More on "Do You Have a Preschool Program?"

Last week I posted an article "Do You Have a 'Preschool Program'?”

In it I pointed out that providers who don't use the words "preschool program" to describe what they offer may be at a disadvantage with parents looking for this type of program. I urged providers to better explain how their program helps preschool children learn and grow.

I received a thoughtful comment from Blake Crosby, Manager of the Business Center of the North Dakota Child Care Resource & Referral agency who said:

"I was intrigued by your March 10 article on "Preschool Programs”.  If providers are holding themselves out there as offering a preschool program, they would be strongly advised to “walk the walk”.  Just because you have preschool in your name, or claim to offer a program for preschoolers, does not inherently make you a preschool program.  Don’t advertise what you can’t deliver.  Parents talk to each other and parents have a preconception of what constitutes a preschool.  Having preschool in your name or in your marketing creates a performance obligation.  It should not be just a way to generate additional revenue.

Providers should do some market research, investigate those businesses that hold themselves out there as a preschool, look at preschool curriculum, and talk to the parents about their expectations.  We should be talking about the best educational process that will help prepare these young children to be successful in school and able, as adults, to compete in the global marketplace."

I agree that it's not enough for providers to simply call themselves a program that serves preschoolers, whether they use the words "preschool program" or not.

I also agree that the focus should be on the quality of the care that is offered to preschool children. Child care providers can offer high quality care under a more formal "preschool program" as well as under a more informal program. What's important is the quality of the care, not the name used to describe it.

Still, providers who don't offer a traditional "preschool program" don't have to take a second chair if they can show parents how their program will meet the needs of their children.

Several child care providers also offered helpful comments to my first article.

Tom Copeland - www.tomcopelandblog.com 

Image credit: https://nara.getarchive.net/media/preschool-students-and-marines-dance-and-sing-to-head-2809b5

For more information on promoting your program, see my book Family Child Care Marketing Guide.