Soapbox Post

I have been cynical preeeetty much my entire life.  Cynical, sarcastic, a huge fan of Daria in the 90's...you get the point.  I struggled through middle school, passed high school by the skin of my teeth (or just the grace of a few teachers who really didn't want to deal with me any longer) and spent all of my college days driving around in my wrangler listening to music while my friends were at class.  So, in my defense, I don't have a HUGE attachment to education.  I obviously understand how important it is and always, ALWAYS push my kids to do their very best in school.  Once they have earned their doctorates and are drowning in student loan debt, I will share my true feelings with them. But only then because I know my feelings are based around bad experiences and, well, I'll just call it being lazy.

Now.  That being said.  I have really been struggling to find schools for my kids in North Carolina.  I have asked local "mommy groups,"  scoured the internet, and read pretty much everything there is to read about the education system in our new area.  Mostly, I just want my kids to have a better experience than I did.  So, when I found that many of the local Pre-K programs involve plaid romper uniforms, embroidered-crest-polos, and cost almost as much as my monthly mortgage payment I pretty much flipped my lid.

WHAT. ON. EARTH?!

This is preschool, people.  I remember preschool vaguely as a place I went to eat crackers and sing, "Did you ever see a Lassie?" There was a bully in my preschool class that I was terrified of (you should see his class picture - you wouldn't sleep for weeks either), and I had two elderly teachers.  One played the piano and one smelled like baby powder.  That's it...all of my memories from the year before kindergarten.

Why, oh why would I spend so much money on a place..no, a PRESCHOOL, whose name ends in the word academy? Am I missing something?  Is this what has happened to school in the past twenty years?  All I am seeking is a place, heck, I'd settle for a gated off room, where my kids can go to see other kids - make a big mess, sing the ABCs, and practice the manners we teach them at home.  Because, that's what four year olds do, right?

I'll post more as I submit my applications and pray that my daughter is smart enough to pass the entrance exam.  As opinionated as I am....you can expect this to get interesting!