What are you doing with your preschooler?

Question

I’m due a week after my daughter goes back to school after her Christmas break. Originally I just planned to have my folks get her back and forth to school for me if I have baby during the week and then her dad can get her to school once baby is here and he takes some time off. But then today when I was talking to her teacher she made it seem like I won’t be sending her back to school when baby is born. When I told her my due date, she said “oh, so we probably won’t see you guys right away then.” Meaning right away after the Christmas break. Like I said, I never really planned on her missing any school cause of the baby but should I keep her home for a while for bonding purposes? Or as a precaution for sickness/germs from preschool? Her dad only plans to take a week off and then I’d be back to getting her to school myself in the morning with a newborn in tow.

Answer

Preschool teacher here: most families in my class who have had a new baby keep the preschooler home for maybe a day or two at most. Preschool is expensive and ours doesn’t give a refund if you choose to stay home. I think most of the parents prefer to keep the preschooler’s routine as unchanged as possible and use the opportunity to sleep when the new baby sleeps, etc. 
Maybe plan for her to have some special time with daddy after preschool that week your husband is home. If it’s an all day program, he could pick her up early and do something special together.

Answer

We haven’t even thought about keeping our three year old out of school when baby gets here; figured it would be best to minimize any of her routine changes and just keep taking her to/from school while we are home w baby, perhaps with an exception here and there. 🤷🏻‍♀️ but I am sure whatever you do will ultimately be fine. 😀

Answer

My little is only two, but I imagine if she was older I’d keep her in school. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with keeping them home if you just don’t feel up to getting them ready and taking them, but during the couple hours they’re there you can relax and possibly nap, while they burn energy. 🙈

Answer

Our oldest is in 4K, we will keep her routine the same of going every day in the morning to school. My MIL and husband will help get her there and back the first week and then I’ll have to do it with all three of our kids. Hoping to keep everyone healthy this winter and take my time on the roads. We live in WI and are anticipating another rough winter with ice and snow.

Answer

My daughter will remain in school if I have baby through the week. I'll have a c section so it is just easier knowing shes in school instead of roaming the hospital halls. She will come up after school and see me and baby for and hour or 2 then go back to normal routine.

Answer

My mum and hubs will help with the shuffle to school and back.

Answer

Missing school has never been an option in my family, and won’t be for my kids either 🤷🏽‍♀️ maybe one day when baby comes home? But I don’t see why there is a need to keep preschooler home. I think it might even be more confusing to mess with their schedule AND add a new sibling to their life.

Answer

I plan to keep sending my son to preschool. I don’t want him to feel like his whole routine has been thrown off just because his baby sister has arrived. Right now, I keep him home one day a week and we meet up with friends and have a fun day together. I am going to try my best to continue to do that for him so he doesn’t feel like everything has changed. (Or his dad can do it since he plans on taking 5 weeks off at the beginning and 7 additional weeks once I return to work) 
As for the germs, I think it’s inevitable that the new baby is going to be exposed to more simply because there is a toddler in the house! 😬

What are you doing with your preschooler?

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