? Still no biggie. All parents need a break once in a while. I have an amazing sitter who watches my dd for $2 an hour and she does preschool stuff with her. She comes home with the neatest projects and when I pick her up she's often doing folder matching games, flash cards, etc. She does so much with her that I've been calling it "Miss J's school". LOL, I feel so guilty with all she does with her I keep offering to pay her more but she won't take it! And she gets meals/snacks there. This woman is amazing! She does have two other babies but that only ends up being $6 an hour, unless she charges more for the babies. She swears she does it for the love of kids.

ok sorry for the tangent. It's 3:30 in the morning and my middle dd can't sleep so we are out in the LR watching sponge bob which is slowly sucking my brain cells away. *sigh*

[UVASahm]

These are all great answers! I am going to check out the "school" on Monday. My husband thinks its a good idea because of the new baby coming. I didn't even think about that! Also jack is super alert and loves to learn new things so I think he will really like it. It's only twice a week ad he,ll be with kids he knows so it should be good. Hope we like it! Ill let you know on Monday!