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With full membership my son enjoys swimming lessons and a twice a week preschool class as well as team soccer, t-ball, and babysitting services. The total cost for a year's worth of activities is less than half a year of daycare/preschool costs, and he has gotten the social interaction that he needed.
When considering the costs of these transitional child care activities, remember that many are tax-deductible. If a child is cared for at a facility for three hours a day or more, consider declaring the cost as child care on your income taxes; it helps to ease the burden of the cost of child care.
About The Author: Kelly Ann Butterbaugh is a freelance writer who regularly contributes to a variety of magazines and has written a history book for middle readers. Visit her website for writing help, lesson plans, history fun, or work for hire at http://www.kellybutterbaugh.com
By Linda (Guest Post)
02/01/2009
It's no wonder early childhood professionals struggle to get the distinction they deserve with articles like this! The first 5 years of a child's life (that means the infant, toddler and PRESCHOOL years) are the most critical in terms of their brain development. How can you put a price on that?? It's clear that the author is making the classic stereotypical assumption that preschool teacher and daycare providers are BABYSITTERS!
Sure if you choose uneducated and untrained people to work with your child, it will be no different than hiring a teenager to watch your kid (that's what a babysitter is). The majority of Early childhood professionals have equivalent if not higher degrees than the kindergarten teachers you send your child to. Parents should be urged to find the programs that will benefit their children, not encouraging them to bypass preschool for some cheap/free babysitting services. Social experiences are necessary, but not all a child needs to be prepared for kindergarten.
signed,
A preschool teacher with a degree and teaching certificate
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