Ugh, i just wish people would think of how expensive childcare is BEFORE having children.

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Ugh, i just wish people would think of how expensive childcare is BEFORE having children.

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^ Exactly!

Thing is, it's not the child's fault who is born into these situations. I would rather take care of the children, then have them aborted.

 

Perhaps if children got a better education they'd be less likely to become useless adults... it's a fight worth fighting at least.

 

Let me tell you, they have cut public funding for pre-K to the bone.

I was the head of a single income two parent 3 children family in the not so distant past. It was cheaper for my wife to stay home with the kids than for her to work as a CMA and pay childcare. Those are just the facts of life there. I was early in my 'career' if you want to call it that. And I came into the job cheap due to the benefits, etc.

SO to cut a long story down:

My first two kids qualified for pre-K in a new Elementary school that they had built, and they have each excelled in grade school, and both of them are in the S.T.E.M. program now.
My oldest has been accepted into early college high school due to her test scores and grades. I directly credit pre-K with much of their success, esp with reading.

My youngest was denied eligibility for pre-K due to my making 'too much', which in this case was more than $48K a year annually. They did not accept AGI, it was based on gross salary.
My wife started her own home cleaning service but it had yet to become profitable, and we had to put the youngest in daycare.

He has struggled so far, even to the point of facing retention in the 1st grade. Now, each child is different, and he really despises school. But I cannot help to partially fault the lack of attending a pre-K program.
We have hired a tutor, and so far, it's looking like he will move on to 3rd grade which is important because that's when standardized testing begins. We're afraid that if he's retained due to 'fluency', that he will then be almost 1.5 years older than the youngest student in his class next year and that's not good.

Anyhow, just my .02 about the importance of pre-K programs for people who are not quite in the 47% lol

 

I understand that government programs can help children but we can do it better. How can you be a fiscal conservative and expect thousands of dollars of handouts per child per year for pre k? I think lower taxes, cut govt programs is the way to go. If we say we want a smaller government, then we complain when they cut something. They own us on some other issue. Its exactly why the government is so massive in the first place.

 

I understand that government programs can help children but we can do it better.

We can do it better? Just who is going to start a pre-k school for your kids and everyone else that is affordable?

How can you be a fiscal conservative and expect thousands of dollars of handouts per child per year for pre k?

1. It's not every child, it was children belonging to families who could not afford pre-K, many of those families are about to get cut. Some of those families are working families. (home owners with mortgages and such) lower middle class.
Please understand this is not government handouts and welfare for lazy adults, this is a child's education! It's not the child's fault for the situation that their parents are in.

2. You can be a conservative and invest in Children, especially if there are no other options such as charity.

3. There are no charities or affordable private options for pre-k out there. I wish there was, as charities and affordable private options should be the first choice. Since there is no one filling this area, Govt. can and should help children.

I think lower taxes, cut govt programs is the way to go.

Some programs have an important function, most do not. Pre-K programs and school is important. There are a lot of other programs we need to cut first.

If we say we want a smaller government, then we complain when they cut something. They own us on some other issue. Its exactly why the government is so massive in the first place.

There is not many things I will complain about getting cut. Thing is, this is directly related to the child's education. As much as I hate it, government is now the main source of education in America, and people are dependent on it for educating children. (it is going to take a lot to change that, and I am not sure it can be changed over night, if at all.) Cutting children at the starting point is the wrong cut. It's not the children's fault, they deserve the best. They are not cutting wasteful spending in education, they are not cutting salaries, they are not cutting welfare handouts, (all of this I could support)
they are cutting children from attending pre-K

 

Not saying I agree with the cuts, but if parents took some time to educate and work with their kids when they were pre-K we would not need this program. Too many parents are depending on the state, the xbox, etc to raise their kids. We need to get back to family values and raise our kids like we used to when I was growing up.

If we get rid of all of these tax burdens maybe that parent would have to work one or two less hours a week and that could be devoted to sitting and reading with their kid versus coming home and turning on the tv cause they do not want to bother with them and need time to relax.

 

Not saying I agree with the cuts, but if parents took some time to educate and work with their kids when they were pre-K we would not need this program. Too many parents are depending on the state, the xbox, etc to raise their kids. We need to get back to family values and raise our kids like we used to when I was growing up.

