anyone not sending their 2 yr olds to pre-nursery? please she'd some light

[yvonnewyw]

I'm debating whether or not to send my girl to pre-nursery next sept. I'd like to hear pros and cons, any comments?

[curlybaby]

I'm not sending my son to pre-nursery. He will start kindergarten when he is about 3,5 years old. My reasons are that kids need to be kids, and Hong Kong is insane with the education competition. Where I am from (Switzerland), most kids don't start school until 5-6 years old. I think that's too late, but there needs to be some kind of balance. He is going to a playgroup two mornings a week, which helps him socialize and he is having lots of fun there. I don't see a reason to send him to school any earlier than he has to :)

[lesliefu]

My kid is in pre nursery and the only reason why is because I would like her to eventually go to the same school for primary school and it's just SO much easier getting into the system now than in G1. Of course if you are not planning on staying in HK for long than this will not be an issue.

The pre nursery program that my daughters fun...they do lots of fun activities and though the class size is bug, they divide the kids up into small groups to teach so it is really fin for them. My daughter really enjoys going to school. Honestly didn't want to send her till at least 5 but the insane competition to get in at that age forced me to start her earlier...lucky for me she's enjoying it. If not, well, shed miss a coup,e days here and there without any problems...I've got a spot for G1 secured already.

[charade]

Um, what is G1? I had just got my head around K1 when I heard about N1 (which I think is prenursery right?) So where does G1 fit in?

I'm not sending my kid to prenursery - or whatever it's called at 2-years-old because:
1. I don't think it's essential. I feel my son gets enough interaction when he goes to the playroom/park every day, sometimes twice a day.
2. I'm a bit lazy to start the whole admission process right now. Slightly intimidated by it all actually.
3. I don't have a specific school in mind for which being in their prenursery would make it easier to get into their K1. Even if I did, not sure I would go the prenursery route because of 1. and 2.

However, I'd do it if I felt my son was never meeting other kids or if my helper (both my husband and I work) was finding it hard to handle him through the day and needed a break.

[josoo]

I have three kids and my middle kid is 3 yrs old. He only goes to playgroup, on his own, twice a week in the mornings. I have him at baby gym for coordination/muscle, soccer as its a group sport and for social skills, Lego class (fine motor skills) and he has English, French and Mandarin classes one-one-one at home. He's actually very busy. Ive opted him not to attend school because he knows a lot more than most 3-yr olds.

It pretty much depends on your family environment and what you feel is best for your child.

[lesliefu]

G1 is grade one... Know it sounds crazy but for us it's just so much easier to start the process now and not have to worry about the competition for spots for G1 admission...there will be fewer spots and just as many people applying for G1. The most important thing for us was not the academics persay at this point in time, rather securing a position for G1 like I said in my earlier post.

Each family is different for us we just wanted to get the process out of the way earlier as I have three kids: 3,17mth,4mth....so if I get one in the chances of the others getting in are better and less hassle for us in the long run.
You do have a point though

[kittykat]

hi! G1 is also the same as P1, right? I have 2 kids ages 7 and 2... we're moving to HK by 1stQ next year and my eldest who is in 1st grade right now will be attending P2 come September next year... we'll be sending him to a local school which happens to have an international class... as for my 2 y/o we still don't know yet if we'll be sending him to pre-school by then... is it really a "must" in HK to send kids that young to school? I really don't get it why it is so hard to get the kids into schools there that you have to have them attend early on just to secure a spot once they enter primary... if I choose to not send my 2 y/o to pre-school what are my other options so that he will not really miss out on anything and make him more well-rounded and adjusted when he starts school?

[Workingmom1975]

I personally don't think it's necessary from the child's development perspective. However, almost all the international schools will ask you which SCHOOL your child is currently attending even for kindergarten application so you may not wanna leave it blank....