Preschool -- Does it matter?

Having children is a huge step in peoples lives. It falls in one of those, graduate, get a good job, get married, have kids categories that are ingrained into peoples minds from day one. But in today's society, many families have two working parents. Whereas in the past, it was common for the mother to stay home while the husband went to work, times have changed. People can barely afford to survive with two working parents these days. So once these couples have kids, the next question is, do they send them to school early? Does it make a difference to a child if they begin school at 2 or 5?
While I must admit I am new to hanging out with kids, even tho I recently became a first time uncle, I could see a dramatic influence that preschool has on children. I've been lucky enough to observe a few classrooms this semester as part of our OTA pediatrics course. In these classrooms, the children were already learning their names, showing social skills, learning manors, and much more. It amazes me just how much info is being learned so early on in life. But when you really think about it, babies begin to learn about themselves and things around them as soon as they gasp that first breathe of air. Naturally, the first little bit of a child's life is spent with family taking care of there every little need and watching them grow day-by-day. But there comes a point when life must resume for the mother who is out on maternity leave. So, what now....   does the mother quit a job to stay home and learn to eat roman noodles just like her freshman year of college? Do they enroll the child into a fancy preschool that promises the moon and stars?
Honestly, I don't think there is one answer that will fit everyone. I believe each and every individual will have to come up with their own answers. It seems that preschool is an awesome idea because one can immediately see that the children are ahead of the game when they enter kindergarten. They know there names, how to make friends, and even respect the teachers and show manors. So, duh, of course, send them to preschool to start learning right? Every parent wants their child to be smarter than the rest and ahead of the game. But wait, studies show that by 2nd grade, most children seem to equal out in their cognitive abilities and there is no more being top of the class (preschool education). So now, have the parents that sent there children to these preschools that cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars, just wasted their money? That's still most likely no. While the children have shown that their IQ levels tend to equal out, it's the 'non-cognitive' abilities that seem to stand out. Children are becoming independent sooner and learn to deal with different situations (independence). But does a child really need to ready to socialize before kindergarten? If they don't learn independence early on how will they ever detach from their parents? Are they going to end up like Ray on Everybody Loves Raymond and live across the street from their parents? Hey, it might of helped me. I guess I blocked out the memories, but I'm told that because I was so shy and would not talk to anyone, they thought I was "dumb" and placed me in the lowest level classes in SC. I am told that I used to come home with f**k y** written all over my shirts. Could preschool have helped me become more confident in myself? I guess I'll never know as I never know.

So in the end, I don't have an answer, and I don't believe there is one set answer out there. Each person will begin life in a different situation in a different environment that immediately begins to have an impact on an individuals life. If the parents are really into education, they might begin a perfectly good routine at home and never see the need for preschool. Or perhaps, they both have to go to work soon so they put a child into preschool thinking its all about play. And maybe it's just to keep their children busy and out of trouble, but one thing is certain, each and every person will learn no matter the situation. If families believe preschool and its environment are that important, let them send their kids. If families don't see the importance, that is up to them. Maybe it does help a child become social, but maybe they would learn that at home playing with the neighborhood children or at the local pool. I believe that decision is entirely up to the parents and the rest is just a wait and see what happens next type of event.