Decisions, Decisions: Choosing a Preschool for my Special Needs Child

Blythe will be turning three this May, and it’s important to me that I find a suitable preschool for her before her birthday.

With Alison, I started looking for preschools right around her first birthday (anal retentive, much?) and I toured dozens before I found the right one for her to attend at age three.  I assumed Blythe would attend the same school, and even began working there a few months ago, in an attempt to get the staff ready for dealing with Blythe’s food allergies.

But then, I stopped being in denial about the fact that Blythe has Special Needs.  The truth of the matter is, most preschools – even amazing, incredible ones – aren’t prepared to handle kids with Special Needs, and when those needs are life threatening, as in Blythe’s case, there just isn’t room for error.

With Alison, I did all the researching, touring, and deciding without her input.  With Blythe’s Sensory Processing Disorder, I knew she would have to be involved in the search.  I don’t see, hear, or smell things the way she does, so I am pretty much unqualified to choose a preschool for her on my own.

Today, Blythe and I spent an hour auditing a small, in-home preschool run by a sweet German lady, whom I’ll call Frau.  The school isn’t specifically for Special Needs kids, but Frau has a lot of experience with Autism and food allergies, so she will have no problem accommodating Blythe.

Random bonus?  Jeremy and I have been teaching the kids German and Spanish (what little our addled brains can recall, that is) since they were in the womb, so Blythe may end up being bilingual, after all.

I’ve made a list of “Pro’s and Con’s” to file away and compare to other preschools when the time comes to make a decision, but so far, the list of “Pro’s” is a mile long.  At the top, in big block letters, is the fact that Blythe was instantly comfortable in the environment.  

I also really like the way Frau has coordinated the curriculum.  They study one subject per week (math, science, reading, social studies) so that even kids who only attend one day a week – as Blythe would, to start out – get a well rounded learning experience. 

Another huge “Pro” is that while Frau’s preschool is structured, she also allows for individuality.  Case in point: one of the kids today was having a hard time concentrating on the task at hand, and so she gave him the option of either participating or playing elsewhere, quietly.  

And because of that, none of the other kids got distracted and the child in question didn’t have a melt-down.  Blythe needs that kind of environment – at least at this stage, and definitely at this age.

And?  It’s clean, organized, and child friendly.  Frau’s kids are all grown and one of her grandkids (who calls her Oma, cue flashback to my childhood in Germany!) attends the preschool.  Frau looks like a Grandma, which I think is one of the reasons Blythe was so immediately comfortable with her.

I’m excited about Blythe’s prospects.  I’m excited about our meeting with Frau and her assistant, about focusing on the next step in Blythe’s development, about continuing to tour schools that have been recommended by the parents of other Special Needs kids.  I’m excited about it all.

My baby is growing up!  And for now, that thought doesn’t terrify me one bit.