Have you ever read something that immediately makes you feel sick to your stomach? This is how I feel right now after having read the article entitiled ‘Cramming For Kindergarten,’ featured recently on CBSnews.com. I think the title gives you an idea of what road I am going down. Yet another example of adults, and in this case parents passing on their Adultitis to their little ones. Tragic! The article talks about parents who have chosen to seek out tutors for their pre-schoolers, in order to help them ‘be ready’ for the academic demands of Kindergarten.
Christine Califano, one of the parents shares:
“It wasn’t that she (her four-year-old daughter Haley) had any kind of limitations. It was that she really wasn’t interested, and she needed to be motivated a little more. It is unfortunate that you have to do all this preparation for kindergarten, but you really do.”
Really? Do you? …Why? How many ‘motivated’ four-year-olds have you seen lately? Not every child wants to read at age four or even shows interest in letters, numbers or writing this early. Sure, Haley may have a little catching up to do with her ABC’s when school starts, but I would like to see if she needs a tutor to help her run on the playground or imagine in the house area or dig a tunnel in the sand table or laugh with a friend?
One may argue that this parents cannot be faulted for wanting what is best for her child. I would argue that the best thing for a preschooler to do, in order to ‘be ready’ for school is to BE A KID.
The homework looks like this: catch bugs, sneak some cookie dough from the bowl, jump in the biggest puddle you can find with your ‘good’ clothes on, play hide-and-seek and scream when someone finds you, let a dog lick your face until you can’t stop laughing, hide out in a tent made of blankets and couch cushions, master the art of the Kool-aid and milk mustache, make play-do snakes, grow a bubble beard in the bath, loose your way in a wild story, get goose-bumps when your parents kiss you good-night, get muddy, fly a kite, enjoy the scratchy sound of your training wheels, finger-paint, play ‘house’, and my personal favorite – swing!
Heck, I’m trying my hardest to get back to this life now. The creativity, the innovation, the imagination, the perspective– so pure and innocent. It is a true tragedy to see this stolen from the little ones who teach us so much about life.
My parents’ neighbors have a 2 yr old daughter who is in a “private” school….oh my goodness, she is a TWO YEAR OLD!!!
I like your list of items to be a kid. It would be interesting to have a list generated by your readers of “kid” activities they used to do but don’t do anymore. I’ll add my first, play in the little creeks formed on street curbs after a good rain with little sticks and have races.
I haven’t read the article yet, but just the title makes me sigh, too! I l truly loved school as a child, so I “can’t wait” for M. to go (she’s currently only 9 months old) because I hope she loves it like I did. I was even a little disappointed she was born in Nov which means she can’t go until she’s almost 6. But then, I’d rather she wait as long as possible! I wouldn’t even mind if she skipped kindergarten! K isn’t rquired in WI, but I think she has to go at age 6 so we won’t skip it. Although I’d much rather homeschool/unschool her so that she doesn’t have to learn to sit still for 6 hours a day and eat school lunches and not be able to ask all her questions when she wants to (something I did hate about school because I was brimming with questions…and answers to the teacher’s!). We have no interest in sending her to preschool, that’s for sure!
I forgot to mention a little kid thing I love to do: Go out of my way when walking to step on crackly things like leaves, sticks, maple seeds, acorns, ice. I especially like scuffling my feet through dry leaves in fall. It’s the only thing I like about having to stop riding my bike to work.
I love the sound of walking through leaves and crunching through that top layer of ice/snow! I miss climbing trees – I used to do that alot as a kid :)
I miss playing in the mud and plastering birthday cake all over my face and hands.
Parents, if you feel you MUST cram may I suggest some classes for your child’s enrollment
Kindness 101
Generosity 205
Flexibility – Master’s Level
:)
It’s amazing all the “pressure” there can be on parents to enroll their kids in all these programs so they’ll be more ready for our world. I know people who’ll ask me if I’ve signed my 2 yr old son up for various classes…..Gimmee a break! Kids learn by playing!
There are alot of things I miss about childhood, but it is so cool to be my kid’s mom and see life through his eyes. I love seeing him explore on the playground or having him help me make cupcakes….I want him to enjoy this time that flies by so quickly!