VPK Or Not?

I have two childen, one girl and one boy and neither of them went to VPK. They are extremely intelligent and well adjusted and never had a problem with school or socially when they hit kindergarten. I hope this helps.

My daughter has never been to daycare. We are in a playgroup so she isnt as shy anymore but now she is the oldest. I wanted her to go to VPK to get a head start on kindergardern, more social skills, and so kindergarden wouldnt be so tramic. Plus its some time away from her babysitter.
I love the Ivy league academy so is to attend, its just like school but for a short time.

I may be in the minority but I am an early childhood specialist and I believe children should be at home till they enter Kindergarten. The only thing he needs from a program is socialization and rule following. He should not be doing academics of any sort until the age of 5-6. Teaching too early can cause learning struggles in the child because their bodies and brains are not connected enough to receive this type of information as young as parents/teachers want to teach it. This is a case of earlier is NOT always better. The left brain gets very high and the right brain does not receive enough information to keep level and the brain becomes disconnected. There is a great book called Disconnected Kids that gives some great advice if anyone wants to learn about how ADHD and other spectrum conditions happen. My vote is keep your son at home and have regular playdates with kids his age or sign him up for gym classes, yoga, YMCA classes, art classes, music classes and any other that builds the right brain. He doesn't need VPK to ensure he will be successful in the future! You can do soooo much at home language wise by reading to him that that gives children the best foundation they need to be auditory learners. Also have your son crawl on the floor around the house. This stimulates right/left hemispheres to "talk" to each other. Good luck with your decision.

3 hours a day is just fine...Mostly what is being done is the same type of things you can do at home. All kids will adjust at their own pace, and forcing them to go to school too early can actually do more damage than good.

Keep in mind that in Florida, more and more parents are deciding to homeschool instead of continuing on with public education. Fact to chew on--Florida is number #48 in education of 50 states.

PreK is a glorified babysitting service. Three hours is more than fine to sharpen social skills, playtime, and to even make a new friend.

**my opinion and only my opinion**

Three hours a day is fine. My son was in pre-K this year and they're actual curricular day was only 2.5 hours. The rest of the time (he was there full time because I work full time) was just day care.

If he's never been in any kind of school environment, you'll probably appreciate the low stress transitional year before he's in Kindergarten.

Don't stress your self out. Do what's free. Throw $400 a month at your debt (but don't spend it anywhere else).

T.

3 hours per day is fine. They are only young for a very short time. They don't need to be writing letters and numbers or learning how to read and do math until Kindergarten or even first grade.
The kids all even out in Kindergarten. There are always a couple who seem to grasp the concepts faster than others, but really - they all even themselves out. Let him be little for another couple of years.
LBC

My son just finished VPK at a private school and I can tell you that it definitely was not glorified baby-sitting! Every day they were working on letters, numbers, beginning math skills, handwriting,etc along with play and social skills. It is essential that kiddies have these skills down prior to kindergarten these days. I sat in the kindergarten class with the teacher that my son will have next year (we have decided to sacrifice and keep him at the private school) and you would not believe the level these kids were at-in kindergarten!

My son attended 3 hours per day 5 days per week. He did very well and progressed well. And he loved it. Unless you are going to provide schooling to him every single day, 5 days a week and be active in a moms group, homeschool, group or other social activities, I think you are doing your little one a disservice by not sending them.

I think the biggest thing for me in deciding where to send my son was that it had to be a real school. There was no way I was sending him to a daycare for his schooling! I toured several private schools before deciding on the one that was the best fit for us.

OK...First of all, Pre-K is NOT glorified babysitting. I teach pre-k at a public school and I work too hard to be considered a baby sitter. It is true, Kindergarten students ARE expected to know and do more than previous generations. However, you are your child's first and most important teacher. What you help your child with at home can really go a long way. You need to do what is best for your family. If sending him 3 hrs a day is financially feasible for you, then do it. It's a lot better than nothing at all.

