As a single parent, there are just some things you can’t afford. This year that was preschool. With Logan in daycare 20 hours a week, I just couldn’t justify spending the money to have him in preschool too. As much as I wanted him to be there, I simply couldn’t afford it. Things like this happen often as a single parent. Money is tight and you can only stretch your dollar so far.
When I realized that preschool wasn’t going to be an option for us I started to panic. Was he really going to be ready for kindergarten if he didn’t go to preschool? What about all of the other kids whose parents could afford to send them? Was he destined to be behind the other children forever because his parents were divorced and his mom couldn’t afford to send him to preschool? Perhaps these fears were a little irrational, but I was feeling particularly guilty. I was pretty sure I had ruined his life because he couldn’t go to preschool with the other kids. I was worried enough about it that I decided to have my mother talk to some kindergarten teachers at her school to see if I was really worrying over nothing. As usual, it turns out, I was.
While preschool gives children a great foundation for kindergarten, there are many things you can do at home with your child that give them the same tools that they would be receiving in preschool. The very most important thing you can do to help your child get ready for school is read to them. It helps to build their vocabulary and teaches them the letters and sounds faster than just about anything. There are lots of great shows out there that help reinforce those things too. If your child is going to be watching TV anyways, wouldn’t you rather they were watching something educational. Sesame Street is one that really puts the focus on learning, but there are so many more! As a single parent, you can’t always afford to do the things you’d like to do for your children, but there are lots of things you can do for them. Take them to the library and let them choose some books for you to read this week. It’s free and it helps them get ready for school. What better way to sneak in some extra cuddle time with your babies?