Is Pre-K A Good Idea?

Though my oldest daughter is only 3, I’ve realized that it’s never too late to begin thinking about her education. After all, in just one year, when she’s four, I’ll have to begin researching pre-K programs, and then a year after that, what elementary school to place her in. Sure, I’ve got plenty of time to make a decision, which has led me to start quizzing all my mom friends who have been through the pre-k experience.

Do I move my daughter from her private preschool to a Georgia pre-k program, or leave her where she is?

Of course money plays a factor, at least in my family. Who wouldn’t want to take advantage of a state-funded school program that prepares a child for kindergarten? But on the other hand, do I really want my child to dive straight into a full-day of school, five days a week, at the tender age of four? She’ll be in school for at least 13 years after that (hopefully seven more if she decides to get her masters!), so my thinking is why push her into one more year? Sure, it would be nice to not have that monthly expense anymore, but would that be in the best interest of my daughter?

Some friends feel that any extra educational head start you can give your child should be taken advantage of – and even better if you aren’t required to fund it. Others feel they want to keep their children at home just a bit longer – putting them in preschool programs that are a bit less intense in terms of time commitment, or working with them at home.

Moms had some very helpful advice on the subject in response to a similar question posed by S.S. – Georgia Pre-K vs. Private Pre-K - on Mamapedia.com. Most seemed to concur that pre-k programs, whether public or private, have the same curriculum. Others expressed some dissatisfaction with programs held at daycare centers.

P.K. mentioned in her response that “My daughter is currently in the GA pre-k at Primrose of Woodstock and is doing wonderfully. The private class is no further along than her class, but the biggest difference is they wear private school clothes. My friend has her child in the private class and they cover the same items each week as the GA pre-K. We had to make the same decision when it was time for ours and we talked to the teachers and other parents and they didn't see a difference for the price.”

What do you think? If my daughter seems well prepared for elementary school by the time she's four, does she really need the pre-K experience? Let me know your thoughts. After all, as a mom, I can never get (or give) too much advice!

How Do Moms Get Back Into The Workforce?

As a full time working mother about to go on maternity leave, many coworkers have been asking if I plan on returning to work. I would love to come back part-time, but that’s just not in the cards for our family at the moment. Like many families – most, I would even venture to say – we need every cent my paycheck brings in.

This is a dilemma that a lot of women face with each pregnancy. Sometimes, as in my case, it’s a pretty cut-and-dry decision based on bank accounts. Other times, it’s more of a gray area. Do you need the income? Can you get by without it? Do you want to give up your professional career entirely?

After my first child was born, I was able to come back after maternity leave part-time. I went in to the office two days a week, which was wonderful. I appreciated having the opportunity to put on work attire, be around other adults with similar professional goals and just get out of the house on my own for a while. Of course, two days of this was enough! Being able to spend the rest of the week with my family was the best part of the new arrangement.

Are you considering what your options are? If you’re maternity leave is about to end, do you go back part-time, full-time, at all?

If you do go back to work, will it be in the same field, or are you ready for a change, like C.S. from L.A., who asks on Mamapedia.com, “I am looking for ideas for a career transition. I have been working in the Real Estate Field for the last decade and would like to make a change due to the bad market and economy,”?

And if you’re a SAHM like A.R. from Chicago, how do you make yourself an attractive candidate despite a gap in your resume? A.R. writes on Mamapedia.com, “Hi, I am in need of Career advice. I have been a stay-at-home-mom for 5 years and I feel that I need to get up to date with my career. I don't know if I need to go back to school or just try to get a job with a 5 year gap in my resume.”

There are numerous resources are out there to help women who want to return to the workforce. Check out Ruth Mantell’s WSJ article, “You Can Land a Job – Even Now.”

Allison O’Kelly, CEO of MomCorps.com, offers SAHM tips on getting back into the workforce in this video.

And the website Comeback Moms is full of resources including Comeback Moms forums covering getting back into the workforce, working from home, help with resumes and working from home.

If you know of any additional resources out there, or have a story to share of your own transition, please leave your comments below. And good luck to those still in the process!

Why Didn't Somebody Tell Me Potty Training Would Be This Frustrating!

TMI Warning - If you don't feel like reading about tee tee, poo poo, bottoms, backsides and wiping techniques, then move along!

Little did I know when my mother-in-law so helpfully handed me Toilet Training In Less Than A Day of the ordeal me, my husband and my toddler would be in for over not just that next 24 hours, but the next six months (and counting). I've come to find out that potty training doesn't involve just the wee one (pun intended) still in diapers, but the entire family unit.

And, needless to say, none of us mastered the process in a day.

It's taken a good six months to get my daughter comfortable enough to use the potty by herself - and I'm talking just #1 here. We've gone through various stages - scared of the flushing noise, to needing assistance from anyone nearby, and finally to "I'm going to do it all by myself" but five seconds later my presence is requested. It's exhausting!

She is still having trouble with #2, and it's having a trickle-down effect, leaving me and my husband frustrated at having to wipe her backside, throw away unusable panties, and wash an inordinate amount of bottoms.

Here's how it goes, as my daughter likes to preface many of her statements these days:
She exhibits a few tell-tale signs that the time for a bm is drawing near: her eyes redden or water, she begins to run around the house, hides and/or becomes unusually quiet, or crosses her legs. Then we know it's time to strip off everything below the waist so that she will REALLY know she has to go. But often we miss the signs and don't get to her in time, and end up cleaning a poopy mess.

We've tried bribes of course, and taking things away like tv, trips to the playground and library, etc., but nothing seems to be getting through to her. And with a newborn expected in a matter of weeks, I really want to nip this in the bud ASAP!

Does anyone out there in the blogosphere care to share some wisdom with me about this? Many moms have shared advice on Mamapedia, and I'm hoping I can gather more. It would be much appreciated, by everyone in the family!

If you are also in the market for advice, I highly recommend this video from Dad Labs, called Potty Training Stinks. Hilarious!

Ready To Hire A Babysitter? Here's How

Recently I was blessed to find myself sitting in a pedicure chair next to my best friend, chatting away while our feet were massaged by professionals – such a luxury! That experience was worth every penny, as, being almost eight months pregnant, getting to my toes with any sort of grace is no longer possible.

During our conversation, my friend asked when I first left my child with a babysitter. My husband and I, like my friend, are fortunate enough to have relatives close by with whom we feel completely comfortable leaving our daughter. We haven’t yet had to hire a babysitter that’s not a relative.

As our polish was applied, my friend and I further discussed the matter. How do you find a reliable, in-home babysitter?

I decided to do a bit of research, as I am thinking about hiring a neighborhood girl to come over and play with my daughter this summer while I’m at home tending to our newborn. What expectations should I have? What sort of qualifications do babysitters need to realistically have, especially when they are usually teenagers that live down the block?

Real Simple’s Jenny Rosenstrach offers invaluable tips in her article, “How To Prepare for a Babysitter.” It even includes a link to a babysitter-hiring checklist.

Moms on Mamapdedia.com also have great advice:

• have a get-to-know you session with the prospective sitter and your child so that you can make sure they “click”
• make it clear they are not to be on the cell phone while on the job
• provide firm instructions on what to do if they can’t get your child to eat his meal or take a nap
• ask for references and actually call them!
• and don’t be afraid to take your time making a decision.

There are great resources for finding a babysitter online as well. Check out this video from Parents tv.

Do you have any tips? Please share them with me! I’ve got just a few months left to find someone reliable, affordable and fun!