Two of the Most Difficult Decisions a Parent Can Make; Preschool or Not? Which Preschool is Best for My Child?

A disclaimer right up front! We are obviously biased when it comes to the question "Preschool or not?" For more then 50 years we have been committed to quality preschool education - so it would be disingenuous to offer resources for your decision-making without admitting to you up front that we are far from an unbiased source when it comes to preschools. However, as you conduct your own personal research on whether or not to make the investment in preschool, you will find an overwhelming body of evidence that preschool is in fact one of the most important and highest return-on-investment decisions you will make on behalf of your children. This is not just our opinion - the value of an investment in preschools has been well studied and documented. Few if any social scientists, psychologists and even politicians doubt that children that have the opportunity to participate in preschools reap rewards for their entire life (well at least for forty years after graduation from those preschools - that is how old the first study is). What are these benefits - here is just a short list of benefits after following children that graduated from preschools for forty years - but your can see that the benefits of preschool actually increase over time by giving the child a stronger foundation to build upon.

• preschool graduates had 12% higher high school graduation rates than children that did not attend preschools
• 47% more preschool graduates attended college than children that did not attend preschools
• after 40 years, graduates of preschool experienced depression 36% less than adults that did not attend preschools as a child

The Benefits of Preschool are Incontrovertible - For Many The Real Barrier is the Cost of Preschool

Given the weight of the evidence, the real challenge is not whether your child should attend preschool - it really is whether your family can afford the investment in preschool education. Unfortunately, partisan politics has gotten in the way of both federal and state comprehensive support of preschools for all children. Hopefully, some time soon legislation will be passed that appropriately funds public preschools for all children. (Yes - we recognize that this could technically hurt the Happy Hollow School but the benefits to our children and communities are so great that we enthusiastically support universal preschool. You can help too - read more on how to take action at the Massachusetts Early Education for All - Universal Pre-Kindergarten website.) The Preschool and Kindergarten Programs at Happy Hollow School do our very best to keep preschool affordable. However we recognize it may not be enough for some families. Please do not let this stand in your way of giving the gift of preschool to your children and the next generation of your family. With this in mind we offer links below to resources that may be able to help you to find and afford preschool for your child. Yes, even if it is not the Preschool Program at Happy Hollow School, please do your very best to find the best quality preschool program you can afford. Your children will thank you by leading happier, healthier lives.

How to Find the Best Preschool for Your Child

Once you decide that you will invest in preschool, the difficult decision becomes which preschool is best for my child? CWe believe this is a truly important decision that only you can make. Of course, any preschool director will tell you that their program is best for your child. But the truth is, you know your child better than anyone else, including that preschool director, including our preschool director and faculty. As such we are not going to presume that we know your child better than you do and try to convince you that you should make such an important decision based on a presumption that we know your child. No one can make this decision better than you can (as difficult as it may feel at the time) but by basing it on your knowledge of your child and who they are when in the comfort of your home and family, your are sure to make the right decision. Visit and interview as many preschools as you possibly can. Spend as much time in the preschool as you can and while their imagine yourself as your child. Ask yourself:

• Will my child be comfortable yet challenged here?
• Will my child feel like this environment is different from home but not so much so that it feels scary or foreign?
• Will my child be able to be himself/herself here?
• Will my child feel lost or get lost in the shuffle here?
• Will my child feel confident about herself/himself in this environment?

You've noticed that all of our suggestions are about your child - not about the preschool itself. This is because we make a basic presumption - you should only consider fully licensed and accredited preschool programs. While the "fully licensed" criteria may seem obvious, there unfortunately are many "preschool" programs operating that are not indeed licensed and therefore do not meet minimal standards for the safety and care of your child. We assert that accreditation is essential in that some licensed organizations market themselves as "preschools" but are in fact basic daycare services that offer minimal education value (other than trying to simply occupy your child's time). All the benefits afforded to children that attend preschools in the research we mentioned came from genuine educational programs and curriculums offered by fully trained, degreed and certified teachers. If you choose to make the investment in preschool - do not undermine the benefits or waste that investment on daycare that calls itself preschool. One of the easiest ways to insure that the programs you are considering will be a genuine preschool education is to limit your search to fully accredited preschools and avoid programs that consider daycare and preschool as equivalent experiences.

Our preschool selection philosophy is obviously oriented toward your child - but you need to be comfortable too. Use your instincts, they are usually right. If you sense that the teachers are unhappy, inexperienced, or just "stuck" - chances are your child will feel this too. You must feel confident that the teachers you have entrusted with your child's education are your partners. If you don't feel like they are partners - they are not right for you. This will translate into worry on your part - your child needs you to be excited about their education - not worried.

P. S. Start Early!

Given the under funding of public preschool programs - those programs that do exist are greatly over subscribed. In turn, many private programs begin the application process in November and December of the year before your child will begin and have waiting lists before the end of winter. That's right - you need to start this process an entire year before your child starts preschool. This translates into you beginning your interviewing of preschools before your child's second birthday to find one that is right for him/her. You don't want to add being rushed to this decision - so begin early.

Of course, visit the Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Program at Happy Hollow School, we hope we are the right match for your child. But if we are not, you and your child will know and we will be happy to point you toward potential good fits.

Resources for Finding High Quality Preschools

Below we have included a variety of resources for finding preschools and determining which preschool is right for your child. Use these resource, many of them will serve you well. But please do not forget that you are by far the best person to make this decision. Once you are sure that you have a list of fully licensed, accredited preschool and have screened out the daycares masquerading as preschools; those preschools that don't make sense for your budget; and those that you just don't like - then apply the questions we suggest above. In the end we are confident, and you will be confident that you have made the right choice (even if its not Happy Hollow School!).

Should my Child Attend Preschool? - Resources

• The Sandbox Investment by David L. Kirp. This fantastic book published in 2007 reviews the research demonstrating the benefits of preschools in our communities. Most local libraries will have it on hand.
• National Institute for Early Education Research
  The NIEER publishes an annual report entitled "The State of Preschools". This report and the web site here are fantastic resources for any parent researching preschools and the role preschool should play in their child's life.
• Preschool Program Improves Cognitive Control
  Okay this one is a little technical - but if you can tolerate it, the findings are amazing.
• Investing in Quality Pre-K
  Another "technical" document but its a concise description of the results of much of the research demonstrating the benefits of preschools to individuals and our community
• Invest In Early Education
  This Massachusetts organization has been fighting for Universal Pre-Kindergarten and increased funding for public preschools in Massachusetts for years - but it is also a great resource for parents.

How to Pay for Preschool? - Resources

Unfortunately there are far too few of these resources.

• Child Care Choices of Boston - Financial Assistance Page
• Massachusetts Community Partnership for Children
• Links to a page with links to individual city and town Community Partnership for Children programs
• Framingham Family Central
• MassChildCare.org
• Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care - Financial Assistance Page

How to Choose the Best Preschool for Your Child

• How to Choose a Preschool - by Dr. Robert Needlman
• Preschool Accreditation
• What to Observe When Visiting Preschools
• Choosing a Preschool - Other Factors

Click Here to Recommend a Resource for the Happy Hollow School Community