Parenting Four Year Olds-Great Education Debate



Just to think that DH and I are now parenting four year olds blows my mind. It seems like such a short time ago that I was happily growing our identical baby girls inside me and here I sit now facing the fact that they’re FOUR………..how did this happen?!

I’ve enjoyed them more than I could ever express with simple words and up to this point each birthday has left me feeling energized and like a conqueror, however, the 4th birthday was a bit of a different story. At 4 years old, its official, they’re not “babies” anymore. They’re, *gasp*, PRESCHOOLERS! Holy smokes! And again I shout, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?! 

I’ve been so blessed to have been able to stay at home with our little darlings this whole time and now suddenly that they’re FOUR I’m having to face the music that school, of some sort, is right around the corner. 

Yes, we’ve discussed school plans here and there and thought we knew what we’d do, but now that the time is actually here, I’m sick to my stomach, and we’re totally stumped! We live in an area of very limited educational opportunities. We’re pretty much faced with entrusting the public school system-of which ours fair “so-so” at best-or homeschooling, and just thinking about that scares the jeepers out of me! The closest private option is an hour’s drive away and tuition is sky high, so that’s not an ideal solution either. Can you say “major case of heartburn” brewing?!

At four years old the girls could start pre-kindergarten at the public school just blocks from our house. Registration is only about a month away and I have no clue what to do!
One side of my brain is saying, “hold to your babies as long as you can, they’ll have to start next year-in some form or another” but the other side says, “send them to school-they’ll enjoy it, you’ll have time to reclaim your sanity after 4 years at home with two little ones”, so what is a body to do?!

I’m in serious need of counseling here! Opinions?! I need to hear both sides, the “keep them at homes” and the “send them to schools”……….please, help a sister out!