Keep her at home with me until 5?

[Excitedforthecheeses]

I’m currently a Sahm (teacher by profession)

I live in a country where formal schooling doesn’t start until age 6.

I love being at home with Dd (3.5 currently) as does she. We do lots of activities, crafts, learning (in process of reading short words at the moment, phonics etc) we have a good friendship circle and lots of days out and days in nature-the woods, beach etc. We go shopping, to the library, swimming, to the playground. She goes to gymnastics and dance class (where I have to leave her and go)
She’s a summer birthday, so could start pre school just after she turns 5, do a year and then formal school would start at 6 (same school)
Does this sound ok? Or should she be in something more formal, earlier?

Sounds fantastic!

There is no 'should' there is what works for you.

sounds lovely. If you are both happy, it's perfect.

Your a teacher. Did you see any drawbacks for parents that did this?

Sounds great and I would do the same.

Does she already speak the language they will speak at school? If not, the year of preschool might be helpful in that regard.

Sounds perfect to me.

Have you posted this before?

Personally I think preschool is great for kids and really helps them prepare for school.

@CherryRedDMs She speaks a little, we’re also teaching this (loosely) at home. She picks up a little during her dance lessons etc.
She can either start after turning 4 and have two years at pre school in preparation or start after turning 5 and have one year in preparation

@Twizbe Not posted before, she could have the one year of pre school if she went at 5 or two years if she went at 4 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Hankunamatata I only taught in the U.K. so only saw children coming in at 4 or occasionally 5. I assume it was a mixed bag with regard to if they went to nursery/pre school previously or not, it wasn’t something of concern or that I specifically asked. I saw them all as starting from a pretty level playing field at that age

From what I’ve seen living in countries with the same 6/7 school starting age, because they start later, they get into more complex topics much faster. So she’d have the challenge of the content at the same time as the challenge of a language.

@CherryRedDMs Ahh ok, yes, that’s an interesting point.

Anyone else in a similar situation or would like to do this?

Could she go part time at 4 and then full time at 5? I think going part time for a while is much better for children as it allows a more gentle transition.

I think that if you want her to be truly bilingual she needs to be immersed in the second language as early as possible.

Is one of you a native speaker of the local language? If so don't worry about this - just use that language at home.

If not then I would either do the pre school from 4 or do some sort of other similar option (eg a local babysitter who has her 2 hours per day)

"use that language at home too" that should say

I would go for 2 years of preschool in your situation. As lovely as your current lifestyle sounds, I worry she isn't getting enough exposure to the language she will be needing to use at school. Starting school can be tough and if you don't speak the language properly, it makes everything much harder.

Is it the norm for children in that country to go to pre-school? If there is a new language to be learned I would have thought beneficial to be at pre-school, more likely to pick it up surrounded by other children busily chatting away

@Gloschick

I would go for 2 years of preschool in your situation. As lovely as your current lifestyle sounds, I worry she isn't getting enough exposure to the language she will be needing to use at school. Starting school can be tough and if you don't speak the language properly, it makes everything much harder.

Totally agree.

You sound like you have a wonderful lifestyle but starting school not knowing the language can be isolating.
I work in early years and have a child who is polish and only speaks polish at home, his English is coming on slowly but having the 2 years at nursery will definitely help him when he goes to school.

Yeah I would agree if there isn't a native speaker at home then language immersion is going to be important. But maybe there's another way to do that other than pre-school? Classes or something? Obviously don't know what's available.

@Gloschick

I would go for 2 years of preschool in your situation. As lovely as your current lifestyle sounds, I worry she isn't getting enough exposure to the language she will be needing to use at school. Starting school can be tough and if you don't speak the language properly, it makes everything much harder.

This.

Also, my 3.5 year old DD has been at nursery full time since she was about 10 months - at this age, we definitely see a benefit for her in terms of socialisation and she genuinely loves playing with her friends. I genuinely do think she would miss out if we removed her (whereas her younger sister goes quite happily but could get just as much out of being at home).

I'd send her to the preschool, I think it's a great way for children to get used to the rules and structure of school but in a much more relaxed play-based way. My two DC have both thrived in the school nursery and it's given them socialisation and experiences I just couldn't replicate at home. It does depend on hours though - I wouldn't send her full time if that's an option.

I did that with my daughter and it was the best thing I did, it’s time you’ll never get back and spending it together gives you a wonderful bond. My daughter is now in sixth form and doing really and hoping to go to Uni next year. I don’t have one single regret, I will always cherish the memories.

I lived in a country where school formally started at age 6. But lots of children started in pre school age 3 or 4. For mine too the school was in their second language. I started them age 3, to begin with mornings only purely so they were emersed in the language their schooling would be in. Also at age 6 when school formally started it went very full on, a sort of hit the ground running scenario. They were not eased in like would happen at pre school. By the time they were 6 they were completely fluent so no issues there.
You need to do whats best for you obviously, but also consider whats best for your DD. Would she get totally lost starting at 5 or 6 not having a full grasp of the language? Just because you like spending time doing crafts and days out and what not.
I do know other families in the area whose dc's started age 5/6 who were still learning the language and they did really struggle and a few even ended up being pulled out and taught at home. In english.
Its obviously different for every child, but definitely should be considered what would be best for her in the long run.
If there was no language issue, I'd be saying don't start them yet, but you'd feel pretty bad if she started age 5/6 and then wasn't understanding anything properly and being left behind.