To Kindy or not to Kindy....

So already we're a bit late in making this decision and possibly enroling Nat... but I have a dilemma!

atm, Nat goes to in-home care 3 days a week, and when I go back to work at the start of next year (and potentially a wee bit sooner), she'll be in care fulltime again. So begins the kindy dilemma

This year, it wouldn't be an issue as I would be home to drop off/pick up Nat from the kindy sessions, but come next year it will be impossible for me (or DH) to do that. I know Nat's carer has done kindy runs in the past, but i know how disruptive they are to the other kids, and that she prefers not having to do them, especially now that she has a school run to do too.

We love Nat's carer, and are planning for Alexa to go there fulltime when i start back at work, so don't really want to change care arrangements. We have no family near us but could potentially jig up some arrangement with a neighbour to pick Nat up from the afternoon sessions, but the whole thing starts getting so complicated, especially when the morning sessions would start.

So, my question is: is kindy really worth it? Nat goes to playcentre twice a week and music once a week, so she already gets some large-scale kiddy interaction, plus her carer is awesome at getting the kids doing creative play, art stuff etc. Is kindy really that essential in the lead-up to starting school? What other benefits would she get out of it?

TIA

Ethan started kindy at 2 years 9 months..slightly different as i moved him from preschool to do it.. he loves it and its great..having said that.. (i assume its the old style few hours at kindy?)my career is happy to do dropoffs etc.. and while he loves it and its good for him.. I would prefer him doing one thing all the time.. as a pre school teacher i found some kids didnt react well to going to both.. anyway for us kindy is awesome but I don't think you need to change unless you think she is going to get something better/ new out of it that the carer cant provide..sounds like she gets large scale interaction elsewhere anyway.. ?

I am guessing that your local kindy is still sessional (as opposed to the new full day hours that many kindys are bringing in)?

If so, perhaps wait until Nat is 4 and send her to Morning kindy - this may fit in better with the drop off times and the other kids. If it is part of the Kindergarten Ass then she would just slot in to the wait list according to her date of birth not how long she has been on the list.

Amy is heading fast towards school and she loves kindy but in terms of learning/teaching it is more about the basics of sitting for mat time, listening, taking care of themselves (toilet, morning tea/lunch etc). If they are interested in the writing/learning side the teachers support this but do not push it.

Thanks guys - one aspect I hadn't thought about was the teaching of basic 'social' school protocols like sitting on the mat, listening etc etc.

We have 3 kindy's very near us with one being right next to the school Nat will be going to (sessional only; one of the others slightly further away does a 6 hour session, but that still wouldn't fit well with working hours! ).

I think I'll have to have a more in-depth conversation with Nat's carer to see what she thinks might be do-able! I also really need to get onto enroling her! I do like the idea of maybe delaying until the morning sessions when she's 4, so will talk to the kindy about that too.

If only I could clone myself, and be a SAHM and work at the same time

for me kindy was more than just socialisation. They taught the kids about finishing a job, doing projects, researching information. They got used to a structured mat time and a set time to eat as well as the concept of naming work and taking responsibility for it. so much more than just meeting other kids.
i think it is the carers job to make sure all the kids needs are met and if that means taking one to kindy then it should be made possible. Lots of parents have to juggle kindy and school pick ups and manage it so i should think that a home carer should be capable as well.

Given you have such a good carer and Nat is getting lots of exposure to different activities and groups, I'd probably leave it till she's four. Although *gulp* I've just realised that only buys you until the middle of next year. Also, when are you looking at moving? If it's likely to be next year, I would consider waiting till then to reduce the change and disruption.

We visit our kindy to get Alex used to it and they are always doing learning projects about things like insects or volcanoes or dinosaurs. Learning is more than just reading and writing, but the kids do write their own names in the book.