When to send your toddler to school?

When is the right time to send your kids to school? Are you eyeing the traditional system, progressive, montessori or how about homeschooling? Honestly, I really don't have an idea. I really don't want her to start too early nor too late. More so, I don't want my lil' china doll to experience what I had experienced before.

My first preschool stint was not a smooth sailing one. There was no progressive schools way back. Instead, traditional school was the only option available. Our set-up then was the students were squeezed inside a classroom with one teacher in front. I was sent to school when I was 3 years old and could no longer recall the name of the school.  I'm with my 2 cousins back then. Our first task was to write on our notebook what was written on the board. I was sooooo scared because I didn't know how to write. I'm not sure if that's my parents fault or the teacher who assumed everyone knew how. I even pleaded my cousin to write for me once she finished her notes. Lo and behold, I went home without a single letter or scribble on my notebook.

I cried and told my mom, I didn't want to go to school anymore because I couldn't write and I would always be left behind. Because of that, they gave me another year of  school break and thought I was too young to go to school.

After 3 decades, I have L who is an only child and has no other playmate in our household nor inside the village. This is the only reason which triggered me to find and to send L to school at her young age. May be she's too young for abc's and 123's but my main goal is to improve her socialization skills and the rest are just extras.

Initially, I tried sending L to Gymboree when she was 11 months old but I thought it was not successful. All through out the session she was clinging to me and too afraid with her surroundings. The teacher then was very accommodating. She tried to call L's attention every now and then. But my child still chose to be with me until the end of the session. Afterwards, I never enrolled her in a full class instead, we always visit Gymboree for playtime. We needed to at least utilized the paid membership fee.

lil china doll was too afraid to try

star for the lil china doll

Then this May of 2013, I found a preschool near our area. I'm so glad that they were accepting students as young as L who is 20 months old. I'll be discussing L's experienced on a separate blog. But to summarize everything, I think my child had a great time :)

my lil' miss curious