I'm so frustrated, I dont understand why some people qualify for free preschool and others dont. For example, I get that if you make good money that obviously you can afford to put your kid in a paid preschool. I also get that if you're a low income family you qualify for free preschool. What I dont get is why are the "middle-class" families left out? I'm supposedly too rich to qualify for free preschool but too poor to afford a paid preschool!
We tried getting DD into preschool when she turned 3, but we gave up after we were placed on countless waitlists across town. We decided to wait unless the next open enrollment opened (this month, February) for 2008 school year. I started my search up again and I think were going to have to suck it up and cough up the cash to put her in a nice school. I think I finally found a school that is highly recommended and not too expensive. I hear the enrollement is rally competitive and I have to make sure I get an application 1st thing on opening day (this Wednesday...wish me luck!)
End rant....
(On a side note...I cant believe Kinder Care is $1K a month!)
Just a note: even low income families suffer...if you aren't low income enough. Out here if you make more than $8.50 an hour you don't qualify for assistance. So when I was working full time I had to pay more than half of my income into my son's preschool/daycare...and each month had to forego either groceries or one of the utitility bills. Okay, end rant... I do hope you get the placement you want, and I do sympathize really, just on a different level.
I hear you. I just finished paying for 4 years of a nice preschool (2 kids), and I'm so glad it's over. People camped out in front of the school the night before registration to be ensured a spot. It was first come first serve, though. I shelled out so much money to that school. It was worth it, though.
Yes...I think we should make preschool as difficult as possible for people to enter because that is how we can make our world a better place. Perhaps the state governments can institute obstacle course agility training and timed basketweaving to raise the bar even more for kids to get in. I'm feeling sarcastic today--sorry.
day care/pre school is insanely expensive. My daughter is almost two so she doesn't go to preschool yet, but I work so she goes to daycare full time. She's at KinderCare and it's almost $300 a week, and that's with a corporate discount. I think regular price is almost $350/week. I see families that have three or four kids there and I have no idea how they do it - one more and I'd have to stay home because daycare costs would be more than my take home pay. I guess I can't complain too much though because she absolutely loves it there.