HawthorneVillager.com

He'll be fine as long as he doesn't learn your sarcasm!!

This is by far the smartest thing. The rest of you are complete knobs.

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I Fell Into A Burning Ring Of Fire
I Went Down, Down, Down And The Flames Went Higher
And It Burns, Burns, Burns
The Ring Of Fire, The Ring Of Fire!

Yes I remember it well. One of them was my kid!! We did take them out after that, but truthfully their response to the incident was great. We just took her out because our daughter never really seemed to settle in there.

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At Your Service Computer
At Your Service Security

Try Stuckless daycare centre, new but great references. Gord was wonderful.

If you intend on putting your child in JK/SK, then I agree with the comment that there is no difference between the kids by grade 3. If you want your child to have an advantage or have a high energy child easily distracted, I suggest looking at Montessori, but do your research because they are not all the same and might claim to be Montessori, but really are not. If you go the Montessori route, I recommend you keep your child there at least until grade 1 (but recommend up to grade 3), when the government funded school systems enforce structure on kids. I recently read back in September in the Toronto Star that the "play based" JK/SK is causing for some kids a really hard transition to the structured "sitting in your chair" environment of grade 1 (http://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto/educ ... s_1_2.html) .... but instead of the Ontario government admitted their curriculum design problems in JK/SK, they're looking to redesign the curriculum for grades 1-3. Kind of scary the direction the current government is taking out kids' future when for 5 years straight, math scores have been declining and the times tables are no longer taught in school ... Wow

ANother vote for Peekaboo at the Derry location. They are awesome.

Montessori to me didn't have that appeal. I like curriculum and I think free play is important. When I ask people why they put their kids is a Montessori rather than a regular daycare centre- they say "oh they learn more" no one has fully explained to me what the key differences are. Its like a FAD, learning more is absolutely not true at all.

Well, I think it is hard to say that Montessori curriculum is a FAD since the Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori opened her first school in Rome over a hundred years ago in 1907 and the schools spread widely in the US since 1960, you can Google this, lots of material on it.

When I went to the parent-teacher night, I was shown both academic and mechanical exercises (ie. touching and handling things like turning a bolt onto a screw). The teacher explained that it is a process of learning that teaches children to learn knowledge and skills at age appropriate times for a specific skill, according the when a child is ready to learn them .... they can learn the skills later but it just takes longer for children to "get it" if the age appropriate window of learning of a specific skill has passed. Since learning/instruction is tailored to each child, teachers do not expect a child to pick up something new at the exact same time as other kids but they all do pick it up more or less within a reasonable time period ... this way, no child is "left behind" nor "pushed through".

There are a lot of good schools that can develop kids similar to Montessori instruction, but when I see my 2 year old child wanting to do things for herself like feed herself, be potty trained, put her shoes and cloths on as well as put them away in an orderly way, be respectful of others and objects, I am glad she is in the program.

Agreed. This is normal behaviour for a two year old. My guy is no genius but at 2 is was well excelling over his peers without Montessori schooling. I speak to parents here on why they choose that option and no one gives me proven facts they just assume it's better and their kids learn more. I'm not knocking Montessori but if people think their kids are smarter bc they are in a Montessori daycare they will get a rude awakening later in life. Kids learn differently and I bet your little one learned all those tasks on her own bc she either watch you do it and saw other kids do it as well. I can guarantee you their was no special training involved bc she attending a Montessori school.

Here's the thing - if you are going to pay for daycare - why not pay for Montessori? When we looked at the pricing, it was similar so I'd rather put my child in a place where learning is part of the curriculum.

The argument for and against can be had all day - no one side can show solid reliable tested proof that they are right. I'd rather have my money put towards a place where learning is part of the everyday.

When we checked it out - It wasn't more money - at least, not enough to write home about - at most $50 more a month.

My point on te proof aspect is that you can make a study say whatever it is you want it to say, for either side.

It's only a couple of dollars a day more. Nothing crazy.

But who is to say that daycare centres don't have a curriculum?? Where on earth did you hear this? This is what I'm what saying that people have no idea what they are talking about when comparing the two. And for the record I'm comparing centres not home daycares.

I'll through out facts I've "heard"
Montessori is not proven for anything, and it's actually "not recommended" in some countries in Europe because children need free play rather than always someone trying to teach something and turning every little aspect of their time there into a session.

I had the option but I opted out. I wanted something that was proven and when my kids go their milestones and the abilities are tracked with what the school guideline is.

Unless you have an extremely well paying job, why not stay home? If you factor in 1600 for daycare, vehicle payment, insurance, gas, vehicle running costs what the point? Vehicle costs and daycare equal the take home pay of a 50K a year job.

For us, like most I think, you can't factor in vehicle - we'd need 2 even if my wife didn't work.

And the take home of a $50K a year job still outweighs that of daycare/montessori/what ever you want to believe in. We have 1 child in montessori and one in after and before school at a home. After they are both paid, there still is a significant paycheck coming in.

Even if it was a wash - for my wife, who is a pediatric physiotherapist, for her to stay out of the work force for 3-5 years would make it extremely difficult to re-enter and have relevant skills. Methodology changes and training is constant in her field.

There are big tax write off's for the lower of the two income earners in a household if you are paying for care - that also add's to the benefits. You cannot claim care if you have one stay at home parent, unless in specific, unique situations.

As for daycare, do what you think is best. For us, it made more sense to stay home from work after #2. My son is in SK, and has never had daycare, and is reading at 'J' level. As long as the kids get social interaction with other kids, they will be fine.

Yes, I am very lucky. We have had to forego on some vacations and things, but I think that it was worth it!