Having a hard time finding a preschool

I've been looking around for a few months now looking for a preschool, and it looks like I won't be able to send my kids there at 2.5 as I expected... it's either too expensive ($120 a week per child for 6 hours a week, seriously???), or their classes are small and there is a waiting list already, or they don't start until 3... or they're just pretty much doing daycare and prices are astronomical too. Still waiting to hear from two places but I'm not holding my breath. I contacted all the ones I could find in the area already...

So bummed. Is it the same everywhere?

 

$120/week? Wow!! Last year, I think we paid $125/month for two mornings a week for 1 child. With two and the discount, it was $235/month. This year, I am paying a total of $350/month for both for three mornings a week.

My kids school doesn't start them until 3, which is fine with me. They did two years of preschool and Liam will start his first of two years in the fall. I didn't see a need for them to go for three years. I know that there is some competition for places in the school, but we didn't run into any issues with the twins (called in Jan for Sept) and Liam is given first priority because his siblings go there now.

Good luck with your search!!

 

My bf is the director at a pre-school and yes it's that way here in Nor Cal where I live. Except our prices are a bit higher, the place she works charges 265 a week per child!! But it's accredited so it can charge a bit more.
I won't be putting mine in until they are 3 years old and will be sending them off with my bf but if I wasn't then I'd be out now putting my name on waiting lists.
GL!! It's slim-pickings out there!

 

I didn't realize there was preschool for 2 1/2 year olds. I thought it was all daycare. My daycare has curriculum and arts and crafts. What do you want from a preschool?

 

Around here (near Philly, PA) they don't do preschool until 3 years of age, until then it's daycare. This year my two are going two days a week for four hours each day and they are given lunch and we pay $432 a month. :faint: There are daycares around for about $125/month per child but I wanted a preschool environment. Good luck!!

 

Yeah it looks like I'm going to wait for 3.5 also. The main reason I wanted it sooner is that I'm a SAHM and they don't see anyone but me and dh all the time.

 

Maybe you could bring them to library story times or if you have a Barnes & Noble or Borders, they do a lot of good story times, too. It will get them out and interacting with some other kids.

 

Preschool around here does not start until you are 3 as of Sept. 1 and it is for 2.5 hours a day 2 or 3 mornings or afternoons a week. My two are doing 2 mornings a week from 9-11:30am and I pay $125/month per kid and they offer a discount of 10% off each siblings tuition each month. So I pay $225 month right now for them both.

 

Where do you live? Have you tried NAEYC? Here is the link in case you need it http://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/search.

I live in MD and there are not a lot of preschool options for 2s. Most are daycare. Many of the churches around here have preschools, some affiliated, some not. Have you checked into those. Many are excellent schools if you are OK with the religious piece.

Best of luck.

 

Yeah, most preschools here start at 3 also (or 3 by Dec. 2 to match the kinder cut-off two years later). We live in Southern CA, where preschools can by pricey. Mine attend a NAEYC preschool (nationally accredited) and we pay $220/mo for three days a week, three hours each day ($144/mo for two days a week, three hours a day).

If you need to get out there and get a break, there are lots of avenues other than preschool at two years old. We took classes through the local city rec centers, a Mommy and Me class through our local school district, and the YMCA. We have met so many wonderful friends and families as a result. The local twins club also provided a great source of friendship, belonging, and support.

 

Preschool starts at 2.9 years old...

I too was looking into preschool for the boys-not necessarily for now-but for later. They miss the cut off as well, so they won't be in Kindergarten until September 2013(they'll turn six the following month).

In our town, we have a public school preschool. For the year(I'm assuming Sept-June), it's $1800. And that's for four days a week, three hours a day. So that was roughly $200/mth-per kid. And that would be 48 hours/month. Then there was a private one-$166 for T/Th and that was from 9-12 I believe as well-and that was for the month. It's not horrible-but add another child-and it's pricey!

So-I am not putting them in preschool as we can't swing it, I'm a sahm, and a former preschool teacher. LOL! So I can do all of that stuff at home-but like you-it's the socialization and the spreading their wings-AWAY from mommy that they need. If anything-they will go that last year before Kindergarten. DH and I are going to look into various classes the kids can join-as it would be cheaper than $3600/yr! We do storyhour now, and they do playgroup through EI as community kids, and that's for 2 hours/week.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

How interesting... many of the preschools here start at 2.5 (and one at 2). I think the difference in my area between daycare and preschool is that daycare is 7am - 5pm or something like that and preschool is 8am - 3pm. The good daycares have a curriculum for 2 and 3 year olds that's similar to the ones that many of the preschools have. So it's mostly just timing and the ability to say "my kid is in preschool" that makes the difference.

 

ahhhhh, that makes sense. I know that our daycare teacher said something about some standardized curriculum that she uses and my mom got all excited (retired kindergarten teacher). I totally need the daycare hours, so if that keeps me from being able to say "my kid is in preschool", whatever. :laughing:

 

I'm with you...

 

Most of the preschools in our area do start at age 2. I did not start my children until they were 3 because I couldn't see paying that much to send 2 year olds. My children go 4 hours a day twice a week and it's $185 per child per month. This is more expensive than most in our area; however, it's for 4 hours and most are only for 3. It's nice that they feed them lunch (that I pack) and then they come straight home for naps.

Good luck!