The Preschool Secret Every Parent Must Know

At three years old, they are already being assessed on how they share crayons. That’s preschool for you. Majority of the parents are obsessed with academics. Letters, numbers, colors. However, to any early childhood teacher, what really counts at this point, they will tell you the same thing, can your kid say I am upset, rather than bite someone? That is the real curriculum.

At this age, everything revolves around emotional vocabulary. http://www.myspanishvillage.com/ Kids who can name their emotions can handle them more effectively. Something as small as a broken pretzel can trigger a meltdown rather than a simple complaint. Preschool becomes a daily training ground for emotional growth.

The physical environment matters more than parents realize. Shelves placed low. Sinks at child height. Objects they can reach without asking adults. Such minor things silently accumulate independence. When a child is able to pick his/her own paintbrush, then they will no longer wait to be given the go ahead. This change is more significant than it seems.

Preschoolers thrive on routine like it’s a love language. Predictability helps calm their nervous systems. Children are able to relax their brains and even be able to absorb things when they are aware that there is a snack after the circle time. On the contrary, chaos keeps them on survival mode. The best preschools have structure kids can sense, even if they can’t put it into words.

Parents even fear that their child is lagging behind since he/she is unable to write his/her name or count up to twenty. This is a reality check, a four year old who can take turns, deal with disappointment, cooperate with others to play is developmentally ahead in ways that will have a much longer lasting effect than reciting the alphabet.

Friendships at this age are light but meaningful. “You’re not my friend anymore” is said with full intensity at 10am and forgotten by 10:15. Kids are learning how to fix social conflicts. That is important. That ability to argue, forgive, and move on stays with them for life.

Struggle with drop-offs are not something to hide. There are some mornings that are like peeling an octopus a small, stubborn creature off your leg. It’s difficult. It’s temporary. Crying usually fades within minutes. Educators have experienced this many times and they don’t judge parents.

Preschool is where children realize they are not the center of the universe. That is a deep, a little frightening, a very serious matter.