Too much money for pre-school?
 

Kai should be starting pre-school on tuesday for 2 mornings a week.

For a 4 week month it is $209 and a 5 week month it is $260.

Does this seem a lot? I am starting to think it is.:(

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

It's more than twice as much as what I pay in England. Don't scare me!:eek:

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Yes

This seems a lot. In Calgary this year I have paid $140 for two mornings a week. This is slightly above average for Calgary- so what you are payign seems extortionate.

Gryph

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Thats about what will be paying when Offspring #2 starts at the local cooperative nursery school. $25 a morning. I would say its not extreme. $5 an hour for some time alone, its a bargain innit;)

Realistically its one of those situations where "it costs what it costs"...what are you alternatives...either Daycare, which wont be particularly stimulating, a different nursery school, which will cost the same, or staying at home, which might drive you nuts and wont help prepare junior for the joys of kindergarden and school life.

Maybe alberta has more provincial funding for these programs. In Ontario beststart covers some of the (behind the scenes) expense at some nursery schools I believe, and the Universal child care benefit was intended to help foot this cost anyway, so $100 a month per kid(less tax) is covered through that universal handout anyway.

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

we paid around $350 per month for 5 mornings in 2006-07 - I recall there was a sliding scale where the cost per day decreased the more days per week you enrolled, so $209 for 2 mornings is probably about right, but $260 seems high to me. That was for a "Montessori-inspired" preschool - it wasn't registered as part of the Montessori programme, but followed the same principles of ECE through structured play.

Preschool fees are a tax-deductible expense, I think? Can't remember offhand.

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Only if you are going to work as a result. If you are a stay at home mum/dad, then its not deductable as far as I know...

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

I did see somewhere for $92 for 2 mornings a week nearby but they were full up, that's why I was thinking this was expensive.

Maybe it is nerves as well, I know he needs to go there but I just feel guilty sending him.

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Whatever for? I leave skid marks on the floor as I leave so quickly after dropping mine off. ;)

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

:rofl::rofl: Me too :o

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Here in Lethbridge from Sep we will be paying $ 100 a month for 4 mornings a week set rate.

It it will do him the world of good and hey if you have some free hours to enjoy a coffee in peace then it must be a good thing.

Im looking at heading to our local YMCA and maybe taking on some Yoga via the local Tims of course for me coffee in peace, sounds like heaven to me.

I cant wait to drop him off il be running outta there. My little boy is 10 days too young for Kindergarten so he has to go to pre school so he will be 5 in Jan and to be honest that is driving me nuts. He will be in class with 3 year olds and is big boy anyway .. oh dont get me started.


Enjoy your freedom and watch him start to grow into your little man.

x minihaha x

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

I would say that amount is really OK, but guess it depends on where you are located also?

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

I dropped him off and probably stayed with him for 10 minutes and then said goodbye but he didn't seem interested in me.

I had to sort a few things out in the office and could him crying but it wasn't for too long, just phoned now and he is fine.

I am a little pissed off with them, Kai hasn't had a nap for ages, he just won't sleep in the day and they are making it that I am doing something totally wrong, I know quite a few kids, Kai's age and younger that don't have a nap. He goes to sleep fine for 12 solid hours a night, I think I am doing something right there. She was looking for her policy on if they are overtired and that it would be a trial period because of this:curse:

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Hi Babsi

Sorry Iam presuming when you say pre-school you talking about your little one being around 3yrs?? Ihave worked with a Canadian daycare franchise and there is no way I would expect my carers to demand the child to sleep especially in the morning..... we would of course ask of them to have a quiet time i.e.for around 1 hour after lunch with a puzzle or book or maybe a suitable little movie just to rest them especiallyif they have had a busy morning... hope my coments help you and again I am presuming his age?:confused: .

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Kai is 2 and a half and he hasn't been napping at all this year, it's his choice, he dropped it on his own, and I am not forcing it as it will be a bad struggle and imo it is a step backwards in his development

I got there at 11.45 and some were actually sleeping, I was a little surprised and they work up at 2.30, so getting on for 3 hours nearly, instead of the 2 hours. The reason they gave me was that it was because of staff lunch-breaks and they don't have the cover.

I got there and apparently Kai was crying on and off for the last hour, more whiney than anything and was fine when someone was playing with him. Not too bad for a first day.

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

I really feel you need to find alternative care for Kai this is really not a good routine for him to be experiencing. At 11.45am the children should be getting prepared for lunchtime after their play programme and at this age the children really should only be napping around 1 hour maxat this age. Sounds to me something is just not right. What region is looking after their licensing? I had a similar experience in the UK so what I would do is turn up on the spur of the moment to see exactly how the programme was run, they should have a daily programme posted and also hopefully the staff are all ECE trained and certifiedand that the ratio of children to carers is correct. Just a few things to check on but in my opinion you should leave them as it could be not good for Kai in the long run. Do you have another option. If you let me know the area you are located Imaybe able to locate a good carer for you.... Idon't mean to raise alarm bells but Iam just stating my opinion good luck in your choice......:blink:

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Nap time at lunchtime because of staff issues, did I read that right?

