Navigating the pre-k registration minefield

I’ve heard one too many horror stories about enrolling kids into pre-k, whether for private or public schools. I never could have expected that it’d be harder than the college application process.

In my neighborhood, getting into the pre-k of your choice is incredibly competitive. It’s the reason a very good friend of mine is putting so much pressure on me about being more proactive and doing more research on the matter.

Applying for pre-k is the topic of conversation among all of my mommy friends — many of them tenacious, scrambling to get their kids into the school of their first choice even if they aren’t zoned for it — from schmoozing with principals to volunteering at teacher events. That’s just not me! It’s not that I don’t care — obviously where my son goes to school is a huge concern of mine — but I’m also a big believer in the education that happens at home.

A lot of parents put too much emphasis on the particular school they believe their child needs to attend to be a successful and productive adult. I get where they are coming from, but I think the learning going on at home is even more important than what they receive in school. I’m an example of this. I grew up in the Lower East Side in a terrible school district but my parents made it a point to teach us the value of education by encouraging us to read every day, study hard, and to be curious about everything. It’s simple, but effective and that’s something that I am doing for my kids.

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