Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?

If your child is one of the many whose fifth birthday will land somewhere between Sept. 1 and Dec. 2 of this year, you may already find yourself in the midst of turmoil as you attempt to answer one simple question: Should I send my child to school in September?  

There are a few things to look at when considering what will ultimately be the best situation for your future student. 

First and foremost: Is my child developmentally ready to be in school?  Children will learn when they are ready to do so.  Just as it is with riding a bike or catching a ball, if a child’s body and mind is unable to make certain connections, he/she will not be able to accomplish the task without significant help from someone else.

Being ready on a developmental level has nothing to do with intelligence.  I know many very bright youngsters who started school at age 6 because they simply were not ready at age 5.

Ask yourself these questions:

 1. Does my child separate from me easily?

Is he or she fairly independent? It is certainly fine if your youngster is a tad shy or reluctant to try out a new situation. However, this could be a sign that he needs a little more time before school begins. 

 2. What can your child do? 

Children who begin school should be independent enough to handle all “toileting needs” by themselves.  They should be able to eat the snack you have provided for them, including opening containers and cleaning up the leftovers without assistance from others.  School-aged children are accustomed to carrying their own backpacks to and from school, packing their school papers inside and hanging them on a rack. 

3. Does your child know how to take turns, and is he willing to do so without complaint?  Does he follow simple directions well? 

At school, children will be expected to do these things. 

 4. What about academic readiness?  Do they recognize most if not all of the upper and lower case alphabet letters?  Are they aware that letters make sounds?    

It is not required that children recognize letters to start school.  Realistically, however, children who do not know how to recognize many letters will be at a disadvantage. 

 5. Can they hold a book properly and turn the pages in the correct direction?

In kindergarten, many children will learn to read.  It is important that your children are familiar with books to help them as they head toward the path of literacy.

*** 

In the next few years, the laws in California will be drastically changing to coincide with the school entrance laws of most other states.  Next year, for example (September 2012), students will need to be 5 by Nov. 1 to start school.  By the time 2014 rolls around, a child must be 5 by Sept. 1 to enroll in kindergarten.  At present, the decision about whether or not to send an “almost” 5-year-old to school is a parental decision.  You know your child better than others do.  Make a choice to do what is best for him or her.