| Is your child ready for kindergarten? This is a question | | | | hop on one foot. When your child can perform most |
| that many parents of children ages 4-6 ask | | | | of these tasks, they are ready for kindergarten. |
| themselves. There is no decisive answer, trust your | | | | What indicates they are not ready? |
| judgment and realize that although your child is the | | | | Your child may not be ready for kindergarten if they |
| correct age to attend kindergarten, it does not mean | | | | will be one of the youngest in their group. The closer to |
| that they are ready physically or emotionally. Let's | | | | the cutoff date their birthday is, the younger they will |
| examine when to send your child and when to keep | | | | be. For boys especially this makes a huge difference. |
| them home for another year. The good news is that | | | | My experience as a mom of 4 and a homeschool |
| most school districts in the US offer screening. | | | | mom of 10 years has taught me that if you feel your |
| However, what happens if you disagree with the | | | | child is not ready, you are probably right. I pushed one |
| results? Here is the information you need to make an | | | | of my sons into attending kindergarten when he truly |
| informed decision. | | | | was not ready. The situation that resulted was a |
| What makes a child ready? | | | | nightmare more for him than me. It could have been |
| A child is ready for kindergarten if they can easily | | | | avoided if I waited 1 year before sending him. If your |
| communicate their needs to adult and other children. | | | | child has frequent tantrums, night terrors, or |
| Another sign that your child is ready is if they are no | | | | bed-wetting you may want to consider keeping them |
| longer having bathroom accidents. In addition they | | | | home for another year. If they cannot perform most |
| should be fairly self sufficient and mature enough to | | | | of the tasks listed in the above paragraph, it may |
| function in an organized group. Kindergarten readiness | | | | indicate they are not ready. |
| has very little to do with academics and has | | | | Your child may not be ready for kindergarten at the |
| everything to do with emotional maturity and social | | | | age of 4 or 5 if they have physical or emotional |
| skills. Most children are ready between the ages of 5 | | | | disabilities. Problems with hearing, speech or vision may |
| or 6 years of age. Boys tend to mature more slowly | | | | be a very good reason to wait a year. Children with |
| than girls do and many 5-year-old boys are not ready | | | | special needs require very loving and understanding |
| to attend a full day of kindergarten. I am not biased | | | | teachers. Meet with the potential teachers before |
| against boys; I have 3 of my own. A lot depends on | | | | deciding where to place your special needs child. It |
| when the cutoff date is for your district. If your child will | | | | may be worth waiting a year and taking that time to |
| be one of the older children in the group then they will | | | | find the ideal situation for your child. |
| probably be ready. | | | | Is your child ready for kindergarten? The final decision |
| Here are some good indicators that show your child is | | | | lies with you. No one else knows your child better than |
| ready for kindergarten. First, they have attended | | | | you do. If you feel that they are not ready even if the |
| preschool and handled it well. They are able to | | | | screening says they are, (my son passed his screening |
| communicate their needs to an adult other than a | | | | with flying colors) then keep them home for another |
| parent. Children who are ready handle themselves well | | | | year. If you feel that they are ready but the screening |
| in social situations. Your child should be able to handle | | | | process states they are not, you can request another |
| requests that include multiple tasks such as put the | | | | screening or you can have your child evaluated |
| crayons in the box, close the lid and put the box on the | | | | independently at your expense. The final decision is up |
| shelf. When building with blocks they should be able to | | | | to you. Use the information in this article to make an |
| construct a tower at least 5 blocks tall. Finally, their | | | | informed choice. |
| gross motor skills are such that they can run, jump, and | | | | |