You know, I was a parent before I owned a preschool. I’ve researched and toured tons of preschools. I was good. I had my little list of questions. I felt well prepared. Super Mom to the rescue! And I remember thinking that child-to-teacher ratio was extremely important. And I was making a very common mistake. Don’t get me wrong. It’s important. It’s just that ratio is mandated by the state. Period. In Pennsylvania, the state-mandated ratios are: Similar Age Levels Staff Children Maximum Group Size Infant (birth-1yr) 1 4 8 Young toddler (1 to 2) 1 5 10 Older toddler (2 to 3) 1 6 12 Preschool (3 to Kindergarten) 1 10 20 Young school-age (Kindergarten to 4th Grade ) 1 12 24 Older school-age (4th Grade to age 15) 1 15 30 So the question you should be asking is not “What is the student/teacher ratio?” It’s “what is the maximum class size in my child’s age range?” Here’s why: I want you to close your eyes and think about trying to teach something important to your child. You’re sitting quietly with them at a table and explaining to them why the letter A makes the sound at the beginning of the word “apple”. Now I want you to picture yourself doing the same thing at a noisy, crowded playground. You can’t even imagine trying to do that, can you? Why not? The student/teacher ratio hasn’t changed. It’s still 1 to 1. But it’s going to be a lot harder for you to teach your child with all of those distractions. And it’s going to be much harder for your child to learn and remember what you’re teaching them. Even putting aside the fact that the class size is not legal, I’ve heard of 19 kids in a 2-year-olds’ room with three teachers. Or a pre-K with 40 kids in the same room working with 4 teachers. Try to get a mental picture of 40 four-year-old children. The noise must be absolutely deafening. And, worse yet, not all of the staff in the room have to be “teachers”. Any qualified staff member works for the purposes of keeping a class “in ratio”. Whether that is a Lead Teacher, an Assistant Teacher, or an Aide makes no difference. It’s the number of qualified adult bodies that make a ratio, not the number of teachers. So, if ratio isn’t the right question, what questions should you be asking? Ask how many kids are in the room. Ask whether classes are combined for certain activities. Ask whether you can talk to other parents in the school. Look online and see if you can find clues to the class size. Drop by unannounced and take a look for yourself. You send your child to preschool because you want them to learn. Why wouldn’t you want them to be in the best learning conditions possible?

I’m not a psychologist, but after running a preschool and having three kids of my own, I think I’m qualified to give a little advice. It’s more the norm than the exception that first time students (and even some non-first timers) have a tough time leaving Mom and Dad the first few days. Just because they don’t like it at first, doesn’t mean that they won’t grow to love it. It’s normal. Don’t worry. If you have a good preschool, they’ll be able to handle it. But there are some things that you can do to make it easier for your little one (and for you): 1. Perfect your sales pitch. That may sound crazy, but where little kids are concerned, it’s all in the way that things are presented. If you are enthusiastic about it, your child will be more enthusiastic about it. (For the record, this works with almost everything from doctor visits to broccoli… No really.) If your child knows that you’re conflicted about letting your baby go off to school (which, by the way, is also very normal), you’re going to have a tough time convincing them that they’re going to love it. 2. Create a routine (and stick to it…. No matter what.). Little kids thrive on knowing what to expect and when. Surprises may seem like fun, but to little kids, they’re horribly disconcerting. Talk to your little one about what’s going to happen. Build it up. Pick out a book that we read every night about how Mommies and Daddies come back. I’m a big fan of The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn and it establishes confidence in your child that you’re coming back and you still love them even when you’re not there. We practice with some of our kids who have more severe separation anxiety repeating after us, “Are Mommy and Daddy coming back?” To which they reply, “Yes.” Then we ask, “Why?” And they know the answer, “Mommies and Daddies always come back.” We work on it with them until they answer us almost like a mantra. And it works. It’s familiar and reassuring. You may want to start practicing it with them at home as part of your routine. 