@ShamrockLover - I felt the same way you do -- I'm a SAHM but can't teach him everything. Well, at this age it's not even about teaching. I just felt like I wasn't providing him with as much stimulation as he needed, especially once Derek came along (Jack was two by then). Time that I used to have to color with him, play with play-doh or take him to the park, was now taken up by caring for Derek. We had been planning to start him when he was three (that would be this coming July), just because it seemed to be the "standard" age to start, but this past fall, I started to feel like he could really use the interaction. He loves his weekly playdates that we have in my moms group (every Mon). So I enrolled him back in November, when he was 2 years and 4 months old. He loves it so much that I am sure it was the right decision -- and I've had friends who are in early childhood education tell me that between 2 and 3, most children start needing that kind of structured play environment and social interaction with others, whether it's through preschool or organized playdates or other classes. It's been so great for Jack that I think when the time comes, I will also start Derek shortly after he turns two, instead of waiting until he turns three. Of course the "right" age is different with each kid, so I'll have to wait and see, but that's the plan for now anyway.

Jack actually goes to the same preschool my sister attended 20 years ago! How funny is that? We grew up in the town I live in now. It's also fairly close to my house (7 minutes drive, which is nothing in Southern California). So when the time came, I just called the school to schedule a tour. They took me around and told me about what the typical preschool day is like, and introduced me to the teacher Jack would have if I enrolled him there. I liked everyone I met, and I liked the feel of the school, so I didn't look any further. I do have friends who have gone to dozens of schools to comparison shop, and I think it just comes down to your gut feeling (unless you have a strong opinion about teaching philosophies, like Montessori or another method). The decision is easier if you know what you're looking for out of a preschool. For me, all I wanted was an environment where Jack could safely and happily engage in activities that he might not get to do as much at home (like messy painting, water play, etc.), and where he could learn the social and rule-following stuff that he'll need in school (waiting in line, taking turns, sharing, doing an activity led by the teacher). I'm not so concerned about the "academic" stuff in preschool -- every preschool teachers shapes and colors and letters and numbers, and I can reinforce that stuff at home. I wanted him to get what I might not necessarily give him at home. So this school met those standards. They also ahve some convenient features that I haven't used yet, but might in the future. For example, I can call up any day (even on the day of) and say, "I need Jack to stay for lunch and two extra hours," and they'll say, OK, and just bill me at the end of the month ($4.50 per extra hour after noon). They're open until 5:30 p.m., so if I had something come up one day, even if it's not on Tuesday or Thursday, I could drop him off. They also have enrichment classes that go from noon to 1:30, in "subjects" that vary every six weeks -- last time they had a soup-making class, a Spanish class and a pre-reading class. You pay $60 and that pays for six weekly enrichment classes. So those are nice things to have around for when Jack's older.

As for how much, I pay $260/mo for the two-day program. If Jack weren't potty trained, there would be an extra $30/mo diaper-changing fee. (Thank goodness he is trained!) That tuition is middle of the road here. But, back in West LA, my old neighborhood, that would be dirt cheap. Tuitions there start at $800/mo, minimum, with the median being about $1,000 per month. There's no way we could afford that!!! Even if I had Jack in five days a week here, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., it would be less than $600/mo. I am really glad about that. I plan to enroll Jack in three mornings a week starting this fall, and then when he's four, five mornings a week, to get him used to what he'll be getting in kindergarten.

Hope this helped!

@ShamrockLover - Oh, don't feel horrible! Just from reading your blog entries, I can tell you and Ryan are great parents. Ella has just recently turned one; it's not as though you have missed some great big window of actively teaching her stuff. We mostly let Jack explore and do "amusement play" when he was Ella's age, but we started pointing things out to him more as the months went on. Toddlers have really short attention spans, so even just two minutes of "that's a bird, Ella! Birds have wings and they fly" kind of thing counts. Anyway, I wanted to recommend a great book to you: It's called the Toddler's Busy Book: 365 Creative Learning Games and Activities to Keep Your 1.5- to 3-Year-Old Busy, and it's by Trish Kuffner. One of the moms on my July 2007 forum posted a link to it once, and I ordered it off Amazon. It contains some GREAT ideas of fun games that allow you to "directly" teach Ella. Also, check out my friend Jill's blog: click here (or her Examiner page here) for some great ideas about activities with babies and toddlers. Jill's a former elementary school teacher who now stays home with her daughter, same age as Jack. Her blog describes the amazing activities she does with her daughter. You can click through the categories to find some that might be suitable to Ella. (Every time I read Jill's blog, I immediately feel like I'm a very lazy mom!) Also you might want to consider some of those Preschool Prepco DVDs I keep talking about, the ones that teach letters/numbers/shapes/colors. We watched them with Jack, and then drew letters on pieces of paper. He learned them really quickly!

@mncjl - Awww, thank you!