Sending children earlier to kindergartens?
@chineseairhead (756)
China
July 3, 2008 2:09am CST
Child care is a big issue in all families, and there is a heated debate on the best method of handling it. Nowadays there is a growing tendency for parents to send their children earlier to nurseries and kindergartens. Some even go to nurseries and kindergartens at the age 2 or 3 so that mothers can be freed from child-care and pursue their own careers. People from different backgrounds, however, hold different attitudes on the matter in question.
Some people claim that children should be sent to nurseries earlier. First of all, psychologically speaking, the child needs more opportunities to communicate with his peers. The main task of the child-care establishments is to inculcate honesty, coucial for them to receive systematic and scientific care and rudimentary knowledge from well-trained professionals. Last but not least, sending children earlier to nursery schools enables mothers to devote more time and energy to their jobs. In this way, career succuss become more possible, which is very beneficial to the whole family.
However, people rarely reach an absolute consensus on such a controversial issue. The opponents argue that sending children earlier to nursery schools has its demerits. In the first place, it may lead to the poorer parent-child relationship for lack of emotional communication. In addition, with mother staying at home, children will be better cared for and given more attention. On the other hand, in nurseries and kindergartens, there is possibly of lacking adequate care and attention because there is so many children in a class. Moreover, although the family may lose some income, the expenditure will also be greatly reduced. It will no longer be necessary to pay for attending nurseries and kindergartens.
Undeniable, there are points in both sides of the argument. But after a careful consideration of the above reasons, I stand on the side of the opponents. Start nursery schools too early is harmful to children mentally. Children who are sent earlier to nursery schools lack the affection of parents. Furthermore, mothers are the first teacher of their own child and exert profound impact on the child's future growth.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@TessWhite (3146)
• United States
4 Jul 08
Most kindergartens here in the states have several requirements. Usually a child isn't sent until at least age 5, sometimes 6. Most schools require the child must be able to say their name, address and phone number and they must know the alphabet. This amazes me since I learned all that stuff IN kindergarten. My son went to preschool at the age of 3 and 4. He went for several reasons. One, our household needed two incomes so I had to work full time. Another, as an only child he enjoyed being around other children his age. It helped him to become more outgoing and friendly in social settings. It also taught him the things required to be entered into kindergarten.
@BNORRIS10 (11)
• United States
4 Jul 08
i think the original user is really talking more about child care programs that are basically like pre-school except for the fact that they will take from 2 up most only require the child to be potty trained or at least mostly potty trained
there is a big difference between kindergarden/pre-kindergaten over a nursery
my 7 year attended step-fourward which is a pre-kindergarden program offered thru the state in which they actually learn things they will need for kindergarden which i chose to put my daughter in because she was excited to go to school - prior to that i did not send her to a nursery i had to pay for
@maple_kisses (2156)
• Philippines
4 Jul 08
I had my first schooling when I was four years old and it never affected my relationship with my parents. I think two or three is really early though. I mean, at those tender age, kids are still babies and babies need to be with their parents for education at home before they can be ready for an education within the four corners of the classroom. I think it's too early to send kids out. I know nursery is more on playing while learning and vice versa which gives kids free reign of their time but it's still too early to expose them to other kids' values. I think parents should spend enough time teaching the kids good values at home before sending them to school so they won't be influenced and shocked with other kids' preferences and attitude.
@aprilsong (1884)
• China
3 Jul 08
children need to be sent to kindergantens.because it is good for them to learn how to get along with other kids.but in my opinion,the first condition should be they are not younger than 2 years old.because two year olds already know how to express their feelings and can take care of themselves when they pee or stool.you know,some kids dare not speak out when they wet their pants.
those kids who have not been sent to kindergartens tend to have difficults in playing with other kids.
@underdogtoo (9579)
• Philippines
3 Jul 08
When my children were ready for school then I sent them to school. I didn't want them to be left out and be the only ones who were not going to school. So the usual thing is nursery and they went at 4 years of age and had Kinder I and Kinder II before going to First Grade. My youngest suddenly did not want to continue after one month of Nursery so I let him have a vacation and never pressured him to go to school. He would say he will go back after his birthday or after Christmas vacation. It worked fine for all of us. All the time he was just on vacation and the decision to go back to school was completely his. Lol!
@T3hG33k (215)
• United States
3 Jul 08
I think it is good for them for the original reasons you stated and I think all of those goals can be accomplished in a school that does not necessarily teach anything. For kids younger than 5 it should simply be a place for kids to socialize and learn this life lessons. Basically I think it should still be pre-k and if tax payers want to pay for this great for new families I suppose.
As a high school student of this generation I can say that earlier learning is not the solution but better education. The reason I say this is because for myself I was bored through most of my school years as the things taught to us were just too simple. Each year has a very large repetition from the year before anywhere from 25%-50% of the curricula in most cases. Instead of sending kids to school earlier what needs to happen is the school system needs to adjust its curriculum, offer more help, and offer advanced courses to people of all ages even in elementary school so long as it is something the students wishes to do and is capable of.
