We Changed the Preschool of Our Kid : Here is Why

We changed the preschool of our kid before the first semester ends. We had to do that for few reasons. And here is why.

At the beginning of this year, we never had any idea to change our kid’s preschool before he completes the whole year. But we did! We changed his preschool and now he attends a new preschool. At first I was worried about taking this decision to change the preschool. But, with the help of my husband I took the decision. I took the challenge of changing the preschool and the kid started his new preschool from last week. (From 1^st day of May).Now after few days, my kid is really happy at his new preschool, I can see the changes of his behavior for the good. So, I am happy that our decision to change the preschool is correct and timely.

As the change of preschool gave us positive results so far, I want to note down our experience in this blog post. Anyway this blog post is not to criticize the previous preschool. This post is with the whole purpose of sharing our experiences and how we identified the negative side of his preschool experiences through our son’s activities. Our experience may help another parent to take decision if they too have such troublesome period same as we experienced with our preschooler.

Here is our thoughts and experience of his previous preschool. Just want to mention that I am a Singapore resident and I am from Sri Lanka. As a first time mom, most of experiences   are new to me. Sometimes it is hard to find correct information, experiences and others’ ideas unless I find those through websites and forums.

It was same for us when it was time to select a preschool. At the time we selected Playgroup for our kid, we had 2 options. Both Playgroups are very near to our home. That time my first concern was to send the 2 years old kid to a place which he find other kids to play, learn social skills and other such life skills. Once we found 2 nearby Playgroups, I contacted some of my ex-colleagues and friends to get their experience with these playgroups and we decided on the one which is more near to our place and it was also recommended by my friends. Our decision was correct. Day by day my kid showed his improvements. Although we didn’t have any expectations for him to learn writing during the playgroup age, he also learned writing. We were really happy with the playgroup and each day my kid came out from the playgroup with arts and crafts he did at the playgroup.

At the end of the Playgroup year, our kid was happy with activities such as singing, writing, reading, arts & crafts and he was really a smart kid for his age.

Then the preschool year! We had to apply for the preschools like around August of previous year (2016). When I reached the nearby preschool; I found that there were no vacancies left. So, at that moment our first concern was to find a preschool which has a vacancy for the kid and also near to our home. We were also planning a holiday in Sri Lanka. So we wanted to register the kid before we go for the holiday. I started visiting the other preschools and I wanted to register our consent. Anyway, the first preschool I visited could attract me. It was located in a peaceful environment and also less crowded. I talked with the principal. Everything sounded good and I registered the kid there. My first concern was the learning environment I could see at this preschool. Fewer kids in a peaceful environment sounded good for me to select the preschool.

So far so good! Our kid happily started his preschool in early January this year.

First weeks of Preschool

For my surprise, our kid didn’t cry at his preschool although I expected such. He happily adjusted to the preschool. Anyway at the end of the preschool sessions, I didn’t see anything he did during the classroom. Okay. It can be my fault to expect to see things he did during the class because I was used to such during the playgroup days. So, I made my mind and adjusted.

But, for some reasons at the end of January I started thinking that this preschool doesn’t continue the things he learned from Playgroup or doesn’t improve the knowledge in many skills. Anyway, these are my feelings and thoughts. Although it is a preschool, we know that the kid needs to slowly adjust to his next year kindergarten too. So, he needs to improve his skills day by day gradually. But nothing seems improving. Instead kid became more active and less concentrated in any activity he did.

Anyway, I thought that it is me expecting many things from the kid. Though my husband asked me to check for another preschool if this doesn’t fit for our kid, I wanted to give it a second try. I decided on trying homeschooling as we did before while continuing his preschool.

Things I did before the decision to change the Preschool

Here are some things I did to improve his skills and to improve his desire to learning before taking the decision to change the preschool.

As the kid loves colouring, I bought new colouring books and crayons. But he didn’t like those as before.

As the kid loves reading, I bought new books. But he didn’t love the books. Even he didn’t enjoy his library visits or the books we borrowed from the library.

He didn’t want to join the bedtime reading which he loved before.

Then I bought some workbooks for preschool age and started doing the books at home. We have really good experience with Gakken workbooks during the playgroup year and kid loved to do the mazes and other activities. So, I thought he would like his new books. But, he didn’t show much interest. I also didn’t want to force him because I believe he should learn with fun and happiness.

