Monday, February 07, 2000
Preschool showcase a convenience
BY JEFF CARLTON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
BLUE ASH — Dressed in his Elmo overalls and choo-choo train sneakers, 13-month-old Zachary Lempert is content as he sits in his stroller and munches on grapes.
His mother, Debbie, likes it that way because it lets her concentrate on the task at hand: finding a preschool program for her son.
That mission brought Mrs. Lempert to the Blue Ash Recreation Center on Sunday afternoon for the annual Early Childhood Showcase.
About 40 Tristate preschools, early-childhood programs and vendors staffed booths at the showcase, making it a one-stop shopping event for parents with children too young for kindergarten.
The showcase also featured lectures on selecting preschools and kindergartens, and a keynote address from author Vicky Lansky (Feed Me! I'm Yours) on “Parenting From Breakfast to Bedtime.”
Zachary won't be old enough for most early-childhood programs until fall, when he turns 18 months. But Mrs. Lempert, a stay-at-home mom, wanted to get a head start for her “mama's boy.”
“I want to find a program that will give him some independence from me,” said Mrs. Lempert of Wyoming. “He needs to get away from Mama.”
More interested in his socialization than his education, Mrs. Lempert was looking for a program where Zachary can interact with other children.
But other considerations — program philosophy, loca tion, price and size — must be factored in.
For children as young as Zachary, the program offered by the Jewish Community Center in Montgomery is typical. Teachers organize art and music activities that encourage the children to interact and share.
“Classes” are held three times a week for 21/2 hours each. The program costs $1,440 for the school year.
“Parents have all sorts of choices,” said Susan Thorpe, an early-childhood consultant. “It's a very involved process.”
In selecting a preschool, parents should pay attention to the program's philosophy, Mrs. Thorpe said. A program will usually stress either individual problem-solving or group problem-solving.
Parents also need to consider whether their children are auditory or visual learners and whether they are outgoing or shy when selecting which type of preschool is best.
Mrs. Lempert spent the afternoon pushing Zachary in his stroller, collecting brochures on the different programs and signing up for mailing lists.
Zachary spent the afternoon trying to climb out of the stroller, reaching for balloons and beating on a drum at a booth for a music program for young children.
Mrs. Lempert said she needs to study her brochures before she makes a decision.
“I don't want anything very academic right now, but I also don't want it where he runs around all day and plays,” she said. “He can do that at home.”
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