The VPK is free for 3 hours because that's what the state covers in the public schools. Any other amount being charged is for taking care of your child after hours (after school program), and this is for parents who simply cannot pick up their child at 3 p.m. due to work. If you don't work, then you can obviously save the $400, but other parents, like myself, don't have that luxury and have to pony up the amount, which in my case will be $300 I believe (my daughter starts this August so I am not 100% sure of the amount). It's still a savings compared to what I pay now for her school, which is close to $400, and she will be learning more complex things than she is now, so it's a win-win for all. I think it's totally worth it to put your child in VPK, why not have your child learn more than other kids? That way, they will find Pre-K to be a breeze and will be academically advanced. Why deny them an opportunity to learn? The more education they can get and the earlier, the better.

hey mama.. i think life is a loong learning process.. and our children are blessed to be "at home" as long as possible..he's lucky to have "school" for only 3 hours, that option won't be there in 2 years or again for another 12!!
i'm not a big fan of VPK,even though i did vote for it, before my son was born..we're soo happy at home with playgroup/rec center mornings and just being social..looking forward to kindergarten when he's 5!!

These days schools assume children going to kindergarden have had VPK, daycare or both. When they start school they should already be familiar with their alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, etc.... I have had children in pre-k and children who just started in kindergarden. My children who had no pre-k were behind the other children at the start, but able to catch up by the end of the year. The child and my grandchildren who had pre-k had an easier time at the beginning of the year, they didn't have to play catch up to the rest of the kids.

I would NOT pay $400 a month. Just send your child to the free VPK, practice the skills they teach at home and next year it will all be fine.

Please go to your county's VPK office and get all of the facts (you may have to make an appointment). When I went to get the voucher, they gave me a pamphlet that said that any school which offers a VPK program and accepts the voucher HAS TO have a free program that charges you nothing and allows you to attend just the free hours. It's the law. I found a school I really liked and all of their paperwork said for VPK you can go for 4 days a week or 5 days a week and gave the prices for the "wrap around" fees, plus fees for registration and materials. They gave me a tour of the school and never mentioned the option of 100% free VPK. When I brought it up, they told me they do have that as an option but most of their parents don't pick it. Why the heck wouldn't they??? I think it's because a lot of the schools have what they call a "VPK Roundup" where they supposedly save you the time and trouble of going the the county office to get your voucher and they have an evening event where you can bring all of your paperwork and get it at the school. I think they do that and don't give the parents the pamphlet and all of the information so parents don't know they have the free option. Sorry to get on my soapbox, but it pisses me off!!! Most schools offer the program for 3 hours a day and you can leave your child for just those 3 hours, and then you can pay if you want them to stay longer but those are just babysitting hours and even often include a naptime. This school that I was looking at had their VPK time for 4 hours a day for all of their 4 year olds, so if you didn't pay the extra monthly fee then your school year ended in April instead of June since the law requires a certain number of HOURS of VPK instruction total, not a certain number of days....... Anyway... Yes, Your child will survive living on this planet just fine with no preschool before kindergaretn. HOWEVER, I have several friends who are K teachers and they can always tell the kids who had zero "school" before K. I personally think it's a HUGE leap to go from 100% time at home to a full day of K, and I think the 3 or 4 hours a day of VPK is such a wonderfully healthy thing for both kids and moms. Go for the school you like the best and insist that if they take the voucher and offer VPK that you do NOT have to pay a single dime for wrap around or registration fee or materials fee or ANY fee at all out of your pocket.

My daughter went to the free 3 hour VPK and now can read simple books and hasn't started kindergarten yet. I was amazed at the simple math, writing and reading she learned in one year! I don't know if it makes a difference long run but some of the free (state paid) programs are just as effective as private programs.

The 3-hour program is what I have enrolled my daughter in this fall. She is advanced for her age and knows everything she needs to know for Kindergarten, but because of her birthday she cannot start this year. VPK will help her fine tune the skills she has and also give her basic skills that aren't learned at home, i.e. standing in line, being quiet.

The entry requirements for Kindergarten are outrageous, the child needs to be able to count to 100, know the ABC's/colors/shapes, his/her name, and be able to recognize alliteration. Most adults don't know what alliteration is, so to expect a 4-5 year old to recognize it is a lot.

I STRONGLY urge you to put your son in the 3-hour program for his sake. FCAT has put so much pressure on the lower level students that they need an advanced start.

i would say to put your child in the 3hr program. i put my daughter in it 2 yrs ago and she had never been in school before. it really helped her out. she already new most of what they were teaching, and she was socialized pretty well, but there are certain things they teach that maybe couldn't be done on an every day basis at home. i know that teachers that i have spoken with have said that they can always tell when a child has been to vpk. i have also now enrolled my son in it also. i would be sure to check the curriculum out and make sure they have a good diversity.