Very odd.


"Quiet time" in the afternoon (sort of an optional nap) is a lot more "normal" I think, and takes into account the different developmental stages likely in the 2-4 age group.

Offspring #2 is only going mornings anyway, so it wont affect us, but #1 was in a "BestStart" program on the days she wasnt in JK/ SK, and that had a "quiet time" set aside in the afternoons. She had to take a blanket with her, even though she only sat on it to watch a video most days, having outgrown napping.

Still, it sounds like he did OK for a first day, and you seem to have held up OK too:thumbup:

Do they have "Cooperative" nursery schools in your area? In those programs staffing costs are kept down by having mandatory parental volunteer hours to help out the paid staff...thats the program we are enrolled in. That way there are two or three bodies on hand to help out at meal times and with activities, so nap time can actually be at nap time....

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

He's going for afternoons from tomorrow for 2 a week, it works out better as I think he will eat more here than there, the lunch didn't look too appetizing.

I was made to feel that it was strange he didn't nap at all and it was a big issue and when she started to look for a policy if they are overtired:mad:...I told her Kai was aggressive but she seemed more bothered about the nap even though he wasn't going to be there for naptime.

I have been agonising over this for a week about sending him and I phoned up at least 20 centres nearby and they won't even put him on a waiting list as they full up. I got all the numbers from toronto.ca

We'll see how it goes with him switching to afternoons. this place wouldn't be my first choice as I really don't like the owner but we need his behaviour to improve and this environment will help him. *touch wood*

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Sorry I'm lost how do you think this environment will help him?:confused:

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

How is pre-school going to improve his aggression? IMHO it will only get worse:eek:

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Our experience here in Alberta and BC is that nurseries are obsessed with napping and still do it to a ridiculous age. It took a LOT of stern words for them not to force my daughter to lie down in the dark on mattress and she is 3 1/2. Of course , guess what she fell asleep as she was forced to and then was up until 11 every night, by which time of course she needed a nap the next day. She gave up napping in the UK at just over 2. My son has been in KG and then over the summer- they introduced a nap for them. I was livid.

We have experienced this at a couple of ski resort daycares. Big White being the worst. We booked daughter in for 2 hr session starting at 1:30pm and she went into pitch black and the daycare staff whispered at me. This was very expensive too. Will never put her in there again.

Gryph

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

I paid 60/mo for french emersion preschool for 2 mournings a week. The content was not stimulating and the teacher, who had a BA in Ed, was over her head. We pulled him out after 6 months to put him in pre K at the recomendation of our speach therapist.

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Environment - meaning being with other children in a structured environment. If I leave this place then there is nowhere nearby.

Another update, the pre-school phoned up last night, saw who it was told my husband to answer it and of course he lets me deal with the issue. So I call back and they are trying to get Kai to go 1 whole day a week and this was because of the nap!!!! They are totally obsessed with this issue the same as my Mum is with potty training! Like someone else said if this happens then he won't go to sleep between 8-8.30 and we have a good routine going. The other thing is the lunch, he hardly had a thing there and I can't see that changing, when he eats most of his lunch here each day.

They said that before I got there yesterday Kai looked tired and think he would have copied the other kids lead. He was up at just after 8 yesterday and he would never have gone to sleep less than 4 hours later no matter how active he is.

I think they are just trying to get me to sign up for 2 whole days which won't be happening.

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

Go with your instinct about your child, they dont know him, you do.

You have to be quite assertive as a parent here in respects to schooling and health care is my experience.

Dont let them railroad you into doing something your gut is telling you is wrong. Most 2 1/2 year olds still need a nap, but many dont, and THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT! As long as you are doing whats right for him, and not just doing it because it works well for you, then you cant go too far wrong. Besides, expecting them to nap as early as lunch time makes no sense however you look at it.

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

2nd day was a success!! Apparently he was crying a little but not much and was enjoying himself, when I got there he actually didn't want to go and then went to lie down on one of the little beds:curse: I was like Kai get off, I don't need this issue now lol Apparently just before I got there he said 'mummy coming soon':thumbup:

Re: Too much money for pre-school?
 

WOW - that's really steep! We paid $80 per month for 2 mornings a week and it was $120 when he did 3 mornings a week!!!

Oops - just re-read the thread and seen your son's age. I'm not comparing like with like, as I'm talking about the pre-school sessions that my son attended when he was 4, turning 5... I think nurseries (or whatever they'd be called over here) for toddlers would be much more.