3. Drop and go. Ok, I know that it’s tempting to give millions of kisses and hugs and to want to wait around to make sure that they’re doing well. But don’t. Showing your child that you have confidence in that they’ll be fine will help them to have confidence in themselves that they’ll be fine. Drop them off, kiss their hand (see tip 2), give a quick hug, tell them you’ll see them after school and cheerily (see tip 1) wave as you leave. Even if they’re screaming their heads off. If you’ve picked a good school (which I’m sure that you have), they’ll be fine. Really. I promise. 4. Stiff Upper Lip. Nothing is harder for a parent than not going to their child if they’re crying. Not getting teary when your child is screaming for you is nearly impossible. But you can’t. If you have to cry, go out to your car and have a good sob. You won’t be the only parent who’s done it. But don’t let your child see it, smell it or sense it. They have to believe that you’re wholly enthusiastic about them going. It’ll get easier. It just takes time. 5. Pack a little love. In your child’s backpack, pack a picture of you, a picture of you and Dad or a picture of your family. Believe it or not, that’s enough to reassure most kids. Some kids want to carry it with them. And eventually, they don’t need it anymore. Some of our kids… Actually, now that I think about it, most of our kids bring a lovey with them from home. Either a blanket or small stuffed animal to nap with. It makes it feel a little bit more like home. And that comfort helps them through the whole day. I’m not promising that these tips will keep your child from crying in the morning. But if you are consistent and you follow these tips, it will get easier. If you’d like to receive more parenting and preschool tips from us, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter or sign up on the Stages Academy website by filling out our Contact Form on our home page.

Is your child ready for Preschool? Many parents question whether their child is ready for an academic program (rather than a daycare/play type program) before they enroll them. Everyone thinks that their child is the smartest and most talented child in the world, but does that make them ready for preschool? The answer to a child’s readiness doesn’t necessarily lie in the child’s age, but in their maturity level. There are some children who are ready for a more challenging experience when they are 2 and some when they are 4. Every child is different. Even children in the same family. I know, I know… That doesn’t answer the question. Then how do you know when your child is mature enough? Now, again, not all children are the same, but if you’re seeing any of the three following signs, it’s definitely time to start looking at preschools. Inquisitive Investigators. Your child is very curious about the world around them. They ask lots of questions and want to know how everything works. They are restless and always want to do something new. Social Butterflies. Most children who spend time interacting with other children and love to do so, do very well in a preschool situation. The interaction with lots of other types of children, adults and experiences allows them to learn and grow by leaps and bounds. Shrinking Violets. Does your child spend a lot of time alone (even alone with a single grownup)? Are they shy around new people? Do they spend a lot of time watching TV or playing by themselves? Do you feel like your child needs more interaction with others and stimulation to ready them for Kindergarten? Then you should be looking at preschools. The social and academic interaction is crucial for their Kindergarten readiness and interacting with others can bring them out of their shells and allow them to bloom. So, is your child ready for preschool?

