So, I kinda glossed over the Kitten thing. Part of the reason I don't really like to talk about it is the abject fear.
Apparently, when our generation went to school, if you failed your kindergarten screening they just held you back a year. I have heard this comment from a couple of people, you know, trying to be helpful. "Oh it's no big deal, that happened to my kid and I just held him/her back a year."
This strikes terror in my heart. Not that I am opposed to doing it on principle, but I happen to have another kid coming up behind this one in the very next grade and holding my first one back would either mean my kids are in the same grade but are 15 months apart (potentially embarrassing for the older one) or that I have to hold the other one back a year too. I think the other one will be more than ready when it's time and it's more than a little selfish that I want to get them both in school sooner rather than later so I can stop spending the money on daycare.
It doesn't seem like holding kids back is really what they do anymore, though (it sounds like they just used to hold them back and cross their fingers that it was enough for kids to be "ready"). All of the appointments are more geared toward finding out where, if any, the deficiencies are and determining if there are any learning disabilities or special ed needs so they can take care of those as soon as possible. They want to get kids on a plan to catch them up as quickly as possible, which is why they screen kids so early now.
It also seems like Kitten is doing just fine. There may be a few deficiencies, but I don't think anything is really too far outside of scope. Even the daycare lady today said she thought Kitten was doing just fine with the teacher today at their session and that she would pass for sure (she was one who held a kid back).
So I'm much less scared of the process now than I was (I was even tearing up on Monday when I was being interviewed). I think we're doing okay and hopefully we will come out of it with some things to work on and we've already started on some of their requests.
4 comments:
It's good to start the kids "on time". She'll have a whole year to get where she should be for first grade anyway. I wouldn't sweat it too much although I can certainly understand your concern. Peanut had problems with her screenings too and she's done just fine through it all.
Also if it helps anything I was in all the remedial classes in the early grades because I was "to young" (they had just switch the month you had to turn an age to go into classes so I missed it by a month) and in kinder I wrote in all capitals (which was maybe more different than not good). By Junior High I had been moved to all the "advanced" classes and was getting really good grades. I suspect your kids will have enough brains and support that they will do just fine... and be able to drvie you crazy by rebelling.
So I was going to leave a longer comment, but I realized it was just about my kid, so maybe I'll just save it over to M&M and actually, you know, write a post again...
Just make sure she knows how to wipe her own butt when you send her to kindergarten. When I taught, we did have one kid show up to K who asked for help with that one... Yeah, not so much.
From what I know, it's a lot of times easier to get them "in the system" if there are developmental delays when they are still "early childhood" and not "elementary." Different criteria and all. Plus, you know, getting them caught up earlier, too. So sometimes there's a push to make sure to catch things early that results in some kids getting screened/tested/observed a little too proactively/unnecessarily.
Good luck & keep up posted.
My Dad had to repeat kindergarten (age issues) and Wog had to repeat 4th grade (social development). My Dad was probably the brightest person I know, and Wog ain't so bad either. =)
Try to stay positive. If there are any issues, best to catch them early when they are easily fixable. 亡羊补牢, 塞翁失马 and all that.
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