I am considering sending my 2 year old son, Avery, to pre-school...the Sunshine House to be exact. Avery is a little behind in his talking and I thought interation with other children his age and teachers helping him learn would really be good for him. Does anyone here have any expierience with the Sunshin House at all ? They want to charge $91 a week, and I have no idea of how long the classes are nor do I know what days they are on. I don't want him going no more than 2 or 3 days a week, and maybe 4 hours at a time. But I'd love to here more about other mothers experience with the Sunshine House.

By Kaye on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 06:23 pm:

I have never heard of it. Sounds expensive to me, but that could be regional. Have you looked into church mother's day out programs? I will say from experience that 2 is REALLY young to send them to preschool for too long. Some kids really do great, but many many are just not ready. If you really suspect a speech delay, the public school can evaluate for free and then point you in the right direction for help.

By Debbie on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 07:35 pm:

I too have never heard of it. But, that sounds very expensive. That is almost $400.00 a month for preschool. I only paid around $100.00 a month for ds last year when he was in preschool 3 mornings a week. Ditto Kaye also on having him evaluated if you feel he has a speech delay, and about 2 being young to be in preschool for an extended period of time. My oldest started preschool when he was 3-1/2, it was 4 hours, twice a week. 4 hours was too much. We moved him to a place that was 2-1/2 hours, 3 times a week and it worked out much better.

By Mazoku85 on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 07:44 pm:

A person from the health department is coming out tomorrow and made a suggestion that I should consider sending him to a pre-school.

The person coming is from a program called Baby Net, she is going to evaluate my son and see if he may require speech therapy.

There are only 2 daycares nearby, and onedoes not have anymore room and the other I can never get in touch with anyone.

I'm not looking for a typical daycare...but one with somebody who will actually teach my son things. I live in the boonies so places like this are hard to find.

By Colette on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 08:39 pm:

Ditto Debbie and Kaye. 2 sounds a little young for preschool. He's still a baby! Have you spoken with a pediatrician? What makes you think he is behind w/talking?

By Mazoku85 on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 08:59 pm:

Here is the link to the Sunshine House Preschool I was speaking of if you wanna see what its about.

http://www.sunshinehouse.com/_sunshinehouse_new/index.html

The baby net coordinator told me that he should be able to say at least 8 words at minimum. Avery doesn't say much of anything. Every now and then he will tell you bye-bye,and call me mama, and his dad, daddy. But not often. Hell go around all day mummbling but not saying actualy words. He cando things you tell him to, he can feed himself, run, jump, climb. He cna finally point to mine or his nose when I aks him "Where's mommy's nose ?" or "Where's Avery's nose ?" he understands me, but won't really communicate with me.

By Amecmom on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 11:25 pm:

Boys are generally behind girls in speech. My son, Randy was two and a half before he started speaking. Beacause his receptive language (understanding) was so good, he did not qualify for services until he reached preschool age at 3. If Avery does not qualify now, have him tested again by your school district when he is eligible later on.

As far as preschool goes, it may be more frustrating to send him into an environment where he cannot communicate.

At two, I did mommy and me classes with my son. He had the benfit of being with other children and I was able to watch over him and step in if his language couldn't help him.

Some children with language delays become aggressive if they are frustrated and I wanted to avoid this.

His showing you that he understands is a form of commuication. One thing I did with my son was begin by giving him approximations. I called 'juice' 'du'. When he could say that, I added more sounds. Eventually he could say "juice".

Now, at 4 he is a motor mouth with a vocabluary that would put most adults to shame. When we had him tested, he scored above the 95th percentile for cognitive skills. Don't ever equate sppech issues with intelligence ...

I will be eternally greatful to Pam T on this site who gave me so many strategies and exercises to do with my son. I was able to work with him until he qualified for speech services. Thank you, Pam .

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. Ditto the others on the price. It sounds high.
And welcome!
Ame

By Unschoolmom on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 07:44 am:

Harry was over 3 before he was really talking. There's a VERY wide range of 'normal' that doesn't get acknoledged often enough. It is NOT a delay at 2. It's a boy who has other things that are more important and will get around to talking when he's good and ready.

Is he otherwise bright and engaging? One thing I noticed with Harry was that he was a gifted communicator. So he didn't talk for the longest time, it was because he didn't need to. He would use facial expressions, hand signs or simply go get what he wanted. Once I stopped stressing over what he wasn't doing I was amazed by what he was doing and the skills he was developing that he might have missed if speech came earlier.

Look for the skills and talents that are blossuming in the space that not speaking has allowed your son to have. And then trust, esp. since he's only two, that when he's ready and sees a real use for the spoken word, that he'll pursue it. He has his own priorities, let him explore them.

But playdates are much prefferable to daycare I think. You don't have to leave your toddler and can gossip and ••••• over coffee and snacks with other moms.

By Kittycat_26 on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 08:13 am:

I don't know anything about it but I can tell you that the cost is very close to what I pay for our preschool. They provide the lunch and two snacks. Also, it is run by the hospital I work for so I do get a discount there.

Good luck and go with your gut.

