At Saint Matthew's, for example, parents not only assist the teacher, but also serve as baby sitters and janitors and perform administrative functions. Children get to share their school time with their parents. More importantly, parents get to share school time with their children. They become intimately familiar with their children's teacher, their studies and their classmates. We have some friends that have known my kid since he was 2 years old - there's a bond.
Parents often consider other parents and children to be extended families.
For families in which the mom stays home and other families on a budget, cooperative preschools offer a way to provide a child a preschool education at a reasonable cost. Co-ops can act as a bridge for children who aren't quite ready to make the transition to a traditional preschool. He doesn't like to be dropped off and go into the school by himself. I stay the first 20 minutes for calendar time. For him, that's the transition tool that he needs.