Friday, November 06, 2009

This is doing my head in!

I find it so difficult to work out in my mind how to reconcile Eb being so anxious when I leave her at kinder. She is so sad and yet she enjoys it there eventually. I've worked hard on the attachment and now have ended up with this kind of scenario. I get in the car after peeling her off me and sit there with tears in my eyes trying to work out what her little heart is going through.

To add to that, it's been such a big dilemna for me to decide whether to leave her in 3yo kinder for another year or give her 2 years of 4yo. I still don't know what to do. Any thoughts would be willingly listened to! I still haven't made up my mind, but am leaning toward 2 years of 3yo. I don't want her to start school until she is 6. Why? because she is definitely still behind (meeting with speech therapist confirmed that yesterday)....because I am well aware of some of the 'cultural' struggles she will have to face at some stage and I think for her to be a year more mature will help her work through that.....I also think 6 is a much better age for starting school anyway just for maturity and understanding......and, I'm in no hurry to push her off to school.

This year has been 3.5 hours every Friday morning - 4yo would be 3 mornings of 3.5 hours - a big jump.

I just dont' know.

2 comments:

Mummy said...

hey Jen....topic i know well and i agree with your leaning to do 2 years of 3 year old kinder. You almost need to see a little boredem and over confidence emerging before kids move to the next level. Doesn't sound like Eb is there yet. Its always better to hold off starting in my opinion than have to have Eb repeat a year and leave friends she has made behind. Call me if you ever want to talk it through 03 9730 2773 xx Irene

Vicki Goodman said...

Well Jen, as you know I have a completely different opinion!
I think 2 years of 4 year old is much more stimulatig than being in a 3 year old class. Some of the kids in 3 year old are just so little, and Ebs is becoming a big girl now. As for losing some of her friends, well I'm sure she'll cope and make new ones. AND she'll actually attend for more hours than at 3 year old. Lots of kids at our childcare are repeating 4 year old kinder. You may not get funding for the second year of 4 year old kinder, but I think it's still worth it.
Love Vicki XXX
PS but at the end of the day you know Ebs better than all of us and you really will know best!