Kindergarten

Early entrance into kindergarten is one of those topics that cause many teachers and school administrators to cringe.

They are often too quick to cite reasons why it's not such a good idea. These include things like:

~your child won't fit in socially

~your child will be too immature

~his gross and fine motor skills aren't well developed yet

~he can't focus or sit still for long periods of time

~he won't be able to follow instructions

~he'll be smaller then his classmates

~in high school he'll feel like an outcast because his friends will be driving and dating before him

To a parent who recognizes that their child is gifted and definitely ready for kindergarten, these reasons sound more like excuses. You can become discouraged and frustrated.

You may respond by saying:

~gifted children tend to be more mature and prefer older friends

~he is more advanced then his peers and can focus for long periods

~many children are small for their age or tall for their age

~children mature at different rates and some are ready when some are not

~he can read and is ready to go

If they are against the idea from the beginning, does this mean it won't work no matter what?

The bottom line in these types of situations is to always do what you know is best for your child.

It is a good idea to find out in advance what your state or province rules are in terms of early entrance.

The school board or district may want to do their own testing and evaluations on your child. They tend to be more rigid in their thinking that age determines everything for a child.

As a parent of a gifted child, you understand your child's needs and abilities. You recognize that he is ready and will do well.

Often, the most difficult part is trying to convince the school of these things.


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