The hunt was on. No, I don’t mean for the Kingfisher calendar girl. They are probably still looking for one who will model for nothing (no pun) even as they try to keep the planes afloat. I mean a different hunt altogether. I mean prey, oh pardon me, play school for my toddler. Today was his first day, and even as he sits doing something away from his mother’s madly beating heart for the first time in 2 and half years, I write this. Hence, please excuse geysers of excessive melodrama and plunges of deep philosophy as I try to tell you how my journey of picking the most suitable play-school for my child has been.
Once upon a time I wrote ‘No play-doh without dough’ Today, I care to share how the final decision was reached.
The how
How I went about looking for suggestions? Word-of-mouth, with all shapes of communication channels experienced, explored and exhausted (including Grapevine which is more complex than E=mc2). It did not mean I went around with a ‘Play-school suggestions needed’ tattooed on my forehead. I asked people I trusted ...
You forgot the most important thing, Sakshi! Accustoming the parents to sell off the family valuables to pay for son's education :)
ReplyDeleteOh, but that cannot happen as of now, Suresh. I picked one where the total fee = per month fee of the grander ones. :D So for now, not selling off the marital jewellery and car. :P Of course, the main school called 'Nursery' onwards will be a different ball game altogether, where his parents will learn the value of money even as he learns to write ABC. :) I shudder to think. Let me just enjoy this phase for a few months. Keep watching this space for more when the "family valuables" will be sold ...
DeleteI thought this was a general post for parents and not applicable exclusively to your case :)
DeleteYou make it sound like your blog is going to become one of those "Sell anything" sites :)
The experience is exclusively mine, the tips-n-tricks parents can draw on their own. No, I am not "sell anything", unless you mean my parenting gyan. :P
DeleteNo play-schools here, they call it daycare. I picked one where it was just another home - no agenda, kid can eat, sleep, play when (s)he wants. Now preschool - 3-5yrs age, I did a lot of research. Again, picked a home-based one, small setting, montessori method. Going unconventional for American standards but I fell in love with the teacher/owner. So far, fingers crossed, daughter is happy. Wrote an elaborate post on my choice here: http://shachi18.blogspot.com/2013/07/ubm-post-10-first-day-of-preschool.html (a longish post but informative, if I may say so myself :))!
ReplyDeleteI trod the old-fashioned path in picking what I picked. Parents, hopefully, know best. Will read your post right away. Thanks for dropping the link, Shachi. :)
DeleteGood meticulous approach.
ReplyDeleteYou took me back to my days when I was struggling with my toddlers: what is right and what is wrong!
Yes, one day I too will look back and wonder if all this thought into the process of picking a play school was worth anything. :) Thanks, Indrani. :)
Deletenice post!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, bubblecube! :)
DeleteSakshi a close friend was sharing similar concerns yesterday - which play school? are missionary schools better? fees in lakhs? so on and so forth. Sharing your write-up with her right away! :)
ReplyDeleteHaha, too many questions. I understand. :) I'll be more than happy to share whatever little I know with your friend. Thanks, Solitary Reaper. :)
DeleteSakshi I wanted to comment at the end of the entire post at parentous, but couldn't - thank to disqus issues. Here is what i said -
ReplyDeleteI d not have much experience of parenting. But I liked the way this post was drafted and designed. It needs patience and hard work to come up with a good piece of writing. I need to learn that too. It is all about quality and not quantity.
Sugandha, your words are melody. Thank you for saying 'it needs patience and hard-work to come up with a good piece of writing'. However, I disagree that you need to learn that too. You don't! :)
DeleteI'm very new to the blogging world. And I swore to myself that quality will always be given a priority over quantity. At the end of the day, how much you write will always remain subservient to what and how you write it.
You made my day! :)
Thanks for the post.. here you can find the best play schools, with full facility know more...
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
DeleteThx for sharing this wonderful information. Little Pearls Pre School in Delhi is one of the best child care centre where you feel familiar environment.
ReplyDeleteWOW! what a great idea. very creative. lovely!
ReplyDeleteHow to Start Play School