Early Education for My Kids-- The Options

I have been in school for most of my life.  I graduated high school and went to college.  I earned a Bachelors degree in Psychology and went back for graduate school.  I earned a Ed.S. degree in School Psychology and worked in the public school system for 3 years before moving out of state.  My husband is currently pursuing his second Masters degree.  I guess you could say that education is important to us.

Here is where I stand on the matter:

 I do believe that a quality education is so important.  It opens the door for the option of pursuing higher education (if they decide to).

I also believe it is my job as a parent to provide that education to my kids.  Whether its public school, private school, or homeschool-- I feel that I have a responsibility to ensure that my kids get a good education.  To be involved.  To challenge, inspire, and help my children learn and grow.


Before I had kids, I just automatically assumed that we would enroll our kids in public school.  There was never any second thought.  Now that I am a parent, I don't feel so sure-- I just want us to look at all the options and prayerfully decide what is best for our kids.


Having worked in the public school system, I do know that there are alot of good teachers.  I also know that there are a few bad ones.  Based on my own personal experience, there was only one school that I worked at during my 3 years of employment that I would have wanted my kids to attend.


When we move back to Florida, we will be assigned to a specific area.  What if the zoned schools are not good?  And that is looking a few years ahead.  What about now?  My daughter is 3 and my son is 1.  Should my daughter go to preschool?  Should we do home preschool?  Montessori?   She will be 6 when she can enroll in public school Kindergarten due to her birthday.  What should we do until then?  Should she even go to public school?  (I know that I have just gone in circles-- this is to demonstrate how my brain has been working!)  This is an important decision and I have felt a bit overwhelmed by the information out there.


Anyway-- I am going to do a series on school options and ideas for my kids.  In the end, my hope is to arrive upon a good early education decision that works best for our family.