I was a stay at home mom until my daughter turned 3, and then fortunately I found a job where I could take her with me - so she was never in a day care. When she turned 4, we did try a VPK - and I'm glad that we did - because she learned so much, and made some friends that actually ended up in her Kindergarten class as well. I only work 4 days a week, and only have a 1/2 hour lunch break. We picked a VPK that was fairly close to home, but not terribly close to work. For me to pick her up on my "lunch" would have been next to impossible - and the gas for my Durango vs the $15 per day for aftercare - didn't seem worth it. We chose for her to stay for "aftercare" on the days that I worked, and on my day off I would pick her up after the 3 hour VPK program. It basically got my daughter in the routine of getting up, having breakfast and getting ready for school. She learned alot while there, and made some good friends. She even had "homework" once a week, and also learned to spell all of the colors and numbers 1-10, learned to count in Spanish, could read sight words, and learned about following directions, following a schedule etc. I can tell you - if you have a very nice VPK near you, I would do it, and if you have the ability to pick up and not pay for aftercare - I would do that too. As for the person - who said that "Tests" don't start until like the 3rd grade. I don't know what area she lives in, or what schools her children go to, but my daughter goes to a magnet school - and there were tests in kindergarten, and she had homework 4 nights a week! I'm really glad that she had the pre-k experience so "prime" her for being away from me for the full day, and for following a schedule in school, and that she already had 4 friends from Pre-K in her class. I was the "reading mom" in her kindergarten class once a week - and I can tell you there was a big difference in the Pre-K kids vs the non Pre-K kids when it came to their reading ability. Oh - and I forgot to mention - the "aftercare" - was not the same as "Pre-K". They were physically in the same building, but a different part to make room for the other 1/2 day VPK kids - and there was no "structured learning" in the aftercare as opposed to the Pre-K class. The biggest thing that my daughter learned in aftercare was the word "sexy" - when one of the glorified babysitters told a 3 year old that had to change due to an "accident" that she looked sexy when she came out of the bathroom! Not too happy about that one! Basically aftercare was a glorified day care - some kids - ages 2-3 were in there all day, and then the 4 year olds would filter in and out based on if they were AM or PM VPK. Good luck!
PS: I would visit several of the free VPKs in your area - I did. When I picked the one that I thought I was interested in, we interviewed them, and they me, I told the director and my daughter's teacher - that I would be "all up in their business, and either be their best friend or their worst enemy, but either way I would know what was going on there everyday, and that if they needed a volunteer or supplies they could count on me". (there is only 1 Holly for me - and this is my most important job) I set it down right from the beginning - and everything was more than fine - even for my picky standards. I did end up volunteering several times throughout the year, and sent supplies such as snacks, crayons, lysol wipes or whatever - anytime there was a need.
PS: One more thing - I didn't know this when I selected the VPK -but apparently there is testing that occurs - as I saw the director looking over some papers one day when I was there with a big old smile on her face. I asked if it was good news - and her reply "the kids from High Point are testing the highest in all of Polk County in kindergarten" - that's a double edge sword as they get extra curriculum and stuff from the state - but also are expected to "test" some things. I guess if the information is there - you can ask to see it when chooding a pre-k, I didn't know that was something that was recorded - or I would have asked, I got lucky based on a "vibe". My daughter's kindergarten teacher did say "Oh - she went to High Point with so and so and so and so? I can tell." Hope that was good!?!?!?

Well I'm not sure why you are debating those two extremes because the amount of learning time (3 hrs) is the same for both. The actual VPK part is ONLY 3 hours. If you pay for all day, the rest of the time is basically playtime and babysitting. If you work, then you need to send your son all day. If you don't work, you can just send him for 3 hours and not pay anything.
Not every preschool has the option of just 3hrs covered by the state. Sometimes they are 4 hours or more and that's why they cost more.
The 3hrs per day is all he needs if you do decide to send him at all. That's the other option - not sending him at all.

I have 3 children. My two oldest are on the honor roll, very well adjusted children who stayed at home with me up until the day I took each of them to kindergarten for the first time. My baby is turning 4 soon and will be at home with me until kindergarten begins next year.

