How to Know If Your Child Is Ready for Early Childhood Education
Ever since my son was a baby and he was about two and a half years old, he has been in kindergarten 45 hours a week. He was chronically overly agitated, which was compounded by the fact that he could not / did not want to sleep in kindergarten.
When I became a couch potato, I thought it was important to enroll him in a part-time preschool so that he stays socialized and in a somewhat structured “school” environment. About six months later, after spending a full day at home with me, I enrolled him in a three-year program, which was held for a couple of hours three times a week. It sounded like a perfect balance.
Except that he fought hard that first year. He had all the basics; he was comfortable being separated from me, but overstimulation got in the way. The next year I changed preschool (for various reasons), and almost immediately it got noticeably better. But in hindsight, I think it had less to do with a particular school as with the fact that he was a year older and more ready for such an environment.
Depending on the program, children can often go to preschool between the ages of 2-1 / 2. But just because they’ve reached that magical age doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ready. There are several real emotional and social reasons for holding back a little.
Kindergarten versus preschool
Many children go to kindergarten from infancy and many quality kindergartens offer a preschool component as children grow up. There is one major difference between the quality of childcare and preschool, Nikki Darling-Curia, child development professional and author of Brain Based Early Learning Activities: Connecting Theory and Practice , says Paternal : Childcare provides preschool, but preschool does not provide care.
Darling-Curia notes that parents who already have a child in a good institution may not need to move to preschool at all. This is because the skills a child learns in child care are very well aligned with the most important skills they will need when they reach kindergarten.
Since there is no childcare component in preschool, children who attend preschool must meet some additional expectations.
They’ve mastered these basics
Most preschools want children to be potty trained. Some 2-year programs can be a little more flexible in this regard, especially if you are actively potty-training, but by the time the children enter the 3-year class, they should be pretty independent about this. square.
They will also need to be able to wash their hands and eat. No need to worry that they can do everything on their own (in fact, in preschool, my son learned to ” flip-focus ” to put on a coat), but in general, teachers will not be able to deal with them as if they were in kindergarten …
They are ready for parting
The first morning of leaving preschool shouldn’t be the first time your child is away from you (this is probably obvious). They should get used to the fact that from time to time they have different guardians, such as grandparents or nanny.
Crying a little when you throw them is okay – and it’s okay. As most preschool teachers will tell you, a quick stop with a hug and the words “I love you! I’ll be back in a few hours! Have fun! “Best. Most children stop crying within minutes and can easily be redirected to something that distracts them easily. But if crying is inconsolable and continues throughout the lesson, that’s a different story.
Children must be emotionally prepared to separate from you in order to benefit from attending preschool.
They are ready for classroom work
Yes, preschool is a great place to develop some strong communication skills, the ability to sit and concentrate for longer periods of time, and listen, follow directions, and take turns. However, children need to be able to sit and concentrate on their own for at least a short time in order to work on art projects, and they will need to engage in the cycle without giving up regularly in order to explore the class.
Every child will have days when all of this is not easy, but for the most part they should be able to participate in class activities with everyone else.
If you’re still unsure, try this American Academy of Pediatrics test at Parents.com . It’s also a good idea to make an appointment with the preschool principal to discuss any concerns you have and to get more information on readiness.