January is Preregister time for Kindergarten 
Some districts around the country started last week, some this week and some next week, but all are beginning preregister for the 2010-2011 Kindergarten classes.
In January each year I see a new batch of parents start to come into the school to register, for the first time, the most precious part of their life, their child. Parents are taking tours of not just the school I work in but schools across the country. They are interviewing secretaries, teachers, principals, other parents and neighbors in the exhausting search for what would be best for their children.
Parents can spend countless hours interviewing school personal and neighbors. They can look at trends and study data. However, the most important element to look at is your own child’s strengths and weakness. Each child is such a unique special individual, to lump them into categories or trends would be simply wrong.
Some behaviors that might affect learning are:
- Difficulty separating from his/her mother and/or father (Will they cry each time you leave?)
- Immature speech or behavior patterns. (In an emergency could another adult understand them?)
- Short attention span, constant state of motion and/or easily distracted. (Kindergarten is learning, can they sit on a rug and listen to a story?)
- Limited success with fine motor skills (cutting, coloring, etc.)
- In need of constant supervision on playground equipment, or forgets safety rules, disruptive or destructive. (Does your child understand about being safe?)
- Struggles with changes in routine, has trouble following simple instructions. (Does your child fail to finish tasks often?)
- Works better one-on-one than he does alone or in a group setting (Can you see your child working in a group?)
- Has poor bladder control that is especially evident under stress.
While you are spending time with your child, observe their behaviors. Make the best possible decision by making your decision based on your child’s needs, talk to his preschool teacher, caregiver or pediatrician. Then, if you are still unsure set up an appointment to speak to your neighborhood school, talk to the Kindergarten teacher, (Kindergarten teachers are a dear bunch.) or the principal.
You must remember you are the expert on your child’s life. If you have nagging doubts about your child’s ability to handle kindergarten, it may be best to give him/her the gift of time. In that additional year make sure he has lots of play dates, opportunities to interact with a variety of children, of course plenty of books read to him and by him, paper, and scissors and love. If you know that your child is ready to make that first step into a formal educational, give them a hug, a smile and your complete confidence in their ability. For your little ones truly see a reflection of themselves in your eyes.
Good Luck,
R.R. Cratty
Slide show is filled with pictures for your little one.
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