I don't think that universal preschool is necessarily a good idea [and I didn't read the articles just yet]. I have DDs age 7, 4 [5 on Tues], 3 and DS1.
DD7 had real developmental delays [verbal mainly] and she benefited greatly from the preschool environment [though the biggest 'jump' in her progress came after the tonsil/adenoids/tubes surgery which fixed her mild sleep apnea]. DD3 is slightly behind in her verbal skills but nearly to the same extent and is benefiting as well. DD4 is in preschool - in part because DD3 is [for free, DD4 is not, if not for that, neither would be]. She enjoys it very much but I don't think it's NECESSARY for her [like I feel it really was/is for the other two b/c they work with speech therapists etc doing things I simply am not able to effectively].
I don't know if Kindergarten is mandatory here or not, but DD7 did and DD4 will next year, DD3 the year after that [and DS two years after that
].
As for daycare... My preference is to stay home with my kids, however, that's not economic reality at this point. That said, I have the best of both worlds. I work part time, and get paid very well for the time I'm at work, and my kids are in an in-home daycare run by a woman we absolutely love and who loves our children almost as much as we do [even though I ask her all the time if we get a discount if she doesn't love on 'em
].
I don't think universal preschool is 'the answer' to anything, but I do think that 'at-risk' kids [however you want to define that] can really benefit from the environment.
Carol [who isn't sure she made her point...]
