Originally Posted by preschoolteacher:
When I taught preschool, we would occasionally have a child behave completely differently in class than they did with family and friends. I remember in particular one girl who we could barely get to speak, running and shrieking and screaming happily one day in the gym...when only her parents were there.
I wouldn't force your son to socialize if he's not ready. He will be eventually. I know it seems expensive to send him if he's just coloring, but he is soaking it all up and will adjust when he's ready. Better to do it now than to have a long adjustment in K. As long as he seems content to go and just play alone and he's not struggling emotionally, it could still be a good idea.
this is a good point. the kindergartens here are quite demanding, compared to when I was in school. They have weekend and monthly homework. They are already working on sight words and basic math. For the average kid, it's a lot and it's only October. They won't have time for him to do a huge drawn out adjustment and he may fall farther and farther behind. Social skills are just as big a part of kinder as academic but its the same idea.....he has to have skills enough to cooperate, stay with the group, follow instructions. Unless he is being hugely disruptive in class (doesnt sound like it), I would leave him him until Jan or leave him in some sort of program till Jan and then re-evaluate. Clearly he needs the extra time to adjust to a school setting and waiting till next year might be harder on him, not easier.