Moms Talk: What Preschool is Best for My Kid? Am I Already Behind?

Welcome to Moms (and Dads) Talk -- where we open up the conversation for you to ask and answer questions about raising kids, being a parent, getting time to yourself, and living in San Anselmo and Fairfax. We invite you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for Ross Valley moms and their families right here. 

Grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with this week's question. Provide answers below in the comments, and submit your own questions to kellyd@patch.com.

Q: We've discussed t before. How do I know what's right for my kid (and my budget)? But, we haven't tackled the even more complex preschool admissions process.

My daughter will be ready for preschool in a year, and we are already feeling that we're late to the process. How early should we be getting our names on waiting lists, and are there any resources that help families navigate all of the local preschools and their respective application processes? How do I know what kind of preschool is best for my kid? If I choose wrong, will my daughter never catch back up? Please help!