I vote yes for the 3 hour program. It's a good stepping up point before going to full day kindergarten.

3 hours- that is plenty- let him get used to it 3 hours a day-you don't need to pay someone for nap time!
And home will be calmer if the bills are paid- so that will be better for him as well.
best, k

I hear you! I'm in the midst of a debt repayment plan myself and every little bit counts. I would say VPK is a big deal because it just gives them that little bit extra that will come in handy. That being said, 3 hours a day of VPK is plenty. I think it's absolutely terrific that our state has this incredible program and I took full advantage of it - full advantage of what was free. They have plenty of school ahead of them, there's no need to go beyond the free VPK hours unless you work full time and need them to be cared for or simply want them out of the house all day.

My daughter went M-F 9-12 at Everglades Academy in west Pembroke Pines and we loved the school. She learned SO much and is even reading already! They even have a great sibling drop-in program where siblings can stay whenever you want for $5 an hour (min 3 hours) - I have a 3 year old and she stayed about once a week - so worth the $15 for me to get a small but needed break!

On a little aside, if you want to read about my debt repayment plan, here's an article I wrote:

http://hubpages.com/hub/how-to-pay-off-credit-debt

Best Wishes!

Dear J.,

My situation was such that, my daughter never went to daycare; she stayed home with my husband. And she did attend the free VPK program, and like you I was hesitant and was unsure how she would fare. It ends up, she made friends and excelled in class. I think she was one of her teacher's favorite. She certainly behaves better in school! Now, she is going into 1st grade and very excited about it. So, I know in my case, it was a great decision - I am sure the full time school for $400 would be great also, however, with the 3 hour day, this will warm your child up to the idea of school.

Good Luck!

the free 3-hour/day option sounds perfect. Do not worry about him not being as ready as the full day kids. He'll be just fine. Just make sure you read to him at bedtime and look out for teaching moments. I think a full day at that age is too much anyway. They get so tired, even with a nap. On this one, I say you have a win-win, both for your finances and for your son.
By the way, my daughter attended VPK and she's doing great! Going into second grade next month.

the free 3 hrs/day 5 days a weeks is fune, it is a nice transition before Kg. I cannot speak for all VPK's, but I dropped in unannounced & they were all doing academics,

My son is starting in Aug at 3yrs old 2 mornings/wk as a transition to the 5 day. He already knows his letters & sounds. his numbers & shapes and we are VERY active in a playgroup... I want him to learn to sit in his seat, do circle-time, take turns & begin to build friendships with the children he will go to Kg with...

I would use the $400 toward bills :)

My daughter just finished VPK (the 3 hours a day) and will be starting Kindergarten in the fall. I struggled with whether to put her in or not but ultimately decided it would be a good stepping stone to getting her prepared for a long day of Kindergarten. She is reading on a 2nd grade level already and doing simple addition and subtraction. I think it was WONDERFUL for her and am extremely happy with our decision. Good luck!

You can only do what you can do, VPK means "voluntary Preschool" it isn't required to get into kindergarten, but it can be helpful in teaching your child what they need to know before going into kindergarten. (ie: counting 1-10, writing their names, ABC's) 3 hours is plenty of time because they also are able to get to used to other children being around and such.
also just to ease your mind abit, the "tests" you are thinking of doesn't start until at least 3rd grade I believe, so it doesn't pertain to kindergarteners thru 2nd grade. your little one will be fine with whatever route you decide!
good luck!

VPK is very important! Going to school/day care all day isn't necessary, but at least do the 3 hour program. It will help with social skills, school structure (i.e. raising your hand, sitting still, doing work when told, staying quiet, etc.), and give him the basic needs to be ready for learning at school. The other time at school/day care for an extra $400 a month isn't necessary - at least I don't think so and both my kids go to day care full time.

