In trying to avoid the ivy league preschool syndrome, I enrolled my 3 year old in a non-profit preschool located in the basement of a church rather than the beautiful shiny Montessori school down the street.
The church basement preschool has a small class size, good teacher ratios, an experienced head teacher/director who I watched in action and like, and a philosophy that is consistent with my personal parenting philosophy. The monthly cost is $350 a month for 3 days a week 8:15-12.
The shiny Montessori school has all wood toys, little wooden tables, an attached outdoor playspace, a naeyc accreditation and requires parenting to buy little polo shirt uniforms with the school logo on it for preschool. Monthly cost $1025 for a similar 1/2 day slot.
I was confident in choosing the church basement preschool for my son because he's a little shy and I thought the small class size would be a better fit, plus they have a large playroom upstairs with lots of toys, a city playground 2 blocks away, and kid's artwork on the walls that reflects individuality and creativity. ( the art does not all look the same)
Plus the cost difference is significant.
I dropped him off for his first day today and I saw a cockroach! I'm freaking out that I cheated out on my kid's schooling and have compromised his safety and health. I'm ashamed to talk to people IRL out of fear that I'll be judged for not choosing the shiny clean naeyc accredited Montessori option just to save money.
Please help talk me down from the instinct to just throw money at this issue.