The Benefits of Preschool vs Staying At Home

Are you a stay-at-home parent or are you working from home and have a little one in your care? Since the pandemic especially, the number of parents at home has increased. This has made caring for a young child easier in a lot of ways, and more challenging in other ways. In either case, even though at face value it may seem like you don’t need childcare, the basic needs of parents have not changed over time, and it may make you re-think your current in-home situation.

Parents need time for themselves.

If you’re a stay-at-home parent, nothing rings truer than the need for some personal, “adult” time. Whether it’s a break from the daily routine or needing more than a nap during their nap time, a change of pace is sometimes the welcomed recharge you require to be your best for them. With the help of family and friends, it’s possible to run an errand or get to an appointment. Often, those times are infrequent and sporadic – you take them while you can get them. They also don’t necessarily make up for the times you’re at home and want to plug your ears from the noise or feel like you have a shadow clinging to you all day long. While spending time with your child at home results in lots of benefits, there are often bigger benefits to sharing this role with the professionals.

Parents need to feel positive about their child’s overall care.

Many parents pour hours into learning how to give their young children the best at-home environment to grow and develop. They want to feel confident in what they’re teaching with the hopes that it helps set a good foundation for future success from a young age. However, as parents, we also know that we don’t know it all. It is common to feel that there’s more we could be doing. Having the right kind of preschool education in the mix can create a sense of peace and confidence, knowing you’re giving your child the best.

Parents need to know their children will be able to socialize well with others.

Learning social skills is a critical component in a child’s overall development journey. Playdates can help, but there are key elements to playing with others on a consistent basis that can teach things like empathy, compassion, patience, and taking turns. Socialization is a big part of a child’s development emotionally and socially. Socialization can also help a child manage their personal feelings and interact in an acceptable way that’s respectful towards others.

Why Preschool might be right for you.

Sending your child to a preschool program is as much about your child as it is about you. It can help meet some of your basic needs (time for yourself, positive feelings around education and socialization), and it can elevate the family dynamic in general. Pre-school can also help your child learn quiet play, patience, and how to become more independent while interacting and learning from similar aged peers.

CEFA offers a half day preschool program with loads of benefits.

CEFA MINIS is a mini early childhood education schedule (½ day) with maximum flexibility for your lifestyle. It’s a truncated program with all the benefits of an early learning preschool setting, including a pre-kindergarten style learning component. More than a preschool, CEFA MINIS is the most sophisticated offering available, designed to give children who attend access to a world-class curriculum and the experience of highly trained teachers while giving you the convenience that you need at a price point that’s desirable. CEFA MINIS allows drop-ins, which is highly convenient for those unpredictable days or if you’re just looking to give a high quality preschool a try.

If you’re interested in learning more about the CEFA MINIS program, find a school in your area and get in touch with the team to see if your child could attend the preschool program and start benefiting from socialization and academic skills we exercise every day.

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