If you are not planning on homeschooling, do what you can to get his education started. Every child is different, so is every family and their schedules. A few hours a week helps more than not doing it at all and $400 a month is pretty steep! Take advantage of the benefits offered to you and head your child in the right direction. I have a couple friends who had different experiences. One friend put her child in VPK and is excelling in Kindergarten, doing great! My other friend did not put her child in VPK and has struggled with her daughter getting her adjusted to homework, spelling and just interested in reading. Everyone's experience is different, though and the ultimate decision maker is you. You know what is best. But please try not to bite off more than you can chew right now. Pay off your debts and start fresh for your son. He will have added expenses down the line and you will need a strong financial grounding to support him in every way. My son is almost 3yrs and is starting pre-school in August. The earlier the better. Plus you get to spend a little more time with him enjoying each other before the chaos of Kindergarten begins. 3hr program is beneficial.

My son is starting kindergarten in August. He did go to just the free 3 hours of VPK last year. Personally, I was a quite disappointed in the academic part, if you can call it that. I can only speak for my son, but I felt the guidelines given by the state were way low. They only had to graduate VPK knowing how to write all their letters and name, and other very basic things like all shapes and colors (mine started vpk being able to do simple math and read 3 letter words, just from me 'teaching' at home all these years as a mommy). I chose his school very carefully, loved everything about it except that they were not willing to go beyond the state minimums because many kids in his class were at that level.

I believe it is important to go to get used to the routine of school for when K starts. Getting used to drop off and pick up, waiting your turn to speak, being quiet in circle time, etc. I feel going from no school to all day kindegarten is a huge transition and the 3 hours a day, 5 days will be a huge help. I would not pay for the all day care unless you have to (ours was not 'daycare' but enrichment, still wanted my baby home as much as possible before full time school starts.

Good luck with your decision!

Hi J.!

I sent my daughter to VPK this year...it was from 8:30 to 11:30/5 days a week. I did send her to Pre-K3 the year before and it was just 2 days per week. I am so glad that she had the opportunity to go to VPK. My daughter is on the shy side and this has really helped her to come out of her shell. I also thought it was a good idea since she will start kindergarten in the fall and be in school all day! I have seen her hand writing improve and she really has learned quite a bit which will help her in kindergarten. I think that 3 hours per day in VPK is fine and it doesn't break the bank!

Good luck in your decision!
~T.

Honestly I think all day is too long for a child that age. I would go with the 3 hours. In most states VPK is a half day program. Basically it is to prepare them for leaving home and being with other children. Also, they do start learning the basics for school. I would not put my child in all day long. Both of my girls went half days and have both graduated from USF with Honors and double majors. 3 hours a day is fine. Your husband is right on this one.

If the program is a good one, then 3 hours a day should be fine. That's what my daughter attended and she was reading by the end of the year and was way ahead academically when she got to K.

Yes I would definitely recommend VPK, it helped my daughter tremendously
her reading has improved a lot, and she is an only child so it also helped her communication skills, she is now more outspoken willing to express herself a lot more.
If you decide to use VPK make sure the teachers are patient and love kids that was the benefit my daughter had, the parents were really concern about her progress and they kept me update with everything that happened at school.
So I would say yes, but do a little research to find the best one in your area