If we get rid of all of these tax burdens maybe that parent would have to work one or two less hours a week and that could be devoted to sitting and reading with their kid versus coming home and turning on the tv cause they do not want to bother with them and need time to relax.

All that is true. Another thing to consider is, many of these kids have parents who can hardly read themselves, so the education is not going to happen at home. Like I have said before, why let the children suffer for the sins of the parent. I guess I have a soft spot for children, and I can't not want to help them, like some.

Some parents are lazy, that is true, but then some kids are in situations through no fault of there own also.

Just maybe if we can try to educate these kids, then maybe they won't end up like their parents.

Pre_K prepares children for the classroom setting, and opens them up to learning. I know it's hard for some to realize without experiencing it firsthand. You can really tell a difference in Kids who have been in Pre-K

 

Personally, I see the problem as needing pre K. Why? To pre teach them what they used to teach in K? One more year on the early side will not carry through to graduation. If pre K is good, would 3 yrs, 2 yrs, infants be better?

It's not that I don't think the program works for some kids. It's that I disagree with the assumption public schools make that all kids SHOULD come into K with a certain knowledge base just because a lot of kids are enrolled in pre school. Public schools are expecting something from all kids that they get from some of them, IMO. I can assure you that there are things not taught in the years they have them now that all of us were taught. And I don't think it's a lack of calendar time that is the problem. I think it's misplaced priorities.

 

We will never accomplish meaningful change until we are willing to make the painful cuts in our favorite government subsidized programs. A family of 3 making $19,900 is already "entitled" to a multitude of government handouts.

In my opinion, one less year in government schools is a good thing. I've been there and I know it's hard, but tough changes need to be made. Government is not supposed to providing all these "services". Government is supposed to protect our liberties.

 

I get all squirmish on public education. Most of us here (ok, maybe just 'many') did not have pre-K, or many other programs now avaialable, and we turned OK (hold all jokes...). If a parent does his/her job, then a child would not need pre-K.

For every argument for pre-k and for publci schooling, there are three for homeschooling and alternative education.

At the end of the day I am not a smart man, but I can see patterns pretty well. We have invested more money in education across the board, in NC and in the US, yet the outcome gets worse and worse. Something is not working, and it isn't the money.

 

My son is 2 and I've already got his private Christian school worked out. No way would I let him step foot in a public indoctrination compound ( these schools aren't really schools anymore).

 

Perhaps if children got a better education they'd be less likely to become useless adults... it's a fight worth fighting at least.

It's been proven that this does happen. I heard a story recently how kids who have quality pre K education are less likely in adulthood to be arrested, and more likely to go to college and hold a job.

It's not the kids fault if the parents are deadbeats, overworked, barely making ends meet, whatever. Give them the tools now to excel later...it makes fiscal sense. They're more likely to become more productive in their later years...so consider it an investment.

 

My son is 2 and I've already got his private Christian school worked out. No way would I let him step foot in a public indoctrination compound ( these schools aren't really schools anymore).

Not that I liked the public school system you are just indoctrinating to your desires instead of the public school systems. Nothing wrong with that but people need to call it what it is.

If you look at different reports Pre-K has no bearing on the success of a child over all. As a matter of fact it is just another government subsidy to provide free baby sitting.

 

If you look at different reports Pre-K has no bearing on the success of a child over all. As a matter of fact it is just another government subsidy to provide free baby sitting.

My experiences say otherwise. It absolutely makes a difference in preparing the child for classroom instruction. Keep playing the NC 'education' lottery though.

 

Do any of you have a kid in Kindergarten in the the last 1-3 years?

It's not like it was when we where in Kindergarten. These kids are all at desks, no play centers in the class. There is no nap time. They have to learn to read, and they are tested before they can advance to first grade. Any kid not knowing the alphabet, how to write letters, numbers, and lots of sight words, are going to be behind when they start Kindergarten, as they don't spend a lot of time teaching that anymore in Kindergarten, they expect kids to already know that. Those things are now taught in Pre-K, or at home. Problem is many parents are not going to spend the time to prepare their child for Todays Kindergarten, and it breaks my heart, thus the child is behind at no fault of their own.

