Defending Play Schooling

My little girl has recently turned 2 years and 5 months old, and for the longest time, I've been considering enrolling her to a toddler school or playschool. Right after she turned one, I was already checking out forums online and doing a Google search of possible places that are near us. We live in Bacoor Cavite, and so far my online search hasn't proved fruitful yet. :(

And, there's also my dilemma: Hubby thinks it's too early for my daughter to go to school. 

I don't know how many times I've had to explain to him that play schooling is not equal to formal schooling. It doesn't mean that she'll start answering math homework or working on dioramas for their finals project. As the name suggests, she's going to LEARN through PLAY.

I don't think he understands what that means, might be an idea that's hard for him to grasp. And well, I really couldn't blame him. He grew up in a very traditional family, and they still maintain that traditional kind of thinking until now. Like my mom-in-law said, why send a child to a school just to play? Can't she do that at home?

Hmmmm, I actually have three good reasons why I want to enroll my little girl to a play school, in fact, I think she may be a tad too old for a play school as most tots start young. But of course it's never too late:

1. STRUCTURED LEARNING - I may be a stay-at-home mom, but I also work from home. In fact, there are days that I work more than 8 hours a day. In short, my only advantage is that I get to do it in the home court, and that yes, my daily life can get quite busy (and toxic).

Toddler schools or play schools offer a kind of learning process that's specially designed for kids my daughter's age. They're put together in such a way that the kid will enjoy, have a fun time, and still learn in the process. All I know how to do is point and explain pictures and words in a book or on a flash card. How to do it effectively? I have no idea. Of course, I'm willing to learn how to do it for her sake, I still want to be hands-on with the learning process. BUT, as of now, the best I can do with what my schedule permits is reinforce what she could learn from a play school.

So to answer my MIL's question: Yes, she can play from home, and yes perhaps I can get her to learn some things. BUT there is a greater benefit to sending her to a toddler or playschool which specifically focuses on structured learning through play. :)

2. SOCIAL INTERACTION - Hubby said she can get this by playing with her cousins and her neighbors. Well technically yes. She can even do this on a daily basis. Thing is, our neighbors and her cousins are not the same age as she is, in fact, they're all about 4-5 years older than her. This means that their idea of 'play' is pretty much different from hers. And in addition to that, since she's been seeing them from the day she was born, my little girl is already familiar and comfortable with them, so interaction with neighbors and cousins is no longer a 'challenge' for her.

Recently, I noticed that she's starting to be really shy around other people - to the point that she'd actually bury her face in my neck or shoulders when strangers approach her. She wouldn't even willingly play with other kids. :( I know some may say that it's natural for toddlers to have stranger anxiety, and of course I understand this to be true in a lot of cases, BUT I also know that is something that could be worked on. And one of the ways I could think of is to expose her more often to new environments and to different sets of people, where she would be encouraged to interact...and where Mommy, Daddy, or Yaya wouldn't always be present to run to. :)

My little girl is the one wearing yellow with plaid ruffled skirt. Ayaw magpapicture talaga! :(

3. BROADEN FRIENDSHIPS. - My third reason is, let's just say, 'selfish'. :) Being a work-from-home mom through Odesk means NOT having officemates, managers, quality coaches and the likes that I used to work with in the call center industry. In short, it's just me and my boss. There's a great advantage to it of course, but that also means I have ZERO social life. Having Keisha in a toddler or play school would help me meet other moms who are going through the same stage of mommyhood with their tots, who may be experiencing the same aches, pains, joys, and sacrifices.

You see, every girl, needs a girl friend. :)



Errrr, I am yet to re-argue these three points with my hubby. And I am more than open to suggestions for other points of 'agreement'. Hehe. :) Oh and yeah, if you live in the Bacoor Cavite area, please enlighten me where I could find good toddler or play schools here! :)