Preschool can be a very good experience for your child. Preschool is not needed to begin your child's "book-learning", but it will help your child get used to the idea of leaving home for a period of time each day, and introduce him/her to the idea of learning in a group. It will also give her/him a chance to improve social skills by meeting and playing with other children and adults, as well as introducing him/her to more formal rules than you may have established at home. A preschool program may be especially beneficial if your child doesn't have many opportunities to meet other youngsters or adults, or if s/he has unusual talents or developmental problems that might benefit from special attention.

You might feel sad or guilty about being separated from your child, and you might even feel jealous of your child's relationship with his/her teacher. But you know very well that his/her teacher can't replace you, any more than preschool can replace your child's home life. These new relationships help your child learn that there is a world of caring people in addition to her/his family. The time of separation will help your child become more independent, experienced, and mature, and in the end, will actually strengthen the bond between the two of you.

How much time should a child spend in preschool? Children's personalities vary from shy to independent, and from being very social to being quite happy playing alone. All children can thrive in a preschool setting that, ideally, offers children a safe and stimulating environment supervised by attentive, supportive adults.

What to look for in a preschool:

Relatively small class size. (2-3 year olds do best in classes of ten or fewer children, with close adult supervision (1 adult per 4-5 children). By age 4, slightly less direct supervision will be needed and a group of up to twenty may be OK (1 adult per 6-8 children).

Teachers and staff trained in early childhood development or education. Be suspicious of schools with an extremely high turnover rate among the staff.

An open-door policy - you should be welcome to observe your child at any time.

Safe indoor and outdoor environments - The school and grounds should be thoroughly child-proofed. An adult who knows basic first aid, including CPR and how to care for a child who's choking, must be present at all times.

A clear illness policy - It's best to isolate any child who becomes feverish. Also, whenever a child shows symptoms of an infectious illness, s/he should be sent home as soon as possible.

Proper hygiene practices - There should be child-height sinks and children should be encouraged to wash their hands when appropriate, especially after using the toilet. If the preschool accepts youngsters who are not yet toilet trained, a completely separate diaper-changing area is absolutely necessary to control the spread of infectious diseases.

Disciplinary measures that correspond with the parents' - Limit setting should be firm and consistent without discouraging each child's need to explore. Rules should reflect the developmental level of the children in the program, and teachers should be supportive and helpful without stifling creativity and independent learning.

An overall philosophy and goals with which you agree - A good preschool tries to help children gain self-confidence, become more independent, and develop interpersonal skills. Be wary of programs that claim to teach academic skills or "speed up" children's intellectual development. Most preschoolers are not yet ready to begin formal education, and pushing them will only prejudice them against learning.

A program that caters appropriately to children with special needs - For a child with special needs (such as language or hearing impairment, behavioral or developmental problems) contact the director of special education in your local school system for a referral to appropriate programs in your area. Many neighborhood programs are not equipped or trained to provide the care your child needs, and may make your child feel "behind" or out of place among the other children.