A mother in America has shared a perplexing newsletter from her child’s preschool that sets out completely unrealistic standards for kids aged three and four.
Shared to the parenting website Scary Mommy, the site criticises the establishment, asserting “if you’re going to teach young children, you need to understand the stages of child development and plan your expectations accordingly.”
So what does it say that is so unreasonable?
“We made it through a really tough first month with tears, attitudes, unwillingness, not listening, not obeying the rules and especially, too much talking and not enough sitting in seats when asked to” it states.
The newsletter, dated October 2017, continues “We realize kids don’t want to sit and would rather talk and play when they want to; but that’s not how school works”
“Please, work five or ten minutes each day with your child on this and you’ll see improvement.
“We realize it’s a fast paced world and parents work, but the adults in the house have to be in charge and help the kids to understand this. Please, talk to your child about the importance of sharing, not fighting, keeping their hands to themselves, and learning to get along with each other. Remind them that once we pick up the toys that we don’t get them back out again, because we are done playing and going on to learning fun things.”
As the original post points out, the newsletter paints a picture of 30 kids in a classroom all talking over the top of one another and crying every ten minutes with a teacher that is just completely overwhelmed.
However, this classroom had in fact eight children.
Yes. Eight children was enough to warrant this response from the preschool.
And, according to Raising Children, tantrums, anxiety and fighting with other children is all a normal part of the development process.
The truth is these children are three year olds, and, should be expected to act like three year olds.
So can we all just agree to give mums of toddlers all mums a break?
Do you agree that this newsletter was unfair and sets out unrealistic expectations for toddlers? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Top Comments
I think the more kids are taught values , ethics and polite behaviour, in short, thinking of others needs, the better. This takes all of the teacher, primary caregivers, and secondary caregivers. It takes a village to raise a child.
It also takes reinforcement to teach them, which is what I think this note was trying to convey. No good trying to teach children manners at school if they are allowed to run riot at home - and vice versa.
I don't think it's unreasonable for a school to ask parents to dedicate a tiny fraction of time each day to teaching their children basic social manners. Oh, and this isn't anything to do with "giving mums a break" - fathers are just as responsible for instilling those lessons.