Today has been really emotional for me so far. I don't think my sleep was very restful. I did not have breakfast. May not help that I am leaving my entire family tomorrow for 5 days. Or the fact that M and I are trying to decide if R will be attending Kindergarten at the end of this month.
That is probably the root of it. My baby, old enough to go to Kindergarten, but still not yet 5. He just doesn't seem ready yet and I am having a hard time not putting that blame on myself. Not that there is blame to put. He is a very smart child, that is not it. We just are trying to figure out if we are doing him the best service to send him to school, on a bus, to be out performed by children who are almost a year older than him in some cases. I do not ever want my child to think that he is not as smart as other kids and I do not want him to be dogged by that his entire schooling, nor do I want him to hate school. Everyone I talk to - friends who have been kindergarten teachers, parents of children born later in the year, Michael's doctor, our parents - have supported what we have said and agreed with the things we asked them about. Now it is just figuring out what we are going to do. Is there a preschool out there that we can send him to that is not full? One that will teach him things, so he will learn and grow and not just have play time?
Aargh - I didn't need another thing on my plate today. I'm busy enough packing and getting my family ready to be without me for 5 days.
I got video forwarded from my mother-in-law today. It helped a bit, though I cried. Watch here.
4 comments:
From a teacher's perspective, if he's not ready, he's not ready. Don't feel bad, and certainly don't push him into school too fast! Kids are forced to grow up faster than most are ready to, and I for one believe that Kindergarten is best to wait if he just isn't there yet!! You will find his academics later will be stronger for not rushing because he will gain the physical, emotional and mental maturity necessary to deal with school.
So, don't panic, the world will not come to an end if R waits a year for school. In the long run, it's likely the best solution! Here's hoping you find a good preschool right away!
Thanks Jen - I have talked with two other friends who teach too and they say the same thing.
The learning can come in Kindergarten, the bulk of it anyway, most preschools will teach a bit, the social skills of making friends, respecting authority, etc are the things that he'll probably pick up most in preschool. I had a friend (who's a kindergarten teacher) tell me that in Manitoba at least, the curicullum for Kindergarten has been "dumbed down" to the point that a student could enter school in Grade 1 and not have missed a thing. Kindergarten is actually not mandatory. So don't worry about it, he'll do great in whatever you put him in, he's such a great kid!
ps. I got all teary too!
Post a Comment