Submitted by Amy De Rosa, Mar 8, 2007 14:32

Pre-school directors and their admissions directors are complaining? They need look no further than the mirror to understand who has helped to fuel the situation they have the audacity to criticize. Sixteen years ago, I asked one such pre-school director why a three-year old needed to go to school at all and she crisply informed me that my child would learn social skills and group interaction. Besides, she informed me, if my child were to stay at home, he wouldn't have anyone else to play with because all the other three-year-olds would be in pre-school.

The whole notion of pre-school is part of a myth that says school rather than home is a better environment for young children and that teachers (any at all) are better than parents at providing for a child's socialization and upbringing. Unfortunately, parents --mothers most unfortunately of all -- fall for this nonsense because in many cases it accommodates a parent's own me-oriented and professional life-style. Certainly the Ms. Rowes and Ms. Barons of the world have degrees in child development and early childhood education. I look forward to the day when they go out, get themselves a real job and make a positive contribution to society.

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