Parents Are Worried DCKs May Not Be Kinder-Ready

[SunflowerMama]

Thanks guys for all the encouragement! I checked out their future school's kindergarten readiness info, which I've glanced at before, and it is mostly self-help skills with basic academics (number/letter/shape recognition, story comprehension, matching, sorting, rhyming, writing their name, knowing address/phone, etc.).

I've decided to add a little computer time for each dck on Starfall.com each week and will increase our group reading/story time a bit to really do as much as I can. Then I'll help them learn their address and parent's phone number.

I agree that they are all very independent and self-sufficient so I think they will all do great at kinder but was just worried about the reading and writing aspects. You guys have definitely made me feel a bit better about those 2 areas.

[Country Kids]

Last night I talked to some friends of mine who are kindergarten teachers in the area I live. They said here that kindergarten is the new first grade! I do believe this though because the difference from when my first child went to my last child was like night and day. My two had tons of art work, keepsakes, freetime, etc to bring home. My last one barely had anything. It was changed from being a social, learning place to becoming very academic.

So for us-being able to write your name correctly-Capitals and lowercase, knowing your sounds, being able to write letters, knowing how to count/write to ten (thirty is the goal) knowing the shapes, and a ton of other things. Pretty much what you would have done in first grade is now what they are doing in kindergarten here. They actually push alot of reading and math. I know several children that have had to repeat kindergarten or do all day kindergarten because they didn't know much going in and then couldn't keep up once they were there.

This is why I feel personally that I need to do what I can do have these little ones ready for school. I have them the majority of their waking hours so anything they can learn here the better! Parents do have the responsibility of teaching but there isn't really that much time in the evenings as we are all aware of. I'm going to go online and see what they need and may post it later.

[SandeeAR]

This is why I only keep kids ups to age 4. I am a Babysitter (and proud of it). I don't profess to be a teacher and don't want to be. I tell parents at the interview, I will help your child learn, colors shapes and 1,2,3 etc. During play. We will read stories, play outside, do some simple art projects and just have fun.

You need to plan to more them to a preschool or center setting by age 4. They can teach them to stand in a line, walk in a line, (can't do that well in a small house with just 3-4 kids), teach letters, numbers etc. I don't have the degree to do all that. My degree is in MOTHERHOOD! I'll love em and treat them like I did my own kids.

PS: I was a SAHM. I sent my own kids to mother's day out and later to preschool, to be with other kids. I knew most kids were daycare kids and I didn't want my kids behind.