Expulsion rate highest for preschoolers, study shows

Fort Worth Star Telegram ^ | May 17, 2005

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Mine will be eighteen this week. When he was three, he went to a pre-school in the mornings, three days a week. He had a hard time adjusting to that after being used to being home, but we had no other options at the time and we lived out in the boonies so he had little contact with kids other than his cousins.

He was a bratty three/four year old, but once he was in school fulltime, he loved it. He starts college this fall. We all survived. :)

[elli1]

Illuminating story. I'm glad you shared it.

[ContraryMary]

I never said or implied that preschool has anything to do with how smart a kid is. However, preschoolers as a whole adapt to the school environment quicker than kids who were not preschooled. And often times, kids who have not been preschooled have not learned their alphabet and things like that. So they are behind the others.

[ContraryMary]

See post #63.

[RavenATB]

"apparently we are talking about two entirely different things."

My post was regarding the trend of "parents" who willingly decide to allow their children to be raised by virtual strangers in what Americans affectionately call "daycare centers"...institutions which I chose to call "kiddie kennels."

I believe that history and research has shown that my choice of "handles" for these businesses is far more close to reality.

Many parents want desperately to believe that their choice to put their children in daycare...call it what you like...is a positive and loving choice. They want to believe this because their true priorities are (not in all cases, but in many) a nicer home, two or three cars, luxurious vacations, and the like, rather than the responsible and dedicated rearing of their own children.
Nobody wants to believe that they're intentionally making a bad choice for their child, so many parents go through all sort of mental gyrations in an attempt to rationalize the choice of having their children raised, for a majority of those children's waking hours, by people whom these "parents" typically know little, if anything at all.

I strongly suspect that the vast majority of people who put their children in daycare centers don't even know the last name of the person who is providing the majority of their child's daily "care."

[longtermmemmory]

individual behavioral aids = drugs


These experts want to drug four year old boys and lock them out of careers from the preschool age.

This is sick. What do they EXPECT four year olds to do, stand around singing tunes from the Mikado?

[xsmommy]

well you know, i consider myself lucky. i sent my kids to preschool as a social outing 3 mornings per week, even though i was home with them. they learned how to get along in a group, did crafts and sang songs. and as for people who send their kids to daycare centers, well, i am not so judgemental. People do what they think is best and i am not going to condemn someone who is not as lucky as i, to have been able to stay home, work part-time and work from home. I have been blessed.

[GraceCoolidge]

Many of us remember a time when children did behave in school (and elsewhere) and teachers were able to TEACH.

Yes, but I suspect at the time you were talking about, there were a number of other factors in play as well: fewer single parent families, children not in school until age five or so, children not warehoused into extended daycare, etc. I also think there are different expectations from children of different ages. You're absolutely right about disruptive kids in school... but I think when you start applying these concepts to preschool (which to me means as young as age three, a big difference from age five), there are different problems. I don't disagree that a lot of kids today lack discipline and manners, but I don't think that is the entire story, either.

[GraceCoolidge]

The best preschool for your child is HOME.

Which is where they are, but I think a very limited preschool setting at age four or so is a good thing, also. I'd like to find something for a couple hours, three mornings a week or so, just to give them some fun time and to meet some other kids. I'm not looking for someone else to raise or educate my boys, just somewhere for them to play with a group of other children. Years ago, kids could do this in their neighborhoods, but not anymore (at least not where I live).

[GraceCoolidge]

My husband's theory on my staying home with the children is that when raising kids, as he says, "you pay now or you pay later, but you pay." We're making the sacrifices now, but the parents whose kids are in daycare are going to be paying later, probably in a different way. The parents who think there is a "no cost" (personal, financial, whatever) to raising children are fooling themselves.

[JusPasenThru]

No one has mentioned that when this lad gets home, he probably watches whatever violent crap on TV he wants, and then plays "Drug-rape vice" or whatever the name of that videogame is.

[RavenATB]

"well you know, i consider myself lucky. i sent my kids to preschool as a social outing 3 mornings per week, even though i was home with them. they learned how to get along in a group, did crafts and sang songs. and as for people who send their kids to daycare centers, well, i am not so judgemental. People do what they think is best and i am not going to condemn someone who is not as lucky as i, to have been able to stay home, work part-time and work from home. I have been blessed."

Sorry, I don't believe in "luck." I accept the premise that you're blessed, however.

"Luck," if there is such a thing, is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. I worked my ass off to get a degree and establish a solid career. As a result, my wife was able to stay home to raise and educate our children.

We've been very blessed. Luck had nothing to do with it.

Judgmental? Yep...when it comes to the environment we put our children in, we're extremely judgmental. Our kids are counting on us, as parents, to use solid judgment, based on knowledge and experience, to make decisions to keep them safe, educate them properly, and protect them from unnecessary risks. I have absolutely no problem being the most judgmental man on earth when it comes to the safety and well-being of my kids. But, rather than calling it "judgmental," I like to use the phrase "moral courage." As for "daycare"...I'd be more likely to let my kids play on a busy street than put them in the care of virtual strangers.

[goalinestan]

I guess I missed the part in the article where the parents with misbehaving children took responsibility for their actions.

I have boys aged 4 and 2 and a newborn and a wife that stays home with them. She works harder than I do, and we make the sacrifice of not having a second income. But we wouldn't have it any other way.

I am sick of people, such as those in this article, who insist that the problems with their children are someone's else fault. TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS...YOU HAD THEM! Children need discipline, structure, and two (heterosexual) parents who provide love, consistency and support.

We live in a nation of whiny victims and unfortunately it's seems as if it's only getting worse.

Oh, and I never went to pre-school (my parents are both public school teachers, but are the rare conservative republicans in the industry), and never suffered any ill effects. Our four year old doesn't attend pre-school, but my wife works with him, and he's doing just fine emotionally and academically speaking.