View Single Post
nannyde 02:07 PM 11-11-2010
Originally Posted by JJPlaycare:
How do the kids you watch adjust once they leave your care and start school and are suddenly surrounded by kids their own age? They aren't rotated out, they are with the same kids all the day through! Also suddenly they are seeing all sorts of new behaviors, vocab and things you refer to as violence and didn't put up with, just wondering how they all adjust?
That's a great question JP

You have to remember that the children have a life outside of day care. They have family, friends, neighbors, church ties, etc. They go out into the world all the time without me and their mates here.

They are usually here until Kindy so I make it a point to start talking to the parents around March or so about preparing them for what life will be like in a bigger group of kids and a different caretaker.

It's really important to have these conversations with the parents and over time (usually about six months) we start discussing it with the child going to Kindy.

We try to prepare them as much as we can for things that will be different and things we think will be the same. Kids being physical with them is one of our main topics. We don't want to SCARE them into thinking they will get the crap beat out of them but they DO need to know that there will be kids there who solve things by fighting. There is really no way to prepare them for it other than talking about it.

It's like all other phases of life. We do our best to give them a good foundation but eventually they WILL get out into the world and see things they didn't know existed.

I have only one family here who have a school aged child who was raised here. I asked her Dad this afternoon what he remembers of her adjustment. He said that she didn't understand "tattling" when she started Kindy. She had to learn when to and not to tell an adult what other kids were doing. The concept of tattling never came up in her childhood here

She's an awesome little student and an even better friend. She definitely got what she needed for success. I'm not too worried about those who come after her.

A good solid childhood with stability, consistency, and discipline will ALWAYS serve them well.
Reply