UNPREPARED PARENTS ARE WE
So back to the Kindy orientation... we get this package with all this information. You know the drill: don't bring peanut products to school, two different pairs of shoes (say what? two? - one for indoors and one for outdoors and one they come to school in is the extra), and of course all the skills they should know.
Now call me crazy but isn't the reason I'm sending them to Kindy is for them to LEARN a lot of this stuff? I'm not saying parent's shouldn't expose their kids to ABC's and 123's and whatnot ahead of time. But we all got the lecture on making sure our kids can hold a pencil properly (have they met my kids? They both have fine motor issues). The whole rigamaroll of what they'll be learning, apparently my kids should already know. Oh oh. All of a sudden I felt like the worst mom in the room. Am I the only one in there that hasn't been a drill sergent? I mean I read to the kids and stuff, but they don't know how to actually read. So does this mean mine will be the only kids that won't be able to? I'm having a panic attack - I feel suddenly like my children might be inadequate and that I'm a total slacker as a parent.
So my question is to you: how many of you are extremely dilligent in teaching these things to your children BEFORE you send them to school. Or are you more like me: they got a taste of most of it already - but they aren't exactly ready to pass Kindergarten on the first day? On top of this, I'm the Coordinator too. Someone please pass me a small brown paper bag - I'm starting to hyperventilate.
17 comments:
I didn't learn my alphabet until kindergarten.
I didn't know how to properly hold a pencil until school.
I didn't know all of those things...
But, it just seems that parents nowadays start them so much younger.
Your kids are healthy, and bright, and have fun. Don't feel guilty about anything.
Yeah, everything Little Man knows, he knows from daycare. So really, I would not beat myself up if I were you. I mean how are they supposed to know how to read before kindergarten? That's crazy!
Surely they just explained things poorly or just tried to get the point across that they expect parents to be involved in their kids' learning and it just came across horribly wrong!
Yea, expectations are so high now for kids when they start school. It is a bit intimidating!
My 4 yr old knows some things, but not others. She knows some Spanish and sign language, but doesn't know how to read at all. She can't tie her own shoes...
Well, hell...I guess I better quit slacking, if this is how kindergarten really is...
We have that to and seriously it is silly. Not all kids went to preschool and can do all of those things. There are SAHM nowadays.
I am lucky that my ds can read (grade 1 books) and write and count and all that other jazz, but hey his sister is in school and he just copies what she does.
Don't feel bad....Like Lainey said - the kids are helthy and bright.
I think with kids at this age and even up to this age....should be having fun....not 'studying'
Oh and that tie your shoe crap....that is what velcro is for!!! Neither of my children know how to tie their shoes...and my daughter is going into grade 2.
omg Elle we are more in the same boat than you KNOW!! Gareth has fine motor issues as well as a midline issue that makes him switch back and forth from his left to right hand with his pencil...and sports (throwing balls)we are not sure if he is right/left or amibidexterous. My guess is right but I kinda hope he is left handed...lmao..weird eh?
I have done the same as you..read to them but I have not sat at a table and drill sargented them into spelling their names. Apparently I should have been because Gareth has issues printing his name. He's getting better but apparently not up to Kindy standards....we will have to discuss this over a cocktail or two...
That's why they call me slackermommy!
Elle,
Apologies, but I'm piggybacking on your most recent post, LOL.
I read your Working with Grief post a few days ago and posted something new to my blog that references you. Great post by the way!
Cheers,
Lizzie
http://lizzieshome.blogspot.com/
I hear in Germany they don't want the kids to learn ANYTHING at home so this levels the playing field in the classroom. Sounds like a good idea to me, lol. Jared is in 2nd grade and I'm not sure he knows his abc's some days.
I'm sure there were other parents thinking the exact same things you are...Don't stress. I've never taught kindergarten, but I have subbed and I have seen a variety of different levels of motor skills even at the end of the year.
Don't stress. Please...That's what Physical and Occupational Therapists and Resource Room teachers are there for....Just let them be...They'll be just fine!
Don't worry about it. I called my stepson's school, before he started Kindergarden, and asked what he needed to know before he got there. They gave me this list but also made sure to tell me that if he didn't know any of it, don't worry, they'll learn it. So just breathe, it'll be ok.
We did our very best to teach them all about Elmo and Barney. They could count (a little). They could pick their parents out of a crowd. The could pee within reasonable proximity of a toilet. The rest was up to them!
Elle, don't worry. You will be amazed at how fast they learn while in shcool.
I did the same as you with Joey and Little Luis and they did not know how to read or write and they have been straight A students.
Mickey on the other hand is in Pre-School and has learned a lot but still I do not drill him to learn.
Relax!
I have no idea how your kindergarten works. I started Liv out in Montessori pre-school when she was four and the next year, they simply told me that she had been promoted to kindergarten readiness. I was told what she would learn in school, but nothing that she had to already know.
If they had sent something home about all that, I would have been totally floored. Liv could read at 4, but she STILL has trouble tying her shoes and she is seven.
I would sit back and relax. Throw the stupid list away. They will be fine.
I don't know how we did...I wasn't in charge of that department.
Lot of help I am huh?
Good Luck!
Elle, don't worry about it.
This is an age where they go to learn, to play, and they will learn all that stuff in Kindy. In the Kindergartens I've worked in they don't expect the kids to know everything, it's just great when they've had some exposure to it.
Jake always had motor problems, and what has bothered me is that schools have always insinuated that it was just behavior on his part. It doesn't affect just writing, but tying shoes, art, using a knife and fork, sports, etc. He was just diagnosed with Developmental coordination disorder this week. He's 11 1/2.
So if they are behind there, I'd work on it a bit here and there doing fun activities with them so they can cope in the classroom.
And of course buy velcro shoes.
We were lucky with Ashley. She recognized all of her uppercase alphabet and could count past twenty before she started PreK. They didn't work on lowercase until the end of the year. So because of PreK, she did really well in Kindergarten this year. She actually made me very proud. She doesn't read much yet. She can read certain books and the "sight words" that the teacher taught throughout the year.
My youngest, Morgan, is due to start PreK in September. She can't even get through the ABC song and she can't recognize more than 3 letters. She can count up to twelve. Good thing she's cute (just kidding).
Same parents, different kids. Who knows. I'll just be happy when they can tie their own shoes :)
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