WHY? (warning I am PISSED)

I was at a BBQ tonight at a neighbor's home. Now I am not close to this family, we're neighborly, the kids play sometimes, if her hubby needs computer help or an extra pair of hands for something Brain will lend a hand, I'm even the emergency contact for their girls (their private school is up the street, and Mom works more than a half hour away - if there was a major get the kids out emergency, I am the only at home mom she knows who's close which is fine with me - really -) yah know like that.

So here I am at the BBQ - with Wild Thing's mom - and she (WT's Mom) is talking with a couple of other moms I am listening but not contributing much ( I was also taking care of the almost 2 year old Dictator and there was a mini moon bounce- need I say more?).

"You should send her full day right away. I mean it will be hard at first, but she'll get uses to it and it will teach her to be self reliant" WHAT? This is what I hear one mom (who a know as a friend of my neighbor - a "Hi how are you?" acquaintances) say to another. Mom #1-the acquaintance- is telling Mom #2 that she should send her JUST BARELY 2 year old to full time preschool - to TEACH HER SELF RELIANCE!!!

WHY????????????

She's freaking barely 2!!!!!! WTF???? She needs to be HOME WITH HER MOTHER learning that she has wings to fly but that she also has a soft place to fall!

What is it that we need to send out children out into the BIG BAD world to GET TOUGH??? What happened to childhood?? This dear little one is JUST coming into herself and she's to be thrust into the world of SELF RELIANCE??? I am not self reliant! I rely on my family, my friends and my God. I rely on my Mother and my Husband and my Bible.

WHY THE HELL DOES THIS SWEET CHILD NEED TO RELY ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN HER MOMMA???

They keep talking and I just can't stand it. Mom #1 keeps talking about how it is better for HER to send her almost 4 year old to preschool full day. NOT it's better for her son, NOT he's so excited, NOT we're just going to try it, NOT I think he's ready. And if it doesn't work out she'll try somewhere else NEXT YEAR. So her poor son should suffer though a whole school year miserable - BECAUSE IT'S BETTER FOR HER!!!!

I was steamed and I just don't know these people well enough to tell them off (and hurt my neighbors). Meanwhile I KNOW that Mom #1 slept with her son in HIS ROOM until he was over 2 - even though her hubby was so NOT ON BOARD with this. Which would be fine if that was their family lifestyle - but then she had the NERVE to complain about how he didn't sleep by himself (although she didn't BOTHER trying to get him to sleep on his own). She really irritates me.

Now here is where I should say - I sent Thing 1 to a preschool 2 years ago - and had to yank him out because his teacher was an abusive asshole (YES I said it and SHE WAS! But that's another post).

His second pre-school this past year was better - but he still didn't thrive, and moved us toward our current decision to homeschool.

Thing 2 will be trying preschool 2 days a week (half days) just to play with friends. If it doesn't work out - that's fine I'll pull her.

I have NOTHING against pre-school (I was a pre-school teacher) I am totally against using preschool to HARDEN your children. It is there to expand your child horizons, to introduce them to new people, new ideas. Not to teach your child to be tough, but to help give them wings to blossom.