By Momofmax on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 08:35 am:

I agree with Dawn (Unschoolmom). Max didn't say A WORD until he was 17 months old. I tried and tried, worried and worried. He's six now and far above his age level in academics. He's a normal kid, no speech problems. We had his hearing tested and the public school evaluated him. They suggested that I put him in therapy. I was considering it. My sister, who is a speech pathologist, kept telling me to relax, that he was fine. She told me that if he could follow simple two step directions (by age two- such as "Go get the ball and bring it to me")and I thought that he comphrended what others said to him that I needed to give him four or five more months. By two he was talking. Having other children around does help so I would suggest a playgroup or just one other child that he could interact with once or twice a week for a couple of hours. Read to him in a lively, exciting voice, often. It's really great that you are having him evaluated JUST IN CASE that way you are starting early with help for him. His mumbling may be his pre-speech words and he's revving up for being a big motormouth!

By Debbie on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 08:39 am:

As far as your ds's delay, my ds said about 3-5 words at 2. However, like your ds, he followed commands, understood everything, etc. A few months later his vocabulary exploded. By the time he was 2-1/2 he was talking in sentences.

It is great that you are having him evaluated. Will they be able to get him some help if he does test delayed? If not...if you have medical insurance, check to see if speech therapy is covered. My youngest ds had a delay in fine motor skills. It was covered by our insurance. So, I found a place that accepted our insurance and then had him evaluated there. He ended up going to occupational therapy once a week for 9 months.

Does the Sunshine House have a program to help those with speech delay? If not, they may not be much help in that area. Or, are you thinking of sending him there more for interaction with other childen? If this is the case, are there any mommy and me classes or playgroups in your area? This is another way to have him interact with other kids, and allow you to have some time with other moms.

By Amecmom on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 09:29 am:

Yes, there is a wide range of normal - but having an evaluation is a good step - my son's issue was not developmental, but an oral motor weakness. If I had not had him evaluated, he would still be "compensating" rather than achieving. So, even though everything is probably fine, don't give up on the eval.

Ame

By Vicki on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 09:33 am:

I agree that unless the Sunshine House is some how going to help him with his speech, there isn't much point at this time in sending him. Do they have people trained in this that would be working with him one on one with it? If not, and that is the only reason for sending him, I wouldn't bother just yet. From what I read on the site, it sounds like a nice "general" type of preschool/daycare, but nothing lead me to believe they have "special" programs that I think you would want. What would they do with him that you couldn't??

Now, I am all for preschool and if you want to send him at age 3 or 4 for a year or two before K, I think that is a nice idea. But it didn't look to me like anything special that would really work on his speech. I think you would be better off taking him to therepy for it if that what is determined to be needed.

By Conni on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 10:10 am:

My youngest ds didnt say much at 2 at all. In fact I was very worried that maybe he had problems with his ears. My doc kept humoring me and checking him and telling me to stop worrying! He said he didnt see a need to refer him for an eval until he was atleast 3 yrs old. He said if my 2 yo was still not speaking much at that time then he would take further steps to look into it.

Having said all that, literally overnight he began to speak in full sentences. He is almost 6 and has not stopped talking yet!!!!!! My dh says I *asked* for it. lol

I did send my ds to a mothers day out program 2 mornings a week when he was 2 yo-3yo. He went on Tues and Thurs. It was at a church preschool. We paid about $80 a month. They did very age appropriate things in his class and I loved sending him there. He was very quiet when he was there too. It gave me the chance to clean without a toddler underfoot, shop, get my hair done, work out, get a pap without a toddler in tow, etc... I sent him for selfish reasons. lol

I did think it was odd that my ds was the youngest of 3, had Mom with him full time and Dad talking with him in the evenings as well. Four of us talking to him all the time and reading to him. I really thought he would speak early... Not so. lol My oldest ds was saying the alphabet by age 2, said MANY words by age 1 !!!! And he is extremely ADHD. They are all SO diff. My youngest is one of those people that WILL NOT do something until *he* is ready to do it. Stubborn little toot. Should be good quality when he is a teen though. Maybe he wont give in to peer pressure.

Whatever you decide good luck!!

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 02:50 pm:

Sarah didn't really start taking off with talking, until she was 2-1/2. After Emily was born, Sarah's speech just took off. She was saying lots of things, but really started with sentences and stuff, after 2-1/2.

By Mazoku85 on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 07:55 pm:

Well, the babynet coordinator came out. She is going to arrange a speech therapist to come out once or twice a week to help me work with Avery on his speech.

She also said that DHEC provides a pre-school program called "Head Start" its for children who need help with they're speech and fine motor skills and helps them interact with other children.

She also said that she would mail me a list of places in my county that offered "Mommy's Day Out" programs. She said most of those help them identify pictures in books and learn to do activities with other children his age.

And no, there is no Mommy and Me anywhere near me. And I don't know anyone else with other children. All of my friends are single and don't have kids of they're own.

My husband attends college, plus works a full time job...so everything relies on me. The pre-school was partially to give me 3 or 4 hours a couple of days a week to myself so I can get some chores done or just relax. But I don't want just anyday daycare, I want Avery to have a learning expierience like he would at home, plus I would like for him to play with other children his age.

By Mazoku85 on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 08:20 pm:

I take that back...there is one Mommy and Me class and its offered by the YMCA..I'll give it a look see.