Warning: Difficult Parent on the Loose

Maybe it's because I now teach kindergarteners.

Maybe it is because of all of the research I read when completely my master's about the importance of early education/early intervention.

Maybe it's just luck because the daycare/preschool that I chose because it happened to be .2 miles from my parent's house is pretty much an excellent preschool in absolutely every way and now nothing will compare. (Bright Horizons in Oaks, if you were wondering; I whole heartedly recommend it from the prespective of a parent and a kindergarten teacher).

Maybe it's because I do hold onto a tiny bit of the mormon guilt for not being a stay at home mom and not being one of those women in relief society who prides herself on eating catfood so she can be a stay at home mom and not send her kid to an evil daycare.

ANYWAYS, I have come to the realization that I am officially a difficult parent that is obsessed with academics. The way the cards have fallen with job changes and commutes, this is the fourth time I have had to locate a good childcare facility, so I know the drill. But this is so much different than finding a place when Isaac was a baby or when Isaac was 2. I think I surprised both of the directors this morning with all of the questions I was firing at them. But let me rewind.

Currently I am commuting 2 hours a day to drive back and forth to Oaks to drop Isaac to preschool. Next week I finish summer school and Isaac finishes preschool and I have until August 25th to find him a new preschool closer to home.

I visited two today, niether one compares to his current school but one was a good possibility. It was NAEYC accredited (only 7% of childcare centers in the country meet the rigorous standards required to earn that accredation), the teachers have each been there 5 plus years, they post their lesson plans which are aligned to early childhood state standards, they are doing academic work, they have a good relationship with Pottstown School District, where they work closely with the Pre-K programs run in the elementary schools. They are also inclusive for kids with special needs, as I noticed a lot of supports for a student with autism in the pre-k classroom and that is important to me too. It was the Kindercare in Pottstown if you know anything about it feel free to give me feedback.

The other was terrible (Goddard School on High Street) and I ended up getting into a little with the owner who became quite defensive about his little franchise/business venture. He really didn't stand a chance with me when he started off the tour by telling me how he owned the place but he was more concerned with unclogging toilets than academics and how he left that to the directors niether of whom was there. He did his best to fill me in on the academic programs but we both knew he didn't have a clue what he was talking about. It was small and cramped and just not a place I wanted to send my kid.

Anyways, it all clicked when he said "We were voted Best Childcare Facility in Pottstown for the past three years in the Pottstown Mercury". And I countered that I wasn't looking for good child care, I'm looking for a good preschool that can keep him for three full days a week. And suddenly I realized - I'm a difficult parent. I'm obsessed with academics in a way I neve was before when I was looking at toddler classrooms.

And, I don't think that's a bad thing.

Who would have thought?