Kindergarten Pressure

Uploaded: May 3, 2014

A couple of weeks ago, my friends and I did a double take when we saw a two and a half year old who was neatly writing out the alphabet in chalk (upper and lower case letters) at the park. We were all quite surprised by his impressive writing skills. It started up yet another conversation about preschools and what our children should know to be prepared.

Sadly, discussing preschools can be a very stressful topic for parents. Some are shocked by the prices and waitlists. Others are overwhelmed by the choices available (part-time, Montessori, Waldorf, play-based, academic, international, etc). It's not easy to figure out what is the best fit for your child.

Yesterday, I came across this letter on my Facebook newsfeed. It was quite unsettling to read that a school cancelled the kindergarteners' performance because they felt that it would interfere too much with the children's preparation for college and future careers. So much pressure is being put on parents, teachers, and children. And it's especially troubling when it is at the expense of programs that help the child learn teamwork, confidence, public speaking, and so many more life skills. I hope this school is an exception and that most schools are able to stay balanced even with all the new requirements being thrown their way.

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