Just curious what others' thoughts/experiences are on this.

On one hand, I would love to only keep kids until they are, say 3 or 4, and then they go to preschool. Unfortunately, most kids here do less than 1/2 day preschool, so they would still need daycare the other half of the day. But, that's also a good thing since I don't lose out on any $$ and don't need to fill a spot at that time. On the other hand, I get slightly offended thinking that I wasn't good enough and feeling like parents don't think their children learn anything here. I'd like to think I prepare them for preschool.

Do you daycare kids typically leave your daycare to go to preschool? Do you encourage it? Dislike it?

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I only allow one drop off per day, per family, so it simply is not an option. The only people who leave here for preschool are people who want free preschool.

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We do a preschool curriculum within our daycare and the children benefit from it in the long run

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I do, too.

All QRIS programs do but parents don't fully understand the difference. Mine is actually higher rated with a much lower ratio than all but one of our local big-box centers. Only the parents that do their research get it, now. It will take some time for the information to trickle down.

No matter how well I perform, I can't compete with free for those that want it.

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We have a preschool a few block from my house, so I often take the kids to/from preschool. It’s only 2h 40min, so pretty much they’re at school During Nap time.

I usually keep kids until they go to kindy. I’ve had a few leave for centers that called themselves preschools and most at some point have come back and said it wasn’t a wise decision (it’s usually pricey and 15+ kids to one teacher).

It doesn’t bother me if they leave, but I appreciate when parents are up front that they want their kids at a ‘school’ when they turn 3.

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Our pre-k is 1/2 day and school provides busing. They are easy to work with and stress not being jerks to local providers. I encourage parents to enroll DCKs in it the year before kindergarten. I'm good at what I do, they're good at what they do. It's just 2 different program styles. DCPs know that pre-k doesn't count as "school age" for rates. The only time I've "lost" a child to pre-k was when they really only needed care for a few hours a day anyway due to different family work schedules.

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Some years I lose kids to pre k sometimes not. Last year I had three that stayed with me until Kindy. Pre-k are income eligible here unless there are extra spaces, then become available for all. No matter what you offer, providers, ooops educators as the state now calls us, can't compete with free.

In the past, I have lost kids to "preschool" but that doesn't happen much anymore.....I think I finally, after 27 years, have proven my daycare kids are getting "preschool" here

So many stigmas that flow through the clients' brains. I used to take offense easily but there is no logic anymore. So if clients decide to move on, so be it. But I do not allow any pre-k or preschooler to come back, get off the bus, or whatever. Once they are gone, they are gone....no part-timing here.

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I get them ready for kindergarten here. If they want to send them out, that is fine. But all of my policies still apply. Full weekly rate, no drop-offs or pickups regularly interrupting nap time, and I do not transport.

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I do a full preschool curriculum too and previously didn't really care if they went to brick and mortar preschool and came to daycare only half the day or week etc as long as they followed my policies and rules.

This year however, I have decided that once a child goes to somewhere else I do NOT want them in care at all.

These last few years I've noticed the issues I have with kids and the specific kids I have issues with all come from outside sources.

For example I have a family I've had in care for 8 years (3 kids) and the youngest started going to preschool 2 days a week this last year. Child goes a.m. only and arrives to daycare T/Th at 11:45 just before lunch.

The behaviors of this child have gotten horrible and the stuff the child brings into care (behaviors etc) are just not the type of stuff I want to deal with so I decided this year if any child was going to attend an outside preschool or play group regularly (even if the parent pays the full week) I don't want them in care.

I have another family that enrolled their child in preschool 4 days a week and want me to take the child on Fridays only and days where there is no preschool. They're willing to pay a full week even though child isn't attending.

I decided I don't care. I just don't want all the "school stuff" brought into care so I told them if DCK goes to preschool you'll have to find alternate care for them elsewhere. They are now rethinking their plans. They have until Thursday this week to decide.
I don't care either way.

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That is why I shut it down, too. They come back with negative behaviors, injuries, are filthy/hungry, overtired and almost constantly keep the sniffles/coughs. The illness exposure risk for the younger kids doubled.

It was not worth the negative effects on my program. I like the peace of no turnover. It makes for such a pleasant learning environment and illness transmission and sick days are minimum.

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