I went out most of the time for active play activities and pretend play activities thinking these activities will be helpful for him to calm down and improve his behavior problems. He was good at those indoor playgrounds we visited. But he also continued aggressive behavior after preschool.

As our experience with Apple Tree playgroup is really good, I thought of sending him to their enrichment class which they continue teaching Pingu’s English program.

Wow! My kid was really happy with Pingu English class which is just one day per week .He loves his teacher. His behavior is completely opposite after the Pingu class. He loves to show me the things he did during the class session. I noticed his complete change in behavior once a week after the enrichment class. He started repeating phonics sounds at home. But all these lasted until he attended the next preschool day. After preschool, again he was an aggressive kid at home. He even showed some bad manners which we didn’t want to accept.

Decision to Change the Preschool

This is the time that another new kid came to the preschool. He was bit different and he didn’t adjust to the preschool. I understand the concerns of his mom. I also understand how hard it was for the teachers. All teachers had to attend this new kid and day by day I noticed that teachers didn’t have time for other kids. When I went to fetch the kid I could see that new kid was walking around the class. Teachers were trying to control/adjust him and other kids were watching that. Okay. This is normal. Usually kids take long time to adjust to a preschool environment. But this kid was different and from February until end of April, he was not fully adjusted to the class room. I know how hard it was for the teachers.

But, the results?

One day, my kid suddenly changed his way of talking. He looked like very dictative.

For small requests was like’ DO THIS, STOP THIS, I TOLD YOU TO STOP, DON’T DO, GO THERE..etc etc

Eh, can you believe the changes of him and my mood? At first, I thought this can be my talking because my husband is the only other person stay at our home and he usually comes home at late night. So, if the kid follows someone, obviously it is me. I’ve read many articles and advices that says ‘Kids follow the parents’

So, is that me talking like this? Though I know that I am not such rude, I decided to be more concentrate on my talking.

Okay. Now his talking is different and becoming rude. In few days he started to tap a table or chair and ordered me to ‘STOP, DO, GIVE etc. A different way of commanding! I got the idea. It was like a teacher, not like a mom! I simply talked with him.

I asked him gently, ‘Is that Amma (mommy) talks to you like this?’

He said. ‘No this is how teacher talks to …. (name of the new kid)’

I asked ‘when does the teacher talk like that to …..(name of the new kid)?’

Kid said, ‘When he does naughty things and when he takes teacher’s things, teacher says like that.’

Anyway, I am not such type of person to take actions just believing words of a preschooler. But I got some idea in mind and I totally understand the frustration of teachers in controlling and managing the class with the activities of the new kid.

But for us, our kid is important.

We decided to change the preschool and with the help of another mom I found the new preschool. It is another branch of the same preschool group, but they do lot of activities including field visits and other kid activities. The new preschool has good communication with parents. I registered the kid for the new preschool after talking more things with teacher, principal and even with the parent I know.

Mid of March I submitted my consent of withdrawing the kid from previous preschool. However, as we have to give the 1 month notice, kid had to continue the same preschool until end of April. April month was the toughest month for me as kid continued his aggressive behavior after the preschool hours. Even he started to refuse preschool in the morning. He didn’t have interest to go for school daily. But we had a hope with new preschool! I will write more on our experiences in another post.

Experience with New Preschool

Kid started his new preschool on May 2^nd.Seems our   decision is right and kid is changing. It is a surprise how a kid can change fast with the change of the environment. He showed his changes immediately during the 1^st week of new preschool. He is a happy kid after the preschool and he talks gently. He is friendly with new friends and at home he pretends like his teacher. Oh I started having some peace at home. 🙂

I am happy with what we did and I am glad I could notice the changes of my kid at the right time. At the same time I am happy that I am a Work at Home Mom and I don’t have regrets of leaving my highly paid Engineering job. Because after all, I believe preschool education is the foundation for kid’s entire life and we need to build strong foundation. If the foundation is not strong, the building will collapse one day!

Do you have such experiences with preschools or schools with your kids? Do you believe that all kids need equal attention of the teachers even though they are independent and don’t cry for everything? 🙂  Please share your thoughts. I will continue writing the experiences of our new preschool in another blog post! After all I am having peaceful time at home after 4 months of extremely troublesome days with our too active kid. 🙂

 Disclaimer : This is my true experience and thoughts which I want to share with other moms thinking it is helpful.I don’t have any intention to criticize the previous preschool 🙂

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