WHAT'S D BEST AGE FOR KIDS 2 GO 2 SCHOOL?

[nottinghill]

my son is 3 years old. i'm thinking, will i enrol him when he's 4, or 5? should one really go through prep, kinder and nursery?

[KuyaDanny]

If you can afford to, send your son to school as early as the school can take him. Interacting with children, and other adults, is great for developing his social skills and confidence. Besides, after all that activity he will come home tired, go to bed early and generally nag you less.

[nottinghill]

hmmm...less nagging. that's a good idea. thanks. but the oldies tell me, the earlier one goes to school, the earlier he'll get bored at school... ?

[KuyaDanny]

How old are these oldies? Are they in their forties like I am?

"Pre-schools" and similarly-named institutions are fairly modern phenomena. My parents sent me to one and my relatives didn't have a clue what a preschool was. Perhaps these oldies should go visit some and find out that what these kids do are:

a) Play
b) Eat
c) Listen to stories
d) Arts and crafts
e) Sing songs
f) Play some more

How can that be boring?

[guapa]

nottinghill, sending your son to school today is fine. look for a pre-school that has a program for his age group. if your son is the kind who is very extrovert and very matanong kid, then it would be best for him to go to school early than staying at home watching TV or with the yaya who can't obviously give much educational help to your kid. If he is in school, at least he is spending a portion of his day in something really educational with the professional teachers. he will learn to socialize with other kids and will get to express and enhance his talents and skills.
i believe that sending kids to school early is not bad for the kids at all. i sent my kids to school when they were so young pa. my youngest son (who is in grade 2 now) started going to school when he was only 2 y.o. attending a Toddlers' Class. my 12.y.o daughter is already in 2nd yr. h.s. now (consistent honor student pa!) and my other son who is 9 is now in grade 4 and also a top student in his class.
ako din, i started school very early that i graduated college at the age of 18 and passed the CPA board exams at 19.
so, basta kaya lang ng bata, sige, send him to school early. pero if he seems to be hesitant with the idea, don't force him. what would be best is you make an arrangement with the school to allow your son to attend class as an observer for one week. if he likes it to be there, then continue and support him. good luck!!!

[moonberry]

Originally posted by nottinghill
but the oldies tell me, the earlier one goes to school, the earlier he'll get bored at school... ?

that's why it's important to find a preschool that's developmentally-appropriate and not so traditionally academic. talagang your kid will be bored with school agad if he's bombarded with workbooks 24/7 at his age.
a lot of people say that preschool's a waste of money kasi puro lang naman daw play ang ginagawa and that the kids don't really learn anything. what they don't know is that thru playing, which is the natural thing for a child to be doing at this age, the child improves his motor skills, develops social skills such as cooperation and, most of all, gets to discover the world around him and in the process he learns without being forced into it. :)

[guapa]

when you send you child to a pre-school, yes, they play in the school. but it's not just the plain playing. they play and learn there. let me site an example. at home, a child will play a ball because he loves to play a ball.he keeps on playing with that knowing only that it is a ball.but in school, the child will know that the thing he is playing with is a BALL and the word starts with a letter "B"; the color of the ball is... (blue, red.. etc..); and the ball is soft/hard/smooth/rough.. etc.; that the ball will bounce if you throw it; that you can play the ball with other kids and so on...
in school, they'll learn that not all birds are called birds. these birds has also names like: parrot, pelican, penguin, ostrich, eagle.
and a snake is not just a snake but a rattle snake, a phyton.. etc..

see the difference?

[nottinghill]

tnx for all ur postings.

kuya danny, oldies are my son's grandparents (50's-60's). i started looking for schools and i noticed that there now junior and senior kindergarten.

makes me feel old! there was no such thing when i was in school!