Chen4u2
Kidzdorm.com

I have some very definite opinions on this subject having just moved to FL from Northern VA which has some of the top public schools in the country... and, might I add, no state funded preschool program like VPK. Before I get into that, though, in answer to your specific question, save the 400 bucks as 3 hours of preschool is plenty for this age -unless you are working full time and you need extended care. Your child will benefit from the additional time home with you anyway - you are his best teacher - as well as the time spent exploring his environment on his own time and terms. Now my thoughts about VPK in general.... and, please, keep in mind, I am just a "regular" stay at home mom of two boys who have both attended preschool part time since they were 2. I did not even know I had a hard-line opinion on early childcare curriculums until our recent move to FL, where I am struggling to find something familiar, and realize I do have very strong beliefs and opinions on the subject which is that children of this age should "learn through play". If you do not agree with that, stop reading now, but if you are at least curious, please bear with my long-winded post... it is written from the heart and with frustration...
I have a 6 year old now in first grade and a 4 year old preschooler "VPK elegible". When we first got to FL last month I was so excited to hear about VPK i.e. FREE preschool! Wow - no more private preschool tuition! The high cost of everything in the DC area was killing us and boy was I happy to hear we wouldn't have to pay for preschool anymore! Well, after only a month here, I can tell you I would trade in my voucher and return to VA and pay double - triple if I had to - for the kind of preschool experience I now know we were lucky enough to have had there, and which is, apparantly, not even in existence here. I'm talking about a developmentally appropriate and emergent curriculum that understands children at this age learn best through play in a loving, nurturing, guided environment where the emphasis is on building confidence, self esteem and problem solving and conflict resolution and self control and self monitoring. A child learns these skills in preschool; he is equipped with life skills for school and beyond. He is ready for kindergarten emotionally and socially so that in kindergarten he can learn what kindergartners should be learning - i.e. reading, writing, math etc. in a structured classroom setting. "Prepping" VPK-ers with "mini" kindergarten classes is not the answer to preparing our kids for school years. It may make them do better on test scores and meeting the standards and goals set by our goverment but is this kind of learning really beneficial to their whole well-being??? (and the US education system rates how low compared to other countries in the world?!) Additionally, preschool should be a joint venture between the home and the school - a cooperative and collaborative effort for the total well-being of the child and an extension of the family through school. At our old school, the teachers would even visit each child's home in the begining of the year to get to know him, his family, and observe him in his home setting. I realize that may be asking for a lot - most schools don't do that! But when I have expressed my concern to the teachers or other moms in the area that the VPK curriculum is too condensed and too structured and does not allow enough time for "free choice" or playground or gross motor skill development, the answer I get is, well, the kids need to know this stuff for kindergarten. So, fine, then how come my 1st grader is REPEATING everything he learned in kindergarten last year???? And he did not even go to VPK! In fact, he wasn't even specifically sat down at a table for blocks of time and taught how to read or do math in preschool - he LEARNED it, he wasn't TAUGHT it - there IS a difference. It is, indeed, very backwards here... my 6 year old is doing in 1st grade in FL what he did in kindergarten in VA last year, and my 4 year old is doing in VPK in FL this year what his brother did in kindergarten in VA last year. Again, another attempt by the school districts to emphasize teaching to the tests to make ratings rather than what is developmentally appropriate or makes sense. In my older son's kindergarten class last year, there were kids who entered reading and kids who didn't even know what the letter A looked like. Some kids had gone to preschool since they were babies and some kids had never been to school before - and demonstration of their academic readiness did not necessarily correlate to how many years or hours of preschool they had had. Kids develop different skills differently at different ages, but by the end of1st grade they start to pretty much all even out. However, take away the critical and unique opportunity that the preschool years afford for developing those life skills I mentioned above, and you pretty much do a big disservice to your kids for kindergarten and beyond.
In the short time my son has been enrolled in VPK, I've seen him revert back to behaviors he exhibited at 2 and 3 years of age... frustration and acting out with anger and unable to deal with pent up aggressions from being "forced" to sit at a table for lengthy periods of time while the teacher "instructs". Or his inability to hold a pencil "properly" or make his letters "straight". All of this is tearing away at his self-esteem and making him feel inferior to the point where he doesn't even want to go to school anymore. Or during "free choice time" he is so constricted with his options of "choice" and lack of sufficient time to get engrossed in something, that he feels stressed out and rushed and unable to accomplish what his "job" should be at this age... which is to learn through play using all of his senses. His school, which is very highly regarded in this area and constantly has a wait list to get in, does not even have a standing art easle! Kids this age need to write/paint on a vertical plane to develop fine motor skills to one day hold a pencil and one day write his name. Not repetitiously telling them to write it over and over sitting at a horizontal table. And there is no water or sand table! No living creatures or even grass to observe growing (rubber playground)... there is no emphasis on the arts, science or music or language. Its all about Reading, Writing, Arithmetic! Its not the teachers or the staff -they are all very loving and wonderful and educated people. Rather, it is the structure of the program itself; the fundamental emphasis on academics - it is all intrinsically wrong for this developmental age group. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be any happy medium in this area - the options are all other, similar VPK programs at like type schools or daycare centers. A Reggio-Emilio approach? can't find it Emergent curriculum??? doesn't exist - at least not in our area of FL near where we live. The only other option there does seem to be, which is sort of "it", but not really "it", and even though it is pricey, may be the best and only solution for us... is a Montessori school near us. If they have any openings left. I keep thinking surely there must be something else out there but, sadly, I cannot find it. Even more sadly, I'm afraid that when we do move back to VA in 3 years, my kids will be far behind scholastically than their peers we left, VPK or not.