The School Dilema...

pictured: Madison and her friend, at "Wee Ones", on "Pet Day"

I don't know where the time has flown, but Madison is well on her way to becoming a five-year-old. Because of her late fall birthday, she will be entering pre-K just before she turns five.

With school registrations already taking place for next year, my daughter and her husband are facing the tough decision of where to send Madison to school next year. It's a tough call.

On one hand, public school pre-K is free, but it lasts all day. Madison would have to leave her house on a school bus at 7 o'clock in the morning, and wouldn't return until nearly 4 o'clock! That's a l-o-n-g day for anyone, especially a little one.

I've also worked in the public school system, and I know the kinds of kids the teachers have to deal with. Some of the children cause real problems--even as early as pre-K! Unfortunately, in my opinion, some of the teachers are not what they should be either. I hate the thoughts of any of my grandchildren being exposed to things that I've seen and experienced.

There is a four-year-old program at the church where Madison currently attends "Wee Ones". It is only four days a week, four hours a day. The only drawback is that it costs money, and then you have to furnish transportation to and from school each day. We live 7 miles from the school. With today's worsening economy, both of these things--tuition and transportation-- could become issues...

I don't know how all of this is going to turn out, but I do know that I'm glad I don't have to make the decisions. It's tough raising children in these tough times...

We should all say a special prayer every night for the young parents who are so desperately trying to do the right thing for their children, and while we are at it, we should say a prayer for those children whose parents just don't seem to care...