Pre-Preschool

Last week I started visiting potential preschools for Violet. We are thinking about enrolling her for next fall when she is 3 1/2. I just know that she will love school and do great. She is very social and likes to make new friends. I visited a school I really like, and saw one that I didn't like, and one that was in between.

I am finding the process much more time consuming and emotional than I would have expected. Visualizing her spending her day in an honest-to-goodness classroom where she is part of a larger group, while I know this is developmentally important, is heart-wrenching for me. What if she is has a bad day? Will the teacher recognize this? How will she cope? I know in my heart that she will be fine and probably will do better than me with the transition. Still it means she's growing up and it all happens so fast.

Definitely looking for a half day program. Something about not wanting her to nap at school. I can't explain why, but I only want her sleeping in her bed at home and not on a cot in a classroom. Plus, since napping is not part of "real" school, it's not something she has to practice before Kindergarten so better that she do it at home where she can get a good rest.

There are several more schools on my list to visit and lots of logistical and practical things to consider, so we're not planning to make a decision for a few more months. Still it's an important next step for Violet (and for me).