Honestly at 4. the mind is like a sponge, I am all for starting a kids education and learning at 4. True Pre-K is not a daycare, far from it. Most have to go to a day care, after the school day is over, which is 2:30 here.

It is very common for kids to fail Kindergarten now. That use to be unheard of.

 

Not that I liked the public school system you are just indoctrinating to your desires instead of the public school systems. Nothing wrong with that but people need to call it what it is.

If you look at different reports Pre-K has no bearing on the success of a child over all. As a matter of fact it is just another government subsidy to provide free baby sitting.

That's pure BS

You may be confusing the NC Pre-K programs (More at 4) with Head-start. There is a difference I am sure you are unaware of. You can google it and learn the differences. The curriculum is even different. Pre-K has an excellent curriculum, and studies show the benefits and results.

Studies actually show advantages of Pre-K far outweigh the disadvantages and can have far-reaching long-term social, emotional and intellectual benefits.

 

Homeschool.

 

Homeschool.

^ Great option.

Some parents can't do this though.

 

^ Great option.

Some parents can't do this though.

That's what we thought until we made it the priority. I can see an issue with single parent families but even those can be overcome.

 

they expect kids to already know that.

And there is the first failure of the system. Assuming things instead of teaching them. A lot of other failures stem from this first one. 13 years should be enough time. But the first few are likely the most important. Throwing more money at the wrong issue will not fix it.

I lived that out with my oldest daughter. We were involved, we worked with her at home, but we foolishly believed what the teachers were telling us. For our part, we probably should have held her back till the next year to start K. She was borderline. But then we started getting things passed along, "Oh she'll catch up next year." " It will all be fine by 3rd grade." Heck, her 3rd grade teacher did not even finish the multiplication table with her class and told the parents they would finish in 4th grade. 4th grade comes and half the grade can't multiply. 4th grade math teacher had a "come to Jesus" meeting with the 3rd grade teacher. What actually happened is she got a teacher that cared enough to do her job WELL and got her the help she needed. She's in 6th grade now and finally solidly on grade level.

We did not allow as much of that foolishness with our younger daughter. My wife now has a reputation at the school as someone you don't want to cross. And our younger daughter is also excelling in classes because we stayed on her teachers.

There are certainly some learning style issues at work here as well. But we also more aware of what should be happening and ask more questions about what is going on.

 

^ Great option.

Some parents can't do this though.

I knew some kids that went thru homeschooling. They were completely sheltered and couldn't get a job due to minimal socialization skills. A few became professional "poets", one or two fell back on bricklaying jobs (real easy to get those without being Spanish nowadays) and I think one became a computer programmer (he's the shining winner of the bunch). I'd never homeschool any kid that I wanted to live in the real world. My sister in law sent her kids to Christian elementary school and it wasn't much better.

 

That's pure BS

You may be confusing the NC Pre-K programs (More at 4) with Head-start. There is a difference I am sure you are unaware of. You can google it and learn the differences. The curriculum is even different. Pre-K has an excellent curriculum, and studies show the benefits and results.

Studies actually show advantages of Pre-K far outweigh the disadvantages and can have far-reaching long-term social, emotional and intellectual benefits.

Silver nailed it. Many people without knowledge are speaking out of the rectum on topics they have no experience with. More at 4 is/was a great program and ol BEV Turdpue, you know the teacher's darling candidate, is the one who gutted it.

 

I knew some kids that went thru homeschooling. They were completely sheltered and couldn't get a job due to minimal socialization skills. A few became professional "poets", one or two fell back on bricklaying jobs (real easy to get those without being Spanish nowadays) and I think one became a computer programmer (he's the shining winner of the bunch). I'd never homeschool any kid that I wanted to live in the real world. My sister in law sent her kids to Christian elementary school and it wasn't much better.

You're painting with an awfully wide brush there. We have experienced the exact opposite and that was one of the main reasons that we first considered homeschooling. I have heard of one or two that you speak of but they are few and far between, much fewer than those public schooled.

 

granted it was 25 years ago and I'm sure homeschooling has improves but IMO it was just a yuppie alternative to a kid getting a GED and going to community college.