Preschool???

Yesterday Pat and I went to a "Childcare and Preschool Fair".  I've always felt, since before Jocelyn was born, that I just don't see the reason to put her in preschool before fall 2012, the year before she goes to kindergarten.  Kindergarten is full day in our area, and I don't want her to go from all day with me, to all day away.  So I certainly want to do it then. 
But until then, I am a stay at home Mom.  Jocelyn is my job.  I don't feel like I'm doing my job as her Mom by sending her off to preschool.
Now, I know lots of moms with kids Jocelyn's age, and younger even, that have put their kids in preschool.  If my situation were different, if I had another child (like many of them do), if I had to go back to work, if she wasn't still napping (sometimes), if I felt that she needed more opportunities for socialization, I would do what I needed to do for her without hesitation, and I could easily see her going into preschool.
BUT...  I don't and won't have another child, I am so fortunate that I don't have to work, and Jocelyn's social calendar is, well, better than mine.
So, we went to this fair yesterday, because as usual, I have to be ahead of the game.  We went to child birth classes 2 1/2 months before Jocelyn was due, but of course, with her being born two weeks later and 2 months early, that was a good thing.  And that would be the perfect example of my personality, and the perfect justification for it!
Anyway, we went to this fair to find out information about the preschools out there with the idea that we aren't committing to anything before Fall 2012.  And I'm so glad we did.  First of all, I learned about co-op preschools.  I can't begin to describe the ***GLEE*** I felt when the parents at the fair told me how, in the co-ops, they can be involved in their child's preschool experience by being in the classrooms, doing crafts, helping the kids, reading to the kids, and maybe being on the board or a committee.  That's me all the way!  So that narrowed my preferences down a lot.  We also know that we don't want a religious preschool, so that took a number of schools out of the running.  And from what I understand about Montessori schools, I don't think that's for us either.
So we left the fair with information from about 5 different area preschools that we liked.  I know there are many others and in the next several months, I will certainly research all the area co-op preschools.  Come the fall, I want to have narrowed down my preferences so I can visit some preschools, decide the ones I like and hopefully by this time next year, I'll be ready to jump in the game.
Now let me tell you about THE GAME!!  Here you have parents of little kids doing what looks like competing for slots in the preschools!!   It feels like a talent show, or applying to college, and it's preschool for pete's sake!!!  I feel like there is some kind of pressure to get your child into the elite, perfect, preschool.  Well, someone we met at the fair yesterday gave us some advice I plan to take.  If we like the preschool, and we like the activities and the teachers, the location, and the price, then go with it.  If we are happy, our child will be happy.   I'm going to hope she knows what she's talking about!!
So what I thought was a quick and painless process...  pick a preschool, fill out some paperwork and bring your kid to class... is a lot more involved than I ever thought!!
As I always do, over the coming months, I will plan, and organize, and track every detail, and hope that it is enough in the end to find the perfect preschool for Jocelyn a year and a half from now!!!