So you’ve decided that it’s time that your child should be in preschool. But how do you decide how many days per week is right for them? While there are certainly financial considerations and family considerations when you’re making the decision, there are some child-based considerations as well. There are several factors that figure in to whether your child would best suited for a 2, 3 or 5 day per week program. The easiest way to decide is to examine what your goals are for sending your child to preschool. Is it because your child is shy and you’d like to have them socialize more with other children? Do you feel that your child is too “attached” to a single caregiver and you would like them to show a little more independence? Are you interested in Kindergarten readiness (learning how to act in a classroom setting, learning how to get information from teachers)? Would you like your child to make academic progress? Or is there some other reason? Whatever your reason is, there are some universal truths about preschool: Every child is different. Absolutely every single one. Every child handles preschool differently and every child learns differently. Not every preschool is right for every child. Not even ours. It will not lastingly scar your child to send them (or not send them) to preschool. (I know, you weren’t expecting me to admit that, were you?) In the right preschool, your child will learn faster than you ever imagined possible. But you’ve decided to send your child. So, which schedule is best for them? I know you’d think that (since we run a preschool) we would always recommend the most expensive option, right? Actually, no. (And, to be perfectly honest, all preschools earn more money for their 2 and 3 day program students per day than their 5 day students, but that’s immaterial to this discussion.) 2 day programs – In most schools, these are usually Tuesday/Thursday classes. These tend to be a good starting out spot for children who might be a little younger or who have a lot of other outside activities. Interestingly, this is not generally where we recommend that kids who have separation issues go. There are too many days between classes. It makes the separation adjustment more difficult for the child. We often tell parents that 2 day classes create a situation where going to school is the exception and the parents see a lot more resistance from their kids to going to school. A 5 day (or even a 3 day) per week child adjusts far faster than a child in a 2 day program. You might even want to start out at a higher level and drop down (yes, most schools will allow you to transfer between programs when there is available room, both up to more days per week and down to less days) to a fewer day per week program after the transition period. 3 day programs – This is generally the most “safe” option for kids if you’re not ready for a full time, 5 day per week program and most kids start out here. Your child gets most of the benefits of a 5 day program, including building relationships with other students and teachers, consistency of routine and actual learning, but you still get to have them all to yourself for a couple of days per week. It is also a very easy transition for these children when they are ready for a 5 day per week program. Because it’s not so many days between classes, less time is taken with transition each day and more can be spent in actual learning and development. 5 day programs – For parents who really want their children to prepare for Kindergarten, to focus on learning and to develop consistent routine, a 5 day program is what you should be looking for. It enables children to really settle into the routine, the social structure and the daily lessons so that they are learning and retaining as much as possible prior to entering Kindergarten. It’s all about the consistency. Children who attend 5 day programs typically learn much faster than their 3 day counterparts. In other schools that use the curriculum used at Stages Academy, 5 day program children who start the program early and are consistently exposed to the curriculum are reading at a 1st or 2nd grade level by the time they enter Kindergarten. That’s pretty impressive, if we do say so ourselves. So, what’s right for your child? Only you can answer that question. Just keep in mind that no matter what road you choose, you’re not stuck with that decision. People change programs (and even schools) all the time. So, don’t be afraid to try something if you feel that it’s the best road for your child. Challenging them might just be what they need. We are always willing to work with parents to find the best fit for their child even if it means adding or subtracting days of the week from their programs. Any good preschool should be willing to do the same.

Kids love to play outside. If you don’t believe me, (or if you just want to see some pictures of our adorable students) check out the Stages Academy Facebook page (and, if you wouldn’t mind, please “like” the page while you’re there…It makes our day!) They need the large motor activity. They need to get the exercise. They need to get their energy out. So what do you do when it’s raining cats and dogs (as it’s supposed to do here for the next few days) or cold and snowy outside? There are some great playground games that (with a few supplies that you have around the house) can be converted to inside games and still allow the kids to have outdoor fun…inside. Our top 5 are: Hula Hoop Hop – Place hula hoops in a circle and practice froggy jumping from one to the next, to the next, to the next. Then practice two foot jumping around the circle. And so on. Hula Hoop Musical “Chairs”– Or play a modified musical chairs where no one has to be “out”. Put hoops all over the floor. When the song stops, everyone has to run and get inside a hoop. Remove a hoop each time until all the children are in one hoop. Parachute Catch – You can find an inexpensive parachute for less than $30 (or use a flat bedsheet in a pinch). Have everyone hold an edge and see how many times in a row you can make a beanbag fly in the air and catch it in the parachute. Parachute Ring around the Rosie game where everyone holds an edge of the parachute and goes round and round. When the song says “all fall down”, everyone lets go of the chute and falls down. The chute then settles down to the ground on top of everyone. Paper bag playtime – Take a bunch of brown paper bags and set them up like a grid. Give each child an equal pile of beanbags, ping pong balls or other small toys. See who can toss the most items into the bags. For older kids, this can be easily converted into an easy game of Toss Tic-Tac-Toe. So, now that you’re ready, you’ll be well prepared the next time the kids are running around the house on a rainy day. Make sure you don’t miss any tips and posts. “Like” our Facebook page or sign up to receive emails on our website.