Home
>
Parenting
>
Starting School - What Age Should Children Begin School?

Starting School - What Age Should Children Begin School?

"What age should my child start school?"

This is a common question that concerns many parents. It is complicated if your child's birthday happens to fall near a closing date for new school enrolments.

There are many factors to consider including: a child's gender, his or her general readiness and maturity and also family circumstances such as sibling proximity.

However as a general rule I advise parents not to rush children down the academic track. It is tempting to get children off to Pre School or school at the earliest possible age, particularly if your child is socially aware and generally a bright spark.

It is a mistake to assume that an early start in any area is a good start. The Finnish experience stands out as a beacon for parents and educators all over the world. Even though Finnish education authorities have delayed the start of school until as late as seven years there appears little or no gap between educational performances at the later end of school. In fact, in terms of dropout rates and readiness for further education those kids seem streets ahead.

Currently, in many Western countries we seem to hell-bent in shaping environments for kids from the earliest possible ages to maximise learning and child development. Nothing wrong with that per se but we must keep it in perspective and remember that kids need time, space and opportunity to be kids. That means that they shouldn't always be in an adult-structured environment or live in a childhood that is an adults' version of what a childhood should be. They need space and time to explore, climb, hide, balance, bounce, and use their imaginations. And adults don't have to do all that much to allow this to happen. Kids will climb and bounce on furniture, hide behind chairs and turn a living room into a space ship given half a chance and the television off.

It is tempting to underestimate the importance of parents' as a child's first early teacher. Pick up a parenting magazine and you will see all sorts of advertisements for early childhood classes ranging from movement through to music classes. Okay, there are some experiences a parent can't provide but I am unsure of the wisdom of cluttering child's early lives with music, ballet and tennis lesson and neglecting the chance of giving them a chance to daydream, explore and just muck around.

Children's basic needs don't change. The foundations of early social, physical and mental needs are laid in the first seven years ? and it is through play that children develop most.

What has changed is the amount of time a child spends sitting rather than being active, the ever-shrinking age that stress can kick in and how some kids barely have time to be kids.

Providing opportunities for outside play and activity at home is important. One-to-one interaction with a parent is important to boost confidence, promote language development and teach problem solving and perseverance.

The best start for a child is to have the chance to grow up in a relaxed atmosphere with the time and space to explore his physical and social environment; to mix with his peers in a mixture of structured and unstructured environments and plenty of language and experiential rich one-on-one time with a trusted and caring adult. It sounds a lot like home!

Michael Grose is The Parent Coach. For seventeen years he has been helping parents deal with the rigours of raising kids and survive!! For information about Michael's Parent Coaching programs or just some fine advice and ideas to help you raise confident kids and resilient teenagers visit http://www.parentingideas.com.au

In The News:

Apple recently notified a small number of iPhone customers in 92 countries that their phones may be under attack by mercenary spyware.

An artificial intelligence-powered home security system can fire paintballs and tear gas at trespassers. The camera identifies human faces and animals.

Technology expert Kim Komando gives her tips and tricks on enhancing your user experience a smartphone and other devices you use everyday.

A new camera called NUCA uses artificial intelligence to create deepfake photos of subjects by stripping away clothing in close to real time.

The Kimberley Kube trail-ready camper has a compact but spacious design and combines luxury, functionality and ruggedness for a weekend getaway.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Emails instructing you to reset your password for an account may be legitimate, or they may be scams. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.

Northrop Grumman's Manta Ray uncrewed underwater vehicle aims to revolutionize undersea missions — it glides through the ocean without human assistance.

Learn how to work Google's calendar application to streamline and organize your daily tasks from technology expert Kim Komando.

If you do not want Facebook to have automatic access to your private photos, follow our tips to protect yourself. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson goes into detail about Apple’s recent iOS update that allows iPhone users to instantly translate spoken language simply by using the Action Button.

Safeguarding your digital life with a reliable physical backup isn't just a precaution, it's a necessity. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides the essential backup checklist.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how a Redditor exposed false recycling claims at their apartment, highlighting a report that only 21% of U.S. recyclables are processed.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson offers a travel toolkit featuring five technology tools to help you with booking flights and hotels for your summer vacation.

The bubble behind the clock on your iPhone can appear in different colors. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what each of those colors mean.

Scammers are using the power of artificial intelligence to mimic voices of people and are using the fake voices to commit crimes, like kidnappings.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the science behind the Invisibility Shield, a 6-foot shield that makes people become invisible.

The International Olympic Committee on Friday announced plans to use AI in various Olympic aspects, including athlete identification, training and judging.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains an easy trick to avoid squinting while working or surfing the web by zooming in on your personal computer.

Streaming giant Roku has recently been targeted by a pair of cyberattacks, and the company confirmed over a half million Roku accounts were compromised.

The Land Aircraft Carrier combines an all-terrain, six-wheeled vehicle with a two-seat aircraft, which features electric vertical takeoff and landing.

The European Union has sent TikTok a "request for information" on the video sharing platform's newest app, TikTok Lite, under the Digital Services Act, with the aim to clean up social media.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The FBI is warning the public about a recent phishing scam via text that claims its targets owe money in Pennsylvania for unpaid road toll charges.

Starting School - What Age Should Children Begin School?

Parenting